El Valle Sagrado, "The Sacred Valley", Mi nuevo hogar

Hey there Familia!!!!

I hope everything is perfectly fine out there in Utah!! From your letters everything sounds great!!! I am so happy that all of you are having a great memorial day and remembering our amazing ancestors. Here in Peru they don't celebrate memorial day and it makes me kind of sad. But that is okay!!!

Thank you so much for your letter mom!!! I know who I am, but a lot of times I need a little reminder. I am child of God, and a servant of Jesus Christ. I have been chosen for this time to be a valiant representative of Jesus Christ and a faithful soldier of him. I know that he gives me strength so that I can reach the people who are waiting for the truth. I know he lives and he is watching over us and I know that with him I can do anything. I am a son of God, and I am a servant of Jesus Christ. I can't be anything better. 

Well I have some news. This week was transfers, and they were absolutely crazy. So I had a transfer, I knew that I was going, but so did Elder Flores!!!! They took us out of San Felipe and put in Sisters!! I am kind of upset about it to be honest but that how things go! I have confidence that the sisters will take care of my investigators and treat them well. So they took us both out. And well I have some good news, I AM A DAD!!!!! Yup, I now have my son, Elder B., and you know what they did? They sent me and my little boy to open an area... Super cool huh??? Haha no it's the best. We are now in Barrio Valle Sagrado and we are killing it! There are now four elders in the ward and we are kicking butt. We basically split the area. This ward is huge so the Elders needed some help so we came in the start working in the other half of there ward. It has been pretty nice, the Elders left us with some investigators and people to visit so we didn't start from nothing!!!!! It has been really really cool getting to know the new area all by ourselves and we have been seeing a bunch of blessings and miracles. I am so so grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord. I can't tell you all of them. We are truly truly blessed. 

My comp is a little crazy, he is 18 years old and still a little boy. I have had to talk to him a lot about reverence, obedience, and the meaning of his calling. He will learn, but still is super duper cool. He are going to have a great time here in Valle Sagrado and we will be learning a lot. 

Thank you so much for all you do for me and my work!!! I love you all!!!!!

Awesome: We already have like six investigators, woo hooo!!!!

Awkward: We now live with four elders, all in the same house, I don't really like it. Haha. But it is fun.

Poco a Poco

Les amo!!!!

Elder McIff

No importa donde servimos, solo como_It is not important where you serve-Just How

Hey there family!!!! So it's been a week since I last saw your blurry faces through a computer screen! How are things??? I know that everything is great because you are members of the Lord's Church!!!! I can't tell you about the blessings we having being members of the Lord's Church and being His disciples here on the Earth. What a Blessing, WHAT A BLESSING! This week I have been really thing about the family and how everything works perfectly in the family when it is centered in Jesus Cristo. I really hope that you are all reading your scriptures everyday and you are all working really hard to be better disiples del Señor Jesucristo. Sé que Él les bendecirá cuando se ponen en Su servicio y en su obra.

How is the Missionary work out there in Utah??? I want know what is happen out there and how the missionaries work out there. I know that the work is growing there. I just know it. 

Okay so it is absolutely crazy that Powell had his farewell! Absolutely nuts. Super weird but I know that he will be an amazing missionary, absolutely amazing. He has tons of faith in Jesus Christ and he knows what it means to be a servant of God. I am so proud of him. So so proud of him.

This week was another rough one as usual but it was good! Really good. I am now learning how to manage my stress and anxiety through prayer, through leaving it all on the Lord's shoulders, taking up His yoke and carrying on. I know that he will support me and help me through my trials and through my difficulties. I know that he loves me and he will deliver me. I just need to keep working and doing what he wants done. 

This week is Transfers and I have no clue what is going to happen, but after dad's letter and a letter from my president, it absolutely doesn't matter. I am going to keep working the same and I am going to keep being the best missionary I can me and everyday going to the Lord with a report of my work and asking him if he is happy with my work. I know if I do this my mission will change completely and I will be more effective and more dedicated to the work. 

As it goes for my investigators, we now have two dates for baptism, 31 or May, and 7 of June. They are two little girls and the Zone leaders are kind of mad at us about that because they want families. We have like four families that we are teaching right now, who are super duper cool, read their LDM (Livro de Mormon) and pray everyday, but never go to Church and so we can't plan a date for them. It is a little frustrating because we are working really hard and doing everything we can to have them progress but they just won't progress! We have to pray and fast a ton for these families. A ton. But I know that they will get baptized. I know it.

I don't know that is going to happen this week but it will be really really really awesome. In someway or another it will be awesome. 

I love you guys so much and I hope that you are having the time of your life!!!!

Awesome: Geoff Cannan from our stake showed up in my chapel on Sunday, one of the craziest things that has ever happened in my life!

Awkward: I can't remember names. Every time we do contacts I cannot remember the names of the people and I have to ask them like three times, and normally I call them by the wrong name. 

CON MUCHO AMOR!!!!!

Elder McIff

Santos avanzad, con fe en el Señor-Saints Go Forward with Faith in the Lord

Finished reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish for the 2nd time!

Okay, so this Monday we will have a super P-day with the whole mission so we are writing today!!! (Saturday) SURPRISE!!!!!

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> Hey!
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> So this week I don't really know what to write. Haha because tomorrow I am going to talk to you guys and I am going to tell you all about my week and the past six months there and so I am like uhhhhh..... But I will write a little bit anyways.
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> This week was super duper rough. Like super rough. We have taught hardly anyone, which is super discouraging. Normally, in a week we teach like 25 lessons but this week we only have like 8. It has been super rough. Super rough. But I am grateful. Thanks to this area I am learning a butt load. Something is wrong with this area. I feel like the people have a curse on them. San Felipe truly is a test of your diligence and your faith. You really need to buckle down and work to have success here, and most likely you won't have a ton. It is rough. But like I said, I am learning a bunch. I have a deeper testimony. I have learned more about the scriptures and how to use them to answer questions and objections to our church. I know that the Lord is with us. We just need to obey his will and do what he want done. It's hard, but no one said it wouldn't be.
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> Well other than that I don't know what I should write, I am going to talk to you guys tomorrow and I am so dang excited!!!! :) It will be great great great!!! I love you guys so so much and I hope that everything is good out there in Draper! I am praying for you!!!!
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> Con mucho amor,
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> Elder McIff

Y yo, Elder McIff, no negaré al Cristo-And I Elder McIff not deny the Christ

Hey there everybody!!! A little weather report this wonderful morning! It is foggy, wet, and about 70 degrees here in dear old San Felipe, Comas, Lima, Peru!!! I am guessing it is about the same out there in Utah. Finally fall and winter are starting to role in and finally I am feeling a little bit closer to Utah! I have been thinking a lot about you guys this week (not too much though) and I just want to say I love you!!!! I know that you are all having the time of your life and I know that you learning more and more each day about our savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ!

This week I learned a ton about him. A ton! I finally got a copy of Elder McKonkie's last general Conference talk, The Purifying power of Gethsemane, and I have been learning so much. Christ gave his all for us, and why? Because he loves us, Ether 12:33. This week me and my companion have really been focusing on doing contacts and talking with the people! It has been an awesome experience. I have truly seen how the spirit works in people so that they can recognize the truth, and come unto to Christ. It blows me away how wise and wonderful our Heavenly Father is that he made this plan for us and how he sent his only begotten son to suffer and die for our sins and that one day we may have an immortal body and return to our Father. I know that he lives and I know that he loves us. 

As it says in Alma 7:12 "a fin de que segun la carne sepa como socorrer a los de su pueblo.." Christ knows every single one of us inside and out and knows how to help us and knows what we need. We can go to him with anything and he will help us and gives us strength and teach us how we can overcome of difficulties and problems. 

This morning I finished El Libro de Mormon for the second time and as I sat and pondered I received confirmation that Jesus is the Christ and that the Book of Mormon truly testifies of him. I know that he lives and he has his hand in our lives today. 

This week has been really good. My testimony has been strengthed, we taught a lot, and I just feel good. I know that the Lord is blessing me and that he is giving me strength. I am so so grateful for that.

As far as investigators go, they aren't progressing. But we are looking still and praying a ton and just doing everything we can to help them progress. Your prayers would be greatly apprecitated. 

I love you guys so much and I am so grateful for everything you do for me!!!! Keep strong, carry on, and never lose the Faith. Les amo!!!!!

Awesome: I GOT YOUR PACKAGE!!!! I haven't opened it yet but I am so happy!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

Que tengan una semana maravillosa, 

Elder McIff