Hope

[Email dated 9.23.13]

hey everyone,

So things are the same ol’, same ol’ here in Nueva Cajamarca.  Still working hard here with Elder Villar and things are going relatively well.  

So once again, I feel like I have run out of things to say, but luckily, pictures are worth a thousand words and I've got one of those for you...reminds me of the turkey leg from Disneyland [November 2012- last hurrah with our Payne friends before Tyler left, see above], but this is much better.  It's the leg of majaz which is some jungle thing that looks like a giant guinea pig...haha  [See picture below courtesy of Google Images]

This week was a little tough but we did find this family from a referral who had listened to the missionaries before but did not progress.  But they've been through a lot of stuff in the past years that has really changed everything for them.  Now they see the importance and are much more willing to act than they were before.  Sometimes the Lord lets us fall, so that he can lift us up higher.

From what I keep hearing at home, there are some really tough things going on in the lives of a lot of people and I think it's always like that in any group of people, it just seems a little bit more prominent right now and it really is just a part of life.  There are always ups and there are always downs, so we can't be surprised when things are going good that something goes wrong.  The most important thing to really do is just to stay positive and have hope that things will get better.  They always do get better it's just that sometimes you have to wait a little bit.  Just remember that things will get better and then go to work and do what you're supposed to.  I've seen so many people that just don't have hope.  When things go bad, it's the end of the world and when things go good, they can't figure out why it's not always like that.  Also people need to remember that people can change.  Everyone really just needs to be a little more positive and understand that a lot of things are going to happen in life so just be happy about it.  That's really the only thing we can do, just be happy. If you think you can't control your happiness, you're very wrong.  Just choose to be happy and it'll happen.  One of my favorite scriptures (I have a lot of favorite scriptures right now) is Juan 14:26:  

“But the ^aComforter, which is the ^bHoly Ghost, whom the Father will send in my ^cname, he shall ^dteach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

What God gives us won't really make sense to the world but that's because he is not of this world.  

Things are really awesome down here and I really am happy and loving what I'm doing.  Send me some questions so I can have something a little more interesting to write you about next week.  Some of you should be getting some letters in the weeks that are coming, I just sent a bunch to mom so that should be coming.

Love you guys and have a great week!

Elder Peacock