Week 4

November 23, 2016

Man what an exciting week. Here are some of my highlights:

1. I got my bags which was pretty cool

2. One of my roommates has been so excited that I had peanut butter that he bought my jiff jar off of me for 70 soles. I feel really bad about it but he's really excited about having it. 

3. We went proselyting and I thought it was super cool. It went a lot better than I thought it would.

So for the past couple of days Rolando has had it pretty rough. Actually more like he's being rough on us. In the next lesson (meaning the one after we asked him to be baptized) he said that he was really into smoking and hanging out and partying with girls. But he said he wanted to change. So Elder Draney and I decided to teach him the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity next. Once we knocked he had us come in and after he asked my question, How was your day, He straight up asked us if we could say a prayer right there. My companion and I looked at each other and was like OK that's weird. But straight after that he started saying that he really wanted to change. We had no idea what we were going to do to help him so Elder Draney started to share some scriptures with him from second Nephi. I just kept sitting there wondering what we were going to share because I could feel that what Elder Draney was saying wasn't what Rolando needed to hear. I immediately got this feeling to open my Book of Mormon and share what was in there. I can't remember exactly where it is in the Book of Mormon but it was the story when Alma is teaching his son Helaman about his conversion story and seeing the angel. After we shared that story with Rolando everything went quiet And I knew it was right for him then. Tonight we are going to see what has happened to Rolando because that story is from our last lesson. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is true. And I know that the Holy Ghost helps lead us and guide us throughout our lives. And I know that I am nothing without him so I need to constantly keep being worthy to have him in my life. 

I Love you all,

Elder Garbett

Twins!

Sweater Selfie

PEANUT BUTTER!

Week 3 in the CCM

November  15, 2016

Wow. this week was pretty interesting. Here are some of my highlights:

1. We got two new "investigators" this last week and their names are Anna and Rolando.

2. In our second lesson with Rolando he told us that he believed the Book of Mormon is true and I got to ask him if he wanted to be baptized. 

3. He accepted and after we left I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs! It was so awesome. 

4. All of the avansados and latinos left yesterday but we're supposed to be getting more tonight, meaning that all of us will be the avansados. 

5. Last night in our room we found a Book of Mormon inside of the ceiling from the last group of missionaries. There were four missionaries from Arizona and two from Idaho. It was soooo kool!

In the beginning I wasn't feeling the spirit very much but ever since we got our first "baptism" he's been hitting me with a sledge hammer. I know that he's gonna be working me very hard since we have a proselyting activity this Saturday where we will go out of the walls and preach to actual people, and we will be the avansados to the new missionaries coming in. I know that he will always be there for me and he will always be there for you. I love all of you and I am loving all of your emails. 

Con mucho amor,
Elder Garbett

Thoughtful Selfie

Outdoor Recreation

View of the CCM grounds

CCM Elder

Dark Selfie

Close up

Book of Mormon previous Elders left with names, dates, and missions

Week 2 Report

November 9, 2016

Hey guys!                                                  

        So week two was a lot better than week one. Unfortunately my bags haven't come in yet. I'm pretty sure that they won't ever come in. But I'm fine with that, Hermana Moore (the presidente's wife) has supplied me with all that I need. After your first eleven days in the CCM one of the branch presidency gets to interview you. I got to be interviewed by Elder Burton and instead of calling me by my last name he remembered me by bag man. His first question to me was what I missed the most from my bags. And in all honesty I could have (and should have) said something different but I told him the peanut butter that we packed in my bags. The next day a whole bunch of us went to Interpol to get our visas (which was super boring. We stood around for 4 hours for a 5 minute process) and by the time we got back my companion and I decided to head to our class to grab some stuff. On my desk was a grocery bag and inside was some peanut butter. I love Elder Burton!!!!

        I've noticed one thing about the whole gift of tongues thing for me. I don't have it. But one thing that I do like about it is that I'm gaining it ever so slowly. But what sucks about it is that I know I have the interpretation of tongues so I can understand exactly what people are saying in Spanish but I can't say what I want to say. All in all it gets pretty frustrating but I can see it improving every day. 

         After I got to email all of you last week a couple of our districts got to go to the Lima temple. That place is so tiny! Everything during the session was in English for our sake but I got to do some of the stuff in Spanish! It was so awesome and I felt the spirit a lot. The Celestial room was tiny and I had to wait almost a half hour for my companion to finish his session cuz we got split but I will say the wait was worth it. 

          Afterwards we got to take some pictures and there was a guy just outside the gate who was selling these really legit ties. I didn't get one but I'm really planning on doing it today. For the Elders on the third floor, ties are like the main item in the black market. Everyone will do anything for a tie that somebody else has. One guy spent twenty soles (which is like six and a half dollars) for a tie but he could have bought the same tie from that guy by the temple for 15 soles. 

          I'm really having fun out here serving the Lord and I know he is with me. I'd like to thank you all for your prayers for me. I have been able to feel them pushing me on. 

From,

Elder Garbett

                                                            

                                       Lima Temple Pics

First Week Report

November 2, 2016

Hey Guys!!

So this week was very long but also very short at the same time. There are so many missionaries out here that are from Arizona. I feel like Our district is the best out here. 

So we got here in Lima at around 12 and we didn't make it  to the CCM until about 2am and didn't go to sleep until around 330am. My bags didn't come in but I have been surviving on what I brought as my carry on and what Hermana Moore has been able to provide for me. I was pretty discouraged one day about my bags but the Lord decided to send a soccer ball my way and let´s just say it wasn't a fun experience. I have prayed so much about my bags and I am confident that the Lord will make everything well. 

Every day till about noon the sky is just overcast and then it feels like the evening in Phoenix. Muy Bueno. 

The food here is amazing! I haven´t been able to finish all my food every single time but I wish I could. Sorry Elder Sprague but we are able to have one thing of ice cream after every meal for lunch and dinner. I have probably gained like 10 pounds just off of the ice cream.

The real thing we fight for is mantequilla (butter). Butter is life over here. The Ladies in the cafeteria always have little things of pan out every meal and they are never good without butter but with a little butter they are to die for. But there´s one catch, butter is only served for breakfast and we can´t take anything out of the cafeteria. So we decided that during breakfast we'd take as much mantequilla as we can without looking suspicious and hide them in the napkin holders and under the tables. 

The classes here are pretty difficult but I think I have picked up more spanish in the week I've been here than I did the 4 and a half years of school. Everybody tries to talk to you in Spanish until you can´t hold a conversation and then the go to English. I can understand when somebody is talking to me but my mind is super slow when it comes to talking. 

It seems like almost everyone here can play the piano and so I haven´t really been asked to do anything yet. I do have a musical number but it isn't for a couple of weeks. I've been kinda depressed because I feel like I haven´t been used a lot and I haven´t received a calling yet (besides being an ambassador to the Lord). 

I´m having fun here and I really hope that I can hear from you guys and how your lives are going. Two years are going to fly.

Love,

Elder Garbett

Missionary Name Tag!!

Elder Draney (Companion)

Rowan's MTC District

Elder Marcum

CCM (MTC)