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Well, good news! I had my first hot shower in a month!! We didn't have hot water for my last 2 weeks in Guadalupe, and for my first two weeks here. So I am a happy Peruvian camper. Also, our first week in trio has been good! We’re still working some things out with the schedule and teaching, but we get along great!! This week was pretty much like last week, lots of walking, lots of contacting, and lots of inviting everyone to our capilla abierta (chapel open house) on Saturday. It went super well, it was such a spiritual experience to be able to teach people about Jesus Christ, the Restoration, the Book of Mormon, modern prophets, families and temples all at the same time. We are already receiving references of people who went who want us to visit them, so we are super excited to have new people to teach!!! I just know that we will see miracles here. 

In other news, the subject line is sadly real. We were walking down a street by the church on Friday night, and out of nowhere appeared a gang of 10-year-old girls who asked our names. We told them, asked their names, and ended up talking for 20 minutes. But most of the talking was done by them, about my hair and my whiteness. And them asking Hna O’brien and me to speak English. It was a little bit ridiculous. One of the girls was OBSESSED with my hair and kept touching it. It was slightly uncomfortable but so hilarious at the same time. My sweet companions did not help in the least and laughed and laughed and laughed. We invited them to the capilla abierta, and 3 of them actually went! Last night we met some of their families, so it would be great to teach all of them. Yesterday we were on that street again, and two of the girls saw us from like 100 yards away and ran all the way over to say hi...

This week I read Elder Ballard's talk "return and receive" about goals and plans. He said that the more concise a goal is, the easier it is to achieve. Especially if it's like 2 or 3 words. So I set a goal for the rest of my mission to FIND, TEACH, AND BAPTIZE. That’s what I’m here to do. The church is true!!

 Capilla Abierta (Chapel Tour)

This is the first part of the tour where we start

We now eat lunch with members on Saturday and Sunday. the little boy is named Mosiah and is SO CUTE

First week in Trujillo, Granados

Hna Martinez and I have had a good but interesting week here in Granados. Good because we get along great! And interesting because there are not any progressing investigators. There are like 2 or maybe 3 “kind-of” investigators. So this week has been contacting and asking for references. The first real lesson we had was Friday and it was with a lady we had contacted on Thursday. But this Saturday we have a capilla abierta! It is the area activity of the year and it’s like the temple open house, but with the church buildings. The sister missionaries start the whole tour, then the members lead the groups through the classrooms and talk about all the organizations in the church and what they do Then the tour ends with two elders talking about baptism. They had one two weeks ago in one chapel, and we did one last Saturday in another. It was super cool. We talked for almost three hours straight because the groups just kept coming, but it was awesome! We have one in our building this Saturday and we're really excited about that, it could really help get the work going in our area. The ward is super great, they're so supportive and in Consejo de Barrio yesterday one of the first things the bishop said is that missionary work is a priority in this ward. The members are so super awesome and I love them so much.  

On Saturday afternoon President called to tell us that for the rest of the transfer we will be in a trio! Long story short, Hna O’Brien arrived this morning from central! My first American companion! We all get along super great and it should be a great five weeks. 

I am also learning how awkward I am at contacting. We have had some really uncomfortable moments with us trying to give out a contact card, them trying to run away, and me trying to ask if we can come to their house. There are lots of people who end up escaping from our very well-planned contacting tactics, and that is kind of hard sometimes. But this morning I was reading in Alma about the anti-Nephi-Lehis. A lot of them were super wicked before and were originally taught by Aaron, but didn't convert until later. That helped me realize that I just need to do the best I can do here, and maybe the success will come with someone else. I love the people (and their hard hearts) so much and we will continue with our awkward contacting until someone listens or we find a way to not be awkward(:  

‘The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame [people may try to escape from the missionaries], but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done’ --Joseph Smith

The view of Trujillo from our roof 

When the power goes out

Hermana Martinez

Saying goodbye to Hermana Mancilla 

The trio - Hnas Martinez, Stevenson and O'Brien

Transfers!

Well, it's been a good week here in Guada....oh wait. CAMBIOS (transfers). I am now in Trujillo, Zona Este in Los Granados with Hna Martinez!! She is from Chincha, Peru. We found out on Saturday night and I came down this morning. I’ve only been here a few hours, but I’m actually really excited to work here. Trujillo is pretty different from Guadalupe, and Hna Martinez seems really cool. It was super super sad to say goodbye to Guadalupe and all the members there, especially familia Ventura, and most of all, Hna Mancilla. this is her last cambio, so I don't think I’ll be able to see her before she goes home, and I don't know if we'll see each other after...so it was pretty hard to say goodbye. But that's about it for transfers.

                                                                                                                                             

It was THE WORST to try to pack my whole missionary life into 3 suitcases. Lots of missionaries only have 2 and I don’t know how they do it. I had the idea in the CCM that as I went through the mission I would somehow decrease the amount of stuff I have. WRONG. I don’t know how I have so much stuff. It was a struggle to get it all to fit. But now I’m here and happy and ready to work!! We are the only hermanas in the whole zone, so that could be interesting. More deets next week. 

But before all this happened, MARIAJOSE GOT BAPTIZED. We had to have lessons every day last week to finish teaching everything so she could get baptized on Saturday. And then on Thursday night as we were going to pick her up for her interview, the power went out. Satan was doing his best but it wasn't enough! She passed her interview and Raul (her dad) baptized her on Saturday. I can't describe how happy it makes me to have had a part in finding and teaching this incredible family. It broke my heart to say goodbye to them last night, but that's how the mission goes. 

President and the mission leaders have decided on some goals we can have as a mission as far as contacts, new investigators, and baptisms. They’re pretty high goals, but we're ready to work to make the magic happen. I read Pres Uchtdorf’s talk this week "Perfect Love Casteth Out All Fear" and I liked this quote.

We do not walk the path of discipleship alone. “The Lord thy God … doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” In the face of fear, let us find our courage, muster our faith, and have confidence in the promise that “no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.”

 Sometimes I get scared to talk to people, or I get scared of people, or I feel sometimes that I’m not a good missionary, but this quote is helping me to have faith in the Lord and that I (and all other missionaries) are not alone in this work. We NEED the help of God, of the spirit, and of ministering angels to help us talk to people, keep us safe, and help us improve. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind....thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 timothy 1:7, 2:3) We all need to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ and have  faith in His love and His power. Have a great week, I love you all!!

 Maria Jose was baptized by her dad on Saturday

Christmas in June!

Christmas came again!! aka getting the Conference Ensign in English hahahaha.

We went down to Trujillo on Tuesday for a multi-zone conference and FINALLY got the Conference Ensign!! I was so excited. Something that President said in the training was something that Elder Godoy (Area President) said in a mission president training. “Do we want to baptize more than we want to sleep? More than we want to eat? More than we want to do something fun for p-day?” It helped us look at our priorities and think of how we can better use our time to teach repentance and baptize converts. 

On Wednesday we contacted a reference from a member. Her 13-year-old son died 1.5 years ago of cancer, so we taught her the plan of salvation. She believes in life after death, but I loved being able to explain the whole plan, and that her son is just waiting for her, and that they can be a family for forever. Hopefully we'll be able to keep teaching her so that she and her family can be baptized and sealed. 

We visited Raul's mom, Violetta, this week and invited her to be baptized, and she said yes! She has been able to see the changes in Raul and his family and is excited to keep learning. She bailed on us for church yesterday though...

Two weeks ago, we set a baptism date with MariaJose (Raul and Betty's daughter) for June 10, and last night she told us that she got her answer and she is ready to be baptized!!! We are super excited and she is so ready!!! I cannot believe how blessed I am to have been able to meet this incredible family, have a part in teaching them the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and see each one of them get baptized. #BLESSED. 

My favorite talk from Conference is from Elder Sabin. I have read it so many times and this is one of my favorite quotes from it. 

 “We were “all in” as we excitedly made the decision to be valiant defenders of our Heavenly Father’s plan. It is time to stand up and defend His plan again!”

We should all be all in and defend our Heavenly Father and His plan. I love being able to do this in the mission. This is the Lord's work and this is His church. Have a great week!

 I didn't know Hna Lezano was taking this picture...

 With Hna. Clark

 Driving a moto

 My cute compi