Representative of Christ :)

This week was full of changes, miracles, and blessings. 

First of all - Hermana Artigas and I did not have cambio this week, which means another 6 weeks of miracles together :)

But - other cambio news! This transfer I will also be a Sister Training Leader for all of the Hermanas here in Lima. I am really excited for the new chance to serve in this assignment! The Lord knows our abilities and capacity, so I will be turning to Him a lot to complete with being a trainer for a new missionary AND the rest of Lima. I will keep you all updated on how things go :)

The CUTEST future missionary ever. We had a family night with her family during the week, and on Sunday she could not wait to come and show me what she had made. "Hermana Sintay! Hermana Sintay! I am going to be a missionary just like you when I am big :)"  Melt my heart.

This week we had a really tender experience that just made me feel like Jesus Christ. We went to visit a family of less actives whose children are not baptized. The mom is pregnant, and is right in the first 3 months.... in other words, she is super sick, in bed, and trying to deal with 2 other young children under the age of 10. We passed by the house to see how she was and how we could serve her. We didn't have a planned lesson, weren't even sure if she was going to be there, but God knew that the timing was right. 

When we got there, she let us know that today she was feeling a lot better, and that she had been able to clean the bathroom for the first time in 3 weeks. Her house was kind of a disaster, as you can imagine with 2 little kids running away practically without a Mom for a few weeks. Just like any other human, she was a little embarrassed to admit that she needed some help to clean. But as missionaries, we are here to serve, not just teach! She was trying to get the kids sat down to listen to a lesson, and I just asked her if I could help the kids clean there room a little bit before we started. She just looked at me and said - "Oh Hermana. My kids do NOT clean. Ever." Sound familiar to any other family with little children? :)

Heavenly Father definitely has blessed me with the ability to interact with young children - and so I started to recruit the help of my new little cleaning team. In about 30 seconds, those 2 little boys were cleaning faster than they normally run laps around the house (which is record speed, let me tell you) :) In 20 minutes, with the help of my little minions, we cleaned more than just their rooms... we cleaned the entire house. Toys in the toy bucket, garbage in the garbage, laundry in the laundry, and Mom just sat there on the couch crying in gratitude. I had SO much fun. It made me miss interacting so much with young children :)

I know that as missionaries we are here to do just as Jesus Christ would. Serve in the way he would. Have patience like He did. Teach the same doctrine that He did. 

I love being His representative and feeling the power of my calling.

The Church is true!!!

Hermana Sintay :)

Hey Mom! Look, I wash my own clothes :) By HAND! I actually like it, it is so fun! And we get to hang them outside to dry. The sun helps us out with the task :) 

HAPPY sunshiney day.

HELLO!

For the first time in a about a month, the SUN came out here in Lima! They sky is blue, the sun is shining, and I am HAPPY :)

This week was wonderful, we were able to find 8 new investigators (BLESSING), and have been able to see the Lord's hand in every aspect of this work. 

Yesterday, we had 21 people in church that were there because we were able to invite them! Investigators.... Less actives... recent converts... rescues.... it made my heart so happy to look around and see so many people being able to partake of the Sacrament, feel the Spirit, and have their own spiritual experiences. 

Sorry that things are gonna be a little short today. This day is just so beautiful outside, it is hard for me to be crammed into a little internet shack for very long :)

 

Hermana Artigas and I! (and me?....?) no se. can't speak english. 

Fun story from this week:

A bunch of members were asking me what kind of food we eat in the United States. They wanted to know that kind of food was ONLY in the United States..... I could not think of a single thing that is actually ours that we didn't steal from another country. The only thing that came to my mind was..... Casserole. 

Imagine trying to explain what a casserole is to someone who has never heard of such a thing.... "Well, ya know... you just kind of stick in everything you have... it really can be anything - meat, vegtables, eggs, milk, cheese, whatever you want - and then you bake it, like you bake a cake… and then… you have a casserole."

They had a lot of doubts and questions, but in the end, everyone thought it was a pretty novel idea :)

Thank you so much for all your support and love!

You are all blessings in my life. 

The Church is true!!!!

Hermana Sintay :)

SHOUT OUT to Buddy Club and the ARC :)

Love,

Hermana Sintay

The Doctrine of Christ.

Hello everyone!

This week was really great - passed by quick. Again. Is there going to be a moment when things stop flying by? Ya know, it would really be nice! But no matter what, I am enjoying every moment :)

I spent my 9 month mark in an intercambio with another Hermana my in the zone - she is from Paraguay, and her name is Hermana Alonso. The intercambio was great, and it helped me not think about the fact that it was my halfway-hump-day. We had a lot of lessons and stayed really busy the whole day :)

Celebrating my Hump Day with a camel necklace. Who's jealous?
Thanks, Mom :)

On Thursday we had interviews with the new mission President - President McGinn! He really is wonderful. The interview went great - he asked me to share with him what my favorite scripture was. Normally when people ask me that, I have a really hard time coming up with an answer... I LOVE the scriptures, and have so many verses that mean so much to me. But I'm not really sure that "1 Nephi 1 - Moroni 10" was the answer that he was looking for! jaja. When he asked me, a scripture came straight out of my mouth before I even knew what I was saying. It's moments like that when I know that the Spirit is talking. 

We read together 2 Nefi 31:21. Well, President actually had me quote it. During my first 3 months here in the mission, I memorized all of 2 Nephi chapter 31. In Spanish. And every single day I practice it. I don't just practice saying it... in these 9 months, the doctrine of Christ has become MINE. I love it. I love LEARNING it. And I love LIVING it. 

As I shared the last verse of this powerful sermon on the docrtine of Christ from memory with President McGinn, he started to get a little teary eyed (as did I). 

This verse sums up my entire testimony of the doctrine of Christ.

"And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen."

To me, it has more power in Spanish.

ESTA es la senda, y NO HAY otro camino... ni nombre dado debajo el cielo por el cual el hombre pueda salvarse en el REINO de Dios. 

ESTA es la doctrine de Cristo.... la ÙNICA y VERDADERA doctrina del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espìritu Santo.

THIS is the way. There is NO other. 

THIS is the doctrine of Christ. The ONLY and TRUE doctrine.

I love being a missionary and teaching doctrine. I love testifying with about the Restoration of this grand doctrine. I know that this is the only way that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven. 

Read this chapter - 2 Nephi 31. 

Pray about it. Ask God if this really is HIS doctrine. 

You will know, too. I promise you.

The church is true!!

Hermana Sintay :)

This corner just happens to be a prime parking spot for these sketchy-looking-transportation-devices that we use every day.

Oh, Peruvian laws.

Be more. Do more.

Happy Pday everyone!

I'm sure it is probably just a normal day for all of you, but it's always a happy day for me when I get to hear from friends and family :)

Sorry that I don't have a lot of time today, we are going to the beach as a zone, and are a little crunched for time! 

This week we met our new mission President - President McGinn! He is GREAT. He and his wife are already consecrated to this work. When President McGinn walked into the room and the hundreds of missionaries stood up to greet him... I could feel the power. I could feel his priesthood keys. I know that this is just the change that the Lord needed in the Perù Lima Sur Mission right now. We are ready to work in His way, find the escogidos, and teach the doctrine!

Happiest thing that happened this week - REUNION with my CCM district!!!! All of these Elders... such a blessing to be able to run into them every once in a while. We all happened to be at the same meeting to meet President McGinn, so of COURSE we had to take a picture :) Just missing my beloved companion Hermana Lindstrom, and one other Elder who was transferred to the US for health problems. 

I still am in shock that this week I will be half way through my mission. I know that everyone is really excited (especially Mom.. jeje) :) I'm not really sure how I feel. I don't like to think that my time serving the Lord full time will EVER end. And to know that this time is half way over.. it kind of hurts my heart. But it makes me want to give more. Be more. Sacrifice more. Learn more. And DO more. 

Maybe I say it every single week, and maybe ya`ll are sick of hearing it. But I love being a missionary. I think that God MADE me a missionary. He knew that I needed to be here. I needed to change and become more like His Son - and this is where I am able to do it the best, all while bringing souls unto Him and creating eternal families. 

The church is true!!

Hermana Sintay :)