It’s been awhile and WOW a lot has happened (También - Me Voy por los Estados)

Sorry for not writing this group email in so long!! You’ll see why throughout this email because yeah it’s been pretty crazy.

Okay so starting from 2 weeks back: We finally moved apartments!! After staring at that falling ceiling for 4 months and stuttering our steps trying to write down every “for rent” sign we passed by they moved us into a 4th floor apartment that feels like a MANSION (even though it just has 3 rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room). We may be living with literally every spider in Perú in there but it’s all good, just helps me conquer the fear of spiders.

Last Sunday everything went CRAZY. We were looking for a particular family that we had an appointment with (literally searching for them in a market) when we realized that almost all the streets are empty except for the markets which are PACKED, then a member who speaks English ran up to us and told us that the US is entering into a state of emergency, quoted Donald Trump for a good 5 minutes, then told us the President of Perú is starting a quarantine for at least 15 days. About an hour later we got a message from Hermana Strong telling us to drop everything and print off a list of groceries that they sent us (included in another email) and then go buy it all immediately (on a SUNDAY). We went to the one super market there is in our entire zone called “Precio-Uno” and it was like a war zone or an apocalypse movie. Then we got a message telling us to go straight to our homes right after we bought our groceries for safety and from there they finally told us that we are entering into quarantine!

From there we’ve been in quarantine this whole time, only leaving to eat lunch at our pension and MAYBE visit a member of the church or a super reliable appointment - one of which we got to visit an older married couple with whom we had extended a date to be baptized!!

Then, last night, we got a panicked call from our district leader telling us to write down TONS of numbers, and that we had to call them and that the mission president is going to call the entire mission right then. In which, he told us that sadly, all of the foreign missionaries (me, as I’m foreign to Perú), will be returning to their own countries, spend 2 weeks in quarantine in their own houses, and then be reassigned to finish their missions in the U.S.

I know, HUGE turn of events in just this little time. I’m quite honestly still not sure what to think but I am extremely sad that I have to say goodbye to all the people I’ve come to know and have helped come closer to their Heavenly Father. Of course I wish I could have more time here, and if it had been possible to spend my entire mission here, but nevertheless I know that God has called me to serve here for this time, and that my mission in the US will STILL be the mission that he has called me to serve in from that time on. I’m excited for all that’s waiting for me in the future, and extremely grateful for the experience I’ve had here and the progress I’ve made. All this does is help me and everyone trust more in Him and His plan for us!

Always remember that He loves each and every one of you. That He knows you individually and personally, more than anyone else possibly ever could - even yourself. I know everything is pretty confusing and crazy right now but as long as we remember it’s all in His hands and continue in faithfulness, we will experience His promised blessings of peace and joy in this life, and the life the come. I love you all!

Elder Pollock

Elder Pollock, How do you know the church is true?

So Elder Pollock, How do you know the Church is true?


That is a FANTASTIC question. Okay so it all started when I was born. Nah mentiras - pero tenemos un miembro que hizo eso en un noche de hogar y Elder Mamani escribió en su agenda ¨HELP ME¨ to have me end it which was fun. Anyways, testimony time:

I can definitely say now that I know this church is true. (I´m going to go on a little bit of a funky trip here about some truth and SO sorry if it´s a little confusing)

As you already know I was raised in the church, or as I like to say I was raised in the knowledge of the truth. And I don ́t say that meaning that I´ve known that it´s all true since mi juventud, rather that I am really grateful that I was raised in the church so I can have all the knowledge and experience in it I have now. The only way that anyone can for a surety that something is true is from the very source of truth itself, that being God. All that is truth in this world comes from Him. All of the laws of science come from him. All material has been proved in the creation to obey these laws of science, or rather these laws set by God, and will continue to obey him forever as they have already seen their period of testing. The question is, how do WE know about these laws that they obey? Well, over a ridiculous period of time we have been on this Earth and we are a curious people, and so, we conduct EXPERIMENTS. Through time and trials we have repeated these experiments and have continually tested until we came to the knowledge of these laws, the knowledge of these truths set for all material to follow.

We do the EXACT same in order to find out for ourselves the truths of the gospel. Even as Alma invited the poor and lowly in heart among the Zoramites: But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than ^adesire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. (Alma 32:27)

  

This experiment can be a little difficult for people, it was a little difficult for me, because the results aren´t the familiar physical change of color when chemicals are added to substances, but rather they come in a way that we can exercise our faith in Him. Feelings and thoughts. I personally would LOVE to have an angel appear right before me and pronounce that THESE THINGS ARE TRUE, and hey, if it happens I definitely wont be complaining, but I am satisfied with this: As I have lived the commandments of God, I have experienced the promised joy and peace, the promised blessings spiritually as well as temporally, and I know that they are good and of God because of these experiments. But what´s more, I´ve followed the invitation that we give to every single person who we meet. I have prayed to God, the source of all truth, and asked him about the truthfulness of this church. Honestly, I´m still trying to understand exactly how he speaks to me (as the prophet invited us in the recent video: How do we hear Him? Try to hear him 1. Stronger and 2. More frequently), but I can tell you that he has answered my prayers. He´s allowed me to know as I´ve testified to these people that these things are true by the testimony of the Holy Ghost. Those moments which I can only describe as a swelling of the heart, an indescribably peace and feeling of joy. I hope that you have been able to have them too. Also I´m well out of time but I hope that you have an AMAZING week and that maybe this little message will strengthen you even more. I know that we will have a real long time to lift each other up and strengthen each other :) Stay Safe please!!! I am constantly praying for you and I hope you´ve been able to feel the power of those prayers. Nos Esperamos Pronto!!

Elder Pollock

"Elder Chicken Party"

- Elder Pampa´s nickname for me that has become common tongue for my entire zone

Another awesome week as a missionary of Jesus Christ!

One night Elder Mamani and I were DEAD tired, and we found ourselves in a family home evening with a recently reactivated member family, after watching a few church videos and sharing a message it was already 9:10 PM - almost time to head home - and the family put on ¨Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration ̈ , which if we watched it would put us well over our time limit for visiting a family. We just decided to say a prayer, get up, and go out proselyting as we should even though it was really tempting to stay those last 20 minutes and watch, and within 2 minutes we found an old reference that we had been looking for the past 4 weeks! That truly showed my companion and I the importance of obedience in the mission!!

This week we extended a date for Mari-Luz to be baptized!! We were really excited, until 2 days afterwards we found out that she up and moved back with her other family. BUT she left us with a message to send the missionaries to her home over there so she can continue down the covenant path and that she´ll come back and attend church here next summer as well! Also on this front, our little zone of 16 Elders we already have 21 baptismal dates for the month of March!!

This week has been FULL of finding new people to teach for Elder Mamani and I, so much so that it´s felt like a whirlwind trying to keep up and visit them all! There is one in particular named Fred, a reference who we have been looking for the past 5 weeks with no success - UNTIL YESTERDAY! We were walking in between citas and Elder Mamani just had the prompting that we should pass by for him, and there he was! He told us that this entire time his intercom has been broken and that he´s been waiting for us this entire time and that he want´s to be married with his wife (a member) for all time and eternity and do all he can to reach that point. He has a TON of faith in Christ, he has already turned around his life from rock bottom and truly is a seeker of the truth, and we are so happy to finally guide him to it.

How are you all doing? Let me know if there´s anything that you all need or that I can pray for!

Elder Pollock (or as all the Elders here lovingly call me, Elder Chicken Party)

OH and how could I forget, WE WENT TO THE ZOO TODAY!! ACTUALLY NATURE - there is literally NO greenery here in San Martin and most of my mission and I missed it oh so much. Aquí tiene algunas fotos:

1. Thank you for the Valentine´s Day package fam!!

2. A ¨Brown Bear¨

3. Mi Compi y yo, disfrutando la naturaleza

4. REAL old part of a Book of Mormon in braille they found in the offices

5. We also found Dr. Pepper in a Supermarket near the offices (We went to the offices for E. Mamani´s visa). I was very excited!

The Baptism of SONIA!!

Despite all the obstacles that were thrown in our way... HERMANA SONIA IS NOW BAPTIZED AS OF SATURDAY!!! It may have been scheduled for 7 PM and delayed until 8 PM at the last second and then they couldn't actually show up until 9 and FINALLY performed the ordinance at 9:30... pero lo hemos hecho! (We have done it!). I was really nervous to actually perform it but in the moment when I started saying the prayer I could feel the spirit so strongly helping me even in my memory of her name (they are always really long and strange here - but luckily hers is more normal!) and the words I needed to say.

We've literally just had people contacting us as we walk by in the street asking for lessons and we both know that we only are receiving these miracles and mercies from Him because we are trying to be strictly obedient and serve in the Lord's appointed way.

Just a little story from the week, about a month ago we had a ministering activity with all of the Elders in the zone in my ward to visit the less active members, Elder Leinheart and I passed by for one house in particular where the child came out on the balcony and just told us no one was home. Fast forward to NOW, I was in intercambios with Elder Leinheart, and we just so happened to walk past this same house on the way to an appointment. We just hear "ELDERES - ESPEREN!!" from the same balcony and she RUSHES down. It turns out this sister is the aunt of the child who told us no one as home, and she (the child) wants to take the lessons along with all of her brothers and sisters!! I'm really excited to start working with this family and hopefully reactivate and animate them all!

"MISter GRIngo Buenas Tardes!"

- A Random Hermana Who Passed Us in The Street

Hope you are all doing so well! I'm constantly praying for your safety and happiness especially. Let me know if any of you ever need ANYTHING!

Elder Pollock de Barrio La Legua - San Martin

Happy Valentines Day!

How did we celebrate? Well our zone happened to have interviews with the mission president and his wife the day of Valentine's Day so they made us real sugar cookies and let me tell you, they are even better when you're BIEN lejos (real far) from your home. AND we got to attend the wedding of some recent converts with my old companion and three other pairs of missionaries, it's so amazing to see the happiness this gospel brings to all, knowing that they can have eternity together, and to rejoice in that joy together.

Okay, remember Hermana Sonia? Yeah, she's doing FANTASTIC!! She is so excited for her baptism and is striving so hard (and succeeding) to live the gospel and all Christ's teachings. When we taught her about the Law of Tithing she was so excited to give her part that even more could receive this gospel. We explained a little poorly that, while it's not something we do publicly (as those who do their works in the public eye to receive the public praise receive their reward there and not from the blessings God has from us), it's not some huge secret, so she proceeded to act out football plays to secretly hand off her tithing to the Bishop. Also in our last lesson she bore her testimony to us telling us how she had already felt these things to be true even before praying, and that when she prayed she continued in that feeling even stronger, and she called us angels sent to teach her this truth. I mean, I can barely speak Spanish, so I definitely know that really she was recognizing the strength of the Holy Ghost as it bore witness to her these things, and that really built my testimony that this is God's work.

Someone else that we are really excited to be teaching is another Hermana named Rosario, at first she just wanted us to answer some questions for her kids and so she invited us into her home. As we answered all of her kids' questions about bible stories and taught the doctrine of Jesus Christ, she payed attention to all of our words as well. Shortly, the lessons transferred from us teacher her kids to teaching her about the restoration of the gospel, and in our third visit, she told us "I know that Joseph Smith saw this vision and that he was a prophet of God, as you told me about his confusion at all the different religions and sects I recognized myself in the same confusion, and now I know the truth", and so now we're continuing teaching her frequently! Unfortunately she is con vive (meaning living with her boyfriend) but she has plans to get married really soon and then be baptized!!

Okay, one last story: this friday we had a miracle contact. As Elder Mamani and I were walking, to a person who some other elders from a previous change were teaching, I realized that I had dropped the map of the area somewhere along the way. We quickly retraced our steps for about 10 minutes and finally found it dropped on the ground, as we walked back to the same area we had turned ourselves around, we got a random call from some hermana about keys to our door (but it wasn't actually to our apartment, just some other apartment for future elders) and so we had to sit still for about another 15 minutes as we talked to our leaders about what to do. Right about as we were about to get up and go, a Hermana walked right up to us, and started asking us how she could start learning more about "our church"... she actually just contacted US! We immediately jumped into the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and she accepted to come to church and to receive lessons AND to read the Book of Mormon - all in about 10 minutes! It's crazy how the Lord just places us in the right place at the right time, and through the strangest means.

I'm praying for all of you! Once again let me know if there is absolutely anything I can do for y'all! HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!

Elder Pollock

I was really proud of the omelette I made

Showing E. Mamani my family tradition of pizza and rootbeer (SO HARD TO FIND HERE)

Wedding of Alonzo y Claudia!!

Already P-Day again!

Wow I can't believe it's already P-Day again! This week was super awesome and just flew by!

Tuesday we had a Multi-Zone Conference with half the mission and President Strong and for president strong's presentation of Christ's visit to the Americas and explaining the doctrine had people read quotes off the projector and one Elder reads: "Buscar diligentemente a los mujeres"(Diligently seek the women) instead of *Buscar Diligentemente a los mejores maneras* (Diligently seek the best ways) and it took everything in me and everyone around to keep ourselves from bursting out laughing. 

ALSO ON TUESDAY ::: HERMANA SONIA HAS ACCEPTED THE 22ND AS HER BAPTISMAL DATE!!! We have been teaching her for a few weeks now and she really loves the teachings of the gospel and has such a strong understanding that this church is THE church that Jesus Christ established on the Earth during his ministry, restored by Him with the same power and authority. Also her 5 year old son always gives me a fist bump after shaking my hand and he always, ALWAYS, NAILS my ring, destroying his hand. (Guess I'll just have to switch my fist bump hand).

Also Elder Manani and I were just walking between citas talking and he says "Elder voy a extrañar mi misión mucho"(Elder I'm going to miss my mission so much). "Obviamente Elder igual" (Same here). Los Dos: "... PERO" (BUT). So basically we're both very excited for this time that we have AND are so excited for our lives to come.

Also I realized that something that makes me feel more at home here is cooking! So I've been learning how to find all the ingredients I need here and have made Pancakes (with homemade Syrup - thank you Mom!), a French Omelette, Arepas, and I found all the stuff to make Flour Tortillas for tacos and breakfast burritos so I'm SO EXCITED for that.

One last thing: This Thursday our leaders told us we have an "Emergency Meeting about Obedience" for last Saturday, so basically everybody thought something super sad happened. They gather us all in the chapel of the stake center, call us out to a different room companion by companion, and as soon as you walk into the room it's just filled with TONS of pizza so basically they just pulled a giant prank on our whole zone (yet.. nobody seemed to mind 🤔). My companion got the real big end of it as they sent me out with a different companionship and just told him "the assistants are going to come in to talk to you personally" just to pick on him extra HA.

I hope you are all doing so well! I'm praying for all of you! Let me know if there is absolutely anything that I can do for y'all!!

Elder Pollock

Primero Cambio!!!

WOW okay LOTS to write about:

The 21st we went to the temple in order to prepare ourselves for our meeting with Elder Holland the 22nd and both were AMAZING! The session was in Spanish (my second time through in Spanish) but I could actually understand it which was definitely a HUGE blessing. I always feel at home in the temple and it was really nice to have that comfort and peace there. Plus there were two people going through for their first times and that was just super cool to be apart of and look back on my first time through.

Having Elder Holland come and speak to us was so amazing. Especially to actually see his personality and let me tell you he's real funny in real life: "Sister Holland te amo.... Gosh Dang!" - Elder Holland, is definitely one of my favorite quotes from that meeting. He told us he was really proud and impressed with our mission and how obedient we are and taught us very clearly the doctrine of obedience: that through our obedience we receive spiritual power.

Also a SUPER cool thing he taught - one of the very first principles of all things is obedience. In the creation, Jesus Christ acting with the power and authority of Heavenly Father *PROVED* all things as He organized them, watching them until they obeyed. Meaning: through the process of the creation, they tested - proved - the obedience of ALL things.

Before there were changes, I had the opportunity to have interchanges with one of the zone leaders and LEAD MY SECTOR which was terrifying but I ACTUALLY SUCCESSFULLY LEAD MY SECTOR FOR THE DAY WHEW, it was definitely a miracle.

Oh boy if I was stressed that day for interchanges I had something else coming, little did I know that I would be receiving a new trainer who only speaks Spanish, AND that I'll be leading the sector 24/7. That first day trying to plan the day out and figure out who to visit and everything was pretty dang stressful, but it gave me a great opportunity to rely on the Lord's help and guidance and to see all the miracles that happen every day so clearly. Now I am actually really comfortable and confident leading the sector and have learned how important it is to depend on the Lord and that we can truly depend on Him to support us.

My new companion's name is Elder Mamani! He's from Bolivia - La Paz, just turned 19 on SATURDAY WOAH, has a ton of church parodies of popular pop songs on his phone (as well as trap remixes of primary songs which.. I'll let slide given he also has Disney songs he's allowed to have for medical reasons). Also his favorite phrases of all time are "Que Vaina" "Que Trunkaso" "ANIMOS ELDER" and more.

I've been doing really really well, especially the past few days. I realized on Sunday that I could actually almost completely understand all the conversations we were having with the families and I could actually socialize and have a REAL conversation with each of them. One time in particular a member family was really concerned for their missionary out in the field, and I was able to testify about how real the blessings and safeties we have as missionaries are, and I felt the spirit so strongly as I spoke. We then gave a lesson about how in life there are two perspectives you can have: the perspective of Nephi, or of Laman and Lemuel. In the history found in the Book of Mormon about their journey to the promised land, it is clearly illustrated that these men are experiencing the exact same things, the same miracles, the same hardships, and that the only difference between them is their perspectives. Where Nephi recounts the miracles and marvelous things they have experienced and received from the Lord along their journey in the wilderness, Laman and Lemuel are bitter and wound up in the fact they have these afflictions in the first place, and forget the marvelous things the Lord has done and shown them. In this life, we are ALWAYS going to face hardship and affliction. It doesn't matter where you live, who you are, if you're righteous or malicious. Yet we can choose to have a good life or a "bad" life. We can choose to have the perspective of Nephi, rejoicing and depending on the things of the Lord. Or the perspective of Laman and Lemuel, dwelling upon our afflictions and looking past the miracles in every day, forgetting that in every moment, we can depend on Heavenly Father, His justice and mercy - justice in that all that we are wronged is made just through the atonement of Jesus Christ, and mercy that we can be forgiven of all our wrongs through that same atoning power.

I hope you are all having an AMAZING life, please always remember that you don't have to be alone through ANY struggle. Jesus Christ knows you personally, and has suffered your same pains, your sadnesses, your all. He took it all upon himself. Let me know if there is absolutely anything y'all need!

Elder Pollock

CAMBIOS!!

Hola a todos!! Okay this may sound crazy but - IT'S ALREADY TIME FOR MY FIRST CHANGE!! We got a big surprise last night getting a call from our zone leader telling us the Elder Peterson (my trainer) se va and that I'll be getting a new trainer. This hardly EVER happens that they change your trainer and both Elder Peterson and I are bummed because we really really got along and have been seeing so much success in our area that he is going to miss the last little bit for alot of the people we are teaching which is a big shame.

Sorry I just ran out of time because I took some good time para escribir mis padres but I'll be updating y'all more in the following week! here's some quick highlights:

DEVOTIONAL FROM ELDER HOLLAND WAS SO AMAZING!!!

We had an family home evening with the whole STAKE which was went WAY good, a whole lot of the people we are teaching came and they are so ready to receive this gospel.

I hope you are all having an amazing week!!! I'll talk to y'all soon!!

Elder Pollock

There's no way to really describe this week but CRAZY fast.

We have just had activity after activity and we've basically been running from one end of the sector between each of our appointments everyday and every single day it'd be that time to go home and we'd just be so confused where the time went.

So in Peru (especially Lima), there are TONS of Senezuelans because they basically have to move out of Venezuela and so we decided to have an activity all about Venezuela and celebrate their culture and invited tons of people to celebrate with us. Salió BUENASO, they had cultural dances and food and a little presentation and they all almost cried because they really miss their country. It was really moving and it made me really understand them and feel their pain of being basically forced out. Basically meaning I am SO READY to serve and uplift these people!!

This last Sunday I gave my first talk in the mission field which I was so so so nervous about. You only have so much time to prepare it in your personal study and you're still studying for yourself and your amigos and as a mission family and so I didn't have too much confidence in what I prepared going in but during the Sacrament I just tried to focus on feeling the spirit and focusing on the Savior's sacrifice for us and peace and joy just filled me as I did. I didn't feel nervous at all and while I was giving the talk I felt Heavenly Father guiding me and giving me the words to say even beyond what I was planning to talk about before which is crazy because I didn't even know I could speak as much Spanish as I spoke in that talk (and *hopefully* at least some of the members were able to understand me).

Tomorrow we get to go to the temple in the morning (which I am SO excited for) in preparation for Wednesday when Elder Holland comes so basically the next few days are going to be real high points for the Lima Central Mission.

Also something fun about Peru:

There are earthquakes ALL THE TIME which you know really wouldn't be a problem except that yesterday our Ward Mission Leader told us at church "ELDERS I have an URGENT service project" and 'basically what had happened was' that on his roof there is just a huge stack of bricks but they are literally on the very edge of his roof and the last night one fell off and went through his neighbor's roof and so now I'm constantly looking up for falling bricks.

Also just some of my favorite songs from this change:

Because He Lives (Duet with James) - Allyse Smith Taylor

Shine (Piano Solo) - Artist Unknown (for now)

I Will Go and Do (2020 youth theme)

Please please please let me know if there is any way that I can serve any of you or if you need advice or support or anything! Remember that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of you and that you needn't hold on to any griew, sorrow, or pain, because Jesus Christ has already paid for it all. We just need to turn to Him.

Chifa Real in Callao

Dibujando that a member just whipped out in 15 minutes

Venezuela Activity

Okay, the Mission is Amazing.

Hey all you amazing and wonderful people!! I FINALLY have a good amount of time this week to write so:

"No Hay Nadies"

"Hoy Día"

"Su carro de Elder Peterson (talking to Elder Peterson)"

(and many more that I don't understand)

Just some wack things they say here in Peru that really don't make sense.

OKAY honestly there has been alot that I don't think I've written about so I'm gonna just write about all the awesome stuff thats been happening that comes to mind:

A few p-days ago we climbed the only hill in our entire mission that Elder Peterson (my companion) served in for a whole 6 months and saw all the city ALIVE in the night it was quite the sight and it really opened my eyes: THIS is where I'll be for the next two years. THIS is the city that I get to be a representative of Jesus Christ in. THESE are the people that I have the amazing opportunity to love and serve.

This week we had what are called interviews with Mission President (President Strong) and his wife Hermana Strong which every single mission gets so excited for and now I know why. They so evidently have such a strong love for each and every one of us. In my interview with President we just talked about what I was doing before the mission, what my plans for the future are, what I can do to have an amazing, happy, and successful mission, and to top it all off he told me about how proud he is of me and you can really tell he cares for each of us like he does each of his sons. (Plus Hermana Strong made us American Cookies which they do not have here and it was OH so good).

A few days ago I had intercambios where we switched companions in the district and WOW that was a day. In that half a day I had in the other area with Elder Martin we taught 4 new people, one of which we extended and made a date for BAPTISM because she was just so ready and willing to accept this gospel and wanted the blessings so badly for her and her family it was so cool, made 3 new teaching appointments, and most importantly, I was just so incredibly happy doing the work and seeing these miracles and the people making so much progress up the covenant path. Plus Elder Martin really just spoiled me making me cake and fudge and then erepas w/ eggs and ham for breakfast so it was just a pretty awesome day.

I have seen myself making so much progress in such a short amount of time, I testify that the Gift of Tongues is real, along with every Gift of the Spirit. Sometimes it's hard to recognize it, but there's just some moments where I realize "Oh my goodness I actually understood this person" and "Oh my goodness I really just had a *decent* conversation with this contact". I've found that when I really focus on the people and trying to love them and just pray that I'll be able to understand and listen so that I can teach them and bring them close to Christ is when I truly begin to have success and feel the help of our All-Powerful God.

Also Elder Peterson and I were talking about our day last night and giving each other advice and things we can do better and one thing he told me is that the mission is a time where we can so easily enjoy all the gifts of the spirit and that it's not just limited to the gospel and he asked me if there was anything I wanted to learn to do and so I've taken up drawing! (Er.. I will take up drawing as soon as I find a sketchbook and art supplies and all that.. ) In the meanwhile I'm teaching him how to sing and play piano (and getting better at playing myself). Just something really cool I wanted to share!

I can't really think of anything else but I am having SUCH an amazing time out here. I am so grateful for all that the Lord has given me. Something I have been really working on has been learning to trust and have faith in the Lord, because in reality there are hard times, there are ALWAYS going to be hard times, not just on the mission, but the fact is that God is so aware and involved in every single aspect of our lives. He's here to help us grow, and that means that he's going to allow us to have trials, or in other words, allow us to gain experience. But that doesn't mean that he leaves us to these trials alone. No, not at all. We can call out to our loving, caring, kind, gracious Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. And we can receive so many blessings that we could not even comprehend. We only need to have faith in Him, and trust in His will. -- Please, Come unto Christ, and partake of this everlasting joy. Love you all!!

Elder Pollock

OH HOW COULD I FORGET:

We have the opportunity to listen to an apostle of the Lord this month, ELDER HOLLAND is coming and having a devotional with OUR MISSION!!! Needless to say everyone is ridiculously excited and we actually get to greet him personally so I'm kinda freaking out. I'll let y'all know about all the doctrine he's about to drop on u

Also here's the pictures I know that you've all been dying for:

Top of the Hill

Cheesecake for "Elder" for NEW YEARS

Christmas Dinner (I know, TAN Tarde)

Christmas Gift from our Mission Pres. (Mission Sweatshirt)

 PANTONE FOR CHRISTMAS

BAPTISM!

Hello all!!

Sorry I have like absolutely no time this week (again, I know), but I just wanted to tell all of you that I am doing so well on the mission!

We had the baptism of Claudia this week which was AMAZING!!! The spirit was so strong and it made me so happy to see them making these covenants with God and receiving the blessings that Heavenly Father has for them. I didn't get to teach them too much myself but I've already seen how living the principles of the gospel has blessed their lives!

I'll write more next week! Love you all and I'm praying for all of you!! (Also I'll have pictures next week haha)

Elder Pollock

Baptism of CLAUDIA