Dad, I really liked what you said about faith and our efforts - that I should have faith that my efforts will have lasting effects on others. Sometimes it is hard to see the big picture when you only teach maybe one lesson or have a tough week with teaching. But I've realized that that little number represents a person. We helped one person progess. Maybe even helped them out of a bad day. That is why we are here. We are here to help people like that. It's just amazing this work we are doing. It really will have lasting effects on the people.
I'm sorry work has been tough. Sometimes things are tough in life but that's what makes us better. God tests us and pushes us so we become stronger and I know you, you're the most hardworking man I know. Keep doing what you do and praying, reading and fulfilling your calling. You will see the blessings. But you already know all that haha. You know that the Savior has felt that tough time you are going through right now, so know you aren't alone.
I sure do love you Dad and really look up to you. You're one of the biggest reasons that I have become who I am. Through your example I have learned how to work hard, never give up, and live up to my potential and work as hard as I can to be the best person I can. Dad I love you so much. You are in my prayers every night. The whole family is, but you and Mom especially. Keep up your hard work Dad.
Anyway, so the beginning of this week my companion told me I was stiff and kind of put me in my place. Not in a mean way but in a loving way. But it really hit me. I'm here to change and so this week I completely changed my attitude. I stopped being so selfish and prideful and tried to turn out like the Lord would if He were in my position. But I just changed my attitude and I had an awesome attitude this week and had an awesome week.
On Tuesday we came across a man who came up from behind us. He asked us if we were the CIA haha. We explained who we were, then he said, "but sometimes the CIA dresses up in disguies like you guys." After a minute we convinced him of who we were. He was coming back from work and we asked if we could have a cita (appointment) and he said, "Come visit me right now" and so we did. The lesson went awesome. His name is Julten and he has a wife and a 5 year old daughter - the familia Sanchez! (The Sanchez family!) We taught lesson one and it went awesome. We are coming back tonight so we will see how that goes.
This week we have been finding a lot more people to teach. Our goal as a Zone of four was 20 new people. I don't know if we hit that goal but we have been doing a lot better on finding new people to teach.
We talked to Eldon (a 17 year old stud soccer player member who is preparing for a mission) and we got the reference of his ex-girlfriend hahaha. It was pretty funny. We found her house and then got a cita (appointment) with her parents. She asked how we found her.. she goes.. "did Eldon send you?" We just go, "who is Eldon?" and then hurry and say bye and leave haha, it was pretty funny.
We also taught Jesus, who is just the nicest man ever. It is Caesar Castillo's brother (our saved soul who calls us his angelitos) Jesus and his family will get baptized soon. He wants it so bad! He's the best.
Thursday was the most powerful and most amazing day of my mission so far. I have never felt so spiritually high as I did that day. Around 5 p.m. I felt we needed to go find and visit a sister member. She hadn't been to church for a couple weeks and we hadn't seen her around at all so we were super worried about her. We found her and started talking to her and immediately knew something was wrong. After prying at her for a bit, she finally told us a few things and why she hasn't been coming to church. She's been going through a tough time. We asked her if we could give her a blessing of comfort but she said no. We just knew something was really wrong. We tried to go inside to talk to her but she wouldn't let us. We borrowed some chairs from her neighbor and talked to her at the door. We started off talking to her about how we could help, the importance of prayer and shared a scripture with her. She stopped, got a piece of paper and wrote us a note. It was very personal about what is happening in her life and what she is dealing with. After we read it, we just stopped. She couldn't even bring herself to words. She looked up and was crying. I started to tear up. After about 10 minutes of silence, I started to talk and I just started crying. I told her we came here to Peru to help and wanted to help. I asked again if she wanted a blessing and that it would help her. She started to cry again and said no. It was just horrible to watch. Elder Harper shared some things with her about the atonement. We were with her for a long time, but most of it was in silence. We asked her to pray, even though we knew she wouldn't, and she didn't. But I'm glad she didn't - I told her I would say the prayer. In the prayer, I said what I would have said in a blessing, in totally fluent Spanish, with words, conjugations and grammer I had learned but never once used (or used correctly at least.) I have never felt so guided by the spirit and I just cried. She thanked us in a truely thankful manner. We wrote down Philippians 4:13 which says, "He knows, pray" and told her we loved her. When we left, I just felt this peace that everything would be okay. I wasn't really happy, I was devastated to see her so sad because she's always so happy, but I was just filled with the spirit, like I could physically feel it. Later, Elder Harper said he never heard me make one mistake that whole lesson. It was amazing. I just know that was completely the gift of tongues and everything that came out of my mouth was not from me. I know for a fact it was the spirit talking. I've never talked so powerfully and fluently in my life.
The next day we taught Abraham with his family. His family is the best. I need a picture with them. They are all progressing so well. Xavi is their son of about 10 years old and knows more doctrine than me and they aren't even baptized yet haha. Abraham is awesome. He just needs to come to church and for him and Lilia to get married, then they can get baptized. We always leave him with homework. This time we forgot and he goes, "You guys forgot my homework!" Haha, he's awesome. He always listens, that's pretty rare, like he listens and asks questions and stuff and makes sure his kids are listening! He's so cool.
The next day I starved. Haha it was sad. Flor made.. well, a fish, but the fish was basically just caught and gutted, then cooked, head, bones, skin, all still on it.. I didn't eat lunch. She thought I was sick, then I told her I just don't like that and she got mad at Elder Harper for not making her cook something else for me. I love just being the little angel hahaha. During that lunch too, Elder Ortiz.. gosh, haha, Flor walks by and he goes, "Woooah temblor!!" which basically means "Whoooa earthquake!!" but it wasn't really an earthquake, he meant the ground was moving when she walked by. She didn't even blink an eye!! All three of us Gringos were mesmerized. In the states if you said something like that to a female you would have gotten smacked and then sent home. Here they just don't care. It's pretty funny.
On Sunday, me, Elder Harper and Elder Stoud got to sing in the primary program. We sang the first verse of the song in English then the kids sang the second in Spanish. It was really cool. I've never been the one who speaks "another language" and it was cool to see everyone's reaction to our English.
Later that day we officially set the date for Marilue, Magnu and Lucy's baptism for the 4th of December!! We taught them 2 nefi 31 (2nd Nephi 31) and I thought I would share a good verse, so I shared 13 and 14.. well.. I forgot that 14 says "..if you've done all these things and deny me, it would be better that you would not have known me.." hahaa oops.. it's a good thing we are super close with them and can joke with them.
I'll share something spiritual from Matthew 6:21 where it says "for where your treasure is there will your heart be also." It should really influence us to set our minds on the gospel, to treasure the gospel and not the things of this world, because really that is what matters in the end and it sets our true character. It shows who we really are. And I just liked that a lot.
This week completely flew by! That's what happens when you're having fun I guess. Anyway, I have to go. I love you all and am always praying for you all. Cuidanse mucho!! Les amo!! (Take care of yourself. I love you.)
Elder Rokovitz
Enjoying some p-day activities
A frog I found one night
Me and Elder Harper running Jenny's jugaria (smoothie shop). We had to watch over it for like 5 minutes while she had to run and do something. I just love Elder Harper in this picture.
Me and Madison, my favorite little person in the world. I love her. She's good at posing for photos.
Madison on the back of Flor. All the mountain women here do that. It's pretty cool.
A llama in Chao. It costs to take a picture with the llama and I would have paid to have one taken but it was Sunday.
Me and Elder Harper racing haha.
