December 29, 2014

This week a lot has happened that was really exciting to see and experience. I had the opportunity to experience my first christmas without my family and without good american food but this christmas has made me see how much we should appreciate what we have at home. We are truely a blessed people to have so much in the United states. Over here a lot people were working on christmas eve and a lot of robberies too. We as missionaries are protected by Lord's hand. As missionaries you can see the confusion that happens around you and how much you can help the people with the message that we bring.

This week something pretty awesome and terrifying happened. While we were on a bus ride back to our room from a meeting that we had as missionaries, we were on the bus and everything was normal until we heard a really big bang. Everyone didn't know what that was but as we looked to the right of us, the window of the doors was shuddered by a huge rock that someone threw. The bus driver stopped and everyone tried to tell the bus driver who the person was that threw that rock. The assailent fled getting on another bus and didnt catch him. We think that he threw that rock because the bus driver didnt want to stop to pick him up. All around us on the bus we could see confusion and fear in everyones eyes but I was very calm and not worried. The spirit of the Lord was with us and i know it protected us cause if that rock was thrown a little higher then it might have hit us.

Yesterday this lady started yelling at us for no reason and telling us how we were working on sunday. All i started to do is laugh and i said "Habla bonito Pecausa" hahha which means speak correctly haha. It almost sounded that she was talking chechua but it was spanish haha. I've gained a testimony that even when difficulties come if you are obedient and have the love of Christ nothing can affect you or discourage you. The spirit was with us at those times and i'm grateful that all i felt in my heart was calmness and peace.

This week has shown me that the Lord works in many different ways to find people and have more investigators. Sometimes i think that there are no more people that are ready for our message in our area but then we find a family. It's crazy to think that you've passed that house so many times or seen it and there was someone waiting for you to just knock on their door. Im so grateful for the priesthood and for this gospel.

I'm going to continue to work hard this week and find new people but also work with the families that Lord has given us. We owe all to Him. We are just instruments in his hands and I know that this church is true. I'm grateful to have a family.

ELder Parra "LO MAXIMO"