Monday, July 27, 2015

Okay so this week was so long for some reason, well and short.. I´m actually not really sure how to explain it. This week we got the opportunity to hear from Elder Uceda of the 70 (He´s our area president) He is super cool and I learned SO much! I think he sucked all of the spiritual energy out of me. It was all super fun. We had to travel to Puno and I got to see the Quispe family!!! <3 I think I will cry everytime I see them. I love them sooo much! After two days in Puno, we came back to Jxx and returned to normal missionary work. woohooo! We worked super hard and I think we'll have some pretty amazing news next change. We continue to visit with Yuly! SHE IS THE BEST! I love her so much! She had her interview this Saturday and I could not be any happier. She is so amazing and has such a strong testimony already. She is willing to change her life for the Gospel. That's when you know you have a golden convert. During her interview, one of the members asked us if we could teach one of his friends while Yuly was in the interview and of course we said yes! The girl came and we began to teach her our purpose as missionaries. Suddenly, a rush of water came spouting into the baptismal font. After a couple minutes it stopped. Super weird but we continued to teach. About 5-10 minutes later water started spouting out AGAIN! One of the Elders and us went to see if we could stop it. We found a key that stopped it and continued the lesson. A couple minutes later water started to fill the font again. We had no idea what to do because it was off! Anyway, we ended up calling the secretary of our ward to come and drain the font. All of us were joking that someone on the other side was trying to tell this girl to be baptized, hahaha. It was hilarious and I think it's true ahaha. What else could it have been. The water was off! I think she's getting baptized. She has SO many questions and the Gospel can answer everyone of them. In reality, the Gospel can answer every question, just if you let it.
 
Oh yeah and these lovely photos haha, this morning, we went to the catacumbas in Lampa. It's inside of a Catholic church and you can go under ground and everything. The picture of me is outside of a tumb thing with a bunch of bones inside. It was super amazing. They also have a replica of the statue of Mary carrying Jesus by Michael Angelou. Super beautiful and I want to go back! This country is beautiful and amazing but the thing that makes this experience amazing is this Gospel. The Gospel is beautiful.
 
Les Amo un muchisimooo!
-Hermana Wattles
 
 
Photo of bones
 

Monday, July 20, 2015

A Changed Heart

Hello Friends and Family, hehe

This week was a good one and more than anything I am learning some beautiful Lessons.

First, I'll update ya'll on these beautiful people here that are progressing, First and foremost, Yuly!!! Yuly is 17 years old and she is so amazing. We've been teaching her since I first arrived in Juliaca. She always has a million and one questions and some things are hard for her to understand, but every time we teach her, something is growing within her heart, I just know it. She has a testimony stronger than mine ever was and her desire to be baptized is so great. Everytime we meet with her, she is really searching to understand the gospel and do what is right. The last lesson, we told her that to show respect to our Savior, she should wear a dress to church and arrive on time (sometimes people wear jeans and come in after the sacrament). And ya know what? She was there before us, wearing a dress! I was ecstatic. She is so amazing and obedient. Y Yuly si esta leindo eso... jeje le amo MUCHO! Everyday, she is teaching me something so important, that it doesn't matter the circumstances, the Lord comes FIRST and we should be willing to do what ever and when ever for him.

After her, we have some families who are pretty amazing and there isn't a lot of progression YET.. but I know it will come!! This picture is of me wearing this protector helmet of one of our investigators. We knocked for like 10 minutes and they never came out so we started looking at their stuff, hahha.  But, I know that these families have something special and the Gospel WILL change their lives!

Something else I have been learning here is that I came on the mission to serve. I told myself that I would completely forget myself so that I could fully serve the Lord. Whenever people said that they were the ones that changed, I never understood and I thought that they needed to focus more on the people because we're not here to change ourselves. But, I have learned a valuable lesson. It is impossible to serve with all of your heart and not come out changed yourself. IMPOSSIBLE. It is amazing how the Lord works. I love him. Service is something very powerful and when we are in the service of our fellow being, we are also in the service of our God and we can not give him more than He can give us. It just doesn't work that way. Service is something very special. Give your hearts to the Lord and he will give you more. I have alot of trust in this and I promise it is true!

I love you all so much!
Thanks to the people who write me, it really warms my heart! ahha

Con Amor,
Hermana Wattles

 
Juliaca

Monday, July 13, 2015

Six Months

 
 
 
 

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

What a Blessing

July 6, 2015 - Okay, so this was my first week in my new area and it was SO SO SO Stressful! It is so hard to leave a place that you know so well and get shoved into a brand new place and have to learn the streets, the members, the places to buy things and everything else. SO HARD. But it's coming along. My new companion is from Mexico! I love her so much and I know we are going to do so so amazing together!!!!
 
This week was good though. There wasn't much work in this area when I came so we made a goal to find new people and that's what we have been doing! It´s amazing how much the Lord will bless you for your efforts. We have really been putting our all into the work and slowly but surely it is paying off. Everyday I am EXHAUSTED but content with all that has happened. We have found so many new people who seem so ready and are already working with people heading towards baptism. I am so thankful for all that the Lord has given me and I know that everything happens for a reason and I am so thankful for that! I love this work so much and I am so thankful to our Savior who is with us every step of the way. I am so thankful for all of my blessings and I pray that all of you can see the blessings in your lives.. because they're there.
 
I love you all!
-Hermana Wattles