Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Photos instead of a letter as he's been busy in the mission and sent an audio letter last week.  

But, he's doing great and I am not sure he's ever been happier. 

Getting the flu shot in which he said the elders were more wimpy than the sisters.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Cody hasn't written in a few weeks because he's been busy doing other things in the mission.  However, he sent this letter to me to send to a friend who is trying to figure out what heavenly father wants him to be.  The message is pertinent to all.  

"I think a lot about what it is that God wants from us. About all the things that I still lack. I think one of the easiest things to do in life is look for all the negative. Everything that we don’t do well. About how much better everyone else is at one thing or another. As Paul says, “For now we see through a mirror darkly”. 1 Cor 13:12.  And many times, we look at ourselves through that very mirror. If we focus on how far away we are from the presence and Perfectness of God we can easily get discouraged. We can in many ways lose all hope. 

In the Book of Mormon, Moroni says, “thanks to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ we can have hope for a better world.” Moroni 7:40-41 The atoning sacrifice is the fruit of God's love for us… you know how they say actions speak louder than words? Well God didn’t just say he loves us. Neither did Christ. They showed us. It is so important that we know this. Let me use an example. 

The second prophet of the Book of Mormon was named Nephi. He was a young man who starting at a very young age was asked to do very hard things. He is famous for saying “I will go and do what the lord has commanded me.” 1 Nephi 3:7 Why do you think Nephi was so brave? So hopeful? I have an idea… An angel spoke with Nephi. Explaining a few questions that Nephi didn’t understand. He asked Nephi… “Do you understand the condescension of God?” Or in other words, are you aware of all the things God has done to save you? Do you know his Son Suffered so much pain because he means what he says? And Nephi says… “I know that God Loves His Children… nevertheless I know not the meaning of all things.” Nephi 11:16-17.

For Nephi, instead of focusing on everything he lacked he focused and drew strength from one simple fact. God loves all of his children. It is not necessary to know everything.  Nephi's testimony came from one small seed of perfect faith.

I promise God loves all of us. He will always love us. The point of this life is not to show God that he can love us but, that he can trust us. Live so that God can trust you. Be obedient. Be Happy. Don’t focus so much on what you not doing well. Think about your strengths and try to think of how you can improve them.

Elder Cody Glassett"

i see dead people... and new borns.

Sunday, December 6, 2015 

Family and not family,

I decided to write one of those letters that moms love because it will cause me to think about all the little details that I am normally too lazy to write. 

So this week went by well.  We said goodbye to the group of missionaries who were finishing the mission and welcomed the group of newbies.

We are now 6 elders. For the past 2 years more or less the office has had a senior couple working here. The financial secretary Elder Ammonet has helped the mission so that we can have two more proselyting elders.  But, now that he is finishing the mission we have 2 more elders.  And we had changes of secretaries.  My comp and I are together for one more change and we are with Elders Holmes (California), Islas (Mexico), Compton (Cache Valley, basically Idaho), Collantes (The proud country of Arequipa).  Arequipa is part of Peru that tried to separate many years ago.  They had their own money, passports, and laws.  But they never really made it as a country.  The joke is to act like they aren't Peruvians.

We made tacos yesterday, thanks to Elder Islas!  I got pretty good at making tortillas!  After that we played monopoly and my companion and I joined forces and won!  (Beating the financial sec which is not a small feat.)

I said goodbye to three really good friends this week.  It's crazy how much you can come to love people you haven't known for a long time.  I actually started crying to see one of them cry in the bus station.  Elder Ries. He might be one of my best friends from the mission.  Just another blessing I have from the lord's service.

Starting on the 17^thish, we will be doing the Christmas Multi-zone Tour.  So if I don't write then that's why...

Today we had a baby blessing in our ward.  Where the mom and non-member dad participated in the circle.  Can anyone tell me if that's part of the changes they made in manual 1 of the Church?  Because that sounds pretty wrong to me but I'd like to know what the changes were before I make a fool of myself..

On a more exiting note, I have gained a kilo.

In February Elder Godoy from the Area will be coming to do a Tour of the mission. 

 

Sonriendo Siempre, 

 

Elder Glassett

 

 

Selfie with Elder Tolman

Ping Pong at President's

 

At Huaytapallana.  The highest point in the Huaytapallana Mountain range.  The summit is 18232 feet above sea level.

Saturday, October 24, 2015  (Sorry, this one is out of order.)

Hello Family!

Man it has been a fast week! I can't believe it is already Saturday! Today is technically p-day but we are only writing today, because on Monday we have to go to a place called Posuso.  It is the German settlement here in Peru.  We decided to do our Monday stuff today and use Posuso as a p-day!!!  Wooo!

I live in the mission house with four other elders.  Elder Gutierrez, my comp, he's from Chile and is super cool!  Elder White from my group really funny guy!  And Elder Livingston who is one of the nicest guys ever!  Also there is Elder Ammonet, he is a senior missionary and a professional poet!  Well, he has a book...so that's pretty official. 

The days are very different here. And I’m learning a lot. Haha. I have learned that I NEED to have a job that involves doing something exciting and different every day! 

Yesterday as we were running around and buying a few things that we needed. We ran into two people that stopped us and said, “How can I learn more about your church?”  Today we met another guy who has family that have served missions.  He has lost touch with the missionaries so we were able to put him back in contact.

In the book every member a missionary it says that anything we do, with a little thought, can be a great missionary opportunity. I think that’s true… I challenge everyone who reads this to ask yourself 3 questions.

1.  Is the gospel a blessing in my life? What has it done for me?
2.  Is it worth sharing with someone I love?
3.  How can I do it without feeling awkward?

Okay I know that’s technically 4 questions… but the point is to make us think.

I know that Christ lives. I feel very strongly that he knows me. I love him. I hope one day I will be able to thank him for all he has done for me.  

 “The Atonement was not only a Sacrifice Christ made for us, it was an investment he made in us.” Brad Wilcox.  The thought of this investment helps me realize the work that it requires on our part.  I imagine us going into an office where Christ is seated at a desk.  We sit down, and show him our proposal saying, “Jesus… this is what I can do... This is my plan. I can do this…” and Christ gives us the loan and says “i'll cover you...” knowing full well that we would not be able to even comply with the whole plan we proposed.  Jesus is so merciful.

Sonriend Siempre,
Elder Glassett

Visiting a bat cave.

Thanksgiving Week

Saturday, November 29, 2015

Hello Family,

This week was awesome!  We finished doing the changes (until Monday) and ate
Thanksgiving at President's house!  That food was so good!!!  I hear that Christmas dinner is similar.  Hehehe.   I am going to gain weight here!!!

I am glad to hear of those of you who are good and well!  This week my companion and I have been thinking and studying a lot about doing things with real intent.  Meaning, we fulfill our callings or read the scriptures or do anything in our lives because we want to.  In Moroni 7 it talks about how if we do something with resentment or by law we are not blessed for the action.  And as far as God is concerned we didn't do it.

Well that seemed pretty harsh to me so I thought about it a little bit and came up with this.  If there is something that you don't want to do, do it until you like it.  It's a change of heart. It's repentance. We are here to repent. To change.

Many times it is difficult for us to obey, to read the scriptures, or pray.  It's hard to be positive. Or say sorry.  We sometimes think that doing those things won't help or benefit us.  (Which is wrong for 2 reasons 1 because we shouldn't only think about ourselves) the other because sometimes the good things we do don't help us because of our attitude.

We can develop real intent.  Using the same process that Moroni uses in chapter 7, pray and ask for it.  I remember one time in Cerro somebody asked us why we were there.  Elder Garcia said that he was there to show his love for Jesus Christ.  And the spirit came in the room and testified that it was true.  It was really cool! 

If there is something that is hard for you... Something that doesn't do anything for you. Then ask yourself why you do it. 

I pray we can always live and do things with a purpose. 

Sonriendo Siempre, 

Elder Glassett

Thanksgiving Dinner at the President's House.  Mama Henderson front right.  Per Coco, she is "the best cook in Peru!"

Monday, November 23, 2015

(The computer does crazy things to coco's emails and because I don't know what this says, I cannot fix all the crazy things.)

Papá, 

 

No he comido esas papas. algo semejante se llama tocush... eso es papa guardada en un rio por mas o menos 6 meses. tiene un olor que mata. y es una regla que no lo camamos por se tan feo.

la foto que les mandé es de la officina. los otros dos greengos son los seretarios... o eran. esta semana stamos cambiando a la oficina. y agregando dos secretaios mas. seremos 6 ahora. probablemente estaré aquí por 5 meses mas. Y ojalá que salga capacitando...(que bueno que yo estoy en cargado con eso..:)

Y tambien. si comeré thanksgivig.. en lasa casa del presidente! Sí tengo muchas razones por ser agradecido!

 

Mom, 

 

Last year at the same time there was a strike.  The employees just want more benefits.  When it ends everything should start going through normally.

 

About the missionaries. Commitments are the most important thing we do and missionaries. we invite people and call people to repentance.  But not by standing on a street corner and yelling the word "repent!!"  But, by changing peoples habits and helping them to fill their time with better things.

 

Based on the statement that "I am the sum and total of my thoughts, words, and actions." As a missionary my goal is to elevate the thoughts, words and actions of those I teach.  Helping their "sum and total to be higher... repentance!!!

 

Commitments should be inspired.  Punto. They should be explained. The blessings should be testified. In chapter 11 of preach my gospel it explains better how people can make and KEEP commitments.

 

Love you tons! 

 

Thank you for being a supporting member of the work of salvation!

 

fun fact... it's not called missionary work.  Its the work of salvation..

 

BYE

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Hey family,

So this week went by faster than I thought it would. It started on Monday when we went to Huaytapayana with a few zones.  Haha. I have now gone three times!  Not bad!  On Tuesday president called us over to his house to do the changes.  What an experience!  I can definitely say that the Lord is in charge of his work and not any of us.  I can't count how many times somebody said something that had been on my mind about a change or how many times I gave an idea and somebody said that they had been thinking the same thing.  It reminded me of something I heard once.  We are not humans who have spiritual experiences.  But, spiritual beings that have human experiences. It is really true.  The first thing that my companion told me when I got here was that revelation will be more direct, and that you have to just do or say what I tells you.  That is true.

We taught a lesson yesterday that changed a lot about how I saw blessings.  We taught the uncle of a returning less active.  His uncle, Tiodoro, got in a car crash about 10 years and damaged the left half of his brain.  Making the right half of his body completely uncontrollable.  His arm and leg are constantly moving in circles and his tongue has been asleep for so long that he almost can't be understood.  Tiodoro was being taught by the missionaries years ago and has been wanting to be baptized since the.  The coolest part was when he said in the most understandable voice he could "I'm ready tomorrow."  I just wanted to fix him.  To cure him.  Or do something.  It was a humbling moment.

Something else I thought about was when I was in Pasco...  And I couldn't really speak too well.  And I thought I was weak or something for missing home, so I didn't tell my companion.  I felt the only one I could talk to was God.  I thought only he would understand me.   I thought about how petty of a thing that was compared to 10 years of Tiodoro's life.  And how God probably is the only one who can fully understand him.

I think prayer is even more important than I had thought.  In the book of Ether it says the brother of Jared ceased to call upon the lord as he did before.  And the Lord.  Chastised him for three hours.  Then, The Brother of Jared repented for the evil he had done.  (Not praying was the evil he had done.)  Let's all get better at are prayers.  Let's all take time to build our relationship with God.  Let's all do what the spirit tells us.  No thought is our own.

Sonriendo Siempre,

Elder Glassett

Coco and his comp, Elder Gutierrez

 

Mission lineage.  Coco and his "son" and "grandson."