Back to Huancayo

I've returned to Huancayo! I'll certainly miss Huánuco and my old companion, Elder Moss. We had a ton of fun the month and a half we were together and saw some of the most memorable miracles in the work. He knew how to act according to the Spirit. Luckily, we're from the same group, so I´ll see him again. I left a lot of good friends back in Huánuco...I´ll send pictures.

The climate here changes so rapidly the best you can do is flip a coin in the morning to see if you should bundle up or wear a short sleeved shirt. The work appears good here. We're working with a Columbian family whose accent is almost as foreign as mine...it's like learning another language. In fact, when the little girl in the family first got here, she told her teacher she knew three languages: Columbian, Peruvian, and Spanish. We're also working with a young man who wants to get baptized after visiting the church once...we started teaching him after! His mother wants to return after being inactive for a long while.

I've pondered a lot this week on knowing Jesus Christ. Perfection is easy to dismiss as something lacking personality...we love the idea that our imperfections make us unique. Yet I doubt we could maintain that opinion were we one of the original apostles of Jesus. We would find, I believe, the very personality we've always longed to find- the combination of strength, sincerity, and love. Sometimes I catch a glimpse, and it transforms me. He is the example I would follow as far as it takes me. We hear the story of his suffering so much we build a barrier between it and our emotions, just as our favorite story loses some of its flavor after the hundredth time. I'm beating my fist on the barrier, on seeing the friend I've adored for so long beaten down in such knowing dignity, such endurance and determination. His apostles must have wanted to scream at the soldiers, tell them how quickly this man could destroy them all. It must have been too much for so many of them...I´m guessing the stress and worry took over Peter´s mind so much that he wasn't even thinking when he denied Him. The after-effect must have mentally crippled him, for he knew Jesus Christ, and he knew exactly how indescribable His personality was.

We ponder on the sadistic violence of that time and wonder on how they could do such a thing to Jesus. Yet that was their culture back then. Ours is one of sarcasm, mocking, and cynicism, and we seem to use it just as cruelly against Him. We curse in His name, parade comedies of Him on modern television, blaspheme and joke because those are our tools. We yet crucify Him. I think we send the spear in his side when we doubt His love or His wisdom in our suffering. As Elder Bednar taught in this last conference, "He may say to us, 'Ye never knew me in the last day', if we do not take steps to know Him in this life."  I want to recognize and appreciate every aspect of His perfection at the end. I want to know Jesus Christ. In the name of Him, my perfect friend and brother, amen.

Elder Moss and Elder Burt

Elder Burt with Carlos

Elder Burt with Melvin

Finding the Lost Sheep

This was a wonderful week. One of our investigators got baptized on Saturday, and we had various positive experiences throughout the week. Once we were walking with a member trying to chase down a young man in the ward to remind him of an activity and ask for a referral. My companion stopped at the door of an investigator we haven't seen for a while and knocked, letting the young man get out of our sights. However, the investigator opened the door and we had a wonderfully spiritual lesson for the first time in a while, to the point where he said he would be willing to be baptized as he came to know the things we taught were true. I believe it was a pivotal and necessary lesson in his spiritual growth, and I'm sure my companion was inspired to knock on the door. 

With the increase in contacts we're doing, I've tried to spend a little bit more time with our area map, praying over where we should go. I felt prompted to go to a certain alley near the limit of our area. We went, and a young man there opened the door and let us speak to him in the moment. Inside, he asked profound questions and accepted The Book of Mormon. I felt as though we could trust him to just genuinely explore it this time around before we gave him a specific reading. The next day we dropped by again, and he practically recited the testimony of Joseph Smith from memory, knowing all the details and having a great many more deep questions for us. Unfortunately, he'll be traveling to Lima for a few weeks. 

We also did divisions with a companionship that's struggling a bit in the zone. One is very new, and I went with him in our area. Not only did we have a miraculous day full of lessons and new investigators, but he also overcame his fear of talking with people on the street and started doing it for himself with enthusiasm by the end of the day. It was, all in all, a good week.

I was studying this week a little about repentance. I was thinking about the parable of the one lost sheep, and how the shepherd left the ninety-nine to find him. I thought perhaps the lost sheep had to travel in rain, across thorns and thistles in his path, through a river, and past rocky hills, before it finally collapsed in despair. It struck me that the shepherd as well would have to walk the same path in order to reach the lamb...in rain, across thorns and thistles, through a river, and past rocky hills. Our Shepherd only had one way to reach and rescue us, and that was to walk the same roads we walked on...through the same pain. For such, He performed the Atonement, suffering for our sins and dying. I know He is very familiar with our own paths, and will help us come back to the fold.

Painted Rooms

This week we had several activities out of the ordinary, including interviews with President, painting our room, and New Year's. We also walked a lot in the rain contacting people. Though we did not have a great deal of success, we set up a baptism for the following week, which was a blessing.

I'd like to focus on one part especially of the week...painting our room. To be honest, it looks super awesome. It feels professional, and for the first time in more than a year, there's no greasy, moldy, or dirty stains on the walls. We're going to put some inspiring posters up and make it a legitimate nice place to be. It's going to be cool. Cool. Coolcoolcool.

Ahem. My point is, something as simple as a paint job completely changed the quality of the room and our satisfaction with it. In life, sometimes the paint color changes on a daily basis, and we somehow permit it to completely change our outlook on life. If we have a single bad day, our nerves can become completely frayed, we feel it necessary to lose our tempers, and after generally deciding life is a disappointing testing ground of trials and tears, we throw it at the feet of God at the end of the day and demand, "What was that all about?!" The next day, when the paint changes, we shout praises to the joy of life and determine we'll never forget the mercies of God again. All for something as simple and exterior as the paint that surrounds us. Now, I know it's sometimes an ugly paint job for a week, or a month, or even a year. Yet I sincerely think the principle stays the same. We would be so much more peaceful if we knew every trial is temporary, or less worried if God told us the exact day when a problem would end. Moroni is right that faith and hope are an "anchor" to our souls in that we stay grounded amidst all the changes in circumstance, mood, and success. May we continue to keep an eternal perspective and stay consistent in our efforts to improve.

Christmas Message

[We had a great, hour-long Skype visit with Andrew on Christmas Day.  He looked happy and healthy, and he patiently answered our many questions.  He loves serving on his mission and has made many friends along the way.  Below is his Christmas email/message.]

Merry Christmas! Ours consisted of fruit cake, hot chocolate, and being woken up by a thousand fireworks at midnight. Nevertheless, it was a very memorable Christmas. I think of the gifts I witnessed given:

• We participated in a baptism on Christmas Eve. The younger brother of one of our earlier converts was baptized on his eleventh birthday. His brother performed the ordinance. This meant the boy received the Holy Ghost on Christmas; fitting considering the talk of the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional that named it the best gift God can give here. 
• Another young man was officially granted all of his rights as a member after a long, strenuous repentance process. He bore to us a climactic testimony that encapsulated all the sorrow and pain he'd finally conquered, and all the powerful hopes he was now permitted to entertain: the Melchizedek Priesthood, the temple, and a mission in a matter of months.

Both events were purified and called for heavenly attention. Being bound by mortal sight, we may only guess at the significance of such gifts. I feel it distinctly.  All of eternity's weight balances on the knife's edge of mortality.  So we hold on to what we have and stand up another year.

"And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child." Luke 2:17

Recent baptism

Elder Burt and friend at recent conference

Out caroling

Elder Burt w/ Friend

Huanuco Sunset

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! This last week was extraordinarily memorable. Our President gave us a goal a couple weeks ago of shooting for a 140 contacts a week...something this mission is absolutely not used to. We wanted to inspire our zone and decided to work hard to truly complete it this week. The experiences flooded in. We started talking with everyone, which led to a great many lessons with new people, including two young men about our age. Other than getting a bloody nose on their doorstep, the experience was amazing. We taught some basic principles about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, and they felt the Spirit. The next day, we taught the first lesson in the church, invited them to stick around for an activity, and they did...watching messages of President Monson as they waited with members. On Sunday, they failed to come to church, but we found one in the street later that day. He said a family member had just passed away, so we met in the church a little later to talk about the Plan of Salvation. We explained the Spirit would only manifest the truth to him if he was determined to act and take the steps of Christ's gospel, including baptism. He conceded that if he came to know the church was true, he would be baptized, and prayed promising such to God. That was the most memorable experience. 

Also, we're preparing this awesome kid, the little brother of one of our last baptisms, for baptism this Christmas Eve. He's completely innocent.  We had to explain the commandments to him this week, and I had to try and explain chastity. As I started sweating, starting with the classic, "When a guy and girl like being around each other a lot...sometimes..." He interjected with an understanding, "Oooooh!! My older brother explained this to me! You have to respect girls and and not unchaste them until marriage!" I've never heard that term before, but, eh,we left it alone there.

Well, life is good. Life is amazing. I love every moment of my time here in Tarapacá, and I don´t want to leave it anytime soon. Mission life is golden, and I am so grateful for this time I have been given to legitimately touch the eternities with my actions. I hope you have a merry Christmas.

Chart & Map

This week Andrew sent an audio recording instead of a blog message, so I’ll relate some of it to give you an idea what he’s been up to.

Last week he got a new companion: Elder Moss.  They were both in the same MTC class together back in Lima, so they’ve known each other for quite some time and get along quite well.  Like Andrew, Elder Moss enjoys being active. I hear they’ve been going on runs together and had just gotten back from playing basketball when Andrew started his recording.

He said they’d had a very successful week, meeting their goal of 100 contacts with several call-backs.  They had an investigator come to church who then asked Andrew and his companion to give a blessing to a very sick aunt.  Two baptisms are coming up on Christmas eve, so that’s pretty cool.

Below is a chart of altitudes of Andrew's areas with a comparison to Mt. Rainier.  You can see that one of Andrew's areas (Junín) was nearly as high.  It's hard to imagine living there for months on end.  Also, I show a map of where those areas were and which order he was assigned (green color is current location; blue colors are previous assignments).

Here Comes Christmas

This week I saw my beloved companion off as he returned to Mexico for his goodly reward after two years. Meanwhile, I'm happy sticking here as the Christmas season comes in full swing. Here comes the beloved, whiny Christmas carols ("Campanas de Belèn", if you want to look up an example on YouTube), the essential panetòn, and its eternal companion -- hot chocolate. 

I'm glad for the Christmas story. Once again, roles we don't think much of get me thinking. As the shepherds stayed in the cool fields on the clear night, the angels came and visited them, giving a celestial choir experience. Who was in that choir? Nobody resurrected, surely, as no one could be resurrected before Christ. It could only have been selected spirits, probably waiting to descend in their proper time to be born. Were you in it? Was I? What parts did we play in angelic visitations in the pre-mortal life? Our lives were completely centered on Christ and the hopeful belief that we would indeed accept Him when we came here. I think that includes all of us... our internal spirits are desperately trying to live up to a pre-earthly hope and love for Christ. I think we become more true to ourselves as we serve Him more diligently. I hope we can do so this Christmas season.