Another transfer on Ojo!!!

Well the work of the Lord continues and the weeks and days get better in the vineyard when you work your hardest. So to give a recap of the wee and the events. This week we had an awesome District Meeting that motivated my companion and me to work harder and harder. Also my companion thought that it would be a good idea to unofficially call me Senior Companion for the week. The week went very well though because we have 5 investigators with Baptismal Dates!!! This was the highlight as well as an investigator in the chapel on Sunday. Things really are getting better. Also transfers passed and I am still in Ojocaliente Zacatecas with Elder Cauich which is awesome because I feel as though I am at my best with him. Okay now a funny story. So the photo I sent home is of a member’s daughter she is only one year old and is really funny. I think she really like me because when her Mom corrects her she comes to me to cry sometimes and on Sunday called me Mom lol. The coolest part about this child though is that she is only a baby and can dance better than I can! We passed by the house one day this week and music was playing in the house and she was moving her hips and all perfectly. I was shocked I had no idea that Mexicans were born dancers! (Hahaha)

So again my favorite part of writing home the message. Well this week with all the success there has to be difficulties as well, and when difficulties come there not easy especially in the mission as well as in life. We do our absolute best sometimes and it doesn’t seem enough sometimes to us or to others, but we know that were doing our best. We all must endure to the end when we are here on this earth. Enduring to the end helps us grow as children of God and to gain experience as well. As we endure to the end and we never give up we gain the testimony that God is helping us along the entire way. I know that God loves us and that he needs us to endure so that we can all receive the greatest of all the gifts of God ye eternal life (D&C 14:7). Life never will be easy, but it’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit! My family sent me a quote from Joseph Fielding Smith that I have on my planner that helps me to keep this principle in mind it says, "The Lord is coming, I say, Tomorrow. Then let us be prepared." Are we prepared brother and sisters? Are we enduring everything well to the point that if the Savior himself came tomorrow that we would be ready? I know that by bearing patiently and boldly our afflictions and enduring to the end, NEVER QUITING, we will receive blessing in this life and the greatest of all gifts with God in the life to come. Of this I know in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

LOVE YOU ALL

Elder Perfili 

God Be With You Till We Meet Again 

Well Both Be Underneath The Same Moon 

The district

Finding new investigators

Well this week wasn’t as fabulous as I would have liked, but sometimes that happens. So this week was very fast and had its ups and downs. We had exchanges with the District Leader and they went well. His name is Elder Rodriguez and he is from Columbia. He trained my companion from the MTC. After exchanges we then had a tough time because were trying to increase the number of investigators we have and it half of them we didn’t find. The good news is though that the members have begun to work with us and they are great for lessons. Really the work of salvation doesn’t just stay alive with the missionaries, but the members as well. The absolute best part this week though was on Sunday. On Sunday my companion and I gave talks and in the middle of my talk our investigator Claudia came with all of her family!! We were so happy to see her and to be able to show her the branch and what church is like. Other than that though the main focus right now is working with Claudia for her baptismal date and finding new investigators, which means lots of contacting. Oh I almost forgot, so this morning my companion and I learned that in May Elder David A. Bednar will be coming to our mission!! How exciting right?!

Well here is my favorite part of writing you all at home the spiritual thought. Today i was reading in the book of Alma in chapter 46. In this chapter Captain Moroni creates the Standard of Liberty which declares, "In memory of our God, our Religion and Freedom, and our peace and our wives and our children". I love his desire to be obedient, but most importantly is when he calls on the people of Nephi to enter into a covenant with God to protect these freedoms and to remember God always. The part that I would like to highlight is when the men throw down there garments or clothing in a pile at his feet declaring to enter into this covenant. The men later say why they entered in and the promises they have made to God to keep them. After they talk of the blessing and the consequences for not completing with this covenant. When we make a covenant with God we are promising from that point and onward to be obedient to God and to always put him first. He then gives us blessing according to obedience. We must keep these covenants though to receive the full blessing and show our obedience. As a missionary my goal is to help people make covenants with God so that they can receive a fullness of blessings. How important it is though for those of us who have made covenants to keep them. Even more though how important is it for us to remember how sacred a promise we have made with God and that we can be truly blessed as we keep and guard our covenants with him. The blessing will come to us, but by making covenants with the Lord we show forth with a greater demonstration our willingness to be like our savior. I know that by making covenants with God we will be blessed and as we keep them we will feel closer to him as well. Therefore I invite all of you have made covenants to continue to guard them and remember the importance of them, and for those who haven’t to pray to God and ask him if it be right to enter into the first covenant of baptism and receive these blessing which his gospel has. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Santiago's baptism

Performing an Ordinance

Well Brothers and Sisters forgive me because this message is going to be a little short because of a lack of time. To give you all a rundown of the events of this week. The weather right now can transform from sunny to rainy in a heartbeat. On Saturday there was a huge thunder storm that went on for about 4 hours. The biggest things that happened this week was that I baptized someone. We have been working with a less-active family and the last child whose name is Santiago asked that I baptize him. That same day our Mission President, President Villarreal, came to interview us. He came and spoke about some important things with us and about some personal advice as well. The baptism of Santiago was awesome the only thing though was that the water was freezing! Poor Santiago was shaking after the ordinance. All went well though because he was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Sunday. After with the Branch we watched Meet The Mormons and man do I love that movie. 

My small thought for this week comes from The Book of Mormon. I was reading in the Book of Alma I’m sorry I forget the chapter that it was, but it was speaking about our conversion. Alma is speaking to the Zoramites and is inviting them to be baptized or as he says repent. As I was reading I was thinking of those who are not members and those who are. I was thinking about myself as well. As he is inviting them he is telling them to wait procrastinate the day of their repentance. For those who are members he is inviting them to if needed repent and to enjoy the blessing of the gospel again, and for those who aren’t, that they should join and join immediately so that they are saved and can have these blessing of peace, joy, and the love that comes from living the gospel. My invitation is for those who are members to invite your friends so they too can enjoy the blessing of the Gospel and for those who are not members and are reading this message to search in your heart to pray to God and ask him if you should be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and I promise you that he will give you an answer. Don’t wait to enjoy the blessing of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that it is the only way that we can truly be happy and have success and prepare to be with God after this life. This is my testimony and I share it with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

General Conference weekend

 My beloved brothers and sisters how grateful I am for my mission and for officially six months in the Lord´s Vineyard. Well to be honest work was very slow this week with lots of difficulties in terms of teaching and finding because everyone was catholic this week. There were some interesting things though that past in this small city though for Easter. For example here in Mexico if you didn’t know the entire week they reenact the last week of the Savior. They hang Judas in a tree for all to see and pass by him and then on Friday they reenact the Crucifixion of the Savior as well. Thank goodness though that we weren’t near the city because of a Zone Meeting in Zacatecas. With regards to investigators we have one that is so close and she has been reading the Book of Mormon and told us that she dreamed that a person told her to read it and study it. We are very confident that she will receive her answer soon according to the will of the Lord. General Conference was awesome and I saw every session in Spanish!! We spent the entire day in the Chapel on Friday to watch all three sessions and half the day on Sunday. 

Well just something small this week we had the opportunity to listen to a Prophet, Apostles, and other servants of God. I hope you listen intently and felt the Spirit because I know that I did. Everything that they told us is because they love us and God loves us also! I know that these men are inspired men of God and each one of them is a special witness of the Savior Jesus Christ. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God and that Jesus Christ died and rose again the third day for all those to be able to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. These things I know and I say in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Elder Perfili

I LOVE YOU ALL

"Well Both Be Underneath the Same Moon"

"God Be With You Till We Meet Again"