baptism

Well me brothers and sisters I am extremely happy because this week was awesome. We BAPTIZED!! It almost fell through again, but the Lord allowed us to see the miracle of one of his children repent. Well this week was enjoyable up until the holiday. Here in Mexico it is known for a few things especially the parties. So on New Year’s eve at 12 in the morning the people here in San Luis like to light fireworks welcoming the New Year. During the night it sounded like I was in a war zone, but we were kept safe the entire time. The following morning due to the festivities the streets were completely empty. It was a little strange, but at the same time nice because my companion and I were able to help other missionaries this day. As well this weekend was full of a ton of excitement with the transfers. I forgot to mention I think, but I’m still here in Joyas as the Zone Leader the only difference is that now I’m the senior companion. My companion yea finished his mission and was sad, but I know that he is happy to go home and see his family. He went home smiling as he left for Aguascalientes. My new companion is Elder Rosas. He is from Veracruz and we arrived in the mission together only he has one month less than I do. We are going to work and have a lot of success I’m positive of that. The baptism this week was the best part though. As I sad it almost fell through, because a family member had passed away the day before and she wasn’t sure that she’d be able to come, but in the end she said that she still wanted to and it was one of the best feelings that I have had. 

So I wanted to share with you all the importance once again of repentance. Why do I talk so much about this, because this principle in the gospel of Jesus Christ is vital to our progression as children of God. When we are set apart as Elders we literally separated from sin. This principle was taught by Spencer W Kimball. Thinking about it our repentance process is the same. As we begin to repent we see that we are separating ourselves from what Satan wants to what God wants. As we begin to look for the will of God we begin to make changes that pull us away from all that is miserable to a happy state. The important part to remember though is that once we have been separated from that which is evil we cannot return to do the same. We’ve been separated from it if we truly repent and the atonement of Jesus Christ promises us that, but we have to do it constantly. I live this principle more and more each day, and I cannot stop gratifying God for the changes that he has made in my life. I love repentance and that I change from a natural man to a holy man. I know that it is possible for anyone who tries. I know and do not doubt it!

I LOVE YOU ALL

God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Elder Perfili

Baptism

Saying goodbye

Christmas 2015

Well it’s late, but Merry Christmas! I hope that you all passed a very jolly and holly Christmas this year with your families and with your loved ones. This week was very fast, fun and above all spiritual so this week started off well with some lessons and our progressing investigator moving toward baptism. On Thursday though is where I would like to begin. So as we all know it was Christmas Eve or in Spanish Nochebuena. Normally on Thursdays we have what’s called weekly planning. After the weekly planning we went to work, but it’s a little difficult to work on Christmas Eve. We did our best, but it was at the end of the day that I think we really felt the Christmas Spirit. The Elders from my district and my companion and I decided to get together and have a devotional that night. Normally in my home i can always remember that we were the traditional family who gathered as a family o read Luke 2, Heleman 14, and 3 Nefi 1. This night we did the same, but it was special. The spirit was felt in our small home and above all it will be a memory that I will forever hold in my heart. After that Christmas morning we played basketball and then prepared for our Christmas activity. The activity was fun. We broke piñatas and as well we shared gifts. I shared a photo of the gift I received this year and the Elder who gave it to me. It is a very awesome sarabe or in English poncho. On Christmas as well I spoke with the family and was glad to see hem al again. The time maybe isn’t sufficient, but to see and hear their voices always is nice. After Christmas though it was tough, because our baptism fell through until next week! We were shocked, but as is well because it’s positive that she will baptize. On Sunday though we had a Christmas miracle with 3 new investigators in church. As well they just showed up by themselves! 

Now something short. So this week I can’t lie I was pretty let down with the fact that Magdalena didn’t baptize this weekend. I couldn’t understand why, what didn’t I do, is my desire to baptize not strong enough, am I not obedient enough, what else could have been done? Then as I was sitting in church on Sunday the thought enter in my mind, did you ever think what I want for you as I thought about that it hit me truly. My desire to baptize maybe isn’t wrong, but did I look for what God wanted for me? Reflecting upon the experience now I see that truly the work of salvation can hold a very strong desire in our lives and as well that we can work with all we have, but maybe it doesn’t pass when we would expect it. The Lord knows his children and knows when it is there time as well he knows what we should do. If we want to work in the vineyard the question should always be Lord what does THOU  WANT ME TO DO? I know he will respond and if we do we will see his hand in our life.

Elder Perfili

I LOVE YOU ALL

HAPPY NEW YEAR

God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Christmas gift exchange

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!