Hindus

This week was a lot of fun, went by really fast as well. Thursday two guys came up to us and asked us to visit them, they just came up from Lima and they always had the missionaries over at their house sharing messages. I was pretty excited cause nobody ever just comes up to you and asks you to visit them so we walked into their house the next day and right off the bat I knew what religion they were, yoga matts, altars, weird insence all over the place haha. We sat down and they told us they practice the religion Hindu from India. We had the plan of teaching the restoration but I decided to totally dedicate the lesson to them, I wanted to learn everything about them and what they believed in to get to know them better, and find similarities in our religion, I asked them to share their beliefs on what will happen to us when we died, what happened before we were born, and why we're here. I honestly loved listening to them that day. The Lord blessed me with the ability to just listen and make the conversation spiritual. I knew that they were probably never going to change, or accept what we believed in. But what I saw was how cool it was to be able to talk to them so much about religion, when we're not practicing the same religion haha. After they shared their beliefs, I explained to them the Plan of Salvation, and I emphasized a lot in the things that were similar. They thought that our plan was something very pretty and had questions as well. I felt and I know they're not gonna get baptized or anything crazy like that, but I learned so much about religious tolerance that day, So many people just look for the differences and fight about what's right, but that visit I made two good friends that I was able to help understand a lot more about our church and what we believe in. 

So ya pretty cool experience, for me anyways haha. I hope you all have a good week!!! Go talk to someone new!!! 3 Nephi 14-2-5

p.s. I treated myself to a new addition to my suit for my birthday, I think it looks sweet :)

3 Nephi 14: 2-5

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

El Tiempo Pasa Rapido

This week flew by, we are now teaching two little girls that want to get baptized! We're trying so hard to find more people to teach and since there's so many families where not everyone is a member we always visit them and it's working! And if we're successful it's something so cool cause the rest of them who are usually inactive start to become active and then everyone's happy haha. The dad of Jimena and Sarimel is a return missionary that became inactive but when we visited him he loved reliving his mission moments with us which is awesome. 

Other than that me and my companion got the flu this week which was awful, it's getting insanely cold at night and in the morning now so we got sick haha. But with the help of crazy peruvian herbs and who knows what else, we're all good now. What I love about the people here is if they hear you cough once they all of a sudden get so worried for you and ask if you need anything. Very caring people. We helped someone move out of their house and into a new one in our sector, it took all day Saturday but I had a blast, reminded me of the good ol days helping people move in Mint Canyon ;). Had an awesome week, and I hope you all had a good one too!!! ALMA 26: 27-31

My birthday has been good, I didn't tell ANYONE about my birthday, but in the morning we went downstairs for breakfast like a normal day and I sat down at the table then our pensionista asked me to help her in the living room....and of course all of my friends from this ward, my peruvian mom and her family, and our pensionistas family were in there hahaha. I don't know how they figured out I was just trying to slip by haha. We ate cake and hot chocolate and I played guitar.

27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.

30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.

31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us.

19 year old selfie..... 

Best Week

Awesome week, so happy I was able to skype my family and friends yesterday, LOVE YOU GUYS! I don't really have a lot to share, this week was the normal usual routine but I'm learning a ton everyday that's for sure. I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting yesterday which went really well, we're noticing that the members actually want to help us out a lot so I'm really excited about that, with the help of members we can do a ton. I hope everyone's doing well and I hope everyone had a good Mother's day!! I love my mom soooooooooo much and I'm thankful for everything she has done for me. Si no tuviera ella y los demas de mi familia en mi vida, no se donde estaría. Have a good week!!!!!    (Attached is a picture of our death shower and our ghetto ironing board)

MOTHER'S DAYYYYYYYYYYYYY

So I'm super excited to skype on Sunday, I hope this week goes by fast!! This week the work was slow BUT, I had a cool fasting experience. So I've never ever liked fasting, and on the mission it's even worse cause I can't just sleep the whole day to not be hungry, but this weekend I humbly fasted for our ward's help so we can actually start receiving references things like that. So I decided to really really really focus on my fast. Yesterday at church, so many members came up to us and asked when they could start working with us and introduce us to their friends and family that aren't members. This never ever happens haha. We've also been told that we're going to give the talks on Sunday, which is something that I've still never done here. We have so many appointments lined up this week which makes me feel so much better haha, so ya I never realized how powerful fasting was, pretty cool to see that happen. I know our sector will start to be successful again we just have to be patient. I hope you all have a good Mother's day!!! I'm pumped.   Sorry the picture's blurry, but this is Elder Quevedo, my new companion, from Piura, Peru. 

ALMA 56:47-48 

47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathersthan they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

Transfers!

Yay transfers! So my companion, Elder Cabral,  will be going to Sicuani and I'll be staying here (again). My companion will be Elder Quevedo. So yah that's pretty much it haha. This week was awesome, we baptized our investigator Jose Luis, he has mental problems and lots of issues with his family but is the coolest guy EVER and I doubt he will ever become inactive which for me is the greatest. About 16 people got baptized that night out of all the sectors in Cusco. We call it noche blanca or "white night". Super awesome experience. 

So yesterday I found out that this world is super tiny, In sacrament meeting I saw two white people and I got excited cause I'd be able to speak English to them, turns out one of them was the sister of someone in my ward in Santa Clarita, (Mom I hope you got my picture haha;) Another sister Missionary and I translated Sacrament meeting for them, I've never had my head hurt so bad but it was a ton of fun. I hope you all had a good week!! I'm actually getting bored of emailing so if you're down to send me some actual letters that'd be awesome!!!! I promise I'l try to write back too, it'd be fun. My address is belowwww. Love you all!! Happy Birthday Dad!!! Love you!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Bledsoe

Mision Peru Cusco

Av. La Cultura

Urb. Santa Ursula

La Capilla Mormona

Cusco, Peru