This week was a good one. I think I am starting to feel the Christmas spirit in my life because I have just been so stinkin happy. I feel so overjoyed to be here, know these people, serve them, love them, talk to you all, and do it all for the Lord.

 

We taught a less active this week who is going through a few hard times. She has some mental problems and some people in her life have taken advantage of her and she feels very alone at this point, especially at this time of year. She is rather hard to teach because she doesn't understand things very well but I know that the spirit can testify to her. We were able to gain her trust and talk for a while and after a while, she looks up at us and asked if we could bring the elders to give her a blessing. She asked... well begged. She told us that she had the faith that could heal her and all she wanted and needed was God´s help in her life. I was so impressed to see a woman who didn't comprehend things very well and feel abandoned in life, turn the the Lord. To really confide in him. She taught me a powerful lesson this week. Proverbs 3:5-6.

 

Ths week we had a particulary amazing lesson... I think. We went to teach a less active member and as we walked into her house, we find that she had invited her nephew of 20 years to come and sit and listen. We had already planned to teach the Book of Mormon to them but when we saw that he was there, we wondered if we should abandon the lesson and teach the basic principles that would help him understand it a little better. As we sat there talking, I felt the impression that we still needed to teach the Book of Mormon even though he didn't understand anything. As we started the lesson, I could notice that he was listening very attentively. We made the lesson short and at the end, I asked him how he felt and what he thought about the Book of Mormon. He looks up at us and says, (not knowing the Book of Mormon before) "I feel like this is such a blessing to know that this book exists. I want to read it and understand it." then he goes, "just like our bodies need food to survive, our spirits do too... and i really feel like this book is what can help me feed my spirit." I was so astonished because that is an analogy that we use in the church and he just understood the principle so well. It made me so happy to see someone so happy to hear about this precious book that I hold so dear to my heart. The Book of Mormon is a gift to us. I love that he accepted it so easily. I hope that more people can understand the importance that this book has to us. It is true.  I testfy that Jesus is the Christ. I know that he loves us. He lived and died for us. He eternally understands us. I hope that all of us can come to know and apreciate him more this Christmas season.

I know that through the Book of Mormon, we can know him and become closer to him.

 

-Hermana Wattles

 

Funny or sad story... not sure

 So this week we had a lesson with Milargros and we go to her store. Her store was completely closed so I looked down the street and I see her walking our way so I'm like, cool! We'll just wait for her. NOPE. She saw us waiting and she completely turned around and walked the other way. She waited on the other corner and when she saw that we were still waiting she turned the corner and waited. So, we decided to go to another appointment and come back. Came back an hour later and she was in her store but the gates were closed. She looks at us and goes, "hermanas.... I'm locked in... sorry. My daughter locked me in." OMGOSHHHHHHH so as we're walking away we see some guy walk right out her front door......I just think she wasn't feeling God time that day

Love ya'll Happy Christmas from Emily

Photo: Me and almost all of the group that I came with!!! We're all serving in the department of Puno! throwback to almost a year ago! I understand the latins now! WOOO go me!

 

 

Happy Days

This week was interesting, not much happened that I can remember.  I want to share a miracle... a food miracle. So for the past month, we have been trying to find a new pension because we were getting dropped. :( We looked the whole month and NO ONE wanted to feed us. The problem is that the white missionaries get sick and are really picky so lots of people are scared to pension for us and we're two whities. Also, everyone here works. So literally no one could feed us. Do you know how scary that is???? To realize that in a week if you don't find anyone you'll starve or be very poorly fed. Man I need my food. That was really hard. I cried, I panicked, I worried ... everything.Well, practically two days before the end of our pension, she said she wanted to keep feeding us and that she wanted to bring the food to our house!!! Lo Maximo! That was such a blessing to me.

 

Our phone still doesn't work... but who's complaining. We have one really amazing investigator. Her name is M... and when we first met her she didn't want to listen and she didn't even really look at us. Now she is so interested and says that she will get baptized once she understands better! Pray for her! I love her so much!

 

I don't have any pictures :( We met some people in the Plaze and they wanted to take pictures with us and I told them to send me the pictures but they didn't so maybe next week!

 

I love you all so much 

oh.. ps i dyed my hair... oops

-Hermana Wattles

Juliaca Mía

Where do I start.

 

This week so many things happened and I told my companion, "remind me to put that in my email". I always say that and then I forget. So, this week, we had probably the most interesting lesson that I have ever had IN MY LIFE. We have been working with a less active almost the whole time that I have been here and their kid who isn't a member. The kid seems really interested, so this week we brought a member their same age to come with us. Bad idea. As we start the lesson, no one can sit still and the spirit really isn't there. We start reading the pamphlet and every once in a while we ask a question to make sure that they understand. Basically, everything that we teach, the less active completely denies and tells her kids that it's not right. All of it really surprised me because I had never heard anyone say those kinds of things before. I won't share too many details but basically every thing we said, she turned around and told her kids that it was wrong and this is how it is. Basically, she has a very futuristic view on how the church works.

 

Okay so a couple of days ago, I wasn't feeling very well. My stomach hurt so bad and I couldn't control my burps, ahahha. I didn't know what was wrong with me so we ended up going to an investigators house and talking for a while. I told her how I felt and she so very quickly whipped me up some herbal tea and medicine and essential oils and gave me advice. It was so sweet. I never felt so specially treated here before and she did it all without even a second thought. I love her!

 

This week we were also able to teach the wife of a less active and I can't tell you how amazing it was and how amazing she is. I consider it a mini miracle. When we first met her, she didn't want to hear about anything that had to do with the church and she refused to read or do anything. Now we are teaching her. She reads the pamphlets and listens so openly. Her whole countenance has changed and it is just such a blessing. Pray for her. I know we will be able to see great miracles with her. This week was weird. I can't even share it all.

The picture... I decided to braid my hair without looking and that's what happened. It got caught on another hair that's keeping it up in the air, ahhaha.

 

-Hermana Wattles