# 63

We had a baptism!!! It was kinda sorta a last minute thing, but it went off without too many hitches. I don't know if you remember René, he never showed up to his first baptism and he's the one who had the alcohol addiction, but he went sober and got baptized. It was a simple service, Obispo Dueñas baptized him (The one who served with Brandon) and it was all just super nice. We went to go pick him up, and when we knocked on the door, he opened it, quickly said "Nobody is here! Bye!" slammed the door, and then opened the door again with a big smile and said "yeah just kidding, come in!" Haha it was funny, and then we left! He's been a long... kinda hard process. But after everything, he did it and he grew a lot in his faith because of it. If there's something I've learned on my mission, it's to never give up on anyone. Even the most lost of causes. There is siempre a miracle that can take place in their hearts. And that miracle took place in René´s. 

We also had a suuuuper cool ward activity brought to you by the missionary work (that sounds really weird in English, but makes a lot of sense in Spanish... por la obra misional! Nat will get it I think...) We had a  talent show. It started at six, and at six, it seemed like this talent show was going to a flop. But when 7 rolled around, there were still few people, but there was more promise. By 7:30, everyone was having a jolly good time. Peruvian standard time = 1 and a half hours late. But we didn't let that get us down. We were all singing and dancing and it was fun. The ward mission leader was MCing and there was an 11 year old girl who was dancing lambada for her talent and she pulled Hno Mandujano onstage to dance with her. He's a short little guy, so they made a good pair, until he dipped her, and with the momentum, fell on top of her and broke the microphone. Moral of the story is that we need to dance waaaaay more lambada in the talent shows in the states. It was hilarious. And then the son of Hno Mandujano danced the dance from The Mask (I've never seen it, but everyone said it was juuuuuust like the movie) with mask and all. Suuuuper cute. I have all the videos, so one day in the distant future we'll sit down and see just how cool Latin American talent shows are.

 

Well it's been a long, busy, exhausting week for the both of us. I had to pick up and drop off sisters all week for transfers and then plan an activity and then a baptism.. so hands full. But this week should be more chill. I mean, still jam packed but with all the stuff that I actually like to do!  

Send my love to alllll! Here's some pictures of the week! 

Hermana Rust

We had to say goodbye to our favorite district leader, elder Lopez. Transfers stink sometimes.  He went to puerto. He was always shooting us with his hand guns. He's basically a Peruvian Logan Call. 

Oh I forgot to mention that I sang in the talent show. I sang somewhere over the rainbow in a key that was waaay too high and waaay too low. And also, when I sing, I look slightly... well you can decide.

Las cuatro amigas. I lufff them. 

Rene got baptized! I hate taking pictures with guys. Its sooo uncomfortable. 

#62 *original post August 22, 2016

 When I saw Travis... holy cow it was wild. Like I was on a bus, and we were passing the corner where I live, and I vaguely see out of the corner of my eye a tall guy with a hoodie on. I remember briefly thinking "wow, he looks a lot like Travis!" And then when I took a closer look, IT WAS HIM! I started hitting the window to get his attention and everyone was staring at me, it was a little embarrassing, but he saw me, smiled, and then just hopped on the bus.  

But yeah I just started screaming "What are you doing here? Where are you going? What?!  Haha. Everyone was staring at us.

Not everyday that your brother comes to visit you... on your mission... in Peru. Haha his face kills me! 

 Got my nails did today. this manicure cost.... 2.50! Can you believe that?!?! 

We went to a zoo and he grabbed my hand. I made him let go, so I think that's why he is upset.

#61 Just a little note.

This is kind of going to be a short little email. Not much to report. I mean there are a few updates I could give. Reiner came to church yesterday! And it was cool because it was stake conference! And he came! He admitted to sleeping a little through it... but I mean I also did that.. so I can't judge. And then that night, my comp and I were in divisions, but when she went to go visit him, she invited him to be baptized! And He said YES!!! it was suuuper cool. I mean I wasn't there, but I imagine that it was super cool. 

That's basically what has happened this week. I was in divisions all week with other girls and so I hardly saw Hermana Conde, but I got to get to know a lot of the other sisters so that's fun. Now... I don't really have much to say but I will use my spare time to send pictures! So enjoy that. 

Love everyone and hope you are swell! Mom send me questions again. I need more material. 

Hermana Rust 

That's Marilia. She's 19 and just got her mission call. I lufff her!

I loook suuuper plastic in this, but that's hermana arza and hermana david. We visit them. Argentina and colombiana.

That's me and cusco. And the tahuantinsuyo flag. Try saying that I dare you. 

And this is an inca door.

we played futbol with president this past pday. Fue legit. 

#60 Everything is great everything is grand

I don't have a tooooon to say this week, just to start out with that. But I can give an update on Reiner. We had an appointment with him yesterday and he's still a little closed, but he's softening up. I can see the spirit really working through him. He´s got a long way to go, but we're getting there. Little by little.

This week I want to talk about René. He's an investigator that we have been teaching for a loooong time, since I got here. He had a baptism date, but he never showed up due to his alcohol addiction. He is a great guy, but he's suffered a bit his whole life with addictions and things like that. he´s 33. So he disappeared for like a month. then we taught him again. Then he disappeared again for another month and finally, yesterday, we found him!!! finally!! He came to church and then we set an appointment for that same afternoon. And we went in and it was kinda of like another declaring repentance type of thing. He was finally frank with us and his addiction and we were finally able to get somewhere. We set plans and goals for him to stop drinking and smoking, including deleting numbers from his phone and avoiding certain people. It was awesome! and he was helping us set the plans! Suuuper cool and he had like a different light in his eyes. Waaaay cool. And so now we've got that going. So the work is going. It's hard sometimes, but it's moving. 

I don't really have anything else to say today... everything is well, I'm a little stressed out about school and all that stuff, but it's all gonna work out. 

I'm just going to send pictures now... But I looooove everyone who reads this. 

Bye! 

Hermana Rust 

This week we washed blankets with our feet... 

that's hermana Stickle. I love her!

It's my group!! All together again! hermana Baker, Hermana Rust, Elder Vance, and elder Tsosi! 

that's hermana Vicky, my pensionista! 

And that's Zoe, the granddaughter of my pensionista.