The 4th of July; no pie, but a pizza

Week 52 (July 10, 2017)

HELLLLOOOOO PEOPLE. As you all know the 4th greatest day in the world has come and gone. But America is still here. As corrupt as the government might be, or the problems facing us. The land of the free is important because everything I love is there. AMERICAAAA. 

I met Brad Wilcox in the McDonalds here on the 4th as well so that was cool. 

This week has been so full of finding and finding and finding! We are looking for Gods elect. It's a difficult thing. But that's why I came here lol. Anyways we were knocking doors this week for like 25 hours in total. And we found basically nothing. Until we got to the top of my sector on Friday. And I had a very clear prompting to knock on a door. 

So I knocked and we waited. And knocked again. And waited. And knocked again. But no one came out. So we kept moving. Then after walking a few meters we heard the door open behind us and we saw a lady looking out and we ran back to talk to her! We gave her our little speech about being missionaries and how God loves her. She stopped us and told us "you know what, I believe you. But I think my son needs to talk to you". Surprised we waited for her to get her son. When he came to the door I was shocked and dumbfounded to see the Peruvian version of my little brother Dallin standing there. His name is Royer.  They let us in and we talked for a little bit with them in a room where their grandpa had died a week earlier. Royer was very shy and still sad about his grandpa. So we talked to him about the Plan of Salvation, and testified to him that his grandpa was in a good place talking to missionaries just like us and learning about the same plan.  And you could the see the difference in him by the end. So we made another time to come back and left! We´re hoping that he will feel God´s love for him and that he will accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We were talking also with our Investigator Pavel this week and he had a lot of doubts about the church. Which is never a good thing. We were so confused why he had so many doubts if he was progressing so well the week before. So we cleared them up for him and finished the lesson. 

But then came his cousin and we found the reason for the doubts. She starting throwing all this stuff at our faces. Why do the Mormons baptize dead people, why did Joseph Smith have so many wives, why do we need a prophet if we receive personal revelation. She had done her research. But there was one thing she lacked. Going to the real source. So I had to do something, we would testify but then she would ruin the spirit that we shared with her. So I realized it was go time and I pulled my bible out. And somehow I was able to open my bible and find all of the answers to her questions. They were scriptures I had never seen before. I knew the spirit was guiding my hands. And after that was done she was quiet. And finished by saying, "When can I talk with you guys?" That was a miracle I won´t forget. We have an appointment with her on Thursday. 

I know the church is true!!! The experiences I'm having are making me so much more refined as a child of God! I know He lives! 

Keep it real people! Also about the title of the email, we ate pizza almost every day this week. Woot.

My week was lame

Week 51 (July 3, 2017)

Honestly, we didn't do a lot this week. We went to Calca and moved some sister missionaries. And we did a lot of finding people.  I´ll tell you about our three progressing investigators. 

1) Edwin- He´s like 24 and we haven´t seen him for like a week but he's a cool guy. We taught him about the restoration and he was really interested and the spirit spoke to him. We hope he gets his answer about the BoM.

2) Diana- Diana is the coolest, she´s already spoken with the missionaries before but moved away and didn´t continue receiving the lessons because she never got an answer from God! She thought that she would have a dream or something where Jesus would talk to her, but it didn't happen. So we taught her how the spirit talks to us, and we taught her what the Book of Mormon was, and now she´s praying to get her answer. 

3) Pavel- This guy has been a chore. I´ve been looking for him for over 5 months because he was a reference from a member, but we could never find him until recently! One night he was praying to God to be able to change, and he asked God to send help. The next day we went to their house and found him there and taught him about the Atonement of Christ. Now he is listening to us! And his less active wife Andrea is so grateful to be coming back to church with their two daughters! She wants to get sealed to her family! So cool! 

This week I was reading conference talks, and I was reading the talk about standing up inside and being all in. 

It talks about a father who was in the toy store with his little boy, and there was a man you could punch and it would come right back. The dad asked the little boy why he kept coming back up, and the boy responded, "I don't know, I guess it's because he´s standing up inside." 

Do we stand up inside? Do we live the gospel of Christ like we should? Do we have hope for the future and no regret of the past? 
This week I´ve learned a lot about "Standing up inside". Not being afraid to get back up after we get spiritually punched down. The gospel is all about strength and standing up for what you know. 
Lets all "Stand up inside" this week!! 

also, go read the talk:
"Stand up inside and be all in" Conference April 2017

Little Things Matter

Week 50 (June 26, 2017)

Hey everyone! This`ll probably be short email.

This week we saw a ton of miracles!! I`ve found that the more that I work and focus on other people the more God blesses us as missionaries to find His lost sheep. It's pretty cool. We have been looking for an investigator named Pavel for about 5 months now. His wife is Andrea (a less active member)  and every time we go to visit them Pavel isn`t there or just doesn`t want to talk to us. Andrea has been so sad because she wants an eternal family but her husband hasn`t even been willing to listen to her. So usually we visit Andrea in the mornings and we hope the Pavel is there. This week we visited them again hoping that Pavel would be there, He was! But it didn`t want to talk to us. So we shared a quick thought and went back home to study. Later in the day, we were walking around and all of our appointments that we had fallen through. So weirdly I got the thought. “go visit Andrea”. I acted immediately on the prompting because of the experience I`ve had with the Holy Ghost bringing us success. So we walked over to their house. We knocked the door. And a man answered the door. My comp asked what his name was and he answered “Pavel”. HOLY SHOOT WE FOUND HIM. Was my first thought. We asked if we could share a short message with him and he accepted and we talked for a little while. He shared with us that he had been pleading with God to change, and to have answers. We told him with utmost confidence that we were the answers to that prayer. And as representatives of Jesus Christ, He wanted him on His side.  Afterwards, I thought of Elder Rasband`s talk from this past conference when he said “Act on the first prompting”. I can testify of that! The spirit won`t lie to you and tell you somewhere wrong to go.

This week has been full of little things like that! I could tell three more stories but I don't want you to get bored of Reading lol.

I was studying this week and I came across something very important for today`s society.
9 Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness, and remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers.

Racism is not a good thing kids.

Love you all see you next week!! 

I'm a Potato

Week 49 (June 19, 2017)

Well, this week wasn´t the most eventful week I´ve ever had! We had to do changes in our zone and in Cusco for almost 2 days this week because there were so many missionaries changing areas! We had to take some new missionaries down to the sacred valley to show open their sector, poor sisters. Right now there are 22 missionaries in my zone! Its been really fun to have so many people! 

This week I got really really sick. I'm not sure from what. We went to the doctor to get me fixed and they told us that I had another infection. But I didn´t believe it because this one was worse than the last.  One day I woke up and I had absolutely no strength. I could barely move. I literally felt like a potato. I just sat there. It was fun. (NOT). I guess this is what happens when you serve in a place that’s so unclean. Haha. 

The next day I didn’t want to sit in bed anymore, so I experienced what it means to serve “with all my might, mind, and strength.” And I got to thinking what did that mean?? I think it means that no matter what you're going through, no matter what you feel like, you go out and you trust God to give you enough strength to make it through the day. 

DON’T WORRY MOM IM TOTALLY FINE NOW. 

We have 3 investigators that are super awesome! 

Terry! (22)
Terry is the coolest. He's 22 years old and he is studying to become a doctor. So he´s pretty smart! We´ve been trying to help him understand the restoration of the gospel. But for some reason, he just doesn´t feel the spirit of it. We even showed him the Joseph Smith movie, and he´s very slowly softening his heart. So we´re going to just move on and keep teaching him the lessons. 

Andronica. (14)
Andronica is Terry´s brother. One day we were teaching Terry and we noticed that from someone behind us was listening. We turned around and invited Andronica to listen to our message and she enthusiastically agreed. She's progressing the same as Terry! 

Mauricio. (14)
Mauricio is Terry and Andronica´s neighbor. This kid is an absolute stud and a half. He understands everything that we tell him. And almost never has a doubt. He does though have a hard time understanding the importance of our message and the fact that we have to act on the teachings of Christ! But he is a really really good kid! 

Well, that’s been my week! Kinda boring but that’s how it was! Also, we went paintballing today! 

Love you all so much! HAVE A WONDERFUL SEMANA. 

-Elder Haws

Well I Turned 11 Months Old

Week 48 (June 12, 2017)

Well, today I turn 11 months old. I'm getting old. This week has been a complete blur. 

ELDER CHRISTENSEN: Elder Christensen from the presidency of the 70 came to talk to us on his way to Machu Picchu. It was way cool. He taught us how to listen to the spirit.

• D&C 8:2 “You´ll feel it in your mind and in your heart” He taught us that when we connect our thought with a feeling its the Holy Ghost talking to us. I´ve been thinking about that a lot and it works! This week we were talking to our Investigator, Mauricio. And he asked us how we can know when the Spirit is talking to us. So we asked him if he thought our message was right. And he said “Yeah I think it's right” and we told him that when he prayed at night he would feel something, and he would know that it was true. Cool right?

Also, Elder Christensen told us “These are not the best two years of your life, the best years are waiting for you!” I thought that was super true. Because it might not be fun all the time, but all the things you learn are going to affect everything you do for the rest of your life! As I go through the mission more, I'm starting to try to learn more. Everyone should always be learning something new. That's my personal thought. 

This week is changes, and I'm staying here. Wow. I'm gonna have 6 months in Cusco when I'm done here. Wow. 

EFRAIN AND JOSEFINA GOT DUNKED THIS WEEK. WHHOOOOOT. 

You all remember Efraín right?? He´s been investigating the church for a long time now and his son is on a mission right now? Yeah well, he got baptized. FINALLY. Also, they got married the morning of. It was a happy day. 

That's basically my whole week! It was a good week and we´re starting to have some success here! Love you guys all so much! See ya ´round.

Serving Others, Loving Others

Week 47 (June 5, 2017)

Hello dear friends and fam,

On Tuesday this week, I got a phone call from the mission office telling me that I was getting put in charge of a special musical number for when Elder Christensen (a member of the presidency of the seventy) comes to the mission. And basically, I`ve been spending my time doing that this week.  We`re going to sing an arrangement of two hymns “Brightly Beams our Fathers Mercy”,  and “I need thee every hour”.  It sounds pretty good. I put together a choir. And it's taken quite a bit of training to get them to sing it. But it`ll be good!! 

This week also we had to go with one of our missionaries on divisions to Calca (part of the sacred valley) because his comp had to go to Lima to sign some papers. It was exciting. So I took some pictures for you to see. 

Pretty much the life of a zone leader is this. You get put in charge of stuff that no one else would be willing to do. Like putting together choirs, or traveling to a different sector so your missionaries don’t miss out on their work. We`re aren’t lazy missionaries at all. We do more for people. And this week I`ve learned a little bit about serving others. 

When you`re a missionary, it's all about obedience. Or at least that’s what everyone tells you it's about. But when we start reading a little about Jesus` life we start to understand that something comes before obedience. The first law of heaven by which we receive blessings is obedience. Obvious. But what happens when we don`t like to obey? What do we do to enjoy life? Jesus said something that we should all take advice from. Over centuries the Jews had argued over which was the most important commandment. So when Jesus came around they thought they could stump Him with that. But what was His response? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart… And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” WHOA. That was a whole new thing for the Jews. The world had never been required to love before. But now the Son of God comes and says “its all about love”. So what does that mean for us?? Do we have to love? We are commanded to do so, so yes we do. 

So what does that have to do with obedience? Well, think about this… Why do YOU obey God? Do you obey because you`re parents told you to? Do you obey because you`re afraid of God? Or do you obey because you love Him, and everyone else around you? Christ said that the greatest commandment is love. It is the most important thing we can do. So should obey for no other reason than love. 

So do you love your neighbor? Do you love God? If not, you have something to do! To get this love you can serve! Do everything you can to show God that you care, and then he will lift off the burden from your shoulders, and you will be much more capable of loving to serve others. 
I love this work so much! As difficult as it might be, and as hard it is to be so far away from people you love so much, it is amazing to meet people you`ve never met before and love them! As I learn more about God, and feel his love, It makes it a lot easier to love those around me. And when you love, it makes it a lot easier to live. 

-Elder Haws

We All Have Struggles

Hello people. 

So it has been another week. The weeks fly by here. No joke. But the days take forever.  What even is time. I feel like I should tell you all my struggle in this email. Maybe some of you need it. 

On my mission, I´ve always had regrets of what I´ve done before, stress about what I'm doing, and fear of what I'm going to do. It's been a constant struggle. Trying to balance those three aspects. But After doing some thinking and praying and studying. I found a treasure we all could benefit from. From a variety of conference talks, BYU devotionals, and chapters in the book of Mormon. I found what it is that I have been missing on my mission.

8 Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a very wicked and an idolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities.

Now I'm not saying that I, or you, or any of us are like Alma the Younger. But we have all had a degree of something that makes us a hindrance to the church and to the Lord. But I don’t want to look at before Alma´s conversion. But put it into to our perspective.

My guess is that not many of us have had an experience like Alma. But we have all recovered from our regrets. But for some reason, they always haunt us. They make us useless to ourselves. And we feel so useless. Do you think Alma ever had that? Did he have regrets? OF COURSE HE DID. How could you not? I bet that every time he saw something wicked, he was reminded of himself. And of what he did. The ghost of his past never went away. But on Alma´s mission he had an area that tested him, he didn´t want to be there. The people were wicked. I have no doubt that he saw it and it only added to his pain and suffering. 

9 Now Satan had gotten great hold upon the hearts of the people of the city of Ammonihah; therefore they would not hearken unto the words of Alma.

10 Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance.

11 Nevertheless, they hardened their hearts, saying unto him: Behold, we know that thou art Alma; and we know that thou art high priest over the church which thou hast established in many parts of the land, according to your tradition; and we are not of thy church, and we do not believe in such foolish traditions.

Alma wanted to give up. He was done and ready to move on. I bet at some times he didn’t know what to do. He probably spent a lot of time on his knees asking God what to do. And the answer didn´t come. Until he made his decision.

13 Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his journey towards the city which was called Aaron.

He left. He did what a lot of us would do. Run away from the problems. His past was a torment because he saw it every day, and the life he was living was a living nightmare. So what brought him comfort? How could Alma overcome this trial? 

14 And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying:

15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.

16 And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city; yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them.

Ok so an Angel appeared to him, that was a boost. But look. It was the same angel the appeared to him at his miraculous conversion. So what do you think came to his mind? Probably his testimony. Probably the moment he realized the Christ is his savior. The sweetest moments probably popped in his mind. So what does that mean for us?? Yes, we are all imperfect, yes we make mistakes. And yes we have regrets. But what makes those regrets worse? Focusing on them. Focus on now. Christ IS your savior. He is HELPING you. 

We don´t need to have regrets because Christ wiped those away.
We don’t need to worry about now because He is our strength.
And we don’t need to worry about what will happen because we know where we are going. 

The gospel is cool guys. 

This week we spent a lot of time finding and teaching new investigators and helping the ones who are gonna get baptized. Not a lot of exciting things happened. But we found an 80-year-old man named Rosario. He lives an adobe hut. And is probably the most humble man I´ve met here on my mission. It was a cool moment when we met him, and you could see in his eyes that he knew he found the truth. 

I love you guys all so much! Keep it real. 

Elder Haws