Hey I hope everyone had a good week!

This coming week we have a baptism! Her name is Daniela and she is truly amazing. She has had a lot of trials, but has understood and felt the peace that the Savior offers her, even if it is only internal.

We also found a lot of investigators through member referrals. David has a cousin who is a very active member of the church. We began teaching him and he seemed interested in the idea of living apostles and prophets. I sat next to him in sacrament meeting, and am about to do the same tomorrow.

I haven´t gotten the chance to comment on how much Barranco (the part of Lima where I am) is a lot like Portland. There are a ton of paintings and white people. Lot´s of people from Europe. It´s always a surprise when you go to contact in english and you get a response in German or Russian.

Also I was reminded this week how important it is to listen to the spirit, even in nonspiritual topics such as health. I can definitely say it has guided me for the most part, but I will share a time when I definitely didn´t listen.

We went to contact a nice couple with a child in their stroller, they were leaving Makro (big super market, basically Costco)

I go to contact, ´´Hi we are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we share a message about families, how long have you two been together?´´

She responds, ´´oh, he isn´t my husband, he is my son.´´

                     ´´Oh, sorry, but how long have you been together with your husband?´´

                     ´´ We are divorced.´´

                     ´´Oh, I´m sorry, but at least you have two wonderful children.´´

                     ´´No only one, he is my only son.´´

I look at the stroller and found that it does not contain a second child, but groceries they bought from the super market.

I continue,      ´´oh, I´m sorry, what is your name?´´

                     ´´Kathy´´

I signal to my companion that I have lost all hope in this street contact and that he needs to take over ASAP.

So........ listen to the spirit everyone.

Anyway a major crisis this week is that the financial secretary forgot to pay our water bill, so even though we live in one of the nicest houses in the mission we don´t have any water for a week. How ironic and humbling.

I want to share a thought I read on LDS.org during personal study. Alma 14:13. Here Alma and Amulek were forced to watched the burning of innocent believers of Christ and His Gospel. Amulek then asked if they would be burned as well, ´´And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.´´

I love the phrase, our work is not finished. No matter your ups or your downs, or whatever situation you are in right now. You are still here. Like Alma and Amulek, your work is not finished.

ELDER MACGREGOR

Misión Perú Lima Sur

ITS IRONIC HOW AS HEALTH SECRETARY, I HAVE EATEN MORE JUNK FOOD THAN ANY OTHER TIME IN THE MISSION.

IF EVER ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY JUST PASS A STREET CONTACT TO YOUR COMPANION

ALSO EVERYBODY WISH AIDEN MACGREGOR A HAPPY BIRTHDAY (HE TURNS 14 TODAY)

Secretario Personal del Presidente

Secretario de Salud

What I have learned as a missionary so far:

1. I have learned how serious of a deal the temple is. In the US we often take the temple for granted because there are so many of them. It truly is a sacred place that we need to always treasure. Here when someone is endowed it is a SERIOUS deal, because not every member gets endowed. Here it is a day trip to the temple, and you can physically feel the difference between seeing the Lima temple in pictures and just being on the grounds.
2. I have learned the power of the Book of Mormon. I read it in the morning in English and at night in Spanish every day. I am in two different parts. No matter in what language or where I am reading what I read is exactly what I need to hear in the moment.
3. The biggest revelation I received in my first area was that we are all members of the family of God. Being with these people here makes me want to keep the commandments because I want to live with them again, and I realize that I want to live with my own family, now and forever. 4 months later Elder Eyring would talk about this in general conference.
4. I have learned that when you open your mission call and it says Perú Lima Sur you should have prepared to help sick missionaries go to the hospital. You should also prepare to receive calls from missionaries who are not really even sick.
5. It is hard to be the ´´mission mom,¨ and care for missionaries who can be whiney. But I am not complaining because I am 100% sure it is worse to be a MacGregor mom and deal with future missionaries who are always whiney.
6. Despite how many times you tell them, Peruvian still think that if you have blond hair you paint it.
7. When your last name is MacGregor, every asks if you know about pants that have the same name.
8. It is always a treat to accidentally skype your brother during Priests quorum.

I will end this week with an amazing quote I found this week. I don´t have it exactly, but here is the idea.

The idea of mercy is that it is the by definition, unfair. Those who receive mercy receive it unfairly, and those who give it give it unfairly. What a blessing it is that the Savior loves us unfairly.

Elder MacGregor 

Hey everyone!

rough office week this week. I got a nasty fever on Tuesday and I had nobody to call. Took a fat nap on the couch with the bishop and my companion caught me on camera. So the bishop and I just be chilling and bonding.

I hope you all are good to your moms this week. Elder Holland has a great talk titled ´´Behold, thy Mother.´´ I invite all of you to read and ponder it this special time of year.

I took a missionary into the hospital this week because they were showing signs of an appendicitis. Turns out they just had bad gas.

Lots of counsels and training this week. Not too exciting for you guys (and to some extent not us either) but it is how the Lord prepares us for his work.

with much love,

ELDER MACGREGOR

Misión Perú Lima Sur

APPARENTLY BAD GAS HAS THE SAME EFFECTS AS AN APPENDICITIS 

Secretario Personal del Presidente

Secretario de Salud

Good week everyone!

This week was transfer week, so it was an insane amount of work in the office. we had to coordinate all the trips and how people travel and buy bus tickets going to ayacucho. (basically the farthest out in our mission)

I got to train brand new missionaries about what to do when they get sick. Showed them what to do when they get bit buy a dog and everything. Then I got to tell them I have bitten 3 times.

Also here is quote of a call i received this week: ´´Elder MacGregor, we have an investigator who has cancer, can we still visit her without getting sick?´´   ´´Cancer isn´t contagious´´

I have said it so many times, but I love the people here, and I love teaching where the Book of Mormon took place. It is interesting for me that Christ walked this continent such a long time ago, and taught these people´s ancestors.

I have felt my faith and my testimony grow incredibly in these past 8 months. The Book of Mormon really is a powerful keystone that we so often take for granted.

I want to tell everyone that I am not the same person who left Oregon 8 months ago. Now I use hair gel

ELDER MACGREGOR

Misión Perú Lima Sur

CANCER IS NOT CONTAGIOUS

Secretario Personal del Presidente

Secretario de Salud

This week there are transfers in the mission so we are working like crazy in the office. I only have one food for thought this week. Sorry it is short but know that I love you all and wish you the very best as we celebrate 5 de Mayo this week. (Not a holiday in Perú but it is in Mexico)

Preaching the Gospel is easy.

Administration is hard. - Unknown

Elder MacGregor