This week was New Years!!!!   We are officially in 2020, how does it feel now that we are in a new decade?!

New years was crazy here, let me just say the fireworks show was extraordinarily better than that of Christmas. We saw some pretty awesome explosions as well!  We had neighbors who partied all night and into the morning and we saw lots of drunks that next day!  Hahaha

This week was a grind week, where we were searching for lots of people.  We found some less active members and some partial member familias.  Hopefully, we can work with them to strengthen them in the gospel.

I was impacted by the principle of faith this week. Faith is the first principle of the gospel and what Christ asks of us. I studied a lot in Moroni 7, which teaches in depth the doctrine of faith.  I learned that faith is much more than just a creencia (belief),  but it is what motivates us to act. It is our battery, what drives us towards Christ. When we act in faith, we do things that strengthen us. If we are sick, we take medicine and do things so we can heal.  However, we are all sick. All of us are sick with sin, and we must take our medicine so we can be healed. When we act with faith, we take our spiritual medicine and we do things that bring us closer to Christ such as scripture study, renovamos nuestros convenios (renew covenants), and we act as true Cristianos.  I am so grateful for the testimony of Moroni and how he explains to us clearly what it means to have faith. Faith is esperanza, humildad, mansedumbre, y caridad. El amor puro de Cristo (hope, humility, meekness and charity, the pure love of Christ).  When we have faith, we have all these things. I am eternally grateful for my Salvador quien sufrió para mi.

I love you all!  I love Peru!

Navidad 2019!!!!   I got through my second Christmas here in the mission!!!!  It was a pretty awesome one too. We had like five families that invited us to their house and we had no clue what to do, so we went running from house to house partying it up with everyone!  Also, we had the best fireworks show in the world at the top of our room where we could see everyone going crazy.  I forgot how crazy Christmas gets at midnight. We enjoyed a delicious turkey, chancho, and chicken. Lots of paneton and hot chocolate, even though it is super hot here.

A passage of scripture that really touched me this Christmas season was Lucas 2:7-14. It impacted me because it talks about the birth of Jesus and the miracles that happened at that time. That there were multitudes of heavenly beings praising Glory to God in the highest, and when I read that, it impacted me and put my thinking to where I was at that time when Jesus was born. That we were heavenly beings, not knowing very much, but sufficient to have accepted the plan of salvation that God has presented.  As I pondered this scripture, I found myself feeling an extreme peace and comfort in the idea that we were there. That we were above with the father praising Glory to God in the highest, for unto us a Saviour is born. We have hope, we have our ticket back to our Celestial home. I was overcome with the spirit in this scripture, and allowed me to have an even deeper appreciation for this wonderful evangelio that we have. I am so grateful for my Padre Celestial who has sent his only begotten son for us.

This week is the last week before 2020, I hope you guys have your new years plans and goals, mine will be finishing the mission strong!!  I love and miss you all!

Love,
Elder McGreer

Just pics this week.

Esta semana fue lo maximo! Bautizamos a la Hermana Lucero Moreno!!! Estoy tan animado por ella y sé que será un gran ayuda a la iglesia.

After 4 months of teaching, we finally got to see Lucero enter into the waters of baptism. It was the best thing in the world, to see how strong her testimony grew of the Libro de Mormon, and also to see how those around her didn't support her, she trusted more in Heavenly Father and the respuestas that she was receiving.  It was a little bit of a battle with the Devil because there were lots of doubts, but with faith, trust, and a bit of pixie dust she felt confident in the decision to follow her Savior Jesus Christ and to take His name upon her. It was such a testimony builder for me, and honestly one of my favorite experiences to see her grow and develop into someone so strong.

Also we are getting closer and closer to Christmas, which is super exciting. We recently had changes, and I get to stay here in Gran Chimu! It is crazy because my district has two of my past companions, and also Elder Boyce from my group who I celebrated Christmas with last year. We have a pretty dope district, and I am super excited for the next change. I know we are going to see lots of miracles here.

I love our ward so much, we have been doing a noche de hogar cada noche!  Ha sido lo maximo de verdad, y estamos encontrando muchas personas a través de los miembros y las noches de hogares.

I hope you guys are doing your family home evenings and inviting all your friends to join you to share special moments together!  That we be friends to all!  I love the church so much!! Jesus es mi amigo!!!

Also another story.  This week we have been having problems with our water and the water went out!!!!  It was so nasty because when there is no water, there is no showers, no flushing, just nastiness. We were buying  bottled water at least to brush our teeth but it sure does stink when you can't take a shower. Be grateful for the blessings you have, even if it as simple as a shower!

Les amo!!

Buenas tardes a todos, estas semanas pasadas han sido muy locas pero gratificante para mi.

We finally got Christian and Maria married and baptized!!!!!  It was such a long day, but the 30th of November they took the steps necessary to make a promise with each other and with their Heavenly Father. We got to their marriage an hour late, but it is okay because the judge was super chill about the whole thing and we just needed them to say ̈si ́ and sign. It was super funny, because I was organizing everything and had to find two witnesses for the marriages, so I went the easy route and just asked a sister missionary and another elder that were Peruvians to witness the marriage and sign. Who knew that it would be super awkward and funny to see them two together witnessing the marriage for Christian and Maria?  Elder Montenegro was super rojito de the whole thing. We also got them baptized and returned super happy. 

The next day was their confirmation, and Maria woke up for church but Christian was super exhausted and was out like a rock. He would not get up, so he had to wait till the following week to get the Holy Ghost, but the two of them have finally been confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ.  It was a super rewarding experience to see this family get together. We had to watch their baby Maria Paola a lot, because she was crying during the whole marriage and baptism, so that was a little stressful, so we gave that girl lots of chocolates and sweets, but even then she didn't stay quiet for very long. She is a super cute baby though and super funny.

Another funny story, we were helping Christian and Maria do a pollada to help them earn a little money, and they asked us to deliver a pollo to someone who asks for it. Well, they didn't know the name, direction, and provided a super complicated directions that neither my companion or I could follow. We spent about 45 minutes looking for some woman who maybe asked for pollo, when at last I just gave up and started offering the pollo for free. But the crazy thing is that no one would even accept the pollo for free. I thought it looked good and no one was taking it. I guess I didn't take into account that it looked a little weird, some tall gringo offering free food out of nowhere. At last someone did accept it, and I ended up paying for the pollada because I couldn't find the lady that asked for it. They should have given me the name and a direction especifico though.

Another crazy story, we were with Christian one day, at his internet cafe, talking with him, also playing with his two little dogs about the size of a throw pillow. The same size as their three year old daughter Maria Paola. Well, their neighbor has a huge pit-bull and it somehow escaped from their door and full on attacked one of the small dogs. I was freaked out because I wasn't going to reach my hand down to save that little thing, but after lots of noise and a few knocked down chairs from the beast, things got under control because that pit-bull had protection over its mouth that prohibited it from biting anything. It was a good scare, but as we were leaving I told my companion that if that dog didn't have protection, it would have absolutely mauled that thing. I told him jokingly I kinda wanted to see that beast destroy the dog. THE NEXT FREAKING DAY we went about the same time and that dog escaped, and KILLED the poor little dog. This time he escaped without the protection, and absolutely destroyed the poor little thing. We were playing with it that SAME MORNING. The worst part, is that I didn't know pit-bulls go for the sensitive parts but that dog killed it where it hurts most for the man, and to see the remains of that poor dog honestly scarred me. We were all in a big circle, and I felt so bad for Christian and Maria because they really loved that poor dog. My companion later gave me a hard time because I said the day before as a joke I wanted to see it. That scared the junk out of me, because what if that was a little kid?!  That dog could have killed me if it wanted too!!!  That was a mean freaking dog. They called the police and when they arrived an hour later, I think they went to kill the beast. I am pretty sure I won't ever have a pit bull after seeing such a scene.

Another awesome experience. We have been teaching Lucero for some months now, and she has been studying the Book of Mormon so much and it is all marked up with her notes and highlights. She has such a testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, but todavia she was not gonna get baptized because she felt she had to be well prepared to make the decision. I have been studying so much for her, trying to help her understand the scriptures and find things that could connect with her. We have had lots of super spiritual lessons with her, and she understands super clearly the doctrine. I wanted to see her baptized so bad, and I was trying to find any way to help her understand the importance of the doctrine. I studied so much for her about the plan of salvation one day, this time taking an approach from the Bible studying in depth everything trying to understand it clearly. We get to the cita and I was ready to start teaching and pull out everything I prepared, and before I could even say anything she said she wants to get baptized this week. My jaw dropped and was super feliz to hear what she said. She shared her testimony, and leaving the cita I was about to cry I was so happy for her. We went over the preguntas bautismales and she understood everything clearly. I took a look at her Book of Mormon, and it was marked more than mine is. I know she is going to be a strong leader in the iglesia, and I ask for your prayers for her when she enters in the waters of baptism this Saturday. It is going to be the best Christmas gift for her and for Heavenly Father ever.

I love you guys! Love the mission! I love Peru!!!!!!!!!

Buenas a todos!!!

This week was long, but full of awesomeness. We found families!!!  There is nothing more rewarding than finding a family to teach, with a mom, dad, and kids. I know families are the fundamental unit in God's plan. The gospel is the key to having a successful family!  We brought a mother with her two daughters to church last Sunday, and it was so awesome to see how fast the girls warmed up to the other youth. They later told me that they loved the church and they met a few friends from their school, and were asking if it would be okay if they came next week. I obviously said of course, every week they can come!  We also have been finding many people through the ward. I know that this work is not ours, and that the members have such a powerful influence in missionary work.  The majority of the people that come to church are because they have a friend that invited them. Who are their friends?  The members!  We are also their friends, but I have found that when people see us they either want to run and hide, or come and fight. When we invite others to come unto Christ and to come to church, we are doing a work that has eternal consequences.

I know that this Christmas season, we have such a great opportunity to minister to those around us. The 22nd of December is going to be a super special sacrament meeting!  Who are we going to invite so they can participate in the celebration of our Savior?  This Christmas season we should understand that the best gift we can receive is the gift of giving. I have learned being here in the mission, that it is probably more enjoyable for me to give to others and see the smiles on their faces, than to receive something for myself.  Nothing can replace that feeling for me, knowing that I could at least bring a ray of sunlight in the life of another child of God. We may not have very much, we may not even know what we can give, but I know we can always help others. I know that if we stop thinking about ourselves, and we start thinking about other people, that Christ will be able to work miracles within us and we can receive the best gifts this year from Christmas. We can feel the love of Christ through acting Christlike, and acting as the savior does.

This last week we also had a historia familiar activity where I was able to help some of the recent converts make the family tree, and to take some names to the temple!  I was proud of the Familia Castro, because I already helped them get quite a bit of information from their family, and I could find the documents of marriages and births. I am so excited for them, and I can't wait until we will have the chance to take their names to the temple.  Also, Diego Vega blessed the sacrament for the first time last Sunday!!  How cool is that?!  I am so proud of him and the faith he has in Heavenly Father, he is already such a great leader in the church and is going to learn so much.

Today we went to the top of the mountain next to Valle Sol, it was pretty dope. A little tiring, a little sketchy, super duper fun rolling down the sand dune on the way down from the mountain. We made out district flag, with our names and put it at the top of the mountain, that way Gran Chimu will forever remember us.  I love the mission so much!!!   I love the gospel!!   I know this is the true church!!   I feel it, I know it, and I can't deny it.  I love you guys!

Buenas tardes a todos!

This week was my first week with Elder Ramirez! Nuevecito en la misión, from Arequipa! He is super excited to get down to work and to help bring more almas to Christ. It is super awesome to see someone so excited and start out strong. I definitely have to stay on my toes, which is a little stressful but it is a great challenge.

This week we got to participate in a Conference with Elder Falabela, which was awesome. From the Seventy, he taught us many things about how we need to really listen to the people and show them that we care and love them. That we must show the members we really want to do all we can to serve them, as well as the investigators.

I started reading the new normas por un discípulo de Jesucristo, and it looks like lots of things have changed. I am not sure yet what all has changed but I am excited to see where the mission is going to go with these new changes!!

I am super stressed out because we are in the process of trying to get two couples married, so please pray that it will all come out smoothly.

I love you all!

Love,
Elder McGreer