Week 3

Hey guys whats up. OK so this is my 3rd week in Lima, Peru. Ok so Sunday through Wednesday kinda sucked because I was sick like vomit sick. I looked at our schedule Tuesday and realized that we had to teach so I got my companion and went to teach them but they weren't home so we were sad, but it was probably a good thing. We went back to the house since I was sick and right when I walked in I went to the bathroom to throw up so good thing I didn't do that in anyone home. Anyway,the rest of the week has been alright. We actually had an activity Friday night like a talent show and my ward mission leader dressed up like a clown and made me and my companion dress like clowns and help with the activity. It was weird but the little kids loved it. Well after the activity we met a kid I don't remember his name anyway he is in our area and he wanted us to go and teach him and his family so we did  and it was awesome.  We actually set up another appointment to teach him later this week. Ok so this is the experience of the week, I was on exchanges this week with a companion who didn't know any English. Elder Mamani and I just finished teaching a family and we went to teach another family in the area but they were not there so we went to a recent converts house, a kid named Jesus. His house was all the way across town so just as we were about to knock on his door we got a call from the Hermanas: They said hey we need you guys right now to come and give a blessing to this lady who is really really sick. Well her house was where we just were so we ran across town again to give this lady a blessing . The lady had cancer in her lungs and holes in her intestines. So I gave the first part of the blessing and Elder Mamani gave the other part.Ok so apparently the Hermanas were walking to a investigators house when the daughter of this sick lady ran out and said hey come here right now we need your help so they taught her then called us. It just proves that people know that there is something special about missionaries. Anyway the language is still a little hard, but during a lesson this week I started to teach the atonement, I shared Alma 36 because that's my favorite scripture. I bore my testimony and  I think I said ¨( the atonement of Jesus Christ is real I have felt it, I remember when I cried Jesus thou Son of God have mercy on me and I felt clean and I felt good) then I promised them that they can feel that way too. Take in mind I did this in really broken Spanish probably got a lot of the words wrong and the lady replied, ( You have a really strong testimony ) that shows me that although I probably didn't say the correct words the spirit makes the corrections. Our investigator Kevin didn't come to church on Sunday so he has to come 3 more times before baptism. We actually committed his friend to baptism as well. The good news, a family that we have been teaching the mom and her less active son who is not a member came to church yesterday and LOVED it.   The kid was asking can I come next week, can I come next week. The mother loved it as well so that made my week. It is so easy to get people to commit to baptism read the Book of Mormon and pray. The hardest part is getting them to come to church because everything that happens here happens on Sunday like parties, soccer tournaments, and drinking. That is why we don't really do a  whole lot of contacting on Sunday, mostly just visit less active families. Well that's my third week in my mission I'm just gonna keep studying and keep praying that the gift of tongues kicks in.

Love, Elder Atwood

Belated Happy Birthday Grandpa Atwood

Elder Coomer and Elder Atwood in the laundry room at the Mexico City MTC

Mexico City Temple

Elder Moreyro and Elder Atwood after visiting the Catholic Church on Pday

Week 2

Hey everyone! This is now my second week in Lima Peru it is awsome! The people here are so nice and friendly. Our investigators that are preparing for baptism are Sabastan, Arturo, and Kevin. Sabastan is 9 years old he is the son of a less active member named Raquel. She was unable to have a lot of lessons with us because she works a lot, but she allowed us to teach here son and he committed to baptism on the first lesson. It was so cool I shared how the Book of Mormon has blessed my life and I promised him that it will bring more blessings to his life than anything else. It was so cool, the little kid couldn't wait so he started reading the Book of Mormon right then while we were setting up an appointment to teach him again. Arturo is an awsome investigator we actually just had our first lesson with him on Friday and he commited to baptism it was so cool We were closing the lesson and asked him to be baptized and he said yes what do I need to do. Kevin, we taught him a couple times last week.  He is getting baptized on the 29th and  has a really strong testimony. Kevin actually has a best friend that was a recent convert that has come to our lessons with us he has been a huge help. Oh this next story is great.  So we are teaching this less active family, familia Martos.  They haven't been to church in years so every other night or so me and my companion will go over and read a chapter in the Book of Mormon with them. Usually its just the adults, well this time on Tuesday there son who is about 2 years old, Santiogo ( James in Spanish), decides to join which was fine at first. He then started pulling hair screaming, anyway we closed with a prayer and while in the middle of the prayer he started peeing on the floor. That was an awkward experience. Well we went to visit that family on Thursday again but there son Yaret who is 8 years old decides to join and read scriptures with us. We asked if we could close with a prayer and they asked me to choose who says the prayer so I chose Yaret. He didnt know how to pray so we gave him a card that shows him how and he gave a wonderful prayer. Well him and his family came to church on Sunday which was the first time in years. The little kid Yaret came up to us after sacrament meeting and said that he wanted to be baptized so we are going to teach them again this week. I got a little sick yesterday so I wasn't able to do much sadly I kept feeling like I was going to faint so my companion told me to take it easy and so I pretty much just slept all day so I feel 10 times better. I'm just glad that I wasn't sick earlier this week because Sunday here is actually the worst day for prosylyting. Everyone is either drunk or playing soccer and partying so we have to have our appointments set, we cant go knocking doors .Anyway its been a great week, Spanish is a little bit of a challenge but my companion blessed me yesterday to be healed and also that I will learn spanish very fast. I keep reading my Patriarchal blessing that promises the gift of tongues so I know that it will come if i keep working hard. I am actually finishing up Mosiah in the Spanish Book of Mormon. I don't know if the comment Gordon B Hinckley actually made is true or not but it can't hurt anyway. I love you all so much and can't wait to email you again.

Love Elder Atwood

Earthquake in Lima, Peru

LIMA, Peru (AP) — A light-to-moderate earthquake centered in the ocean south of Lima rattled Peru's capital Friday evening. No injuries or damage was reported.

The 5.6 magnitude was centered 48 miles (78 kilometers) south-southeast of Lima and was 28 miles (45 kilometers) deep, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The tremor struck at 7:18 p.m. local time.

1st Week in Peru

Hey guys,

Ok so this is my first week in Peru. It was awesome!! . I am serving in Lima District in South San Juan Lurigancho.  My companions name is Elder Moreyro, he is from Argentina and he actually speaks really good English. I thought that would be a problem at first but we made a rule that he will only speak English in the house but only Spanish everywhere else. We have a good ward but most are inactive. We only have about 80 active members and 100 and more inactive so that sucks but we will do are best to reactivate them. We are teaching this woman who is an alcoholic, we are helping her recover and  she is attending church next week. I am serving in the absolute poorest part of Peru is what my mission president told me. Homes here don't even have a roof. I have only been in 3 homes that have a roof, but the reason is it never rains. The people here are so friendly and nice and ready to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We already have 3 people preparing for baptism !!! It is so amazing. The thing about Lima is it is dirt, literally. There is barely any grass and most homes are just dirt mixed with cement for a floor and a brick wall that has holes and if the house is lucky enough to have a roof it is a couple sticks across the walls with posters and paper glued to the sticks. It is insane how happy these people are when they have so little. If you thought Mexico was poor, times that by about 50 and you only have an idea of how poor this place is. If you thought the traffic in Jamaica was crazy you should see this place. I will have pictures next week because I found a place to buy a card reader today.  You will have to wait 1 more week. Anyway,  the traffic is crazy and most taxis are a 3 wheeled car with a small bench in the back. you might be able to find a picture on Google but I will send you one next week.  I had to fit all my luggage and me and my companion in that thing for a 1 and a half hour drive to our home. Talk about uncomfortable. The food here is freaking amazing, I love it. The people feed missionaries a lot and give them way too much food but you have to eat it all. Missionaries gain about 20 pounds of fat a year which is amazing considering how much we are walking and hiking. On Saturday me, my Companion, and the Hermanas went to an investigators house to help them move. Hermana Osignagi and Hermana Kirratti. Literally those are there names. Hermana Osignagi is from Bolivia and Hermana Kirratti is from Utah.  We are the only GRINGOS in our district ha-ha. Well anyway we were supposed to help them move well we ended up helping them cement there floor. I had to carry 4, 93 pound bags of cement 1 mile up a mountain in the burning sun. We all got sun burnt pretty bad but oh well it heals. That was the most exhausting thing that I have ever done. They have this drink her called INCACOLA you will have to order some online its really good.  They only make it in Peru. I met the ward mission leader my first day here his name is Miguel.  Get this he was baptized 6 months ago and has read the Book of Mormon 4 times since then.  He is awesome he actually reminds me a lot of brother Courter except more hipper ha-ha. Anyway, Hermana Kirratte told me of a promise made by Gordon B Hinckley that by the time you finish reading the Book of Mormon in that language you will be able to speak that language . So I have been reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish out loud a lot everyday and I am on the book of Jacob as of today. I really believe that if I do that I will speak Spanish. I remembered the scripture faith without works is dead,  so I actually have to work and have faith the miracle comes after the trial of your faith.  Man I just love being a missionary right now, everyday is like a privilege. I have never been this happy. We actually had a meeting with all of the new people so basically everyone in my district at the CCM and it was crazy. They all wanted to go home they were complaining about how they weren't doing any good here and wanted to go home. I know I'm not zone leader anymore but I still felt obliged to talk to them. I gave them some tough love,  I said your are sure as heck not going to do them any good away at home so stop being a baby and suck it up there is nothing waiting for you at home right now so finish the job. It kind of felt good to get that off my chest because they have been complaining since day 1 at the CCM. It was funny Elder Johnson wicked whinny was always saying that the MTC is the hardest part of the mission. He probably wants to go back to the MTC .  My shower electricutes  me every time. For the first 3 days the heater didn't work,  it's electrically heated. All my clothes are filthy and there are dogs everywhere. I love every bit of it, every time I get shocked I wake right up and I am full of energy, its great. By the way, me and my companion found a gym nearby to go to everyday for really cheap its awesome because he wants to lose weight and I am

building muscle so I love it. The President actually scolded some people for not going ha-ha.

  There is no greater blessing than to be a missionary right now. Anyway I love you guys so much .

SEE YOU IN TWO 

Love Elder Atwood

Made it to Peru!

Dear Atwood Family,

We are thrilled to welcome Elder Atwood to the Peru Lima North Mission and look forward to serving with him. His preparation day will be on Monday and he will e-mail you then.

Sincerely,

Hermana Erickson

Letter from Canyon

We received this letter via email from the Mission President on 11/10/2014.