Week #77 Not burnt out, just burnt

Morgan's doctor and one of the many Elders who visited. The hospital was conveniently located across the street from the mission office so she had a constant string of visitors. A different group of Elders brought her lunch and dinner everyday. After 5 days the nurses wanted to know how she knew so many well dressed young men.

The girls (sister missionaries) took shifts staying with her. I love that she has a smile on her face in both of these pictures. She is such a Pollyannna, some how she always finds a way to be happy even in the toughest circumstances.

Morgan has not been able to post anything for the last two weeks because she has been in the hospital. She had an accident in her flat. She split a giant pot of scalding hot water and then slipped into the spill. She ended up with severe second degree burns all over her legs that became infected. After spending 8 days in the hospital, a  minor surgery and a lot of pain she is now on the mend.  I really wanted her to come home after the accident so we could have her treated in the states but she refused. She did not want to end her mission one day early and was determined to stick it out to the finish. She was released from the hospital this week and is hoping to finish out these last few days in the mission strong (maybe a little slow, but strong).  Morgan will be back in the U.S. on July 22. She is looking forward to reconnecting with so many of you! She will be speaking in our church on July 26 at the LDS building on Duthie HIll in Sammamish. The service is from 1:00-2:00 and lunch at our house afterwards is at 2:30, please join us for both or either one. 

Week 75 This week in picutres

No time to write a post this week but here are some pictures that show what I have been up to!

 

 

Looking forward to getting back to the US although I am worried that I have completely forgotten all English

 

 

Week #74 I love to see the temple

June 15, 2015

Hola Amigos!

This week was full of wonderful experiances. First, I was able to go to the temple with my converts A and K.  It was such a great opportunity to be with them because as mssionaires our goal is not just to baptize but to help ourconverts make it to the temple. The temple is what we strive for so that we can have be sealed to our families for eternity. I love the mission because of all of the beautiful experiances that we have and the people we meet. 

As missionaries I feel that we are endowed with power from on high. We are blessed with the power to prophesy and make promises. This past week we invited J to come to church. His family is struggling finacially and he told us that he couldnt come to church because he had to work. I promised him as a represetnative of Jesus Christ that if he came to church he would find work and work more than he would if he didn’t come to chruch. This week he put my promise to the test. He came to church for the three hour block. Directly after church the car he wanted to rent was given to him so that  he could work as a taxi driver. Wow, it is amazing to see how God blesses us as show faith and obey his commandments. 

There are people prepared. This week we recieved a reference from the primary, a girl with 11 years has been coming to church for a year but she has not been baptised. She really wanted the opportunity to see the dedication of the Trujillo temple next week but discovered that she has to be baptised to enter.  She experssed her long deisres to go and see the temple, to be baptised she needed to recieve the 5 lessons, interviews and plan with the ward. We taught her all of the lessons in 2 appointments planned with the ward and she was baptised Sunday morning and recieved the Holy Spirit on Sunday in church. Now she can go to the dedication in Trujillo.

I love this area I am serving in. I love the people here and I love my companion. It is going to be very hard to leave next month!

Love you all,

Hermana Huish


Last weeks letter also:

Hola Fmailia

This week we were really happy about the outcome at church. We had three families  attend sacrament meeting. Finding the family B was honestly a miracle. Herman Lopez and I left to proselyte in the morning and on this day nobody let us in. We were walking from house to house for a couple of hours trying to teach someone but no one would open a door, or everyone was out at work. For a final effort before we went to lunch we decided to knock on one more door. As we looked around at our options, a little blue house stood out and we approached. A woman came to the door and at first was hesitant and didnt want to give us the time but we were presistent and she let us in. We found out that all of her children are members and that she used to be the pentchinista for the missionaries years ago. She said that she loved going to church but being alone all the time she had distanced herself.  We invited her to a knitting class with the relief society and to come to church Sunday. To our surprise as we were sitting in sacrament meeting she walked in with her daughter and all of her grandchildren. They filled up an entire row. They are very excited to come back to church and to continue learning about the gospel. I know that God led us to that door. I know that we are only instruments in the hands of God to bring all of his children back to him.  

Herman Lopez is progressing really quickly. It seems like she doesnt have fear. She has an amazing ability to motivate people to read, pray and come to church. We get along very well. I love training and it has taught me a lot. Sometimes I feel like I learn more from her. She struggles a little to learn all of the lessons and the doctrines but we do practices everyday in companion study. I think one of our strnegths is that we are always happy to be working, this happiness is contagious and people take note.  
Our ward is also progressing a lot. We had a fasted for the bishop, leaders and members that they could change their atitudes and be able to do things happily. And it was amazing this Sunday its was like a different ward. The leaders are motivated to work and to save all the less actives. Over all the week has been very successfull.  

Love you All,

Hermana Huish

Week #72 The home stretch

Hola!!!

I am in my final transfer and last 6 weeks of the mission. It blows me away how quickly the time has gone. This week I read Acts 20:22-38 and these scriptures about Paul the apostle are the perfect description for how I have been feeling. 

“But none of these things ^amove me, neither count I my^blife dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the ^cgospel of the ^dgrace of God.”

Near the end, it is common for some missionaries to get “trunky”,  or  lazy and casual in their service,  but I feel just the opposite. In fact, as I enter into these last six weeks I feel a surge and urgent need to share the gospel with every single person I come in contact with. The pressure to protect, warn and teach as many people and families as I can is strong. Helping individuals change their lives is the greatest blessing of missionary service. The pressure I have recently felt caused me to ask for a comfort blessing from the elders. WOW! The blessing was as if God was talking directly to me. God told me that he was happy with everything that I have accomplished, with who I have become, and all the efforts that I have put into the mission. God blessed me that I could finish my mission with strength and with joy. I have come to love Peru and all the people here. (I also have nightmares that when I get home I won’t be able to speak English, hahaha.)

This week has been an excellent week.  Right now we have three families that we are teaching and are progressing. Familia C, Familia T, and Familia B. The gospel is very focused on families.  If we follow the commandments and Jesus within  our family  we can recieve many blessings, and much joy. I am so thankful for the three families that we are teaching. It is beautiful to be able to help them come to church, learn and obey the commandments and bring them closer to God. Every family of course has their issues or problems even those that are part of the church but the gospel can help us overcome our weaknesses and fortify our families. 

I am thankful for my family. Parents who taught me to be obedient to the commandments of the lord have been one of the greatest blessings of my life.  Serving a mission has helped me appreciate my family even more because I have been able to experience  many kinds of people and all types of families. I know that serving a mission will bless my future family becuase I am better preapred for what is to come.

Hope yoe are all well,

Hermana Huish

Week # 71 Importance of Families

Hola,

This week I want to write alittle bit about one of our investigators. S is 21 years old. She is a single mother with a little baby girl. She has been through a lot of tough things and has made some poor decisions in her life. When we were first getting to know her, we never would have guessed that she would prgress so quickly. In the beginning she told us that she was happy with her party life and wasn’t really interested in a major change. God humbled her very quickly.  She made some bad choices one night and almost lost custody of her baby as a result. We had a long discusion about the decisions she was making, the life she was living and the changes that she needed to make. She broke down into tears as she realized where her life was headed. I know that God sent us at the perfect moment. We talked to S about God’s commandments. We explained to her that sometimes we are weak and want to do what we want, but that there are consequences. If we do what God wants we will live happier, more successful lives. The thought piqued her interest and she came to church with us this week as well as a couple activities in the ward. She was sooo happy. We helped her set some new goals to obey the commandments, go to church and to put her daughter first. As I have pondered her situation this week I have become aware of the importance of our families and what joy they can bring to us. I am so thankful for my family. I know that I have been very blessed to be brought up in truth and light. With parents who put God always first. And who have led me on a righteous path. I know that anyone who that lives the gospel can also acheive this type of success but we have to be committed to living the commandments, and to prayer. These are the things that help us through. I know that the gospel blesses families. I know that we recieve blessings as we live the commandments of God. I also know that when we live the commandments we can avoid many bad situations. If we don falter, I know that Jesus Christ came to earth to make repentance an option for us and  that we can ALWAYS ask for forginveness and most importantly we can ALWAYS change. We can chage the situations that we are in for the better. And even though it takes alittle bit of effort on our part it is worth it in the end.

Love you all,

Hermana Huish

Week #68 The refiners fire

Hola!!

This week was amazing. After a long time in the refiner’s fire, I feel like I have personally changed. This video does a great job of illustrating this analogy of the refiners fire.

Watch it if you can, but I will try to explain  In order to bend the metal he wants to shape, the refiner has to heat it in a flaming fire, then he bangs the metal with tools and hits it repeatedly until it forms into the shape that he wants. This is exactly what God does with us. He puts us through fire, he bangs us, and twists us until we are who he wants us to become, until we take the shape that he wants us to be. Enduring the fire and the shaping is difficult, we have to be willing to submit to the will of God but in the end it is all worth it when we become stronger, more compassionate and closer to God.

I love working with the Hermana Lopez, my new companion because she is amazing! Even though she is new in the field, she has so many desires to work. Sometimes I feel that I am learning more from her even though I am the trainer. This week we had a work visit with the sister trainers and honestly it was kind of boring. The sister leaders tract people down in the street and are robotic in their teaching style. Part of being a missionary is that you have to be able to relate to people, to understand their needs and read them. If you just go up and start talking about prophets and Joseph Smith most people shut down or it goes right over their head. But With hermana Lopez I don't feel that way. Teaching with her is the best because she relates to people and cares about their needs. A really special moment this week was with the family L. M had a husband who died and now shes is living with a new boyfriend but they are not married. Many privileges have been taken away from her in the church and she broke down the other day when we went to visit her. She started crying and asked us to help her repent and to be able to enter the temple again. It was a really spiritual experience because she recognized the need for repentance. She wants to change her life for the  better. We made a plan and now we are working on her wedding. Wahoo! 

Love you all and see you in the summer,

Hermana Huish

Week #67 Things are looking up

Hi everyone! 

I know last week my post was a little bit... well sad and depressing. It is true that we pass through tough spots and difficult weeks in the mission. Missionaries constantly experience ups and downs. But something the president told me is that even though we have trials it is our faith that will get us through the hard times. This week I am feeling so much better. Thank you all for your prayers, they help!

We had transfers and Hermana Luna was moved to San Fielepe. I am training a new missionary! I was hoping and wanting to train. I would like to be able to give all my knowledge to a new missionary. My “daughter” (that’s what we call our trainee’s) is super cool and is from Paraguay. She is so loving, caring and sensitive to the spirit. She is a recent convert and was baptized just a year and a half ago. She has a very strong testimony and her enthusiasm for the work is evident in her positive attitude. Contacting people is one of her strengths.  She has a special touch when first getting to know people and has the ability to reach their hearts quickly. This was a super spiritual week for both of us. We had a lot of success and found people who really desire to change.

Love you all,

Hermana Huish

Week #66 Missions are NOT EASY

Highlight of my week, We dressed up like clowns when we delivered clothes to the children.

¨La salvacion nunca fue gratis¨ or in English ¨Salvation never was cheap¨These inspirational words from Elder Jeffery R. Holland have really made an impact on me this week. Why is missionary work so hard? Why dont people come flocking to the baptismal font?  Elder Holland explained in a missionary devotional that salvation never was cheap that even Jesus Christ said to the father remove this cup from me as he suffered in the garden and died on the cross. If it wasn't easy for Jesus Christ then why would it be easy for us?

Im not going to put any sugar on what missionary life is like.  It is TOUGH and nothing easy. Before deciding to come on the mission I thought all of the warnings about health, testimony, and emotional well being where a little bit over dramatic. However, now that I have served for 15 months, I have come to a genuine understanding of the physical and emotional pain, stress and frustration that the mission can bring. Missionaries are constantly being pushed to the outer limits. I don't want to scare any one away from serving a mission because I know it was the best decision of my life,  this in not my intentions, but rather to help you realize the precautions you have to take, and the preparation that needs to be made before coming on the mission.  Here are some examples of what I mean. Physically my body is literally exhausted. My feet and knees, and legs get swollen everyday from countless hours of proselyting. My body is constantly in pain. Sitting down for a lesson to give a little half hour break to my legs is like going to a spa to relax. My backpack feels like it has gains weight everyday.  Last night when I knelt down to pray, my companion woke me up an hour or two later asking me if I was still praying, I had literally fallen asleep kneeling down. I am beyond  the point of physical exhaustion and mental exhaustion is right behind.  Sunday night in the last lesson of the night I was so tired I started speaking in English and didn't even notice, the investigator looked at me like I was crazy. 

Emotionally I am also drained. This ward is super difficult. Even though there are some golden members, many including some leadership do not support the missionaries. There is a lot of drama, and rumors abound. We are constantly receiving criticism about how we are working. We never receive a word of praise or thanks for the hours we spend on the wards behalf. I'm tired of hearing the excuses of the people. I'm tired of being rejected. Emotionally I don't know if i can take any more rejection. The past four baptism dates have all fallen through because the people decided to reject us, either they have family problems, excuses or simply just don't want it. It is difficult to watch all of our work be wasted. We are preaching the word of God and trying to help people make better lives through living the commandments. What other life could be better than a life with the help of God?  The pressure of our leaders is increasing. They constantly find the faults with our work because there needs to be some reason that the investigatores are rejecting us. Spiritually sometimes I feel like God has abandoned us. I feel like I am pulling teeth to have the spirit in the lessons. I feel like we are working alone. The promise  our president and our zone leaders made to us is that if we are working diligently and put in our part that God will bless us. ¨Yo el senor, estoy obligado cuando haceis lo que os digoñ mas cuando no haceis lo que os digo ninguna promesa teneis.¨dyc 82Ñ10 This week we surpassed almost every single key indacator. We are working with everything we have and I wonder where is God? Where are the blessing that are promised to the missionaries that work hard, that work with all the heart mind might and srength. 

¨Tome su cruz y sigame¨¨Take up your cross and follow me... for whosever will save his life shall lose itñ an whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Mateo 16Ñ24'25, 3nefi 12Ñ30, Dyc 23Ñ6. Jesus christ suffered for all of us. He suffered as he dragged his own cross up the hill oand as he spent countless hours suffering ing the Garden of Gethsemaei. The mission is hard, it never was and never will be easy. Sometimes when we feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually drained we just need to take up our cross, our problems, or pain and follow the example of Jesus Christ. Because the time of the second coming of Christ will come. And we dont have time to be tired, this is a pressured work. 

Week #65 President Obama in Lima

I may have lost all sense of fashion in Lima, but I haven't lost my sense of humor!

Sorting clothes...

Tarde Blanca

Did you know President Obama visited Lima this week?

Not much time to write, but know that I'm doing really well!  This week a couple from Utah came to our ward and I tried speaking to them in English and I couldn't do it. It was so weird, I was thinking in Spanish and trying to translate the words back into English. I'm officially completely immersed in Spanish. I don't know how I am going to be able to talk to my family for mothers day?? Stella you may have to translate form them, haha!

Other things... we are collecting clothes to deliver to the poorest part of our area. Its going to be really cool to donate all of these clothes to the families there because a lot of people really need them! You know I can't do anything without having a little fun so we had a fashion show as we were sorting.

I have three months left and my goal before my mission was to read Jesus the Christ and the bible in Spanish.Hopefully I can finish them off in the next couple of months.

Sorry that I dont have more... but love you tons!

Hermana Huish

Week #63 The wedding!

Me and my balloon groom.

Angela was the cutest Bride!!

Wedding Day

Lima Central

March 30, 2015,

Hola Familia,

Wow this week was really fun and crazy.We had a lot of things going on! Wednesday I spent the day with hermana consultores working on family history. Thenon Friday we traveled to lima central to sign wedding papers, and that night we held a “white out” (baptism where everyone wears white). Saturday we had the wedding in the district offices, and Sunday we held a big family home. Honestly, it was such a busy week, I can’t believe how fast it went. We worked super hard, besides all the events mentioned above, we taught almost 40 lessons this week and made over 100 contacts. It was a very successfull week. Hermana Luna and I are SOO happy.

Something that I really had put into practice this week is a little concept I learned in my leadership class in high school called “flipping the switch”. As missionaries we do not have time to rest. We are ALWAYS working. This week with some huge things going on we really had to be on top of everything.Unfortunately I came down with a bad cold/flu. Literally every morning I woke up just wanting to stay curled up in my bed and do nothing because my body just felt awful. Every morning I had to find a way to “flip the switch” and get out of bed and carryout all of my work, even though it was hard and I was sick. I could have been a burden to my companion I could have comlained the whole day and done nothing but attitude is every thing. If we do things with a good attitude our perspective changes and we can lift those around us. The best part is that we can choose our atitude. We can choose to be sad and depressed or we can choose to be happy and positive. This Sunday was fast and testimony meeting. I bore my testimony about how the gospel of Christ makes us happy and that it can transform who we are. I think one of the biggest examples of some one who has changed from the gospel of Christ is my ward mission leader. He comes from a super tough background he basically doesnt have a family. He has struggled with a lot of things and the gospel has completly changed his life around; he is an inspiration to everyone who comes into contact with him. This week he completed one year as a member. It was areally exciting day! He was baptised last year and after his baptism he read the Book of Mormon in 5 days and his progression has just conintued on from there. He knows the scriptures better than most members... better than many misisionaries. He has baptised TONS of people and it is a miracle before my eyes to see how Jesus Christ can change the life of somelike Miguel. 

                         

The wedding this week was wonderful! We got everything ready and it was super smooth. Normally weddings have tons of complications but honestly the only hitch in this wedding, were the bride and groom getting married.. We Got up at 5:00am to help A get her hair and makeup and her dress ready.  She was the cutest little bride ever. We got to the district offices and took lots of pictures and then they were officially married. I am so happy for them.  

See you all in the summer!

Hermana Huish

Week #61 Transferred to Canto Rey

The week in pictures:

Right before transfers

 My palate is expanding on the mission. A few weeks ago I was served boiled chicken blood at a home and given crackers to dip in the blood. It wasn't easy, but I actually ate it. A mission is a little like survivor.

 Missionaries don't just teach the gospel, we do a lot of other things. For example, I have also become quite a wedding planner. A couple we are teaching is preparing to get married so this week I was trying to help the bride find a dress

Saying goodbye to some wonderful families in Santa Isabelle

Transfers

My new area is called Canto Rey. 

The night before transfers, I stayed up all night packing my suitcases and getting ready to go to my new area. When I got to the district offices I saw an old friend named Miguel Angel at the door. He used to come on appointments with me and Hrm. Pintado in Begonias. We Joked around saying that I would be assigned to his ward and guess what???? I am back in my home! I am back in San Juan de Lurigancho In Miguel Angels ward My new area is called Canto Rey. I couldn't believe It!  After it was announced everyone thought it was funny because I ran up to Miguel angel to tell him that I would be serving in his ward! It was the gift of prophecy! haha.

My first week here was super duper busy!!!! We are living in basically a little cave that is very small and HOT but I am sure I will get use to it. My new ward is tiny, only about 70 people but we have several great investigatores. This week we had the baptism of a 19 year old girl named K. We taught her early every morning this past week so that she would be prepared. We also have a couple V and A who we are teaching, they are sooo sweet.! A is like a little soft mouse and she has soo much faith. We inscribed them this week to be married and things are going great.

Another cool thing about this ward is that we teach a guitar class! I barley know how to play but it has been an awesome activity and I am getting better. But honestly the best part of this ward is Miguel Angel. He is our ward mission leader and he basically lives the life of a missionary. He is a recent convert and was baptized just last year but his testimony and conversion story is the BEST!  He knows more about the church then me and my companion put together. Every day this week he came with us on appointments and he really makes the work a lot of fun, which is the best part! We are always laughing and making jokes. Its awesome. I don't have much time left in the mission and I am  pretty sure this will be my last area so I hope to make it my BEST! 

Love  you all!

See you soon!

Hermana Huish