March 28, 2016

Well, this week was full of surprises.

First, we have five investigators planning to be baptized this month of April. La familia Santa Cruz, Natalie, Teresa, Rick and Jason. I'm so happy I don't have words to describe it. I know that all of them 100% will be baptized this month. All of them have come to gain a testimony of the restored gospel and the Book of Mormon. I have grown to love each one of them so much. On the flip side, my district leader called me and informed me that I have a transfer tomorrow and I will not be able to attend their baptisms. It felt like I took a punch to the stomach. I really love this ward and the people here of Villa Hermosa. I have learned that it’s the people that matter not the area. I came to Villa Hermosa thinking how in the world I was going to survive. The main attractions here are burning trash and hairless dogs. With lots of help from the lord, I have learned to love this area and especially the people here. I'm going to miss Villa Hermosa and especially my pensionista. She is so kind and has helped me through so many things. She and our investigators are taking the change pretty hard. It nearly turns my heart to mush when I see them cry, especially la Familia Santa Cruz. They were never able to have children, so we have basically become their children. We always go to their house to eat and help explain the gospel. Yesterday, I told them the news that I was leaving and we all started to cry. I made them the promise that I would be there in the temple with them when they get married. I pray for a miracle that my promise will come true. My new area is La Victoria, Area Emperial. My new companion is Elder Jones. I don't know where he is from but I will let you all know next week. Thank you all for your letters and prayers. 

Elder Goold

March 21, 2016

Hey Everyone,

Wednesday, we were teaching our investigator Teresa. We have been constantly asking her if she has received an answer if the Book of Mormon is true. She always has lots of questions and doubts about the Book of Mormon. To our surprise, she told us that yes she believes that everything is true thanks to a dream she had. We asked her if she would share the dream with us. She told me that she saw me dressed in a white clothes (temple clothes) smiling. In her dream, I asked her to follow me and she said that the dream felt so real and comfortable. She almost had me in tears. She said that she knew from this dream that I was a true Christian. She said from this dream, I know the Book of Mormon is real too. Moments like this give me the faith and courage to press forward and to help everyone receive the restored gospel. I love the mission and every small miracle helps strengthen my testimony and my love for my Savior and his children.

Elder Goold

March 14, 2016

Hello Friends and Family,

The weeks keep going faster. We will have seven weeks in this transfer. This week we had an amazing district meeting. The theme was teaching and loving our investigators with the pure love of Christ. It was a powerful meeting and motivated me to love this people like our Father in Heaven loves them. I know that if I see our investigators through the eyes of our Heavenly Father, I will be able to teach with the spirit and how he wants me to teach. President Hinckley said that good missionaries will learn how to love. I really never knew what that meant till now. We watched church videos of Christ teaching the people and his apostles. I know it’s just a video but still, you could feel the love that Christ had for the people as he was teaching. I know that when the people can really feel the love that Heavenly Father has for them, it gives them this desire to change and to do better. This Sunday, I also had the opportunity to give my first blessing in English. It was an amazing spiritual experience, I will never forget. I felt the spirit so strong and I know with all my heart that she felt the spirit too. It gave me the strong desire to always be worthy of the priesthood, which I hold, so I can always give a blessing when it is needed. I feel that slowly but surely I'm learning how to love as I better my relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Love, Elder Goold.

Cuy or Cooked Guinea Pig 

March 7, 2016

Hello Everyone!

This week our ward left to visit the Trujillo temple. The ward was able to take some of our investigators. Four in all, Teresa, Gonzolo and Maria Santa Cruz and Natalie. I knew that if they could visit the temple they would have a change of heart and that the temple would resolve the doubts that they have about the church. I was right; many of them cried when they walked around the temple. They got permission to go into the temple, up to the recommend desk. Hermano Gonzolo told us that his legs gave out from under him and he knew that it was a sign that he needed to pray. He prayed and cried, thanking the lord that he had finally found the Lord's house. They all came back with a strong desire to enter the temple. They told me that they had never felt this type of feeling before and want to be baptized. I wish the church had a fund that is specifically for investigators to visit the temple. It is approximately a 3 hour bus ride and very expensive for the people here to go.  Elder Bustillos and I are working really hard and I know that we will see lots of progression aquí en Villa Hermosa in the next couple of months. I pray that I don't get changed. 

    Today we ate cuy at our investigators house, la familia Santa Cruz. They gave us cuy which is "guinea pig". Literally, they kill it and throw it in a frying pan, guts and all. Its a really expensive dish, so I ate it all. I mean everything, guts and bones and all. It would be rude not to eat everything. My companion loves cuy but it was one of the hardest things I have had to do here in Peru haha. I will remember that experience forever. I also showed Hermana magdalena my pensionista that I can fillet fish. That was a costly mistake. I have been filleting lots of fish. Not only at her house but all her neighbors too. I love this work so much. I am so tired every night but I know our hard work will pay off. Love you all and don't forget to visit the temple as much as you can. Its truly is a blessing to have a temple recommend. I know with all my heart that the temples are a little piece of heaven here on earth.          

Love, Elder Goold