Like Stones in a River....

There is a song that says like stones in a river we are tossed and turned, smoothed til the edges are gone.....

Some weeks, you get tossed and turned a lot more than you would maybe choose of your own free will. But that is life... right?

HOLA MY BELOVED FAMILIA!!!

How the heck are you?? Sounds like you are freezing to death there... bahahaha it is like 75 degrees in Ica.... jealous?

Anyway. this week was great! well, it was actually really really really stressful. But like I think I have said before, whenever I look back on the week it was always just fine. I think that is like the beautifying power of the mission... and maybe the enabling power of the atonement. allowing us to do and continue on through the things we never thought we would be able to.

I think I am rambling. Anyway.

This week with Hermana Santiago started out with a disaster. Well, the realization of a disaster. We were just talking about like family history and indicators and such and all of a sudden (I think it was the spirit because I really don't know how else it would have even happened ) I just had a huge feeling that something was very wrong with our indicators. So I made her stop and explain every indicator of family history they were using in Pisco (in family history) in this weird like excel form the mission office has us use. Well, all in all, in the end it turns out here in Ica we were counting two indicators (well more like 5) really, really wrong. And it was like one of those things that is like a little, almost unnoticeable mistake IN THE BEGINNING. But after 3 months, it was a huge numerical difference. Massive, really.

And it was my fault.

And somebody had to fix it.... 

And.... somebody had to tell President. 

Well, after racking my brain and freaking out for like two days, the indicators were fixed (and a lot lower) and we felt.... weird. Like something wasn't right. And we started digging further and further into alll of the indicators and the form that the whole mission for family history was using isn't measuring things correctly.... so we started doing crazy excel formulas (anyone who knows me knows I loathe math. It was literally a week of mind blowing math) and just now it is sort of right....

I realize this probably doesn't even make much sense, but this was my stress of the week. Ahaha and even hesitated to say it.... but without it, I wouldn't have anything to write because this was literally my entire week. The freak out. And, I am still happy :) The mission is still my favorite thing in the whole world. But, it is not easy at times. That is why it is so special I think :)

Aaaah. Well, in the end, all is (almost) well, President did like heavy labor breathing (as I silently cried and tried not to pass out from fear)  on the phone for 30 seconds when I told him that the form he had just sent to the Area Seventy was wrong and it was my fault. He is so great. He handled it so well. Hahaha 

Anyway. I think this week was so hard.... because I was like humbled to the polvo. (dust?). And (this is hard to admit) I hate admitting that I am wrong. And I really find taking the blame and responsibility for things very difficult..... but I had to do it this week. And that was really humbling... but also on some level sort of freeing. 

I also was able to see the little tender mercies more clearly this week, weird how when we are passing through a difficult time, our eyes are better opened to the little things. Like my amazing pension who makes me steak when they cooked fish because they know I hate it. For Tejas (delicious Ican candies) while looking for housing for elders. For the feather pillow Hermana Muñoz gave me :) For Hermano Nefi (an old less active that was rescued during my time in San Juan) and seeing him in SOYUS on Monday! For conference talks and email Monday and Inca cola and the sacrament :) I love this gospel.

We are never alone. When it is hard, He is there. Christ came to earth to suffer for us so that He could be with us in the hard times. So He could understand us :) So that he could help us to be better and return to live with Him :) 

I love this gospel, 

I love being a missionary :)

I love my family!!!

Have a great week :)

(sorry this email is so scattered... I promise I am not crazy.)

Hermana Bailey

OH my missionary scripture is Alma 29:9.... but this week I read verse 10. And those two verses together I think is the biggest thing I have learned so far in the mission :)

I LOVE THE MISSION.

I love Christ.