TEACH and BAPTIZE

TEACH REPENTANCE AND BAPTIZE CONVERTS

.....That was the theme of the World Wide Missionary Training that was held this last Wednesday. Best part of the whole conference? Standing and singing "Called To Serve" with 75,000 other missionaries throughout the world. Then joining in prayer with the same 75,000 to plead that Heavenly Father would lead us to His lost children. So that we can TEACH REPENTANCE and BAPTIZE CONVERTS.

Wow. Spirit chills.

I learned something new about our ward today that impacted me - and I wanted to share it with you all.

This ward is the best that I have served in in my whole mission. The leaders in our ward are converted. They just GET it. They leave and do visits... they give references... they support us in the teaching... they have activities... they do it all.

But something that I learned this week SHOCKED me - out of the 12 members of our Ward Council, 7 of them are RESCUES or CONVERTS of the last 4 years. The Obispo Castro was inactive for almost 20 years and was rescued 3 years ago. When he was rescued, his wife and children were baptized. Hermano Moises, the 1st counselor in the bishopric, was inactive for 15 years while his family continued strong in the church.  2 years ago he reactivated and was finally sealed with his family.  Hno Segundo, the most powerful Elders Quorum President that I have ever worked with was rescued with his wife (the best reference giver ever) 3 years ago. Not to mention our Ward Mission Leader and his wife (Relief Society President) who is a convert of just BARELY 2 years. 

For me, this is a testimony of the importance of ACTIVATION and RETENTION. We trained our leaders this week on the principles that we learned in the World Wide Training - how Activation and retention should ALWAYS help us to teach repentance and baptize converts. The personal testimonies and experiences give them this fire to understand the principle and apply it. 

EVERYTHING is a part of the work of salvation. God's plan is so perfect that is astonishes me. 

This doctrine is TRUE.

Hermana Sintay :)

Hermana Calderon and I! Pre-water balloon fight

With a 95 degree day, water balloons are just what missionaries need. 

Last Pday with the zone! We ended up pretty soaking wet :)

Just taking in the sun. And singing hymns. Waiting for the Elders. My companion thought it was entertaining, so she took a picture

Happy Highlights from this week :)

So, just getting right on to business - My new companion is the Hermana Calderón from Argentina! She is AMAZING. She has hit the ground running (sprinting, I might say), and we are ready for a few cambios of miracles. 

We took our convert Margot to the temple to do baptisms! It was a beautiful experience :)

Our vision in the mission is "Pila a Pila." Font to Font. From the baptismal font... straight to the baptismal font in the temple. It is all part of the conversion process. And what a GLORIOUS process it is!

All of the new Hermanas and the trainers.

My companion's name is Hermana Calderon, from Argentina! 

Even though her smile in pictures doesn't show it......... Her personality really is just like mine. We have SO much fun :) We also work hard and smart. 

This is going to be such a good few transfers :)

Highlights from this week:

Bueno, #1, picking up my new companion :) 

#2, we took our convert Margot to the temple! Her husband who is not a member and her son who is less active both accompanied us. Her husband and son stayed outside with us and had a lesson while Margot was inside participating in the ordinances. The Spirit was so strong :) We have seen real progress in them since that day!

#3, Interviews with President! President asked me to remind him how many people I had trained - when I told him I had been consecutively training since June, he couldn't believe it! With the whole mission President train, he didn't know that I had already been training before he got here. He just reminded me how much Heavenly Father trusts me. Sometimes I need that reminder. Heavenly Father loves and trusts all of His missionaries SO so much. I can feel it!

#4, On Sunday, President came to visit our Ward Council! (talk about pressure....... I thought the Bishop was going to pee his pants for the first half of the meeting). But, it went amazingly. President McGinn told me afterward that our Ward Council was a model Council. He asked me how we got the members to work so well with us. I told him that we just worked hard, were obedient, and invited them to be a part of the work. Once they started doing visits with us, seeing the investigators that we found and helped progress.... they started taking their own initiative. It was a process, and still is, but now we have CONVERTED leaders. That is what this gospel is all about.

We are pretty stoked for the World-Wide Missionary Meeting that will be happening on Wednesday. Your missionaries at home should be, too!

The doctrine is true!

Hermama Sintay :)

Short and sweet.

Well, another really short email. Due to cambios. SORRY!

The big news! Hermana Araujo is leaving Villa El Salvador, and headed to Chorrillos! One of my old areas. I will be staying here in Villa El Salvador. And.........I will........ be....... TRAINING! ...Again! jaja.... well, there you go! I guess the 4th time around the fireworks aren't as big, but I am EXCITED :) This will be my 4th consecutive "trainee" in the mission. I will pick her up tomorrow from the mission offices! Pictures to come next week :)

Our area right now is seeing SO many miracles. We have 6 people on date for baptism. All of them are progressing. There is an average of 10 investigators in church every Sunday. The members are working hard WITH us to find, activate, and retain. This ward is led by humbled and inspired leaders who are just ready to WORK. It is such a blessing to be serving here. 

I am excited for my new companion to start in an area that is working in the way of the Lord! She is going to be able to hit the ground running :) 

Thanks for your prayers for all of the missionaries. We feel them and need them.

The doctrine is true!!

Hermana Sintay :)

The Abuelita. She is the grandma of our ward mission leader, and has 98 years. We taught her how to do "thumbs up." She's pretty cool. 

Happy 2016 :)

Happy day, happy new year everyone!

A little New Years miracle! We were completely out of money (fin de mes... no hay plata.), and had to wait until the 1st to withdraw from our mission cards. But, the Stake President dropped by on the 31st with these little baskets of goodies :) 

YES! Something other than quinoa and chia that I can eat! :)

Feliz Año Nuevo :)

Remember when I sent the pictures of the chicken feet that we eat here?

Well, we've upgraded ;)

We cooked food from the jungle of Perù with my companion (who is from the jungle) and our convert Margot :) 

We made Inchicapi (a type of peanut soup), and Tacacho with Cecina.

SUPER RICO.

WOW! Heavenly Father blessed us so much this week! We were able to find 10 new investigators this week, and almost all of them were found through member references! (Finding has been a struggle of ours recently... but I testify that working with the members is the key!!!) .....and.... 10 investigators CAME TO CHURCH on Sunday! Wow... that was the biggest miracle. My companion and I couldn't believe it when investigator after investigator kept walking into the chapel... The Gospel Principles class was overflowing :)

There was a family that we had contacted in the street earlier in the week, and (just like every other contact) we invited them to come to church. They said they would come (...just like every other contact). BUT, they CAME! (People, this never happens.) 

We had a lesson with an 84-year-old woman named Luzmila. Her niece is a member and has brought her to church 2 times. She lives all by herself, and her children don't come to visit her anymore. She is in a wheelchair because she can't walk anymore. When we taught her, she told us how GOOD she felt when she went to the chapel. Everyone said hi to her... greeted her... and helped her to feel comfortable. She said she knew that this is the true church just for that :) She accepted a baptismal date for February! The Relief Society already committed to come over and read the Book of Mormon with her every single day since she can't see anymore and is always lonely in her house. I just love how the light of Christ moves people to serve and love :) 

Sorry that this email is a little short - Today we are having a Pday of Hermanas! Given the fact that we are the only Hermanas in the 3 closest zones... and we basically have zero Hermana interaction... President has given us permission to go spend our Pday today with the Hermanas in San Juan :) Not that I don't love playing dodgeball with allllllll of the Elders... everrrrrryyyy Pday.... but this is going to be a good little change for us :)

A nice little reminder for all of you missionaries, future missionaries, member missionaries..... (that should include just about all of us):

Faith is the power. 

Obedience is the price. 

Love is the motive.

The Spirit is the key.

CHRIST is the reason.

Keep loving, keep working, keep serving. 

The doctrine is true!!!

Hermana Sintay :)