January 30, 2017

Dear Friends and Family,

This week was full of good changes. We went to Jaen to watch the worldwide missionary conference. It was such an enjoyable experience. The first presidency and the twelve apostles are making a few changes to the missionary schedule and the key indicators. They are giving us more liberty to change our schedule to meet our investigators’ needs. They also said the new schedule will help us adjust faster and easier when we get home. It's so nice to see how concerned our leaders are for our well-being even after the mission.  They are really putting lots of trust in us missionaries to go by the spirit each and every day. We also will be reporting very few key indicators now. Before we reported 13 numbers every Sunday night. Now, we will only be reporting four. They really want us to focus on the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. It will be a nice break to not have to worry about keeping track of lots of numbers throughout the week. It makes me feel so good how much faith they have in us missionaries. This week, we will be headed down to Chiclayo to hear President Williams’ instructions. It will take us a day and a half to get there, one day there, and a day and a half to get back to Chacha.  I feel like it will be an amazing multi zone reunion. This week, I have been writing my testimony in a few Books of Mormon and marking my favorite scriptures to give away to people who are interested. It makes me so glad how the members of our church pay tithing so faithfully. Thanks to them, I can give away a few Books of Mormon in my little Chachapoyas pueblito. Little do they know that with just a few dollars they can bless the lives of so many, even if they do only read a few of my little marked scriptures:) Thank you to all those who pay their tithing so honestly and faithfully. You truly are blessing the lives of many. We are seeing so much progress in our branch. Our branch mission nights have been a huge success. They are really helping to pull this branch together. Our branch counsels are also improving tremendously. I am definitely a happy camper:)    

Elder Goold

January 16, 2017

Dear Family & Friends,

This week, we were able to have a lot of success with our small branch. Thursday, we had Skype interviews with President Williams. It was an amazing experience. We talked about Chachapoyas and the branch. We had a good conversation and I explained my concerns and goals that I have for the branch. President seemed to be happy with our work. I told him that I have been doing some training meetings for our branch mission leader and for the branch counsel. After the interview, I noticed that President sent out an email to the entire mission encouraging the missionaries to do training meetings with our ward leaders using the principles I had explained with President. President also sent his counselors this Sunday to attend church. We held meetings all day and I feel like we are getting on the right track.

It rained all week!!! I have never seen so much rain in my life. We were absolutely soaked almost the entire week.

I received good news that our investigator Luis has plans to travel to Huancayo next month to get married!

On a funny note; my companion and I were walking back to the pension house late one night and we found a big, giant, fat, pig on the trail. Being the lovely trainer that I am, I dared my companion to slap the pig on the butt. I decided to help my scared companion by distracting the pig. Let's just say that the pig got the best of both of us as we slipped in the mud in the process:) Love the mission! My companion and I will be staying here in Chachapoyas for another change. Thank Heaven!

Love you guys. Keep doing the small things, they do make a big difference.

Elder Goold

January 9, 2017

Hello Family and Friends,

This week we took a trip to Jaen for zone conference. We focused on the importance of using scriptures in the lessons. We also talked about the importance of having members present in the lessons. This week, I have been trying so hard to help this branch. Sometimes, I feel like the branch president because the branch president frequently can't attend church. Church attendance has been super low (about 10 people in Sacrament meeting on Sundays) and there isn't much unity in the branch either. We sat down Sunday with the few church leaders to make some plans and goals how we can progress as a branch. We finally got a mission leader who is going to help us out. I set up and led a branch counsel Sunday because I really want to help this branch feel more excited about church and especially missionary work. God helped us so much because the counsel was a success. We are planning meaningful activities to help members and investigators have real spiritual experiences. I know we will be able to start moving in the right direction. This week has been exhausting but God always gives me the strength to carry on in his work. I love president Hinkley’s quote "And yet I am still optimistic." 

Funny story for the week: I was kneeling down blessing the sacrament when I was licked on the face by my furry, friend Max.  After sacrament ended, I picked the dog up and put him outside. To my surprise, he followed me right back into our small church house. The members of the branch got a good laugh.