Dang!!!!!

Email sent: June 2, 2014.

This week went by fast come to think of it. This month went by so fast. Two weeks in the CCM (MTC) in Santiago, Chile and now on week 7 in the mission. This Wednesday will be my first cambio(change). Also this Wednesday I will find out if my companion will be staying or leaving.  He told me when he has the feeling he will stay he stays, but when he doesn't have that feeling he leaves. He has been 4 months in our area. 

The thing that is worrying me if I move is the lunches, we eat everyday menos(minus) Lunes(Mondays).  Where I live now I only know about 10 families names and where they live.  Good thing I worked at Freebirds, I know how to cook so we wont starve if I get a new companiero(companion). 

There wasn't anything interesting that happened this week, oh scratch that,  guess who solved a Rubics Cube in 3:35? This missionary haha! Me! That is the most fastest time I got in my whole life.  But my líder de distrito (district leader), his fastest time is 40 seconds flat. Genial!!! (awesome) 

                       Easter Egg Hunt at CCM (MTC)- Photos by Mission President Sherman & Linda Doll

   "When the missionaries come back to their rooms at 10:00p each night they're pretty worn out from a long day of study and training.  We let them unwind for about 30 minutes before heading off to bed.  We've had to ban wrestling and arm wrestling as unwinding activities.  Favorite allowed activities are puzzles, trading neckties, playing the piano, journal writing, mending clothing..." -President&Sister Doll                                   

..

Oh and I was able to ride a skateboard for the first time on my mission. I still got my stuff, all my tricks first try. GENIAL(AWESOME!!!!)

Love you all and I don't miss you all. Haha! Just Kidding! I think about you guys in my prayers, and every now and then, Haha! Naw Siempre (Always) 

- Love Elder Perez 

a.k.a. Elder Jaden Smith (they think i look like Will Smith´s son Jaden Smith so they call me that)

Buena Onda (Cool)

Chao(Bye)

THE WEEK OF REVELATIONS AND VISIONS!!!!!!!!!!

Email received: May 26,2014

So the subject is practically what happened. I'll first start out that I have my first baptizm YEAH!!!!! We baptized Jesus and comfirmed Jesus un miembro de La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de los Ultimos Días. Yeah pretty awesome first baptism was Jesus.

Well where to begin...so we have an investigator that is going through a hard time making the choices of being baptized because he doesn't want to live a certain mandamiento(commandment). I honestly told him everything that was going to happen and saw what was going to happen if he choose the wrong path. Yet he still choose the wrong manera(path) even though he heard all that the Lord was going to promise or do. The Lord doesn't lie and all that I said and saw that was going to happen, came to pass, my heart aches for him.

One night I had a dream/vision of someone, I don't know who, but he was telling me that; all that I need to know to help my life and the lives of other was going to be in the chapter of the Book of Mormon that I was going to read in the morning. I asked him if it was a principle of baptism or something that was going to help our investigators, and  I asked him to tell me.  He just said the same thing; that I was going to learn and find out what I must do in the chapter of the Book of Mormon, that I was going to read in the morning.  Then I woke up.

So me just hearing what I needed to do, I got ready just pondering on those thoughts just waiting and really eagered to read the chapter. I finished getting ready and I was going to eat breakfast, but I heard the voice saying, "no go read" so I went and read. I learned so much and saw what I needed to do. I saw what are the two paths that will happen with all of the people that I speak to. Insane just speechless.

So this week during my personal studies the lord kept revealing what I must preach, what the members in my ward need to hear, and more and I cant explain (what it feels like hearing and seeing what is to be done-its insane)

Now this what you are about to hear is mind blowing. I hope the Lord will help you understand what happened. So on Sunday, yesterday, we went to a member/inactive member´s house. The father who is inactive is the father of Jesus.  He told us the reason why he doesn't go to church and how he can only feel the spirit with missionaries. He told us that we are the ¨perfect¨example of how members should be, that he looks at us and always see Christ because that is what we are representatives of: Jesus Christ.
Then I heard a voice that said to me: "tell him my life story and how you are here" I told him my life story, my experience of when I went to my first cita ever with missionaries. What the Lord blessed me with and amazing revelation of what I need to do.
I know he felt the spirit, but he was about to say an excuse to not go to church, and then I cut him off because I heard a voice, a voice that made me scared when i spoke, but yet felt so much love, and it was the Lord. I know it was because the word that left my mouth were of no one else but the Lord. And this is why: a scripture that he told a random member that is visiting my ward.........when I got home.....I heard that same voice read the scripture that i gave you. Never had I been so scared but yet thankful and loved in my whole entire life.

Read Alma 26:22,21,20,19,18,17,16. Exactly like that and read it.  Just put like my name in the spots so like it would read that because "Elder Perez repented and is..."  like that. I just have to say the Lord has revealed so much to me, I cant explain. Like the lord work in mysterious ways and glorious ways.

The Book of Mormon: Alma 26 (click here)

Read the Book of Mormon. The Lord has much to reveal to you.

I say these thing in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Elder Perez

     

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!!

Email Received  05/05/2014
Hey everyone, Elder Perez here and boy what a week. So lets just say that I knew I was gana get sick. I asked my companion to give me a blessing for good health and it worked. U wana know how I know, because usually when I get sick I stay in bed for like two or three days and not do anything. But some how I was able to get up get ready and go walk up and down big hills and these hills are not speed bumps. For those who know where the Ronald Regan Library is, it's like walking up and down that hill about 50-80 times a day!

But let me start from the beginning. So we go to the bottom part of our area and our area is about 10 miles long so we go to the bottom sector and its called Vina Express. My area has no buses that we can use, or taxi, no bikes, just walking or running. So we help this man that is building his house and my pre-training with the Marines before this (going on a mission) helped this man and me out a lot, mainly this man. I carried two bags of small rocks (wet) up an incline that is just out of this world. And the bags weigh about 40-50 pounds each ORAHH!!!! My companion and this man were impressed! I told them, " I may look tiny in my suit  (a bit baggy clothes) but I'm strong.

So after that we go further down to give a blessing to 3 ill members (this is were I got the cold, all is well now) and then we looked at the time and we have to be at another meeting at the other end of our area. We ran 4-5 miles up hills and down. These hills are exactly like Ronald Regan Library hills, some just even better. We ended up being 10 mins late, but it turned out the dad of whom we were to ask permision if we can baptize his son, had left like an hour ago. So his wife told us sorry, to try Friday though. So yeah hahaha. Next, we had to run home, but thank goodness down hill twice, about 2 miles to get home before curfew. We were dripping sweat,  "Thank-you Carmen" for putting me in track and daddy for paying for it. Those years were not wasted. haha. So in the next two days that was when I was at the peak of my illness.  I don't know why, but I never get sick in the other seasons, just only in winter. And its as if all the viruses of all sickness are combined in one for being late and its just a week of suffering. Everyday I wanted to stay in bed but, I know why I'm out here. I got up and still do everyday knowing that there is someone out there ready to hear what I have to say or help (at all cost). Walking up and down hills every day putting my body thru hell, but u know what, I love it!

Because I know (and this is what kept me going) that I wanted to come down to this earth to be just like our Heavenly Father to feel and experience what he did or had. Sickness is what I wanted to have and feel, so i always thought. That was when I thought to myself: "I can't do this. I hate being sick ahhh i want to just die", but then those thoughts just went away and a smile came on (I'm not a happy person when I'm sick i get mad easily.)

But I was able to control my thoughts and my feelings. Trust me, years of practice. So me being sick for 6 days was actually a blessing. I saw God's hand in my life many times and my testimony of what he does and how the Spirit works and helps. Its just insane now. Thanks.

So we have two baptisms coming up. Our investigators that want to be baptized are just amazing, more for next week.

Pictures next week ......computer is not working with me!!!!!!!

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!!!!!

EMAIL ME ronnie.perez@myldsmail.org

"El grupo más feliz del mundo."

                                                "El grupo mas feliz del mundo," Hermana S.D.
                                                Chile Missionary Training Center. April 2014.

"WOW! I'm on the Mission Field!"

Email received by Elder Perez on April 28, 2014.

HI EVERYBODY!!!!!!! WOW I'm on the mission field! Sorry for my incorrect spelling but its even harder now, I want to write in Spanish. When I write in Spanish I want to write in English. 
WOW,my Spanish has improved a lot. I know how to bear my testimony,give lessons in Spanish and all in just over like 3 months. I should be fluent in my Spanish. 

So last week on Tuesday was my first day in the field.  My Mission President dropped us off (my temporary companion Elder L and me) on the other side of town and we had to walk all the way to the mission home, and that took about 2hrs. But it was so we can start preaching the gospel. We got 7 contacts and gave out 2 Book of Mormons to 2 of the 7.  Wednesday I got my companion, my teacher, a.k.a father of my mission, his name is Elder M, he is from Peru.

You guys won't believe this I only eat two meals a day!!!! haha So I'm glad that I never ate breakfast hahaha. But here is the part that sucks: we don't eat dinner!!! Ahh,but it was an easy switcheroo.  

Now check this out:after I got assigned to my companion we had to walk to our apartment and we had to take my three luggage (two of them weigh about 48-50lbs and my 20lbs bag) on foot and on the bus.  To my mother;this is the part u are gana want to skip hahaha.  We are waiting to get on a bus, but they are all full, I mean its a bus of sardines! So there finally came a bus, but it only had room in the back, so that is the way we had to get on the bus.  So I get on the back first,because my companion said to get up so he can pass me my other big luggage and my little luggage, Mommy prepare yourself if u are reading!!!! The bus driver starts to drive off... and here in Chile they put the peddle to the metal. 
I see my companion trying to figure out how to pick up my heavy bag, and when I hear and he hears the bus going, I quickly look at him and the look on his face is worriedness.  The rule on the mission is to always be with your companion at ALL TIMES (minus bathroom). So the bus takes off and its gaining speed, and the back of the door is still open, so the first thing that came to my mind is JUMP. So I grabbed my bag and jumped out of the moving bus, so this way I can be with my companion (lets just say I have a broken leg and arm... just kidding!just kidding!) I jumped and landed, BUT,my bag got CAUGHT,  SO, I was running along side with the bus, until it finally came loose! haha!   My companion asks:what the heck I was doing? And I said, "the bus was leaving and u weren't on, IDK where Imma go and we need to stay together at all times your my companion." He looks at me and says, "Elder, all you had to say was 'WAIT' to the driver..."   Haha- I didn't know, but I still would never know if he would have stop.  
So hey: "obey all the rules" my manual says. ("No matter the cost." this part is my addition.)

I gave a lady on the bus a Book of Mormon and preached to her a bit about it and got her info, then I got off the bus.  When we get to the apartment, its already nighttime and dark. We enter, and my companion  said, "oh by the way he have no electricity."  I said,"Wait what??Wat do u mean we have no electricity?" Behold we had no electricity!  I had to study in the dark with one of his flash lights,  use the restroom with a flash light and even take a shower with a flash light.  Just basically everything with a flash light.  Sigh! 3 days it was like that, it was "romantic" haha that is what me and a member of the ward were saying those 3 days were like haha! 

So, I pretty much had the best awesomeweird start of my mission, HaHa! What do you guys think?

Elder Perez Location April 23,2014: In the mission field!

From: Secretario Misión Chile Viña del Mar
Date: April 23, 2014 at 8:17:09 AM PDT
Subject: Elder Perez

Dear Perez Family,

Your son arrived safely and is now with us in the mission field, we are grateful to have him here.

Here is a picture of him.

Elder T
Secretario Ejecutivo

Misión Chile Viña del Mar

Santiago, Chile. Elder Perez, Vina Del Mar Mission April 2014

"I'm the Zone Leader!!!!!"

Email Received: April 15,2014

I have some awesome things to tell u well first I have my MTC companion and his 
name is Elder P I wish I could put pictures but I forgot my cord in my room 
and only have 30 mins too type because we have to eat and go to the temple that's 
in front of the MTC, it's a three day walk lol naw just 1 min, but Elder P 
has to take out his endowments and I'm going to be his escort. Well the first day I had 
major major jet lag two elders in my district said that we weren't going to have 
class that day but we did. I was able to memorize the objective for us 
missionaries and the first vision but when it came to D and C 4 I couldn't I got 
mad and frustrated and i just want to give up and quit but i calmed myself down 
and humbled myself said a prayer, apologized to God that I wanted to just go home 
because I really want to be here but anyways I'm still working on it. Best thing 
that has happened here is..... I'M THE ZONE LEADER!!!!! When President D ask 
me and Elder P to be the zone leaders I was shocked. I was like wow. I was 
speechless but I knew that when he said that we were the Elders for the job 
that the lord is giving this opportunity to learn or get a great experience from 
it. Also two days ago during my personal studies I was studying repentance 
because this Sunday being a zone leader in charge and responsible for 48 
missionaries I have to give them a lesson. I was taken over by the spirit and I 
started. I don't know what, but I made a parable, I would like to type it but only 
got ten more mins, but I bore it to my district (we are district 2) they were 
stunned and speechless same with two other Elders that sleep in my room and haha 
one of the teachers said I'm a be like a "70" or an Apostle something like that... 
People here in Chile speak way to fast. But over all my Spanish has improved 
alot I'm able to bear my testimony and know more gospel doctrine. Well time to go 
and eat and prepare myself and my companion to go to the temple! Love u daddy 

ps: Tuesdays are my personal days

He made it safe and sound! :)

 Email Received: April 9,2014
Subject: DADDY!!!!!! Its Jr.!!!!!

Hi daddy send this to mommy and to everyone else.  Well yesterday was
a long long day but was pretty awesome when I got to Georgia I ran into
9 other elders and one of them was and is with me at the MTC and has
the same calling as me! Elder L is an awesome missionary. me and
him are only staying here at the MTC for 2 weeks! Well times out and I
have to go love all you guys and I'll send pictures later. Bye time to
go hopefully we can email tomorrow. I'm safe and well and ready to
serve.

TIMELINE

Sent out misison paperwork.
Recieved mission call letter.
Temple Endowment.
Fareawell Talk Erringer Ward
Fareawell Talk Simi 3rd Ward
Set apart as Elder Perez Arleta Ward
Departing Flight LAX to Santiago, Chile
Arrived at Chile MTC