An interesting week

Monday, January 18, 2016

FAM, 

 

This week we had an interesting experience.  We visited a less active this week who can do nothing other than focus on the faults and the negative things of the church.   He claims to have a strong testimony but at the same time hasn't been to church in years.  He said many times that God understands why he doesn't go.  He claims that the Book of Mormon is full of errors and over exaggerates.  He told us that as a lost sheep it is the ward and bishop's responsibility to come look for him and put him with the rest of the flock making it not his fault that he doesn't receive the blessing and happiness of the restored Gospel. Speaking with him for a little bit we decided that it would be better to let him vent and then leave.  We couldn't find any words or any way to help him in his current situation...This man is blocking his ability to progress because he is blinded by his doubts and it was sad to see. 

 

In that same day we met with a recent convert who is having trouble with her testimony. She is scared that she might have been baptized too soon and now feels bad. She talked about all of the prayers she has been doing to feel God's Love again. She decided to restart the Book of Mormon to find her answer there. She has been doing everything she could think of to not let go too soon. We felt love for her as she spoke and we felt prompted to speak about the importance of faith and the miracles that can happen when we have faith. As we finished the lesson she said, "I think it's interesting that we talked about faith. Today, I went to the Catholic Church to get help. They also spoke to me about faith.  I'm sure that we were guided in that lesson to say what God wanted us to say... 

 

There are a few things that I think are interesting here... 

 

1. In the first lesson we didn't feel guided. Maybe because God knew that there wasn't anything we could say that would change his feelings. 

 

2. It doesn't matter if we have doubts.  It matters what we do with them. 

 

Closing ourselves off only hurts us. Blocking our personal progress and killing us almost at the roots of our faith. 

 

Let's not do this to ourselves. 

 

Sonriendo Siempre, 

 

Elder Glassett

Great Week!

Saturday, January 9, 2016

So family, 

This week has been great!!!  I have really missed going out every day to teach.  I think we got used to the office and being cramped in here all day that we forgot the happiness that comes from proselyting.  We have seen a few miracles!!!

We are opening an area and we both thought that we were going to have to pass a few hard weeks to see fruits and we were okay with that.  We planned on working double hard to make it a shorter nothing period.  (If that makes sense.)  But the Lord showed us that he wants us to succeed just as much as we do.  We worked for two days with everything we could, trying to contact effectively get to know members and the area.  The Lord blessed us with many less active families and prepared investigators.  We came across a house that Elder Gutierrez knew because he had done a division before.  As we took out an appointment we asked if there was someone in the area we could visit.  They gave us Peruvian directions.  (That means they told us the street and house color but that street has many house of the same color making it impossible to find the correct house on the first try.)  As we knocked doors looking for the reference, we knocked the door of an 18 named Daniel.  We made a quick joke with him about how his name is from the Bible and he should stay away from lions to break the ice.  Then his roommate cousin came out.  His name?  Jesus haha his little brother?  Joshua.  Full bible names on that street!!!  They are now new investigators and they are awesome.  Having area like Pampas and Cerro has helped me appreciate teaching smart people.  They had questions about the plan of salvation and we were able to explain to them our beliefs and they want to go to church with us tomorrow!!

My new pension is awesome!!!   I have been blessed with many good pensions in my mission, many of them I have called mama.

I am grateful to be in the field. I'm grateful for the inspired change in mission leadership that President had.

Random story, we have been looking to find a new mission house and yesterday in the morning we found an awesome one.  It was for rent and everything but the number was bad so we looked up the owner in the city hall.  Ex-terrorist.  Haha.  Looks like we won't be living there!!!!

I know this is the Church of Christ. The same one that was set up lost and restored.

Sonriendo Siempre,

Elder Glassett

News and Venting haha

Monday, January 4, 2016

Okay family I have some news this week! 

 

We had a good New Years!  In Peru they have a few interesting traditions!

 

1. It doesn't matter what your plans are it is necessary that you spend all your money on fireworks and are up until at least 4 in the morning.

 

2. Spend the rest of your money on new clothes.

 

3. Spend what's left of your money on beer.

 

The above tradition are unspoken rules. The following traditions are optional:

 

A.  Buy a bunch of herbs and bathe yourself at midnight. 

 

B.  Buy yellow underwear and red underwear. Start your day in the yellow and change at midnight. (this usually involves breaking the law of chastity). 

 

C.  Fill up suitcases and walk around your lot 12 times. (It means you are going to travel that year.)

 

D.  Eat 12 grapes at midnight. (Every grape represents one month that will go well).

 

I'm sure there are more but those are all I know.  

My companion and I have changes.  Not of assignment but of area.  President saw a training about how we should be in the field almost all the time.  And our area should be the most takin' care of. Have the best ward etc.  Sadly.  Our current ward is in a state of apostate chaos. I.e., they had a mother literally participate in her babies blessing.  (Not to hold her baby, but to stand in the circle.  Along with the non-member father.)

So, president thought that It would be better to put us in a ward where that doesn't happen.  We are now in La Florida. They started council by going over the last weeks commitments!  I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but it made our day because it's the first time I've ever seen that here.  Also the first time I heard someone say, according to manual 2! WOW!!!  THAT NEVER HAPPENS!!!

So ya, everything is going well down here.  On Saturday we did our typical pday when there is nothing to do. Barbecue with monopoly.  We are going to try and find settlers of catan or print it out.  Wish us luck.

Yesterday a man told us that when we teach the gospel it sounds familiar to him.  I believe that is the Holy Ghost bringing all things to his remembrance. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been the same since he himself taught it to us in the pre-mortal world. It is for this reason that it seems like we have always known it.  Many times the power of the Holy Ghost simply thins the veil so that we feel closer to home.  Evidence of this is found in Luke 4:33-41.  How did the demons know exactly who Jesus was?  Because they never passed through the veil. They are a part of the third of the host of heaven that followed Lucifer (that Great Red Dragon). They were cast to the earth to wreak havoc (the best why I can put it). Before the world was. Rev 12:3-4.

The gospel is the same. The church that teaches the same gospel as always is probably the church that continues to receive revelation. And probably the church that holds the priesthood power of God. This is the church with authority to baptize. This is the church with authority to save. The only church that can bind on earth and in heaven. Search this church. A church with apostles and prophets.

Many people here have the idea that every church is correct.  In the New Testament it speaks of churches the apostles were leading. Paul write to the churches.  But that doesn't mean that every church was teaching its own doctrine.  Or that it had nothing in common. The different churches were obviously spread out by regions (Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, and Galatia.) But, they all taught the same gospel. Making them the same church in the same way the father and the son are the same.  In purpose.  Living a christian life alone, will not save you.   Making Christ like ordinances and convents on top of a christian life, will.

While it is possible to attend any church under the sun and live a good life and be a great person. But to be perfect even as (our) father is perfect we have to raise the bar a little bit.  For this, week need to attend our father's church. One of the main purposes of the New Testament is to tell us how Christ organized his primitive church.  So that we can follow his pattern.  Or so that we can recognize the truth when we see it. 1 Corinthians 12:28.  

Okay that's enough of my rantings. 

Sonriendo Siempre,

Elder Glassett

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.