Monday, February 29, 2016

Disaster Turned Amazingly Beautiful

First, I want to testify that only God can turn a disaster into something amazingly Beautiful. This week we had the baptism of J...!! And let me tell you, it was a very stressful week. Everyone was putting the blame on each other and no one was happy. We felt really down and desperate for help. We felt like nothing was going our way and that it would just turn into a disaster. Oh man... Just to remind you all, J... is amazing! He has gained such a strong testimony and has changed so much! He was so dang excited for his baptism and so were we, but nothing seemed to be going right. Not many people came and we all just felt down. None the less, we started the baptism and the ordinance was beautiful. After, we sang hymns. That is when everything changed. After the first hymn, everyone was smiling and so full of the spirit. I know that the Lord has a way of working miracles. That was probably one of the most spiritual baptisms that I have had and I felt so uplifted and happy. (after I bought a banana bread... just cuz).

The rest of the week was amazing. I know it was. I just can't remember what happened. The baptism has occupied all of my thoughts and feelings. 

I am so thankful for this gospel and the great opportunity that I have to serve the Lord. I know that this is his work and every day I feel more and more edified by the spirit. I love it. The Gospel is wonderful!

I love you all so much and hope you all have an amazing week! 
Love, Hermana Wattles

PS. I went to Machu Picchu today and it was AMAZING! I'll send pictures next week! Just have to add that I got yelled at like 7 times for jumping on the sacred grass. The security guard made me delete my pictures. REAL GRINCH. I was upset. I love you all so much. Write me and tell me about your weeks!

Monday, February 22, 2016

Goooooood Week

This has been an amazing week!!! So many amazing things have happened and I am really sad because my photos are loading ridiculously slow... so I'll try my best!
This week we got J... ready for his interview and he's getting baptized this week!!! YES! I am so happy. This Gospel is perfect and changes lives and to see it change the life of another is something extraordinary. I love it so much. This week we got the opportunity to teach many less actives and it made me really happy because I've been wanting to find more and help them come back to church. We had a really special lesson with our pensions husband! I cried.. idk why... I was literally the only one crying, super awkward. BUT it was great none the less.

MAYBE THE BEST PART OF THE WEEK... Jeffrey R Holland came to Cusco! How special! He spoke to all of the missionaries. In the beginning, he shook all of our hands and looked us in the eyes as we told him our names and where we were from. It was amazing. He spoke about obedience. It put a lot of things into perspective for me and I think that it will really help me in the future. He is so powerful. Then he spoke to our stake, and only our stake in Cusco on Sunday. Something that I really liked that he said to the youth was that we need to put into practice the law of the tithe. Not with money but with our lives. We need to give 10% of our lives to God and if we do, the rest will all work out. It was amazing. He really explained how the future of the church is in the hands of the youth... woah. It was pretty amazing!

Side notes: Today we went to Muray and the salt mines in Urubamba, Cusco!! I'm trying to put pictures up!  Last week, I ran into the Elder who is in charge of Machu Picchu and I told him that I only had one request in regards to Machu Picchu... that I could go with Hermana M...!!! So, I found out that this Monday we are going to Machu Picchu! I am so so so excited! ALSO, This week we asked a member to make us rings and he let us help him in his shop!!! It was super cool to make rings in Peru!!!

I love you all so much and I hope that I don't bore anyone with this super long email! Have an amazing week and remember that God loves ya! I do too!

viva Peru
-Hermana Wattles


Monday, February 15, 2016

Another Week

Monday, February 8, 2016

CRAZY CRAZY

I would put cray cray but I figured that might be out of style. I'm not really sure how long I've been out here at this point... but that's okay. Right now I am in Cusco, in an internet, listening to all of the tourists pass by! I don't think I have ever seen so many gringos (white people) in my life!!!! This week was a really good one! We taught J... (a 19 year old kid who's progressing very well) We were able to set a baptismal date! 27 of February! I am so happy! He is seriously so ready and his desire to learn and grow is so great! He understands what we teach him and he really thinks about it! We have a family home evening with him tonight and I'm so excited!

This week we have been in the process of moving rooms.. that was hard. We painted, cleaned, packed and moved. This morning, the elders came over and helped us move all of our stuff! It was crazy! We did it in less than an hour and we had nothing planned out. BUT we are in our room now and its all good! It's a lot better and a lot safer.
Funny/ not funny: Last week we taugt a husband and his wife. The husband has been coming every Sunday to church for a while now, but the wife has never come. We commited her to come with the condition that we would come and get her...........(our sector is a mountain... Cusco is hilly and has lots of mountains, and our sector has the highest hill and she lives... AT THE TOP OF IT) So we got there on Sunday and 9 in the morning and she tells us she doesn't want to go. Man.. that was a bummer. Oh well.. good exercise right?
I feel so blessed to be here though! I love Cusco and I'm glad that now I can actually say that I served in Cusco. I love this ward. I love the members. I love my investigators. I love my sector and I really love my companion. 
When we really stop to think about it, the Lord gives us so much. so much to be greatful for. I love that. It's just another way to make us happy. I hope you all have a great week. I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that it is true. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I love him. I know that Heavenly Father loves us. I know that he loves you. I know that if you want to know something, you can ask him and he will respnd. I hope all of you can come to feel his love because it's there. I love you all so so much! I hope you all have an amazing week!! (those who still read this ahha)
con mucho amor y ariƱo
Hermana Wattles

Monday, February 1, 2016

Changes!

WOW this week was crazy! I don't have a lot of time to email because we got on late but now I'm in Cusco. My sector is where all of the tourists are! It's fun. My companions name is Hermana A... and I love her so so much! I've only been here for like 4-5 days but I love it so much! There are so many amazing people that want to listen and change for the gospel. I feel so blessed to be here. We have two that have a baptismal date and they are just amazing. There are tons that want to get baptized but they just have to get married and they have plans! It makes me so happy.
 
We had a lesson yesterday with an investigator. She has never come to church but here husband has been coming. We asked her what this gospel could do for her and she told us that her husband had changed so much since he decided to come to church.He doesn't drink anymore and he isn't violent. I think that it is so amazing to see how the gospel really does bless families just like we teach. I know this church is true and I hope that all of you can see the blessings in your life from it.
 
I love you all so much and hope that you have an amazing week!
-Hermana Wattles
 
A couple days ago we were on the phone with our sister leaders and my companion was talking. I was trying to make her laugh so I started making faces at her and popping out at her. In the middle of the call I decided to run at her and as I started to run, I slipped on my back. She started laughing so hard and the sister leaders had no idea why. Oh why I embarass myself. ahah