Scout Day Camp!

My little Boy Scout Day Camp went awesome! I taught them some basic knots, how to start a fire, and some survival skills. We played games to reinforce what they learned and I even taught them the Boy Scout Oath and Law in Spanish. I like to think of them as my little scout troop, lol.

Carrying On This Great Work

Last week we received a call from a less active member whose brother Eduardo (who is also a member) was in the hospital with cancer and little less than a month to live. They asked us to go and give him a priesthood blessing but we made sure to invite the entire family to participate with us. When we arrived we learned the most of the family were members except for one sister named Laura. We explained was a Priesthood blessing is and how Jesus himself did the exact same thing to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, and heal the lame to walk. Elder Quiroga did the anointing and I gave the blessing. The spirit was so strong in that little hospital room it’s hard to describe. When we concluded the blessing and everything we bore our testimonies and asked when we could return to visit with Eduardo. The first person to answer was Laura and she asked us ¨Can you come to my house tomorrow night and begin teaching me? ¨ . We have since been teaching her and she is getting baptized this Saturday. Everyday she tells us how excited she is for her baptism and everyday her testimony of the Plan of Salvation grows in huge ways. Yesterday we took the Sacrament to Eduardo with Laura as well. We had a little testimony meeting and sang some hymns as well. It was great and I couldn’t help but think of you guys in the nursing home giving a little sacrament meeting.

Unsettling Events

This week was full of surprises and neat experiences. First off we learned Tuesday that there was going to be a nation wide strike on Wednesday and that we were to only visit the appointments that we had scheduled and that we had to do them in our P-Day Clothes. Tuesday night we woke up to the sounds of people yelling and things getting blown up, it was really exciting even though we didn’t open up our door to see what was going on. The next morning when we walked to our pension’s house the roads were all blocked off with trees cut down and garbage scattered in the road. We ate breakfast went back to our room, studied, taught some lessons, but spent the most part of our time in our room. It was so frustrating, I wanted to get outside and do something but we were obedient and stayed indoors.

El Libro De Mormon

I had a really neat experience with one of our contacts this past week. Earlier in the week we met a lady named Luz. A few years back she had a really bad accident which left her body all scared and burnt. Ever since she has really been depressed and hasn’t had a good outlook on life. She is married and has a daughter but at times she doesn’t feel welcomed in her own home because she is self-conscious of her appearance. When we went back to visit here she brought with her a book which she told us was the only bible she had. I asked to look at it and when I flipped it over I read “El Libro De Mormon”. I asked her where he had received the book and if he new the history behind it. She said that an older couple from the USA gave it to her while she was in the hospital. We began teaching her about the restoration and The Book of Mormon. We taught her about how families can be together forever. We left her smiling and she told us she has never felt happier. It’s the little visits and testimonies like that, which make this work all worth wild. I am excited for the future with Luz and her family

Boy Scout Pioneers!

Our zone has been brainstorming with the stakes here on ways we can strengthen the young men in the church and keep them excited about the gospel. The idea of applying boy scouts activities was brought up so this Friday I have the assignment to put on a little day camp for the young men. We are going to tie knots, build things with lashings, play games, and learn some wilderness skills. I super excited about it and can’t wait to put it on. I am the only Eagle Scout in the zone so everyone was quick to put me in charge. As far as I know there is only one scout troop in Peru and it is in Lima. So maybe I will be a Boy Scout pioneer here in the Jungle of Iquitos, who knows! But I am busy putting together a program and arranging all of the activities so I will let you know how it turns out next week.

Things Are Starting To Click!

Yesterday was the kind of Sunday I had been hoping for since I have arrived in Iquitos. We have been working our tails off with the members and less actives in order to strengthen the ward and yesterday I felt as if I was beginning to see the fruits of our labors. When we arrived at the chapel, after picking up a few of our investigators, we noticed that the chapel was pretty full. Then as the bishop began giving the announcements more and more people started coming in. People that we have been working with were showing up in their shirt and tie and with their families. By the time we received the sacrament the chapel was full. This is something I haven’t seen since my first week in Palermo, Puente Piedra. Elder Quiroga and I quite honestly couldn’t believe what we were witnessing. The ward is getting back to where it used to be and we are excited to be a part of it. It’s so easy to get discouraged here in the mission but we have to just keep pressing forward with a faith unwavering that things are going to get better.

We had another baptism Saturday night and we also had another surprise that gave us a huge boost of encouragement. Just before the baptismal service our ward mission leader showed up with a program all ready. When we entered the area we couldn’t get our ward mission leader to do anything with us but to our surprise he showed up and conducted the entire service. Things are finally starting to click here in Mi Peru and Versalles and it’s so exciting.

Getting to Work--

Friday I had a work exchange with my zone leader Elder Saucerdo. When we made the exchange in the morning and he came to my area I told him we didn´t have one appointment the entire day. He told me that I had better make something happen then. Even though we didn’t have an appointment the entire day we had one our greatest days. We found two new families to teach, taught over eight lessons, and made over twenty-three contacts. Once we got back in our room Elder Saucerdo told me that he was a little worried about how the day would turn out, but he told me that I handled the situation like a true missionary. I told him that the only thing I know how to do is to work. I don´t exactly know what I am suppose to be doing except that I need to always be doing something. He told me that is the key, to just get to work and the success will come.

The Reality of the Plan of Salvation

Our family has been through a difficult time as Grandma Zweifel passed away on July 2nd. We have also seen so many blessings as we have seen the hand of a loving Heavenly Father watching over her and all of us. I would like to express my feelings for just a moment, with the words of a book about losing a loved one. It says it really well--

When I lost my mom, I lost the person who rejoices in my accomplishments and agonizes in my struggles; the person who thinks I should win every race and succeed at everything I do; the person whose first urge is to protect, shelter and guide - the one who knows what is best for me - or thinks she does; the one who bragged about me in my absence and offered expert advice in my presence. I lost my mom - my biggest fan and most ardent defender. She showed me unconditional love that no one else can understand, much less fill. She had an intimate knowledge of me as a baby and as a child that I myself can never have access to at all. A fundamental part of me has existence only in my mother's memory and when I lost my mom, a part of me is gone, too. She is a point of reference in determining my identity. I've lost a piece of who I am. She is the person whose story provides the beginning of my own. I have to wonder - If I am no longer my mother's child, then who am I? Mom looked out for her children. That shield of protection, both physical and emotional, is lost when I lost my mom. I've lost my mom's hug and caress...the complete physical acceptance that a mother can give.

My sister said this so well too--"I've lost something that can't be replaced, but I have wonderful memories and her example. And I have a sure knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation that I will see both her and Dad again. They have both left quite a hole. There were so many blessings this past week. What would we do without families? I'm so grateful for both my parents and the legacy they left me."

Leno said, "Good people go easy." And she did.

After a nice visit with the financial assistant to President Perez, I was calm to the fact that Landon would be given the news about Grandma in a very loving way. This is what Landon wrote on Monday, July 7th.

"Dear Family,
Thank you for the news about Grandma. Thursday night while Elder Quiroga and I were doing our daily planning session we got a phone call, it was President Perez. He informed me about grandma and wanted to know how I felt. I told him that I know now more than ever that the plan of salvation is real and the love God has for us is true. We had a really good talk for about 15 minutes and he wanted to let you know that he and his family are praying for you all back home. He made sure I was alright and he expressed his love for me as well. I am doing good Mom so please don´t worry about a thing. Grandma always loved her missionaries and this great work. She was always such a great example of strength and love to me and I know she is so happy right now. I hope all is well back home and that everything goes great for grandma´s services. Tell everyone hi and that I am thinking and praying for them."

The Holiday of San Juan

This past week we celebrated a jungle tradition. Every 24th of June they have what they call San Juan. It’s a day to remember John the Baptist and his martyrdom. Everyone eats “Juanes” and drinks “chincha de maiz”. Juanes are basically tamales made from rice, chicken, and olives and are cooked in Banana Leaves. They form them into balls to represent the head of John the Baptist on the platter. And the “chincha de maiz” is a drink that they make from corn but you have to be careful when you drink it, because it ferments really quickly. If you aren’t drinking it from a member or from a trusted source chances are that it is alcoholic. But in the end I think the holiday of San Juan is just another excuse to drink. They love their holidays here and also their booze. But we celebrated San Juan Mormon style which was just fine with me.

Sharing the Gospel In the Jungle

We started tracking and making visits to the families that live on the borders of our area. They live in the jungle-jungle of the jungle. I love going out there and teaching them, because we sit on rocks, swat mosquitoes, talk about the weather, and share the gospel. They live so far away from the city that there isn’t a water or waste system so all of their water comes in a big tanker truck. Once a day all of the families go with their buckets and containers to fill up from the truck that comes. We decided to use this to our advantage. We carried buckets and buckets of water for people and as we walked with them to their house we made a contact and an appointment to visit them. Most of them looked at us pretty weird because here we are in a white shirt, tie, and dress pants and we are trudging through mud in order to carry water. It was such a great time and I can’t wait till we get to go back and do it again.

We also mixed up our door approach when we knock doors (if they have a door). When they answer the door we ask them “Vive aqui la familia Chosen” (Does the Chosen Family live here). Its funny cuz we are bluntly asking them is their family is “chosen” to receive the gospel and they have no idea what we are saying. Of course they always say no so of course we always offer to set up an appointment to come back. Elder Quiroga and I are definitely still in the learning stages of the mission but we are having a great time tearing it up in the jungle!

We aren’t receiving a lot of help and support from the members but still we are finding ways to find success. I hope you guys never shy away from an opportunity to help out the missionaries. This work is hard and they need all the help they can get. We are constantly trying to get them excited about the work but slowly they are coming around. They haven’t had missionaries in their ward for quite some time so they are still getting use to us I think.

Celebrating My Birthday--Jungle Style!!

My comp kicked off my birthday this morning with a bang. While I was in the shower he made me a birthday cake. But not just any kind of cake, this cake was made with resources that are very common to missionaries. It was made of toilet paper and peanut butter! He made a three layers toilet paper cake and used peanut butter as the frosting. I didn’t want to waste the peanut butter so he filmed me while I ate the “frosting” and he sang happy birthday. Tonight we have like 5 families that want us to stop by to celebrate my birthday and have a family home evening, so it looks like we are going to have a busy night.

Baptisms and Bruins!!

This past week Elder Quiroga and I had two baptisms. We baptized a girl by the name of Fressilla (18 years old) and a young man named Jorge (13 years old) We kind of had a panic because we told our Ward Mission Leader that he needed to organize the service and prepare the font and everything and he agreed to do it. Come Friday morning we decided to check in on him to make sure everything was going to be ready for that night and he told us that he had forgotten everything and that he didn’t have time. We rushed to the chapel and cleaned the font and got it filled. The Baptismal service went great and my favorite part of a baptismal service is when we invite our converts to come to the front at share their testimonies. Jorge has such a strong testimony, it was great listening to it. He is the only member in his family but we are working really hard with his dad so that he can be baptized as well. Oh and get this Jorge’s dad was wearing a pair of shorts the last time we talked to him but guess where these shorts came from.



They were Twin Falls High School Football Shorts, like from their spirit pack! They said Twin Falls Bruins Football. I was like what the heck! and told him that those shorts came from my town!!! It was really funny, small world huh!

We Have To Just Keep Working and Staying Positive!

Well I am getting my first experiences with the Peruvian Jungle Gangs here in Iquitos. We are teaching a few potential priesthood holders with the ages of 18-22. They are great guys and really fun to talk too. They all know of the importance of baptism and know that the Book of Mormon is true but there is a problem we are running into. They are scared to attend church or leave their block because they would be crossing turfs of neighboring gangs. Even though they aren’t gang members themselves, the gangs have a lot of power. It’s a really tough challenge to try to find a solution too. And also we aren’t able to allow non members play on the churches soccer field any more because a gang decided to paint it with their signs and the stake presidency said that only members are allowed to play there. This was a huge side shot for us because the best way we have found to find potential priesthood holders to teach was at the soccer field but now that option is no longer an option. It’s tough, but its just Satan trying to fuel the fire but in the end we are going to win. We have to just keep working and staying positive!

The Church is Really Growing!

I received some very exciting news this past week about a couple of my old areas. First off the area of Miramar (Ancon) is going to have a chapel built! The land is bought and from what I heard they have already broken ground. They have finally out-grown their little ¨house chapel¨(casa capilla) and are finally getting a chapel of their own. The next bit of news that I received was about my area in Paramonga. Paramonga was actually a small branch and part of the district of Barranca. Their were 5 branches that made up the district of Barranca but by the end of the year it will no longer be the District of Barranca. By next year is will be the Peru Barranca Stake! How cool is that!!! Its great thinking that I had a small part in their becoming a ward and a stake. So keep your eyes open in the Church News for the notice about new stakes. Can you cut out the notice for me? That would be great.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD!!

Hey Dad,

I just wanted to let you know how lucky I am to have had a father figure like you. Everyday I have to apply something you have taught me out here in the field. From hard work, to just Cowboy-ing Up and making the most of the little things. You have prepared me so well for my work here in Peru. I am forever grateful for your example to me and love for me. I pray everyday to be the missionary my parents want me to be so that I can make them proud. Even though I don’t get to call home for Fathers Day, remember that I am thinking of you and think the world of you. Thank you so much for being my dad and being someone I can look up to. I love you so much, Dad. Thanks for everything.

Your Son
Elder Schofield

Blue Skys, Big Bugs, and Rain!

Never have I seen sky so blue, mosquitoes so big, or been rained on so hard! Every single day is an adventure here in the jungle. I love mission life, especially in the jungle, because you just don’t ever know what is going to get thrown at you. From bugs to weather I am loving my time here. This was the kind of place I wanted to serve my mission and I feel so lucky to have been sent here. The culture, the ruggedness, the adventures are all so amazing and I feel really lucky and blessed to be trusted with the work here in Mi Peru and Versalles.

This past week Elder Quiroga and I really have been focusing our work on finding families and strengthening the ward. The Lord knows who is ready and it is our responsibility to be worthy to receive the promptings to find those people. My testimony of the Lord putting people in the paths of the missionaries really grew this week. Tues night we were making a contact in the street when out of no where it started to rain like crazy. We quickly wrote down this mans address and ran for cover. We saw a family sitting under their woven grass patio and they shouted to us to come under for cover. We thankfully ran over and began talking. The entire family was there (mom, dad, kids, and grandma) and they were extremely friendly. They wanted to know what we were doing in shirts and ties and why I had left the states to come to Iquitos. We gave them a little background about ourselves and also the calling of missionaries. They were extremely interested so we began with the lesson of the Restoration of the Gospel. We gave them a Book of Mormon and once we finished teaching them and answering their questions the rain let up and we were able to go on our way. We have since taught them two more lessons and the entire family is reading the Book of Mormon. We are anxious to get a baptismal date with them this week. It’s the little things about this great work that just make me smile and know that this is truly the work of the Lord.

The past Saturday we did an activity with the stake and the Future Missionaries. Each companionship was assigned a Future Elder (with name badge and everything) to accompany us during the day. We were assigned Future Elder Aspajo and we went right to work. He is actually from a small river village about 2 hours by canoe north of Iquitos. He told us all kinds of stores about anacondas, boas, tigers, and stuff like that. His brother and him live in Iquitos right now and have only been members for 3 months. He family is working hard to save the money to come to Iquitos to be baptized and live near a chapel. It was great working with Brother Aspajo, his testimony was so strong and he loved sharing it.

Anyway I hope all is well at home. Don’t worry about me I am loving the Jungle and for some reason I feel as though I have been well prepared to work here. From my scouting experiences to hiking I feel right at home here, ITS GREAT! I love you guys and appreciate all of the love and support you give me. Thanks

Elder Schofield

Soccer and Address Fun

I´m sure you already knew that soccer is a HUGE thing here and it is even bigger in Iquitos. We are never able to get a member to come on visits with us Saturdays because it is Saturday Night Soccer. Everyone one shuts down and goes to the nearest television set and watches soccer. We love Saturday nights because everyone is home and it is a really good way to see which members we can count on for support. For the most part the Priesthood of the ward won´t leave the TV set but they send their wives to talk with us. It’s funny how people think but its just one of those little quirks that we have to learn to deal with and make the most of it. Oh by the way Peru usually gets beat so I’m not real sure what the big deal is with watching them, lol.

Another really fun challenge that we have here is trying to navigate the roads and paths. There is no organization and most of the addresses we have are in correct. We make a ton of contacts with people who we thought lived at the address we are trying to search. We will walk down a street and the address will go something like this: 112, 358A, Mz. B Lt. 97, AB56. Yeah it’s great, hopefully by the end of the change I will know how to get around and then with my luck I will get transferred.

Sounds Like a Great Place!

My new comp is Elder Quiroga and he is from Bolivia. He and I both entered the field together and were together in the CCM. So we are a couple of young guns tearing it up in the Jungle. We are assigned to two areas, a ward and a branch. The area of the branch (Versalles) has actually been closed for about 8 months and the ward (Mi Peru) is in need of some serious help. When we arrived in our apartment and opened up the area book to see our investigators it was pretty much empty. We have a lot of work to do but we are both excited for the challenge. The members are slowly but surely warming up to us but it is taking some time. They haven’t had elders in their chapel for quite some time so they aren’t really sure what to do with us, lol. Elder Quiroga and I are really focusing our work with the members and trying to include them is as much as we can.

They have changed our eating routine a little bit for us, now every lunch we are eating with members. It is really great and it’s so much fun getting to know the members. They seriously bend over backwards to make sure that we are taking care of. We still have a pensionista but she only cooks breakfast and dinner. Our apartment is small and we have to sleep in a bug net. It’s also a rule that we have to wear bug repellant and sunscreen every day, so it reminds me a lot of camping. With the constant aroma of bug spray and sunscreen, yeah I’m loving it!

As for that everything is really great. We have a ton of work to do but we are definitely excited and thankful for the challenge. I love you guys and thanks for everything. The church is still true, even here in IQUITOS!!!

Landon of the Jungle!

Well I’m pretty sure you were all looking forward to an email being sent from Iquitos, but there were some more crazy transfers……………..just kidding, but it came close. Wed morning we woke up at 2 in the morning to catch our plane that left at 4. It’s about a two hour flight from Lima to Iquitos and once we got right over Iquitos, they informed us that we weren’t able to land and that we were returning to Lima. They were having some unexpected thunderstorms and we weren’t able to land. So we went back to Lima and didn’t arrive in Iquitos until 9 o’clock that night. But I AM IN THE JUNGLE!

So a little bit about Jungle Life: The only way to get to Iquitos is by boat or by plane, so it’s really an island in the middle of the country. Yes the houses are made of wood or tin and the roofs are made of leaves. The people have a lot more trust in one another here because their houses are always open and never locked up. Unlike Lima where everyone locks up their houses with locks and chains and bars. They don’t really have a sewage system, so what they have done is dig a ditch down every street and from there people dump their waste and then when it rains is flushes everything down. So far it has rained every other day and I LOVE IT. It never rained in Lima so it’s great to get soaked. We still work in the rain and its so much fun. We are always drenched from either the rain or our sweat, because when it’s not raining it is freaking hot and humid. The people here are also very distinct. I don’t think I know of anyone as laid back as these people. It’s easy to make contacts because everyone allows us to talk to them and they are always sitting in lawn chairs in front of their houses. They also talk with a really funny accent. It’s like the south in the United States, but is really funny how they talk. I will try to mimic it on a tape or something.

My Thoughts In A Nutshell--

Well everything here in the Peru Lima North Mission is great and the work is going forward. I love this work and I love seeing the gospel change lives, especially the lives of those I have grown to love. I am doing great and everything is great. Thanks for all you love and support I love you guys!

Trompo!

Nearly every single kid that plays in the street plays with a toy called a Trompo. It’s a twist between and top and and yoyo. I bought one last week and am slowly getting the hang of it. One of our investigators has a little boy who is really good with it and he is teaching me some tricks. Once I get really good with it I will make a tape and send it home. I am going to try to send one home for Brians Birthday so he can play with it.

Building Homes and Families

This past week Elder Duran and I did some service and we helped one of the families we are teaching build their house. Now Peruvian arcitecture is very different from what I am use to. We began by drawing up the blue prints in the dirt with sticks. We then went to the local supply store and bought posts and the walls. The walls are made out of woven grasses and also we used that same stuff for the roof as well. We then went back and dug the holes for the posts. We fastened the walls with wire and we had their house built by the afternoon. They were so thankful for their new home and for our help. Yssenia actually gave them the lot to live in cuz it is right next to her house. The family we helped are working on getting their papers together to get married and then baptized. One of our families are going to get married this next week. We finalized all of their papers and documents last night and they are really excited about it. It really is sad leaving all of these people that I have grown to love. Yssenia told me that it was tough on her when the missionaries would transfer back in Guam because she had grown to love each and everyone one of them and has so much trust in them. She told me last night that she hopes I don’t get transferred because she dosen´t want me to leave.

Special People - Special Times

This past week has been one I won’t soon forget. We had the interview for our Pensionista (Angela) on Thursday and she was so excited about here baptism. She has really come along way and Friday night she told us that she feels as though a huge weight is going to be lifted off of her when she is baptized. As we were talking Friday night she asked me a question kind of quietly. She asked if I could be the one to baptize her. I was really surprised she asked me and really felt honored. So Saturday afternoon we had her baptism and it was so special. The water was chilly but it didn’t matter. She was so happy and when she shared her testimony and feelings to us, the spirit was so strong and we all knew that all of her doubts and past problems had been taken care of and she was a new person. Angela is really the person I am going to miss here in Palermo. She really has been like a mother to me and has taken such good care of us. She always thinks she isn´t doing enough for us but in realility she goes far beyond the call of duty.

When do we get the Church issued Machetes I've heard about?

Hey Family,
Welcome to the JUNGLE! The email telling us about our changes arrived this morning and I am headed to IQUITOS!!! I´m not real sure on who my new companion will be yet but I will be sure to write that next week. I will be flying out from Lima tomorrow night with Elder Ikerd. He is in my zone now and we are both going to Iquitos together, but he is going as District Leader. It will be about a 4 hour flight and I think we will leave around mid-night tomorrow. I am really really excited about heading to the Jungle and going to be able to see some green and get rained on. Iquitos is right next to the Amazon River so I will be sure to snap some shots of it from the plane. Elder Duran is staying here in Palermo and his new comp will be Elder Evans, (my old comp in the MTC) so that will be cool. I must admit when I read I was headed for the Jungle I didn’t really know what to think. It really is totally different there but I am way excited about it. 4 transfers and 4 Zones!!!

Please Help With A Special Fast

I have a special invitation for you guys this fast Sunday. Remember I told you about Yesenia (the lady who can speak English). Well her situation has taken a bit of a bad turn. Her husband, who is in Guam, has rejected the missionaries and is now making threats against Yesenia that if she continues investigating the church he will take their daughter and leave the relationship. Yesenia knows that the church is true and loves being a part of it. She wants to get baptized but can't because of her husband. Elder Duran and I are fasting for her to help her to have the faith that when she joins the church, her husband will follow her example. She wants nothing more than an eternal family and its sad seeing what her husband is doing to destroy that hope. I invite you all to fast with us because she really needs the help. Thanks guys.
I am doing good and definitely learning a lot this change. I love you guys so much and love hearing from you. Tell everyone hi. Thanks for Everything!!

Take Advantage of the Temple!

We had the opportunity to go to the temple this past Weds and like always it was special. Even though the entire thing is in Spanish I still learn so much. It really is a neat experience to be able to participate in a session in a different language. Take full advantage of that temple in Twin Falls! We were teaching Rocio about temples last week and to help us we jumped on her computer and I pulled up the Twin Falls Temple Website. She really loved looking at the Pictures and getting a little Idaho Culture. And yes she is a Mormon now and no longer a Catholic!

Bringing FAMILIES into the waters of baptism

The Northern Part of Lima definitely knows of the impact the ¨Norteños¨ are making in their communities. One part President Perez´s mission plan is expressing the importance of baptizing families. There is a huge problem here in Lima with people just living together and saying that they are married. Now we can’t exactly baptize people that are just living together so as missionaries we have been talking with government leaders, mayors, and others and helping them to organize huge marriages with lots of couples for a very little price. Over the past two months we have had more family baptisms (husband, wife, and kids) than ever before in the history of the North Mission. It’s amazing! Elder Duran and I currently have about 4 families that need to get married and then the next step are the waters of baptism. HECK YES!!!

Missionary Kisses :)

The greetings here in Peru are very different from a good old American greeting. Back home a simple head nod or wave would be sufficient, but here that doesn’t quite work. The people give kisses on the cheeks when they great people. But as missionaries we are really allowed to do that so we shake hands. But this past week I got two kisses landed on me. The first one was when we were teaching a family and their four year old daughter came in late from the park and I was sitting down talking and didn’t even see it coming. I freaked out! (To say the least). The second one was at another family and we gave their 3 year old daughter an issue of the Friend (Amigos) she jumped in my lap because she was so happy and landed one on me. Yeah it was a little nerve racking, I thought for sure I was going to get sent home!

New Twin Falls Temple Photos!

We recently were sent these photos (courtesy of my cousin Ron Withers) of the Twin Falls Temple. As you can imagine, we are SO excited for it's opening! Come and visit during the open house July 11-Aug 16.

Buenos días!!

There is this little boy that when ever we see him in the street or walk past his house he comes running over to me and yells GOOD MORNING. It doesn’t matter the time of day or anything he always just yells "good morning". I taught him Good Night but he has yet to use it!

I am really beginning to feel the sorrow of missionary work when an investigator doesn’t progress or accept the gospel. But even in the mist of all the hardships there are so many little things that make this work worth while. While we were walking with Rocio to her interview for baptism, she said she had a question that had been bothering her for a while. I thought, Oh man, please don’t be anything BIG. She asked us if she was still Catholic till she got baptized. I just about started laughing and I was so glad that was her big question. I was worried it could have been something else.

Getting to Know Our Families

President Perez is really encouraging our work with the members. To help this he has changed some rules. We can now eat with members in their homes and cook with them. We are encouraged to eat with them as much as possible! I know that in other Peruvian missions the missionaries are only allowed to eat with their Pension but I am so glad we get to eat with the members. We are better able to win their trust and to work more effectively with them. They love having us over and I am more than will to get a free meal. We have a member that is going to cook us some Cuy (Guinea Pig) here soon so I am excited about that. I have yet to eat some.

Man in Charge??

This past week Lima has been quite the place. Every year there is a huge meeting of all the South American Country, Central America, and some European Countries Presidents. They call it a Cumbre. This year it was Lima’s turn to hold the meeting so with something like that the security gets raised. We have had to carry all of our documents with us everywhere we went just in case we got questioned. They had a no tolerance policy, if you don’t have your papers they haul you off no questions asked. The terrorists threats are a big deal here and they don’t mess around. But I never got questioned and hauled off so its all good.

(Landon said they found this vest in one of the rooms of their new apartment. He said that he is pretty much the authority figure now in Lima and everything has to go through him . Ha Ha!!)

"Mormon Standard Time" in Peru!

I have yet to become accustomed to the Peruvian Time system here, but i am figuring it out. When an activity is planned for a certain time, everyone here thinks that at that certain time you start getting ready for the activity. For example a 3 o’clock baptism, People begin getting ready at 3 and show up at 4. It’s a very unique way of thinking so now when we tell people the time for things we tell them an hour early, lol. It just one of those things that make missionary work fun, frustrating, and very interesting.
But I love it!

Getting Back to the Grind!

Hey Family,

It was so great talking to you all. It's crazy to think that it had been about 6 month since I have talked to you but it didn’t really seem that long. You all sounded so good and I loved talking to you.

This past week Elder Duran and I really got things clicking and we got a lot of work done. But it's funny because the Lord always finds a way to keep us humble. We have been teaching two boys named Sandro and Martin. Their mother is a member but their father isn’t. Sandro is 9 and Martin is 12 and both of them love it when we come over and I love teaching them. They are always asking questions and it's impressive because they know a lot. We had a baptismal date set for both of them on the 17th and both of them were so excited about it. But this past week when we went over to teach them we got nailed with the news that their father Andres changed his mind and we no longer had permission to baptize them. We told the mother that we really wanted to talk with him because its really hard to find him home when we are there. We arranged an appointment where we began to discuss with him just what exactly baptism is and the importance of it in our lives. As we began teaching he did not want to listen but as we kept talking to him he slowly began to show interest and started asking questions. We watched a movie with him called ¨Finding Faith in Christ¨. I’m not sure what will happen yet, but I witnessed something special. The Mother told us that all she has ever wanted was her family to be together forever and she feels that it is slowly coming true.

Elder Duran and I are doing something a little different with our work with less actives as well. Every companionship is required to get a list of 10 less active families from the Bishop and to focus our efforts with them. We went a little bit farther and asked for a list of 10 families that are REALLY active. We assign one less active family to an active family and when we go visit the less actives we have the active family come with us. Now the less actives don’t just have to support of the Elders but they also have a friend and a smiling face to help them come back to Church.

I loved hearing from you and knowing you all are doing great. Love you Guys!

Elder Schofield

Technology is Amazing!

It was so awesome to have some time to visit with Landon and really get to know what is going on in his world! Anna and Curt and the kids were here and Amy and Brady called from Rexburg. We all got to spend some time with him and Curt and Brian had fun speaking Spanish with him! I told Landon that he must be doing something right, because he sounded SO HAPPY! He said he really was! He said President Crayk used to tell them to just "be the missionary your mom thinks you are!"

We are so thankful for the technology that allowed us to speak to him so clearly. It was a wonderful Mother's Day memory-maker!!

"Hello, Mom?"

Lani and I had just returned home from two different appointments tonight and the phone rang. "Out of Area" usually means a telemarketer, but I picked it up and said "Hello, Schofields" "Hello, Mom?" was the response on the other end! Oh, it was so good to hear Landon! He sounded so good and just wanted to set up the time that would work for all of us for the Mother's Day call on Sunday. It is so amazing to think that, as far as time zones go, Landon is only one hour different from us here in Buhl! He slipped into Spanish a couple times but his companion and the other two missionaries he lives with were having a great time as they listened to him speak so much English! What a treat to hear Landon's voice!!!!

Crazy Busy!

Hey thanks so much for the awesome letters this week. I seriously love hearing about all of the little crazy things you all are up too. From Amy running the good old Teton Dam Marathon, to Anna and Curt's move to their new home, to the lawn care business getting up and going - you all are really quite busy. I'm staying really quite busy as well but its a different kind of busy and I'm really loving it.


We have another baptism lined up for this weekend and the following weekend we have two more so it is certainly an exciting time right now. We are going to baptize a 25 year old who is actully dating a memeber. We met him for the first time yesterday and he is really quite the guy. All of his friends and family are against him joining the church but he has felt the confirmation of the spirit and he knows that this is the right thing to do. They are making plans to me married in the temple and everything. I love seeing the joy the gospel brings to these people!

Exciting Firsts!

This past week was full of firsts for me. First off our baptism on Saturday had a bit of a surprise. Friday night, Elder Duran and I stopped by Ruth and her son Manuel to see how they were doing and to finalize everything for their baptism. We talked for a while and then just before we left, Ruth asked me if I would be willing to baptize Manuel. I was thrilled, I guess he had been running around the house the past week telling her that he wanted me to baptize him. I was so excited. So Saturday came and like everyone here in Peru, everyone runs on Peruvian Time. So the baptism was suppose to start at 3 but we got started at four thirty. But it was funny cuz the water was a little cold and once Manuel got in there he started freaking, lol. But we got the job done and once they closed the doors he was like ¨Can I go swimming¨ I said ¨go for it¨ so he did a couple of laps in the font and called it good. It was such a neat experience for me. I actually baptized someone!

Praying For Our Missionaries

I don’t know who wrote the following poem, but it might help familes to better understand the heart and mind of a missionary as he passes through the phases of a mission experience. Think about their shifting emotions as you read this description from an unknown missionary.

kathy


Today I am frightened.
My heart is beating a silent fury.
Before me are my family and friends
I love so much and must leave behind.
Pray that I might have courage.

Today I am studying.
With all my intellect I am diligently preparing.
Preparing for the days ahead,
That I might be an effective tool in the hands of God.
Pray that my mind might be clear and alert.

Today I am homesick.
The memories of fun, school, family crowd my mind.
I almost long to return to the carefree days of my youth.
Pray that I might feel the spirit of love.

Today I am successful.
The doors of those seeking truth open to me.
They are receptive to the word.
They will be baptized!
Pray that I might be humble.

Today I am discouraged.
Lowly I trudge home through the rain.
Pondering the slammed door,
The cruel hasty words, the laughing jeers.
Pray that I might have faith.

Today I am happy.
The light shines in my eyes.
From within me I have found joy.
Today I have lived close to the spirit.
Pray that I might always find this joy.

Today I am sad.
Reluctantly and with tears in my eyes
I must someday leave this country and the people
I have taken into my heart and loved.
Pray that I might always remember.

Today I am full of love.
Love for the Lord who called me on this mission.
Love for my family who supports me.
Love for the friends who installed the desire within.
Love for those who had faith in me.
Love for those who prayed for me.
But remember today, today,
I miss you. I love you. I need you.
Pray for me always.
I am your missionary.

"I am doing good and the work is still true and always will be!"

Family Home Evenings

Something that the ward here in Palermo is really edifying is the family home evening. They are teaching on how it really helps to build and strengthen the family. Not only is it a time to enjoy one another’s company but it is also a time for the Father to share council and revelation that he has received during the week which will help the family. They are also stressing on how important it is for the father to be worthy to receive such revelation. I really like it when we get to go to family home evenings with member and investigators. They are pretty fun.

Looking Forward to the Mother's Day Call!

Heck yes I can talk to Brian when I call! I really want to talk to him and see how everything is going. I will be making a phone call in the near future to set up the big phone call. But that probably won’t be until next week or sometime. I am doing good and the work is still true and always will be. I love you tons and appreciate everything you guys are doing for me. Thanks.

Hurrah For Israel!

Right now we have about 6 people who will be baptized in the next month or so. One of them is a single mom with a little boy of about ten years of age. The rest of the family are members and she is going to be baptized this weekend by her dad. It is going to be a really special baptismal service. The little boy Manuel is full of energy and is so weird when we come over its great. But the funny thing is, is that they can’t pronounce my name. But a little while ago they watched "The Other Side of Heaven" and knew of Calipoki ( I'm sure I spelled that wrong) so since he was a gringo too they call me Calipoki. Its pretty fun. Hurrah for Israel!!

Sowing Seeds, Reaping Rewards

At the transfer meeting I was talking with the elders who are in Ancon (my first area) and I was asking them about one of my investigators named Sonia. Elder Choque and I taught her for about 2 weeks before we got transferred. I was seeing how she was doing and come to find out she got baptized. Elder Bagley showed me pics of the baptism and everything. I was so excited. I knew she would get baptized I just didn’t think it would be so soon. She is a single mom with 4 kids and here in the near future the rest of the clan is going to be baptized so that’s exciting.

We Keep on Keeping On!

Well its official, I am in the zone of Puente Piedra and there wasn’t an emergency transfer or anything! I am in the area of Palermo and it is a huge area. Right now there are four missionaries in it. Before there was only two but since it is so huge they decided to split it and stick some more elders in there. My new comp is named Elder Duran and he is from Arequipa Peru. This is actually his first time being a senior companion and neither of us know the area so we are sort of in a state of confusion right now! But its all good!

Learning and Growing and Making New Friends

Well this past week Elder Trinidad and I celebrated his 3rd anniversary in the Church. He was only a member for about 2 years before he left on his mission. It really humbles me knowing that so many of these Latino elders have sacrificed so much and have entered into this work with nothing more than a strong testimony. It amazes me how much my comp knows and how powerfully he can express his testimony of the gospel. Having grown up in the church, I can’t really even imagine the kind of faith he has. I love Elder Trinidad and am sad that we are heading to different areas but there is a reason for it. Last night he told me that there are people in Puente that need what I have to offer and there are people in the jungle that need what he has to offer. Even though things don’t always make sense we need to have faith and continue to work. Because after all we aren’t in charge and this isn’t our work. I have learned so much from him and am excited to see him later down the road.

Before Landon left on his mission, we had Elder Munoz in Buhl, serving in the Idaho Boise Mission. He is actually from Lima, Peru. Landon was able to spend some time with the Spanish speaking Elders and go on some teaching appointments with them. We were fortunate to meet such wonderful young men!

Trying to keep in touch...

I am glad you are sending me word from Kyle. I haven’t heard from either KC or Kyle and I always wonder how the heck they are doing. Thanks for sending me that letter from Kyle. I am glad that he was able to see Big-T, lol. And don’t worry, I am working on getting a letter to the ward! We haven’t had a post office for the past change because we are after all kinda out in the boonies but I will hopefully get one sent off here soon.
Tell everyone hi for me and thanks for all that they do for me.
Thanks for everything guys. I love you tons and miss you!!!

Harvest is in Full Swing

Things are really starting to cool down here in Paramonga as well! At night I sleep with a sheet now!!! But last night for some reason it was kinda chilly so I wore a stocking hat and my sweater but I don’t think I will have to do that to much more. Things are really busy in Paramonga because the sugar cane harvest is in full swing. Everything is done by hand and I have never seen people work as hard as those people do who do the cutting. But it is a really cool thing to see, harvesting of sugar cane.

I Wish I Had Six More Weeks!

Well it’s that time again and I am off to the zone of Puente Piedra. (Puente Piedra means "The Stone Bridge") I guess they really want me there cuz this is the second time they have tried to send me there. (See postings from March 12th and 17th) I hope nothing goes wrong this go round. My new comp will be Elder Duran and he is currently in the jungle so we will both be brand new to our area. That should be really interesting. But I really wish I had six more weeks in my area of Paramonga. Both Elder Trinidad and I are leaving but we both want to stay for another go round. As of right now we have three people committed for baptism on the 10 of May (MOTHERS DAY) and we are going to commit two families tonight. Yeah!!!! I really wish I was going to be here with them they get baptized. We could have 11 baptisms next month and I just remember that it doesn’t matter who does the baptizing as long as it gets done. Our new convert Bertha is the bomb! She has a son who is going to get married but she wants them to get married in the temple so we are teaching them as well. They know it will be a process but they are willing to wait which I thought was really cool. She wants her entire family to get baptized so she is already doing missionary work!

We Won't Complain!

Don’t let the lawn care get to crazy, lol. I saw a lawn care crew here in Peru and it was really different from those in the States. They ride bikes and they strap their lawn mower, weed eater, and fuel on the back of their bike and they ride around cutting grass. That’s the rich ones!! usually it’s a single guy with a machete. So tell Brian to not complain when he has to sit on that Dixon to cut some grass, lol.

Learning to be Bilingual--

We had a family home evening with a member on Monday and at the end they all wanted me to pray in English. I tried to tell them that I couldn’t but I wasn’t very successful. So I started and I quickly realized just how hard it was to pray in English. I was sticking in Spanish here and there and I was thinking of what to say in Spanish and trying to translate it to English. It was quite difficult, but at the same time I am thankful for it. English isn’t going to do me a lot of good for a while and I am thankful that the good old Spanish is coming along.

Working with a greenie...

LAST Week Landon Wrote--We are going to have work exchanges and my companion is going to another area and guess who is coming to my area?? The new Greenie!! We have a new elder in our zone and I guess he is really scared too. So lucky us they are sending him with me! a gringo who can barely communicate! lol. But Elder Trinidad said that it’s times like these that miracles happen so I hope he is right. So yeah, please pray extra hard for us!

THIS Week Landon Wrote--Tuesday Elder Sandagorada and I took to the streets of Paramonga to spread the word. Between the two of us we have a grand total of 3 months experience in the mission field!!! But that didn’t matter, before we changed companions elder Trinidad told me that its times like these that miracles happen, and he was right. Elder Sandagorda has a speech problem and I am a gringo that can barely speak but it’s all good. I was really nervous and had a ton of doubt come over me. We both prayed really hard and then got to work. My tesitimony of being instruments in Gods hand really grew. He knew what his children needed to hear and he used us to deliver the messeage. We had a great day and I learned a lot, and got some experience of being the senior companion, which was good!

We Are Engaged In A Battle

So this past week I realized first hand of just what kind of a battle we as missionaries and members of the church are truly fighting. Monday afternoon there was a radio broadcast that was heard in all of Peru for about and hour and a half. It talked about a polygamist group in Texas and all of the terrible things that the their leaders are doing to the young girls that become trapped in their cult. And it seemed to happen all the time; they referred to the group as “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” and the “Mormons”. We definitely felt its affect on our teaching and our investigators as well as the members. I think we got a record for doors slammed in our faces because of what they heard. Members were pulling us aside and asking us tons of questions about what was going on and what our stand was and stuff like that. Satan in tricky and knows how to stick in a jab but its great to know that we are going to overcome, and the truth will prevail. We just have to keep working hard and doing what we have been called to do.

This past week I was thinking of really what I want to accomplish on my mission and what kind of goals I should set for myself personally to help myself grow. One thing that I thought of was how could I finish my mission with the feeling that I had been successful, and how could I apply that to every area that I am assigned. I thought for a while and the thought came to me that if I make a solid effort to leave an area better than I found it, than I would be a success. I feel as though if I have this attitude the baptisms will come, friendships will be made, and I will make lifelong memories. I never wanted to make a goal of a 100 baptisms or anything like that but I wanted something that would be meaningful and that would affect the entire mission.
D&C 71:3-6

¡Conferencia fue Poderoso!

Conference was really amazing and I am still walking around on my huge spiritual high. We weren’t able to attend any of the Saturday sessions but we watched both on Sunday. I told Elder Trinidad that this was the first time I wouldn’t be attending Priesthood session with my dad and brother. It really hit me how special it was to attend Priesthood with Dad and Brian. But Sunday morning the district President managed to round up a television for us gringos so that we could watch it in English. But conference was so amazing and I didn’t want it to end. President Monson seems to have an even more powerful voice behind him. I want you to know that I sustain each and everyone of them and this work truly is led by a God who speaks and directs.

Filling the Font!

So this past week has been loaded!!! First off, on Friday we had the baptism for Hermana Bertha. But it was quite an adventure to get everything in order for it. Paramonga right now is kinda in a drought and we only get water for certain times of the day for a certain period of time. Lucky our time in our apartment is in the morning so we can take a shower, but the time for the chapel is at 3 in the morning. We had it all planned out to were Elder Trinindad and I would clean the font Thursday during the day and then President Condermarin (our Branch President who is the clown for a living) would wake up and turn on the water to fill the font. But come Friday morning we went to check on the font and it was completely clean and very dry. The President didn’t wake up on time so that left us with an empty font! So Elder Trinidad and I hauled water for six hours Friday. The nearest place we could get water was at a member’s house 4 blocks away and the only member that could help us was our mission leader but he did more overseeing that work! It was times like that, that I wish we had a Grant Loveless in my branch! lol. By the end of six hours with no breakfast and lunch we decided that we had enough water, when actually it only came to our knees. But the work still goes on and we performed the baptism for Bertha. It was really great and quite a few member showed up which is always a good sign. I gave a short little talk about the spirit and its role in our life after we have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was all good.

Saturday she invited us over for lunch. This was the first time we had eaten in a member’s home so I was a little nervous but it was very good. We had chicken, rice, and French fries. Oh and this really cool drink that they make from corn, kinda crazy but it tastes really good.

The Boys Are Growing Up!

So I got the package you sent and that little Carson (Curt and Anna’s 5 month old) has grown so much!!! And all of his hair! he definitely looks like Halle. (And Anna, and Brian!) I also enjoyed the very smoking pics of Brian in Anna’s shorts. He could have posed for a really old year book picture, lol. My comp thinks he’s crazy!

Free Car Wash!

Friday we held a zone car wash. We washed the taxis for free as long as they gave us their addresses! The chapel that we did it at is a little ways from the highway so the four of us gringos in the zone had the responsibility to go to the highway and get people to go to the car wash. I wish I had my camera with me because it was very entertaining! Picture this, four white elders dancing around with pink and purple signs yelling “Free car wash, at the chapel of the Mormons”. Yeah it was a blast! It was crazy and our zone leader said that we probably wouldn’t get to do this again on our mission so take advantage of it, lol. We did! But we got quite a few people to stop and get their taxi washed and alot of names to contact!

Giant Bugs, Cold Showers, and The Church is Still True

The other night just when we got done with companion prayers and such I jumped in bed and was just about asleep when I felt something run across my back. I freaked and jumped up. I shook all of my sheets trying to see what the heck it was cuz this thing had some GIRTH lol. Come to find out it was this huge beetle thing. When I killed it, it left quite a mess, lol. But at least it isn’t going to wake me up again! Oh and our hot water went out so its back to the good old cold showers!
(Brian has an assignment to find 40 insects for a collection for Biology. How he wishes Landon could share some of his!)

Busy with baptisms and buses...

The baptism we had planned for this past weekend actually got postponed and we will be baptizing her this Friday. Her name is Bertha and she wants her family who live Lima to be able to be there so we are waiting for this Friday. It is really kinda interesting teaching her because she is kinda forgetful, lol. So we are constantly teaching principles again and again but it’s all good. She passed her interview and is ready to go.

We also convinced our Branch President to organize a bus so that the members and the investigators in Paramonga can all attend General Conference in Barranca. We had our weekly meeting with him the other day and we are going to be doing some really sweet stuff in the up coming weeks. So I will let you know how they work out! (or if they don't!)