Hello from your favorite bipolar missionary!

MONDAY: Just your regular old P-day. We had a noche de hogar with a sister in the ward. It was nice. We were able to just talk about some things and help her out. It’s always crazy to me to think that just about all the members here are converts and what a strange new world they’re learning to navigate. We ate gelatin. I hate gelatin. Latinos love it. But she was so happy to share it with us, so I was happy to eat it.

Then we had another noche de hogar with a recent convert family where we talked about testimony and conversion. It was nice as well. They were both helpful to me to remind me that perhaps I’m not helping people in the way I expected, and maybe they’ll never look back and remember anything I said or did. But I was able to help them feel the Spirit that night and maybe or maybe not they’ll do something differently than they otherwise would have. And I guess for now that’s enough for me.

TUESDAY: Was a good day. We worked hard and sweated a lot (ew!). We may not have seen immediate results of our work, but still, we felt good.

We found this one old man, E.,and his wife (who has very progressive Parkinson’s and is unable to communicate). It was a pretty cool lesson. I felt for some reason that his wife felt the Spirit and understood what we were teaching even though she can’t conveniently express it. We’ll see what happens. If nothing else we brightened their day and made them feel special.

And in other news, another bird pooped on me which makes it twice in one week. That’s some bad luck. But we did get two free bus tickets (Monday & Tuesday) which is a miracle if I do say so myself. It’s only 50 cents each which is equivalent to 15 cents in the states, but still. Tender mercies :)

WEDNESDAY: In our district meeting I was met by a very happy surprise, not one, but four packages! It couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. As some of you may know last week was kinda a downer, but I am so blessed to have amazing friends and family who support me. Honestly, Thank You all so very much. It really brightened my day and my week! So a very special thank you shout out to the Mayo’s, the Peterson’s, the Gagnon family and my wonderful mother and family <3

Who knew I LOVE these?

before...

How I practice the hymns for sacrament meeting.

T

REALLY happy about cinnamon bears!

Happy about cinnamon bears.

And we had a meeting with Elder Uceda, which was a really cool experience. It was for all missionaries of the Lima Central and the ward council members of all the wards in the boundaries (which isn’t so hard when the mission is only nine miles across.) We are no longer having transfer meetings so the chances of seeing old pals and companions are now much slimmer and obviously we don’t get to go back to old sectors, so not much opportunity to see members either. So this was actually really helpful for me, because the mission is strange. You spend a few months in one place and one day you just disappear and don’t really have a chance to look back.

Now that I’ve been in the three zones with Hermanas, I know about 90% of the Hermanas. It was nice to be able to see Hermanas I had served with and didn’t even realize I missed and loved.

And being able to see members from my last two wards brought back memories and helped me realize the moments I will cherish from old sectors and the friendships I made in them.

It was all a really emotionally overwhelming experience. It helped me realize how special the mission really is, being able to form bonds that would otherwise be impossible.

And Elder Ucedas message was great too. He talked about the history of the church in Peru (the country to reach 1000 stakes in the least amount of time, beats the US), how terrorism affects missionary work, all sorts of interesting tidbits.

THURSDAY: Missionary training with Elder Uceda. Great as well except I left a little overwhelmed with all the things I need to do better. But hey, what matters is the direction not the velocity. He explained how mission presidents are called. Woah.

Then we had a lesson with our 12 year old investigator, P. We spent an hour trying to explain faith, to realize he doesn’t get it. I was trying to put myself in his place to understand what he was thinking, but nothing. It was a little frustrating. But made me realize how blessed I am to have been born in the church. Who knows where I’d be now or if I’d ever be able to understand faith. But then we visited a 9 year old recent convert who understands everything so who knows.

We visited Hna V. that night to share the Restoration and we made it through the first two principles before she breaks into tears, like real heartbroken sobs. And we sat there and listened to her tell her story and did our best to help her. I was able to realize that sometimes we are sent for the one. How much the Lord loves each of His children and how precious is just one soul that perhaps she’s precisely the reason we were sent here. The Lord works in miraculous ways.

FRIDAY: Had intercambios with Hna Watts. I’ve had some really good exchanges in the past, but this one was interesting. Not bad, but different …

SATURDAY: Officially been in Peru 200 days!

Visited F., a 40 something less active woman with some social/cognitive disabilities and a super Catholic mother. She really loves the church and the missionaries (F. not the mom). She told us if any one tried to kill us they would have to kill her first. Sweet gesture really.

SUNDAY: Pretty normal. Went to church. Drank too much Inka Kola. Preached the gospel. Had a noche de hogar.

All in all a great week, 500x better than last week, so thanks for the prayers. I love you!

Love,

Hermana Anderson

Mosiah 2:24 “Do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do he doth IMMEDIATELY bless you.” TRUTH #justdoit #ponderize