The city is in a bowl, a big bowl of dust and sand. We're like 20 minutes from Lima, tucked between a mountain and the beach. Ventanilla has a reputation for being the armpit in the mission as far as sightseeing and living conditions, but who needs that when you have baptisms lined up every week?!
Sacrament meeting was a very different experience this week. There were more than 130 people which is more than double in my last area, and all of the organizations functioned without the missionaries stepping in. I feel like I'm living in Zion! Being in a ward where they pay tithing, fast, read scriptures, do Family Home Evenings and participate in callings makes you feel a lot different than you feel in other wards. I feel excited and ready.
We found a man named Ro** this week. We had a kind of rough day because the lady who was getting ready to get baptized decided that she didn't want to talk to us or even answer her door. We were walking and talking about what we were going to do if her baptism fell through, then a man stopped us and wanted to talk to us. He told us that he came from Chiclayo and that his whole family is baptized but him. He'd talk to a lot of elders and had been to church many times, but for economic reasons had to come to Lima for work. Well, the next day I went by his house with a member while my companion talked with that other lady. The other lady ended up falling through but Ro** accepted an invitation to pray and put full intention into being baptized on the 22nd. I can hardly imagine how his wife and kids are going to feel when he gets baptized! I should go into further detail, and I'll have to tell you more when I get home.
It's interesting how now that I'm in a different area, my Christ like attribute test ended up very different. I think it just goes to show that the Lord gives us different challenges in different phases of our life to help us adapt and change. He knows the spiritual work outs that will make us spiritually fit for the next challenge ahead of us.
So, I'm glad to say that I know the church is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true as well. Seeing the gold plates wouldn't change the way I think about or use that book. I already know it's true. Thankfully it says that in ''not too many generations they will turn into a delightsome people.'' 2 Nephi 30:6. I love you guys and hope for the best. Have a great week!!
Love,
Elder Jake Avery
Cambios (May 4, 2015)
Sorry So Short (May 18, 2015)
