Adventures in Rio Grande

Well my beloved brothers and sisters I hope that all is well with you as you are reading this email. The week as usual went by at a lighting speed rate, because once again I’m here writing you all. A quick recap of the week, Tuesday; we had a lesson with the family that came to church last week and it was awesome i am positive that they are going to progress. Wednesday to Thursday: Working and a lot of contacting, Friday a zone conference with Presidente Villarreal and the assistants. Saturday and Sunday slow days, but a lot of good progress with my companion. Right now the weather is pretty hot, but they are days with a light breeze and clouds. The sky here is absolutely beautiful because it is so clear during the day. My companion as I’m sure i have told you speaks English so we have the opportunity sometimes to contact people in English as well as practice because he says i need to. On Friday we spoke with our misión president and he explained a ton of information about our misión and the productivity that we have.

Well I would just like to keep it short with my testimony about the restoration of the góspel of Jesus Christ. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father and that because he loves us he gives us the góspel of Jesús Christ to bless our families. As well that he loves us so much that he gives us the góspel through Prophets men of God that he has called and that he has given his power and authority to do so. These men preach of Jesús Christ and the importance he has in our lives. As well God loves us that he sent his son to atone for the sins of mankind and show us the way back through the church and ordinances that he established while he was here. I know that as well after the death of Christ and his apostles we lost this church, but that we as well have once again received evidence of a loving Heavenly Father who called Joseph Smith as a prophet and commanded him to write the Book of Mormon so that it could be a witness of the Restoration of the Gospel and the Church of Jesús Christ so that we may have the truthfulness of God and his góspel on the earth again. I know these things and invite every single one of you who doesn’t know or does stop ask God if he has restored all truth to the earth and he will tell you through the Holy Ghost.

I know because I have asked and I cannot deny it for that I share this message and testify that it is true.

I LOVE YOU ALL
Elder Perfili 

 Zone conference 

Importance of listening

¡HOLA A TODOS! Well to begin with the events of this week, I have to tell you once again it has been pretty beautiful to be here in the misión. I love my companion and the work well it’s not easy, but I know that it will continue to grow and get better the harder we work, but the more we involve the Lord as well. This week the weather has been pretty crazy with rain and then a ton of heat. Also the Catholic Church here has an event going on for 9 days that includes a festival and every half hour or hour the shot of a canon. My companion and I have continued to look for families to teach the góspel, and were having progress Little by Little. As well we have begun to involve the members more and we are really working to get them involved. I can promise you when I say this that the members are key in missionary work and without them it really is difficult. Friday we had a Zone Conference and received news that we will be able to watch the rededication of the Temple here in Mexico. I’m pretty excited to be able to see that. As well on Sunday we had one of the families that we are teaching come to church, they arrived a Little late, but they stayed for the entire service as well. Some days in the misión really are good, but others are amazing and I know that they will continue to get a little better every day.

This week I was able to continue to think and learn and grow as well. I studied a lot this week about the importance of listening. As a missionary one of our most important attributes to develop is the ability to listen to others. I think every time about how Christ listened to the questions and doubts of his apostles and his followers and because he had listened he was able to give them the answer and comfort that they stood of need in that moment. As we look at the Master Teachers example we see a clear visión of one of the best ways we can help others, by listening. As we listen to our Friends, family, co-workers, or people in the Street we can be led and guided by the spirit to tell share the góspel with them and to let the spirit touch their hearts. After we can then invite them to learn more and really discover for themselves the Restored Gospel of Jesús Christ. I know just as Elder Holland has promised that if we listen with our hearts we will be given by the spirit what to say and use the góspel to clear their doubts. I also know that if you are looking for someone to listen to that we have a Father in Heaven who will always listen to you and answer your prayers as you continue to speak with him. Of this I know and share with you all.

I LOVE YOU ALL

"We'll Both be Underneath the Same Moon"  

"God Be With You Till We Meet Again"

Elder Perfili

the life of a missionary

Well brothers and sisters another month down it crazy that the time goes so fast faster than I thought it would. The week went by super-fast to so there isn’t a ton of news, I know how boring, but I will tell you what happened. So this week we continued to look for new investigators and little by little we have been finding them. It has been absolutely awesome here in Rio Grande with Elder Paniagua as well because he is a lot more prepared than I was when I arrived to the mission. He and I this week have been working a lot on contacting and teaching as many as possible. It’s not always the result we want, but it’s not what we want it’s what the Lord wants and knows is best. This week we also had exchanges, and Elder Lezana and I had another day together to serve. The weather is pretty hot to be honest, and it looks like it’ll continue for a while. 

Well now it’s a part that I long for during the week to give a small message and testimony of the gospel. So this week as I was pondering in the streets with my companion my mind constantly reflected on the Christ like attribute of "Charity and Love". I began to think as well about the Savior and the love that he possess for us. In the 7th Chapter of Moroni in verses 43-48 I love changing the word charity for the word atonement. The scripture takes a whole new meaning when you read it. As I did that this week I thought about how we as children of God really are nothing without charity, because it is necessary to have the atonement of Christ in our lives or we really can do nothing. More than that though I thought of how I can possess this love. I then reflected on the scripture in 2Nefi2:30 when Lehi says that he only desires the eternal welfare of their souls (god’s children). I then realized that as we work in the Lords Vineyard this is the love that we should poses for our brothers and sisters who don’t know yet. I strive to have this love because I know that it is the only way to fully serve our Heavenly Father and show him in return that we really do poses the gift of charity (the atonement) in our lives.

I LOVE YOU ALL

"Well Both Be Underneath the same Moon"

"God Be With You Till We Meet Again"

Elder Perfili

Last weeks baptism