My face hurt from smiling so much:)

Well it's been another hot week in Guadalupe (this is the hottest summer they've had in years), but we had a super fun intercambio (exchange) in Pacasmayo this week, and I learned a lot from Hna Holmes.

We finally found Santos after about two weeks without a lesson, but she's still reading the Book of Mormon. I just love her so much. Raul came to church again, that makes 5 times at church! Tomorrow we're going to reschedule his baptism. We're really excited for how everything is going with him. We also had a good lesson on the Book of Mormon with our pension (housekeeper/cook) and her husband and we're excited to see more progress with them too.

Hna Mancilla and I have so much fun together - she's the greatest!! We work well together, and we are seeing so many blessings here. We are finding new people and making progress with others. I love being a missionary, last night my face hurt from smiling so much. Life is great. I miss you all, but this is where I’m supposed to be right now. Love you all, have a great week!!!!!

Hna Stevenson

 The Peru Coat of Arms

 With Sister Holmes in Pascamayo

 We don't know what happened this day, but there was a big rainbow around the sun. 

Kinda weird

#MIRACLE

Hey everyone! It’s been a hot, mosquito-filled week here in Guadalupe!

We had a good lesson with Santos and Henry about the law of chastity and they're going to talk about getting married! But they couldn't go to church because of a family obligation...we also had a good lesson with Familia Ventura, but he (Raul) probably won't be baptized this week, there's still stuff we need to teach and he couldn't go to church either... but on Saturday night we had a lesson with a family we contacted last week and invited them to church.....AND THEY CAME. AFTER ONE LESSON. FOR ALL 3 HOURS. WITH THEIR TWO LITTLE KIDS. #MIRACLE. It was the best. We have high hopes for them.

Sunday morning was a bit of a struggle, my stomach was not very happy, but I got a blessing from one of the elders and I'm back to normal(:  

We now have mesh in our window so we can sleep with a breeze without getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, and an investigator told me to put Vick’s vapor rub on my bug bites to make them not itch. It works better than the American and Peruvian anti-itch creams I’ve tried. Who knew?

We hiked up the Virgin Hill with our district and some friends from JAS (young adults) this morning and that was super fun. That's what the pictures are from. I know I look fat, but I promise it's the big shirt. I’ve actually lost weight here, woohoo!!

We are excited for another week here, and we have an intercambio this week in Pacasmayo!! It's gonna be a good week. I love you all, I love my heavenly father, and I love Peru!!! Have a great week!

There are people out there who need the gospel!

Well, it's been a halfway good week this week. Monday and Tuesday were kinda rough, I wasn't feeling super good and I was pretty homesick, but the rest of the week was better. We had two super good lessons with Raul Ventura. First we talked about the word of wisdom and he only has problems with alcohol and coffee, but really just with coffee. But once we talked about the blessings we receive and he realized that it's a commandment, he said that from that point on, he would keep the word of wisdom. Then last night we talked with him and his wife about temples and eternal marriage and families. They had lots of good questions, but they want to be sealed! They know that they need to get baptized first, and Raul is feeling good about his date for the 25^th. Betty is going a little slower, but she knows she'll get there eventually. They are such a great family and we are excited to see more progress with him. Raul was the only investigator at church yesterday because it was district conference in Pacasmayo. It would have been hard for others to go and have to pay to go 30 minutes away.

                        

On Friday we had a noche de amigos, which is kinda just a big family home evening.  A member hosts, and we and they can invite investigators and less actives. we had the lesson and did a fun scripture chase puzzle about Jesus Christ. We had some investigators and less actives there and it went super well!!

Also for our funny story, we contacted a lady the other day that turns out is a member but went inactive like three months after being baptized. So we went back on Saturday and her two-year-old boy was playing with the hose outside and kept spraying us! She just stood there laughing, but it's a good thing he was cute! It was funny cuz he'd spray us, then I’d put a kink in the hose and he was all confused and said 'no hay agua!' it was cute.

Anyways, there's not a whole lot else to report, just that it's a million degrees and I’ve had to start sleeping in pants and socks to prevent mosquito bites while I’m sleeping. So I pretty much sweat at every hour of the day and night. Hopefully I’ll sweat off a few months worth of rice and bread.... I really do love being a missionary, but it is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done. Sometimes I can hardly get myself outside to go work, but there are people out there who need the gospel! I love you all so much and hope that everyone has a good week!

Staying in Guadalupe!

Yea, so we don't have cambios (transfers)! The people of Guadalupe will have to put up with Hna Mancilla and me for another 6 weeks...haha but we're pumped!!

Tuesday it rained!!!! We were both super excited, but then felt bad cuz there are people who have adobe houses and dirt floors, so rain is probably a disaster for them.... but it was nice to be in the rain again.

Wednesday we went to Trujillo for a multi-zone conference with Zona Porvenir and Zona Primavera. It was way good, super spiritual, and it was fun to be with other missionaries and President and Sister Marble.

Yesterday, we had 6 investigators at church!! We are starting to see more progress with people, especially Raul Ventura and his daughter. She went to church with him last week and liked it so much that yesterday she got up early on her own and got ready and was so excited! And this week she's going to the young women’s activity. Raul has now gone three Sundays in a row and continues to enjoy it. We had a lesson with them last night and invited him to be baptized on the 25th of this month and he accepted!! His wife kept saying she couldn't believe it. Not in a bad way, it's just that he studied five years to be a cura (catholic preacher), and has never listened to another religion, much less attended a different church. But he said he is praying with more faith and more intensity, and we are just so excited! Santos went to church with Franklin and Victor, and they both went to primary willingly! Sometimes Victor doesn't want to go in. But Santos is literally the best, she just can't get baptized until she and Henry get married and he's not interested in that....so we'll just continue to strengthen her testimony so that she is 100% ready when they get married. I love her so so much. One of my favorite things about the mission is meeting these incredible people who I will love forever (literally).

Other than that, I’m kind of dying from insanely itchy bug bites, I found out that it's possible to be allergic to sweating  (guess who is--me), and our water went out again for a few days, but Hna Mancilla and I are super pumped to be together another cambio, and to see more miracles!! I love you all and hope everyone has a great week!!

Hna Stevenson

 Us with Santos, Henry, Franklin, and Victor

 Rain!

  The dirt roads after rain

 my legs this week

  Us with Elizabeth (one of my favorite members here - RM from Colombia)

  Us with Lorena and her niece (another fav member, best friend of Elizabeth)

Fear not...

So Wednesday we had a worldwide training done by the missionary executive council and it was incredible!! We have a new schedule and they talked a lot about the doctrine of Christ and how to teach it better. I took a lot of notes and I’ve been studying them, but wow it was awesome!!!

Saturday we went out to La Calera, a little pueblito about 15 minutes from Guadalupe that's part of our area. There are some old investigators out there so we tried to visit them and found one family. We also walked through rice fields to find another family, and put President Marble's promise to the test. He says that the water bottles we have will filter anything, so we filled them up with water that was flowing into the rice fields and drank that. We’re not dead yet, so good thing our filters work! We also played soccer with some kids on Saturday and that was super fun. I was needing a break, and Hna Mancilla suggested we play. Franklin and Victor, Santos and Henry's kids were there so we played with them and some others.

Yesterday we had four investigators at church! Santos went with her two kids, but Henry didn't go. Later that day we were in the area where they live, and found Henry in a bar drinking with his friends. It’s so sad and frustrating cuz Santos wants to get baptized and go to the temple as a family, but Henry hasn't quite caught the vision yet. So we're figuring out what to do about that. But this next week is going to be fantastic! We are going to work hard and find new people and put to work the things we learned in the worldwide training. I love you all and hope you have a good week!! Pray in faith and remember that the Lord is with us every step of the way. Isaiah 41: 10, 13

 10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

 13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

 My shoe broke...

 but i fixed it!! Think anyone will notice? haha it lasted about 10 minutes...

View from La Calera across the rice fields

 We played soccer with some kids on Saturday, two of them are Santos and Henry's boys