Hermana Stone: Peru, Lima North Mission: Conference!

Familia! This week was crazy! First of all, last Monday we went to Centro de Lima. It's beautiful but unfortunately all of the museums and things we were going to do was closed for the day so we spent the day wandering around shopping centers and enjoying the nice weather. For lunch we went to a sandwich shop. I told the worker that I wanted the "agotado" bread which apparently means they're out of that kind of bread, not an actual flavor. That's my life haha

This week we had a really good capacitacion from Elder Miranda (who finishes his mission tomorrow!) It was all about how our calling as a missionary is a covenant with God. He has given us specific rules and guidelines (commandments, our missionary handbook, rules from our Mission President) that we need to follow. If we do so we are promised power and authority in teaching His gospel as well as personal spiritual growth. We talked about how God won't be upset with a member who sleeps in until 10 am but if a missionary wakes up at 6.35 am, he will be upset because we are breaking our covenant with Him. It also hit me hard when he told us that if we can't live the simple rules here in the mission, how do we expect to live the higher laws of heaven. I think this is a good thing for everyone to realize, missionary or not. If we aren't paying our tithing, keeping the Sabbath day holy, or even something as simple as loving our neighbor, how do we expect to live the higher laws of heaven. Heaven, or life after death, is not without rules and this life is a time to prepare to meet God, to live with Him, and to live by His rules. We talked about how when Adam and Eve were cast out from the Garden, they were searching for light and knowledge and the form it was given to them was through more commandments and covenants. I challenge each of you to live the commandments and remember your covenants!

Hermana Ericksen, the Presidents wife, told us that we each need to prepare an emergency backpack for the possibility of a natural disaster or earthquake. It was funny because Hermana Haro is deathly afraid of earthquakes and was SO serious about her mochila and having everything you could possibly think of for an emergency. It probably weighed 50 pounds however, if we have a natural disaster, I hope she's my companion! Speaking of, WE HAVE CAMBIOS AGAIN TODAY. We will find out in about an hour who stays and who goes and tomorrow the new companions. I¿m really hoping we'll have another cambio together but only God knows.

This week we also got to help the Elders move houses. aka Hermana Haro and I did all the heavy lifting. no pasa nada with the Elders! ;) After someone told me "Hermana Stone, parece la muerta" or "you look like death". I try. Thank you. Finally on Saturday, we had a special edition of Hermana Stone and Hermana Haro and the no good, very bad, terrible horrible day. First of all, none of our investigators could come to General Conference with us, one of our investigators with a baptismal date told us that she doesn't want us to come by anymore and to discontinue the lessons, and then our cell phone got stollen on the bus. I was feeling angry at the whole world and wasn't in the best mindset for conference. But as soon as we were seated and the talks began, I changed my mind. The whole theme of the first session was being happy and trusting God. Isn't it funny (WONDERFUL) how He knows exactly what we need to hear and when we need to hear it? Everything was in Spanish but I could understand almost everything. almost... haha but yes. I sang LOUD AND PROUD in English all of the hymns. I looked around and all of the other North American missionaries were doing the same. It was a good week and I am so grateful for a living prophet. I know that He is called of God and is the only man on this Earth that holds all of the keys of the priesthood. I love you guys!

Hermana Stone