Brielle - miercoles 29 de julio‏

July 29, 2015

Wow does time fly!! It has been two weeks since I have gottne back here. Been such a great opportunity to return. 

During the past week we haven´t had running water consistantly. So we called the Elder in charge of taking care of all the house problems and last wednesday he and Elder Grange came to our house and checked it out. Then on Thursday we got stuck in our house all day while the owner had the plumber come and fix it. It literally took all day. So that was a bummer, but we have running water in all places now, kitchen, bathroom, and laundry.

But that night on Thursday we had one lesson and it was pretty neat. We hadn´t been able to see these people for a long time, it was my first time meeting with them but it was cool becasue we were going to talk about eternal marriage and the importance for it. The wife is a member but the husband is not. The wife had a dream, in short, about the plan of salvation. And how important families are to the plan. We hope that the husband will think about it and how it is important so that they will get married.

I wasn´t going to share this experience because it wasn´t scary or anything but I didn´t want to freak people out. We almost got robbed. We had stopped on the side of the road under a tree because my companion needed to catch her breath. Don´t ask me why she was walking so fast in the first place. But I guess a motor with a man and a woman on it went past us and then turned around and grabbed my bulto (bag) but it was clipped around my wrist so it wasn´t going anywhere. My companion ran. And when she ran they took off. Nothing else happened. They weren´t being agressive it was fast and really flat out stupid. But for the rest of the day we went to the elders lessons. Oh this was aon a sunday. Sunday was Father´s day here. 

Monday we had our district meeting in Tamboril. It was wierd going back to my first area. There was a family there that I didn´t know but they had a little girl maybe 1 and a half. We went into the chapel and sat down and she came to me and wanted me to hold her so I picked her up and held her for a minute. I put her back down but she just wanted me to hold her. It was funny so I just held her until she was ready to go. She was so sweet and quiet. We also had intercambios (exchanges) today and I went to the sister leaders area with hermana Gonzales. She is going home at the end of this transfer. It was nice becasuewe weren´t running around like we were running away from someone. That is how hermana salazar walks it is really funny. 

Tuesday we met back up with our normal companions at the mission office. We hung out there for a while talking and talking with hermana grange. I also talked with hermana grange about the lingering problems I have just so she knows. She is going to get me a compression sleeve for my ankle. We also took pictures of the burns to send to the doctors because there are little red dots forming and we just want to see what they are and what precautions we should take. But All  Is Well!! We did a lot of contacting yesterday becasue all of our lessons didn´t work out. So we ran home to get some food and water because my companion nor the member we came with us had any money to buy water and I bought them some water once. Then we went to our meetings with the ward.

Today we had a district activity. We watched part of Brave and then we were hungry and paused the movie and went to the store which is next to the church and then we went to our house and made speghetti and then brought it to the church. While we were making the food the elders changed the movie and were watching beauty and the beast so we finsihed watching beauty and the beast when we got to the church. Then we went to the park and played volleyball and then came to the internet center to write! That is where we are at!!

I got a packet at the district meeting on monday. It just had my name on the front so I didn´t know who it was fun. I opened it and inside was a tie and a piece of paper. I pulled out the paper and it was a picture of Elder Delgado. The elder who carried me into the hospital. I literally almost started crying!! He just went home when I came to the mission. I was able to talk with him on the phone before her left because Hermana Grange remembered and made sure that it happened. I am thankful that he was able to help me at that time. He was a good zone leader.

This week has been a good week. Getting better and better everyday!!

LOVE YA´LL!!!!

-- 

Todo Bien!!!

Hermana Buchanan

Baylee - Here's what happened this week...

July 29, 2015

Hola!!!

 

Heres what happened this week...

 

- finding things like bobby pins, pony tails, and hiar pclips has been a nightmare! i was beginning to wonder if Peruvian ladies didnt need these things to do their hair, but today i finally found some at the little makeshift mall we go to every other week! wYay i can keep doing my hair!! :)

- i figured out something cool!! ¨Tenerá valor y será amigable¨- Cinderella! this means Have courage and Be kind! :)

- Hna Johnson, one of the advansados that left this week for the field, had her appendix taken out on Friday! she was sick and they took her to the hospital and took it out! the day after it happened, my companion Hn.a Sandison was asked to switch placed with her comp so that Hna. Dougal could be here to prep for leaving to the field. So i was temporary companions with Hna. McRae all day Friday while Hna. Sandison hung out at the hospital with Hna. Johnson. }It was a different experience to work with someone else. We even tauhgt two lessons together. We actually taught together really well even with limited planning!

- The advansados made cocolate chip cookies with Hna. Gonzalez, the CCm presidents wife last Fri and shared with us! Today, we are doibg the same :)

- last friday our sdistrict did a SYL day, Speak Your Language day. we had to speak only Spanish all day long! it was soooo hard! but i learned a lot and i actually was able to communicate almost all the things i wanted to same, with a little bit of help. it was cool! we tried another half day Tuesday, but we werent very successful. We are doing it again tomorrow!

- Hna Loayza told me something absolutely insane...she said i look like i lost wieght!! that is insane because i have eaten so much bread and desserts...i weighed myself today...bad idea LOL!!

- our district was asked to sing for the HEFY humanitarian group that came through last saturday. we sang loud and proud, in spanish, hope of Isreal. then four of us, myself included, bore our testimonies and talked aboiout waht its like to be in the CCM. it was a cool experience and very spiritual.

- all the intermedios and the Latinos got to go proselyting on Saturday! in the real city! iwth field missionaries and members!! it was soooo cool!! i am so excited to get out and do that every single day. i felt so confident in my abilities, which was weird. i loved the spirit we fet! we taught a mom and a grandmother named Erica nad Nora. they were so receptive and loving. it was their first meeting with the missionaries, and they accpeted an invitation to church and a challenge to read a chapter in the book of moromn! i got to teach them how to pray and say the opening prayer in the lesson! it was way cool!! im so excited to be a missionary!

- i tried IncaCola for the first time...its really weird. it tastes like sprite with some bubbleguma dn other fruity flavors...its interesting. i guess it is an acquired taste.

- in relief society on sunday, we had a great lesson. we talked about being filled with the light of Churist if we strive for Christlike attributes and we have to share that Chirstlike light with all the world around us. it was a really awesome lesson, something i  needed this week!

- we watched 17 miracles and meet the mormons on sunday!! i was a good day! :)

- im really going to miss this last group of advansados that just left for the fied. all of those hermanas became some of my good friends! when we said goodbye, we said until we meet again. we sang that song with them and the leaving latinos on sunday night again and it was beautiful. many more tears this time around. i cant imagine how i will feel when my turn comes in two weeks! also, the til we meet again may not be in this life, buti know we can see each other again in the next life. i have this hope in me! :)

- i am so glad i brough a mini hymn book in Spanish as well as English!! its been such a blessing to have both and be able to refer to the Englisha nd rread the english hymns every opnec in a while!

- a new senior couple arrived here sunday from Australia! its really fun t listen to them sopeak spanish with their australian accents!

- on monday we got a giant buffet of delivcious peruvian food to commemorate the peruvian independence day. it actually wasnt until Tuesday, but we wanted to celebrate before the latinos had to leave for the field. it was so yummy and made me really excited to get out of the CCM so i can have real Peruvian food!! :)

- hna. sandison and i felt the spirit during our fake practice lesson with Hna. Bryce this week. it was kind of crazy that it was so fake, but the spirit was so real. i love that the spirit can testify to all of use, even when we are all missionaries and know the church is true. i cant wait to share that with real investigators in the field!

- I bought a new peruvian notebooki today! its handmade! there is a tradition here at the CCM that the adansados have all their close friends write in their noteboooks a little goodbye thihng, kind of like a CCM yearbook! im going to use throughtout the rest of my mission, and i am so excited! :)

- my whole district played ultimate frisbee together today, and it was so fun! i actually was able to catch and throw a little bit today, so i felt good about myself! :)

- so...big news of the week...Hna. Sanidson and i were made the Sister LEaders!! we are to watch out for all the Hna.s here at the CCM and report to the Branch presidency and help Hna. Gonzalez with whatever she needs. its a really big responsibility, and i am not sure im cut out for it, but our leaders have so much confidence in us. The lord qualifies those he calls, so i will trust h9im! with our new assignments, we were able to make the nameplates and welcom notes to put on the doors of the incoming Hna.s it was way fun! and we get to know each  girl a little bit personally because we get to interviews! im definitely excited for that part! :)

- to be honest, i have had a lot of ups and downs this week. but i love my savior, and i know he can help me through all my trials. I am focusing on Christlike attriicutes specifically Charity. if you have time, study out charity in the scriptures. its amazing to me how many timse charity is discussed throughout every book of scripture. I need my lords help to be successful, and i know he will help me, and each of you, with whatever you are facing. :)

 

well thats about all for this week! Heres my simple testimony in Spanish.

 

Yo sé que este Evangelio is verdad y yo sé que Jesucristo es mi Salvador y el Salvador de el total mundo. Las familias pueden ser juntos para siempre por medio el sacerdocio. Yo sé que yo puedo hacer todas cosas a traves Jesucristo is Su Expiación. En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

 

Love you all!! :) i hope all is well in los Estados Unidos! ;)

-- 

<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - Week 3 DONE!‏

July 22 2015

Hola mi Familia y mi Amigas!! 

This week has been a roller coaster! up down all around through the screw driver part and then back again! and there is so much i want to share, but i will just hit the highlights so that i dont use up all my short time!

- there are a whole bunch of people here who i like to call ¨mission look-alikes!´ Elder Sheanshang looks a whole nuch like NATHAN! Mna. Hansen looks and acts a whole ton like my cousin ALEXIS! Elder Prestwhich looks and acts a whole lot like SEAN! Hna. Thomas looks and acts a whole lot like MORGAN! Elder Smartt acts so much like my brother JACE! its pretty crazy how some people from so many different places looks much like some of my favorites from back home!

- We got to talk to LDS humanitarian youth the past two Saturdays. they were very sweet the first week and talked with us a bunch! this last Saturday though i felt a lot like an animal in a zoo because they didnt say much to us they just stared while we were all working out. LOL it was pretty awkward!

- for one of our lessons this past week, Hna. Sandison and i studied the pressing question What is the purpose of life? we found an awesome scripture you might want to look up to address this question! the scripture is in Alma 34:32-34

- I finally got my Chi Omega piture with Hna. Mendenhall! its attached below for all you sister of mine!

- The other picture i attached is an attempted picture of what its liike to get on a bus here in LIMA. its insane!! today was one of the worst days too! but oh such fun memories! and smels ;)

- last Tuesday, only our district was out for physical activitiy for some reason, so the 13 of us playe soccer together, and it was a blast! we laughed so much and really played hard! our district has really been bonding a lot lately! i cant imagine leaving them in 3 weeks after psending pretty close to 24/7 with them for 6 weeks straight! but at least we are all going to PIURA so we get to fly there together!

- I receieved my official mission dates last week! we all get a little card that certifies us to teach the gospel i guess just to show people if they wonder. my dates say June 30, 2015 - December 30, 2016!! WOW!!

- Hna. Sandison and I went to visit one of the new districts of LAtinos last Th. and they are so so sweet! All of these new people have really just been making me smile! This batch is one a wish we could keep alwasy! We haqve made friends, espcecially with two sisiters that we met the first day, one from Chile and one from MExico. They are really patient with me and help me with the lanuage. this past Monday, we sat with them at lunch and they coazed Spanish out of me! they helped a bunch and i felt so confident afer our talk!! it was awesome!

- we were able to talk to a Latine  who is from Iquitos which is one of the hottest missions, but she told us that PIURA is even hotter...JOY! ;)

- Hno. Janampa, one of our maestros, played songs for us from LDSyouth.org on Fri! We arent allowed to listen to music here at the CCM so that was a real treat!! i loved it! we sang along to Glorious and a few other awesome songs by LDS artists!

- on Fri. our district was able to talk another maestro who served his mission in PIURA. he told us a few things about the mission like its not super humid, just hot, the most comon foods are fish and mangos which i like so thats good1 and we will alwasy have cold showers...and a fw other general things!

- Elder Squire in my district also lived in Tooele when he was little!! He lived on the edge of the field facing the Army Depot also, just farther up in another subdivision! how crazy is that!?! he is a year younger than me, but he also had Mrs. England for kindergarten and we were apparently in the same Stake! we talked about Dairy Delight, the little Chinese place, and all the fun little things about Tooele! Such a small world!!

- in Elder Henry B. Eyrings talk called ¨the Comforts¨, he mentions a mother who recently lost her oldest child and was holding her newborn baby when she spoke t him. He asked her what the girls name was and the mother said ¨her name is Joy, Joy always comes after sorrow!¨and that made me think of InsideOut! how cool is it that even a Disney movie, such a woderful Disney movei, applies directly to the gospel?? i thought it was wonderful!

- the trio in my district, Hna.s Glunt, McRae, and Thomas, barteered with Hno. Janampa! they traded him rolls from dinner for PEANUT BUTTER! i got to have a little bit and it was a heavenly taste! im not a huge fan of peanut butter, but it is definitely the little things you miss when you dont have them at easy access!

- the police here really like their sirens! they run through all the different siren options and then begin again a¿over and over for like hours! its such a fun time, let me tell ya! ;)

- Hna. Sandison got called to ñspeak this Sunday! all the missionaries have to prepapre talks and be ready to speak and they choose people directly from the poulpit, and my companion got called! she did really amazing, of course! sinceshe rocks at Spnaish and like everythings!

- Elder Hansen, one of the counselors in our branch presidency, taught my group the Intermedios on Sunday. He taught on the PLan of Salvation! that plan is Gods plan, Jesus plan, and it is OUR plan because we chose it! we chose to come here and particiapte! all of us!1 members, nonmembers, christians, nonchristians! we all chose this plan and we all chose God! Also, those that did not choose this plan...its the saddest thought...truly i was tearing up as we discussed their loss and their awful predicament beacuse of that choice...

- we had a fireside on sunday that was really awesomely inspiring! the brother speaking said something really profound that struck me deep...he said¨Remember the difference between serving a mission and BEING a missionary¨that statement is so accurate, and the difference is intesne! i will work on becoming a missionary rather than ust filling my time and serving a mission.

- our district got asked by Presidente Gonzalez to do all the music for that fireside! i led the music, Hn.a McRae played hte piano, and our whole district sang a special musical number! we sang the As Sisters in Zion/Army of Helaman EFY medley INENGLISH, which  is usually not allowed. apprarently our singing made some people tear up, so thats cool! Also, many Latinos came up and told me i had a very good voice since they could hear me as i led the music! like for the past few days they have come up to me to say that! its so sweet of them, but it makes me worry that i was singing way too loud....LOL!

- our lesson with Enrique on Monday was our best lesson yet!" the spirit was so strong and he is our hardest investigator, but he agreeed to be baptiszed if he can receive an answer!! that is miraculous! Hna. Sanidson and i came our cheering and dancing and bragged ot our other maestra, Hna. Loayza!

- Elder Murray, our branch president, is qucikly becoming my favorite! he is so kind and helpful, whenever i need him! oh, and his cousins daugher is Liz Covill!! MOM!! tell her for me pretty please! :)

- our district was joking around and teaching Hno. Janampa ¨gang signs¨on mondaa evening! we taught him Chi Omega, Western Thunder, fierece, and a few other fun American jokes!

- some of the Latinos took a selfie with us yesterday! it was really silly and random, but such fun! 

- The elders in our district are so silly and tried to teach us Hna.s how to do 540 degree kicks and Indian style sitting! and they were showing off their pull up skills Tuesday morning! we tried to match them but fell far short!

- Elder Shean¨sassy¨shang! thats all there is to it!

- we were able to role play with the advansados yesterday! Hn.a Sadison ad I are wirking together a whole lot better, and we learned so much from that pracatice! truly, i think i learn so much more from actually teaching and just doing it rather than listening to a lesson in a classroom! so im excted to get to the field!

- hna. Sandison and i had a chat with Elder Squire and Elder Smartt yesterday about just simple, random things during personal study. we shared what we found in our studies, and why we are here on our missions and some of our favorites inspiring stories and scriptues. it is amazing to me that even in such a simple conversation, the spirit is so overwhelming and beautfil here at the CCM! i love it!

- our district had some more district bonding time  last night! we shared family photos and told stories, and it was such fun! I loved that!

- the temple today was bueatiful, as always! i love that we get to go every week! since we didnt have that opportunity in Wyoming, its been such a blessing and it will definitely be hard when i go to the field and am unable to have that opportunity for such a long time!

So, the churhc is true! i know it! even trhough difficult times where i have questions and doubts, this knowledge is t¿strong in me! i know families can be together forever through the Priesthood power and sealing ordinances, i know we have a living prophet today Thoms S. Monson, and i know Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. I know the power of prayer and the Priesthood power are real! without a doubt, this is a ll true! i love you all and hoep  to keep hearing from you ! sorry about so many spelling erros and such! im trying to go fast so i caan get to all of your awesome emails! love you all!! :)

Hasta Luego!

-- 

<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Brielle - miercoles 15 de julio‏

July 22 2015

Hey ya´ll!

This week has been a great week. Been working hard. Meetin a lot of people. On Sunday there was a devotional at the church and we went and it was a stake devotional. So since I am in the same stake as my first area I was able to see members from Tamboril!! I was awesome! They were so excited and happy to see me and talk to me. They had heard about the accident and were concerned for me so it was nice to tell them that I was ok and ready to work. 

We were visiting with a family, they are members and part of them are less active. And afterwards we were just talking and the mom was all oh your the missionary who got hit??!! All really excited and then the son was all yeah you´re the famous missionary. I was all no I am not because that is weird. It was funny. 

The Spanish is coming back and I am getting to teach things more often. It is hard not doing something everyday and going back to doing it everyday. I am still learning a lot!! But I am learning and progressing. It has only been one week. Which is really stramge to think about. But awesome!! 

My companion is going to be going home soon so when I say she is dying or going to die that is what I mean. I always remind her and then she does GRACIAS HERMANA BUCHANAN PARA RECUEDARME!!!! It is really funny. She teases me though when I talk softly. That is what we are working on is talking like a Dominican. With Gusto! Not my forte but I am working on it. 

The people in this ward are awesome!! They love to help us and fed us. I have missed the Dominican food. I have had Mangu, and la bandera, plantanos fritos. It has been awesome. 

I was reading in one of my books and found this quote that really hit me really hard. It is...., ” Jesus has chosen, even in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, to retain for the benefit of His disciples the wounds in His hands and in His feet and in His side-signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and the perfect; signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn't love you; signs, if you will, that problems pass and happiness can be ours.” ― Jeffrey R. Holland 

It hit me because we all have experienced painful moments in our lives. Some with more pain thatn other and some with very little (physical or emotional), but it is still pain all the same. But the fact that in our pain we are never alone. Sure the person stilling next to us may not be able to feel or understand completely but there is always someone by your side who knows EXACTLY how you feel. All of it, every last bit of pain. He will help us through it if we confide in Him. If we do all we can so we can receive the blessings that are ours if we do those things he requires of us. 

I love you all and hope that life is good for all of you!!!

-- 

Todo Bien!!!

Hermana Buchanan

Forget Yourself and Go To Work

Today I shared a couple of quotes with Brielle and Baylee in their weekly emails and I want to share them here as well:

I remember a talk President Hinckley gave about the time when he was a new missionary.  He was struggling and wrote to his father about it.  His father replied, "The only advice I can give you is: Forget Yourself and Go To Work".  Here is a link to a 2 minute video on lds.org:

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-05-1501-preparation-of-gordon-b-hinckley-forget-yourself-and-go-to-work?lang=eng 

Pres. Uchtdorf said in a conference talk,"When we seek self-service over selfless-service, our priorities become centered on our own recognition and pleasure.

Past generations had their struggle with variations of egotism and narcissism, but I think today we are giving them serious competition. Is it any coincidence that the Oxford Dictionary recently proclaimed “selfie” as the word of the year?³

Naturally, we all have a desire for recognition, and there is nothing wrong with relaxing and enjoying ourselves. But when seeking the “gain and praise of the world”⁴ is a central part of our motivation, we will miss the redemptive and joyful experiences that come when we give generously of ourselves to the work of the Lord.

What is the remedy?

The answer, as always, lies in the words of Christ:

Mark 8:34-35 is the scripture used by both President Hinckley and President Uchtdorf. 

Check it out.

Brielle - First Day Back!!

July 15, 2015

Hey ya´ll, 

I got here to the Dominican Republic at about 315 ish. Then had to waitto get off and then had to go through customs and there was a lot of people so that took a while and then had to wait to find my luggage. I was on the plane waiting long enough that the bags had been coming off. I found my smaller bag of the two and couldn´t find my biggest one. I eventually found it on the ground. Someone pulled it off and didn´t put it back on so I was panicking a little until I found it. Found a baggage cart and then finished with the last part of customs and then went out the door. There was a lot of people standing outside the door waiting for family and friends. The elders were right next to the door and I walked right past them. They almost didn´t see me either because they were people watching and when I finally got out there they had been waiting for an hour. Then we loaded my stuff into the inside of the truck because the back was wet and good thing we did becasue it began raining really hard. Then they took me to Hermana and Elder Grange´s house for the few hours of sleep that I would get, it was about 4 when I go into bed. Elder Grange took a picture of us getting to the house. Then we went up and I got settled in and slept for 1 hour and 30 mins to 2 hours. Yeah I am running on low right about now. and it is only 430. 

Then I woke up and they were already up because Elder Grange had to help out with transfer day. I got ready and stuffed the things I got out back into my bags and we packed them into the car and went to caribe tours, the bus stop which is the meeting location for all missionaries being transfered so you get where you are suppose to go. I met up with Hermana Clove, and Hermana and Elder Carroll, Hermana Malabi, Hermana Brimnley, Elder Morgan, Elder Alvarez, Elder Symons, Elder Esmay, Elder McDonald, Elder Garcia. Not to many people but it was fun to be able to see some friends. We waited there until it was out turn to get loaded into the truck to be taken to our area. My area is Villa Olga A. It is in the same zone as Tamboril. The church building has air conditioning in the chapel, which is nice until they freeze you out, which happens all the time. We have had a lot of zone conferences there. 

I was the first dropped off in the truck. My companion is Hermana Salazar. She is from Costa Rica. I think we will be good friends. At first I was a little scared becasue before we weren´t really friends and she didn´t seem super friendly. But I was wrong. She thinks that I am going to `kill her`(Mission language) she is dying (going home) in september. We will see. We sat and talked a long while and then a member came over and we went to lunch at McDonald´s with her. Then to the nacional. Then we came back to the house and took a nap. We had called Elder Grange while we were at McDonald´s to see how I was going to get my stuff from the office. All the things that I left at the Grange´s they took to the office because they thought I would go and stay at the mission home, but that didn´t happen. But he wasn´t sure what was going to happen but he told me to take a nap. I guess I sounded groggy or something. So I complied. While we were napping he called letting us know he is bringing my stuff. I was really excited. He got there and I got all my stuff and he asked me does it feel real. I replied, well honestly it feels like I never left strangely. It is a weird feeling. My Spanish is still there. Just need to work on it and Hermana Salazar will help with that and I will help her with English so she is ready to take the test before she goes home. While Elder Grange was at our hosue he fixed our sink which was clogged and had a leak and attempted to fix the shower. He has to come back for that one. Before he left again he told me to get some sleep again. But it was time to write families. 

And that is where I am at. I met the mission presidente and his wife this morning. They are super sweet. Still getting use to all the things they have to do. I was able to hang out with the new missionaries there are less than ten of them. When Hermana Castillo, the mission president´s wife introduced me to the missionaries she really put me high on a pole and waved me around. Hope that make sense becasue I can´t think of the right word for it. Then Hermana Grange who brought me there said to me, you´re only a missionary. Giving some reassurance to help me not be concerned.

I love Elder and Hermana Grange. They are just flat out awesome. My companion thinks so too. 

That is about it or today. Just unpacking and later we will proselyte for an hour and then go to the church for an activity. We are watching Meet the Mormons. Which will be good. I can´t remember the number of times we tried to watch that while I was in the hospital but I kept passing out (falling asleep) I did that with a lot of movies that they tried to get me to watch.

Anyways, thanks all I love you all!! Hope that all is going swell!

-- 

Todo Bien!!!

Hermana Buchanan

Baylee - Week 2 OVER

Hola Familia y Amigas!!

 

New form I am going to try this week...bullet points!

 

- On the 4th of July our morning teacher, Hna. Loayza, gave us Bonbons as a little 4th of July treat! it was so sweet of her and i cant believe i didnt tell you last week!

- my companion Hn.a Sandison told us a story about one time when she went to EFY with her member friends, this was before she was a member. they were telling them the rules and they said to obey the Word of Wisdom and she raised her hand and was ;like "what the @)%^ is the Word of Wisdom"! that was a real funny one that us roommates laughed over forever!

- on Thursday we could actually seee some stars!! its almost always cloudy here in Lima, so seeing the stars was a real treat. only a few, but still beautiful!

- we were able to watch Boyd K. Packers funeral on Friday. It was a spiritual experience with some really profoiund comments made. i thought a lot of my Grandpa B during the funeral, so it was kinda hard, but i know death really is "just a horizon that blocks our view of the eternity beyond".

- my district is hillarious! we like to make up Mormon parodies! we made up some to Shut Up and Dance, Sugar, Royals, and a few other popular songs. so much laughter!

- the desserts here are often too delicious for my own good! sometimes they give us cones with soft serve ice cream of ice cream bars and sandwiches from the coolers which is always good! my favorite is still the homemade chrros though!

- in our district last week we had an impromptu odd talent show. our district leader elder hjuskinson can do the robot thing that you see people do on the streets in Vegas or New York. Elder Prestwich can fall into Indian style sitting and then swing on his hands like that! Elder Clongier can do this impresive three clap push up thing! it was funny to watch!

- we also did head, shoulders, knees, and toes in Spanish earlier this week! its a little different than the english version, but it was still fun. we raced to finish it and i totally won!!

- we watched the legacy this Sunday. for those of you that dont know, the legacy is about one girl who gets baptized and goes with the handcart companies across the USA to SLC Utah. That is another fun chick flick type of thing. everyone was thoroughly enoying themselves and laughing at the silly romantic efforts and great game of one of the characters. its the closest we will ever get to a ral chick flick, so we make the best of it!

- during our lesson to one of our "investiogators", my companion and i had planned to teach about the purpose of life and gods plan for us. however, we were both impressed by the spirit to give him a Book of Mormon. I felt impressed to commit him to read Alma 34 which talks about gods love for us, prayer, and our purpose. my companion and i didnt discuss anything prior to the lesson about that, but it worked out so well! its amazing what the spirit can do,even when its a fake investigator. i cant imagine how much he will help us when we are teaching real investgators!

- on monday we played stress managemeent games! we did companion runs where companionships liked up back to back and had to run to one side of the field and back switching directions. it was so hard! the next game was similar where we liked up with our compaion but next to each other facing different ways. on that race Hna. Sanidson and i beat all the other sisters and two of the elder companionships! hwoever we didnt stop fast enough and fell into the giant net that surrounds the soccer field. the net caught me but i scraped up the top of my foot a little. im opk though!

- on tuesday Hna. Sandison and i were able to sit with the President at lunch and chat with him. he is a cinvert so he told us his conversion story and a little about his life. he also gave us some really good advice. he said to enjoy the wonderfully peaceful spirit here at the CCM, use Preach My Gospel often and effectviely once we reach the field, and prepare to have a family as soon as we return home. that was some pretty great advice. simple but essential.

- today we got to go shopping at the Metro which is basically a mall. almost all of us Hna.s got new baggy colorful Peruvian pants! They are so cool!! and comfy!!

- oh, and i met another Chi Omega here! Hna. Mendenhall is a ChiO at UofU! I didnt get a picture in time today, so i will send one of us next week, but i really got so excited when i found out! LDS sorority girls really are in the minority so it was a cool experience to be able to talk about it with another girl who really understands!

- the CCM is now filled to capacity! with the new Latinos and Nortes that came in today, we have 160 missionaries here for training and it is amazxing! the work truly is hastening! one of the new Hna.s is also from Wyoming! she is from Evanston and i gues she has family in Pinedale, so that was cool! Hna. Eliason leaves and another girl comes in to maintain our 2 people representing the Cowboy State!

- if i gave you a Book of Mormon, and you know who you are, are you reading?? I truly hope so! if you ever have questions, dont hesitate to ask! i will answer weekly and if you ever have immediate questions there are plenty of other people closer to you and more available that are willing to help! keep reading! :)

- the spirit here is still so strong and wonderful! i would like to suggest that you all read in 2 Nephi chapters 4 and 22 and also in 2 Samuel chapter 22. these chapters talk about trusting in the Lord, and that is where im at right now with all this crazy life here at the CCM. These scriptures really help me and i hope they can help you. i know the Lord loves and wants the best for us and knows our every struggle, spoken and unspoken. I know the Lord answers prayers even when they are simple and now super essential. if its important to you, it is important to Him!

 

Thank you all for being such wonderful influences in my life. Im so blessed to know you all! This experience as i begin my mission has been a roller coaster, but i know im here for a reason and that i can serve so many people that the Lord has prepared to here MY testimony specifically! I love you all and hope to here from so many of you! if i dont get back to all of you i really am sorry! time runs fast here while i write my hours worth of emails! Pray daily and read your scriptures! it really does make all the difference!

 

Hasta Luego!

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - Week 2 in Peru!

July 7 2015

Hola Mi familia y mi amigas!!

I am now in the middle of my second week at the CCM (MTC in Spanish) and it has been one crazy ride!

I flew out Tuesday last week and it was a long, long day. I met up with quite a few missionaries at the SLC airport and we actually left about 30 min. later than we were supposed to. We got to the airport in Atlanta and had only a few min to hurry to our gate where they were already boarding, but we made it in time. I sat one seat away from Hna. Sandison (who ended up being my companion) and she spent about 3 hours talking to a baptist preacher about our church! it was an awesome thing to listen to. we got to Lima around 12:30 at night and the airport was bright and still full of people. it took a while to get all our stuff and get everything onto the three buses that were to take us to the CCM. we finally left the airport around 1:30 and arrived at the CCM around 2:30. we got a cute little notes on our doors from the sister leaders and they had made little nametag things for our doors too! there}s a picture below! my roommates and i go to bed around 3:45 in the morning and wakeup time was 7:30. our first day was all orientation and luckily they spoje to us in English. we got all our study materials and were able to get to know each other a little bit better. my companion, Hna. Sandison and i have been getting to know each other pretty well. it has been great! the second day here was an earlier morning with some more real classes. we got placed in our districts! my district leader is Elder Huskinson from Oklamhoma, his companion Elder Smartt, Elder Cloninger and Elder Sheanshang, Elder Prestwich and Elder Squire, Hrn.s Glunt and McRae and Thomas, and Hna.s Bryce and Richen are all a part of our district!

The third day, Friday, we got thrown into Spanish. our teachers spoke to us a lot in Spanish and would only speak to us in English if something was super important and we didnt understand. we also had to go to Interpol where we got the process started for our visas. we left early in the morning and were gone the entire monrning waiting in line to sign some papers and give our finger prints!

Saturday was the American Independence Day as you all know, and the Hna.s here at the CCM all wore red, white and blue! also the workers in the comedor (cafeteria) decorated with flags and streamers and they made us American food (hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, chicken wings, watermelon triangles, and apple pie with vanilla ice cream!) it was a really good day. However, that also ended up being the day that my entire district hit a wall. we were all struggling and we were so so tired! that night the CCM started our 24 fast that would continue into Sunday, and honestly i think the fast helped a whole ton!

Sunday was a wonderful, relaxing, spirit filled day! we got up a little earlier then usual and did personal study before church. Sacrament meeting was inspired. only 20 missionaries got to bear their testimonies, but those who did all had something wonderful to say. one of our zone leaders said "this work is straight happiness" and i couldnt have said it better. even with the bad days, i feel so happy! the spirit is so strong and i learn more and more everyday. not to mention we are so sheltered and protected!! it is an amazing feeling!

later in the day on Sunday, we had some little classes. during relief society, we talked about families and teaching specific people., not just lessons! we also had what we called Dress and Grooming class. we got informed about some specific difficulties and went over other rules to keep us safe and focused on the work. we also got to watch the Joseph Smith restoration video. us Hna.s decided that Emma and Joseph = best chick flick ever! I mean that is the closest we are going to get to one for the next 18 months! the message of that video hit me really hard this time around! if you get a chance, please watch that video. the restoration is real and this gospel is true! I know it! oh and seeing the SLC valley at the end of the video kind of made me a little homesick :) i really do miss you guys even if it doesnt seem like it!

monday was a good day also. we had class in the morning and lots of learning. Oh, Saturday my companion and i taught our first lesson in Spanish. it was really hard but we made it through. Hna. Sandison live din Ecuador when she was little for a year so shes is really good at picking up the lanugage again, so that helped a lot. But i really do think i am getting better. by the end of these 6 weeks, i think i might be prepared to gtet out and be forced to learn even more! its so exciting! on monday we taught our second lesson on dispensations and prophets. it was good. we got our fake investigator who is really our teacher Maestro Janampa to accept a book a mormon and agree to baptized if he prays and receives an answer that it is true! thats exciting, but i still felt like i could have done better. yesterday, tuesday was more Interpol. my district and i left the CCM at 7 yesterday morning, went and got our pictures taken, then went to the visa place. Interpol is terrible! so unorganized and long!! but the travel missionary there to help us was the SWEETEST GIRL EVER!!! she is 23 and she was lots of fun and so much help. they checked our teeth and took more finger prints and lots of other things.

we got back in the afternoon and had to go to ñlungh late. after lunch, we had Tall which is a language study thing online through BYU. its actually really helpful. i feel like i learn a lot and retain a lot from Tall. Last night we got to watch a devotional that Elder Russell M. Nelson gave inJanuary. my favorite part of the devotional was actually during his wifes talk which she gave about desperation. desperation draws us to Christ and helps us decide what is most important. it is one of our greatest ketys to success on our mission. i had never thought of it like that before and it was an awesome talk, very inspiring

after the devotional, my district decided to have our littel testimony meeting. it was an amazing meeting. i felt the spirit so strong! there were lots of tears, and it definitely brought our district closer together. oh, and during the devotional we sang More Holiness Give Me which is a great song but it has never been one of my favorites. it now is. i got teary eyed and the words really spoke to me. look up that song and you will understand. i felt the truth and desperate pleaads in that song hit me so close to home, it was crazy!

today, we got to go to the temple. the trip there was a little hectic because the drivers here are insane! in roundabouts no one cares about lines or anything, and cares get literally centimeters away from each other. its a sacry experience for sure! we got to the temple and it was a wonderful sight! the companion and i are there together in the other picture! (oh, i cant take pictures any day other that Pday so there arent v¿too many and i can only send on e per emai) we got tho go to the distribution center first, and it was nice. the best part, of course, was the temple. i felt the spirit there stronger than i have at any other temple. i am so grateful for temples and the blessings they bring. dont take temples for granted! and if you dont know a lot about LDS tempoles, looks it up!!

after the temple, we went to a little LDS stroe where we able to buy personalized Spanish scripture covers. i wanted some colol purpole ones were flower texture, but they wouldnt let me add personalized writing onto it because apparently it was too hard, so i picked some other ones, but they are still cool. once i get them back, i will take a pic and send it to you all!! we then went ot Totoos, which is like a Target here in Peru. I got some snack food i probably dont need since we get fed so well here at the CCM. I mean, the food is really good. especially the bread and the desserts, which is really unhealthy and super bad for me! Im trying to be good and healthy but...its hard!

anyway, the ride back to the CCM was even more crazy because we had to sueez all 18 of us onto and already almost full bus. when we are outside the CCM the Hna.s have to stay inbetween the elders, and we only had the zone leaders with us, so we had to stay together! it was crazy but fun!

Well, my roommates are so fun! Hna.s Glunt, McRae, and Thomas are a triop and they are silly laddies with wkionderful stories that i dont have enough time to tell you! and my companion Hna. Sansdison is so sweet. shes a convert of only one year, one month, and about 8 days. shes so spiritual!!

I really loved a few more quotes that i heard this week and i will share them now!

"run until you can ojnly walk, walk until you canonly crawl, crawl until you fall to your knees in prayer, then get up and run again"

"we are the greatest team playing for the lord"

"that lst push is where the m iracles happen"

"salvation is not a cheap experiance"

"sometimes you dont have the spirit; its ok, it just means it is a day of wrok"

"rice has been like the Hoover Dam!" fomr District LEader Huskinson!!

Well, that is all i have for today, i need to write more personal letters and send pics to my mom, so i love you all!! if i gave you a Book of Mormon, are you reading it!? please tell me you are be cause i know it is the true word of God. please write me! even if i dont get to you right away, i will get to you! Thank you all for being such great influences!! :)

oh, my testimony in Spanis...Yo sé que Jesucristo es el Salvador y so sé que la Iglesia de Jesucristodelos Santos de los últimas Dias es verdadero. En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen!! :)

ADIOS!!

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~