2.25.14

OK... I wouldn´t have been 100% honest if I told you that I was given the big news today when I entered into my email, let me tell you all how they spilled the beans...

Yesterday was not P-day for the office, we were all minding our own business when a few elders came in from the Urcos branch to pick up some materials. Elder Jara is a good friend of mine and he came in to the office telling us about p-day and what there plans were for the day. All of the sudden, he looks at me and says " oh! y el papa de elder neff es el nuevo obispo de su barrio!" I was so dumbfounded! I was like, What? how do you even know that? And then all the pieces of the puzzle started to fall in place... I thought about E. Wagner and how he is currently serving in Urcos (doing very well by the way) and how his grandparents live in our ward. All of the sudden it clicked (meaning I realized it was possible that Elder Jara was right and that Dad really was the new bishop) In this moment I started to express my suprise and excitement walking around the office saying " Mi papa es el nuevo obispo! Mi papa es el nuevo obispo!" And I said it so many times that the elderes started to get a little bothered and before I could repeat the phrase they were saying "si elder neff sabemos que su papa es el nuevo obispo, muy bien!" It was so funny. Honestly a really neat surprise. 

I jumped on today just to give you that quick update... we are a little overloaded this change.... Sometimes I feel like there are a million things to do here in the office that when there is any free time and I have a minute to relax its hardly possible... but I am happy and healthy :) everything is so good. 

Eden its a good thing you mentioned me while you were a little out of it.... good to know that you miss me ;) 

ANDY GREAT SONG YOUR A PRODIGIE! 

Dad, I am so grateful for the blessings that the Lord is pouring out over the family. I feel the spirit really strongly as I write this, knowing that you were prepared for this and that the Lord is so pleased with the way that you and Mom have raised us and the example that you have set for us. I am so grateful for that personally. I know that you will do a wonderful job looking out for the ward and being a blessings in the lives of all of the members. Even though I will only be home for one month, I am 100% manos a la obra! I love you and Mom and am praying for you every day. Thank you for being the best parents that any missionary could ask for :)

With much love,

Elder Neff

CUSCO 2.14.14

Thank you so much for the letters. I always appreciate a good update from home and to know about the little things that are going on. They come to be pretty exciting when you are so far away. 

I loved the snipit about ben and andy. I know they love me... but perhaps I never knew the impact that me being a missionary would have on them. 

I really want to stay, because I feel like the mission has been the best thing that has every happened to me after my family. I really feel that way. Which was my main goal that I had when I started. I wanted to learn how to love my heavenly father more than anything else... and I wanted to show that love through service and have that big change of heart that everyone talks about. I feel like I have done the very best that I can and... honestly I have all confidence that the Lord will help me keep progressing and learning after my mission. 

I am really starting to learn how to let go, be humble and let the Lord´s will step in to help me to make decisions. Honestly on this decision. I felt like he was pleased with either of the dates to come home, (after all, that was an option that everyone of us recieved.... meaning that either one was acceptable) and that the decision would be left up to me. I was rather fearful of going home 3 weeks early... thinking that it would in some way imply that I wasn´t as dedicated to the work, or that I wanted to get out of here sooner or something. It certainly has nothing to do with that... I will think about it a little longer and let you know what I think next week. Sometimes in life, we just need to make a decision and go with it! The Lord isn´t going to command us in all things. 

We started a new way of doing interviews this week. My companion and I checked agendas and area books while President did interviews and Sister Harbertson helped the latin elders get a jump start on their english studies. It was a huge success. We were pretty lax on our usage of agendas and area books, it was interesting for me to think about how important it was for the missionary department to have us use these materials... they have spent probably millions of dollars over the years so that we can use these tools to help us in the work. We are trying to go and help all the missionaries in the mission to know how to use them, and motivate them by explainig how much it will contribute to the work. 

We have had a couple of difficult situations with our investigators these past few weeks. President is going to come to a lesson with us with Carlos and Tania. I am very hopeful that his influence will help them to resolve some of their marital issues.... we aren´t marriage councilers... but I am confident that comprension of gospel principles will help any person solve their problems... so we are fitting the part pretty well actualy ;) 

Love you all so much!

 

Ben and Andy I really love you. Don´t worry, I´ll be home really soon. Just hang tight there a little longer :)

Elder Neff