Zone Conference and Baptism!

This week we had our zone conference with our mission president, and after we had entrevistas (interviews). Apparently always before entrevistas, president talks with the district together for training. So we had a lot of good training that day with president. All in all, I recognize now that I need to improve my contacting and talking with everyone I see. This past weekend I've been contacting way more, and feeling more content with my ability to talk comfortably with people.

One experience I had with Elder Chavez was that we were passing through a neighborhood and we started talking to a group of men when one of them pulled us aside and asked us to stop by his house because he wants to change his life around for his family. We taught them lesson 1 and they came to church on Sunday! It was so great!

We are seeing a lot of really great improvement in the rama (branch) in the last few weeks. This past Sunday we had a really good attendance in Sacrament meeting, which is really good. Hna. (Sister) Virginia, who was baptized the first week in January, already has a calling as the Relief Society secretary and has been to the temple to do baptisms!!!

This last Saturday Hna. Ana was baptized! She is super nice and especially connects with the missionaries because her son just left for his mission in Argentina. I got to baptize her! It was a very spiritual experience for me. Our investigating family came too, so we are really excited to see the rama continue to grow.

Bautizamos Hermana Ana!

Este semana aprendí mucho que realmente, más de cualquier otra cosa, los fundamentos del Evangelio son lo más importante. A veces estamos perdido en todos los detalles y cositas que tiene importancia, pero al fin del día, la verdad que Jesucristo vino a la tierra dispuesto a dar su vida para nosotros, y lo hizo, y resucitó es tan poderoso para mi. También, que tenemos un libro de escritura tan perfecto, y que podemos orar para saber por nosotros mismos que es verdadera quiere decir que realmente tenemos un Padre Celestial amoroso, y el tiene un plan perfecto para nosotros. Estoy tan emocionado para hacer la obra acá en Perú, y les amo profundamente también. Gracias por todo su apoyo y amor! Hasta la próxima semana!

(Translation: This week, I learned a lot really, more than anything else, the basics of the Gospel are most important. Sometimes, we get lost in all the details and little things that matter, but at the end of the day, the fact that Jesus Christ came to Earth willing to give his life for us, and that he did that and rose from the tomb is so powerful to me. Also, we have a book of scriptures so perfect, and we can pray to know for ourselves that we really have a loving Heavenly Father, and He has a perfect plan for us. I'm so excited to do the Lord's work here in Peru, and I love them deeply too. Thanks for all your support and love! Until next week!)

Elder Evan Smith