8/29/16

Familia,

I never know how to start these things. I love reading the emails but when it comes time to reply, I have no idea what to tell you about this week! I am doing really well- my companion however, not so much. This whole week Hermana Llerena was super sick. She got a virus and between the bathroom and the cold/not being able to breathe or speak, it was basically impossible to work these last couple of days. I had the chance to play "mom" and buy her medicines and make her tea and bring her stuff she needs- I don't know how mom's do it. I got tired after 3 days of it! It was an interesting experience. But even though it was a lot of calling members to do divisions or bring food or tell us what to do for a fever or something, we were still able to get a lot done! This week we had some really great lessons- There were two distinct times when I felt exactly what we needed to say and the results were miracles! Sometimes I get nervous to teach certain people certain things for fear of losing them or them not wanting to receive us any more but have come to find that when the Spirit is present and we follow the promptings that come, there is no reason to fear. I also received news that the family we were teaching in Belaunde were able to finally get married (after problems in their paper work) and baptized on Saturday. Even though I wasn't there to see it, I was so happy to hear that they are progressing as well. PLANT SEEDS! 

Jhoseph (one of our baptisms from last week) recently shared with us that his mom and brothers haven't talked to him since his baptism because they don't agree with the church. He is very sad about it but reassured us that he will stay strong because he knows that this is the truth. I also got to see Hermana Haro this week (she is as fun as ever) and we both got our "trunky papers"!!! I can't believe it. (The papers that say what airport you are going to go to, the contact information of the family etc) Time is passing so. quick. 

Yersterday Hermana Llerena and I were assigned to give the talks in Sacrament meeting again. When we walked in the chapel, we saw the whole stake presidency seated up front with President Godfrey and a member of the 70. I was literally trembling to give my talk (about fasting) but it went well and I made it through without peeing my pants or throwing up. I think that's about all of the random things that I can think of right now to write you guys. I am doing well and am using lots of hand sanatizer- mom don't worry!! 

Hermana Stone

la masiel

Neighbors

Another Good (make that GREAT) Week!

Familia!

Nothing says Spanish Fork like a demolition derby or rodeo. All of the Utah Elders in my zone always make Spanish Fork stereotype jokes that I am slowly starting to realize are true hahaha!

This week was so good! We were able to have two baptisms on Saturday and I was able to do a special musical number in them both on the violin! Jefferson (who sent the pictures) is the assistant of the ward mission leader and he mentioned that his sister has an old violin in his house. I tuned it up without breaking anything thank goodness and took it home for the night. I gave Hermana Llerena a concert at night but it definitely shows that I haven't played in so long! The baptisms were of Jair and Jhoseph. After their baptisms they each gave their testimony and both expressed their gratitude that they can be clean, that they KNOW that this is God's church, that they are excited to be able to receive the priesthood to bless their families, and the Holy Ghost to help make decisions and be guided in this essential time of their lives (Jair is 19 and Jhoseph 23). Everything went well and yesterday sitting in front looking over everyone during the ward announcements, I felt so happy to see them sitting in the congregation, seeing the other investigators, the people we have "rescued" that aren't menos activos anymore and also the members that are so fiel (faithful)! I feel like we are really helping the ward progress and even though we're still in danger of becoming a branch, we are fighting to keep it as a ward! We were also able to have a capacitacion from Presidente Godfrey and will have the opportunity to have interviews with him this week. Hermana Llerena and I are super happy together, I feel like she is one of the best friends that I have made here. We are always laughing (or at least she is always laughing at me and how I still don't understand Spanish sometimes) 

It was a good week! Love you guys,

Savannah

learning to cook comida peruana!!

happy 15 meses Llerena!

Jhoseph

Jair

8-15-16

Familia!

I can't believe that you're starting school again so quickly. Where does the time go? The family reunion and other last call summer activities look fun, do all you can before school starts again! Tell Alyssa good luck for me! 

I love what you said about Family History. We have a cool system set up in our mission that helps our conversos recientes (recent converts) and menos activos (less actives) find their ancestors. There are two hermanas assigned specifically to being family history consultants and they go to a different stake every day. Here in Tahua we take our people to them every Sunday. Before we take them to the hermanas, we teach them about the Plan of Salvation and the importance of doing the family history work to help our antepasados (ancestors) be able to literally rest in PEACE! (See Alma 40, DyC 138, 1 Pedro 4, etc) It's always one of my favorite things to teach because it goes to show just how COMPLETE the restoration of the gospel is. Then once a month, these converts and less actives have the opportunity to go to the temple (it's about two hours away mas o menos) for free and do the work for these people. It really helps strengthen them and give them spiritual experiences. 

This week I learned how to make Keke de naranja and pie de limon, and yes, they turned out well! We are also finding more and more people that are interested in our message. We are especially working with Jahir and Jhoseph (who both have baptismal dates!) I have hopes that they too will serve missions when they have completed their first year as members! We are also working with Graciela, she is great and has expressed her faith in what we have taught her, but feels like she needs more time to sufficiently repent before her baptism. She is so valiant and I have come to love her a lot. It also turns out she works in a restaurant that I always went to when I was in Belaunde and she recognized me! The Lord works in mysterious ways. We are also teaching a family (la familia Espejo) who are great, but the dad is hard to teach because he always is working but we don't want to baptize just the mom and daughter until the dad also feels ready and a stronger testimony for himself. We are also working with Luis and Pablo, two other men with other problems, but sincere desires to repent and come unto Christ. I just hope that they can realize their potential and God's children and potential priesthood holders and vencer cualquier (overcome any) sin or doubt they are currently facing. I hope that you guys are doing well. Say hi to everyone for me,

Hermana Stone

washing clothes by hand (to prove I know how!!) haha

August 8, 2016

Familia,

Glad you had such a great week! I always love the pictures, keep them coming! Also tell AJ that he looks so freaking cute in his boy scout uniform haha my companion and I did a collective "ahhhh" when we saw it! This week has been great. We had cambios on Tuesday, but Hermana Llerena and I are going to stay together again for the next 6 weeks! I am so happy about that. We get along super well and have gotten the flow of our teaching together a lot better. She also mutually enjoys eating mini m&m's, making random High School Musical comments, and it's always nice to be able to speak in English together when we don't want anyone else to understand what we're saying. This last p day we escaped from the zone and went to get pedicures! It was nice (more ticklish than I remember) and my feet came back a whole different shade of white. The poor woman scrubbed off 14 months of layers of dirt. Ok, it couldn't have been that bad because we DO wash our feet! haha 

We had some funny experiences- we taught a woman and her husband about the restoration and they loved it. We felt like we had taught it really well and when it came to the end of the lesson, the wife gave the closing prayer. She mentioned: "Thank you Lord for sending two of your apostles to my house to share this message". Well, we're going to have to go over all of this again! haha This week I also got to be companions with Hermana Kingston for a day for a work visit. por fin! We had a really neat experience where last sunday, one of the members of our ward that we rescued (who was less active) invited his half brother to church with him. He has been going through some hard things lately and we left him a Book of Mormon so he could read the introduction before the next lesson. We showed up and he had read a LOT, and had even prayed and asked God if it is true. He said he felt the same tranquilidad that he felt in the church. We taught about the Plan of Salvation and the power of the Atonement to overcome our weaknesses and problems. He accepted baptism in the second meeting. Yesterday for fast and testimony meeting he asked us why we didn't tell him to go fasting! We just laughed. God prepares people. He also answers our prayers and fasts- I fasted that the members wouldn't share anything weird in their testimonies that always seems to happen. It was such a great sacrament meeting and we all felt the spirit strongly. This week I was listening to some general conference talks from October 2015- Presidente Eyring said "My encouragement is to help you know that when you do your part, the Lord adds His power to your efforts. Hearts of people will be touched to make the choices that will bring them along the gospel path toward happiness and away from sorrow." I have personally seen this power. As the apostle Paul said: 

" 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in theLord." 

It was a good, fulfilling week. It is getting colder here- enjoy your summer! 

Hermana Stone

Homemade Chifles!

no pictures this week.... so here's breakfast (literally we didn't take any photos this week)

Bird Talk

Familia!

The pictures are always so fun! I literally can't believe how green everything is too- it all seems so fake to me. I've forgotten what green really is. Even my clothes are faded and dirty by now!! haha 

This week was interesting- the twenty eighth of July is the día de independencia here complete with a whole two week vacation break for the collegios (elementary schools) and a four day weekend for basically everyone else. That means that yes, there were lots of people in the streets to talk to BUT all were busy and playing soccer and drinking literally all day and all night all weekend. We live up in a cerro (hill) and it was fun to see all of the fireworks and stuff at night, but the nonstop music and booya got old. In one celebration we passed by, there was a big processional with a Saint that the Catholic church was parading. There were a bunch of priests and also masked people in traditional dance clothing. One came up to us and started following us and grabbing our arms. We were both freaking out and saying "You can't touch us" until finally he left. Que vergüenza. The whole group gathered just stared. Pobre mormonas. haha We had another funny experience. We were knocking doors (another fun thing to do when no one wants to listen to you!!) and the people here normally don't just answer, they yell "¿quien?" (who)? and then decide to answer or not. Anyways, knocking a door they yelled quien, we answered and no one came out. We knocked again and yelled hello, and they responded with "quien?" again. After about 2 more times, just annoyed that they weren't answering, we realized that it wasn't anyone, but a PARROT INSIDE. face. palm. We just laughed. 

For my favorite spiritual experience this week, we had a lesson super bacan (awesome) with Luis, one of our investigators. We have been teaching him and helping him put goals to quit smoking. We went to our next lesson with him a few days later and he shared with us that after our last lesson and after reading the book of mormon, he only smoked 3 cigarettes in the whole day! (He normally is smoking 15 a day). It was such a huge testimony to me that it's not US converting people or even helping them, it is the POWER of the Holy Ghost and the pure doctrine of Christ. I invite you all to read "Rooted in Christ" from this months Liahona. It is a good reminder that when we are converted to HIM, when we are built upon His rock, we cannot fail. I hope you have a good week! 

Hermana Stone 

Zona

I have a really sinky mattress so we had to put blankets and magazines to help support it