The worth of souls

Mom, Dad and family,

This week was really exciting. We have been working really hard to have success and we gained a lot of great experiences. Sunday we had a baptism of a girl named (Siahra Cacerez) (9 años) It was exciting.
We took out a baptismal date with a Young man that is22 on Saturday. We were disappointed Sunday when we went looking for him (to go to church so that he can be baptized) only to find that he was not home. After our Sacrament meeting we went to his house and we invited him to go to the Sacrament meeting of another branch that is at 4-5 o clock. He was not really excited to go so I said "look if you want to be baptized it is very important that you can go to church. If you don’t you will not be able to be baptized"
He went with us to church in his suit and his tie. He is very excited again and I can testify that
THE WORTH OF A SOUL IS GREAT IN THE EYES OF GOD.
I WAS SOOOO GRATEULL TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT and SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. I KNOW THAT GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! I AM EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR NEW CALLING. I KNOW THAT YOU WILL DO A GREAT JOB, LIKE ALWAYS, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

I DO HAVE INFO about the changes I AM GOING TO TAHUANTINSUYO I am going to die where I was born, and I have great news.
I HAVE BEATEN YOU MOM AND DAD I WILL HAVE 5 SONS. I will be training again!

I love you and am so grateful for you.
I am glad that the Lord is blessing you. I hope you get better mom.
I love you,

~Elder Griffin~

Elder Gaverret

Family and Friends,

This week was absolutely amazing.
We had a huge conference with ELDER GAVARRET from the 70. We were able to feel the spirit very strongly in the training that he gave us. He talked a lot about how we can have more success and I was able to find out a lot of things that I did not know before. I love the work of the Lord and am so grateful to be part of it for 2 more months. I was so grateful to be able to hear your voices and be able to tell you some things that I have learned in the mission.

Like I said we had a great Idea on how we can work more united with the members and we are going to be applying this plan with all of our members in our branch. I really feel that this will work and I hope that you guys can pray for me and my district. I love you and really hope that everything is excellent.

I feel very bad, once again I DONT HAVE THE TIME TO WRITE ANYONE ELSE, because we came from Chancay to HUACHO and we came a little late.
SORRY I LOVE YALL,

Cuidense mucho.
ELDER GRIFFIN

Upcoming Mother's Day Call

Family and Friends,
This week was fantastic.

Sometimes I don’t have the patience to wait for the progress of the investigators but then I remember just HOW PATIENT GOD HAS BEEN WITH ME and I think about how I can become better and have more patience with them. We had the Idea of asking God in a series of prayers (1 for every investigator) if they are really ready to progress or if they need time alone. We felt the spirit very strong and we were able to feel if the person was ready or if they needed more time.

My companion is coming out of his shell. He is new like you all know and really had a little bit of fear setting a baptismal but now we had a little division with two members and the result is that he set a baptismal date all by his self. He is really progressing and I know that he has a lot of potential. We are working more united and really are having a lot of spiritual experiences.

I love you all so much and am so grateful for your help in everything.

MOM I LOVE YOU AND HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT MOTHERS DAY!!! I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN I HAVE UPDATES ON THE PHONE CALL.

ELDER BUDGE IS IN MY ZONE...HE IS FROM GRANDMA GRACES WARD. LET HER KNOW PLEASE

I really have learned so much in the mission. I have learned that you sometimes you can not know the importance or value of something until you have lost it or are separated from it. You and Dad are my heroes and I really am excited to hear your voices again.

CUIDENSE....LES AMO

What plans do you have for mother’s day?
I hope that you spend it having fun?
Remember that I love you and am so grateful for the impact that you have had in my life.
If it were not for you I wouldn’t have been born,
wouldn’t have had so many opportunities to grow,
probably wouldn’t have gone on a mission, etc.
Yo soy quien soy por tú causa . ___TRANSLATION: I am who I am because of you.

I love you mom,
LOVE YA’LL,

ELDER GRIFFIN

I love my Companion

Hola, Familia y Amigos,

This week was really interesting. We were able to find many investigators. My companion is really cool and we are learning a lot together.
I did get the pictures of the outside of our house. It is very beautiful. How are you guys?? I really am great and am working hard for the last 60 days of my mission. How can you possibly count the days.
I love you guys.

(Elder Griffin’s response to some news about acquaintances that are choosing wrong choices)

YA, that usually happens when you haven’t fully repented of your sins and you don’t want to accept the shame and the culpa (consequences), I don’t remember that word in ENGLISH, well you know what I mean.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS

CHAU, I love you and am so grateful for your love and concern that you always have had for me.

~Elder Griffin~

Short note

Thanks for all of your letters. I am great.
This week has been very interesting. We have received a lot of references from our members and well we are really working hard with them.
Chancay-Huaral, Perú
Chancay is a beach town. It is really small, clean, and calm. We are enjoying ourselves.
My companion is ELDER TAX (it is pronounced ELDER TASH). He is from Guatemala.
I love you guys so much and am glad to hear that the Lord is blessing you in your work and in everything you do.

ELDER GRIFFIN

Gaining the Branch Presidents Trust

Buenos Dias
My week...

We had changes and like I said I am training, but not just anyone. He is the cousin of a ex-assistant that I know and that was serving in the mission. He is really famous, in the mission and well his cousin is cool too. We have already had some success.

We entered in our area on Wednesday and well things have been going great. We met a member that has been going through a separation and well he has been really down and depressed. We listened to him tell his story of devoted service and blessings in his life and he told us that little by little he was not going to church, wasn’t praying, wasn’t having FHE and wasn’t doing his part and that is when his life hit bottom. His wife started to make many wrong decisions and well after a while when he woke up he didn’t have anything. His family had left him; he didn’t have clothes, a TV, or any objects. He thought about taking his life on more than one occasion. He told us that he is always thinking of his wife and kids, and that it is very hard for him. He than told us that in his moment of despair that the Branch President knocked on his door and told him that he had a deep impression that didn’t leave his mind. The impression is that he needed talk to this brother. He called him as the Young Men’s President. We made a promise to him that as he serves the Lord and always has the Lord on his mind that Christ will put the puzzle together. He is now active and has had MANY testimony growing experiences with us. He is a clown and really knows a lot of people in this small town. Thanks to him we are having a lot of success. He is now so happy and animated.

We had a conversation with the Branch President. We asked him for a list of 10 inactive families. He told us that he only wanted us to work with 5. I told him the reason why we wanted 10, is because it is a rule that President Pérez has given us and I explained to him that we will be giving a weekly report on their progress. He started to tell us that he had a list of 24 kids that have not been baptized. I told him that President Pérez wants us to focus on baptizing families and men. He told me, ¨but Elder these are baptisms¨. I expressed my love and told him that we have the goal as a companionship to divide your Branch. We can baptize these 24 kids and your Branch will not divide but we can baptize 7 families or Men and you might be able to Divide your Branch.
In the end he gave us a list of 10 families, and we went with him to visit two of these families. We gained his trust and now he knows that I am not a trunky Elder that really I am here to help him.
After that he gave us a list of all the people that have not yet been baptized but are members kids. We received about 6 possible or future baptisms.

We are very excited with our progress. I really do love the mission and I know that God will be at our side that really we can have 8 baptisms in a newly Divided Branch. Pray for us and I know that your prayers will help.

I love you and hope that everything has been great.
I did receive one B-Day Package, Thanks.
Love,
~Elder Griffin~

General Conference

This week was a very memorable week...
We have changes. I am going to Huacho, Norte Chico. It’s close to Barranca were I was at a while back. I am going to have my 4th son. I am very excited for the change and have a lot of things to do.

The conference was amazing. I was able to hear half of it in English and the other half in Spanish. I took out of the conference some points.
1. a greater love for my family.
2. a greater love for the authorities of the church
3. a greater love for our Savior Jesus Christ and His atonement.
4. a greater love for the Book of Mormon

I am very excited for the future. I feel calm, happy, pure, and really am having a great time. I know that I still can change many things and sometimes the disappointment kicks in, but I have great faith in the atonement and I know that I can conquer whatever challenge that faces me.

Thank you so much for being parents so great. I too was born of goodly parents, and have been taught in the ways of my father (and mother). Everyday I think of all the things I learned in my childhood. I still remember the promise that you gave me mom, that as I would read the Book of Mormon my studies would become better and that I would be able to understand books easier. I honestly did not believe it at the time and didn’t take the challenge upon me, until I came on the mission. Thanks to you and your loving challenge and promise, I took upon me to read the Book of Mormon and try to understand it. I have now read the Book of Mormon like 4-5 times in the mission and I now have a love for it, and I now am not afraid to read other books that teach me good things.

There are many lessons that I have been learning, all the times that you thought I was not listening I now understand that the words did penetrate my mind and have changed my attitude, the way I think, and who I am.
Thanks for being AWESOME PARENTS. I love you
~ELDER GRIFFIN~

We Broke the Record!

We broke the record of our area. Our record was 6 baptisms and we passed it we had 8 baptisms in this month. What a happy birthday.
Angie and her daughter Yzabho were baptized.
The hermana Angie had a really hard time preparing.
Her husband is a really bad man. He didn’t want her to go to church and also forced her to have an abortion.
She had two interviews before she could be baptized. I am happy that after all the things that happened, she was baptized.
For my birthday we had two big parties, and it was really fun.
Tuesday we went to the temple and I went a little bit all out. I bought some pretty cool stuff.

I really am happy in these moments and I am still waiting to see a picture of our house.

I love you mom, dad and really hope that everything is going great.

Do you have news about the job dad? How are you mom?
That is true that time goes quickly. I did tell you that my journals and my notebook of memories were lost about 5 months ago. I will start another one up.

I love you dad and know that you will do great in the new job.
I have not gotten my package yet but it is IN LIMA. The rules in the mission are interesting but I think tomorrow I will receive it.
I love you guys and hope the best.
I have g2g.
Chau.
les amo.
~Elder Griffin~

The Birthday and Eating Cuy

Well I feel very happy that I got so many emails. If you can give everybody un brazo gigante or a big hug, and tell them thanks. I will try to get some emails off but for the time it is hard.

This week was very interesting we had our 5 baptism in this month. Our record is 6 in this area and we have 2-3 more planned for this weekend. I am very happy and content with that.
My birthday, wow it was interesting. Yesterday we had pancakes for breakfast, and a really good lunch. Saturday we had Cuy or hamster. Well we had 2 get togethers with investigators and members. I was a little disappointed that I could not write you on my B-Day but I understand that it is not about me. Today we went to the temple and well I read your mind. I bought some pretty cool things there. I love going to the temple and receiving that battery filling experience. (Spiritually speaking) I really have been thinking about how blessed I have been. To be born in a Mormon family with so many other blessings.
I really do feel old. 21 I tell everybody that now legally I can buy alcohol...jk
I still have not gotten my package but I think the theme song of my mission is ¨patience, patience, lots of patience, ya ya ya.¨with piano written.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO...I LOVE YOU.

~Elder Griffin~

Package from Rasmussens

mamá, papá, y familia...

This week was full of ups and downs...first the ups.
1. We had the baptism of the Yañez family. (3 people)
2. I received a package and letters from the Rasmussen fam.

the downs.
1. 4 people did not go to church and so they will not be baptized on the dates that we had set.

Well, I am really happy and am excited for this week. It was so exciting to hear from the Rasmussens and to get a package. It always makes my week or month to hear from family and friends back home. The baptism went well for the Yañez family. they will be a great asset to the church in Peru.

Of course I get frusterated when people make commitments and then it falls through. Sometimes they just dont see the whole picture and are not able to prioritize the gospel in their lives. It is truly sad because it affects every aspect of their lives.

That is exciting that Pres. Knudsen will give me permission to visit Ry.
Let me know how everybody is. I love you and am so very grateful for all that you do.
I love you chau...
~Elder Griffin~

Earthquake in Chile

I am doing very well; we are having a lot of success! We now have 9 baptismal dates for the month of March. That is a great b-day present. We also had 12 investigators in the church. We are very happy and content with all of the blessings that the Lord is giving us. I love you guys and am so grateful for your love and support.

That is really exciting that it snowed so much during this past week. I have a question. Have you guys heard about the huge earthquake in Chile. ¿Como está Derek? Have you heard anything? (Elder Griffin’s cousin was called to Chile, but was still in the MTC in Provo during the earthquakes there).
Honestly speaking, we haven`t had many affects from the earthquake we are SO far away from Chile that we didn`t even feel anything. But the water on the beach has gone back 300 meters, and they say that there might be a tsunami. But we are so far away from the beach that we would just see it from a distance if it was GIGANTIC. I am secure that the Lord is protecting us every day, and I am not worried.

We have a mission rule that we CAN NOT speak English...we only have two gringos in our zone...Elder Merrill and I. We slip sometimes but really don`t speak English often. 100% I don`t think so but I would be safe to say....90%. Writing is sometimes a little hard...in English and Español.
I love you.
Chau mama, papa, y todos.
~Elder Griffin~

Jesus is our Rock

Mom, Dad and family;

This week was a week to remember, we had the baptism Saturday and the bad thing is that no one showed up from the ward, our ward mission leader, us and our golden family of three that have a date later in the month. (MITCHEL, PATRICIA, AND BRISA) They showed up and I felt bad that they had to see that none of the leaders showed up to the baptism and that the investigator didn’t show up either.
ON SUNDAY WE HAD THE BAPTISM OF JACOB¨10 yr old¨ his inactive parents and grandma came to the baptism.
Sunday, the family above went to church together for the first time and are very excited for their baptism on the 13 of March. I AM ALSO VERY EXCITED about Angie and Juanita, it`s an interesting story. I contacted her with my companion. She was arguing with a man (an acquaintance that didn`t fix the T.V. like she needed) in front of her house. I felt we needed to talk to her. We taught her and the man for about 20 minutes, and the man was very negative and really did not want to hear us. We returned days after to visit her to find out that she had invited another friend to the visit, Angie. After a couple of visits we learned that the two of them have husbands. Angie hasn`t assisted the church but told Patricia that she also wants to be baptized. So on Tuesday we will take a baptismal date for the 20 of March.
Que dice la vida, translation: what does your life say, translation gringo: how is the life? I really don`t understand sometimes the leaders, but we are so blessed to live in a place as holy as UTAH. (We told Elder Griffin that people all over the world have a problem obeying the Sabbath Day especially in Utah, where we should know better). I totally corrected them in a talk that I gave about how we can become founded upon the rock of our Redeemer.
The Earthquake in Chile, area was built upon the beach. GOD GIVES US MANY SIGNS AND EXAMPLES IN THE WORLD IN WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE ARE NOT PREPARED.
How can we be built upon the Gospel
-Prayer
-Study of the scriptures
-obey the commandments.
-fasting
-going to church and keeping the Sabbath day holy.
After my talk we went to call in a market and saw members buying things.
I Don’t UNDERSTAND IT!!! I know that the LORD will judge them and I don`t really need to.

I LOVE YOU.
I am so grateful for the blessings that we are receiving. I know that the Lord is blessing us.
I LOVE YOU GUYS AND HOPE THAT LIFE IS GREAT.
ELDER GRIFFIN

Mission calls and release date

(Elder Griffin’s Brother and cousin got mission calls this week. His brother is going to the Paraguay, Asuncion mission. He leaves the 23 of June. His cousin is going to the Finland, Helsinki mission and she leaves on May 12)

I am very emotional right now I am so proud of the two of them. I really don`t know how to express the feelings I am having. The changes are also coming up on Wednesday. I am staying here and I am content because we have 4 baptisms for the next week and then also for the month of March. I don`t really know anybody from Paraguay. President Perez is from Uruguay. Can you send me some information on his mission.
IN JULY OUR MISSION WILL SPLIT INTO TWO, MISSION PERÚ Lima NORTE and PERÚ LIMA OESTE or in English WEST.

I really love you guys and am so happy and content with everything that is going on.
Yes I am alright with staying here. God has his will and knows everything that we need. My companion is Elder Illescas from Guetemala. It`s cool like I said we have four baptisms planned.
He has 3 changes. So he is not too new but I need to teach him some things like always.

Yes I am understanding a lot of things from my companions.
I really have also gained a huge testimony of the Savior and his love for us. I can really say that I have walked through my own little “Gethsemane” and understand more fully the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have really been trying to become more like him to develop his attributes and to be able to say after 2 yrs that I really do know him as my Redeemer. I have figured out in the mission that really the importance is not finishing your 2 yrs it is REALLY finishing the mission with a tranquility and a peace within knowing that you have done your part and that is what I am striving to have. I love this work and really am very glad for the future and am ready to have success again.
WHEN DO THE FUTURE MISSIONARIES LEAVE?
WHAT DO THE PAPERS SAY THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE?
THAT IS REALLY WEIRD TO THINK THAT he will start his mission a week before I return. I think that is cool that he will have almost the same dates (farewell, 6 months, etc) as me, menos 2 days.
Thank you so much. I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH and really am so proud of Ryan and Aleni.
I get released on JUNE 30th. The mission PRESIDENT also finishes with my group.
(We asked Elder Griffin if he wanted us to request him to come home a few weeks early so that he could see his brother before he leaves for the MTC, his response is as follows)
My mission letter said I was called to a two year mission and I have to complete what I said accepted. I wrote the Prophet and accepted a two year mission and I want to complete it all. Sometimes it`s hard to imagine 4 yrs without seeing my little bro., but life is all good.

I love you and really hope that everything goes great.

I LOVE YOU
CHAU
~ELDER GRIFFIN

Investigator teaching the gospel

Hey mom, dad, and family,

This week was a really good week. We are teaching two families who are married and are really cool. THE ONE FAMILY is VERY CATHOLIC but the wife is reading the BOOK OF MORMON and is in 2 NEPHI. They are both really smart people.
I had to call two members to repentance yesterday. One was buying a soda in a small market after STAKE CONFERENCE. He is a return missionary. The other case is that we had a baptismal date with an investigator for the 20th but the family ¨who are members¨ decided to no go to church with him, and so his date fell. I had to teach them very clearly about the Sabbath Day, and I could tell that they were a little ashamed.

I really am learning to love the people and we are finding new people every day that are progressing and will be baptized soon.
IT WAS SOOOO FUNNY yesterday we were teaching for the first time the husband of one of these families that are married. He was with his dad who is old. His dad started to say that he only believes in the bible, that he will never change religions and that the world would be better if everybody was baptized catholic when they are born. Well this is the funny part, HIS SON IS CATHOLIC also but started to correct HIS DAD for 40 minutes, saying I don`t mean to offend you dad but you are generalizing something that isn`t even true. They are here for 2 years and that is something that I respect. I don`t mean to offend you but I have a suggestion for you, DAD, what you need to do is LISTEN to what they say. JUST LISTEN and apply the things that they are teaching you. I feel bad because I really was trying NOT TO LAUGH but it was IMPOSSIBLE.

I love these experiences and really love the mission.
MOM I HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT IS THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY HAVE IN THE STATES WHEN IT COMES TO CAMERAS? They have a camera that is here that is 1099 soles or that is about 350 dollars. It is the brand LUMIX that is really a Panasonic name brand it has 10.1 megapixels and 12 optic zoom, with 2.7 inch LCD screen. I am thinking about if it is really worth it to buy another camera that is a lot better than mine if THE NEW CAMERA will just be crappy technology/and more expensive than I could get when I return home.

That is so exciting that they will be getting their papers this week. Tell them congrats. I can’t wait to find out where they are going! Will you take pictures of the house and send them to me in an email? You know how much I love our garden and the beautiful house.

That does stink a little bit that you will not be able to go skiing today but don`t worry everything has its time and order. GOD KNOWS BEST.

I only took out 600 soles and so that means I will have to take out about 800 soles more so that I can also buy a suit and a camera.

I LOVE YOU.
~Elder Griffin

More missionaries to come

That is soooo exciting everything that you have told me.
I AM SO HAPPY. THE PACKAGED FINALLY ARRIVED and I AM VERY Thankful for ALL of the things that were in it. The wood plan of salvation is cool, and the food, well you know that will NOT go to waste.

We had a cool missionary night that I came up with. Here in Perú all of the churches have a soccer court, or basketball court with goals. So what we did is we made a game of chutes and ladders but of the Plan of Salvation. It was really kind of fun and the members liked it. Then I shared my testimony of the Plan of Salvation and well it turned out really well.

My companion is pretty cool. HE is ELDER HUAMAN de Arequipa his birthday is the 21 of MARCH, funny huh, the day before mine. He does work hard and we have fun, we get along well.

I AM SO excited to hear where RYAN and Aleni will go. Tell Aleni that I will pay her back, that I WILL DEFINATELY WRITE HER on her mission and that I hope she can forgive me because I have not written her.

CAN YOU DO ME A FAVOR? I NEED A RECIPE OF TORTILLAS MEXICANAS and if you haven`t sent the package yet. If you can put my MUSIC DICTIONARY in it I would appreciate it.
YES THE SAUCES ARRIVED UNBROKEN but have been used frequently since I have gotten them. I LOVE AMERICAN PRODUCTS.
THANKS
I LOVE YOU GUYS and am SO grateful for your love and your support. I do hope that you are all great and enjoying life like I am at this point in my life.

LOVE YOU,
-ELDER GRIFFIN

New Camera needed

My camera eats batteries and somehow the little plastic part that holds in the batteries is cracked.

This week was a good week. We are finding new people. We found a family of 10 men that are above 18 años (years of age). I know that the Lord led us to them. They are really great people and are a little bit white like me. We are also continuing with are Nigerian Man that we have found. He is 21. Can you look up on the internet CHURCH NEWS IN NIGERIA? It would be cool to share with him. We also have an investigator with the baptismal date for the 6 of February that went to church yesterday. I am excited for her baptism.
Her name is JACKY LAMAS
We are going to the park of the stories, a zoo. It should be cool. Full of lots of photos and animals.
HAS RYAN SENT IN HIS PAPERS YET?? HOW ARE YOU GUYS?? THANKS FOR THE MONEY.
I have actually not gotten it yet (the Christmas package still), but I hope that someday it will arrive. (Sometimes the packages only take a few weeks and sometimes many months)

It is kind of hot here, hot enough to burn. As you know I usually don`t burn and haven`t had any problems. I am also trying to trim up and beef up a little muscle. My new area is paved. YES!! It is decent sized. I love you.
I LOVE YOU GUYS AND HOPE THAT YOU ARE ALL GREAT and enjoying life. !!!
~ELDER GRIFFIN

Teaching in English

Hey, Family...Life is good.

We had a good week this week we received 34 references. We just need to come up with a way that we can teach all of them, because sometimes it is hard to find time. We are working hard and really changing. I don`t have much time to write you because we arrived a little late. I REALLY love you guys and hope that everything is great. That is really weird to think that Skyler is married already. TELL RYAN to keep going and to NEVER think twice about serving a mission, it`s the BEST TWO YEARS. I PROMISE. I thank you guys for your e mails and for your love that you show me every week. I really do appreciate it. I love hearing about you guys and everybody else.
I AM TEACHING A NIGERIAN that is here. HE IS A PROFESIONAL SOCCERPLAYER and he understands ENGLISH (British) better than Spanish, so we (otro misionero gringo) and I have got to teach him in English, is that cool or what.

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH....CHAU.
~Elder Griffin

80 contacts

My new area is pretty cool. I am with Elder Huaman from Arequipa, Peru. He is cool we get along good, and are really working hard to have success. We had 80 contacts in the week with the changes. WE DO STILL HAVE 1 HOUR BUT I ARRIVED A LITTLE LATE LAST TIME. I am happy and willing to keep going and fighting to overcome my challenges.

I know that the Mission is very important. I used to really be concerned what people thought of me before the mission, but those thoughts are leaving little by little, I am understanding that it doesn’t matter. I am in the mission for MY spiritual progress and for My Salvation, along with helping many other people in their progression and salvation.
I really liked the comments and quotes that you had. I know that this Church is perfect and that the mission is the BEST 2 YRS.!!
My challenges, well everyone has challenges. I am not perfect and they are little things like not speaking PERFECTLY sometimes gets me frustrated, being disseminated, and other little things that happen in the mission.

I am here to serve with all my heart, might, mind and strength and I know that if I try to accomplish that then the Lord will accept it. I still have not gotten my Christmas package.

It`s all good. I don`t get discouraged easily. I will just continue and work hard like I know I should. I check with the office every week and they say that there is NOTHING...it`s funny..not really.

I love you guys so much and really am SOOO grateful for your examples and your love. I hope that everything is great and that the Lord is blessing you like he is blessing me. I love this work and I love this church. HOW IS JEN..?? How are you..? When is Ryan going to send his papers in...?

LOVE YOU
~Elder Griffin

Elder Elison is the new Assitant

Hey parents,
Life is good I am doing great.

The changes are this week and I am going to Comas. I am very excited to work hard and have some success. How are you guys..?

Tahuantinsuyo is part of Comas...so Yeah, I know it well.
We have 12 married families that we have found and were teaching. I feel that that is an accomplishment. We didn´t have any baptisms this change and that really is a little disappointing but I am not discouraged and know that it is not ALL about baptisms. WE had changes and ELDER ELISON from our group is the new ASSISTANT, I am proud of him.
I am excited but I have got to go.
I LOVE YOU GUYS AND HOPE THAT EVERYTHING IS GREAT.
I Hope to hear from you soon. CHAU
~Elder Griffin

The Sabath Day is Holy

Hola querida familia..esa semana fue una semana muy interesante.
Mom, Dad, and everybody. I took some pretty cool pictures on New Year’s including a lot of fireworks and a couple of giant dolls burning ( this is a tradition in Peru for New Year’s). You will be very surprised when you see them, but the bad news is that you can only see that when I get home. SORRY.

This week was a very interesting week as far as proselytizing goes. Well to be honest last week we didn´t take the sacrament because we showed up late because we were trying to find investigators that were NOT in their houses, a little frustrating. I could definitely feel the difference in the week. We didn´t have the success that usually comes from hard work and Satan was definitely tempting more than usual. So I gained a huge testimony this week in the blessings of the sacrament. I now know the importance that it has. We are finding a lot of people ¨investigators¨ but the problem is that they always say that they don´t have a lot of time and they are not willing to accept the responsibility of baptism. I know that one day things will change and that the people will understand the importance of baptism and going to church.
I AM SOOOO GREATFULL FOR THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN ME OF ALWAYS GOING TO CHURCH. I SEE SO MANY MEMBERS AND INVESTIGATORS THAT HAVE MANY EXCUSES SAYING, WE DON´T HAVE TIME TO GO TO CHURCH BECAUSE THIS AND THAT AND I JUST SAY, “YOU NEED TO DECIDE THE THINGS THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT, THE SALVATION OR THE PARTY WITH YOUR FAMILY”. But really I am so grateful for the example that you have given me of being firm in the faith in every moment and never saying ¨I can´t go to church this week because I am busy with _______. ¨
Well I will update you. I REMIND THAT WE ARE IN PERÚ...I still have not gotten my package. I hope that I will get it before I get home.
Yes I opened dad´s attachment it was really cool. I won´t be on for MUCH more time 5-20 minutes.
ROMMEL our investigator, wow, we had an appointment set with him Thursday his family said that he was drinking. After that he still has not returned home. It is sad but we will see what will happen.
The changes are this next week. I really do not have a clue where I will be going but I hope that I can have a successful change. Rommel has prayed but he doesn’t have the will to change yet. I hope that one day he will change.
I LOVE YOU AND REALLY HOPE THAT THE LORD IS BLESSING YOU EVERYDAY.
~ELDER GRIFFIN

Date fell through, Word of Wisdom

Hey Papá, Mamá, y familia,

I was also very happy to hear your voices. It sure is a very long time to wait.
My package; well if you guys remember when you sent the last package, I received it from the mission after about 4 months. I hope and pray that that will not happen again, BUT I will definitely learn patience if it is while I am on my mission or after the mission.

Our baptismal date fell through. He drank alcohol again and we have to see how we can help him out. We are finding new people and I pray every day that we can be the most obedient and most diligent that we can be. It is very weird to think that in less than 6 MONTHS I will be home. I am not TRUNKY but it actually is on the contrary. Iit MOTIVATES me to work harder every day. ELDER BARBA, my companion and zone leader told us that THE HARDER THAT WE WORK IN THE MISSION, THE PRETTIER OUR WIFE WILL BE AFTER (I realize that this is just to motivate me but it was a funny little thing), so if I am lazy I will just have to marry someone that is a VERY NICE PERSON, or better said that has a very STRONG TESTIMONY.
LES AMO...FAMILIA...CON TODO CORAZÓN
Sorry I didn´t have much time but I will be sure to tell you when I get my package.
Love,
~Elder Griffin