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