Christmas Miracles.

Merry Christmas from the Zone!

And the district! :)

PS, please note our district leader, far right. ....Payaso con placa..... He's a hoot :)

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE 2015.

This was probably the biggest miracle that I have seen my whole mission. I can't wait to cuent you all about it!!!!

Saturday was already planned to be "the best day ever." 20 converts to the temple AND a long-awaited baptism, all in the same 12 hours. Can you say stress? And EXCITEMENT?! :)

The miracle started at 5 am when we woke up to go to the temple. We had 20 new converts and rescues that we were bringing to the temple for the first time, and had to meet up with them all at 6:30 am. Well...I woke up................ and was SO sick. I don't know what I ate, or what was wrong with me, but for the first time in my entire mission, I was sick. I was throwing up all over the place, and couldn't really do much about it. I just kept thinking, "No.... not today. Any other day. I CANNOT be sick today."

I pulled myself together well enough to call the Zone Leaders and tell them to meet me at the Stake Center to give me a blessing - ASAP. Being the valiant and worthy Priesthood holders that they are, they arrived at the Stake Center at 6:15 am to give me the blessing I needed. 

Everyone started arriving to travel to the temple (about a 2-hour ride in city bus), and I just kept PRAYING that I would make it there without making a scene on the bus. Thankfully, immediately after the blessing from the Elders, I started to feel SO much better. I wasn't nauseous at all. I just felt a peace that everything would be alright in the temple.

And it was! EVERYONE got there in time, and the 20 converts and rescues were all able to enter into the temple to do baptisms for their ancestors. (pictures attached). Everything was guided directly by the Lord's hand!

When we left the temple, I was still feeling fine. And we had a baptism to go to! 

The baptism was of the Hermana Margot - we found her about a month ago, and she is WONDERFUL. She has a muscle and bone disease which makes it so she can hardly walk. She is only 38 years old.... but her body acts like that of an 80-year-old. Her teenage son was baptized 4 months ago in Huancayo, and they just moved here to Lima. When we found her, she was ready. She accepted everything and was SO excited to be baptized.

The only problem was.... there are hardly ANY chapels that have hot water for the baptismal fonts in Perù, and Margot could NOT be baptized in cold water because the disease that she has. We finally found a capilla that had hot water, and once we coordinated everything to hold the baptism there, we scheduled the date.

We came directly from the temple to the chapel to start cleaning and getting everything set up for the baptism. The Zone Leaders came to help us with the hot water... they were the ones who knew how everything worked. We got there about 3:00 - and the baptism was supposed to start at 5. We filled up the font, and the Elders turned on the water heater - assuring us that in 1 hour it would be hot and ready for the baptism. 

Before I continue on with the rest of the story, just remember - the Lord cannot do ANY miracle without our faith. And faith is not faith without being tried.

Long story short: One hour later, the water was still freezing cold. FREEZING cold. The heater didn't work. We tried everything....

I can't tell you HOW many times we tried to get the water heater to work.

 ... and nothing. 

Our Bishop and Ward Mission Leader got there 30 minutes before the baptism was supposed to start, and we told them what was going on. We all knew that there was no way that Margot could be baptized in this water. 

Our Bishop, with the keys and mantle that he has, decided that we should kneel down as the missionary team in our ward and ask the Lord what to do. Postpone the baptism? She was so set on this date. Baptize her anyway? It would be terribly dangerous for her health. We needed divine inspiration. The four of us (2 missionaries, 1 Bishop, and 1 Ward Mission Leader) knelt down and said a prayer together. When we finished, the Spirit was clear. Margot was going to be baptized that day. We just needed to ACT to get that water heated. 

The Elders called all of the members that were close and told them to bring their biggest pots to the church. There we started to heat up as much water as we could in the church's kitchen. We were 10 minutes away from the time the baptism was supposed to start. The Elders even sacrificed walking the 5 blocks to their house to bring back buckets of hot water from their shower.

Plan B? Have the Elders walk the 5 blocks to their house and bring buckets full of hot water from their shower. Throw it in the font. Pray for a miracle. God works in mysterious ways!

We were running around like CRAZY trying to get everything worked out. 

5:30 we started the baptism. Up until the VERY LAST moment, the Elders were throwing hot water into the freezing font to try and get it, at least, lukewarm. 

When Margot put her foot into the water, I thought my heart was going to stop. I had felt the water - and it was luke warm at best. I didn't know how she was going to react. 

But God worked a miracle with that water. She just smiled and entered into the font. It was perfect. She was fine. She told us that the water had never felt warmer. 

God works miracles - but he NEEDS our faith and action. I testify it. We saw SO many Christmas miracles - like little presents from our Heavenly Father - just in one little day :) 

The doctrine is true. I love this work.

Hermana Sintay :)

HAPPY CHRISTMASSS!!!!!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!!!!!!!

Okay... I thought about writing my whole email this week in alternating red and green... but I don't want to give Mom a headache as she reads it :)

So we'll just stick to the classics :)

BUT - Happy Christmas!!! To everyone!!!!

This week was so GREAT! We had our Christmas MultiZona with President McGinn and half of the mission. There were probably about 100 missionaries there - and more variations of red and green ties than I can even express. It was such a happy day!! Each zone had prepared a Christmas program with songs and scriptures that we presented. They all turned out really well :)

The Zona Villa El Salvador wishes you all a Merry Christmas :) 

Afterwards, we had a White Elephant gift exchange - kind of crazy but HILARIOUS with 100 missionaries. I ended up with pan chapla (a type of bread from the jungle) and a block of cheese that the mamitas sell up in Ayacucho. Pretty darn good gift if you ask me.

It was so great to see so many missionaries from all over the mission - even though we are far away from family and our normal Christmas traditions, the Spirit of Christ is the same :) Maybe even stronger.

Temple trip.... this 97-year-old convert named Marcelina is my favorite. It was a miracle in itself that she made it to baptism on this side of the veil. And because of that, she was able to help her family on the other side! 

Gosh, this gospel just WORKS so well.

Apart from Christmas and talking with the family (!!!!!), we will also be going Christmas caroling with the zone, taking 20 converts to the temple for their first time, and having a baptism.

Life is just good. The gospel works. Christ lives.

Remember - God cheers on EVERY runner, calling out that the race is against sin - not against each other. 

The doctrine is TRUE!!!

Hermana Sintay :)

Miracles with Ward Members.

Countdown - T minus 11 days.

#navidad #faltapoco

This week was great :) Things here in our ward are changing - the members have started to accompany us and support us SO much more! The grand evidence and proof that we had gained their confidence was manifested in an activity we held on Friday night... It was a miracle. Let me cuent you.

Our ward mission leader wanted to organize a "Noche Misional" with the whole ward to bring investigators, less actives, and members together. A week and a half ago he asked us to start planning the activity. On Sunday, we had announced the activity to the whole ward, but the response was..... lukewarm to say the least. Hermano Javier (lider misional) was tempted to cancel the activity, because not a single person had committed themselves to come. He told us that the last time they had a Noche Misional, only 4 members came. No investigators. No less actives. He wasn't too excited to have that happen again. BUT - we were not going to give up that easy :)

During the week, my companion and I visited every single member of the ward council to commit them and their families to attend and invite someone else. We spent time in their houses serving, helping, and animating them. In the end, we had committed about 25 people to come, which we felt pretty good about!

Friday night was when the real miracle happened :) 60 PEOPLE attended the activity!! And almost half of them were investigators and less actives!! WOW, our ward mission leader was so happy :) The Bishop and Stake President were also able to attend, and both of them were congratulating us on how well things turned out :) The activity was based on the church's Christmas video "A Savior Is Born."  We watched the video (and a few other short ones), shared, interacted, had a refreshment, and played some games :) Everyone loved it. 

The only reason we were able to make it happen was because of the members. Thank you to all of YOU for supporting the missionaries and helping hasten the work :) What a great Christmas present to give to our Savior this year. 

The doctrine is true!!!!

Hermana Sintay :)

Happy Christmas!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

This is the most amazing Nativity I have ever seen.

It is even more beautiful in person... and all of the pieces are handmade here in Perù.

Mom, if I could fit one in my suitcase for you, I would. 

Goodness, I am just feeling the Christmas spirit today. I was feeling it yesterday, too. Well, and the day before.

Okay, let's be honest - I have just been FEELING it this week.

We spent 4 hours during service on Thursday decorating the house of our pensionista for Christmas :) Hermana Emma is the wife of the Stake President, and she is wonderful. She is like our mama away from home. She has a son in the mission right now in Argentina, and all of that missionary-mom-love just gets shoveled on top of us. It's great :) We love her!

CHRISTMAS DECORATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We live in the Stake President's house (well, downstairs), who just happens to be the co-president of an extremely wealthy international company here in Lima.

Their house in gorgeous. Nothing like I have seen in the rest of my mission.

And we made it even more amazing with CHRISTMAS decorations :))))))

HA LLEGADO LA NAVIDAD!!!!

This week was FULL of work - we have been running on "star-power-mega-speed" since I got here to Villa El Salvador. There is just SO much to be done here in the Lord's vineyard! The ward is great, and we want to work with them as much as possible. The last couple cambios here in this area have been almost lost because of disobedience. It makes me sad - but things are changing. We are starting to gain the confidence of the members again. It might take a while, but we are willing to serve and sacrifice until they trust us fully again to work on the same team. 

On Thursday, we went to the TEMPLE! And GUESS WHAT! Here in Lima, we go to the temple EVERY SINGLE WEEK with converts and rescues :) It is beautiful. I really love the temple. WE work with 2 whole stakes - when the Elders bring their convert or rescue for the first time, they get to come to the temple as well. The miracles in retention are real. I love this part of my calling. The Lord is hastening His work on BOTH sides of the veil, and we have to help Him... on both sides.

The Christmas devotional last night was perfect :) I loved the songs that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang. I felt the Spirit so strongly. I love hearing from prophets, seers, and revelators. It just gives me comfort to know that the Lord loves us enough to send His word through them.

Nos ha nacido UN SALVADOR :)

The doctrine is true!

Hermana Sintay :)

A Full Week

3 temple sealings.
20 hours of bus travel.
Transfers.

Well, if any of those things sound relatively interesting to you.... this is the email for you :)

Saturday was the most fulfilling day of my entire mission. With special permission from President, I was able to travel to the temple in Lima to accompany 2 different families that I taught and rescued in Chincha in their TEMPLE SEALINGS :)

Wait, let's just say that again....  TEMPLE SEALINGS!!!!! ETERNAL FAMILIES!!!!!!! People, this is what it is all about. 

Rosa and Jose C****** were completely inactive when I met them in Chincha a year ago.... they hadn't come to church in over 40 years. We found them, taught them, rescued them, and supported them until the happiest and most important day for their eternal family... the day that they could be sealed for time and all eternity :) I was so full of emotions. All happy :)

Rosa y Jose. Sealed for time and all eternity the 28 of November, 2015 :)

I also was the escort for Maria T******** while she received her endowment... another of my rescues from Chincha :) After her endowment, she was sealed to her husband that passed away 2 years ago. 3 months ago his baptism was also performed there in the temple. Maria was also completely inactive when we found her in Chincha.

The 3rd sealing was a MIRACLE. A family of rescues that I taught in Chorrillos sent me a letter a month ago to tell me when their sealing was. The mail system to get things down to us in the south... is not too reliable. I never received their letter. BUT, the sealing was the SAME DAY! I was there, and able to attend with them. A family of 4 - Mom, Dad, and 2 daughters ages 8 and 6. 

We entered the temple at 10 am and didn't leave until 5 pm. Dad... now I know how you feel when you spend all day in the temple working! Spiritually charged.... but physically EXHAUSTED. It was wonderful. 

Right as we were arriving back to Pisco, after the 5-hour bus ride, we got transfer calls!

Waiting for transfers in the bus.... my comp didn't quite make it. 

I have been transferred away from Pisco. Right now I am in Villa El Salvador here in Lima!  It's the slums of Lima, all dirt, all hills. I am training again, still sister training leader, and am now in charge of family history for 2 entire stakes. We are the only hermanas in the zone again. (well, actually, we are the only Hermanas in the 3 closest zones). My companion is Peruvian.  There were tons and TONS of disobedience problems here right before I came, so President told me I am here to clean it up. There is LOTS of work to be done! The Hermana who was training my companion before was sent home for disobedience. President told me that I will be retraining her - and doing the entire 12 weeks of training in 6 weeks. 

Prayers would be good right about now. 

I love you all. Thank you for supporting me and loving me. 

The doctrine is true.

Hermana Sintay :)

Counting Blessings :)

Hello family! And friends! And everyone who is still reading these after 14 months. 

First off, I would just like to comment that I have started my Christmas celebrations in full blow. Not even the 100-degree weather can hold me back. Last Christmas, when I had first gotten to Perú, maybe I was a little worried that I would give the wrong impression started Navidad so early... but this year, I consider myself Peruana, and I still consider it acceptable. Let the jingle bells ring! 

Found this cute little painting on a wall the other day. We thought it was picture worthy!

This week there were lots of things that made me happy -

1) We had a baptism :) We rescued a family that had two children to baptize - Casey and Blake, ages 9 and 10. It was such a happy day for them, and I am sure for Heavenly Father, too! They both came out of the water GLOWING... and the fact that their dad was able to baptize them just made it even more special :)

Baptism this week!

People making covenants... it is exciting :)

2) Sunday was the Primary Program. Boy, it is just as cute with Peruvian sunbeams as it is with American sunbeams. They still scream the songs, fight for the front row, get nervous for their one-line talks, and treat the microphone like a sacrament-meeting-snack. And yet.... somehow you can't help but feel the Spirit. God lives. Jesus loves you. We have a prophet. The scriptures are true. My family is forever. What more of a testimony could you ask for?

3) I had a lot of fun recognizing all of the small blessings that I have. For example - I am still using the same pair of shoes that I started my mission with. They are completely trashed and have changed color about 3 times... but they have walked me around the whole south of Perú, and will keep me going for as long as God keeps me here :)

4) Another blessing. The scriptures. And studying. This week I felt SO uplifted and strengthened with the things that I learned from the Book of Mormon. I finished reading it all way through for the 4th time on my mission on Friday. As I was praying and telling Heavenly Father how grateful I am for the Book of Mormon in my life, He helped me feel and know once again that is really IS true. 

Fun fact - if the family is kneeling down at 6:00 am to start scripture study... we are all kneeling down at the same time to start our day with the strength of the Lord. 8:00 am sharp for me here in Perú to start my personal study... and 6:00 am for you guys. Just another thought that makes me happy :)

The doctrine is TRUE!

Hermana Sintay :)

Miracles and Changes

Hello family and friends!

Here's the news for this week:

MONDAY - we went to Paracas, Pisco, Perú. Pictures attached, all in all, it was great, every once in a while it is fun to see the tourist-y stuff that there is where I am serving. 

Paracas. Pisco. Perú.

Looking down a 70 foot cliff to the ocean... and the rocks... yeah, it was pretty cool :) Too bad we couldn't get any closer - they were pretty afraid that a missionary would fall off the cliff or something. A vaild concern. 

There was SO much wind. Impossible to take a picture without my hair blowing all over the place............ Let me just say that I am grateful we didn't go in dresses.That would have been a problem.. jajaja

A cool road. I wanted to take some pictures :)

PS. They didn't tell me until AFTERWARD that there were two cars that were coming toward me on the road. jjajaja thanks Elderes...

TUESDAY - we had a few miracles. We went and visited an active family who just needed some strength and support. Their name is family Flores :) We had planned to share the First Vision with them to help them remember all of the blessings in their life that come from the Restoration of the gospel. Because we are missionaries, and our purpose is always to find more families to teach, we knew that we would also prepare this family to give us a reference of someone else who needs the same blessings of the Restoration. Right after we shared the First Vision, my companion asked them, "Who is the next family that you know that needs to know about the truth of this Restoration?" Right after she made the question, there was a knock on the door. Hermano Flores went and opened the door, and returned with a young man, probably about 30 years old. He sat down and said, almost in tears, "Hermanas, this is the next person. This is my friend Owen. His name has been in my mind this whole lesson. I was just praying he would come." We were able to teach Owen right there with the whole family Flores. It really was a miracle! Owen told us that he didn't know why, but he just felt like he should come and visit the family Flores right then. But we knew why -God was preparing his heart. Alma 13:24.

WEDNESDAY - We went to Chincha for a training with President and the assistants. Always great. Revelation was received. I love learning by the Spirit. 

THURSDAY - With permission from the assistants, my companion and I organized a zone activity for all of the Elders. The purpose was to help them have experiences in their own family history so that they could have more of a testimony as they invite and work with their conversos and rescues to go to the temple. It turned out so well - there were 3 differents stations, lots of interaction, games and treats tambien.. the Zone Leaders helped us a lot as well. Since that activity, we have had twice the amount of lessons in family history. Another miracle :)

Well, time is up, so I can't report much about Friday Saturday and Sunday. But I will just say one more thing. 

I was looking at a few pictures from right at the beginning of my mission, and it really shocks me how much I have changed. And, it's not just the fact that I have lost 25 lbs... or that I hardly wear makeup anymore... or that I live with a constant sunburn... It's gotta be something else. 

I just look happier. 

And I am happier. The light of Christ is real. 

Make sure that you have it. I promise that others will see it, too :)

The doctrine is true!!

Hermana Sintay :)

I apologize in advance.

This will be the lamest email you ever receive from my part. 

Last Pday! In the beach! :) Zona Pisco

Sorry to all - no time to email today :( We are going as a zone to Paracas..... google it, should be fun! 

I promise that this week there were miracles, trials, and lots of spiritual growth. 

I LOVE YOU ALL!

The doctrine is true!

Our picture in front of the plaque... of the new chapel here in La Villa, Pisco, Perú :)

Hermana Sintay :)

Our testimony :)

Given that it was fast and testimony meeting this Sunday, Hermana Luna and I wanted to share our testimony with you all... through this song. You might recognize the tune :)

Click here to listen to the recording.

I know that He lives. 

A voice recording that my companion and I made last Pday :)

Click here to hear the recording

Blessings Day by Day

This email is going to be short, I apologize! I have a bus to catch to Lima in just a little bit. Leadership Council is tomorrow bright and early, and I've got a 5-hour mountain bus with my name on the seat. Yippee!

This week was full of meetings and events... on Thursday, I had to go to Ica for another leadership training that the assistants had for the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. My companion hung out with some other Hermanas in Ica while I spent the whole day in a training with the leaders in the south of the mission. We learned a lot that has helped us prepare for the Leadership Concilio that we will have with President and the rest of the mission leaders tomorrow. Thankfully, Ica is only 2 hours away, so we didn't have to stay the night anywhere :)

On Saturday, we went to the TEMPLE! I am so sorry that I don't have pictures.... the Spirit told me to bring my camera charger just in case, but given the fact that I had completely charged my camera before we left, I trusted in the arm of the flesh and ended up with a dead camera and no pictures. Well.... it's okay :) Everyone had an amazing experience, there were several converts and rescues who were there for the first time... and lots of other faithful active members who had been waiting to go the temple for the last couple years but just couldn't afford the trip. It was a beautiful day spent there in the Lord's house. We didn't do a session because we were so busy helping everyone else with their appointments and reservations - but it was alright :) I was happy to be there and see the Spirit of Elijah working in the hearts of my brothers and sisters.

Sunday was another historical day here in La Villa, Pisco.... WE HAD CHURCH IN A CHAPEL! I cannot even explain how our fast and testimony meeting went... almost every member wanted to stand up and bear their testimony of gratitude for the new chapel. The blessings of faithful tithes and offerings have blessed these saints more that I can explain. The chapel is small, but it is exactly what we needed here. Next week there will be pictures :) We had over 100 people attend (people, that is HUGE), and everyone said that they wanted to bring their friends next week so that they could see it. We are in the process of  planning a HUGE activity and open doors so that all of La Villa can come and see the blessing of a chapel that the Lord has given us :)

I love being a missionary. I know He lives. 

The doctrine is true!

Hermana Sintay

Blonde Hair Black Market

 "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple."  

Psalms 27:4. Ponderize. Week 4.

This week we have been up to our ears with preparation for the temple trip we will be taking this SATURDAY (yes, Halloween.) We helped a small branch here organize their FIRST ever trip to the temple as a branch! They are about an hour away from Pisco and have been an organized branch for 2 years-ish. They still don't have a chapel - but they love that little house chapel that they have :) We also will be taking a handful of recent converts and rescues with us from the rest of the Stake. 

OTHER great news :) Remember how I told you that we didn't have a chapel here in my area? And that we met for church in a dirt field with benches? Well.... THEY FINISHED BUILDING US A CHAPEL! And on Sunday, we will meet there! We will be having an open house to invite everyone to come and see (John 1:39). The saints here are so happy and just feel so blessed to have a chapel. And I feel so blessed and happy to be here for this historic time :)

Completely different topic. I cut my hair for the first time here in Perú this week. When you reach the point where you find single hairs.... with 6 split ends.... it is time. I guess 1 year of constant sun exposure, ponytails and bucket showers will do that to ya. 

I was 100% terrified to cut my hair here. Down to strangers on the STREET try to reach out and touch my hair, just because they have never seen blonde hair before. Plus there is a black market of hair here in the south of Perú. Bottom line, I was pretty wary of letting a Peruvian anywhere near me with scissors. Don't get me wrong - I love Peruvians. But I would like my hair to not end up in a black market.

So, I gathered up my courage and took my record setting split ends to the nicest looking barbershop that I could find here in Pisco (the options were very few). When I walked in, the eyes of everyone there turned into saucers. When I explained that I needed a TRIM, JUST A LITTLE BIT CUT OFF, PLEASE... they rushed me into the closest chair and started running their fingers through my hair, asking how much I wanted for all of it. I had committed my companion to be my wing woman and make SURE that they did not take off more than I wanted. She was laughing so hard that she couldn't even talk. (Yeah, real funny. I was about to have a heart attack.)  After denying the highest offer for my whole head of hair ($50, tempting, no?), they started away with the scissors. Thankfully, after BOLDLY explaining that I was only there to take off my horrible split ends and NOTHING more, they did a good job. When I finished and went to stand up from the chair, I realized that there was not a single hair there on the floor. I wondered where it all must have gone... because they had definitely cut hair off. It was then that I saw the apron pockets of the woman who had cut my hair - brimming with blonde hairs. Maybe those ones made it to the black market... who knows. But the one thing I do know is that no matter how bad my split ends get in these next 6 months, I will NOT be cutting my hair again here.

Well, there is the news for this week :) I love you all and pray that your week is full of miracles. 

Don't forget to go to the temple this week and inquire of Him there in His house. 

The doctrine is true!

Hermana Sintay :)