Nov. 18, 2013
Buenas dias mi hermosa familia! Como estan todos? Espero que todos son
felices y animados. No puedo creer que Kylee va a salir esta semana! Que rapido
es el tiempo....
We had a good week! I forgot to tell
you in the email last week, but we have been teaching a man named R. and he
was baptized this last weekend! The reason I didn´t tell you about the baptism
was because I wasn´t sure if he´d actually end up getting baptized, but all is
well and he is now a member of the church :) He works in a polleria (a
restaurant where all they sell is pollo a la braza or, like...roasted chicken?
I´m not sure exactly what it’s called in english. But it is always served with
the chicken, french fries(nice big thick ones) and a salad. And mayonaise. I
didn´t like mayonaise before the mission but that is seriously all they put on
all there food here and I have to admit, It’s really good. I put mayonaise on
EVERYTHING now. but don´t worry. It’s not the nasty mayonaise we have in the
states. It’s MUCH better. Also, Pollo a la Braza is probably my favorite
Peruvian dish. Well....one of them.) Anyways, I got a little off track there,
lo siento.
But yeah. So we have been teaching
him in his polleria and he almost immediately accepted baptism and we have been
teaching him for about a month and a half now. It took us a while to get
him to come to church, but now he comes on his own right at 8 in the morning
and he just wants to be a better person for his family. This baptism was really
special for me because it was the first person we´ve baptized that I have been
with them for the entire process. I was actually the one that contacted him
outside his restaurant so it has been really cool to be there for all parts of
his conversion. We brought him the gospel and he brings us pollo a la braza. It’s
a good trade :) hahaha just kidding!
Also, this week (yesterday) we had a
meeting with all of the youth in our ward that have their mission calls (one of
them leaves this week too!) There are 8 in our ward waiting to leave right now
and so the bishopric invited us to come to a special meeting with them and talk
about ¨mission life¨ and answer questions. It was great fun. My companion is
great. She was way too happy to, as she puts it, wipe their smiles off their
faces and make them realize that a mission isn´t all rainbows and butterflies.
This girl cracks me up. I can´t wait for you guys to talk to her on Christmas.
But anyways. Since Kylee is leaving
this week, I thought I´d dedicate the rest of this email to her with a little
list of advice of things I have learned in my short 5 months on the mission.
Here it is:
1. Elders gossip worse than
Hermanas. Be careful what you tell them! I am not joking. An experience Hna.
Shriver and I had together is now an inside joke in a zone up north. ¨Corre,
gringas, corre!¨ Don´t ask....
That being said, they are actually
really great when it comes to training and helping you with your investigators.
My zone and district leaders have helped me a lot. Trust your leaders and don´t
be afraid to ask for help. That is what they are there for. Also, they have the
priesthood. If you feel like you need a blessing, for health or comfort, don´t
be afraid to call them. Priesthood blessings help A LOT.
2. Waking up in the morning is
difficult. I know you have always been better about that then me, but really.
You are going to be EXHAUSTED some days but remember, exact obedience brings a
whole lot more blessings than sleeping in does! So when that alarm clock goes
off (I have two...one next to my bed and the cell phone that I leave in the
other room so I have to get out of bed to get it) get right out of bed and get
down on your knees. I promise that if do that, no matter how soft and comfy
your tigger pillow looks, you´ll be able to resist the temptation to go fall
back asleep :)
3. Speaking of tigger pillows, bring
a comfort item from home. Seriously, your favorite blanket or pillow will be
perfect for those days when you just need a reminder from home.
4. There may come a time in your
mission where you will realize that there is just not enough time in the
morning to get everything done that you want to. So you may think that it’s a
good idea to have your companion help you wax your legs so you don´t have
to worry about shaving in the morning. DON´T DO IT! It’s not worth it. Bring
tights.
5. Your companion will be your best
friend. I don´t really have any advice on how to work with a difficult
companion, because the truth is, I haven´t had one. Love them, serve them, and
remember that they will be having just as many struggles and difficulties as
you. Talk to them openly about everything. It makes everything so much easier
when you have unity in your companionship.
6. Bring music! I wish I´d brought
even more. Luckily all the girls in my apartment brought music tambien so we
have a lot to listen too. Music helps so much. I am a big believer in the ¨Ipod
shuffle theory¨ is what I´ll call it. Without fail, if I am having a hard time
or waiting for an answer from Heavenly Father, I will turn on music and the
perfect song will come on right when I need to hear it. It’s pretty awesome.
Also, bring sheet music for the piano. I wish I´d brought more.
7. Read the mission manual EVERY
DAY. As Elder Uceda said, It is the 5th libro canonico (how you do say that in
English?) Basically, it is just as important to read as your scriptures.
Memorize it and live it. Remember that obedience brings blessings,
but exact obedience brings miracles!
8. You are going to have days of
happiness, joy, peace, and excitement, but you are also going to have days of
disappointment, sadness, stress, and anxiety. And you are going to have days
where you will wish that you weren´t on the mission and you are going to want
to go home. DON´T LET THEM GET TO YOU. You are strong. You are brave. You can
do hard things. Remember that those feelings come from Satan and not from
Heavenly Father. Make a list of all the reasons you decided to serve a mission
and read it on those hard days. And also remember how many people love you and
are praying for you. And read Romans chapter 8. It’s one of my favorite chapters
in the New Testament. Especially verse 31, ¨What shall we then say to these
things? If God be for us, who can be against us?¨
9. SMILE! Remember who you
represent and who´s name you are wearing. Our stake president here calls us,
¨Hermanas Felices¨ and always asks us what our ¨secret to happiness¨ is. We
just smile and say, ¨The Gospel is a Gospel of Happiness!¨ It’s true. One thing
my mission president said to us that I really like is, ¨Not everybody is
searching for a true church, but everybody is searching for happiness.¨
10. The days seem like weeks, and
the weeks seem like days. Enjoy every second! I really can´t believe how fast
the time flies.
11. Bring lots of pictures of
your family and carry them around with you in your scriptures. Everybody
LOVES to see those. Especially here. Everyone thinks that you and I are twins,
and they can´t believe that we all have blue eyes. Just so you know family,
half of Independencia Peru has seen your picture :) haha
12. REMEMBER I LOVE YOU! And I am praying
for you. You are going to be a great missionary :) Just jump right in and work
as hard as you can. Do your best and the Lord will do the rest.
I´m sure I am forgetting a ton of
things I wanted to tell you, but here is a start. Good luck with this week!!
I will be thinking about you all on
Wednesday around 2:00 and wishing I could be there with you.
LES QUIERO MUCHO!!!
Hasta la proxima semana.
Hermana Shelton
Hermana Shelton
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