FAM! How is everyone doing? So excited to tell you about my first week in sicuani, it has been the biggest change of my mission yet, but a very good change and I am so happy about it.
I got to sicuani at about 12 in the afternoon on tuesday. Honestly all the changes that had to happen to leave izcuchaca were a little heartbreaking. Leaving my kid being one of the biggest! I just wanted to finish his training, he is a little shy and it seems to me that he could have used a little more time with his daddy :) But I know that the Lord calls us to different places for a good reason, and that this is where i am supposed to be.
Getting off the bus in sicuani my first thought was, " Well this isnt all that different." Sicuani is about 3 hours in bus from Cusco, more or less in the direction of puno y juliaca. We are nestled in the middle of a little mountain valley in the highlands of Perú! (Sorry I cant find my camera cord i PROMISE I will send pictures nxt week.)
Maybe the biggest change from my last assignment as district leader was the fact that there is even more responsibility with respect to organization and the temporal needs of the missionaries as a zone leader. We spent most of the first day making sure that the elders made it to all of their sectors without a problem (which can be a task because some of the sectors in sicuani are about 2 hours away in car and at like 4000 m.) Look up Espinar if you want to see!
In terms of the sector... it really is amazing. Working in a ward is a HUGE change that has gotten me really excited for the work here in sicuani. I feel like I can apply and make effective so many more principles of Preach my Gospel that just weren´t possible before. We have the support of the members and already I can see the results of a great effort being made by many people who want to see their good friends enter into the covenant of baptism and become members of the church.
While we were visiting less active members that havent been ordained to the priesthood yet, we came across a family that hadn´t attended church for about two years for work and because they moved from Puno to Sicuani. While we were teaching them, we met their sister and her family and began to teach them as well. I am AMAZED at the difference the support of members makes in terms of the work. The support system was immediately there. When there were questions, the member family was able to help the investigators. And it was also like have two more people in the lesson to testify of the truthfulness of the gospel, and besides this, when the Mother of the investigator family couldnt understand something (because just about EVERYONE here knows quechua in addition to spanish... or only quechua.) her sister was there to help out.... What a great blessing.
I love being a missionary. It isn´t always easy, but I feel the love of my Savior and know that he wants my success and is with me every step of the way. I know that my goals are as important to him as they areto me, and that he wants me to reach every righteous goal to bless his children here in Perú.
Today I taught a Zone lesson without batting an eye. Who would have thought that I would have been here in this situation? I am happy that the Lord has prepared me for the work he wants me to complete while i am a missionary.
EDEN BYU!!!! I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU! Well, you are going on a mission so we will have to wait a little while to study together, BUT I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell Kip that Perú is the best country in the world. I hope he gets to eat ceviche in trujillo. (I think he has the coast in his mission) Tell him to go to a Peruvian restaurant and eat some lomo saltado or ají de gallina.......... mmmmmmmmmmmmmm................ and to be grateful that chuño, probably wont be on the menu all that often (Even though.... after you getused to soup with chuño is pretty tasty)
Anything else? I have an hour of computer time as zone leader so its a little bit easier to write letters. I wish you all the best! And love you so much.
Elder Neff
p.s. mommy Large Tall ;) sorry i forgot.
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