I hope everyone is having a wonderful week! Things are great down here in
the wonderful land of Peru!
This week was a good one! After 3 weeks of not going to church, we finally
went back yesterday! We didn't have regular church for 3 weeks because there was
conferences and also the presidential election in Peru. There's a law here that
no churches can meet the day of elections. It felt good to finally go back! Oh I
totally forget to mention something important last week.. During general
conference the prophet announced that there's going to be another temple in
Lima! I had the chance to go to the temple that's already there in Lima while I
was in the missionary training center, and it was absolutely gorgeous so I'm
excited to see what the new one will look like! There was a temple announced in
my mission, Arequipa, about 4 years ago and they haven't started building it
yet. But I've heard that there have been some legal issues but that it's getting
sorted out so they should start building it soon! On another note, my companion
and I found a restaurant that's almost kind of American! They have milkshakes
and grilled cheeses! We've decided to go every Pday haha you can say we're
pretty stoked! We had our stake conference last week and Elder Uceda of the 70
was there. He came to change the stake president. And to our suprise, he called
the father of the family we live with to be the stake president! I really am
excited for him and I know he's going to be a great stake president and do great
things here in Ilo. The family we live with is so great. They are SO kind and
helpful and treat us like their own! I've motivated them to learn english haha
so every time we sit down to eat we have an english lesson and try to speak in
english as much as possible. It's a great time to let my mind rest from all the
Spanish haha.
I want to share with you all how grateful I am to be on my mission. I truly
have learned so much in my 5 short months out here. There have been some hard
times, but enduring through my trials and completely relying on the Lord has
made me so much stronger. My testimony of the truthfullness of the gospel of
Jesus Christ has grown immensly. I know that I'm exactly where I need to be, I'm
where the Lord needs me to be. There's a scriptue in The Book of Mormon that has
always stood out to me. It's in the book of Alma. Alma is talking about
missionary work. Those of you who are not familiar with the Book of Mormon, Alma
is one of the people who wrote in the Book of Mormon. At first, he was very
rebellious and sought out to destroy the church. But he had an experience where
he could not deny the truthfullness of the church. In turn, he dedicated his
life to preaching the gospel and teaching people what he knew to be the truth.
Alma 29:9-10 says,
"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not
glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and
this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to
bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy. And behold, when I see many
of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul
filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even
that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he
extended towards me."
Like Alma, I glory in this work, in the work of the Lord. Perhaps I can be
an instrument in the hands of God, too. As I've served these last 5 months, I've
been reminded numerous times of my own conversion and of the merciful arm that
God has extended towards me throughout my life. I am a convert to the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of about 2 years, but I have seen Gods hand in
my life much longer than these 2 years. He's always been there for me and I know
He always will be. And I know he'll always be there for you too. The awesome
thing about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that it does not matter how far away
you feel like you've strayed from God, you can always come back and I can
promise you that He will welcome you with open, merciful arms. Thanks to the
Gospel of Jesus Christ we don't have to feel guilty of our sins anymore. The
Gospel is literally SO perfect in every aspect. And I can testify to all of you
reading this that there is no greater happiness than the happiness that the
Gospel can bring you.
I hope you all have an amazing week!
¡CUÍDENSE!
Hermana Celardo
