Tumbes!!! - Email from 12 August 2013

So this week we had a blast going to Tumbes! First, we had a Multi Zone Conference here in Piura and then we were going to head up at about 5, but turns out that there weren`t any bus tickets, which meant we had to go up at midnight! We were pretty upset about that, but it turned out to be a good thing because we were able to have one lesson with Jaime! The elders have been teaching him for a while, but we were able to help him put a baptismal date! I really hope that it can come through.

The bus ride to Tumbes was quite the event! We woke up about two and a half hours into the ride to find that we had stopped!! Apparently, the bus broke down, which made a 5 hour ride turn into 7 and a half hours in that tiny, very smelly bus! It was a great time. :) We got there just in time to begin personal study, even though I was DEAD physically and mentally.

Tumbes was really great! I got to go out with two of my groupies! Elder Smith and Elder Smith!! Haha, it was pretty funny, but way fun. :) they are both great missionaries and it was fun to be with them again. It was cool to hear about their experiences, challenges, and everything else that is going on with their Zones. They both are so different in their styles of teaching. I really like how each and every one of us bring something different to the mission, yet all of us can still teach the same thing, with the same spirit! It really helps me to believe what it says in the Book of Mormon, that God will teach every man in `his own tounge.` To me, that means more than just a language, it`s also a specific person that will be sent to a specific home, be it an elder or member, God truly is in charge of the work.

On Friday we had our last Multi Zone Conference! It was really the best out of all of them! The spirit was really strong and quite a few elders participated! It was cool because i got to see Elder Turcios again, and he gave his last testimony! He`s really a great leader, and it sounds like he could be getting home just in time to get married and called as 1st councellor in the bishopric!! Haha, he`s pretty nervous about that, but I have confidence that he`s going to be a great leader in the church, and will help a lot there in Nicaragua!

After Tumbes, we ended up getting to Piura pretty late. We were able to go to the baptism of one of my ex-investigators, Ana. She`s the daughter of Oscar and Danitza, one of my favorite families from the mission who lives in Tacala. After that we had the not so nice pleasure of hearing about two elders that are having dinner with teenage girls alone at 11 pm. After dealing with that, we had to plan for the changes this week! It`s crazy how things are happening here in the mission now. We have changes about every three weeks now because of the age change and everything. We have to organize all of that which is pretty interesting and kind of frustrating because the elders aren`t always very punctual, but I guess that`s just how it is!

Sunday was great! The ward got together and made a Mission Plan! I`m super excited to see what happens, they seem really excited to work now. Hopefully we can keep them excited and work together in order to help other people to come unto Christ!

Well...sorry that this letter is so wacky...lots of things to do and lots of things on my mind! Just know that all is well in Piura and that I`m working really hard to help this work go forward!!!

Love,

Elder Schofield