So,
sometimes being a missionary is just the happiest thing ever.
Like, really.
We had such a good
week!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It started with
interviews with President. I always like being able to talk to him. He told me
that to him, the number of baptisms is not what matters. For him, what matters
is that when I get home no one will even recognize me because I have changed
into a better version of me :) I hope that’s true!
This week, my companion
and I really wanted to be able to reach the mission goal of excellence of 32
lessons. We were so determined. We prayed all week, that we would be able to
find people to teach, and we just talked to everybody we could find. Also, this
week I trained the zone on the Christ like attribute of diligence and it was
cool to study it and learn how to apply it even more in our work. So we set
goals, and worked HARD. And do you know what? WE DID IT! we taught exactly 32
lessons this week and had so many cool experiences. And I want to share them
all but don’t know if I`ll be able to but we`ll see how this goes!
So like I`ve mentioned
before, we have been struggling a little to find new investigators. Last week
we found a new family and we had 6 nuevos. Well, this week new investigators
just started coming out of the woodwork! I am not even kidding. This week we
ended with 9 new investigators! Two families. Woo!! On Saturday we hadn`t
planned on visiting a person we`d contacted, but their names were just playing
over and over again in my mind, and two of our other lessons fell through and
so we went to this contacts house. Well, we found him, his wife, his daughters,
and a friend of the family, and they let us in, and we just all started talking
like old friends! It was so cool. We taught the first lesson, and I literally
felt SO happy. Especially when we ended the lesson and invited the dad to offer
his first prayer. We all kneeled down and I have to tell you, it is one of the
coolest feelings in the whole world hearing a dad praying for his family for
the first time. We have another appointment on Thursday. :)
Also, remember the
family I told you about last week that had the picture of Christ with the
little children in their house? This Sunday they came to church! and....we went
to visit them afterwards and they told us that they absolutely loved it. They
said it felt like they were surrounded by family and that they had just felt
good being there. We invited them to be baptized and, they accepted! :) They
need to be married first, but told us that they had been planning on getting
married this year. Also, the lesson this week in gospel principles was on
eternal marriage. They (especially J.
Ok. Another experience. Last night we were at 30 lessons and it was
7:45. We had one more cita fija at 8 but we knew it was going to be our last
lesson of the night because it was a family night. We had been praying all week
to be able to have the 32 lessons and had gone to three houses and none of them
had time. We did not want to end with only 31 so we decided to try contacting
someone in the park and teaching them a short lesson. The FIRST person we
talked to, before we could even introduce ourselves properly, just started to
talk to us like we were old friends. She began to tell us about her life and
family, and a problem that she`s going through, and when we asked if we could
share a short message with her about how she could find happiness in this life,
she said, Yes please sit down. I need to feel some of the peace I can see that
you have. And so we were able to have about a 20 minute lesson with her there
in the park and I don`t know if I have ever seen or felt so strongly before how
it is that the gospel blesses our lives and brings us happiness. I could see SO
clearly as we were talking to her about things she’s gone through, exactly how
the gospel could help her and we were able to testify of those things and share
a little of the plan of salvation. We have another appointment with her and her
daughter this week :)
Church yesterday was
so great was well. We had SEVEN investigators come, and 3 less active families
that are in the process of being reactivated. Ah! The chapel was full. It
was a little intimidating cause I had to give one of the talks yesterday, but
it went well :)
So, once again, we
know there must be opposition in all things, and it comes in many forms. I
think one of my oppositions on the mission is my health :P haha. So for about a
week or two I have had a lot of stomach pain. (That’s a new one, right? Not my
heart this time, woo!) And it was getting so bad that a couple days ago I
called Hna Erickson. I told her my symptoms and she was like, well it sounds
like your developing gastritis! Oh yay. That’s wonderful :P Its when your
stomach creates too much acid and burns. It’s not permanent and can be treated
with a diet. It’s also suuuuuuuuuper common here in Peru because of all the
acidy foods we eat so it’s not too big of a surprise. Crazy
"coincidence" as well, my companion was recently diagnosed with the
same thing! (we all know there are no such things as coincidences) so we are on
the same diet together :) But I am really fine. It mostly just bothered me in
the mornings when we were in the house for studies and whatnot, and then when
it came time to go out and work I was fine! I so did not want to stay in the
house and rest, because we had a goal to meet, and Heavenly Father blessed me!
We only had to rest once, Friday night we went to the house of our favorite
family and they made us herbal tea to help us feel better :)
I just want to let you
all know that there is SO MUCH HAPPINESS that comes from serving others. And
from being a missionary! I love seeing how the gospel blesses and changes
lives. I know Heavenly Father blesses us when we are diligent, and obedient.
There is literally a POWER that comes when we are obedient. That is something I
have been learning about exact obedience. You literally can feel it. I love
being a missionary. It has been the hardest thing I have ever done, but the
most rewarding. Emily, you were joking me about the 148 days, right? That can`t
even be possible!
I hope you are all
well. I love hearing about everything going on at home! It sounds like a crazy,
busy summer.
Well, I have to go.
Love you all! Have a wonderful week!
The Church is true :)
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Shelton
P.S. My companion is a
black belt in taekwondo. Sometimes for exercise in the morning she teaches me
how to kick things. It’s good times.
So. Surprise. The
picture is of me. In the hills... once again. Gotta love the
cerros!
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