Training in Peru - Elder Jake Avery

Written by Elder Jacob Avery, serving in the Peru Lima West Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

Elder Avery, Hyrum, Elder Estrada

Well, I've been made a trainer. My new companion is Elder Estrada. He's from Lima, but has been living in a city called Piura for the last few years. He told me that when he sent his mission application, he wanted to go on his mission anywhere in the world except for Lima. Similarly, I wanted to go anywhere besides South America. So, God taught us both a lesson, that we shouldn't care about where we serve.

Yes, my companion is a little angel from heaven. He's 20 years old, is very practical, calm, fun and loving. The only thing I have to help him with is getting up at 6:30. I always get up at 6:30. I just want my first decision everyday to be the right one.

I'm so glad that Elder Estrada speaks Spanish. Almost all of the other new people are English speakers and need to learn how to be a missionary AND how to speak Spanish. Elder Estrada and I only need to worry about the missionary part :) This week we learned the doctrine, how to teach the message of the restoration, then about how to begin teaching new families. It's going well.


This week, we've spent lots of time looking for new investigators. Our investigator pool is pretty small and the ones we have aren't really progressing so it's back to knocking doors. You never know what you're going to get.

There was one lady who asked us how should she refer to God. As Father, Jehovah, Yaveth, Jesus, etc. Believe it or not, it's a very very common question here in Peru. They get so concerned about it. We told her that God is our Heavenly Father. She said, ''I'm asking because I had a dream that Jesus was calling me and telling me to follow Him, but I thought He was going to close me into a cave that was nearby, so I didn't follow Him. I still asked Him what His name was, and He told me, 'I'm your Father, Jehovah,' but I still didn't follow Him.''

WHAT??!! My companion has talked about that everyday. Jesus invited her to follow Him, and she didn't?!

Yesterday we had an awesome testimony meeting and I realized that there's an eternal truth to testimonies. They strengthen and edify the spirit. We can learn where Kolob is and plot out a map of the Book of Mormon but a simple testimony edifies and nourishes in an unexplainable way. While other churches pay a considerable amount of money for a pastor to teach an exciting, inspirational sermon, we take a week every month to fortify one another by communicating simple truths and convictions. It's something that some people just don't understand. Paul said, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned," (Corinthians 2:14).

So have a great week everyone. Be diligent in your studies! Thanks for all your prayers and generosity. I love you all so much! :)

 Speechless (September 15, 2014)