September 26, 2017 - Arrived in Trujillo

Hey Mom, arrived in Trujillo and doing great! We just got orientation and now I'm writing you, we will get to meet our new companions today and will head to my first area. Super stressed right now about everything but I hope everything will be fine, I'll get to write more next Monday for my pday. 

Love you lots!!!

Elder Beck 

Pic in front of Trujillo temple

From mom:  We were ecstatic to hear that he had arrived and are looking forward to learning more about where he will serve and his companion.  I also found out two different things that I don't want to not document.  He served with Elder Howard (the tallest missionary on the far right).  This is what his mom said about the missionaries:

As we wait for our Peru 50 missionaries to arrive at their missions today, I want to thank all you moms of elders for something in particular you may or may not be aware of. I am a convert (since age 18) and have LOTS of temple work to do for my ancestors. They just keep coming and coming! My husband helps a lot, but until Matt received his endowment, there was no male church member able to do our ancestors' work! And the men's pile was so much bigger than the women's. So... I sent my son with a big stack of temple cards to catch up on my male ancestors' endowments - close to 80 I guess, because last week he told me that he'd run out of names! I thought it was more than enough to last his whole mission, but no! So, thank you, THANK YOU to your good sons (and to you for raising such wonderful young men) who have been helping us each week they've gone to the Lima Temple! I am certain they all will be blessed and watched over by some very, very grateful men beyond the veil who have been waiting for so long, and who are by now well aware of them as a group!!!

Also Kelli Murdock posted this who knows the Branch President's wife that served over Tanner while in the CCM.  Kelli wrote:  A tribute to our missionaries from Sister Halley (Branch Pres Halley wife). This was in her weekly update! We truly have such a great group of missionaries!! 54 Strong! I'm thinking we should create a group to keep track of each other.

"Sunday was our regular day at the MTC, except for the fact that we will be losing 54 of our choice Elders and Sisters who have completed their MTC training. We were touched to see many tears as we sang the familiar tune, “God be With You ‘Til We Meet Again.” Just looking at the companionships to see arms on shoulders and love expressed was quite the experience! Most of these young people didn’t even know each other six weeks ago, but many will remain lifelong friends. Marc and his two counselors interviewed most of those 54 missionaries during Sunday afternoon and the last few on Monday afternoon. It is hard to describe in words the transition that occurs in these young men and young women (most of whom are recent high school graduates) as they truly become men and women of Christ, ready to share His word with the people of Peru and Bolivia. It is nothing short of a miracle – every six weeks!!"

September 20, 2017

Hey everyone!

So this Friday for physical activity we were playing American football and I go to throw the ball to Elder Anderson and I threw out my arm really bad and I couldn’t use it for about 2 hours.  But playing football with my district is super fun.

Saturday was pretty awesome.  We had a proselyting activity where we went out with the missionaries on splits to go contacting in the Lima East mission.  It was awesome!  I went with Elder Hunt.  He’s from Salt Lake and he’s been out for over a year.  So we started at the chapel that they all meet in and we got on this bus.  The driving here is absolutely crazy so we get on this bus with twice the amount of people and we go for about 20 minutes into the city and we start knocking on people’s doors.  As we are doing this, Elder Hunt is giving me advice and helping me out with the language.  I can’t remember all the little details, but the people here are so nice and so willing to listen to us.  I realized that I can understand 60-70% of what people are saying which is awesome but I can’t speak that well.  We got 3-4 appointments down and we talked to probably 10 people about Jesus Christ.  Also there are so many stray cats and dogs everywhere just lying in the street.  It has gotten me more excited to get out there. 

Yesterday was hard for me because I was missing family and other things, but I prayed a lot yesterday and I decided to fast today so we will see how that goes.  But hopefully I can get peace and comfort as I am out here.

I finished the Book of Mormon this week and started again.  We watched a talk by Elder Bednar and he told us that we should get a new Book of Mormon and write a question that we want answered in the front and that has really helped me focus on the question and find specific things pertaining to that.  So that has been going well.  I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and I love reading it every day.  I love it out here and love all of you guys.

Elder Beck

1) Another district pic on the bus to the temple today

2) me and Elder Davis on the bus

3) Last time at the Lima temple before Trujillo!

4) Me and Elder Anderson in front of the temple.

5) Elder Call

6) Elder Boren

7) Elder Davis, Anderson, Beck, Call

8) Elder Harris (E'Sanchez)

9) Elder Harris again

My mom got an email on Sept. 21 from Faye Mayberry.  She said, "We were the witness couple for his temple session yesterday.  We are senior missionaries here.  He's a great guy and missionary."  This email made our day - so grateful for so many that think about us and send us texts or emails randomly.

September 13, 2017 - Para Mi Amigos y Familia

Hola todos!

This week I am going to go through the days to tell you some of the experiences I have had in order.

Wednesday – The new pricipiantes came.  We are now Avancados which feels weird because I have barely been here.  Ethan Pinkney is one of them so it was cool to see a familiar face.  We started teaching a new investigator, his name is Bonifacio.  He is 69 and is Catholic.  He’s a super funny old guy who likes to joke with us.  So we are working with 2 investigators now.

Thursday – We had an awesome experience as a district.  Elder Call’s eye was bothering him all day and he talked about it with someone.  They decided they were going to check it out at a healthcare because they said it might have been a cut on his eye that needed to be looked at.  So Hermana Moore asked us as a district to give him a blessing.  Elder Boren anointed the oil and Elder Anderson gave the blessing which was his companion.  But the spirit was so strong in there and it strengthened my testimony about certain things.  His eye is fine now but that was a highlight for me this week.

Friday – Can’t remember what happened, at least that what I said in my journal that day.

Saturday – Elder Oaks came to speak to us along with the Presiding Bishop and that was an amazing experience.  I was on the 3^rd row and it felt like he was staring into my soul.

Sunday – was another great day with a lot of great talks on Faith.  It’s a great reminder every Sunday of our Savior’s atonement and all he did for us.  I personally am so grateful for it.  I wouldn’t be here without it.  That night when we were getting ready for bed there was a group of white missionaries singing songs in English so on the opposite side a bunch of Latinos came out of their dorms and started singing songs in Spanish.  Me and my dorm joined the Latinos and at the end everyone joined a side and it was pretty epic and super loud.  We all ended up singing Called to Serve in Spanish and it was the loudest thing ever!  Then we all ended on that and went into our dorms.  Another great highlight of the week.

Monday – At the end of our district meeting we sang the National Anthem in remembrance of 9/11 and that was cool.

In the Book of Mormon this week I read about Christ coming down to meet them in the Americas.  He says so many awesome things in there!  I encourage everyone to read that part in 3^rd Nephi.  Also yesterday I read a lot about Mormon.  He is such an obedient kid with so much faith.  When He was only 15 he led the Nephite army.  I know that the scriptures will answer all of your questions that you will have if you search them diligently-  I know personally of that.  I know that I’m here for a reason and can’t wait to share the happiness that I know to the people of Peru. 

Love all you guys!

Elder Beck

 1) pic of our district on the bus, love these people!

2) another pic of us at the temple

3)Here is a selfie of our district at the temple, this is the first time they didn't split up our group

Here is a picture that Tricia found posted on Facebook by another mom.  This is Tanner with Elder Harris- apparently according to his mom he is a little bit crazy.

Here is more information from other emails we got this week:  everything is awesome, I am growing closer and closer to my companion and my district and they are some of the coolest people ever!!! I am feeling fine just a little stressed about Saturday. We are going for 5 hours on splits with missionaries in the area to proselyte but I know its gonna be fun. also the Spanish is coming along, I just need to make sure I am using it more often and talking to the Latinos.

September 5, 2017- Week 3

Hola familia y amigos.

It's so weird how fast these days are going by.  I feel like I just sent out last weeks email. But the ccm here is so amazing, the spirit is so strong here and the people are the greatest! Honestly I cant remember what is going on certain days because its the same routine every day except for our progressing investigators. Its really hard sometimes to teach people in Spanish but I know that the Lord is helping me through the whole thing. I can feel the spirit so well when we are bearing testimony to them and I know they can feel it too. Spanish is going great! I'm still so lost when Peruvians are talking to me but i can understand bits and pieces which is nice. I can't believe how far I've come in the language in only 3 weeks but I know its because the gift of tongues.

Sunday was amazing this week. It was fast Sunday so it felt super long but a lot of cool things were said. Sunday night we watched a devotional by Elder Bednar and he talked about a question that a lot of people ask him. How can I tell if its from the Spirit or its just me? He said to stop worrying about it! If we are keeping our covenants and keeping the commandments and just being good boys and girls then our paths will be guided and that was so awesome for everyone to hear that. If we just press forward then everything will go well. I know that's true and everyone just needs to make sure they are doing those things.

Today at the temple we did it in English which was a really nice not to have the headphones on. But the ccm president was the officiator and he is one of the nicest guys I have ever met. I also got some cool pics during the temple that I'm going to send a little later.

This week I have been reading in Helaman and the bravery and courage all the prophets have really amaze me. Yesterday I was reading about Samuel the Lamanite and how devoted he was to the Lord. I think I would be so scared if people were trying to kill me but he just stood there and knew that the Lord would protect him. I hope that I can  gain that much faith during my mission and throughout the rest of my life.

I'm so excited for everyone that's preparing for missions right now especially Mason and Clay that already have their calls to come out into the field. I'ts so great to always have the spirit and not worrying about the outside world all day. Love you guys!

Elder Beck

 1) pic of some cool flowers on the way to the temple in Peru.

2) flowers on the temple grounds

3)Another cool temple pic with the Peru flag in it

4) Pic on the bus to the temple. Love all of these guys so much!