Week 16

Familia,

I thought life of a college student was crazy, but boy was I wrong!! Life of a missionary is INSANE, but I love it. Haha just trying to work as hard as I can and invite others to come unto Christ. A lot happened this week, I`m not really sure where to start…

Something that happened last week-for some reason when I was praying on Sunday night, I felt prompted to pray for Mom`s health-specifically. Of course, I always pray for our family, but I don`t know-this was different. And after when I was trying to get to sleep, it just couldn`t escape my mind. I felt really close to Mom and just full of love.  Then, the next day when I was reading all the emails that I had printed, it all made sense. It was really neat, nothing like that has ever happened to me before. Just thought you would like to know that I was worried about you and had reason to!

I have such a great love for these people of Peru!!! Especially our recent converts and investigators, I`m so worried about them and how they can improve their relationship with Heavenly Father. Especially Juan and Carlos, they remind me so much of Rex & Grant. Such rascals sometimes, but love them like a brothah! And at church yesterday, trying to keep track of Juan, Carlos, Juan Carlos, Sol, and Josefina. Haha crazy!
 
When we were playing futbol on Monday, I rolled my ankle and it was swollen for a few days, but its lots better now. We went to the Apiat & Plaza again for P-day-it was fun to show Hna. Gonzales around and see such beautiful buildings. Also saw the District Leaders area as we were walking back to our area.

I`m really grateful for our bishop in the El Bosque ward! We meet with him weekly and has some great suggestions with what we can do with the ward to help our investigators and recent converts! And we just got a new ward missionary leader, who helped us plan for our baptism on Saturday.
We had a lot of opportunities for service this week! We helped the RS clean the church one morning, helped Jose Luis with math hw, his mom Sandra with cooking, teaching Franklin English, and the Aguilars with their windows in the kitchen.

Nueva Barraza. We went twice this week and taught Juan and Carlos and their neighbor Lucila. Those spinny top toy things are really popular with the kids in Peru and Carlos would spin it, then put it in our hands and see how long it could keep spinning for.  Lucila always looks after her 2 grandkids and they run around with sharp objects in their hands…haha reminds me of home.
We started to teach Josefina`s daughter and her granddaughter is a less-active member. Mi abuela is doing well, she`s always so excited to see us.

Juan Carlos got baptized on Saturday! I directed the music, Hna. Huaman with a talk, and Hna. Gonzales played a special musical number on the guitar. Very special night and it was humbling to see how nervous Artemio was, our new ward missionary leader, conducting the meeting. It was really sad, the Aguilars gave us a ride so we could take Jose Luis back home and no one was there. We prayed, his neighbor showed up, and told us that his parents weren`t there. Mom was MIA and Dad was out drinking in the street. No wonder he doesn`t respect them and is rebellious! Man I worry about Jose Luis a lot, he needs some good friends with the youth in the ward.

From Thursday night to Friday night, I was on an exchange/intercambio with the sister training leader-hna.balcaza in her area of Palermo. It was great to trade places with Hna. Skirvin and see a different area! We were very successful with Alzar La Voz, in an Elders area. The pensoniesta in Palermo is BOSS!! There was FRUIT!! I seriously ask our pens everyday for it, and there never is any…we`re looking for a new pens and room before the first of September.  One of the investigators in Palermo is so boss!!  Has really good questions and stood up for what she has found to be true for herself when people said bad stuff about our religion. I wish she was my investigator! Haha gonna be such a great missionary one day!!!!!!!! I was thankful to spend time with Hna. Balcaza and be able to see things from a different perspective.

I`m forgetting a lot, but time`s up. Love you more than a Peruvian loves beer!
Con Mucho Amor,
Hermana Boody

Week 15

 
Mom, thank you for all the great emails! I print them out each week, there´s no time to read them while we´re in the internet café. I thought about you a lot this week & hope your enjoying working with the beehives!!!

Dad, still can´t believe you met Donald Trump?!? Haha and traded pens…that’s so you!
I love you both with all my heart & am really grateful for all you´ve done for me through all the years. Thanks for treating me with respect..its sad sometimes to see the relationships that parents have with their kids here. Recently, I had 2 dreams about home and it was weird waking up in Peru! One was Dad and I on the metro and it seemed so real. Have fun riding the rails everyday!
Alright so this week…on Monday I got all of the folletos that we use for teaching bound and its been soo useful! We use them ALL the time & its nice to have them all together. I recommend it to every young man and woman preparing to serve. So useful! We taught Nely & Jorge about prayer , menos activos. Cute family, just needs to start coming to church again! Had a gread FHE with the Suyon Family.

Tuesday we had to go to the mission office, since my companion is training again. While she was in mtngs, I went on an exchange with 2 other Hnas. It was an area pretty close to the office. It was fun to work with a different set of missionaries & we had 2 great lessons! Since we were at the office, I sneakily asked one of the elders if I had any mail, since we usually don´t get any during the week of transfers…he came back with 5! Ahh so glad I had asked & thanks mom! Haha.  Later in our own area, we had great lessons with Carlita, Cinthia´s mom, and Rosa.

Wednesday I found out that I´d be going to Lima for paperwork immigration stuff! I taught Franklin English that afternoon & we got to meet LeSmith´s sister who isn´t a member. Its really funny to hear Peruvian´s speak English. They have a really hard time with “th´s” and any words that first start with a constant. We cleaned up the room for our new companion that arrived that night! I was SO glad that Hermana Gonzales would be joining us in a trio en El Bosque. Its funny that she´s my companion now, she was the only person that I kinda new who was going to Trujillo before the mission. I stayed at the mission home that night & talked with Elder Pulache. He´s doing a little better, but still really drugged up since he has so much pain in his head. He may have to be sent back home, if it doesn´t get better…please pray for him!!

Thursday I spent all day in the Immigration and Naturalization building. A short flight with HERMANA EVANS, and just sitting and waiting. Finally, we got our Peru ID´s and the camera was messed up or something, cause it looks like they´res about 10 marshmellows in each cheek. Hahaha we were able to go to the Lima temple and take a few pictures, then head to the airport. Boy has a McDonald´s burger and fries never tasted so good! Haha got home late & happy to be back in my home of Trujillo.

Friday Josefina had another interview for her baptism, since it had been a few weeks since her last & she doesn´t have the best memory….and got a blessing of health. poor thing can never get any sleep. We taught Julio, Jose Luis, and Juan Carlos. It was a great 1^st day in our trio!
Saturday morning, we went running. Its so nice to have a running buddy! Hermana Gonzales is from Pleasant Grove, UT and doesn´t mind waking up early to be out at 6 running at El Parque Grande. We make laps around Hna. Huaman. Haha it’s the perfect way to start each day! Josefina´s baptism seriously was a complete miracle. They ended up having to use a chair cause its hard for her to stand longer than about a minute..I was so worried the whole time…phew! We helped her change before and after…let´s just say didn´t have much support…and I´ve never seen toenails like that before! I thought & felt like Mom, with her friend Alexandra Gaiduk. Pure charity of Christ! It was awesome to have some members from the ward there, and the RS prez to welcome her. My beautiful Peruvian grandmother is baptized & looked beautiful in her baptismal dress. Later, we had a lesson with Lesmith´s friend and it was awesome to contact 2 people who are prepared to receive the restored gospel! I see the Lord´s hand in this work, I am so grateful for all of these missionary miracles!
Yesterday, we had Juan Carlos and Jose Luis at church. Jose Luis has certainly come a loooong way! He was SO quiet at first, but lessons have gotten better. We later had 2 lessons & got some new investigatos! Met a 98 year old man who still works, rides is bike-everything.haha it made me laughJ
Its awesome to think that I´ve been in Trujillo for 1 month now!! Love it. Something that I´ve noticed since being a missionary, I´m happy all the time! No matter how manby things go wrong, I´m just so happy to be here-doing the Lord´s work.

Con Mucho Amor,

Week 14

So after emailing on Monday, we went to the Aguilars for a Noche de Hogar. Little did we know, there were lots of Birthday decorations and after a lesson, a yummy cake. Then we went to our 2nd FHE and there was more cake! haha I love the El Bosque ward. Such nice members!! And the bishop from the ward and our mission president called too. Cake #2 was definately my favorite. haha favorite birthday yet!!

AAAND at our district meeting, there was MORE cake for me & Elder Nelson´s birthday. And it was Elder May´s last district meeting-so there were 2 cakes! haha classic.We taught Julio, Jose Luis, his friend, and Gloria. Anthony came with us for the lessons and was a great member to have accompany us. 

Wednesday we taught Juan Carlos & he´s getting closer to baptism!! And helped the primary kids clean the chapel. It was fun! We also taught Julio, Suzy, Samir, and Ximena. 

Thusday we had a special training meeting at the mission home for all of the Hermanas. It was great to see familiar faces and also get to know some of the other sisters. We had real-deal choco chip cookies and they were INCREDIBLE!! exactly what I´ve been craving for a month now. There was a hair & make-up demo. haha I had the chance to chop all my hair off, but eh not worth the hassle in the morning. At the very end, we played games & my comp and I won lotion as the prize. Also sis.marler threw the last prize like how brides do at wedding receptions and I caught it. a neck pillow-haha how handy. Elder Pulache, an elder in my zone is in the hospital and may need to have surgery. internal bleeding in his head. we´ve been praying a lot for him & he´s now out of intensive care.

Friday we went to Nueva and Chacarilla Barazza with Karina, an 18 year-old whose getting ready for a mission. We had 3 lessons with new investigators and it was a wonderful day pf teaching! she came over to our place & had dinner with us. Mammatina is in Lima again, so we wipped up some grilled cheeses and yogurt with fruit. haha after dropping her at her house around 8:30, we were walking to the Aguilars. As we were walking, I felt something holding me back-but thought for a moment that it was one of my friends messing with me or something. but then I realized I don´t know anyone in Trujillo. My messenger bad swung from behind my back, to in front of my face-gripped by a man whose face I couldn´t see all too well-it was pretty dark and he had a hoodie on. I gripped my bag and yanked it out of his hands after a few seconds. I was shouting in english "what are you doing?!?" and "get off of me!". He ran off, since my companion and other people in the street were also yelling. Ugh it was such an awful surprise. We went to the Aguilars and explained what had happened. My poor companion was crying, she was really startled and shook-up. This has never happened to her before that night! I was a little startled, but just grateful that I have strong biceps to yank it out of his hands. There was no way he was gonna take my triple!! We don´t think he had a gun or anything....my hands were shaking a little during planning that night. Thankful for Heavenly Father´s protection & took some stuff out of my bag...

Saturday we taught my Peruvian Abuelos, Josefina and Julio. Josefina´s baptism is this saturday and Julio is ready, but has been a slacker too...act on your faith! 

Like yesterday he bailed on us, when we came over to walk with him to church. About the third time its happened...slacker! The consejo de barrio offered some good ways to help. Also, on wednesday, we´re being put in a trio, with my companion also training another hermana. exciting!

Love you all & hope your enjoying the classic humid NOVA summer,

Hermana Boody

also I gave Elder May a bunch of letters to send in the US, so look out for one to the whole family this week!

Week 13

Familia,

Thank you for the rad ice cream truck bday card with the balloons. I loved the other card with Grant´s drawings. It´s been a fantastic bday so far!! 21 & doing exactly what I always wanted and imagined at this age, on a mission! Every birthday since I could remember, I would get more and more excited cause it was one more year closer to 21 & now its reality!! We made super delicious crepes this morning & our district all got together & had lunch at a member´s house. They closed my eyes and there was a beautiful cake and lit candle when I opened my eyes. so nice! and getting to email you all is the ultimate birthday gift! I think there´s 2 more cakes coming too...our pensoniesta and the member´s house that we´re having noche de hogar (FHE) at. 1st birthday in a different country & its been a blast! 

 

So Monday we all went to the Apiat & plaza! HUGE place for shopping & finding awesome souvenirs. I love to haggle and buy stuff in soles, everything seems so much cheaper. Our district ran into a group of other missionaries and Prez & sister marler! I saw Hermana Downs (mt MTC companion) and it was wonderful to catch up with her. I bought a rad llama family figurine set thing. Llama´s are pretty rad in Peru. I saw in person all of the awesome buildings that I had first seen when I opened my call & googled Trujillo, Peru. so beautiful! And after one of the Elders treated all of us to McDonald´s ice cream. never before has soft-serve tasted so good! It was a really fun p-day.

At district meeting, we set the goal of "14 Almas en Agosto" and it can happen if we all work more with the members!!!

 

Wednesday there was a large meeting at the Institute building for all of the new missionaries and their trainers. I saw all of my MTC buds from my district that are here serving in Trujillo. Right now, there are 85,000 missionaries serving thru all of the world!! siiiiick. Learned why commitments are so crucial, they lead investigators to making covenants. Did some fun role-playing. Papa Johns pizza after-soooo good! Found out that Sis. Marler has my same birthday! Even showed me her driver´s license to prove it. haha born a few years earlier. rad. We taught Carlos & Juan and there was a huge difference than their attitude from the previous lesson. Carlos was ready for his baptismal interview and we called the DL to meet at the chapel. They live further out and we didn´t see a taxi, combi, or moto. Then outta nowhere, a taxi pulls up and we realize that the driver is a member´s dad. We were able to make it to the church on time & save some soles. It was seriously a miracle! By that point, it was about 8pm and we hadn´t eaten dinner yet. so the DL´s comp bought my companion and I a small dinner from the small store across the street.really nice! it was a long day, so really grateful for the apple and cookie. haha. 

Friday I finally got my ATM card & we all withdrew our monthly allotment together as a district. Also received 6 letters!! ahh such a good day!! My plan is to give our ZL a bunch of letters this next week as he returns home, since he´ll be in the US really soon and post there is loads more reliable and easier than here. In the evening, we celebrated Juan & Carlos´ dad´s birthday and later all crammed in a moto to see the ward talent show. 

Saturday was a BIG DAY!!!! Juan & Carlos were baptized!!!! I was so happy for them and it was wonderful to see the Lord´s hand in preparing them for this covenant. While planning the program with the bishop, he decided that I would give a talk right before they´d be baptized. oh awesome, 1st baptism and 1st time giving a talk to an entire spanish-speaking audience. oh and we get a call that Pres. Marler and his wife would be there. and our entire district. it took about 3 aunt´s houses to track down Juan and we were running super fast to get a taxi. show up about 5 mins late. talk went well, my face has never been so red in my entire life! there were so many people there & spanish...yeah. they said the most simple and genuine words after their baptism and it was beautiful.

and yesterday they received the holy ghost and the ward´s already making plans with how they can help them and what acts of serving can be performed.

 

this week I really got lost in the work & have never been so happy!

 

con mucho amor,

hna.boody