¡Primer Bautismo!

Well this last week was pretty great. For last P-day we played sports together as a zone and we played some good ole american football and that was super fun especially because we have a lot of gringos in our district. After, we went and had a weight lifting competition to see who could do the most curls and stuff and other stuff. 

On Tuesday I had like 3 ingrown toenails so that sucked. I just got my toenail clippers and ripped em out so that hurt a little, haha. 

Pero Peruana

So last Wednesday after lunch my comp was feeling sick, so he and Elder Martinez went back to the room so he could get some rest and Elder Burley and I went to teach this lesson. The lady we were teaching was named Rosa and her parents weren't in her house and we didn't have a dude member with us so we taught her in her door. During the lesson I was explaining about how we receive the Holy Ghost and I told her that men with the authority of God put their hands in your mouth.... I accidentally said boca which is mouth instead of cabeza which is head, haha. Thankfully Elder Burley corrected me and we just kept going. Haha. So this whole week Elder Burley and Elder Martinez have been making so many jokes about this, haha. 

Yeah so last Friday we had this incredible experience to have Elder Renlund come speak to only just our mission. It was absolutely amazing! He's a pretty big guy and he has such a strong spirit. He taught us about how to be effective missionaries and just this other amazing stuff. After he left the room you kinda wanted him to come back just because of how strong his spirit is. Afterwards, we had some pizza from Pizza Hut which was amazing. I was finally able to have some type of American food! 

Yeah so Saturday I had my first baptisms! Carmen and Anthony! Usually Presidente Amato wants the priests of the ward to baptize the people but because it was my first baptism I got to baptize Carmen. It was an incredible experience. After the baptism, I just felt so much peace; I can't describe it. It was just an amazing experience to bring 2 souls unto Christ. 

Anthony

Haha, so apparently when I baptized Carmen, I liked dunked her pretty hard. I had to baptize her twice because the first time her feet came up out of the water so I probably baptized her hard. Elder Martinez was saying how I did a John Cena and I took a video of him demonstrating how I baptized her. 

James, Anthony, Valeria (Elder Burley's investigator)  and Carmen

So for this Saturday we have 4 with (baptismal) dates and all of them needed one more asisstance in the church to be baptized but the last Sunday the mom of Elizabeth and Jesira wouldn't let Elizabeth go. I was super worried that she wouldn't let her and Jesira go to church but miracles do happen and we were able to get all 4 of our investigators to church, Elizabeth and Jesira who are sisters, Esmeralda the daughter of Carmen and Jhair the bro of Anthony.  We went and taught Jenny the mom of Elizabeth and Jesira and she accepted to be baptized for the 6th of October! We also had 44 members attend the house chapel and that is 10 more than the last week. My comp and I are working hard to get all of the converts and menos activo to church so that we can have enough to make Amauta a branch and then a ward; so we have been working hard. 

I also confirmed Carmen yesterday and that was crazy because she said that she wanted me to confirm her and I had no idea how to confirm in Spanish but the counselor helped me out and I was able to do it. It really is crazy how giving a blessing works. The spirit just guides you. 

Anyways, I hope everyone back home is doing great and I'll keep everyone in my prayers with the fires and everything. That looks pretty crazy.

Pole Creek Fire