Ten Weeks in Peru - Elder Jake Avery

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

(First he answers questions we asked in our email last week...)

My laundry is done by Presidente or his esposa (wife). We live with the Stake President's family home, so they do that for us. They bleached my grey American Eagle socks and they look very funny now.

On Facebook, I should have a few requests. I recommend looking more carefully :P (Jared is in charge of Jake's Facebook account....)

House building...haha! The culture in South America is very, perhaps painfully, relaxed. The house is scheduled to be finished in two years! Honestly, it seems like it could be a summer project for Jared, Josh and I, but when you only work on it for an few hours once a week, it takes a little time.

Tell everyone that as soon as I figure out a better way to send pictures, I'll send dozens of everything I can think of. Thanks for your patience :)

I email from an internet cafe (well, that's the closest equivalent that exists in America) in Puente Piedra. We need to have the Zone Leaders to use internet, so all of the missionaries in my zone email at the same time, in the same place. Dad would get a kick out of it! The signs for internet are spelled with ''Internet Explorer'' e's and everyone in Peru uses Hotmail.

Seminary and Institute are at the capilla (chapel), or at a member's house. They have four Seminary teachers in the ward, and Seminary is usually later at night (8 or 9 o'clock). We're actually working on finding out about seminary for two of our investigators.

I can look on the blog now, thank you :)

I've gotten letters from Mom-mom, a few from dearelder.com, and a post card from Park City, as of now :) Don't worry, I'll keep checking :) I recommend more research on exactly what is the pouch...

I'm going to be spending the rest of my email time on pictures. Thanks for the patience, and thanks for the prayers. I feel them everyday.

Dear Dad,

Thanks for the advice. Elder China is doing much better. Yes, like everyone else in the world, including me, we're working on it. He's called me a gran misionero (great missionary) on more than one occasion, and who can be mad when someone says something like that. I realized then that it's hard to be mad at someone that you admire, and there are a lot of things I admire about him. He's awesome with the ward, he's friendly, he's bold, and he always helps me.

Elder China has had three companions in the field. His trainer, then he became a trainer to an Elder who went home in his fourth week and is coming back out in April (we hope), and me. He's pretty new, and for that I need to cut him some slack. I just remember the quote from Gatsby, ''Whenever you want to judge someone, just remember that not everyone has had the same privileges and upbringing as you.''

Dad, you've been strict, but please don't feel bad about it. I'm thankful for it. You have no idea how grateful I am! You were doing what you felt was best, and look at us now. You have two missionaries :)

I'm surprised how much of my life I've remembered in my mission. I'm so grateful for the upbringing my Father in Heaven has given me. Remember that TV in the Army house that had a broken volume button, so we used a spoon to work the volume? Remember that time in the Remington house when we had to rake up the dead grass after you mowed, and Jared threw a fit over it?

My life has been such a blessing, and my family has been such a blessing. I really love and miss you guys a lot. Tell Mom that I've read all of the John Bytheway books, and I loved them. Have a fantastic week and remember that you mean the world to a little gringo in Peru.

Love,

Jake

Bread Nuggets, English Literature, and Popcorn (September 2, 2013)

Buenos Dias, America! (September 16, 2013)

I'm the king of the world! haha!

Southern Country Spunk

Written by Elder Dallin Remund, currently serving in the Virginia Chesapeake Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

Hello everybody!

I am loving it down here in North Carolina. Really enjoying the people and their kind hospitality. I really am serving in a great ward. The members are so kind, and they just love to get out and have fun! Not to mention, they're super hard workers because most of them grew up on farms. They have a Southern country spunk you normally can't find anywhere else in such big numbers! And the best thing is they are strong, powerful members who know how to truly live the gospel. I have the privilege to be able to discuss and teach the gospel with them. I love the Albertson Ward. No matter when I get transferred, I'm really going to miss this family ward, and I hope to visit them after my mission.

Spanish is getting easier and easier each day. I hadn't really noticed it until I was in the Spanish Sunday school class yesterday, and the sister who teaches it got up and taught the lesson. I realized I could hardly understand her my first week in the field. Everything makes sense now and I am growing in my confidence to express my thoughts and ideas in Spanish. I am still far from perfect, but the Lord has helped me a ton.

Sergio is continuing to progress just great! He is committing to everything we give him and he understands the concepts just great! I haven't been able to personally teach him because I've been out on exchanges in Mt. Olive and Goldsboro every Friday that we teach him, but I should get to teach him this Friday.

Yesterday we had a fireside on Central America and the Book of Mormon events that happened there and it was super interesting! It was a highly intriguing/spiritual fireside. We really got to see what it would have been like for the Nephites and Lamanites, specifically the coming of Christ. The brother has a ton of old artifacts and says that most of the Book of Mormon probably took place in Guatemala, Honduras, and other countries in that area. The church has no official stance on where things happened, but it can be assumed where some things might have occurred. Super interesting and eye opening!

Well, the time is out! I hope to hear from more of you this week. Tell me how life/school is going! I know I said I would get pictures, but I forgot to grab my SD converter! So next week I will remember!

This gospel is true!

Con amor a todos ustedes,

Elder Remund

Yee haw!

Almost Heaven, Albertson, NC

150 Days in Denmark - Elder Kolby Madsen

Written by Elder Kolby Madsen, currently serving in the Denmark Copenhagen Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Danish.

Hey Mom,

Well, thank you for the updates. Yeah, those poor missionaries can’t even stay and talk because they are so busy and have appointments ever hour (he's referring to the missionaries who came over for a cook-out on Labor Day). I remember those days in California. I honestly don’t miss it too bad because I didn't feel like I got to connect with the members (of our congregation) as much as I do here. But you have struggles in every mission. They are all different.

This week we had a pretty good week. We got another less active member to come to church. She had to leave right after Sacrament Meeting because she had a knee surgery last week, and I completely understand how that goes. We found her a ride to church and home right after Sacrament, so that was a way good thing.

We also had some really good appointments with Camilla. She came with us to a baptism, which was way good. That leads me to what happened this week.

So, the Sister missionaries got a referral my first week in the land from this family in Idaho. The referral told them that there was a girl named Emilie who lived with them for a year on a foreign exchange program. So while Emilie was in the States for her senior year of high school, and living with the wonderful family, part of the program was the student had to go to the church of the host family to pick up on the culture. The family was LDS (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sometimes abbreviated "LDS" for Latter-day Saints).

So Emilie was going to church every week and really living the life of a Mormon. Now, with the foreign exchange program, they are not allowed to convert or get baptized. So she had to wait until she went home.

Emilie came home to Denmark and started meeting with the Sisters. She knew everything already, having been reading in the scriptures every day for a year. So the Sisters were working with her, really trying to get her to the next step, and they found out that she was having a difficult time talking with her parents about the church. Although she is 18 years old, she still wanted her parents to be on board. But she was way nervous, so she asked Elder Hansen and I to give her a blessing. We did give her a blessing and she was told many great things. She was told to do those things that she needs to do, that she knows are true.

Four days later she talked to her parents, and set a baptismal date for September 6, three weeks in the future. As time went on, she was really preparing to be baptized, and she got her family to come to the service. It was way fun. One of the best baptismal services I have seen. Very well done. Elder Hansen and I were able to attend, and she asked Elder Hansen to confirm her a member of the church. He did a great job. It was a great week. Her family has invited, not only the Sisters, but us to eat at their house next week. We are kind of nervous, but know the Lord will help us in all things, and really help us know what to say.

I know this church is true, just like the family in Idaho being missionaries and really helping others. That family did their duty as members of the church by telling those around them about their church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They shared what they have, and this is what comes from it. Another daughter into the fold, and set up for her family to follow her example. The church is true, through and through. I know that, and this is just another witness of it.

I love you and want you to know that missionary work is for the WHOLE CHURCH, not just us missionaries. It’s a church wide calling.

Med Kærlig Hilsen

Ældste Madsen

Bomb Dinner and Danish Roots (September 2, 2013)

Menace to Society?! Nah... :) (September 16, 2013)

Our beautiful baptismal font

This is Emilie's family and the Sister missionaries. A mission
makes you a little scared of girls...thus, the awkward stance :)

Me, Emilie and the Sisters after Emilie's baptism

Me and my companion, Elder Hansen

Caught off guard! The woman is Camilla, our investigator.
She came to Emilie's baptism with us.

Home Away from Home

Written by Sister Hannah Avery, currently studying at the Mexico Missionary Training Center (MTC) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In three weeks Sister Avery will report to the Chile Vina del Mar Mission, speaking Spanish.

Hey family and friends!!

Can you believe that it has been yet another week?! I sure can't! This week went by really fast for me, which is a nice change. I have tried to be a lot more focused in the work and less focused on how much I miss home and the life that I had...a MONTH ago! 17 more to go! It is so crazy how quickly things are happening.

Spanish is coming along pretty good, as always. But I still feel really unprepared as far as speaking fluently. I think that a lot of my learning right now is just going to be how to conjugate words, etc. When I get into the field in Chile, I think I will have to basically start all over again. Apparently Chileans speak a lot differently than here in Mexico. I guess I will learn two different kinds of Spanish! Lucky me :) Haha.

Honestly, not much happened this week. It was just another week at the CCM (Missionary Training Center, in Spanish LOL!) On Wednesday, my poor companion fell on the concrete, while it was pouring down rain, and busted her knee open. I am sending a picture of that day for you! We didn't know that it was going to POUR down rain everyday this week, so we didn't bring umbrellas or anything. So we were running back to the classroom after dinner, and as we were crossing the street, getting sopping wet, she slid across the paint on the road (it is super slick for some reason). So, I carried her on my back all the way to the clinic, in the pouring rain, and we got her bandaged up. And then I carried her all the way back ha! It was a big time workout trying to run with someone on your back through that. But she is good now and her knee is healing.

We have had three earthquakes here since I got to the CCM! None that I could actually feel, but the sensors go off even with the tiniest movement. We don't feel them as we are walking, but we do see light posts shaking after the sirens go off.

What else... the food continually turns to more and more bread. UGH. Don't get me wrong, it's delicious, but thank heaven for an hour of gym time everyday, or I would be huge by now, I am sure! I found a scale in the clinic when we were bandaging up my companion, and guess what?? I have lost 5 pounds haha! It must be the cockroaches in the beans :P hahahahaha! I am hoping to continue to lose weight at least until I get to Chile, because I have a feeling that I am going to have issues with the carbs there more than here. And, I don't get to choose what I eat there like I get to do here! We shall see how that goes! My last day in the CCM will be the 24th. Or maybe the 23rd? I am supposed to leave the 24th, but everyone has been leaving at like 3 AM, so I am not counting that day. I get to email home the day before I leave, even though I don't have P-Day (preparation day), so make sure to look out for that! I will remind you guys as it gets closer too :)

We got to listen to a live broadcast from the Provo MTC on Sunday (I think?? The days all run together now...). That was super neat! I felt like I was at home seeing Provo, Utah haha. It was a neat experience! I would tell you more about that, but I don't have the notes in front of me and am speed typing to get all of this stuff in while I can. Sorry to skimp on details there! I have been getting letters and postcards from you guys every week at least once, if not twice! It so makes my day! I never thought that that would really be true, but literally we run to the post office lady in hopes that we have mail! And most every time that there is mail, it is all for me. So thank you for taking the time to write to me!

This morning we got to go to the Mexico City Temple. It was all in Spanish, but I knew everything that they were saying, for the most part! I would say I understood 85-90% of it, which is great progress from 2 weeks ago when we went! I loved being able to sit in the Celestial Room and thank my Heavenly Father for the progress that I have made so far, and for everything that He has blessed me and my family with. I have had a little bit of a rough week as far as what my expectations for myself are. I set really high expectations, and then I feel like I am not getting there.

When I was set apart as a missionary, I was blessed that if I would try to only speak Spanish as much as I could in the MTC and moving forward, that I would be blessed with the gift of tongues. I have seen that blessing coming to life in the past few weeks. I feel like I am way ahead of everyone in my district, in that regard. I am in the beginner class, but everything feels like review to me. I have been discouraged that I have not really learned anything new all week, and I want to, oh so badly! I am hoping that as I continue to do my best at speaking Spanish when I can, and reading/translating my Spanish Book of Mormon, that I will get better with Spanish. I have to remind myself that I have only been here for a month! I have 17 months to get fluent! My goal is to be fluent by my birthday. That is about 4 months away, so I am really going to work hard towards that and pray for help along the way. It is an exciting thing to look forward to!

A girl in my district got really sad news from home that her sister is going home from her mission because of anxiety attacks, etc. My friend has had a rough week, and considered going home herself. They are twins, so they are pretty attached. My companion and I have really tried to help her get through this week, and let her cry, vent, etc., just so she wouldn't leave. I love that my district is like a family. Everyone calls me the mom of the group since I am the oldest and am always the one to make people chill out if it gets too crazy during study time :P It is weird to be called the mom of the group, but I would rather that than be called the dead beat! :) I feel so blessed to have these kids in my life right now. We all support each other and are each other's "home away from home". It is really comforting.

I feel so blessed to be here at a time when so much missionary work is happening all over the world! I love hearing from the missionaries in our ward, like Kolby and Jake! It makes me feel better to hear that they are struggling sometimes too, but we are all in or were in the same boat, and we are all working towards one goal - to bring people to Christ! I am so grateful for this chance to serve as a missionary, and to serve along side the Lord for the next 17 months!

I surprise myself everyday by how much I grow spiritually! I am so glad that I decided to come out here and do this. It is not easy at all, and I don't think that it ever will be! I always think about the quote in Mom Mom's guest bedroom that says, "I never said that it would be easy, I only said that it would be worth it!" Christ suffered more than any missionary ever, and yet, he never gave up, never complained, and forgave those who were horribly brutal to him. He is the best example of a missionary by far. I now wear His name right next to mine, and everyday I pray for strength and to know what to do to prepare myself to teach the people in Chile.

I never feel alone out here. Even when I am dying to see my family, talk to my Mom about my day, or just straight up want to give up and go home. I am always reminded that I am on the Lord's mission. It isn't mine. I am helping share the Gospel, but I did nothing for it. He gives me everything that I need to teach, grow stronger, and spread this amazing Gospel to His children on the earth. I was indebted to Him before this mission, and am really indebted now that I am out here! I am blessed more than ever before, and I feel that I do hardly anything to be deserving of that blessing.

I love you guys all so very much! I am sorry to not have a lot of news for you, but the weeks are pretty repetitive at the MTC, since we aren't going out finding people to teach and what not. When I get to Chile, I feel that I will not have enough time to write things down! I hope that you all have a fabulous week, and that you will always remember who you are and how the Lord sees you! Please keep writing. I LOVE hearing what you are all up to! I am so proud of all of you and will talk to you in a week! I LOVE YOU!!!

Con mucho, MUCHO! amor,

Hermana Avery


Stomach Bugs, Crawling Bugs, Earthquakes, Gun Shots, Oh My! (August 27, 2013)

Viva Mexico! (September 10, 2013)

If you know me, you will understand how absolutely
THRILLED I was to ride my very first Nacho bike!

This was after poor Hermana Page got her knee
busted open on Wednesday. We were sopping wet!

I've been trying to come up with creative ways to do my hair
since it's so rainy lately. I call this one the Swiss Miss haha!

The girls in my MTC district at the
Mexico City Temple this morning.

A close up of we four girls at the Temple today

Yee haw!

Written by Elder Dallin Remund, currently serving in the Virginia Chesapeake Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

Hello, hello, hello!

Well, the work in North Carolina is doing just great! It's been super stormy this week. Lots of rain, lots of clouds, LOTS of thunder and lightning. The humidity makes it super hot, too! It really is like a rainforest out here. Super big bugs, lots of cockroaches, possums, and frogs! Not to mention I'm out in the country, so there's lots of cows, pigs, chickens, and turkeys. When I was on exchanges in Mt. Olive, my companion got to do service for a Mexican lady by gathering her chickens and catching them in a net. He came back with his shoes covered in chicken poo. Yee haw!

This week has been a great week for finding new people. We received a ton of referrals this week, so we have stayed busy getting in contact with lots of Hispanic families. Some are interested, others are not. Lots of miracles in the work, though!

This last week our investigator, Sergio, accepted a baptismal date! He is on track to be baptized on September 28th. We are praying all goes through and that he continues his righteous desires to follow Christ's example! We are so excited!!

This last Friday, I got to go out on an exchange to Mt. Olive again! Lots of Hispanics there as well, and there are some really elect people out there. We had the opportunity to give a lesson on the Plan of Salvation with an investigator named Mary. A Hispanic member family came over and shared fervent testimonies about the Plan of Salvation and their own personal conversion stories. They were very powerful, and the Spirit there was so strong!

Having a member as a part of the investigator's conversion is SO important. I would encourage all those back at home to not just look for people that the missionaries can teach, but be their friends and help them understand more about this Gospel. Some people are just ready to hear about the gospel and join the church, but many are brought in because of good friends who are members of the church. The emphasis of missionary work now is to work through the members and how true that is!!!

I will try to get some pictures this next week! Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers back at home! I miss you, but I wouldn't want to be doing anything else. This is the Lord's work and I have felt His constant love out here, even through the hard times!

Mucho amor,

Elder Remund

The Work in Albertson, North Carolina - Week #8

Southern Country Spunk

Carpet

Written by Elder Brian Burgess, currently serving in the Mexico Puebla North Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

Hello Estados Unidos! (United States) How are you?

The title of the email is Carpet. I miss it so much! No one has it, whether you're rich or not. You have tile if you're rich. And rugs are never found either. I know that's weird. But I miss carpet. Be grateful for the carpet in your homes!

My English spelling is getting worse. At least I think so. I know this sounds weird, but that's fine with me. It means my Spanish is taking over. Some phrases I say in English to English speaking Elders sound weird too. "Hey Elder, how many years do you have?" (if you speak Spanish, you'll get that one). It's all weird. But I love it. So I pray throughout the next almost two years you can understand me.

So, I've had some more interesting foods. Like crickets..... they're a hot item down here. And mole. Not the animal.... but it's worse, I'm sure. This weird chocolate sauce with a bunch of gross stuff. It is not nice to your stomach for days after eating it. But they say I'll learn Spanish faster if I eat hot food and crickets, and mole.

Another GROSS treat I've found is a perfectly fine watermelon or fruit sucker.... then they dip it in chili powder. Apparently that's good! Or they take delicious, fresh cut mango or apples or whatever they have and put chili powder on it. You've got to be kidding me? What are they doing? "Quiere dulce Elder?" (Do you want candy, Elder?) "Si hermana, gracias!" (Yes sister, thanks!) A sucker with hot powder on it. Gross!

Another weird thing I've noticed...and Elder Doug you touched on it in the email you sent to me. Agua has a different meaning down here. "Do you want agua, Elder?" Means "Do you want soda, coke, juice, milk, (anything not water)?" I just want water! But to get that, you have to ask for Regular Water. Then they think you are crazy. "Why don't you want coke, Elder?"......Because all I do is walk, so I don't wanna quench my thirst with sugary coke. haha!

My testimony grows every day. I know this church is true. I felt the Spirit in our home and in church at a young age, and from then till now and forever, I will never deny that. I love you all and pray for you soooo much. My patience is growing too, with my self and others. I'm humbled more every day by how people live.

You have NO idea how well we have it in the States. I've eaten food that should not have been consumed by dogs, and sat on buckets in card board houses for dinner. But they have a little picture of Jesus or the Temple on their wall. And that's all they need. That's it. They don't have cars, rarely cellphones, and if they do, it's a Nokia brick phone. No TV, no video games, one pair of shoes. One man has some Dockers that he paints in at work, then he spray paints them black every Saturday for church on Sunday. I'm humbled.

I've seen couples and families begging for money, or juggling. I've seen a teenage kid pour gas in his mouth and blow on a burning stick to create a fire ball to impress cars at stop lights, then beg for money from them. He has no teeth. And no shoes. I'm humbled.

I've witnessed people going through garbage and selling bottles. My life has changed. I love you, and I'm bringing the Gospel to them, don't worry.

Elder Burgess

A Baptism in Mexico

Mexican Twinkies

My first "door knock" in Mexico. I guess the house was there

before the hill and road. I don't know where they live or even

enter their house haha!

Today I bought this guy. $15 US dollars haha! Well, in
pesos, but equivalent to that. It's fake, but I'm styling.

Bread Nuggets, English Literature, and Popcorn - Elder Jake Avery

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

Hi Mom and Dad!

Living the higher law makes you realize things that you normally won't realize, and helps you remember things that you have forgotten or shoved into the back of your mind. Yes, you could say that the Spirit quickens your understanding and gives you a perfect memory.

Well, I'm sure loving being a missionary. You guys have no idea. There's a scripture in Acts that talks about a few of the Saints getting beaten because they wouldn't deny Christ. Afterwards they rejoiced because they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. I am likewise :)

My poor ankle got a terrible blister for the first week, and this challenge was given to me because I can bear it and come out with a stronger ankle. People have brought us internet pages saying Joseph Smith was a false prophet, but I know the Lord allowed this to happen because he knows my faith in the Gospel of Christ is unshakable. I could boldly bear my testimony of Joseph Smith, the prophet.

My companion has been struggling with being tired, but I have the opportunity to be an example by always getting up on time, and never faltering in my steps. I hear some of my favorite songs being blasted over radios, and God helps me tune them out so that I can continue to focus in the work.

It sufficeth me to say that God watches after the people that truly strive to live His commandments and serve with all their heart, might, mind and strength. And it also sufficeth me to say that God is the only true and lasting power. I boast not of my own strength, but in the strength of God who gives me power because I pray for it daily. Can you tell my only English literature is the scriptures?? Haha!!

Mom, Dad, I hope you guys have a wonderful week. Remember to teach the kids good principles (like always), and thank you so much for being my parents! :) I love you!!

Answers to Dad's Questions:

1. How are you?

I'm doing great!! I'm trying to be the best I can be and  I have seen improvement in the past few weeks.

2. How is your companion doing?

Elder China is having a kind of hard time with being cansado y sueño (tired and sleepy). He's an awesome friend and missionary for the ward, and a really great teacher. He just needs a little more motivation.

3. How much have you grown in the past couple of weeks in the mission field?

In the field I've grown a lot, but in a different kind of way. I've learned the difference between knowing the commandments and actually practicing them. God doesn't send and angel to you every time you do something bad. You're responsible for your own actions and responsible for your own growth. In the MTC (Missionary Training Center) we learned all the rules, and in the field we need to learn how to actually practice the rules.

Answers to Mom's Questions:

1. Do they use bread for the sacrament or tortillas?

Bread nuggets!! They're tasty! The bread in Peru is really crispy, but fluffy. Honestly, it's delicious. I have yet to eat a tortilla here.

2. What are you eating these days?

I'm eating bread nuggets for every breakfast. Yesterday (if you could please accept my Peruvian Facebook requests :P ), you can see that I ate lasagna. There's lots of rice, potatoes and chicken (no fish yet), but my personal favorite is something that Hermana Eva makes a couple times a week. It's a hamburger with beef, egg, tomato, lettuce and fries. It makes my day every time :) I finish Elder China's food when he doesn't as to not offend Hermana Eva... and because it's very, very yummy.

3. How's the language coming along?

Pues...Yo sè como hablar sobre cosas en el Evangelio pero todas las demás de las cosas son mas difícil. Por ejemplo, yo olivé la ciudad donde bajamos y le dije la mujer que estaba trabajando el nombre de una ciudad que no existe. (Well... I know how to talk about things in the Gospel but all other things are more difficult. For example, I saw the city where we got off (the bus), and I told the woman who was working the name of a city that does not exist.)

It's coming, and will come eventually.

4. What's your normal day like?

We get up at 6:30 and exercise.  We turn on the hot water heater as soon as we wake up so that the water is warm by the time we take showers. By  8 o'clock we leave to breakfast, which is just a block away at Hermana Eva's house. We return by 8 or 8:15 and study until 11. Some days we have appointments between 11 and lunch, at 1:30. So we go to our appointments, or my personal favorite, tracting (street contacting). The rest of the day we teach about 6 or 7 lessons and many of them are with members of our congregation present. We get back, eat at Hermana Eva's at 8:30 or 9, then return to the room to plan for tomorrow and go to bed.

5. Who are you teaching?

We teach sooo many people! We teach families, individuals, less active members, and part member families.

6. What's Elder China like? See above!

7. Anything else neat or interesting that we wouldn't think to ask about?

Elder China is a stranger to popcorn. We bought some popcorn because Hermana Eva has a microwave. Elder China tried to cook the popcorn a second time to pop the remaining kernels. A family last week did make Dad's special pop corn (kettle corn), and that was really awesome for me.

Con amor, (with love)

Elder Avery

A Peak into My Life in Peru (August 26, 2013)

Ten Weeks in Peru (September 9, 2013)

Bomb Dinner and Danish Roots - Elder Kolby Madsen

Written by Elder Kolby Madsen, currently serving in the Denmark Copenhagen Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Danish.

Well yeah, it's been way good this week. We had  a ton of service opportunities, which are my favorite. I love doing physical labor for people. During the week, I went on splits with one of my favorite missionaries in the mission, Elder Wible. He is so much fun, and we did some great work. He is from Idaho, and he loves action sports. He is so much fun to be around. It was great. I also made some bomb dinner this week. I will send pictures home.

Anyway, so pretty much whenever anyone talks to me about our family, and I tell them all of our names, they think that we are from here because Dad's name is obviously Danish, as well as Maren's. But I didn’t know this until I got here. Maren's name is way Danish, and my name is actually a city here in Denmark. So yeah, crazy things. Sabrina, I haven’t heard that yet, but I could.

Anyway, the Assistants to the President are Elder Simpson, who is still with us from the beginning, and Elder Whitlock, who was actually Elder Hansen’s trainer. So it's like a little generation fest of trainers in our house with us.

The Birch family is doing great. They came to church and had a great time. They invited us over again this week, so that will be great. Hopefully no hospital trips again. On that note, their little boy is doing better. They found out he has pneumonia and a partially collapsed lung. So please pray for him. He is only 2 years old,  but she did say he is just smiling and being happy all the time still. I will take a picture of the them and send it next week.

We had an amazing thing happen this week. Camilla came to Fast and Testimony Meeting and stood up and bore her testimony. It was great. She talked about her road to gaining a faith in God and a new love for Him. She also kind of called out four people in the congregation here in Frederiksberg, and told them to start walking the walk instead of just talking the talk.

Well, great week and I am learning much. I have seen the change in people’s lives, and it’s so great to see. We had a less active member who had  knee surgery this week. He wanted to go to church but could not walk, so next week we are going to do that.

Well, I love you and hope you have  a great week.

Med Kærlig  Hilsen,

Ældste Madsen

Growing Where I'm Planted (August 26, 2013)

150 Days in Denmark (September 9, 2013)

My bomb dinner!

Elder Wible