El Pollo de Oro

ENTONCES!!! I don't have a whole lot of time to write today, so I'm going to keep it pretty short today.

Punto Numero UNO:

I'm starting to understand everything! This is fantastic for me, I can understand my companion more each day, I can understand the questions of my investigators, and I can even answer every question! I can read, I can write, and I can almost speak! This is fantastic! 

The gift of tongues is real, and working miracles in my life. In another month and a half, I'm sure I'll be fluent!

Punto Numero DOS:

I had to give another talk this past Sunday, and it was ten minutes this time instead of the five last time. It actually wasn't all that bad, considering I can only almost speak Spanish. I felt a lot more calm this time, and altogether it was just better. 
I spoke about the importance of member-missionary work.

 
Punto Numero TRES:

We had another opportunity for service this week. We went to the house of one of our best investigators, Hermana Mari-lu. We painted her walls and helped clean. And she also gave Elder Campos and me some stuff she didn't use anymore. We got a little magnetic dartboard, a volleyball, a basketball, and a giant rope we're going to make into a couple jump ropes. It was pretty alright.

My testimony has really increased during my time out here, and more and more the time is starting to fly by.  I can remember the first day in the airport like it was yesterday. I really have a hard time keeping the days straight out here. Every day blurs together. I'm going to be home before I know it.

I hope you all have a fantastically magical week!

With all the love of the Peruvians, 

-Elder Dañel Jacob Smith

Peru Lima Este: El Mejor Mision del Mundo

I saw a llama this week. And it may or may not have been in a zoo. (It was) 

Hola Everyone! This has been an interesting week. Right after I'd finished writing my letter home last week, the entire zone caught a whole bunch of taxis, and we went over to the big part of the city to go to the zoo. I was kind of surprised, because the zoo was actually really well kept, albeit it didn't have a whole ton of animals. A cool thing about the zoo though, is that it's built right in the center of a whole bunch of ruins, so that was really cool. 

I spent a lot of that day talking about video games with one of my best friends in the mission, Elder Stoddard.

After we went to the zoo, we walked down the street to a KFC, and I want to express something right now. The KFCs here in Perú are not, and will never be the same as the KFC's in the United States. Everything was... different... And overpriced for how much we got. No obstante, it was still pretty good, for overpriced, fake KFC.

An interesting thing here in Perú is that all the TV, cell phones, and most of the technology, (Most of) is about 5-10 years behind the United States. I feel like I'm living in the stone age. (Not really, it just helps with the analogy.) I think that the car I've seen down here most is the old model of the VW Buggy. There are so many of them down here! Elder Campos and I play slug-bug every time we see them, so that's pretty fun.

We had a couple of opportunities for service this week. We have this one hermana that we're teaching, who we helped clean her front [porch?] on one day, and scraped the old paint from her walls to prepare for a fresh coat on the next day. We're going back again this week to actually do the painting, so that'll be fun. The good thing is, this hermana is Fija, and her baptism date is on the 26th. (I'm pretty sure.)

This Sunday was a little hectic. Every week we invite investigators and inactive members to come to sacrament meeting with us, but we had a problem because we had to go get them before church, Which is at 8:00, so we had about half an hour to go and get about 15 investigators\in-active members. So Elder Campos and I split up with a couple of RM's in our ward to get them. This Sunday, we had a grand total of 12 members\in-actives attend sacrament meeting with us. 7 New investigators and 5 in-actives. It was crazy.

I've started reading Jesus the Christ, and can I just say, Wow! That book is one of the most interesting and deep books I have ever read. James E. Talmage is an incredible author, and has a fantastic way of working words. I suggest that everyone take some time to read that book.

Well, that's about all I have time to write for today, but I'll end with a joke. What did one grape say to the other grape after it got a sunburn? ¿Que pasa? Hahahaha, oh, I kill myself.

With lots of Love,

-Elder Dañel Jacob Smith

Conferencia General

Hola, Todos!

Entonces, this week not a whole lot happened. I really don't have all that much to say, other than we have a handful of new investigators, and General Conference. I got to listen to General Conference in English, and I am so happy about it. If I had needed to listen in Spanish, I wouldn't have received the guidance and comfort that I need right now. (Even if I only got to listen to three of the five sessions.)

I think my favorite talk from General Conference was President Dieter F. Uchtdorf´s talk during the priesthood session that I'll call "You can do it now."   I love this phrase, "You can do it now!" In this phrase lies many distinct truths. The truth that there will always be someone there to help you be able to get up, even if at times you feel like it's impossible. "You can do it now." In this phrase is the truth that the faith of others will build up, and magnify your own faith. "You can do it now." In this phrase is the truth that you will always have the power to overcome any challenge you may face. "You can do it now." I don't think I have ever felt quite as inspired, nor felt as much peace and comfort from any other set of words. "Usted puede hacerlo ahora."

General Conference is always a major blessing in my life, and I know with a surety why I'm here and why I'm serving a mission. It's not easy, and at times I feel discouraged about the language, my investigators, or other things in general, but my purpose is to tell others to "Get up, you can do it now."

It's so nice to hear about everything that´s going on at home and I wish I were able to share these experiences with you, but I'd rather be out here serving those who haven't had the same blessing that I've had. 

 

Here are some pictures from Kenneth's Baptism:

 

Here is a picture from our apartment.  This is our study area:

And this is outside in our patio area:

I don't have a whole lot more time to write, but just a few more things.

The address you have is correct, that's where letters and packages need to be sent. Oh, and I heard the name of the lady in Salt Lake is Vanessa, if that helps.  She is the one who brings packages for missionaries down here to Peru.

That about wraps everything up, so as always, thanks for tuning in!

-Elder Dañel Jacob Smith