Week 32 Letter

Monday, Jan 23, 2017

Ok wow, so this week was weird. There is opposition in all things, including a red eyes, cold sores, health, and food on the street......but I am alive so that’s good. There were a couple of times this week where I sang the words "I’m still alive but I’m barely breathing..." I can’t even remember the song, but that line has been my week. Hahaha. But all is good. 

As an hermana leader we have 24 hour exchanges with the other hnas in our assigned zones...so we have one every week. Normally we are all supposed to be in our area for the day instead of actual exchanges...but we with some little hiccups in our apartment situation we have done exchanges were one of us goes to the other area. So I got to go to Ascope. That was cool. There was a HUGE dance off party thing all week in ALL the streets, so we snapped some pics. This one tribal dance group painted their skin black...and I could only think of Jet...maybe it’s a little racist...but ya know. He's black and he knows it. Haha. But it was cool to see another area and help there. 

All the zone leaders and us have been trying a new daily schedule for the last couple of weeks...and I think President will go with it. Just a couple things changed, like dinner has to be when we return to our apartments at 9:30, planning in the morning, less study time, more proselyting time. All in all I think it will be good. It’s rough on pensionistas to prepare dinner to go so late, and its rough eating super late, but sacrifices are sacrifices. Haha. I like it. I’m really only telling you this because I don’t know what else to say and mom will kill me if I sent nothing...so, here is something. Haha. 

This week I learned that butter is a product of dairy...like butter has milk. Didn’t know that....Did you all know that? And in the 8th grade I learned that Mayo is made from eggs, but I also learned this week that it is made from the yoke...I just assumed it was made out of the white part because mayo is white...but mayo is the main condiment here and it kills me every time. Because they could really use some ranch, bbq sauce, real ketchup, or just something other than mayo. Haha. They do have some really good chili pepper sauces....anyways...I’m just rambling...so I LOVE YOU ALL! 

THINK OF ME EVERY TIME you drink a smoothie....I miss blendtechs. Hahaha

Week 31 Letter

Monday, Jan 16, 2017

CRAZIEST WEEK OF MY LIIIIIIIIIIIIFE! Holy moly. It all started when we had to go to Trujillo last pday and we drove down for a 2 hour trip in less than an hour in a minivan and got pulled over by police and the driver handed out fake IDs to the other passengers....long story....then LOTS of other crazy stuff and we are now sleeping in another apartment at night because there is a Japanese creeper that lives in the room across from us for the next 3 weeks and I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT ELSE happened but it was sooooooo crazy. Wow, so crazy. 

But we had the first baptism in our area for 2 years. Narda is so amazing. I love her so much. She is so great. I can’t help but think of the scripture in D&C 18:15-16 that talks about the joy we will feel when we bring one soul to God and then how greater our joy will be when we bring many souls. Every time we have a baptism, I just get more excited to serve. As Narda shared her testimony, I could feel the Savior welcoming her into His fold. I heard the spirit whisper to me "Well done, now go and find the next one." The joy that we can feel when we bring others into the fold will NEVER run out, because the love of Christ will NEVER run out, and the effects of His atonement will NEVER run out. Never. And then today we went to the temple and I have never been so excited for something I think and then interviews with our mission president. Most effective 10 minutes of my life, I love our interviews. So great. I really have no more time; I will try to send some more pics, because I have TONS. I LOVE YOU ALL!

THINK OF ME every time you eat cream of mushroom soup...I ate some noodles with nothing but tuna (we eat a lot of tuna without penstionista) and I really wanted some cream of mushroom soup. Haha. 

HAPPY TUESDAY THE 17th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Me and my comp are gonna buy some pineapple juice today to celebrate...she doesn’t know psych, but who can say no to pineapple juice? Hahahaha. 

Week 30 Letter

Monday, Jan 9, 2017

Wow, not a lot of time, like almost none, but how are you? I have to go back to Trujillo again today. So, once or twice every week this month...ugh. But that’s okay. Anyways...this week was so great. Lots of miracles. Tons. lots spiritually, but also, Heavenly Father knows our physical needs too, and this week He blessed us with a lot of temporal blessings...like Snickers, s'mores, hamburgers, brownies, Costco trail mix with real raisins, and tortillas. A pretty American week. And one part of my area makes me feel like I am in the South of the states. It is so awesome. I love it. And then sometimes I think of Sister Summer Romney in Louisiana and I just laugh. The south is so great. Haha MIRACLES. Ha-ha. But also lots of miracles with awesome new investigators and progression here in San Pedro. We have a baptism this week, so please pray hard that things work out. There is for sure opposition in all things, but we are so excited for Hermana Narda and her decision to be baptized. She is so great, and her conversion story has been so great. She has literally seen so many miracles these last 2 weeks. Heavenly Father is very aware of all of His children. 

Next week my Pday is Tuesday because we are going to the temple!!!!!!! I am so excited! I have missed it so much. It will be so great. I’ve been there once to watch some of my converts do baptisms for their ancestors, but we will get to do a session. I am so excited. I LOVE YOU ALL! 

THINK OF ME every time you are cold, because I am never cold...

Pics: Some fun stuff

My new look as a missionary, pants and a hat...awesome. Haha. I usually don't wear my hat...shhhh. 

Week 29 Letter

Monday, Jan 2, 2017

​Famlee! It was great to talk to you and I liked the pics of the wedding. I still can’t believe that Cameron is home.....

Wow, what a week. Longest week of my mission, but it was all good. It was so hard to leave Esperanza. So hard. It really felt like my home. I remember my first day and it feeling like home with awesome ward members and a great area. But, such is life, and this week I think I worked harder than any other week...My companion is so great. She is from Ecuador. Hermana Delgado. We get a long really great. She has one more transfer in the mission than me. I am in a branch San Pedro. There are also Elders in our branch with different boundaries. Our area is huge. HUGE. With lots of different little pueblos. Our area hasn't seen a baptism for almost 2 years...so that's great....but we have worked so hard this week to find new people and we have some great families found. Part of my area is a little city with lots of people. I really don’t feel like I'm in Peru, more like Italy or Spain. I think my image of Peru is skewed and when I think of Peru I think of podunk Eesperanza. Haha. But that is okay. Then there are other areas with less people and are super poor. It’s for sure a different world here. Safer than Esperanza so don’t worry mom. ;) But, it has a lot of work that needs to be done. I don’t really know what else to say...I have a bazillion bug bites and will start wearing pants once there is water for growing rice...so I think this month sometime. I also completed 7 months on the mission...say what????? Crazy. I LOVE YOU ALL!   

THINK OF ME every time you 

Pics: my comp, there is green plants here! Sometimes I think I’m camping at our property in Clayton, Wilderness Lake or even Tum Tum with the green, wind and bug spray. I LOVE IT! Haha. And then some other random pics from san Pedro or Esperanza. Haha. 

Week 28 Letter

Monday, Dec 26, 2016

​Hey Famlee! I will talk to you later but here is a little glimpse of my last couple of days....after some great news about my new niece!!! I was so happy for reals. Haha. 

I pretty much had the worst Christmas ever. Sunday morning my president called me and told me I am to be transferred and will be an sister training leader of 3 zones, so that was awesome.....I am being transferred to San Pedro in Guadalupe far away where it is sooooo hot with TONS of crazy bugs so I will for sure start wearing pants...I really don’t want to leave...so yeah...that kind of ruined the rest of my day. Haha. And this whole week I seriously gained 50 pounds because we ate so many Christmas dinners of Paneton (fruitcake) and chicken and turkey and cake and stuff that I don’t even know what it was and sooooooo much stuff. So much. I want to throw up so bad. Haha. #lifeshardonthemission 

So I have been in my area for 4 transfers. That’s 5 1/2ish months, no? I have really come to love my area and the people that I work with, like every other missionary, no? This change was really unexpected because I am training a new missionary and we are only half way done with training. Side note: Christmas here is mostly the 24th. At midnight there are tons of fireworks and this is when they exchange presents. So, it was midnight and there were fireworks from every house in all of Peru. Super loud and super pretty. So I got up to watch them. I just remember thinking about all of my investigators and ward members, and thinking about the things they were doing, my cook, my bishop and his kids, the single moms that we brought Christmas fruit cake to, everyone. Then everything was silent and in slow motion and I thought to myself that I am leaving, and it was the worst feeling ever. And then 9 hours later I got a call from my president confirming my previous thoughts. I didn't have the heart to tell anyone right away. So that was hard. But I know that is the mission. Every missionary faces this when they have transfers, especially their first transfers. It sucks a lot. But I also know that there are more people for me to help then in one town. But I will for sure miss the Hillyard of all Hillyards, the heart of the fiesta, Esperanza. I think that to really learn how to think of other people, you HAVE to serve a mission. You can't learn how to in depth think of other people in such a Christ like way without a mission. When we forget ourselves and completely work for God and for other people, we can truly come to know Christ, as He has forgotten Himself to serve God and other people. Obviously there are missionaries of every level of the scale, but to be a celestial missionary, and a true disciple of Christ, you have to forget yourselves, and think of the reasons why you are serving. Think "How will my service help this person, this family, this ward, this church, the Lord" rather than "What blessings will I receive for my service." It is a learning process, one that I am just starting to understand. But it is the best. I love being here so much. 

I sent more pics as a google drive. A bunch this week. Let me know if you can’t open them and see them. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!! 

THINK OF ME every time you drink cold water or room temperature water even.....haha. I might have said that in a previous email, but it still applies, so think of me extra. Haha. 

Week 27 Letter

Monday, Dec 19, 2016

Wow! It really feels like I was writing y'all yesterday. This week flew by! And after so much birthday cake and baptism cake and Christmas cake and just a manic Monday cake, I am still breathing....

We had a baptism of a little boy Kevin. He wasn't a convert baptism because he has 8 years, but we still had to teach him all the lessons. His mom is less active, and she’s getting back into things. But Kevin is awesome. His answers are so innocent and simple but so profound. He really has a testimony of the gospel!!! 

And then we had the baptism of Danis. She is 21 and is so great. She is such a great example of what it looks like to 1) be converted, 2) have real intention and 3) act by faith. She has had a rough family life, but has always believed in God. She is Catholic by birth (like everyone else and their dog), but she knew she faulted something else. So she started looking for a new church, and we found her in the chapel and taught her right there. She is so great! Such a miracle. The last 2 weeks she has witnessed Satanas and a lot of opposition, but has come out stronger. Such a miracle.  

Spiritual Thought from the last talk from Elder Bednar:

"As we submissively acknowledge our total dependence upon Him, He enlarges our capacity to serve ever more effectively. Gradually, our desires align more completely with His desires, and His purposes become our purposes, such that we would not ask that which is contrary to His will." 

"A correct idea of His character, perfections and attributes provides enduring purpose and clear direction as we follow Hi on the road of devoted discipleship." 

BOOM. Super clear, I don’t even know if we can explain that any more clearly. When we rely on Jesus Christ and His atonement, we become so much better, and we come to know Him personally. This talk during conference was an answer to prayer, and I have really enjoyed studying more since. 

THINK OF ME EVERY TIME you eat a pastry that is not brick cake or fruit cake...lots of fruit cake here for the holidays. I am bracing myself for 3 invitations to eat cake every day this week....but let’s be realistic....5 every day. Hahaha