Happy Valentines Day!

February 16th Family and Friends!! Happy Valentines Day, Dia del Amor! Love for Christ!! Hope it well for all of you! As for us, its been an interesting week. We did a Sister´s activity the day before Valentines day so I could meet all the girls that we are in charge of and to have a good time together to celebrate Valentines Day! We focused on the worth that we have as daughters of God and talked about the love of Christ. We made cookies and did activities as companions so they could have a better relationship with their companions. It turned out to be a fun activity. At the end we gave them a little gift that was a small mirror and a note that told them to look in the mirror and see the beautiful daughter of God that they were and to let the light of Christ shine through their acceptance. It turned out being a good activity! I love all the girls and I look forward to spending more time with them and being the best help that I can be. But when the activity was over there was a companionship that was having lots of troubles so we talked with them after in the mission home for about an hour or so trying to help them solve their problems. Then when they felt a little better President Zobrist came back. He talked to me and Hermana Waldron to see how things were going. The highlight of my week was when he told me that he has seen a new light in me since putting me as Sister Leader. He said that I am showing more love and taking things more seriously, in a good way. He said that he sees me as a good sister. I was really happy to hear that since I was really worried and nervous to be in charge of a group of girls. Its nice to feel that President has confidence in me. Another crazy thing that happened this week was that we received another sister in the zone from an emergency transfer. She is new to the mission and has been having lots of problems and has desires to go home. She's now moved into a trio with two other girls in our zone. We have been really nervous about her and giving her lots of love and checking up on her since she is very unstable right now. We have been praying and fasting for her so we hope that she will love her new companions and her new area and want to stay here with us in this great work. This week I have really felt the role of being a Sister Leader. Its been stressful since we have a whole group of sisters that we have to worry about on top of our area. But its been a blessing because I know that I am trying to be a better missionary because of it. This week we will be seeing the baptism of Max! We also have a great activity planned with the missionaries in the Stake. We are doing an International Buffet and all cooking something from our country. For the United States we are planning on making pancakes! We hope to have many investigators there and less actives as well. The best would be new investigators that want to learn more. This week has been super interesting since I feel like the focus had been on our other assignment as Sister Leader, but it is a calling that I know that Lord has given me and I am happy to have it! As a mission we have really been pushing the importance of the Book of Mormon. As a mission we've been teaching and preaching more about the Book of Mormon that the whole mission ran out of Book of Mormons! haha so hopefully we get more books so we can pass them out to our investigators this week. I hope you all have a great week and remember to read the Book of Mormon. Remember that God loves you! Love always, Hermana Flora

Book of Mormon

March 30, 2015 Family and Friends!! Hope all is going well at home. This week was another good week here in Arequipa, Zamacola! Last Monday night we had a NDH, Family Home Evening, with the Pacheco Family. We talked about families and how important they are to us. Then we had them imagine as if this was there last day here in the earth and they had to write down all of their last consejos, counsels, to their families. They spend a good time writing down all their thoughts and counsels for their families. Then we talked about what they wrote for their families and some even teared up about what they wrote because of the great love they have for their families. We then collected the papers and put them in Hermana Waldrons scriptures. Then explained how the Book of Mormon is a counsel from our ancestors. They wrote all their knowledge and counsels for US so that we can become better people and learn from their mistakes. We then grabbed their papers that they wrote and said that when we don’t read the Book of Mormon we are ignoring their counsels, I then took the papers and ripped them up. Then we said that when we don’t read the Book of Mormon because we don’t have time we are ignoring their guidance and I ripped the papers up and even threw them on the ground. Im pretty sure everyone was supppperrr mad at me at this point. They were all shocked but realized that this was true. They want their families to listen to their own counsels but we aren’t even listen to the counsels from our ancestors. We then taught about the importance of the Book of Mormon and gave them the 90 program to read the Book of Mormon and invited them to read the Book of Mormon everyday. They all accepted. At that moment, we pulled out all the papers that they wrote on. It was a trick! We really didn’t rip up the papers that they wrote, We just ripped the papers that Hermana Waldron and I wrote with blank pages in the middle. They all got so much happier and were even more determined to read the Book of Mormon. The best part of the lesson was that Hermana Pacheco LOVED the lesson so much that she is planning to teach it next Sunday in Relief Society when she has her lesson. This past week we have been checking up on them and they have all been reading the Book of Mormon. It was a really impactful lesson and its great to see that they are all trying to get better at reading the scriptures. It was a good reminder that we all need to read our scriptures more. Entonces, I invite all of you to read your scriptures everyday. I know that it is a big blessing and it will change your lives if you put your best effort into reading your scriptures everyday. I love you all! Love always, Hermana Flora

New Changes

Family and Friends!! Its been another good week in Zamacola! I now have a new companion, Hermana Alducin from Mexico! She is really sweet and speaks English almost perfectly! She has 10 months in the mission. Its always weird getting use to a new companion but I know that we will get a long really well. This week we have been focusing more on having lessons with members and its been a good success! We are also super excited for this week because Denilson is going to get baptized! He talked to his mom and this Sunday they announced it in the ward! The bishop also pulled him in to give him an interview. I really like this ward here in Zamacola because we receive a lot of help from the members and it makes the work a lot easier when we have support from them. This week we are also going to have a Noche de Videos and watch some videos in the Chapel and make popcorn. Hopefully we will get a lot of investigators and members to come. I hope all is going well at home :) I love you all! Love always, Hermana Flora

See you Laters

Family and Friends, This week was super crazy. It was the last week I had with Hermana Waldron because she finished her mission. I'm going to miss her but I'm glad that she lives really close so I'll just see her in a few more months! I was able to see Hermana Waldron's family come in to the Airport. It was a long wait because they got pushed back 2 days more than they were supposed to. The Recital Musical was really good this week. They got it all recorded so I'll send it home when I get the copy! Transfers are today and I'm getting a new companion from Mexico. She has about 10 or 11 months in the mission and I've met her before and she seems really nice! We're going to keep on working hard here in Zamacola and seeing more miracles. Hope you all have a good week! Love you all! Hermana Flora

Reunions Recitals Baptisms

April 13, 2015 Family and Friends!! This week was fulllll of activities, meetings, and the baptism of Paul and a young boy Rafael in the ward. It was such a good week. Also, this morning we woke up at 2:30 in the morning to go to Chivay which is 4 hours away and visit the sights there. SUPER PRETTY! Where to begin, The Recital that we had was a pretty good success, we hoped to have more people but thats okay. The people that all came LOVED it and want to come to the nest one that we will have in Umacollo this Saturday. Paul. Got baptized! Its been a good time that weve been working with Paul (19) and we have honestly seen a true change in him. He has testified of feeling something different while reading the book of mormon and attending church. He was really worried about getting baptized since his mom was super against it since she said that he had already been baptized in the Catholic church before. I shared an experience that I had with him about having courage in what we believe in and going to the Lord with our desires and how that with our Faith we can see miracles. We invited him to pray and ask God to give him the proper words for his mom to accept his desire to get baptized. He accepted. We went back 2 days later and he shared his experience that he had with him mom and he too had seen a miracle. His mom accepted and said that if it were his desire she would accept it and support him! What a miracle! It was so great to see his ánimos (excitement) to get baptized! Another miracle this week that happened was from the Recital Musical that we had on Friday. We decided to sing in the Mercado (Market) and pass out the rest of our invites. We talked to a group of jovenes, boys, that seemed interested. One in particular seemed more interested than the others but we just invited them to the Recital and left. I had a strong impression to go back and talk to them. I wasnt sure if they would still be there but 2 of them were and one of themwas the one I wanted to talk to! His name is Johnaton. I felt super weird going back up to him but I decided to do it anyways....well guess what!? He SHOWED up to the Recital SOLO! We set up a time to visit him this week. But it was really cool to see that the Spirit was guiding me to go back and talk to him even though I felt weird about doing it, Im glad I followed :) I encourage you all to follow the directions of the Spirit and do what is right even if we might feel uncomfortable about it. I know that the Lord has a better plan and vision of what will happen through our acts! I LOVE YOU ALL!! Have a great week! Read your scriptures Love always, Hermana Flora

Conferencia

April 6,2015 Family and Friends!! Wasnt Conference just the best!? It is such a blessing to be able to hear from the prophet and the apostles every 6 months. From Saturday Afternoon, I liked the talk by Wilford W. Andersen, Keep Practicing, about Music and Dancing. The dance steps are like the steps of the gospel but the music is the spirit. We need to feel the music in order to dance. I loved this talk. Then I liked the talk by Dale G. Renlund about the Joy of trying again. A Saint is a sinner that keeps on trying. From Sunday morning I loved Jeffrey R Hollands talk and how we need to better understand the Atonement of Christ. Sunday afternoon, Kevin W. Pearson about enduring to the end and how it is the real test of discipleship and that once we make a covenant with God there is no going back. Then Russell Nelson about the Sabbath Day. He taught that True Believers keep the Sabbath day holy. It was a good conference weekend. I encourage you to choose a talk every week and reread it, re watch it or re listen it to so that we can better learn from our latter-day prophet, apostles, and leaders. Here in Peru this past week is known as Semana Santa, Holy Week. They celebrate almost everyday of the week, but more than any day they focus on Friday, the day of Christs crucifixion. There were many parades in the streets this week and on Friday many people were going around passing out pamphlets about the death of Christ. But its sad to think that the most important of all the days is the day that they dont really celebrate, and that is Sunday! The day that Christ resurrected to live again. We know that He lives! What great news it is to know that Christ overcame the world and that because of him we too can be resurrected. This Friday is our Musical Recital, El Vive. He Lives. I am super excited because I know that its going to be an activity unforgettable. We are going to have it videotaped. President and Hermana Zobrist are going to come. We are going to have a slideshow presentation and talks about the Atonement, the love of Christ, and the Resurrection. The music is really powerful and I know that many people will feel the spirit in a very special way this night. We are hoping to have the chapel FULL of members, nonmembers, less actives, and new members. Im so excited! Denilson is now officially ready for his baptism! He had his interview after the conference Sunday morning. All we need to do is plan the baptism and he should get baptized this Saturday! This past Friday, we had an Easter Dinner with the Hermanas that we are in charge of. We had them all write down the attributes of Christ then at the end have them pick an attribute that they want to work on or get better at. We all went around and talked about these qualities then committed to get better with just this one quality and little by little we will become more like Christ! The attribute that I choose was patience. Every since, Ive noticed that God is giving me more opportunities to practice my patience. haha By the end of the mission I should be full of patience! haha What Christlike attribute do you want to work on? We can help each other become more like Christ! Let me know what you have decided! I love you all! Remember that Christ loves you too, more than you know. Love always, Hermana Flora

Family and Friends!! Its been another good week here in Zamacola with la Hermana Waldron! For the past 2 months we have been trying to visit Hermana Berenize. She is such an incredible woman. She is 30 years old and has 3 young and beautiful daughters the age of 5, 3 and 1 years old. Her life has been pretty difficult the past 3 months because she had fully committed to seperating from her husband. He had been really bad to her and didnt allow her to leave the house for anything, not even to visit her family or friends. She use to go to church about 4 years ago but then he stopped permitting her to go to church. She told us that she would escape and go to church if he didnt come home because he was out drunk somewhere. She always looked at the church as a refuge from the world. About 3 months ago she got the strength and courage to leave her husband. She knew that it would be really hard for her and her family since she doesnt have a job, and she would be seperating her family. But she prayed a lot about the situation and knew it was what she needed to do in order for her children to grow in the church. This past week was the first time that we have been able to teach her in her house. Right now she is living with her mom and her younger sister in their home. She is a very humble lady and has expressed her desires to us about getting baptized but when the time is right. We know that she is going to be such an amazing member and will help many others in the church. She is such a brave woman and has such great desires to do what is right. We hope that she will find great comfort within the church. My favorite thing that she told us was that nothing in life matters if you arent spiritually strong. You can have it all but none of that matters if you arent with the Lord. Remember that this is true. Nothing matters if we arent doing what is right in the sight of the Lord. I love you all! Have a great week! Love always, Hermana Flora