It Is Well With My Soul :)

Hello My Crazy Beloved Family!

 You have had the craziest week ever! Like insane! But it is in the happiest way ever :) new life is amazing! I am so happy for you all! I cant even express how happy the emails made me. It is amazing to see the blessings and hand of God in our lives. AHHH I am so grateful.

Well, my week was relatively eventful as well. First of all, I will be staying in San Juan for another 6 weeks with my companion Hermana Trejo :) At first, on Saturday waiting for the transfer calls, I was really kind of hoping for a change. But then. after that night (which was truly amazing) I was literally praying to stay in San Juan for one more transfer. And here I am :)

 So to start, on Wednesday was the interview for Manuel's baptism with our district leader Elder Rudas. In the middle, about 40 minutes in, he came out and asked to see us in a seperate room. He told us that Manuel was still wobbly on President Monson and that he wasn't sure if he could be baptized Saturday or not. We decided to kneel in prayer, me and Hermana Trejo and Elder Rudas and Elder Deleon. After that, Elder Rudas just said he knew what to do and went in. When he came out, they were all smiles and we were set to go on Saturday. He was committed to pray to know if he was a prophet. The very next day we went over and watched the life of president Monson with him and he loved it. It was a beautiful experience, and he was ready to get baptized on Saturday :)

Now skip to Saturday. We spent literally the entire day looking for clothes to fit him. Literally. they like don't have clothes for men of his size here. We ended up using the pants of an elder who has gone from size 44 pants to size 34, and Manuel bought a shirt to fit him. It was insanity. but the service was beautiful. Honestly the most amazing experience so far on my mission. I feel like I actually had something to do with his conversion story, and i feel so grateful to know him. After 24 years of investigating the church, he was finally baptized. His return missionary wife has been reactivated in the church and is so happy to have her husband a member as well. They are preparing to be sealed in one year and I think I will be able to attend that as well :) The actual service was amazing. We sang "I Like to Look for Rainbows" in Spanish with some members and Hermana Dillon and her companion, and then a man from the ward sang a song called "Moroni's Promise"(in Spanish). It was beautiful. Then, Hermana Janeth (the wife) and then Manuel bore their testimonies and it made me cry. It was beautiful. At the end, Manuel wanted to hug us but knows he can't, so he just squished both of my hands in his and cried. It was the most tender moment. I am so grateful to be able to see the miracles of this gospel and the atonement work in peoples lives. This gospel is happiness. It is true :) It is amazing. It is the only way we can have eternal families and live with our Heavenly Father again. I feel so blessed.

I also want you to remember in your prayers a girl named Lucero (loo sair o), who is set to be baptized this week or next, and also an Hermana Nicole who has a very sad past and is preparing to be baptized the next week.

 On Sunday., the day after the baptism, we had a huge family home evening at Manuel's house because we weren't able to have like refreshments after the baptism for Fast Sunday and it was amazing. There were like 20 members there to support him. We watched the John Tanner story and then played a game that I dont completely understand, but it was hilarious. Mostly, it was just a huge blessing to see the support of the members for this man.

I am so happy. I am so happy for the blessings I have had this week and for the blessings my family has had! I am thankful for the puppies and baby cows and for all that we have. I am excited to be able to go to Disneyland and the beach with you next year! Find those pretzels with cream cheese inside and eat one for me :) Remember I love you with all of my entire heart. I cant even handle it. I love you so :) never forget :)

I love you. xxooxxoo Lauren

I Don't Think I Like Rice and Potatoes Anymore!

My Dearly Beloved Family of Mine!

Well. I am going to categorize this letter again. Here goes. I dont think my brain works like other people's brains. Hahaha

Awkward Moments!

Well really only the thought that every day of my life is pretty awkward because it involves contacting. And that is difficult in a city of people who are not interested in listening. It was a challenge slash commandment from president to try and talk to every family and couple. So big ol gringa Hermana Bailey has been chasing down families and couples as they ignore me. Hahaha but! There are also the special few that listen to me and that I get to testify of the importance of the restored gospel and the message that families can be eternal. I got frustrated once because this lady and her husband and their child were running for me so I just yelled ïn spanish ¨Your family can be eternal and  I am spending 18 months here away from mine to tell you! And they stopped. And they listened to me and we took down their info and sent it to the other missionaries in their area. So that made me feel good. Hahaha welcome to my awkward world ;)

Weird foods!

There is this stuff called masamora that is like the consistency of homemade bluberry syrup. The morado kind is the best and last night a member made us some and served it warm with peaches in it and it was the most delicious thing ever. Seriously. I will make it for you all someday, some way, some how. Also, two commom foods for you to google. Ahi de gallina and papa huancaina. Both are good! not my favorite... I don't know what is my favorite....Alfajores :)

Peru....

There is this weird song thing that all the cars, especially like vans or buses play when they back up and it is the most annoying thing ever. And it sounds like dramatic or something... like it is predicting your death. Also. lately, it rains. Because it is winter. but it isnt real rain.... its like a little more than a mist. Just enough to make me have an afro. Every day. Ahahahaha

Tender Mercies  :)

I got a dear elder from Maisie Hobbs that made my entire week. Made me think :) Made me thankful. Can you tell her that I love her with all my heart and will try to write her in some point in my life? 

We had intercambios on thursday and I was with Hermana Jameson (the girl who was there during the call and that is one of the Hermanas of Institute and one of the sister leaders of the Lima zone.) and it was amazing. She is amazing. I want to be a missionary like her. A person like her :) We were tracting for one afternoon and she literally contacted like everyone. And it was amazing. We taught a lesson and it was amazing. We had Miguel and Rocio (his sister in law) Tapia with us and they were blown away just like I was. She is remarkable. the next morning She just talked to me and the love she has for everyone. And that I knew at that moment what she felt for me was pure and christ like. She is amazing. The things she taught me, told me, and showed me in that short time changed my mission. Her name is Samantha Jameson. She lives in Orem or Salt Lake and she went to Skyline High School and BYU.

What I learned...

Yesterday in sacrament meeting I was just thinking and it hit me how much the Young Womens Values mean to me. They apply to what things we need to develop in all facets and times in life. Like to me right now in the mission.

Faith: I am really learning to be humble and walk and live by faith. I am seeing the power of faith work in the lives of investigators and change their worlds forever. I am learning the correlation between faith and personal revelation, faith and comfort, faith and love, faith and happiness. Faith... is everything. Ithink that is why it is first and white. if you have faith, you can be sanctified and purified.

Divine Nature: Well I love the idea that we are two beings. We are the mortal being born of our parents, and we are an eternal being. We are made of the stuff of eternities! Also, the tenderness of being a mother is very apparent to me.  I always think of motherhood when I think of divine nature. I cant wait to be one.  I am so incredibly grateful to have the best one in the world, and I am so grateful to meet ones here in Peru and help them have eternal families.

Individual Worth: I  am learning how much Heavenly Father loves me and how much he loves every one of these children. We can't comprehend how much we are loved by him, and we will never be able to. But for this same reason, we should never put down a child of God. Including ourselves.

Knowledge: i am learning how much of that I lack. How much I want to gain :) How much we can learn from the scriptures. How important the basic truths of the gospel are! the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and all of the commandments and ordanences (i have no idea how to spell that in english anymore. ordenanzas.). It is also amazing to know the promise that if we search diligently, we can have that knowledge made known to us.

Choice and Accountability: Every single thing that happens to us and the people around us and the people whose lives we affect are affected by our choices. As a missionary, I am more and more able to identify  when I am in the right and in the wrong, and consciously make the decision. It kind of scares me... but is also beautiful. I know the choices we make decide where we go after this and how happy we will be. We are accountable for every action, every thought, every choice. We cannot hide from God.

Good Works: Christ himself came to the world not to be served, but to serve. Serving others and being disciples of Christ is the most valuable thing we can do and is the great test of our character. This made me think of my parents and their service and sacrifice in raising me (I love you so much more than words can say) and giving me the example of serving others in church callings and other ways first. I love that my brothers are hard workers and willing to lift another at all times. Remember how important it is to lose your life in good works to find it :) I am learning that real fast. Hahaha HUMILITY SMACK. I just made that up.

Integrity: When it all comes down to it, integrity is what you do and think when no one else is watching or knows. I am really trying to develop integrity and respònsibility in everything I do.

Virtue: Virtue is like the crowning value. besides being chaste, it is being christlike. Pure. Virtuous :) In thoughts and actions and words.

That is my spiel on the values. I love young womens :)

Lesson slash investigator highlights!!

Well in slightly disappointing news Manuel wasn't baptized saturday because he was sick and had a slight issue with a living prophet. BUT!! he is on track to be baptized this week :) Pray for him! This weekend we stopped by to see him and he had made me a bracelet. It made me cry :) He has been sitting in his house sick and made it for me. He also played this song called `Como No Creo en Dios?`about how he is so blessed, and he knows the gospel is true. So that was awesome :)

All in all, all is well! I love and miss you all dearly. I love hearing about your lives :) Never forget how much you mean to me. More than the world :) Families are the stuff of eternities. and I am so grateful every day :) Happy Memorial Day which I actually forgot was today! Eat Zeppes for me!!

Someone Really Likes the Black Eyed Peas!

My Dearly Beloved Family of Mine,

Every morning, someone is playing the Black Eyed Peas on our street. I am not a fan. I like the Journey and AC DC  a lot more, and Stairway to Heaven. Modern music can be such a disappointment.

For this week I will try to go by topic again :) 

Awkward moments: Last monday, we were all in a taxi and I was attempting to contact the driver- It was all going quite well, he was a single dad with two kids and felt very strongly about families. It started going downhill when he asked me if we were allowed to marry and if we were normal nuns or we could have families.... It was actually really hilarious and I basically ran out of the taxi when we finally got to the store. It is always terrible to be in taxis with two companionships because someone has to sit up front and it is a lot more difficult to escape if it gets awkward. All in all, hilarious. Contacting is by far the most entertaining thing.

Also, on Friday we were eating lunch with a member who invited us and we happened to rememberr that one of the papers we received from the mission of members who have disappeared and we are supposed to find them or where they went had a last name like her daughter's. We asked her, not knowing who it could be because her husband's last names are different and she only has a daughter who is like forty and lives with her and a daughter who is like 30 and lives in France, and this was a male name. so we asked, thinking maybe it was her husband or a cousin or something weird, and she said, "That is my son". I just about choked right then because I was sure we had brought up a son that had died or something. I was getting ready to apologize profusely when she said, ¨My son, is my daughter". Oh my gosh. I really just about choked then. It was better than a latin daytime soap. And those are pretty great. It actually led to a really spiritual conversation about the love of christ and the love of a mother, and temple attendance. She has never gone to the temple because she feels guilt for the decisions of her son slash daughter, but now she has goals to go and be sealed to her other daughter. It was hilarious in a really sad and horrifying kind of way.

The other awkward moment of the week was we had a lesson with Manuel on Friday to answer some more of his last minute questions (He is still set to be baptized saturday! Please pray for him to make it.) While we were teaching, there was this crazy dog who they are dog sitting that was very intent on making me his girlfriend. It was very distracting to teach in Spanish while a dog was trying to rape me. Although I was actually still able to focus and deliver a profound thought in spanish. It felt good,  aside from not-so-secret rapist doggy.

Weird foods and their possible side effects:

Mm seriously look into this Ecco stuff. It is Nestle brand, I wonder if you could find it on the internet. It is just like coffee. We seriously drink it almost every day. It is delicious. and very convenient for people like Manuel who are trying to give up coffee.

Chirumbaya or guanabana or some such. It is a green fruit with white insides and big black seeds. And it is delicious. Seriously. Like heaven.

I also am following in love with Honduran food because my comp cooks for us a lot. Fried green platanos and guacamole. Ah. also, I am no longer a picky eater. And I love tomatoes and onions and peppers. What happened to me?

Peru....

Our neighbors were passed out drunk at 10 am yesterday morning in the street. That just doesn't happen in that quantity in other countries. Latin America is awesome.

If you think people are late to church in Utah, or you think we are late to church, you should come to 8 o'clock church in San Juan Peru. Before the sacrament (and i mean barely before the sacrament) we had 63 people in the chapel. At the end of the meeting, there were almost 90. All because no one has any concept of punctuality or time here. It is very frustrating but also hilarious.

Also, my favorite redneck peruvian invention of the week is just motorized bicycles. It's great.

Tender Mercies:

We went to the office last monday with Hermana Saucedo and her companion because her comp went home this week. She never wanted to be here. But anyway we spent like 2 hours there and I talked to Hermana Alkema and Hermana Santiago was there for a health blessing because her back is really bad, so I got to see her and cry with her. She might be going home for a while to wait it out, and she is crushed. I think she will find out this week.  But it was a tender mercy to be there in the exact moment she exited presidents office and cry with her.

Hermana Jameson is a huge support to me. She is the freckly one who was with me in the Mothers Day call and she is the Sister Training Leader for Lima and one of the Hermanas of Institute. She is amazing, and she helps me a ton.

Also, last monday, I got two letters from mom and it was a huge blessing . I absolutely love them. I have read them no less than 20 times each. I am going to try to send some old letters today :) It has been a little inconsistent with Serpost. But oh mom, seriously thank you. 

Also Derek sent me a massive package of treats and now everyone is in love with him in my zone. The elders told me if I don't marry him, they will. Horrifyingly hilarious.

What I learned this week scripturally;

I was reading the parable of the talents in Jesus the Christ, and I realized that that is how it is with investigators as well. God is going to give more new investigators to those misisonaries who follow up with the ones they have and quickly decide whether they are going to prgogress or not, not wasting time. This could also apply to blessings, God will give more to those who realize they have them. I love the scriptures, and the parables of christ. I am almost done with Jesus the Christ. Then I am going to read it again :)

Lesson Highlights of the week:

We  talked to the family tapia for like an hour about the signs of the times and it was awesome. It is really cool to think of how many saints there are around the world, righteously awaiting the second coming of Christ.

Amidst the dog crisis, our lesson with Manuel was beautiful. He expressed a doubt about the love of Christ, because so many people are hungry or mentally ill or homeless. I testified that some of us have illnesses that everyone can see, and some of us have illnesses that no one can see, but God who knows us perfectly is going to give us all individually what we need to overcome in this life to return.

We had a lesson with a new investigator named Jesus Lima, and it was amazing. We taught with the hermanas of Institute and us, and the ping pong was flawless. He believes (believed) in reincarnation and refused to accept a baptismal date, but now is working to be baptized in June :) When I have a year in the field, I want to teach like Hermana Jameson. She is just bold and full of power and authority in a loving and fluid way. It was beautiful, and the Spirit was powerful.

Well, I miss you all dearly but know we are all doing well and being blessed. I cant believe school is ending this week! Have so much fun as you start your summer :) My how time flies. Know that I love you all with all of my whole soul, and can't wait to hear about more crazy summer adventures. I love you I love you  I love you. Never forget! Have a great week :) Send my love to the rest of the family! and the young women :)

Lauren