Baptism:):):):):):)

 This week had to have been the most stressful yet the most rewarding week of my life.  But I loved it.  First off, THE HERRERA FAMILY GOT BAPTIZED.  There was also another investigator that lives in our area but was getting taught by the sister missionaries that asked me to baptize her.  So that's who is in the other picture.  Her baptism was later so I had to use my same baptismal clothes that were still damp and it was freezing outside.  But the feeling of that night is something that you can't really explain.  It's that spiritual.

   Normally we pick up our investigators that are about to be baptized to go to the baptism together.  But they had to pick up their kids 30 minutes before it had to start so they told us that they would go on their own but that they would be there at 5 o'clock.  I wasn´t sure that would happen exactly like that becuase if you know anything about Bolivians, you'd find out that the word "punctual" does not exist in their vocabulary, hahah.  But at 5 o'clock, they weren't there.  The whole time I was thinking, "I knew it, I knew it".  We called them and they were still getting ready and hadn't even picked up their kids yet.  "I knew it"  A member offered to drive us to their house to pick them up and we got to the church at about 6 o'clock and we still had to change.  I was a little frustrated, but I saw that Gloria (the mom) was limping a little bit.  She didn't say anything and we continued with the baptism and after that, I felt more calm because it all had worked out.  After the baptism, Gloria and Alberto (the parents) shared their testimony.  Gloria said that during the day, something happened to her leg unexpectedly.  She had some sort of pain that she couldn't even walk.  She was sitting in her bed crying because she knew she wouldn't be able to go to her own baptism.  Her husband was about to call us to tell us that they weren't going to be able to make it.  In this moment, she said, she got a feeling that she had to go.  At this moment, part of the pain went away, she stood up and started to get ready.  They went to the baptism and she said that after she was baptized, she hardly had any sort of pain in her leg at all.

   At this moment, I felt a little bit guilty because I had put the blame on God with my thoughts of "I knew it" because after all, I didn't know it.  I know now that from one side at times it feels like nothing is going right, but on the other side, he is preparing and helping people to do the right.  I'm so thankful for this family and for the help of our Heavenly Father and this gospel in their conversion.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity to do what I'm doing.  

   I hope you all have a wonderful week.  Thanks so much for all of the support!

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-Elder Cheshire

Family and Friends

Wow.  It's crazy how fast a week goes by in the mission.  When I wanted it to go by fast when I was in school, it never seemed to happen.  And now that I'm here in the mission and I DON'T want it to go by fast, it doesn't seem to slow down.

   This week we've been preparing the Herrera family for their baptism this Saturday.  I'm hoping that everything goes well with them and their desires to make this covenant with our Heavenly Father.  This family is so special to me and my companion and it really feels like I'm here where I'm supposed to be because they feel like our family.  The love that we have for them and the love that they have for us is somehting so special.  It's so amazing to be able to prepare a family for baptism and following the baptism, sooo much more.  I can't help but picture in my mind, this family making it to the temple to make even more covenants with God.  

   It's helped so much explaining eternal families with the experience that I had when I was 8 years old, getting sealed to my family in the Bountiful, UT temple.  If someone asked me what happened, what I remember, how it all went, I wouldn't be able to tell them, because I was just 8 years old.  But something that I DO remember and that I'll never forget is how I felt when I was there.  The goal of ours as missionaries, is to help others feel the same.  I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!

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-Elder Cheshire

Another great week!

4/10/2017  Another great week!!

This week wasn't full of anything too exciting, except for the fact that the Herrera family is still progressing very well.  They came to church with us for the 3 hours and after we went to visit them at their house to see how everything went.  They said that they felt really good and that they enjoyed it.  They also said that their youngest girl, who is 3 years old, didn't want to leave her class and when her mom went to pick her up, she said she didn't want to go and walked back into her class hahaha.  They are the best and I see a huge change in them every time we visit them.  Marcos, their oldest son said, "Ever since you guys have came to visit us, my dad has smiled and laughed more than he ever has before."  The dad then said, "I know, right?!" hahah.  They really are so special and are preparing for the 22 of April.  They will be the first family that I've baptized since I've been here and the feeling of baptizing a family is a feeling that I cannot describe.  The thought of them going through the temple in just over a year is one of the happiest feelings that I've ever had.

  I know that this email isn't too long, but I do love what I'm doing here.  I know that there are people waiting for the missionaries and also other members to help out.  This work is extraordinary and the blessings we receive when we invite others to this happiness is beyond explanation.  

P.S.  I won't be able to email until next Wednesday.  That's when we will have our P-Day.

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-Elder Cheshire

4/3/2017  Conference week

Hello family and friends, so this week was pretty stinkin' awesome.  I'm hoping you all had a great week as well.

I can't remember if I talked about the Herrera family last week, but it is a very special family of 6 and they have been progressing but this week was something very very special.  The first time we tried to commit them to baptism, the mother said yes, that she wanted to be baptized but he said that he would like to get to know the church before making such a big commitment.  But we've been praying really hard for them and trying to help him with any doubts that he might have.  But this Friday, we went to visit them and we shared with them the chapter 11 of 3 Nephi that talks about Jesus when he came to the Americas, but it also talks a lot about baptism.  When we got to the part that talked about baptism, I told Alberto to imagine as if he was there and that Jesus was talking to HIM.  We read the rest of the chapter and we asked them again if they would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized.  His wife, Gloria, said "You already know my answer, YES!"  We asked Alberto again, and after about 30 seconds of silence, he said, "I need to be baptized.  Yes."  They are now preparing for their baptism along with two of their kids for the 22 of April.  Another elder had given me a white shirt but it was too big for me.  I gave the shirt to Alberto along with 2 ties that I had.  My companion and I taught him how to tie it and yesterday, him and his wife went to General Conference with us.

The Lord has blessed us with a miracle with this family.  And I want to ask for your prayers to help this family progress and make this special covenant with our Heavenly Father.  I'm so happy here in Bolivia.  I love you all so much.  Thank you for everything.

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-Elder Cheshire

Una Semana Loca

This week was super crazy and hectic.  My companion got transferred to another area and now I have a new companion.  Once again, from....Lima, Perú hahah.  He's my third one but now I know so much about Perú and I've gotten to try some of their delicious food!

   This past week we went to visit one of our investigators that told us that she would be in her house.  We knocked about 5 different times and nobody answered.  I don't know why, but I had the feeling to pray that she would come to the door.  We offered a prayer and right after, her dog came to the door and started barking.  We knocked again and right after she came to the door.  We then had an awesome lesson with her, and now she has a baptismal date.  It was an experience kind of weird, and wasn't anything huge, but it really strengthened my testimony that God answers all of our prayers.  At times he does it in mysterious ways, but he does it.  As it says in Mosiah 2:41, as we keep the commandments, the Lord will bless us in temporal things as well as spirtual things.  

   I'm so happy to be here and to experience little things like I saw this past week.  I love you all, and I'm so grateful for each and every one of you.  Time is flying by way too quick and I feel like I already don't have enough time left in the mission.  Thanks for everything!  Enjoy some pics hahah

-Elder Cheshire

P-day fun!

No group letter this week.  Elder Cheshire was short on time due to the waterfall hike they took on P-day.  He looks great!  He said transfers are this week and he is hoping to stay a little longer in Tarija. 

BAPTISM WEEK

Hey everyone,

  Wow it's crazy to be writing again.  TIme is flying by.  But this week we had a baptism for Jhonny Perales (yes, it is spelled like that).  He's 18 years old and is now a really good friend of mine.  It's been so awesome getting to know him and to teach him.  

  During our whole time teaching him, I was hoping in the back of my head that he would want to serve a mission.  I even included this wish in my prayers every day that we taught him.  With that, my companion straight up asked him yesterday, "Jhonny, do you want to serve a mission."  His answer was everything I have ever dreamed of hearing.  "Well, of course, so that I can be like you guys."  It really felt so awesome to be able to hear a convert say that.  

  I was reading in Alma today and I found a scripture that reminded me of this moment.  In Alma 26: 15-16 it says:  15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlastingdarkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.

 16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

I'm so thankful for Jhonny and his testimony that has strengthened mine.  I love this work.  I love Bolivia.  And I love my area.  Missions are awesome to see changes in others, but to see the change in me that I always wanted.  Thank you for all of your support and love that I can receive every week!  Until next week.

pics from the baptism, and the day we had the baptism, our pension gave us alphabet soup so I had to.  And the others are from last Monday when my companion and I went to explore.

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-Elder Cheshire

HOLA FAMILIA Y AMIGOS

First off, I want to say congrats to my brother and his new fiance, Savannah.  It's so good to hear about the blessings that are happening in my family.  I know that the Lord watches over the families of missionaries.

  This past week was pretty good.  I mean the first three days we couldn't leave out apartment.  I didn't really understand that because there was absolutely nobody by our house, but we were obedient and enjoyed the time that we had.

  I wanted to share a little bit about "the best missionary"

  Others might know it as "The Book of Mormon"

  My Mission President said to us in a previous conference, "The Book of Mormon is the word of God that has the power to change lives."  He said, "If you have an investigator that doesn't have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, perhaps they still get baptized, but they won't be converted."  I began to think back to all the years I was growing up that I didn't have a testimony of this book.  I wasn't converted to the church of Jesus Christ yet.  Now that I have read it, pondered it, prayed about it, applied it, and taught about it,  I have a testimony of the book.  It really has the power to change lives.  Not only with investigators, but with ourselves as well.  

  I'm sorry that this letter isn't too long today, but I want to end with one thing from the introduction of the Book of Mormon.

  Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”

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-Elder Cheshire

His bed broke before he made the move haha

View from his new apartment