July 19, 2016

This week was really good. I don't really want to write much (la flojera!!) but we were able to go to Centro de Lima again and had our first interviews with our new mission president. He is great and has a lot of ideas to keep us mejorando siempre. We felt two temblores (earthquakes) yesterday. This time, seriously we are going to finish buying our stuff for the emergency backpacks! Our investigators are good, just a little hard to find! I am doing well, healthy, no weird bugs... Hope you have a good week!

We finally ate the cookies you sent me in my Christmas package :)

I made Hermana Llerena wake up early to go on a hike with me, she wasn't this excited when we woke up early but it was worth it :)

This week has been.....interesting.

Familia! 

I always love talking to you guys. This week has been.... interesting. As always. I don't remember if I mentioned a family of investigators that we are teaching (la familia Cueva) last week. Anyways, this last Sunday they were waiting for us in the windows to come to church with us. We had taught them several times where the Spirit was so strong and we could feel the promise in DyC 50:22 be fulfilled that says: "Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." We felt like this family was an answer to our prayers and would be our miracle for this month. When we went to teach them again (now after they had attended church) they asked us to please not come back. They were really nice about it and thanked us for renewing their faith in God, but that they would not be doing it in our Church. We were devastated but were forced to also take a new perspective to our efforts. We were able to feel that something the Lord wants us to do is strengthen the ward in which we are at right now. President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “There is absolutely no point in doing missionary work unless we hold on to the fruits of that effort. The two must be inseparable. … Every convert is a great and serious responsibility” We felt inspired to look for ways to help our investigators feel the Spirit in our meetings and to help our converts and less actives be more "steadfast" to really help this area improve. We found the ward directory and started visiting all of the less active families that we don't know. We have already seen a miracle from that. The first day we went to look for a few less active families and knocked on one of their doors. There were several who (somewhat rudely) told us to go away and never come back. However, there was another family who immediately welcomed us in. They told us that they were facing a lot of problems as a family and that the night before we got there, they prayed asking God to help them have the courage to make the changes in their lives to come back to the church. We showed up as an answer to their prayers and this last sunday, all four of them came to church. We also have seen some huge changes in the animos of our ward leaders and things are improving little by little. We have seen many little tender mercies from God and have felt the Spirit constantly. I feel so happy to be a missionary. It's so hard to explain but... oh well. I am getting a little tired of writing and President Uchtdorf says it better than I can anyways:

"Waiting can be hard. Children know it, and so do adults. We live in a world offering fast food, instant messaging, on demand movies, and immediate answers to the most trivial or profound questions. We don’t like to wait.Some even feel their blood pressure rise when their line at the grocery store moves slower than those around them. Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter.Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding,deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace."

Be patient. Enjoy where you're at. Have a good week!!

Sav

For the Beauty of the Hills....

Work Visit with Hermana Gomez

Our primary class with their drawings of themselves in the armor of God and the Standard of Liberty

Fourth of July Preparations

Happy 4th of July!

Familia! 

I love hearing from you every week, and even more.... seeing the pictures. It is weird to think that everything is so bright and sunny and full bloomed flowers and beautiful. I am also happy to hear that you'll be celebrating the Fourth of July. I too, am proud to be an American! (Today for P day we are going to grill hamburgers, watch a movie and play football. Not fútbol soccer-for the first time ever- but football football! I also have my red white and blue on :) 

This week has been crazy. We have taught evagelicos, testigos de jehovah, catolicos and every kind of person. I love it because they all have such different view points and opinions that we can relate to. This week when we went to Plaza Norte, Hermana Kingston and I took a picture as Frozen, there were two moms that wanted to pay us to take pictures with their kids. There was also a big protest in my area this week (The government wants to take out one of the only green areas to build apartment buildings) The news came and while passing by wanted to interview us. We just pretended that we didn't understand and kept walking fastly haha We're just so famous!

We were able to meet the new Presidente Godfrey and his wife and 3 of 6 kids that will be living here during their mission. They're very young and also sweet. We will have our interviews with him in the proxima semana (next week). One of the funniest moments we had was teaching a reference named Diego. He wanted us to meet his handicapped son who was in a back room but we had to sneak past his blind super roman catholic mother to avoid her condemning us like the last time we tried to invite her to the church. It was hilarious tiptoeing past but it worked well! We have seen a lot of miracles in our area- We were literally led to an awesome couple who attended church yesterday and even in the very first lesson, felt the spirit strongly and said that Joseph Smith must've been a prophet- it only makes sense. And it's true. I love being a missionary- little moments like these make all of the walking and blisters and bugs and rejection be worth it. I hope you're all well. Set off some fireworks for me and say hi to everyone in the BBQ! 

Love,

Savannah

Frozen. When people walk by and ask us if we are the real life princesses and want to pay us to take pictures with their kids.....Too bad we can't haha

First work visit alone in my area

Shout out from the internet cafe

One for the BOOKS.

Familia! 

This week has been one for the BOOKS. I feel like it has been the fastest week I have had so far in my mission- that's what you get when you work so. freaking. hard. haha First of all I'd like to introduce you to my new companion, Hermana Mishelle Llerena from Quito, Equador. She has one change more than me but we are going to die together in December because I had a month more than her in the CCM. It is so fun to be with someone from your own group, especially when it's someone tan linda como ella (so cute like her)! I was happy to know that she too is ready to work hard and laugh and eat chocolate covered saltine crackers (don't knock it till you try it). Like I said before, this week was crazy, obviously with a new area and new companion. We have been working hard to find new people to teach because there isn't anyone progressing yet (aside from the baptism that we had on Saturday) It was almost like a game to see who could contact every family first or who could squeeze the most references out of the members ;) 

My favorite part so far about my area, and the craziest thing of all, is that we are teaching 6 sordo-mudos, or in other words 6 people who are deaf and mute. They are converts and actually live outside of my area but come here to go to church and have the missionary lessons. Every day we have an hour of language study and Hermana Llerena and I spend the whole time with our book of Signs. It's also interesting because it's not exactly ASL, but a special Peruvian Sign Language! We also have permission to go to a class every Sunday that one of the (very patient) sordo mudos give that help us learn and improve our signs. I don't understand a lot about how they respond and what they say if they go fast, but I BELIEVE IN THE GIFT OF TONGUES (hands?) I have already been able to learn a lot and teach a full lesson of Keeping the Sabbath Day holy and how to pray. I feel such a great love for these people- I can't even explain it. It is beautiful to see how they express themselves without saying a word. This week we also had the farewell of Presidente y Hermana Erickson. It was so sad but also really happy. I love them. 

This week we are also celebrating 60 years that the church is officially in Peru! An official branch (a small congregation) was organized in July 1956, missionaries began preaching in August, and a Church building was purchased in November. Prior to this, Latter-day Saint families living in Peru held group meetings. In 1959, when the Andes Mission was organized, there were 300 members in five congregations. Now there are over 568,559 members, 13 missions, and a second temple coming. What a blessing to take part in it. I hope you guys have a great week. Love,

Sav

In response to questions regarding her new responsibilty as Hermana Capacidora: As sister training leaders we have to do 24 hour work visits twice a week (once I go to the area of the hermanas and one comes here and once I stay in my area and another sister comes) We also have to do two lamanitas which is when we surprise them and go to do practicas with them and look at their area book and help them set goals and everything. It's like a zone leader but for the sisters! Hermana Llerena is also a sister leader. She's training me how to do it! It's kind of stressful but it is fun and changes up the routine a lot!

last night with Hermana Antunez

Zona Tahuantinsuyo

With new companion Hermana Mishelle Llerena from Quito, Equador

despedida de presidente

Go Find Them!!

Familia!!

I can't believe it's been another week already. Thanks for all of the updates, I'm jealous of the cinnamon rolls! I haven't seen one of those in a year. But speaking of other things that I hadn't seen for a long time- this week I was able to play the violin!! I honestly didn't think I would miss it as much as I did. The hermana brought it out and we tuned it up and I played hymns. I couldn't remember any other songs! It was fun- they want me to play in Sacrament meeting this week BUT... I have transfers tomorrow. I am headed to Tahuatinsuyo (it is pretty close to Comas where I'm at now- well basically everything is pretty close to where I am now because our mission is tiny!) I will be with a Hermana from Equador, I'll tell you more about her next week after I, you know... meet her. haha I am sad to leave my area here in Belaunde, I have met so many good people and we are teaching a lot of great people. I also love the members and feel like I have really gotten to know and be trusted by the leaders of the ward and the bishop. But there are good people everywhere, and I am excited for a change. I heard that my new area is small though. Looks like I won't be losing any weight now haha I have learned a lot from Hermana Antúnez and she will do great here with her new companion. This week has been a lot better than the last, and we also have food again (well at least chocolate oreos and avocado).

The experience that I wanted to share with you all this week was something that the Elder Montoya (or Elder Mestra- spelling??) from the seventy shared. We had a special stake conference yesterday to call a new stake presidency and these two Elders from the seventy came. They talked a lot about the importance of Rescuing people who have fallen away from the church or who haven't come to know, or fully accept it yet. He spoke a lot about the conference talk entitled "To the Rescue: We Can Do It!" from this last General Conference in April 2016. (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/to-the-rescue-we-can-do-it?lang=eng) but one part that really struck me was when he shared a short story that we have all heard that is found in John 5:3-9. It speaks of a sick man who had been laying by the side of the Pool of Bethesda for 38 years waiting for someone to help him. In verse 7 he tells Christ: "Sir, I have no man to put me in the pool." But I like how it reads in Spanish better- dice: Señor, no tengo nadie. Lord, I don't have anyone. There are so many people who are waiting for US to be God's hands here on earth. Some have been waiting 38 years! But we shouldn't wait that long. I know that He will go before our face. He will be on our right hand and on our left hand. That His Spirit will be in our Hearts and His angels round about us to bear us up. (DyC 84:85)  Go find them!! 

Love always,
Savannah

Told you we had food...hola 10 kilos

Stake conference

Las hermanas de la zona comas

My district- Elder Schaeffer (Lehi) Elder Saenz (Equador) and Hermana Antunez and I

In honor of AJ's picture this week

Go find them!

Elder Rasband!

So much happy news from you guys this week! We have had a weird week- for some reason, NO ONE wanted to receive us. Even the cool people that we've been teaching were sick, or had to go to the dentist, or their brother was moving to the US, or something. But not all were so nice. There was a woman who hates Mormons and almost threw a bucket of water on us (like they do to dogs) to make us leave her doorstep. I think she was more annoyed when we just smiled (and I just tried not to laugh while my comp tried not to cry haha) There's just days so horrible that you want to laugh- and then you get home and the only food you have in the fridge is a half carton of peach juice. Then you want to cry. haha But it wasn't all bad because... we had the conference with ELDER RASBAND!! It was so great. We were all able to shake his hand and hear his message along with his wife, and the Elder Montoya (from the presidency of the 70) and his wife as well. I love how they are such REAL people, who laugh and even choke on words sometimes, but are 100% called of God. I had that overwhelming feeling again this week. There was so much that I learned but the things that stood out to me the most, are very simple- Learn how to smile. Learn how to be "sweetly bold" (see Alma 38:12) Learn how to follow your first prompting, the one that comes form the Spirit, not the one that comes from your natural man trying to talk you out of following that prompting. Finishing the capacitación he shared his testimony with us and the love that he, and President Monson, have for each and every one of us. He then gave us a blessing, pleading to God to bless us against every affliction and temptation that we are facing in this moment. He told us that it is under the same affect as if he had placed his hands upon our heads to give us this blessing. I felt the Spirit come over me so strongly; that God knows that it was a rough week. That He knows what we need even before we ask. That He loves us perfectly. That He loves me perfectly. It was a good experience and another confirmation of my testimony. I hope you have a good week!!

Hermana Stone

(ps, last night for the first time in my mission I saw about 30 stars- RECORD!)

chicha morada flavored toothpaste, ¡que miedo!

building a chair with the abuelito

Simplest of Service

Familia!

The crash looks so bad! I'm just glad no one was hurt. Hopefully you're all doing well and putting up with the heat. Wasn't it just a month ago you were complaining about the cold? ;) It's cooling down here a lot- I love it because now we are pulling out our sweaters and scarves and it's nice to wear something different for the first time in six months! 

This week was really good. We were able to have a lot of special trainings by Presidente and also some of the assistants. This week we are going to be visited by Elder Rasband!! I am being very spiritually fed! Also foodly-fed- unfortunately something hit me wrong and I've been sick all week. It's not so bad until you're in the house of someone who doesn't have toilet paper or water... We are working a lot with the family of Luisa (photo included) She will be baptized with her two daughters the 25th (if all goes well!) She is an incredible woman, who was widowed 11 years ago. I have never felt the Spirit so strongly teaching the Plan of Salvation. There's not a lot of new news from me this week but I did want to share a little bit about a talk I was listening to titled "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox. One of my favorite lines from his talk said "We know not only what (the Savior) has saved us FROM, but also what He has saved us FOR." We as members of the church, so blessed to have additional scripture available and modern revelation to help us understand gospel truths (such as the plan of Salvation!), we understand not only that we can be saved from death and sin, but also what we can BECOME and BE now. We have been promised a fullness of joy if we but do His will and serve others. Sometimes we don't know how to serve or maybe feel like there's so much to do, that whatever we CAN do doesn't really make a difference. Maybe we feel unappreciated for the service that we have done. In my study this week about service I read again a story in the book of Mark (capitulo 14) that reads: 

¶And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

 6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

 8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

 9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

I know that the simplest of services will be greatly appreciated by our Lord and Savior. Although this woman's name is not mentioned, her service is remembered by people everywhere. As Brad Wilcox said "The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us." I know that as we look for ways to serve others, especially by sharing the Gospel, we will be successful. And we will be happy. Go and serve someone! (yes, making cinnamon rolls for the elders quorum counts!) 

Love,

Hermana Stone

This is the familia Rodas that I am teaching. They are so good and Eduardo (the dad) says that he still doesn't know if this church is the one he should join. Please pray for them!! We also need to marry them to be able to baptize them...

Don't worry, I got the recipe.

With Luisa