I'm famous!

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas!! The highlight of my day was definitely talking to my family! The Internet worked and everything! I have the best family ever and it made my heart so happy to talk to them(: 

Monday we had an awesome pday in Pacasmayo with all the hnas in our zone at the Bentley's house (a senior couple). We had lunch, did a gift exchange, made sugar cookies, and took pictures on the boardwalk. Thursday we had a lesson with familia Marin. I’ve talked about them, but they've had all the lessons from the elders who were here before us, but still aren't married, and don't keep their commitments. They’re a super great family though and they like to have us come. We taught about the importance of prayer, scripture study, and going to church, and both of us were able to testify of the importance of these things. We both felt the spirit super super strong as we testified and promised that their family can be eternal if they will do those things. Then the dad was like, I’m going to be super busy in these next few months, but my family should go to church. And the mom said, yea we'll go, but that's what she always says. And we could tell very clearly that they still don't understand how important this is. It’s sad to see this awesome family, and to have felt the spirit with them, but they still aren't willing to seriously learn and progress. I just hope that future missionaries will be able to help them when they're ready.

So now a funny story. The calendars here lots of times have little white babies on them. so any time someone we're visiting has one, hna Mancilla tells them, "look, that's my companion as a baby!" so we were visiting a member family on Saturday and hna Mancilla told their 9 year old girl that I’m on their calendar. AND SHE TOTALLY BELIEVES IT AND THINKS I'M SUPER FAMOUS. She looked really close at the color of my eyes and at my face and was like, yea it's you!! And when I tried to tell her that it's NOT me and that I’m definitely NOT famous, she said, "but you just have to accept that you're famous!" so I told her, yea I’m famous, but it's a secret. So that's my funny story for the week.

Also, transfer calls came and hna Mancilla and I are staying together here in Guadalupe!! Sunday was the best to talk with my family, I am so infinitely grateful for them. This time apart has helped me realize how amazing my family is and how blessed we are. I love being a missionary and representing my Savior Jesus Christ and my family. I hope everyone had a merry Christmas, love you all!

 Hna Holmes and I would be everyone's comp goals if we were comps. but we're mission besties

 The hnas of zona guadalupe with hna bentley. (the bentleys are the senior couple in pacasmayo that got transfered to trujillo today)

 the elders and us with some of our favorite ysa people

 the member family that we spent Christmas night with

---

A baptism in Peru!

So the big news is that I had my first baptism!!! Tito wasn't going to get back (to Guadalupe) till yesterday, but he called us on Tuesday to say he was back! So we finished teaching the lessons this week and he was baptized on Saturday! It was a great service, and he was even early and came in a shirt and tie! He had a huge smile when he came up out of the water and it was just so special. He was super super nervous about bearing his testimony after, but he did great! Then yesterday in church he was confirmed and received the Aaronic priesthood and was ordained a priest. He is super super awesome and just wants to do what the Lord wants. His daughter came to church with him yesterday and she is just so cute! We’re going to try to teach her, cuz she loves going to church!

Also, I got a package from grandma Ramona which included jerky and pomegranate jelly, so I’m basically in Heaven.

Hna Mancilla and I continue to be better friends every day and I just love her so much!! I literally never get to speak English, cuz she doesn't speak English. It’s super weird to think that I speak Spanish all day everyday and it's totally normal now. It can be frustrating when I can't say exactly what I want to, but wow, the gift of tongues is real and I love speaking Spanish!!

Christmas will be a normal day for us except for only one hour of church and getting to skype our families (!!!!!). The big tradition here is eating dinner at midnight so we won't get to participate in that. Please take advantage of this Christmas season to share the gospel and remember Jesus Christ! He is our savior and redeemer and all is possible through Him. I know that He lives and that He loves each one of us. I love you all, Merry Christmas!!!

 Tito's baptism!!!

 Us with Tito and his daughter Nicole

 On the hill of the Virgin of Guadalupe

 Also on the hill - me, Hna Mancilla, Hna Sandoval, Hna Marino

 Statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe

 View of Guadalupe from the hill

To bring to others the joy of the gospel

It’s been another hot, fast week here in Guadalupe. Sorry for the same lame start to all my emails haha..but wow it's been hot! Something funny that i don't think I’ve shared yet is that Hna Mancilla is from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where it's like a million degrees and 100% humidity. So at night, she gets kinda cold so she sleeps in pajama pants, a long sleeved shirt, and two blankets. Then I’m in shorts and a t-shirt, and usually not even sheets. And I’m STILL HOT....haha anyways, our water went out again, which made for more shower-less days, but it's back now. Also, something funny happened on Tuesday. So to go to any of the other little pueblitos (towns) here in Guadalupe (Chepen, Pueblo Nuevo, Pacasmayo...), you have to get a car because there are no taxis and you have to wait for the car to fill up with people before it'll leave. So we were sitting in a car waiting for more people so we could go to Pueblo Nuevo for our district meeting, and there's this guy who goes around selling potatoes, yelling "papitas! papitas!" Anyways, he saw me and came up to the car and said, "When I was a boy I had green eyes like yours and then the sun burned them!"and then he just went on his way again. Then we saw him yesterday and he said "oh how I miss my green eyes..."hahaha it's hilarious! Perks of being a gringa here is that you get lots of interesting comments like that. 

So Tito was supposed to get baptized this coming Saturday, but didn't show up to church yesterday. We called him and found out he was on his way to Cajamarca for a family emergency and won't get back until Saturday or Sunday....so we'll be postponing his baptism. Something always happens when we're about to have someone be baptized. Twice with Carla, and now with Tito. It’s frustrating, but we'll keep praying for him.

We have started teaching a super great, prepared  family that we contacted last week. They’re really nice and receptive (and talkative) but we're super excited to see them progress! They’re married (MIRACLE) and the husband was studying to be a priest, so possibly some interesting questions from him, but at least they have a good Christian background. 

We had intercambios (exchanges) on Friday, and i went to San Pedro with Hna Delgado!! #reunited. The highlight was that we were at a member’s house, and their little dog got SUPER excited to see us and peed all over Hna Delgado's leg! Oh my heck, I was DYING I was laughing so hard!!!! It was so funny and Hna Delgado and I had a great time together. 

It’s so hard to be away from home this Christmas season, but I literally have THE BEST MOM IN THE WHOLE WORLD who sent us Christmas decorations and treats!! So at least we're a little bit festive.  It will be hard these next few weeks, but I love the mission more every day, even though every single day it is hard. I’ve been making my way through the new conference Ensign and I read Elder Nelson's talk about joy. He said that the reason missionaries leave their homes is to bring joy to the people of the world. And that is why I’m here! To bring to others the joy of the gospel, and because I love my Heavenly Father. I hope everyone has a great week, I love you all!!!

Our Christmas Tree (Thanks Mom!)

Intercambios! (Exchanges with Hna. Delgado Anna's trainer)

A member, me, Hna Mancilla

 Our Area

Thankful for the Chirstmas Season

It's been another HOT week in Guadalupe. The weeks are flying by, we're already halfway through the cambio (transfer)!! On Wednesday we had a lesson with an investigator who's a little older and hasn't had much education so it takes a bit for him to understand. But we were teaching the plan of salvation and he asked, "I can really see my parents again?" it was so awesome to be able to tell him that yes, he will get to see his parents again! He accepted a baptismal date but then didn't come to church...but I’m confident we'll be able to help him progress. Yesterday we had one of our investigators, Julia, come to church for the first time! She came with her kids, and some of her husband’s cousins are in our branch, so she already knows people! And she even participated in Sunday school and relief society! She also came to the broadcast of the first presidency Christmas devotional! She really wants to learn and she is reading and praying and waiting for her answer. She will be so solid once she gets her answer, I’m really excited for her. We had 5 investigators and 2 less actives come to the Christmas devotional, it was awesome! Great messages and beautiful messages, there's no way they didn't feel the spirit. Tito continues to prepare for his baptism on the 17th and he is amazing. He already fasts and pays tithing, and just wants to do whatever God wants him to do. We still need to teach him quite a bit, but we're really excited for him. The Guadalupe fiestas continue, and today, a bunch of people will go up the big hill to the virgin statue, and everyone's all excited about it. 

It’s crazy to think that I have been gone for 6 months! The days fly by, and I am so glad to be here. It’s so hot all the time, but I’m so glad to be serving the people of Guadalupe and my Heavenly Father. I'm thankful for this Christmas season and the opportunity we have to remember Jesus Christ and follow His example of service. I love you and miss you all!

                             Guadalupe

                              Hermana Mancilla

                               Hermana Mancilla

 Guadalupe