This week we finally got a ward directory! Whoo! Our baby ward is
growing up. This week as we went to visit the members we had some pretty
cool experiences. For example, when we visited the hermana Julia Flores
she thanked us for coming and almost started crying when she said that
missionaries had never come to visit her in her new home before. Another
hermana, Lucy, also thanked us for coming and said that she was going
through a tough time with her teenage sons and health problems. She felt
alone and scared and had prayed to heavenly father for help, and then
we showed up at her home. Another menos activo, Francisco, told us that
in the week he had felt overwhelmed with all the work he had to do, but
then our voices came to his mind with words of comfort. This week
Hermana Belt and I have really left like we´ve been instruments in the
Lord´s hands-- not only for investigators, but for members and menos
activos who have needed a hand and just a plain old hug. That might
sound silly, but really this week we´ve just seen a ton how God has been
directing us to strengthen his children and comfort them in times of
trial. We heard several times people calling us angels, and it´s very
humbling knowing that God is working through us.
This week, yesterday actually in church, we put
a baptismal date with Celso!! When we invited him (in english) he got
all flustered and was like, don´t look at me! Are you really asking me?
But he accepted the date for the 16 of August. We´re excited for him!
I know every week I talk about the familia
Vicuña, but this week I learned yet another amazing lesson from Eliane.
When we went to visit them the other day Eliane was in the middle of her
physical therapy. Her physical therapist was helping her do exercises
with an exercise ball, and it looked pretty rough for Eliane. Her mom
was sitting on the floor next to her. At first the exercises were light
and she didn´t need much energy, but as the exercises progressed Eliane
started to cry out in pain. She looked up at her mom sitting at her side
as if she were saying, ¨Mom, why aren´t you helping me? Can´t you see
I´m hurting? Why don´t you do something?¨ But her mom would just tell
her, ¨Breathe. Be strong, I´m right by your side.¨ It was really
powerful because we were all silent, the only sounds were Eliane crying
and her trainer telling her to stretch farther. At one point Eliane´s
mom had to leave her side, to let Eliane focus and be by her self.
Eliane kept going, taking a pause every now and then to wipe her mouth
with a towel. I likeded it to our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Sometimes when we´re hurting, going through a hard trial, we look up at
our Father and ask, ¨Can´t you see I´m hurting? Do you not care? Why
aren´t you helping me?¨ But our Heavenly Father knows that in our trials
we grow strong, we grow our spiritual muscles, and we can´t grow to
become strong like him without them. Hermana Belt and I just felt like
crying several times cause it was so hard watching that little girl
struggle like that, and I´m sure it´s hard for our heavenly father too.
But he knows it´s for our good.
Next week I might not write til Tuesday cause
Monday is Peru´s day of independence and the internet might not be open.
And plus on Tuesday we have cambios! I can´t believe how fast this
cambio has flown by. Next week I´ll be giving my testimony in front of
the whole mission, bearing testimony of the things I´ve learned in my
mission. I can´t believe this time has already come. But hang in tight
next week and I´ll write on either Monday or Tuesday.
I love you guys! Hope you have a great week! Chau!
Love, Hermana Anderson
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| Elaine (14 years old) |
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