Week #53- President Boswell helped me a lot!

This week was good, we all had interviews with our mission president and my interview with President Boswell helped me a lot and I wrote a few reminders on some sticky notes to always remind me to push myself, and I feel like it has worked pretty good. We did divisions this week the day after interviews and I really wanted to prove myself that without my companion that I could guide my area and have good numbers. We were able to have a pretty good day and we had 6 lessons, a new investigator and we put 2 more baptismal dates. I know numbers aren't everything but I really felt good about that day. I hope to keep working hard and if my companion leaves to keep the same pace that we are at or even improve. The only thing that I feel we are having problems with are contacts and getting permission for baptisms. We have 3 investigators with a baptismal date that just don't have permission so we are really working hard to talk with their parents and help them understand the importance of baptism. This week for my one year mark I burnt a shirt in our room and we spent half an hour trying to get all of the smoke out, it was terrible. ya it wasnt a great idea but it was fun. A family here bought us pollo a la brasa and I feel like it made me sick. i went a year without getting sick but I guess it finally got to me. haha We are having a lot of success here and we should be having a few baptisms in the next few weeks.
Love, Elder Monson

.

Week #52- really seeing Gods help in this work!

This week was good, we were able to have a great baptism. He was really prepared  and he knew what he was doing. When he had his interview, Elder Campos said that the interview was one of the best he has had. The ward helped a ton by including him in everything. A lot of members thought he was already a member because everyone is his friend and he is always at the ward activities. I feel like this week was one of our best weeks this transfer, even though we didnt have a ton of lessons, because we had to do a few interviews and we had some baptisms to go to, we had a baptism and found 7 new investigators and 3 of them have a baptism date already. We are really seeing Gods help in this work. When I got here we didnt have very many investigators, but now we have quite a few and they are all amazing. I might go to the temple this week, we are trying to get some less active or recent converts to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead.
Love, Elder Monson

"The water was so nasty when we got to the church to fill up the font. Someone put black paint in it."

He's been gone for 362 days! We sure love our Elder!

Week #51- The members here are starting to help us more and more!

I had to go to migrations to renew my card so that I can stay here today so I am on really late. This week was great. Me and my companion are getting along a lot better and we are seeing a difference in our work as well. We improved a lot this week and we plan to keep improving. We found some great new investigators and they are really awesome they are really progressing and a few accepted a baptismal date. We found a lot of them through references and through some less active members. The members here are starting to help us more and more. We have a few people with a baptismal date and one for this week so we will see how everything goes. its so hard to live on the budget they give us here. I get less than a dollar a day for breakfast,
Love, Elder Monson

Week #50-where is Tommy?!

Me and my companion are getting on a lot better now. I feel like even though we didn't have the best numbers this week, we are starting to work a lot better together and we are a lot more happy. We have a lot more energy to work harder. My companion has helped me a lot. It is getting a lot better. We have a few investigators that are really progressing and we hope to have a few baptisms in the next few weeks. We had stake conference this week and I found out how huge this stake is. We were barely able to find a seat. We are working hard to take some of the less active and recent converts to the Temple. We have a goal to go on the 28th this month, so I have been helping everyone set up their family search account, because my companion doesnt know a lot about how to do it. Everyone is amazed when I show them my family tree and then they ask where is Tommy haha. Other than that this week has been pretty boring, we are working really hard and are trying to find new people to teach, because we dont have a ton of people to teach right now. Overall this week was pretty good. You should all watch a video called The Atonement and Missionary Work. It is from Elder Holland and Elder Eyring.

Love Elder Monson

Week #49- transfer to Las Magnolias!

I had transfers, so now I am in the zone Central, which is kind of in the center of Lima. My area is called Las Magnolias. It is extremely hot here, a lot hotter than my last area, but atleast here it is the city. The church here is huge, because it is the stake center.I am living with my companion Elder Nunja, who is my district leader and the zone leaders are also in the same room so President Boswell is keeping an eye on me. haha My companion is from Trujillo, Peru.This week was hard. I am trying to get to know my area, and the people here. I really miss my old area, probably because I was there for half a year, but I know that I will be able to learn new things here. My companion helps me learn a lot. I am still trying to get used to him. He is always trying to find out what I need in my life and asks me a ton of questions, and tries teaching me like I am his investigator. It kind of bugs me but I am trying my best to get along with him and I know that I can learn a lot from him, he is a great missionary and I am trying to be more humble. I know that there is a reason that he is district leader and I am just junior companion. I hope to become a better missionary this transfer and make the best of it. Love, Elder Monson

Last day to visit families!

Week #48- The Book of Mormon is Awesome!!!

This week was good. We did divisions a few times so we have taught a ton of lessons this week. One of the things that I really liked this week is that we had an amazing companionship study. Me and Elder Licota studied very similar subjects and we were able to relate them and understand even better than in our personal studies. We learned about the importance of the Holy Ghost and The Book of Mormon in the conversion process. I really loved our studies and learned a lot. I really liked a quote from Elder Packer I think said it, something like... No matter what doubt or question our investigators have, if they have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, they can solve whatever doubt or question that they have. I know that this is true because the Book of Mormon is our guide for everything. When we have a testimony of The Book of Mormon we can be happy, no matter what problems we face. The Book of Mormon is Awesome!!! I have been spending my last few days here visiting my favorite families. There has been a lot of families that have bought me food, and today a family is buying me lunch and then another family is buying us dinner and then I will eat dinner again with another family. The people here are awesome and I am going to miss them, but it is time to move on. Being in an area so long is kind of boring. haha The weather here is getting really hot. I have had 12 baptisms in my mission now. 4 in my first area and 8 in this area. Its pretty cool that I have more baptisms than months in the mission. haha I am assuming that I will have transfers this time, so hopefully I go to a good area, and get out of the dirt. I was already packing my things in the morning.

Love Elder Monson

Week #47- really going to miss this area!

This week was fun. We have been working in both of the areas now because we are in a trio. Our area is even bigger now, so it is really hard to visit both areas in the same day, but we are trying to make it work. We were able to have another baptism this week. So now i have had 12 baptisms in my mission. The only thing is that now we dont have very many investigators because they all got baptized. Its kind of hard to find new people here to teach, but once we find them they are awesome. Its crazy how fast time goes by. i am getting closer and closer to a year now. This will probably be my last week in this area so I am going to make the best of it and have a lot of fun with the people here. I am really going to miss this area. I have met a ton of amazing people that are so nice and giving. I really dont want to leave them but I know that I will have to so that I can help other people and other families. Hopefully this week goes good and we will have success in finding new investigators. A few recent converts are going to buy us KFC today for dinner. haha and a member is going to make us tacos and then we are going to watch a movie.
Love Elder Monson