Definitely one of my favorite weeks in the mission! This
past week was filled was some awesome highlights that I will remember forever.
To start off, I want to talk about an experience I have been waiting to have
since I got to the mission which is going to MACHU PICCHU! I know that almost
none of you have ever visited Machu Picchu so I will explain what the journey
to the famous Incan City is like. So first off, we woke up a little early
Monday morning and hopped on a private bus that took us to a place called
Ollantaytambo. You may or may not remember that name but a few months ago I
went to some ruins called Ollantaytambo and it is at this place where we got on
a train. The train ride was way cool! Since we are legal residents of Perú we
got to ride in the special train cabin that is reserved only for the Peruvians,
which means the only difference is that we don’t get food like the tourists in
the other parts of the train. I have to say that the train ride was very cool
because the train unnoticeably descended into the Jungle that Machu Picchu is
located in. After about 1 hour and 15 minutes in the train we got off the train
in a place called Machu Picchu Pueblo, which is basically the tourist town
below where Machu Picchu is located. We then got in a bus that began the ascent
up the windy roads to Machu Picchu. As we rode the bus up the rocky road, I
couldn’t help but feel like I was riding the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland…
only tons better! Finally after the 20 minute bus ride we arrived and went
through the ticket gates.
After finally getting through the gates, we were then
greeted by our awesome tour guide name Hiram! He then began talk to us about
the history as we started to walk around a few of the lower ruins and gradually
began to ascend to the higher portion of Machu Picchu where the well-known
photos are taken. Although it rained for the first 20 minutes of the trip, the
rain quickly departed and we were able to have an incredible time! It was
amazing to see a place that was built by people so long ago that has been kept
in such good condition and also have to chance of seeing the famous Inca Bridge
that Elder Uceda talked about in his General Conference talk in the October
2016 Conference. I learned so many cool things on the trip about how
intelligent and smart the Incan people were and how they believed that the
great Wiracocha (in Quechua means the Great White God) came and visited them
there. After spending several hours touring around Machu Picchu, we were given
the chance to have a little free time to take pictures and do what we wanted.
The time sure flew by and before I knew it we were already on our bus back down
the mountain and headed back on the Train to return. Visiting Machu Picchu was
the opportunity that so few people have and I am so grateful to have had it.
Serving in this mission is the best and I would be willing to argue with anyone
on the fact that I am serving in the best mission on the planet, not only
because it contains Machu Picchu but also because the people here are the
absolute greatest!
Other than going to Machu Picchu we also had some incredible
experiences with our investigators. Diego is still struggling a bit with a lot
of question but overall I know that he will someday be baptized. Billy on the
other hand is progressing like crazy! This past week we had a visit with him in
which he told us that he finally had received a question from God that the
things we were teaching him were the truth and that this is where he knew he
needed to be! He even told us that he was willing to do anything to be baptized
to become a member of this Church. It is such a blessing and a miracle for us
that he has had such a great change in his heart. My Companion and I both know
that our Heavenly Father is looking out for us and is helping our investigators
receive the truth and light that they need in order to come unto him.
As far as Dina goes, we haven’t had a visit with her because
she left for a few weeks to go on a trip to do some work. But as soon as she
got back here to Cusco she gave us a call and told us that she wants to have a
visit this week. So we are really looking forward to meeting with her again and
seeing if she has been reading and praying to know without a doubt that what we
are teaching her is true.
Now I want to tell you all about an awesome activity that I
did with my District! This Saturday we are having a huge Stake activity that
has had a lot of time and thinking put into it that is especially for
investigators and people who want to understand what exactly Mormons are. So we
are hosting Open House type activity here in the Chapel with all of the
missionaries in the Zone and trying to get as many people invited to the
activity as possible. Today I had the idea that something that could really
work is if we do something that will catch the attention of a lot of people and
make them have interest. Today Perú is playing Colombia in a soccer game that
is very important because it is a make or break game for Perú. If they win they
go to the World Cup for the first time in 20 years or so but if they lose, they
have no chance of going. A lot of people here in Cusco are really excited for
the game and have been decked out in Peruvian gear for the game. With my
District I planned an activity that we did outside of our Chapel in the
intersection of the street in which we all wore or had Peruvian gear that we
used to do a little pep rally thing to get people not only excited for the Perú
vs Colombia game but also to get people excited to come to our activity on
Saturday. We went out in the street and talked to all of the cars in the
intersection and all of those passing by and I have to say that it ended up
working super well! People drove by and honked and were just really happy and
began taking more interest in what we were doing. We ended up passing out like
850 invitations to the activity on Saturday and almost everyone I personally
talked to told me that they would be there! It sure is incredible how something
I thought would help invite a few people ended up inviting a ton more.
In closing this week I just want all of you to know that I
know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. He is at the helm. He is in
control. I know that he lives in a perfect resurrected body and that he is not
resting. Just as we work, I know that he works. I am so grateful for the
opportunity that I have to be a missionary. To help change a handful of lives
each day, which in the grand scheme of things might not seem like a lot. But I
know that no matter what the service that we do is, all of it helps the Lord to
bring about his larger work. I love you all and hope you each have a great
week!
Love,
Elder Fawcett
District Activity to Pass Out Invitations To Our Open House This Saturday!
Elder Fawcett and Elder Pinedo In Front of The Church
Not Afraid To Approach Anyone At This Point Even If They Are In Their Car!
