Week 19

            Fam-jam,
That´s awesome that Erickson and Sykes are on their missions now! Sweet. Mom, good luck on your lesson in YW-I don´t know if you´ve already had it or anything, but enjoy it! Make a cute handout or something. Time out for Women sounded like it was fun! Clark and Hunt-BYU women´s soccer game looked legit! That’s funny that you had to wait for the TX football game since it was raining. Glad to hear uncle John had a fun birthday with you guys, he cracks me up. Enjoy your new house! Study hard! Rex, congrats on your scrimmage game little bruddah! Write me back. Mckay, how are you liking Thoreau? It’s a bit of an adjustment, but if your friendly and nice, you´ll make lots of new friends! Plus how could people not love you? Grant, who´s your Japanese teacher? Stay outta trouble.
This week I´m really grateful for earplugs. We live 2 doors away from a bar and EVERY weekend they blast music until like 3am. It´s weird hearing American pop music.

Let´s see, alright this week:
 
We went to the Apiat/plaza last week for pday. Third time´s a charm I guessJ I got legit tire sandals. We saw Dispicable Me 2 in Spanish, pretty funny. Taught Rosemary and had a NDH with Sandra Cruz and her family.

On Tuesday, my companions and I talked about how to work with the ward, specifically the bishop more effectively. Honestly, that’s been a large part of how we´ve been able to have success. Bishop Bruno meets with us every week and we have an hour to talk about our investigators and what they need from the ward. Love the ward´s help!! Later, we taught Dante-a less-active. I was really direct with him. That’s one thing Hna. Gonzales has told me, that I´m really direct with people. Haha I haven´t really noticed, but that’s good I guess. I´m just sick of hearing excuses and want to pin-point exactly whats impeding their progress in the gospel, so we can better know and help them come unto Christ. Taught Luis Fransisco and Sandra. It felt so good-ripping up a picture of a top-less woman on a calendar in their house. 7 Guinea pigs running around the kitchen dirt floor.

There was  a new missionary and trainers meeting on Wednesday, but I went out prosiliting with the other Hermanas in Palermo since I´ve already been to that meeting when I first got here. That evening, Hna. Huaman felt really sick with a fever, throat hurt, and just over all super weak. The 1^st and 2^nd counselors in the ward came over and gave her a blessing before bed. Gave her some medicine, but it hurts her stomach. 
Hna. Gonzales and I had companionship study and did all of weekly planning on our own while Hna. Huaman got some rest on Thursday. Poor thing wanted to prosilite so bad, but barely enough energy to take a shower. Sick mammaL
 
A member went out with Hna. Gonzales to teach while I stayed and took care of Hna. Huaman. Now, she´s feeling much better-thank goodness. Something similar happened last year too, she thinks its because of the change in climate. One of the other tenants in our house is a nurse and she made this natural remedy hot liquidy plant stuff, which helped her throat. The Zone Leaders also brought loads of medicine too.

WE´re preparing and planning for 3 baptisms on the 21^st, I´ll tell ya a little bit about each one:
1.       Rosemary approached us at church last Sunday and explained how she was introduced to the church in Mexico and wants to get baptized. Bishop wasn´t sure if we could, since she lives out of our area. But she moved, so now she´s in our area and we´ve taught her a few times. Good foundation of Jesus Christ and already know quite a bit about the gospel.
2.       Luis Fransisco, adopted son of Lidia-in the ward. He was gonna be baptized with Jose Luis, but his mom thought it was too soon and the dad couldn´t be there for last Saturday-and obviously we want him there. Good kid, continues to learn more and is excited for his baptism.
3.       Sandra. The first time we taught her was way back in late July or August, friend/neighbor of Camilla-a girl in the ward. She said that her parents wouldn´t be ok with it, so we were just really friendly and taught her one other time when a different appointment fell through and we were already in the neighborhood. Now, her mom´s ok with it and we´ve included her on lessons too. Sandra has been coming to church for several weeks now and is seriously SO excited to be baptized. Back, when she didnpt have permission-she literally refused to bathe before school, eat, sleep-because she wanted to be baptized so badly. Haha she´s 11 and is learning about the gospel really well-golden gem.
We´ve been preparing a few recent converts for receiving the priesthood. It´s exciting! Stake conference was yesterday and they talked about that too, so it was good to have them hear about it there too!

Juan Carlos (less active)´s wife Coty won´t have work on Sundays any more after this month, so we´re really excited for her to start coming to church and Jan Carlos too! If they get married, Coty and their 8 year old son Diego could be baptized at the same time, ahh so awesome!!
Still working with Modesto, Sandra Cruz´s husband. Doesn´t really have a desire to be a member, loves his futbol on Sundays and alcohol. But I think with more time, pacience, and seeing how this can bring his family much closer together-he´ll want to change.
 
Yesterday, we started teaching a less-actives son Christian. He wants to be baptized. Hopefully he can be the example to get his mom back to church. Dad is NOT interested. Not one little bit.
Julio. Its awesome that Juan Hererra has been such a bud to him, but I don´t know what to think about Julio. I always refer to him as my disobedient little grandpa. Haha he reminds me of Uncle John a little bit. Still doesn´t understand the resoration. I have never seen such a ghetto bike, one of the petals broke and he attatched the flat part of a metal spatula to fix it. Haha still cracks me up!!
Something kinda funny, I asked this guy with a sweet mustache how long it took to grow, but he thought that I had asked how long he´s had it for-40 years sounded too long. Oh Spanish. The mistakes I make are funny. Lots of patience, I´ve been able to understand more with time.
I don´t know if I´ve ever said it before, but Peruvian dogs are so ugly. They don´t have any fur, except for around their face. And they just run around the streets. And mating in a public park is totally normal.
 
I love this work and hope yáll have a great week!
Con Mucho Amor,

Hna. Boody

Week 18

That’s awesome that you saw Elizabeth Portugal!! I can’t believe she’s already back from her mission. That went by crazy fast!! Please give them all my loveJ  Wow-this week went by reaaaaallly fast. Probably cause I’m about a week behind in my journal..haha



With another Zone, we went to Huanchaco and lived it up on the BEACH for P-day!! Sun, sand, and beach games. It was a beautiful and relaxing day. Even was in a few random pictures with Peruvians.
Guitar playing in the park-new finding method. Pretty rad.
 

Juan and Carlos. They went to a big activity with the ward and are starting to get closer with the members. We went over earlier this week and had a lesson with Luis. He might move out. Neither Juan or Carlos are his sons..Miriam-their mom has 4 kids and each has a different dad, so he’s the dad of only the 2^nd youngest daughter. And they’re not married, nor want to be..so Luis is looking for another place to live. Which would be nice, cause then we could start to teach him. le de castidad. We also did some service for Miriam this week, hoping she`ll be more supportive with them going to church every week and she can help them get ready so that when Hno. Simion comes to pick them up, they`ll be all ready to go.

Julio. Remember my 81 year old Peruvian abuelito?? He was at church yesterday and the week before! There had been little to NO progress, but now things have been better. Jaun Hererra, who baptized Juan Carlos, is the absolute BEST fellow shipper/friend to him!! He came with us to our last lesson, and even picked him up for church yesterday. And in the midst of all the chaos yesterday, we say Julio, looking all spiffy, with Juan Hererra. HE may have even taken a bath!! His hair has never looked so good.. haha happy for an awesome member of the ward to help Julio!!
We caught a random, super loud parade in the street this week. All the colegios are having Olympics or something. Lots of kids on stilts and futbol players.
 
 
Jose Luis was BAPTIZED!! Earlier in the week, we were teaching the commandments and I wasn’t so sure that he would be/was ready…but he can sure use the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We had some good conversations with his parents and Sandra, his mom, even gave us some hot cocoa (after we taught about word of wisdom-lol) and crackers. His relationship with his parents is improving, little by little. We combined baptisms with our zone leaders, who had a teenage girl going to be baptized the same time as Jose Luis. His mom came, dad had to work, and it went really well. Slowly, he’s starting to warm up to making friendships with people in the ward. It`s just hard for him to be friendly I guess…and that hair! We bought him hair gel the same night as his baptismal interview, but he certainly isn’t using it..or maybe its just too long to be controlled. Haha always styling it different about 10 times, then re-wetting it and starting over. Yesterday, he gave us quite the scare! We went to pick him up in the morning, since he’d be receiving the Holy Ghost at church. But he wasn’t home. His dad had no idea where he was, tried to call his cell but it was turned off, Sandra was at her mom’s house and had no idea where he was either, we even asked his friend that he walks to school with—nothing. We were freaking out and had no idea what to do…stake conference is next week, so there’s no sacrament meeting that he could be confirmed…and the bishopric had asked us to give talks, so we were really panicking. Lots of stress. I was praying for a miracle! Hna. Gonzales gave her talk, Hna. Huaman, then randomly the 2<sup>nd</sup> counselor announced Jose Luis`baptism yesterday, but Hna. Gonzales and I were both thinking “uhhh he`s not here…”  Then out of nowhere, he walks up and gets the Holy Ghost. We were all shocked, wheeeen did he come? It honestly was a miracle.

Speaking of miracles, my 1^st sacrament meeting talk en espanol. Haha phew, it actually went a lot better than I thought! Talked about faith and how members can help get involved, ayudan las hermanas! Didn’t have too much time to prepare it, so I was relieved when it was over. Ahh Sundays are always NUTS!!

One member that I help with his English recently had a birthday and thought he turned 12 years old. But his sister found his birth certificate or whatever Peru has…he’s 14. Haha been in primary for 2 extra years. Just goes to prove what I`ve been saying, NO ONE in Peru knows how old they are. Haha but seriously….Hna. Gonzales and I laughed for a loooong time.

We’re getting Luis Fransisco ready for baptism on the 21^st. His mom wanted him to have more preparation and for the dad to be there. He’s a really cute kid!!
The stake had a Noche Misional and all the companionships in the Zone had 2 articles of faith assigned to teach/have an activity or game. We had articles of faith 7 and 8 and did a big letter code thing to figure out what the article of faith was. It was great fun!!

Working with Modesto, Sandra Cruz`s husband who isn`t a member. Doesn’t really have a desire to be, but trying to figure out what we can do/teach to help. We climb up a ladder to their home.
Also working with Juan Carlos, a less-active. His son, Diego is 8 years old and REALLY wants to be baptized, super animated about scriptures, primary, and learning more about the gospel. Its sad that his dad can’t baptize him…the majority of Juan Carlos`family are members, but inactive for many years..:(

IT was just me, Hna. Gonzales, and Hna. Skirvin for Alzar la Voz. We all arrived the same day to the MTC so it was certainly a new experience being out all on our own and figuring out the map for a different area. It went well though! Had 2 lessons and only got sort-of lost on the way back. Happy 4 months!

Moping the sidewalks and seeing a cross-dresser, just another day in Peru.

Con Mucho Amor,
Hermana Boody

Week 17

How awesome that the Oakton Ward now has sister missionaries! I hope they love the members as much as I doJ Congrats to Roy on getting engaged! Totally saw that one coming…sad that the Kings are moving, we´ll miss them a LOT!! Good job with your talk Rex! AND inviting your football friends to hear it too, I´m so proud!! I can´t believe mom went fishing with the boys and caught some too! That cracked me up!! How fun. I´m glad your enjoying the YW, I bet they are just LOVING their time with you. You all went to GEORGETOWN CUPCAKES? Sheesh-that’s awesome. I´ve never been, but heard its wonderful. 

Well happy labor day! We’re going to the beach with 2 other zones and President Marler & Hna. Marler will be there too, it´ll be a BLAST! Last p-day after I emailed, we saw the Crudes and it was just a really chill day. My companions and I enjoyed some tres leches cake in el parque grande.
I was looking at some old pictures on another memory card and it was so surreal. I´m in South America! 1^st fall in a few years that I´m not enjoying working at Jacob Lake and playing at the grand canyon, going to school, or working downtown and commuting with Dad. This is where its at! 

Alright sorry I´ll get on about this week…
went to a casket viewing/family gathering for a member´s grandmother. There was a HUGE poster with her face and loads of flowers. I love the fact that their culture really respects and looks after their grandparents. 
 
Our zone just set a goal of 18 almas en setiembre, so we´re working as hard as we can with the members to make it possible! The ward continues to help us with less-actives, investigators, part-member families, and recent converts. We got visiting teaching assignments at church yesterday in RS & its great to see the sisters excited about visiting other hermanas in the ward. We had 2 great family home evenings and have more to plan for tonight! We´re helping to prepare two 7 year olds for their baptism this month, their families want to make sure that they develop their OWN testimony and understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

So one think I forgot to say about Juan Carlos who got baptized last week, whenever we would teach a principle or ask a question-his face would always scrunch up and answer with “bueno….” And a lot of the time, it would be hard to understand what he was saying cause his Spanish is just different. I don´t even know how to describe or explain it, but its funny. Its awesome to see Juan Herrera, the man who baptized him, sit with him at church and help fellowship Juan Carlos. So awesome! 

Hermana Balcaza had an all-day training meeting at the Institute, so I was with Hermana Skirvin (the triplet that mom mentioned in an email) in her area of Palermo. It was a little intimidating cause we´re both almost done with training, but not quite and she only knows her area so well..but we had a great time teaching and learning together. Taught Helen le de castidad, she´s such a cute 17 year old who really likes Justin Bieber… Then after we met back up with Hna. Balcaza, we taught a less-active family together.

Trios are tricky, but we´re improving with how we can teach and testify more in a natural rhythm. Just takes some pacience and good role-plays in companionship study.
We were walking to Juan and Carlos´ house in Nueva Barazza and this random lady that had a cart of stuff to sell on the street waved us over. Hesitantly, we walked over and had a lesson. She was a crack up! Spend forever trying to explain that the day of rest is on Saturday, not Sunday…gave us some reading hw in the bible and we gave her a Restoration pamphlet. It was just…funny. People trying to teach us, even though we´re the ones set apart to preach the gospel. 

We did some service for a family that lives near Juan and Carlos and they are incredible! Lidia, the mom, has taken in 2 kids from the street-their families had completely abandoned them. I always had thought that Manuelito was her son, but nope..she just took him in her home and didn´t treat him any different than her own children. And the other, Luis Francisco is so wonderful and we started teaching him, he has such a desire to learn more about the gospel! They have over a hundered chickens! Haha I held a baby chicken for the first time, classic Peruvian afternoon. Lidia and her husband are trying to get the right paperwork so they can get married, then baptized this month. Lots of faith, hardships, and hope! I have so much respect for her, she has such great and true attributes and qualities of Christ! 

 
 
Jose Luis. Still SO quiet, but making progress little by little. We´ve taken him to so many aactivities and church, but its hard for members to really make a bond or connection, cause he just doesn´t respond. But it makes sense, seeing the family relationships and dysfunctional communication. He´s used to only getting negative attention and its hard for him to break away from that I guess. But Luis Fransisco and Jose Luis are both the same age-13 so they have started to form a little friendship. Hna. Gonzales started teaching Jose Luis piano, positive attention helps him a LOT! Its just hilarious-sometimes he´ll just walk away for awhile, then come back a few minutes later with soaking wet hair. Like multiple times a day…I´m buying him some gel this week. Its hilarious, always figiting to style it JUST the way he likes it. And his voice hasn´t changed yet, so sometime it gets really high-pitched and whiny-sounding. 

Remember Edit and her daughter? We used to see them all the time at Parque grande and around town, but not for a loooong time and I was wondering what happened to them..well we saw them this week and were able to have a lesson with her, her daughter, son, and her mom.


Just a little piece of advice, if you ever live in Peru and have one of those awesome shower attachments to make the water hot-don´t get near the tail-end part! It´ll shock you.  Just a little piece of adviceJ

My mission is completely changing me!
Con Mucho Amor,
Herman Boody

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