Preparations

Family and Friends!! This week was a week of contacting. On Tuesday during district meeting we talked about contacting people on the street. I have never been good at contacting and never liked it. My district leader read us a scripture in D/C, It was Section 60 verse 2 and 3. It says, But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. Wo unto such, for mine anger is kindled against them. And it shall come to pass, if they are not more faithful until me, it shall be taken away, even that which they have. This scripture burned a little. It was exactly what I needed. I didn't like contacting on the street but after we read this scripture my whole attitude chaged and now I have been contacting like a crazy woman! And now I like it! It's pretty fun. People are nicer than I thought and it has made us happier because we are sharing the gospel more! On a normal week we have about 3 contacts per week, which is really sad. This week we had 61 contacts! We are working hard on imrpoving our contacting skills, opening our mouths and using the talents that God has given us. It has made the week better, I know it. This week we have been preparing a musical number for when Neil L Andersen comes THIS thursday! I'm so excited! Wednesday we had a womens conference with all the sisters in Arequipa. It turned out to be pretty good! Funny highlight of the day. While we were at the mission home, President Zobrist was talking and joking around with Carol, the bishops wife in our ward, about how we were troublemaker missionaries and saying how we just cause trouble. Then Adreano, Carol's son, the 3 yr old boy, hit president in the leg and said MALO! Bad! He's bad! hahaha we were dying laughing and had to reassure him that President was only joking. It was just a joke. It was super cute to see our little friend protect us against President haha I was dying laughing so hard haha At the womans conference we learned that we need to be more united as missionaries, especially between the girls. Apparently there is a lot of problems between the cultures and when we are all together we need to speak Spanish instead of English so everyone feels included. We also did a fun activity where we wrote our testimonies on a piece of paper and tied them to balloons then got another hermanas testimony, took the balloons to our areas and let them go for someone to find them. It was an awesome activity. Highlight of the day on Thursday. We went to the Visiting Teaching Training for our ward, Graficos. The leader got up and was speaking about how the sisters need to have sincere love for the sisters they go and visit. Then she looked at me and said, This is why I love to see Hermana Flora, because she is always smiling and happy. It was super sweet to hear, especially because I don't know her that well and I haven't had many experienes to talk with her so I felt good knowing that I have an impact on people that I don't even realize. I got the letters from the family that they wrote at family camp! There was a pile of 15 letters! I was so happy to read each and everyone of your letters! Thank you so much, it made my day! Letters really are the best thing. We made goals with the bishop this week to improve the ward and the ward council, since it's been slacking. We have already seen the improvements! This Sunday we had more people at Ward Council and the new way to run ward council was much smoother and more successful! Poco a poco. WE GOT A BAPTISMAL DATE! One of our new investigators that is a refernce from Hermana Lady and Marjory accepted a date to get baptized. This was on Dads birthday! What a great present for us. It has been awhile since we've had an investigator with a baptismal date. I love baptisms so much because we get to see people literally coming unto Christ and literally changing their lives. What great joy. Her name is Iessa and she is 13 years old. She had talked with missioanries before but apparently never came to church because missioanries never came to get her to go to church. Well, that's okay because we are here and we will come get her! This lesson was the best lesson Hermana Ogden and I have had in awhile. We were both feeling the spirit so strong. We were in perfect unity and teaching by design of the Spirit. Lessons like these are THE BEST! If only we could have every lesson like this. It was so good. Also, we got permission from our other investigator, Enzo! He had been out of town for 4 weeks and just got back, but last we heard was that his mom said no to baptism. We were super bummed since his parents live far away, in another mission, and have no way to talk to her and teach her what we know. Welllll....when Enzo came back, his mom was with him! NO WAY! So we had a Noche de Hogar with him, his mom, and Noelia, the member that he lives with, and Hermana Deby and her husband. We taught the mom about our purpose here on earth and about the form of baptism that we do. Well, by the end of the lesson, she gave us permission that if Enzo knows with assurety that the church is true then she will sign the papers! Yeaaa! We assured her that this was our goal too! Sunday. Our other investigator, Nicole, ended up coming to church with her aunt, Amparo. YEAH!! After sacrament meeting, we introduced her to Marjory and Nachme, 2 young women around her age. We sent her off with them to go to the Young Women classes. We checked on her after the second hour and everything looked like it was going well. By the end of church they were just talking, getting each others numbers and having a good time together. THANK YOU YOUNG WOMEN! This is such a blessing! I just loved seeing Nicoles face and how happy she felt to have more friends and to feel wanted. When we found her she had a fight with one of her best friends who said lots of mean things to her so we both knew that she had been feeling lonely for awhile so it was good to see her happy face! Just another good week here in Arequipa Peru! Hope as is well at home! Love always, Hermana Flora xoxo