OOOOOOOHHHH We're Halfway There, ooooOOOh Livin' on a Prayer :)

Soooo.. there are approximately 4,498 miles from Ogden, Utah to Ica Peru and my beautiful beloved family still somehow figured out a way to send me flowers on my halfway mark. Are they perfect? Yes. They are so incredibly perfect. That was probably up in the biggest surprises of my life. The lady touched the doorbell for the church. When we went out we were like,  "Oh she is probably lost". But then she was like,  "Are you Lauren Bailey?"  I was just like "uhhhhh yes?" And she gave me a dozen roses. So surprising. Best surprise of my life :) And all of the elders are just flabbergasted. Flowers? They sent you flowers? From.... your house.... to here? Ya I don't understand either, but it makes me think they are pretty dang great. Roses have never really meant love for me or been so special, but now and forever more I am pretty sure they will ALWAYS remind me of love and make me feel special. I was just delighted :)

Anyway. back to the beginning of the week. On Monday, we watched 17 Miracles with some of the Elders. Every single time I watch that movie I cry and cry. I love the pioneers so much for the faith they had and what they did for the gospel. It kills me.

This week, I learned that I think what is most important in life is to be where your feet are. Wherever you are in any given moment, be all there.  Love with all your heart. Love the person you are with in that moment, and tell them. Show it :) Make the most of life, and love with all you have :) Just my life thoughts. Also on Tuesday night Hermana Wilkins and Freyre slept over in our house on the way to Nazca. Me and Hermana Wilkins slept in my bed and it was probably the scariest night ever because we were sure it was gonna break and we were gonna die. But, it was hilarious.

Well.. Wednesday was my nine months and it was a great day. I got the flowers.  I felt so special after that and I just felt a really special spirit about life and felt my family very close to me. We were actually really busy that night, and a little boy from this ward (San Isidro) gave me a bracelet he made with the Broncos colors on it because he likes football too (that is soooo rare for a 7 year old boy in South America I don't even know how he knows about it).   I just stared at the flowers in the office all day. As you can tell from the pics, I basically was obsessed with them all week. Mostly because it is just so amazing to me that they even made it.  I can't get over it. Hahaha I love love love love love love love love my family. And roses. 

Also, that night while I was saying my prayers, I had a very clear memory back to my first days in the field in San Juan. I felt so strongly that while am still the same nut-job person, I have changed a lot. I like to think maybe I have grown up a little, that maybe I will come home a little more mature and ready to deal with life and be a more better person. More better? Ya. More better. 

Then, Thursday was insane busy and literally almost every single companionship brought somebody in for a lesson and it was amazing and busy and beautiful. I love family history. Did you know the Spirit of Elijah's job is to testify of the divine nature of families? I have felt that so strongly in family history and with the people who come through here. It is a beautiful, beautiful spirit.

Friday... were INTERVIEWS WITH PRESIDENT. It was so great. He is amazing. literally, amazing. He really helped me to get the whole vision of this temple family history work shmeal deal and I really am so pumped now to get all of these people finding names and to the temple. It is all about the preparation and spiritual experiences they have along the way and when they get to the temple. And our job is to prepare them for that, in every way. Then, that night (it was Halloween), when the elders were coming in for lessons, every one that came in brought us candy.  Then the Elders of San Isidro brought us a pizza!!! The Elders here are seriously so special. Well everyone always says it is different in the south (of the mission) but it is so true.  It is like you have a family, because we are so far from everything but closer than in Ayacucho to each other as missionaries, like distance wise. It is so fun.  I feel like they are all my little brothers.... because all the little 18 year-old gringos (so all of them) ask me hilarious questions because I am like their big sister and the only Hermana who speaks English. I love them in the least romantic way ever :) They mostly just make me laugh.

Also, Saturday, we went to the temple with 2 converts! It was crazy. we left at 6 a.m., 6 hours on a bus, sprint to the temple, print off the cards, hug the converts, send them in the temple, go eat lunch, then get back on the bus. But it was worth it :) And it was mostly to teach me how to do it... cause my comp will probably have a change in 2 weeks. AHHH. But it was gorgeous :) and humid. Ya. Don't miss Lima... hahaha

Well, I think preparation is the key to everything. When we prepare for something, it goes better and we can have a spiritual experience;   in a lesson, in the chapel, in the temple, or just starting the day right and feeling tranquilo all day. 

Also, I love my family. They manage to make me feel loved and super special, even from thousands of miles away. It made those thousands of miles on that nine month day seem a lot smaller :) I absolutely love my family and am so grateful for the knowledge we have that  I get to be with them for eternity! It is a huge blessing.

Quote of the week:  "We don't follow because we are blind, we follow because we can see!"

I love you all so much more than words can even say. Thank you! For absolutely everything.

Hermana Lauren Bailey