January 30, 2017 — Week 18!

February 08, 2017

This week has been awesome. LOTS of spiritual experiences!

We had an opportunity for service this week, and we helped to remove paint from someone's house. It is so satisfying to scrape paint off, I'm not sure why.

We had some celebration during lunch on Tuesday since on the 22nd was the birthday of Elder Paz. His face got pushed into the cake made for him. It's a tradition here to do that.

Wednesday... Wednesday was amazing. We had the worldwide training broadcast and we learned lots about the purpose we have to teach about repetance and the atonement, and to baptize converts. We really are helping people with their salvations, and it's a great responsibility. We also learned about the worldwide schedule changes as missionaries. For our mission specifically, we now wake up at 7:30, plan in the morning, have personal study, then we can choose when in the day after 11 am we want to do companionship study, language study, and 1st 12 weeks (if applicable). We usually do them in the morning since not many people are out in the morning. We also have 30 mins for dinner every night, or to get food to take back to our apartment. we go to bed at any time between 10:30 and 11 now. We also get 2 hours more for p day! Yeah that's awesome. During the broadcast they said "I'm sure there was a roar across the world after the p -day extension" haha it's true.

After the training we went to do interviews for some investigators, and then later went back to our sector, so we were just everywhere that day.

Thursday we had a meeting with Elder Cook! All of Lima South and Central gathered together for it. I saw 2 people from my CCM district (Elder Gutierrez and Elder Robinson) and also Elder Petty (Austin Petty from Albion!) He was in the same district in the lima CCM as Elder Golder! Some people from Lima south travelled 12 hours by bus to get here at 8 am in time for the meeting. They were in the mountains in lima south.

Elder Cook was awesome. He shook all of our hands, and talked about how we can share messages about repentance and baptism with more power, and he just talked about his experiences too. His wife spoke, and talked about how we sang with the "power of our testimonies" that morning. She had us sing a song with a little repetition which was cool. Idk how to explain it perfectly. There was a Q and A after, but there was only time for 3 questions. He then bore his testimony, and said that usually we don't share our most spiritual experiences, but "I'll be direct with you" and said "I know He lives (referring to the Savior). I know His face. I know his voice." After hearing that, we all paid so close attention, because we all knew his testimony was so strong. Hearing from an apostle who knows Jesus Christ that personally truly is an experience, and so whenever you watch general conference, LISTEN. These apostles and prophets and leaders have advice directly from God. We can learn lots from them. We can become better when we apply the teachings of Jesus Christ in our lives. I know that to be true. I have felt it here on my mission.

The next day, I woke up at 6:30 purely from instinct, then realize I had another hour left, and went back to bed haha. We had a family home evening with some investigators at the house of Hna Koo. I also got me bag fixed again by Hna Lucero (Hna of Jesica). I'm so glad she's willing to help us out with that type of stuff.

We only had one of our investigators come to church this sunday, but it's still possible that we can have 2 baptisms this saturday. I really hope we can! Hermana Mayra and Hermana Patricia are great, and I know their lives will be blessed if they continue preparing for baptism this saturday!

Phew there's so much to write in so little time. | think I covered all the big stuff. Lots of spiritual experiences and great stuff happens every day, even if I don't write about it.

I know that Jesus Christ lives, and I know that as we continue to study the scriptures, pray, go to church, and keep the commandments, we will be blessed. I love the mission. I love this church. I know it really is the Church of Jesus Christ.

I invite you all to share the gospel with friends, family, and all others who don't have the knowledge of this amazing gospel in their lives. Help them to feel the spirit. Build your own testimony and then share it with everyone!

I hope you all have a great week!

--Elder Bruner

P.S.

The day where some people didnt have water was saturday, day of the baptism of patty by the other elders. the baptism font didnt fill up all the way because the water just stopped. gladly there was enough water for the baptism!