More Snippets and Pictures

Sister Kati and her mother and huge turtle!

This week was busy, exhausting, but great. It is better to be exhausted :) Oh and on wednesday Elder Grow from the Area Seventy is coming for a huge conference with all of the Lima zones and Canete. So this morning, they called us in to practice for a special choral number with selected missionaries. So I got to see Hermana Santiago and Hermana Wilkins! Hermana Wilkins is the girl from SUU. She is actually struggling because she really doesn't speak Spanish. and that makes it hard. But she is pressing on.   I love Hermana Santiago. The practice was at 10 and at like 8:30 during personal study, the phone rang and I answered.  I was so confused because it was in English and she just said, "Hey I will be in San Juan today from 10 to 11".   I was confused but then I just got really excited.  I love Hermana Santiago.  I think on Wednesday I might get to see Hermana Bott!!!!!!! It has been 2 months. I am so excited for the conference and everything and to see everyone and it is making this week really exciting and different.

Our pencionista's food is really good. She talks a lot, but it's all good. The missionary work is great :) So remember Manuel?  Well Manuel is a huge man. Funny. Reminds me of Rick. He has had baptismal dates before and not achieved them, according to the teaching record because he has doubts about this and that. Well last night we had a lesson with him about receiving answers and I felt prompted to share I believe it is D&C  6:20-22 or something like that.... and he said "I would like to share something".  And then he just broke down sobbing. He was an only child and about 3 years ago his Mom died. He struggles with it a ton. He just cried and cried, but talked about one night when he prayed and received enough peace to continue on. He was so sad that it just made me bawl. But then I shared D&C: 50 40-42 or something like that. I think he feels a lot like he has received an answer and that this is the place to find happiness and peace about his mother's death. Oh it broke my heart to see such a powerful man break down, but I think we found his difficulty. It was a really spiritual, tender lesson.

Have a great week! I will talk to you friday!!  I love you! I cant wait to see your beautiful faces and hear your wonderful voices :) I am happy. I am healthy. I miss you dearly but am so grateful for the blessing you are in my life. Like, inexpressably grateful and joyful and forever indebted. :) Remember how amazing you are and how happy you make me. And how happy this gospel is and the things we know.. I just love you so dang much. Never forget. Friday!!! I love you.

More new pictures are posted on the pictures page.

Mom, Dad.....I Think I Am Bilingual

My Dearest Most Beloved Amazing Beautiful Family!

How art thou?  I realize the title of this email is inappropriate, but I just couldn't help it.  Hahaha.  I laughed at myself all week when I came up with that.  And yes, I think I am sort of bilingual!  I understand the majority of what my companion says and she understands me.  I have a loooooonggg way to go, but it is encouraging:)  Tomorrow is the 3 month mark!  1 sixth of the way done.  I can't believe it.  Maybe this is possible.

So continuing with my disability to write email effectively.....

Weird foods and their possible side effects this week:
Last night some weird fruit called mahme or mame or momeh or something.  It was delicious.  Continuing with awkward foods but moving into awkward moments.......last week with Hermana Saenz we went to this members house because she wanted to make us traditional peruvian holy week food.  We dragged Miguel with us and when we sate down she put a steaming plate of sudado in front of me.  For 1, Sudado is fish.  But I could have dealt with it.  What just about killed me was that it was a whole fish.  Skin eyes and all.  I am pretty sure my face looked like I was going to die.  I was really close.  Miguel immediately started to laugh uncontrollably because he knows I hate fish.  This member is sweet and there was no way I was getting out of eating this.  Ah. It was just as disgusting as I anticipated. And as it sounds.  Bleh.

Other awkward moment.  Just last night I was on a spiritual/happiness high and I was walking in the street and a car came and me and Miguel were crossing behind Hermana Trejo and Gabby.  A car rounded the corner and I just froze and cackled.  The Miguel tried to save my life and then it got awkward because he can't actually touch me technically, so then I laughed even harder.  It was horrifying and hilarious.  Not dangerous, nothing that wouldn't have happened at home Mom, don't worry.

I wanted to say thank you! Last week and the week before I got the two packages from you guys for Easter and also one from the Pettersons.  I got a letter from Grandma and a Dear Elder from Will that literally almost made me and every English speaker in my zone pee their pants.  I don't know if I mentioned that last week or not.  Thank you for the packages and the cards my beloved family and parents.  You are the best, without a doubt:)

Bueno.  The best part of my week was yesterday.  Let me start at the beginning. I was kind of struggling through this week just because the Spanish was making my brain work and I was kind of missing my beautiful family and blah, blah, blah.  Basically being a prideful wussy.  Then last night was one of those nights that makes the whole missions sacrifice worth it.  Manuel, our investigator from a couple weeks ago who is married to a less active return missionary was in the chapel again.  The we went to visit him after with Gabby and Miguel and one of the counselors in the bishopric was already there.  Then while we starting teaching, his home teachers showed up.  It was just an amazing display of support from the ward for this man.  And I was worried it was going to put pressure on him during the whole lesson, but we just kept teaching.  It was like everyone in the room was on the same track, testifying in turn and just expressing genuine love for the gospel and this family and this man.  Then, the moment came and I asked him if he would be baptized on the 24th of May if he felt he had received an answer.  And he is a hilarious guy, it was really quiet and tense in a good spiritual way.  He whipped around and looked at the calendar and everyone just laughed.  And he accepted :)  And I wanted to leap for joy.  In that moment, everything was worth it.  This is not easy. It is the hardest thing I have ever done.  But it was all worth it in that moment when he said, "possibly yes, possibly no, possibly after, possibly before, but yes, I will work with you to be baptized on the 24th"  Ah.  this gospel is true.  I love that man and that family and I want him to get baptized.

I am honestly the most tired I have ever been in my life, but that is all I ever want to be on my mission.  We taught 51 lessons to investigators, less actives, and recent converts.  It was amazing.

Thank you.  For everything. I love you all so incredibly much.   I love reading the email about our family and everything.  I love you.

Have an amazing week :)  Just remember I love you.  That is all that is important :)  And that I am working hard here.  I love you,  I love you, I love you!  I miss you dearly, I am here helping other families to have what I am so beyond blessed to have.  Thank you :)

Love,

Hermana Lauren Bailey