Busy pretty much sums up this week! Seriously though, we have changes
today so we are super busy working today. Thankfully we have P-Day the Saturday
before changes since we have to work today. So first off, I just want to say that
my Companion is now Elder Ordonez. He is from Guayaquil, Ecuador and speaks English
super well. I would argue he speaks the best English out of any other Latino in
the mission. So, I am really looking forward to using that to help me get
better at Spanish!
Anyway, so this week we had a couple visits with the family I mentioned
last week. Our visit last Monday went super well. They read the pamphlet and
had so many great questions. However, the husband got so interested that he did
a lot of reading on the internet about Joseph Smith and polygamy. Responding to
questions like this has been something that I continually have been faced with
in my mission. We explained that it was a commandment God had given to the
early members, but was no longer a commandment. We even showed him instances in
the Bible where it also was a commandment. After explaining all of this, he
understood and accepted what we had explained. As we continued through the
visit, it was super amazing to see as the Spirit worked in him to testify of the
reality of the Prophet Joseph Smith. We are really looking forward to continue
to help this great family progress and are hoping this week that we can get
them a date for baptism.
As well, this past Saturday as I mentioned before was our P-Day. So we
went to a really cool Incan site where there are seriously a TON of ruins. It
is called Ollantaytambo and the ruins are dated to be from the same time period
as Machu Picchu. In this particular Incan city there are several really cool
ruins to see which include the level things on the mountain which allowed them
to farm ( look like stairs), as well as The Temple of the Sun, a Military Fortresses,
and the Ancient Incan Water System can be seen along with several other various
ruins. It was seriously super cool and
the coolest part is I got in for free since I am officially a Citizen of Cusco.
This week we also had the visit from Elder Christensen, the president
of the Seventy. He came with Elder Goday who is the President of the Area. They
gave some really awesome talks that I am still trying to study and apply to my
work as a missionary. Oh and we sang and that went great as well. They seemed
to like and enjoy it a whole lot! The funny thing is in preparation for their
visit, we painted the Church which was pretty fun except for the fact that I
got paint all over myself.
In closing I cannot believe that today I hit 11 months since I left
home. The mission flies! Next month I am officially half way and I cannot
believe that. I love being a missionary and sharing the gospel with these
amazing Peruvian people who I absolutely love! I love you all and wish you all
the best week!
Love,
Elder Fawcett
Elder Christensen, President and Sister Hererra With Mission Staff
Being a Missionary is the best! This week was crazy busy and full of
work but keeping busy is seriously the best. First off, this week I wanted to
share a cool story about this new family that I talked about last week. We had
our visit with them last week and it went super well. As we entered the home of
this family they began to tell us the story of their life and the problems that
they have faced. They have always tried to do what was right, but it always
seemed that the adversary was right behind them to cause more problems. As they
shared this story with me I had to try so hard to not let myself cry. I
testified to them that our Heavenly Father really does love them. That he
really is aware of them, no matter how hollow they may feel. No matter the
trials they have faced or the setbacks in their lives, he has always and will
always be there for them. As we spoke, I felt the spirit testify to their very
spirits that what we were telling them was the truth. It almost seemed as if
the words didn’t come from me but directly from the spirit to them. As the
visit continued the wife took a lot of interest and they both asked some
perfect questions to us about life and we responded. As the visit concluded, we
left them with the Lesson 1 pamphlet they both promised to read and pray about
it. Tonight, Monday, we have another visit with them. So I am really excited to
be able to go out and allow the spirit to work in them again.
Now for a funny story. So during the visit with the family I talked
about just barely, we were served a cup of something to drink. When we were
served it, the lady told us it was tea. Not knowing whether it was type of tea
were are allowed to drink, which is the herbal, mate type tea, we took it. We
sat there for a little while, all of us looking down in our cups and trying to
figure out whether it was safe or not. Finally, we got brave enough and asked
her what it was. Smiling she said that it was a mate, which is like an herbal
drink that we are allowed to drink. We couldn’t help but laugh as we raised the
cups and drank the cup of what we had thought was a cup of something we aren’t
allowed to drink.
Something else that was kind of funny happened when we passed by our
investigator named Hugo to see if we could set up a visit with him. Now before
I explain what happened I need to tell you that Hugo´s wife is currently going
to another church each week, but Hugo absolutely hates the religion that she believes
in. He doesn’t like what they teach and absolutely hates the minister in this
particular religion. So as we passed by his house to set up a visit, his son
Nefi who is 6 years old came up and was like “Hey you ministers, my dad hates
you guys. He never wants to see or hear you again!” Laughing we all began to
laugh knowing that he was just confused with the religion with his mom and was
just repeating what his dad had said about the ministers of the other church.
Also this week, we have been getting ready for the visit of Elder
Christensen who is President of the seventy who will be here in the mission on
Thursday to do a conference. President Herrera has given us all assignments to
get ready for this big event and one such thing has been preparing a special
musical number. So long story short I am singing with like 4 other missionaries
in preparation for the musical number hahahaha.
Also, this week I was riding in a bus with Elder Haws when some guy got
in the bus with this little music player and told us that he was gonna share
his music with us. He commenced to turn on some music and started to rap. When
I say rap I mean rap! This guy was super good. He literally free styled everything and rapped about problems that face our society. When he finished his
6 minute rap, Elder Haws and I were literally amazed.
In closing I just want to share that I know that God is our eternal
father. He has an eternal love for each and every single of one of us that we
cannot even begin to fully comprehend. He has created a perfect plan to save
each and every one of us. A plan in which we choose to obey or to not. Our own
salvation is our own decision. As a missionary I have come to truly understand
what that means. I cannot make people accept the truths I teach them. Not matter how much they feel the spirit or
how much they feel when we teach them, in the end it is there decision fully.
As I have said many times before, we are just the Lords hands to bring the
world HIS truth. I love each and every one of you and want you to know that I
am so proud to be a missionary in a time more special than any other. A time
when we have some many ways and methods to share the gospel. As a full time
missionary, I strive each day to get out in the street and work my hardest
because time is so fast and I want to finish my mission knowing that I have
given it my all and done all I could in my mission.
Love,
Elder Fawcett
Tour Of The Cusco Peru Mission Office
Elder Fawcett, Elder Diaz and Rayson (Penchanista's Son)
Elder Fawcett and Rayson
Elder Fawcett's New Name Tag . .
Yea, That Is An Owl That Elder Fawcett's Penchanista's Husband Caught, Don't Know How, Tomorrow's Dinner?
