Christmas is almost here!

Well this is the season beloved of the year, sing a rhyme Christmas time is here! I’m very excited and pleased to have the privilege to address you all this week. So first things first my companion and I are going to baptize this Saturday!!! It really is Christmas. As well this past week a lot went on. We had our Christmas dinner with our Mission President who came to San Luis and every missionary as well. My companion and I were in charge of organizing a lot of it as well. It went very well our mission President and his wife sung for us and we ate, spoke, and gifts were charred, but not in our zone we will be doing that on Christmas. As I saw a few old companions you might recognize him, one of my best companions Elder Cauich. After the dinner we worked very hard during the week, but it’s amazing for how hard you can work and you still battle in finding investigators. Its hard work, but I know that God is blessing us with baptisms soon. As well this weekend was awesome! Why, I’ll explain a new Stake President has been called, and Elder Piper of the Seventy came, unfortunately we lost our Bishop and we had to watch it from a webcam in our church building and not in person at the stake center. Everything was great about the conference, but it funny we didn’t have a stake president and now we don’t have a Bishop, but as well we have a ton of support from the ward right now and I feel soon that if it continues that the Lord will be moving his work forward here. 

So this week being Christmas we have given a million messages it seems about why we celebrate and why we should remember it and for whom we celebrate it, but I wanted to share something that I learned from a family home evening we had this week. In 2 Nefi 31. We read about the doctrine of Christ and we read why Christ was baptized, and even more so why his example is the one that we need to follow. If we read in the first part of the chapter it explains his baptism and why he did it, but why did you do it? Or Why haven’t you done it? If we think about it he came to earth to atone for our sins, but the first thing he did was make a covenant with God through baptism. As we follow this commandment of God we are literally following his example, but accepting him fully as our savior. It is not sufficient to just speak and say with words. We need to accept him by being baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God and as we do so we show our faith, repentance, and desire to return with God and our families for time and all eternity. Christ showed us that it is only through baptism that we are saved, and can enter into the Kingdom of God. I know that when I was baptized I accepted Christ and that because I have done so my life is dedicated to the building of Gods kingdom on earth and that others as well make this covenant. Because this is the path and there is no other under the heaven or earth which salvation is given. 

I LOVE YOU ALL

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

Elder Perfili

dedication of the Tijuana Temple

Well this week has been absolutely full of adventures, and experiences I don’t think that I will forget. As well I traveled a lot. It kind of reminded me of how during the holidays many travel, but to visit families I did it to visit investigators and missionaries, but I absolutely love it as well. So on Mondays we normally have family home evenings with the members to help our investigators, recent converts, less-actives, and members so that they can fellowship one another, and on Monday we had a very successful one. Our investigator for sure will enter the waters of baptism this month! On Wednesday we had exchanges with the assistants and we traveled to Aguascalientes to work with them in their area. It was fun going to Aguas, but as well it was an amazing learning experience. We were with Elder Cusworth, and he is awesome! It was fun as well because I had served in their area before with another Elder so we went and visited a few people that I had visited about more than a year ago. As well I had a very good time teaching. On Thursday I then went on another exchange with missionaries in my zone and I traveled to their area. I was extremely excited as well because I had the opportunity to get to know more missionaries and their areas. After the exchange on Thursday I went on another exchange with my district leader to a small town or "Rancho". Oh how it felt like home to be there, because I absolutely love those places. It was a very authentic area as well. It’s cool the story behind the place its name is Villa de Reyes, or Village of the Kings. I enjoyed it there and on Saturday we worked with other Elders and at night we watched the cultural event for the dedication of the Tijuana Temple. As well we ate tacos and I finally tried tacos de cabeza y ojo. Translation: Tacos of head meat, and eye. They tasted delicious. On Sunday though was the pinnacle of the week as we watched the three dedicatory sessions of the temple. President Uchtdorf and Elder Oaks came for the dedication. The spirit was so strong, and as well another house of the Lord exists in Mexico. 

Well just a small thought for this Christmas time. In the Book of Mormon we read in ·3rd Nefi 1 about how the sign of Christs birth appeared here in the Americas as well. I love the manner in which the story describes how the believers had so much faith that they continued to believe even if they faced the penalty of death, but it’s the non-believers in who I want to focus. If we read the story we read that they tried everything to destroy them, but when the sign of Christ’s birth appeared they finally believed, but some died as well for the iniquities they had committed. The scriptures continue saying that the Devil saw this and worked harder in tempting them, but the people continued in believing. I love that, Why? Because once they saw this glorious sign they were able to receive the blessings of God. As well a Prophet of God had told them. Why do I love this, because of I think of those who haven’t seen the sign and continue not believing, but when we share they are able to see and receive these blessings that they so desperately need, or even more the knowledge of how we are saved and by whom it is. I know that our Savior desires for all of us to be saved, and he desires more that we truly see him, and his love for us. I know that as people see him and his matchless love they will not be turned away by the devil if we help. 

I LOVE YOU ALL 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Elder Perfili 

"Happy Birthday" as Frosty would say!

My Beloved Brothers and Sisters. How Grateful I am for this time of year in which we remember the birth of the savior. So this last week went by very fast. The weather here has been cooling down quite a bit. This week as well I had the opportunity to go to Aguascalientes for a meeting with leaders and President Villarreal. I was able to see old friends and as well receive a lot of information and things that I need to do better. As well this week we had our Zone Conference with the President. It went very well and I am very excited after having left the conference, but after the conference I had to travel for an exchange to two areas 4 hours away from the city. Their names are Cardenas and Rio Verde. It was extremely tiring the travel, but the missionaries were thankful that we went to visit them. I love the small cities that are outside of the larger ones they hold a special place in my heart and they are beautiful. After we returned to San Luis and had a few hours to work. On Sunday we had the opportunity to go to church, but it was kind of crazy because a women unfortunately fell into a diabetic coma during a class and we began to help her out. She is all right, but it was very crazy for a Sunday service. Then in the night time it was awesome because we watched the Christmas Devotional. I love it and the messages that they shared. 

So this day a small Christmas message. I loved the talk by Elder Uchtdorf about the Generous One. I loved the message that he shared about how our Father in Heaven is the Generous one. I think about this and how God gave us the greatest gift that we as his children can accept. The Son of God, the Price of Peace, the Almighty God, Comforter, Jesus Christ. I know that a Savior was born and that the Bible and Book of Mormon contain his birth and his divine mission that we strive to learn and follow. 

Elder Perfili

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

I LOVE YOU ALL

God Be With You Till We Meet Again 

Current companion

Seeing old companions

So well I’m going to be brief for lack of time. This first week was pretty good I’m very excited to be here in this new area and in my new assignment. So this week was a little difficult in finding new investigators, but we have an investigator that’s progressing toward baptism! I’m pretty excited for her. As well my companion and I had interviews with our President this week on my birthday. I told my President it was my birthday so we took some selfies which I sent. As well thanks for all who sent birthday wishes top me. It’s strange knowing I have 20 years. So San Luis is very interesting. It’s been pretty cloudy these past few days as well kind of cold. We had a few reunions this week with the assistants and I saw a few old friends as well as my old companion Elder Cauich man was I happy to see him. We actually share a church building here. He is in the other zone, but the wards here share their church buildings. The ward she is great. Lots of people are in church on Sundays. Well I’ll more for you all next week and thanks so much! 

This week I learned a few interesting things. Firstly that the church has a perfect organization and on the other hand why we hear the same teachings over and over again. Right now in my mission were just starting to come alive, but as well we need something else. As I thought this week and in a reunion that we had I heard this simple advice to how we can be successful. Follow the Prophet. The Prophet holds the keys to the church of God here on earth and he tells us all that we must know. He gives us promises and we just have to listen and do. It’s that simple. So why don’t we? Maybe we're prideful or we haven’t listened, but I know without a doubt if we listen and obey God will send blessing.

I LOVE YOU ALL

God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Elder Perfili

Interviews with the President.

On my birthday!

Transferred to San Luis

Well brothers and sisters once again I have been transferred, `but this time

I’m in San Luis Potosi. Here I arrived early in the morning with my new companion Elder Castañeda. Elder Dominguez my other companion stayed in Jerez. I arrived and was able to see some familiar faces, but as well we left the bus station to go to the house. Right now I’m just getting to know my area and bearings. I would first like to share what happened last week in Jerez though before I continue. Last week was special. We were able to continue helping the two young women and one had an answer to their prayer! They both really want to know the truth and I’m positive that they will baptize there! As well through contacting and asking for referrals we found a man who is extremely interested in the church and wants to know everything about because he once went to an open house of the temple. After those experiences Elder Dominguez and I kept looking and we just kept finding. The only thing though is they just have to come to church and everything will fall into place. So know for the few things I’ve seen here in San Luis all the taxis are green. The people are still catholic and the city is very interesting. The city receives a lot of visitors from the United States. I have to admit I do miss Jerez, but God has prepared something special for us here in San Luis I’m sure of it!

Well I just would like to share a short scripture. It is in Alma 29.6 the scripture speaks of how he feels in his calling. I like what he says when he says why he should desire more than to what he has been called, or to preach the gospel. I think about this sometimes and remember that God has called me with a special purpose and that as I fulfill that purpose I and he will feel satisfied, but what more can we truly desire if we are serving in a God given calling. Where he knows we should be. I know that God calls ordinary people to his work and makes them extra ordinary. 

I LOVE YOU ALL

God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Elder Perfili

saying good bye to Elde Domingez

Conference in Zacatecas

My beloved friends, family, and all those in general, how grand the work of the Lord! So in this week we had some difficulties, but in the end it was still a good week. My companion and I get along really well he is actually about to finish his mission but as well the transfer ends this week! How fast time can fly! As well this week we have continued working with the family that is less-active whose daughters aren’t members, they are progressing, but we changed there baptismal date. As well this week we had the stake conference in Zacatecas this week. It was fun, but at the same time it was difficult for some of the members to come. The cool part though was being able to see members from Ojocaliente at the conference even more so one of the investigadores that I began teaching there! They all saw me and saw AYY ELDER! It was a nice to see familiar faces. I also enjoyed the talks and the messages that were shared by the stake presidency here. The focus was a lot in the family, but as well they focused a lot on the personal inactive that we should take in living the gospel and keeping the commandments. 

As well a fun fact for you all. Here in Jerez it is the original place of the tostada and its salsa. I have never in my life had tostadas with salsa that have tasted do delicious in my life, but here in Jerez. They actually celebrate a day for the tostada. Me and my companion today decided to go and try some of the different venders and there tostadas were really good. I’ll need to take pictures to show you how they prepare them, but normally it’s just a tostada that they dip in the salsa.

So this week I wanted to share a quick message about a scripture I was thinking about. In Alma 22 we read of the conversion of the King and how he conducted his prayer. I need to translate in my head right now what he said, but here’s the best try at it. "Oh God, Aaron hath told me there is a God, and there is a God, you are God, what would you give to know me, I would give all my sins to know thee,” this is the part that I enjoy. The King is invited by Aaron to pray and the King does it right ton the spot to test the words of Aaron. What I thought about though was in the prayer he offered and what he was willing to give up, his sins. Sometimes I believe that we as imperfect people try to justify our errors and keep making mistakes by saying some other day I'll try be these errors big or small, but this King after hearing about the Savior immediately decided to give up all his sins in a matter of minutes. Are we willing to give up what we do wrong, or as well do we want to repent? I know that the God of Israel came and suffered for the sins of mankind making it possible to be forgiven and abandon sin. I know that God forgives and that if we repent then we will as well come closer to God more than in any other way we can change and we need to! I am trying to change every day and as well abandon my sins because I desire to know God more and to serve his children. I testify of these things. 

I LOVE YOU ALL

God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Elder Perfili   

On the Lord's errand

So this week was absolutely wonderful. This week as well I would like to thank the Yorba Linda Third ward Young Women for the package as well as some of the young men. So this week started off a little slow because of the Holiday, but it was also a good thing because we were able to analyze what we need to do better. During this week we began to look for families as well as less active members. Also we had the opportunity to see more members go to lessons with us. The best part of this week though was a less active family that we found that the two oldest daughters aren’t members and they accepted a baptismal date in December! As well we were able to continue teaching the investigator that came to church last week, as well as visit a lot of our recent converts and less active members who also came to church this week! Really the week was incredible. On Friday though we came together for a Zone Conference and received a lot of information. We learned the importance once again that we have to work with the members, but as well to baptize. As missionaries our purpose is to baptize and as we search for people to teach whether it’s in the street or on member lists or the best way MEMBER REFERRAL'S. Our purpose is to invite others to some unto Christ and I know that if members and missionaries work together we find successes. 

So this week I had been doing a lot of thinking about what makes a successful missionary. I began to think about some of the missionaries of the Book of Mormon o how Alma and Amulek teach in perfect harmony as well as testify with power. Ammon and how he taught King Lamoni, but I like Aaron story the most right now because this is how a successful missionary works I believe. Aaron began to preach the gospel, but just began to preach and cry repentance. Now the people he teaches hearing this only decide to throw him in prison. Once Ammon frees him from prison the scriptures say that he left to preach the gospel, but his time he left to do it with the Spirit guiding him, and once he did this he had success. By following the spirit he was lead to Lamonis father the Lamanite King and converted not only him, but the entire city of the King. From the story of Aaron I realized that if we follow the spirit the words will be given to us, but we will be lead to those who need to receive the gospel because they are prepared. As well the other part that we are called to teach by the spirit and if we do so then it is of God and his hand will be there, but if we don’t teach by the spirit we are limited to our own success, which is a very small portion of what our real potential is. I know that if we listen the spirit will guide us to those who need the gospel and give us the words we must say.

I LOVE YOU ALL

God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Elder Perfili       

Costumes Katrina and Katrin from Del la Des Mortes