The doctrine is perfect.

Wow. What a week. I could probably start every letter that way. So much happens here.

Well...firstly. We started an English class this week. My entire mission I have taught English classes. In my first area we had about 5 people, and that's pretty much how it goes. Thursday afternoon we had 60 kids between the ages of 8 and 12. It was hilarious! We taught them "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and then for the rest of the week had little kids running up to us in the street yelling "Teachers! Teachers!" We also had 50 kids show up to our movie night. We are on fire with activities this week.

We did an awesome activity on Saturday in the plaza where we brought a bunch of the "My family" books, a camera, and a portable camera printer and took pictures and printed them out and explained to everyone how they could get started on their family history work. It ended up being a really cool activity that helped us as missionaries understand a little more about family history work as well. I have received multiple promptings on my mission that I need to start doing family history when I get home...and I am so excited!

As the weeks have gone by, I have realized more and more WHY I am here in Chivay. As a missionary in Arequipa I had gotten myself into a kind of routine. I woke up everyday, ate breakfast, studied, and headed out with my companion to teach. My Father is Heaven knows me perfectly. He knew that maybe I wasn't being pushed enough.  My life after the mission will not be easy, I know that for sure.  I am only being prepared for what is to come. The diligence that I have learned this week will shape me into the daughter of God that I need to become.

The gospel is perfect. The doctrine that we teach is perfect. This church is the church of Jesus Christ. We visited yesterday with a sister and her husband who have 3 daughters. All three have been baptized, but her and her husband couldn't because they weren't married. They pretty much had based their testimonies on the missionaries that first taught them, so when they left the couple stopped coming to church, and would just send their daughters. Yesterday we sat and talked with them and explained to them the truthfulness of the doctrine and the message we share. Missionaries come and go....a lot changes in the church, but the perfect doctrine of Jesus Christ is what makes this church true. I know that without a doubt in my mind.

Love you all!

 

Oh…surprise! Bought myself a new camera this week…

  A lady in our ward raises hamsters…to eat. YUM!

 

children in our English class love us…bouquets of flowers for the teachers!

  English class….60 students!

  Just a little chocolate. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

  Branch Primary President

  "My family” activity…Family History

 

Just a little morning yoga.. comin at ya!

When one door closes, two more open

Hello my lovely family!!!

How was your Easter? Better than mine I hope. I was throwing up because of something I ate in the street...lesson learned.

This week was one of the toughest I have had in my entire mission, but as always, my Heavenly Father helped me through it. My companion and I love our area, and love each other, but the branch here is just progressing so slowly that we don´t really know where to start. We don´t have the time that we had in Arequipa to teach all day long because we have to deal with running the church here. All week we worked and worked and worked, until last night when we completely crashed. Yesterday I was sick, so after church and lunch we were just resting, and both felt so overwhelmed with everything that was going on that we just opened our scriptures to find SOMETHING to help us out. Our district leader called us for our numbers and could tell we weren't ourselves, and gave us a few scriptures as well, but I had a pretty cool experience that my Heavenly Father sent the spirit to tell me in my mind and in my heart what it is that is needed of me.

Here in Chivay we are the church. There are no leaders, no one with a stronger testimony than us as missionaries. My entire life, and my entire mission I have been in situations that when my testimony falters, I have someone to look to, or someone to truly help me remember what I know to be true.  We talked about this a lot last night, and it made me realize that when I get home, and when I start my own family...I will be that person. I can´t depend on others. I knew that this was coming. I knew that on my mission I would have to strengthen my testimony to the point that there is no depending on others...just me, and my Heavenly Father.

This week our only investigator told us that he didn't want to pray about the Book of Mormon even though he had read it because he thought it would be cheating on his church...I told him that he wasn't praying because he knew it was true, and he got defensive and said..."No I don´t...I don´t know that." Ah. It is so sad when you see someone who is SO ready to progress, and they just don´t want too. However, this week the Lord blessed us with 2 families that we are teaching now. When one door closes, two more open. He truly is hastening His work, and I feel that...I also feel that He wants those who are truly prepared and ready for this gospel. The Lord has His hand in everything we do. We are His children, and He wants what is best for us...even when it seems difficult or inconvenient.

Love you all!

Be good :)

He will answer your prayers

Oh man....Where do I even start with this week?

Well...we made it! We are in Chivay! This place is absolutely incredible. I´ll be back to visit....no doubt. I love it so much. I sent as many pictures as I could. The weather is cold....we wear 4 shirts, scarves, 2 pairs of pants, and have 4 alpaca blankets at night...with our heater...and we´re still cold. Haha. Imagine driving up to the cabin in the winter, and going to sleep without turning on the heater...that´s about where we are. Haha.

Our branch is POPPIN....we had a whole 6 members there yesterday. My companion and I gave talks, and taught relief society....and I´m primary president. Hahaha. It is seriously the coolest though. The people who come are so fiel, and just so happy to be members of the church. I attached a picture of our relief society yesterday which we combined with primary and young womens.

The work here doesn't move as quick as it does in Arequipa, but I truly and honestly feel that the Lord has prepared this little town for the gospel. Who are we to say that the Lord hasn´t prepared 10 people to enter the waters of baptism in April? Who are we to say that our branch can´t progress? This is the Lord´s work, and we are only instruments in His hands.

President and Sister Zobrist are the greatest Peruvian parents. Last week they drove up from Arequipa and brought up Top Ramen, a heater for our room, hot chocolate, oatmeal, cereal, almonds, and more blankets. Then they took us out to eat for dinner.  Don´t worry...I´m being taken care of!

I am loving my new area, and Hermana Weller who by the way is my exact twin. Wish I could send all the hilarious movies we made doing Zumba at 8:45pm in the plaza...by ourselves. We just laugh all day long, and enjoy every moment together.

The people here are incredible. I couldn't love them more.  I am so happy, and love this work SO much. I know that if I humble myself before God, that He will bless me. I had multiple experiences this week with prayer and receiving answers. Every time I knelt down and asked the Lord to help, I received my answer strong and clear, "I am willing...just let me. I have plenty for you to do, will you do it?" The Lord answers our prayer, He loves us. I can´t say it enough. "Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you."