Fishing for Families (September 15, 2014)

As a mission, we are focusing hardcore on looking for families to establish the church in Piura, Perú. Every single letter, announcement, joke, call, etc. is centered on finding, teaching, and baptizing families. I also went fishing today. Hence the title, hahaha. I actually caught a little fish too, for the first time in my life. Good day.

Anyways, it has been a good week. We are doing lots of new things in Pueblo Nuevo, have lots of good people progressing and are pretty happy. My new companion is pretty stellar: Elder Rodas. We have a pretty good time, especially because his English is pretty good. We joke around a lot and work hard together to teach and find with the Spirit. 

It feels kind of weird to be in the zone now. All of my old mission pals have been transfered to other parts in Piura, and so I am kind of here on my own. It is kind of like I am old news. Oh well, I still get to enjoy the great weather! Seriously, we get COLD here! It is sooo nice. I will miss Paita when I leave next transfer.

Well, that is about it. Not too much for this week! Thanks to all y espero que tengan buena semana! ¡Cuídense mucho!

- Elder Dax Rich

Baptism, the First Ordinance of the Gospel (September 8, 2014)

Drum roll. I am....still here in Pueblo Nuevo! Yeah, that makes this my fourth transfer in the family group of Pueblo Nuevo. (6 months, ¡qué loco!) The cool thing is that I get to really take the helm know and work with all of the new investigators that we have run into. I hope to have lots of good news to report to everyone!

My new companion is named, Elder Rodas. He is from Bolivia and he has 9 months in the mission, so I am with someone with experience. (Yes!) He seems pretty great, so I look forward to this next transfer. 

This past week I attended two baptisms of two different families. It was pretty awesome. I also held this baptismal interviews two days before, so it was cool to interview them and then afterwards see them be baptized. They were also grateful that I left Pueblo Nuevo to see them on their big day. (Although, one of the little girls that I had to interview in the first family cried for like 20 minutes because she was scared of the "big, scary Gringo." Oh well, as my district would say to me, "sucks to suck, Elder Rich.") The baptisms were pretty crazy as there was no water in the town, so we had to fill the tank with buckets of water. Crazy stuff. However, the services themselves were very spiritual. I was invited to do another solo, and so for the first time since Tumbes, I sang a solo to "When I am Baptized" (in English!) with a sister from Utah playing the piano. It was quite the performance.

A lot has happened and I have seen a lot, too. Baptism really is only just the start to a new life as a follower of Jesus Christ. I see so many people falling away from Christ after their baptisms and I get so sad. The temple is the focus. It is my focus. I want to come home one day and get married in the temple to have an eternal family. That is the real goal. Baptism means nothing if we can´t enter in the kingdom of God with our families. I hope everyone can one day share my vision.

My love to you all, and I will try to send some pictures next week. Until then, ¡cuídense mucho!

- Elder Dax Rich

But, It's Not My Wallet (September 1, 2014)

Another good ol´ week here in Pueblito Nuevito. We went on exchanges this week and I was with elder Benalcázar, so obviously it was a fiesta. We ran into so many families,  it was bacanísimo. I also learned a great gospel analogy that is part of my title. I will get to  that in a second.

First off, the highlight of the week. For the first time in MY ENTIRE MISSION, i have an entire family with a baptismal date, and their kids who are married are now ALL listening to us with their families. In total, it is four families who are progressing and one with the baptismal date. Transfers are next week so I will probably leave before i see the baptisms, but what a miracle. This area has only seen 3 baptisms in over a year, and now it will be getting a ton more. I truly am greateful and amazed at the blessings of the Lord.

 

Now for the analogy. For those of you who have seen Spongebob, there is an episode when Spongebob and his friend patrick try to teach a villian, Manray how to be a good person. It has been more than a year since ive seen this, so  fforgive me for the incorrect quoting, but I would like to quote one part and then apply it to the Gospel and how Elder B. and I feel about missionary work.

Patrick intentionally drops his wallet and Manray has  to practice being a good person by returning it to Patrick. Manray picks up the wallet and  says to Patrick:

Manray: Sir, i believe you dropped your wallet.

patrick:  Nope, that isnt my wallet.

manray. What? But I saw you drop it.

patrick: nope, not mine.

manray: Inside this wallet is a liscense, and it has your name and your picture. It is your card, no?

Patrick: yes, it is mine.

manray. okay, well I found this inside of your wallet, so that must mean that this wallet is yours, right?

patrick: that makes sense to me.

manray. then take it.

patrick. but its not my wallet.

Yes, it is sadly just like us and the Gospel. Here:

Us: the bible says the true church of Jesus Christ was established with prophets, apostles, and the priethood.

Them: that´s true.

us: Okay, well our church has prophets, apostles, both called of God, and the priesthood restored through the laying on of hands as taught by christ. therefore, our church should be the true church, no?

Them: that makes sense to me.

Us: then be baptized.

Them: but I already go to another church.

Elder Benalcázar had a good laugh about this. Anyways, that was my story for the week. The church is true, the prophet is true, and I am quite positive I am in the work of the Lord. Next week I may be writing from another part in Piura.

Until then, Cuidense.

- Elder Dax Rich

El Perrito y el Gatito (August 25, 2014)

So, it is official. Bon Jovi has many songs in Spanish. I don`t know if a favorite artist can become a mega-favorite artist, but Bon Jovi just achieved that level. Two thumbs up to Bon Jovi.

 

It was a pretty stellar week, as for the first time in my whole time in Pueblo Nuevo, we had FAMILIES of investigators come to church. We had in total 10 investigators in church yesterday, and it even wasn`t a normal church meeting: it was a conference of all the branches in Paita. So, who else was there but my mission president. It was like going to a meeting with Paul from the New Testament. The Spirit just slayed like every person there. I may get transfered soon, but I am pretty sure Pueblo Nuevo will see A LOT of baptisms in the near future. I was pretty content.

During the conference, we heard lots of good talks, but the title of this entry was the best talk I heard. It´s called "the Dog and the Cat." The speaker explained that, as we know, when the owner walks into his house, his dog runs up to him, showering him with love and wet kisses. The dog runs in circles around the master, barks his approval and gratitude, and evens does flips for the owner. The dog sees the man as the one who feeds, clothes, protects, loves, and helps him. Therefore, the man to the dog is God. The cat on the other hand stays on the couch, sleeping. It may even take off for a few days and come back when it wants. It sees the man as the one who feeds, clothes, protects, loves, and helps it. Therefore, the cat to the man is God, because he gets all of these blessings without having to do anything in return.

The speaker then asked who we were. Do we show our love, appreciation, admiration, and loyalty to the God who "clothes the lillies of the field" or do we just lazily do whatever we want and expect God to shower us with blessings? We must be anxiously engaged in a righteous cause and run to our Master as we serve Him in church callings and other capacities.

I truly liked that and thought about being like Lucky and Sugar (my dogs) and demonstrate all of my love for God as often as I can. I hope we can all learn from Lucky and Sugar and be anxious engaged in a righteous cause!

My love to you all! I pray the best for everyone and I hope you all have a "bacán week!"

- Elder Dax Rich

La gente esta muy loca (August 18, 2014)

So, we had a pretty crazy, yet pretty normal week here in Pueblo Nuevo. Yes, that is to say that every single week is a pretty crazy week here. We generally say the name of the title of the entry every single day. In fact, to prove it, we made a video of knocking a door. It was quiiite funny. I would send you all a copy, but well...I can´t. Just gotta wait a year!

With all of the craziness, I had a lot of experiences worth sharing, but to keep it quick I will share two small ones and then a big one.

First off, I got sick after I ate a very humble dish of Ají de Atún. It is like my favorite dish Ají de Gallina, but it has tuna. It caused me to become so sick that I had to sleep with a THICK blanket, my sweater, jeans, and socks. I was ready to die belly-up in the oceans of Paita. But, I am better now! (ish)

We also had a cool experience with prayer, where I taught a single mother with her 3 little kids the importance of prayer. They had lost the keys to their house and were searching all afternoon until we came. I instantly said, "did you pray?" Obviously, they didn´t and so we prayed.  Literally 4 minutes later, we found the keys. And that is why we pray, folks.

And then...sacrament meeting. I almost blew a fuse. No one was in the casa capilla at 10 AM (when we start) and so I started calling members at home. One family said, "Oh, I am sorry. I DIDN´T KNOW THERE WAS A MEETING TODAY." I was like, "What the freak??" Then, another family came in WITH THEIR WORK CLOTHES AND GOODS TO SELL. What lack of respect. But that isn´t it. 2 of the 5 Elders (which is a position in the Priesthood, not only for missionaries but for Priesthood leaders) did not come because ONE WAS SLEEPING AND THE OTHER WAS DRINKING.

Ladies and gentlemen. If you thought Jeffery R. Holland knew how to burn people in English, then you should have seen how I burned these folks in Spanish. I spoke to the group about a story in the Book of Mormon of a fellow named Lehonti who ended up dying because he gave into a little temptation. I pointed (indirectly) out the people by using selling and buying on the Sabbath as a temptation, drinking with friends and family as another, and well just plain laziness. The commandments DO NOT change. I think I said that like three times. Anyways, let´s just say I was full of the Spirit in a righteous fury, and I ended my talk with a powerful scripture from the Bible with another fellow who was tempted to leave his high position to basically sin. In Nehemiah 6:3, Nehemiah said simply enough,

"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?"

Amen, hermano. We do not have time to sin. We do not have time to work on the Sabbath day. We do not have time to be lazy and say, "well everyone else is doing it, therefore I can too." The Lord will come soon and we just do not have time to be dumb and take the commandments for granted.

Yes, it was a crazy week, but I am eternally grateful for being here in Pueblo Nuevo. It is a fantastic blessing and will provide me with a powerful testimony for when I come home.

I love you all and pray the best for everyone! ¡Cuídense mucho!

- Elder Dax Rich

Be Not Afraid (August 11, 2014)

So, this was another crazy week. Seriously, Pueblo Nuevo is like a constant learning experience. It tests everything I know about missionary work, and then some. It tests all of my leadership abilities, and puts loads of responsibility on my shoulders. If I grow at all on my mission, it will be because of the little town located 40 minutes from Paita, Peru. 

But, because I am left with 5 minutes, I will keep it short and just share an awesome thought that came to mind as I studied the story of my favorite person in the Book of Mormon: Captain Moroni (for full story on Captain Moroni...read Alma in the Book of Mormon, haha). In one part of his story in the huge war, Moroni sent a letter to his enemy asking for a few things, but also testifying that God was helping them win the war. It was interesting that he bore his testimony, because his enemy didn`t believe in God, and what`s more is that he was an old member of the church, but then left and completly denied God and all things related to it. Yet, Moroni was not afraid to testify of the truth of a living God. It was a lot like Paul in the Bible who said,

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."

I truly believe that it is important to be firm in the faith and in our testimonies. There is a living God who loves all of His children and wants their salvation.

My love to all, and I pray for your success this week! ¡ Cuídense!

- Elder Dax Rich

¡Hasta la vista, hermanito! (August 4, 2014)

So, now there are 3 of the Richs out on the Lord`s errand. And we still haven`t found the 3 Nephites nor found out where the Garden of Eden is. Oh well, that just means I have goals for my last year, yohoho!

Lots of crazy, crazy things happened this week, but to keep it short: my companion is going to Lima this week, we have an awesome family who we are teaching...who probably will never come back to church because of a CRAZY testimony meeting, and we played missionary mafia. I have never learned so much about the culture of the mission in a 30 minute-block of time.

Admist all of the craziness, I did run into some great stories. I did intercambios with an awesome elder, Elder Benalcazar (who also wants a Book of Mormon in Japanese, just throwing that out there, Mom) who studied part of the story of Captain Moroni with me. Captain Moroni is one of my favorite leaders in the Book of Mormon who just seems to always be 2 steps ahead of the enemy. His story is crazy, crazy good, and I will leave you all to read it (from Chapters 43-60 in the book of Alma). However, I want to share one part from my study...when Captain Moroni raised the famous "Title of Liberty."

Captain Moroni saw that his great enemy was growing in strength, but also turning the hearts of Moroni`s friends against God and against the government. So, Moroni took action:

"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land" 

Moroni decided that the best course of action was to change the vision of the people. They could only see the iniquity and the temporary pleasures of revolt and anarchy. However, Moroni knew that true happiness and freedom existed in the family, with God, and in trusting in the law of the land. Therefore he created a title to literally raise the vision of his people. I hope we can all see the Gospel as this title. The Gospel improves our eternal happiness through families, God, and obedience, and if we keep our vision fixed on this higher plane of existence, we will find a greater sense of joy, purpose, and faith.

The Book of Mormon is the best. I am so glad everyone in my family is serving the Lord in different ways and that we are all enjoying the miraculous power of the Book of Mormon. I pray that you all can come to "feast upon the words of Christ" for quite truly "(they) will tell you all things what ye should do." It is the best book in the world, and I am so grateful to be a member and a missionary for the church of God established nuevamente on the earth in these latter days.

I love you all and pray the best for everyone.

¡ Cuídense!

- Elder Dax Rich

Feliz Cumpleaños a: Aimee, Utah, y Perú! (July 28, 2014)

A week of birthdays! Two elders in my district, my own sister, the state I was born in, and the country in which I am serving my mission (although, only Peru´s birthday is today, so really just happy birthday to Peru).

Today also happens to be transfers, so as you can imagine, it has been a crazy week. I could tell you about all of the crazy adventures we had this week, but I will just leave it up to my pictures and your imaginations to imagine what happened. All I can say is that I have some great pictures to share with everyone when I get home.

Amidst all of the parties, travels, and gifts, I got my hands on the Liahona with the conference talks from April in English as well as the Doctrine and Covenants DVD box set in English, so I went on a studying spree in English this past week. Therefore, I do not have one scripture in particular to share with you this week nor one talk to share (because I read so many good ones) but I did want to share my testimony of the Restoration after all of the things I read.

That is the first missionary lesson: The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This message is why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the (logically) only true church of God on earth. However, logic alone cannot sell the message to the world. For that reason, God called a boy named Joseph Smith to be a modern-day prophet and to later seal the testimony of the restoration with Joseph´s own blood. Later (as depicted in the movie "Legacy" in my lovely D and C box set DVD) God sent the "Mormons" to various states to not only build His kingdom but to suffer afflictions and abuse. Our story is sealed with the terrible opposition that was presented against us: just as was the case with the prophets of old and just as was the case with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

I love that God does not just give us a testimony on a silver platter. That would be too easy. That wouldn´t let us have a testimony built of steel. There MUST be opposition in the face of the truth so that the truth can shine forth like a diamond on a piece of black cloth. I am also grateful for my testimony that has been forged (perhaps not through bloodshed or terrible abuse/opposition but rather) through the difficult trials presented to us in these Last Days. I know this church is true and I am so excited that next week the Rich family will have three of its members serving the Lord in his vineyard.

This truly is the work of salvation, and I have not a single doubt of it.

- Elder Dax Rich