February 24, 2014

Hola Querida Familia!!!

Mom, seriously thank you so much for sharing that blog post with me. Super cool and such a fun read. Wow, Sister Colvin has had some crazy adventures in her life! I can't believe that. I'm sure she and Sister Rogers did such an amazing job with their talks. 

Wow. We have seriously had such a crazy week (When do we have a NORMAL week????!!!). First, I want to tell you two stories I forgot to include in my email last week haha.

Last Sunday, I was still sick and I was taking some medicine...I had to leave sacrament meeting for a second to take it and went into the bathroom. Well...somehow when I shut the door...I locked myself in. The whole door was jammed, including the lock, and I didn't even lock the door haha. I waited until they started singing a hymn and tried to get out...but no luck. Oh man haha. Finally the meeting ended and Hermana Cueva knocked quietly on the door. I explained to her that I was stuck, and two members came to help me out. We were supposed to teach Sunday School....but I was stuck for 40 minutes hahaha. Finally Hermano Josue karate kicked the door and I made it...we totally busted the door though. The whole ward knew and it was sooo embarassing hahahahahaha.

Also last Sunday we taught O the word of wisdom. He was super cool about it and accepted everything immediately. The only thing he had in his house was tea. Well we were just talking about it and he said he would get rid of it, when his two year old grandson walked in grabbed the tea packets and said "que es esto?"... which means what is this.... and then started ripping them apart. We all started laughing so hard and O said "That takes care of that problem!" So awesome.

Monday...was rough. We had to pick up Hermana Mendoza for work visits then we had a cita with the S family. We found out that their marriage wasn't valid on Friday and that they couldn't get baptized this week. J was married 26 years ago and got divorced in the same year but never had the divorce registered. Soooo...he is still a married man. It's a complicated process and he has to go to Lima and get a divorce AGAIN before he can marry S....keep them in your prayers please.

Tuesday we had District meeting, then we had one lesson, then we had to take Hermana Mendoza BACK to Huaraz. As soon as we came back FROM Huaraz, Elder Dorado called us to tell us we had a meeting with President Archibald in Huaraz on Wednesday....so off to Huaraz again. We spent the whole week in Combi haha.

Wednesday was AMAZING. I can't tell you how much I needed to have that training from President Archibald. He came again because he is doing mission-wide interviews. We had a really great morning of training. He taught us about how we need to improve our study time and ASK QUESTIONS about the scriptures. We analyzed the first page of first Nephi and learned SO much, it was really awesome. Then we talked about the importance of knowing everything about Preach My Gospel and that it was written by the prophets, so they literally were able to see how the Book of Mormon and early church missionaries taught, and what the world would be like for us today. It was really cool. After our capacitation he started our interviews... he came down and said "Hermana Carr, you're first", and we headed to the Stake President office. I said the opening prayer in English and it was really awkward...I can't remember how to pray with other people in English haha, but that's okay. We talked about my area, what I should do with the S family, and how to improve my contacting skills. Then he asked me if he could do anything for me personally... I told him that I was doing really well now, but that the first transfer was really difficult for me. He looked at me and smiled and asked "and why do you think that is?" I thought for a moment and told him exactly how it was... that until then I didn't know what homesickness was, I couldn't understand any Spanish when I showed up and I was on the outskirts of the mission. That really I felt a little isolated. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and told me that he knows perfectly how it was for me, and he knew it would be that way. Then he told me "Hermana, I hope you realize that this is a testament of just how much the Lord trusts you. What you did was three times harder than what other missionaries normally have to deal with. BUT, only you could do it. Only you, and he knew that, and I know that" He told me that I was the only sister that could come open a new area without knowing any spanish, especially in the furthest area from the mission. Mom he basically said word for word what you said to me. He told me that the Lord trusts me and knew I would be obedient even on the edge of the mission. He told me that the Archibalds love me and know how hard I'm working. We also talked about what I have learned from Hermana Cueva and how I need to teach it to other missionaries. It was just a really positive experience for me. 

Friday we had a service activity in Santa Cruz. It's about an hour from Caraz. We went to work in the field of some new converts. A very humble couple that wanted the missionaries to come to their home so that they would be more blessed. They were SO sweet, made us a really delicious meal by burying and cooking food in the dirt hahahah...it was so good. They were so worried about us and caring, it was just really sweet.

Saturday was the best day of my mission. Period. We weren't able to baptize the S parents, but we were able to have O's baptism. O is an amazing man. 70 years old, with the strongest hope and faith of anyone I have ever known in my life. At his baptism, all of my district came and we were all able to bear testimony to O. He was crying. I was crying. The power of the spirit there was so strong and for the first time, I understood what the scriptures mean when they talk about the joy that comes from bringing one soul unto the Lord. It was a beautiful experience and his wife's name is in the temple now. We are going to get this family sealed. O is an amazing example of love and faith and I feel so blessed to have been part of his conversion...because Mom and Dad, he really is a convert, not just a baptism, and I feel sooooo happy about that.

I love each of you so much. This IS the work of the Lord and it DOES change lives. Oscar is my shining example of that. In the two weeks that I have known him, he has gained so much hope about his wife and just about his life in general. He is teaching his children all about what he has learned and LOVES the Book of Mormon. As do I. This is the Lord's work and the Lord's church. I love you guys and I can't tell you how much your support means to me. 

Love always,

picking corn for the service activity

O's Baptism

Hermana Carr