Baylee - First week of training...check!

August 29 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos! :)

How was the week? Hopefully wonderful. My week was really great, too. Here is what went down...

- Monday night,Hna. Parks and I worked in her area in Tacalá since it wouldnt have made much sense for me to head back to Tambogrande then return Tuesday monring to go meet mi HIJA! LOL so we were able to go to a cute little FHE with a rescued family made up of many ladies and kids. They are just the cutest! After a short lesson on repentance, we played Hot Potato and then Fruit Basket and laughed our heads off. They are so loving and it was awonderful night. From there, we returned to the room to do our prep for the next day, the big reveal, our HIJAS!!

- tuesday was the big day!! To say the least, I was nervous. I knew there was only two options, but I was just super shaking nervous to see who it would be. Presidente announced it very simply and informally, basically a little family sit down with such small numbers, me and Hna. Parks, the Assistants, and Hna. Kelley and Hna. Fernandez, the newbies. And my HIJA is........ HNA. FERNANDEZ!!! We were so excited! And guess what! That same say was her 22nd birthday! Presidente and Hna. Rasmussen sent the secretaries to buy a cake and we surprised her after lunch by singing and bringing out the cake. Hna. Fernandez cried she was so happily surprised, thinkning that no one knew. We then headed back to Tambogrande, me with the package Mom sent me! Hna. Fernandez was pretty amazed at the open spaces since she is from Lima! That first day, we got right o planning and I helped answer the questions she had. In the evening, we taught one lesson to some contacts and then I secretly took her to Presidente Valverdes house. I had sent messages to Elder P¨lata and Elder Pareja to plan a little surprise bday thing for her there too. It turned out really well and once again the sweet girl cried. We visited and it was a beautiful little evening. 

- After the get together Tuesday night, we had to rush to teach Hno. Renzo who is progressing super well. He is now preparing for a baptismal date and Hno. Moises, the YM president is helping a ton!

- Wednesday evening we went and visited Hno. Moises LOL since he is also still one of our recent converts. Every sincgle lesson that we teach him is super spiritual. We talked about sharing the gospel and serving others. I truly know ust how important those things are now. I invite eachand every one of you to look for an opportunity to share the Gospel with your nieghbors, friends, family. EVERYONE! It will change your life, this I promise!

- Thursday morning we were finall able to track down one of our investigators, Hno. Carlos. He is hesitant, but he feels the spirit. We were able to clarify his questions about the Book of Mormon and I felt the spirit there with him. Hopefully he will begin to recognize more and more that wonderful spirit!

- Friday morning we had this transfers first District meeting. Our district is now made up of us four from Tambogrande, the secretaries, and the sister leaders. LOL quite the District, no? It was actually a really cool meeting because we talked of how we can begin to baptize every week as a District. A huge goal, but totally possible! We made a District plan and we are working with real goals to accomplish this. Afterwards, I was put in charge of English classes and we ended up playing charades with new action words. It was silly, at least everybody laughed if they didnt actually learn anything...:)

- Friday night, are searching every day this week, we tracked down Hna. Cynthia, our miracle investigator from last week. Wow she is still amazing! Even though she hasnt been able to attend church yet, the spirit is so strong, she has read the Book of Mormon and prayed, believing she received her answer, she found miralce inspiring verses in the BoM. Wow she is awesome! I am so excited to help her move along this path!

- Saturday came Hna. Fernandez´s first weekly plannign. It took a super long time!! We had to read through every step and make sure she understood,but it was all worth it. She has such wonderful new ideas too! Woo Hoo!!

- We saw a really awesome miracle yesterday. Lat week I mentioned that there was an awesome investigator that just showed up at church. Well, out appointment with him Saturday fell through so we were all bummed out, but then he showed up to church once again, all by himself! After church in the afternoon,we were finally able to sit down and teach him for the first time accompanied by a member friend of his. Wow that was a super powerful lesson! It was very personal for him and it was amazing to hear him explain how he feels as he has attended church these past two weeks. He is super prepared and right away accepted baptism, saying he wants to be a part of all this and feel and have the peace that we all feel, the family feeling. I was left a little in shock, Hna. fernandex also! We are super excited for him!! :)

- Another investigator, Hna. Azucena is also up there on our list. She is facing so many trials right now, but she really wants to learn and apply this gospel in her life. We visited with her yesterday. It is amazing just how much love one can feel for these individuals as the y express their feelings and their needs. Truly amazing! 

- Well, today was awesome and different! And made me think a lt about home, so good and bad LOL. We went to a countryside place with little itty bitty lakes to go fishing!! It was so beuatiful and open and very mountainy like Pinedale! I caught a fish, a itty bitty one, but still!! :) We went with Hna. Juli, the elders, and Hno. Manuel, our branch mission leader. Afterwards we came back (we trraveled there and back witht eh 6 of us in a moto!!). and we bought the ingredients in the mercado to make pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, fruit salad, and homemade syrup!! I felt very at home today! :) It was a nice day :) 

Well, that was my week. A little bit more about Hna. Fernandez... she is from Lima, Villa Maria, she is also the second in her family. She loves Korean culture, just like Hna. Sucari. She hates peanut butter!! (LOL I tried to give her some and her face was just hysterical!) She straight up told me that she wants to be super obedient and it shows. Also, she is super persistent! She keeps going, especially whenit is hard. She is learning super fast and giving it her all!!

Well, that is just about it. I love you all so much!! Be good, please!! :) Hasta la próxima semana! 

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - IT´S A GIRL!!!! :D

August 22 2016

Hola mi Familia y Mis Amigos!!

Hopefully this week went well for everyone, my week flew by!! Here is what happened...

- We have found various new people this week who are ready to hear this great meassge! Monica, a mom who is passsing through some problems with her son. Cynthia, a mom that just separated from her husband. Billy and Karla, a couple which has a ton of questions! and Jairo, a YSA aged guy who has read a lot of things and listened before and now has many questions. Hna. Sucari and I have seen quite a few mini miracles this week as we worked to make week6 a week1! 

- Wednesday we had our last District meeting of the transfer. It was a really neat meeting as Elder Plata talked to us about having better unity as a companionship and teaching together so that the people truly understand. After discussin a bit, we did pratices. First the Elders from Chulucanas taught the Elders from here in Tambogrande, then the Hna.s from Chulucanas taught Hna. Sucari and I (nose goes!). Wow, the difference between the way to Elders teach and the way the sisters teach is crazy!! Hna. Sepulveda and Hna. Collazos brought the spirit in like seconds and, even in a pracitce setting, I felt the tug on my heart testifying of the truth. It was  really good meeitng!

- Thursday, the members here in Tambogrande went on a road trip to Trujillo to go to the temple! I was super jealous!! LOL Hna. Katy, the YW president, brought Hna. Sucari and I keychains with pictures of the temple, and that was the best we are going to get, for now. 

- Friday, Hna. Sucari and I did divisions with Hna. Juli and Hna. Angela. I went with Hna. Juli and we were able to visit with a less active member, Hna. Lindaura, and her also less active 12 year old son, Hno. Julio. They are really sweet people. We talked about prayer and reading the scriptues, two super fundamental pieces of the Gospel. I invite each of you to do those two things daily. That is where the power comes, thats when we are strengthened! 

- From there, Hna. Juli and I visited with our new investigator Hno. Jairo. Wow, his questins make my head spin sometimes! After I while, I focused in on faith and feeling the Spirit, denying his demands for answers, and asking him straight up if he had prayer. He admitted that he hadnt. He recognized his error anommitted to prayer now and ask, with real intent. That is the most importnant part!

- Saturday mornign we saw another miracle. Our appointments fell through, so we went knocking on doors. The very first door we knocked on opened and the mom there left us in, setting aside her cooking to listen. She told us of a great struggle she is facing as she is separating from her unfaithful hsusband. She cried adn told us she felt alone and hopeless. The Spirit prompted me to share Alma 7:11-13 about the Atonement of Christ. Wow, that touched her heart and we were able to testify that she is not alone, we are not alone. Jesus suffered for each and everyone of us and we will never be alone. All we need to do is Come Unto Christ! 

- Saturday evening we went to the Branch presidents house for correlation, dinner, and the receive CAMBIOS! Guess what...... I AM GOING TO ME A MOM!!!! I GET TO TRAIN!!! :D:D:D:D:D How exciting is that?! Tomorrow I will find out who she is. There are only two new sisters coming, not even one elder. this is going to be an awesome, terrifying, thrilling, strengthening, learning expereience, that is for sure!! 

- We had a little miracle yesterday at church! This week we have talked with a ton f people, as always, but yesterday a young guy walked into the meeting, all alone, in street clothes marking him as an investigator. Since I was behind the piano, and motioned for Elder Plata to go sit by the stranger. I thought I recognized him, and turns out that he was a contact we´d made duiring the week! All we had done was knock on his door, present the Book of Mormon, and leave one with him. Then Sunday he came to church and had read some of the Book of Mormon, with many questions in tow. He enjoyed the classes and the YSA welcomed him in. Truly it was a miracle to see someone so very prepared for this message, so ready to act! :D

- Today, I am spending the day with Hna. Parks, th other sister ho will be training. I am here in her area. She was our sister leader before, and I just recently came here for intercambios, so I feel like I came back to a familiar place! :) We went and ate at Chili´s with the Tacalá district and our plans for the rest of the day are sleep!!! :) LOL I am so tired from getting Hna. Sucari all packed, cleaning and re cleaning the room, prepping stuff for my hija, making recuerdos....Wow sleep will be amazing! :)

Well, thats my week! It was a fast one, and next week I will have to tell you all about my new hija!! 😁 Hasta la próxima semana!  

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - August 15 2016

August 15 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!!

How was the week? I hope all was well as the summer winds down! Here is what happened in my week...

- Tuesday morning we were able to visit with an ld investigator from about a year and a haldf ago named Renzo. He is 16 and so awesome! He had a baptismal date but there was some confusion and the missionaries just kindof lost communication with him. We have now once again became the lessons and he has a real desire. I am so very excited to help him as he begins the steps along this path. 

- Wednesday we had a District meeting that really opened my eyes to a lot of things I need to improve on. We talked about the patterned curve that seems to occur every transfer and the need for more faith, more diligence, and better attitudes in the work. It is sooo true that we need to amp our efforts and give it more every day. The Lord gaveus all, now it is our time to give Him all that we can. Moroni 9:6. 

- Well, Thursday morning was crazy!! We woke to find a bit of well a flea infestation in our kitchen! We spent the morning taking everything out, washing like five times, finally lighting torches and smoking out the room with the help of the hermanos that own the house and then we attacked in with Raid. Wow that was a crazy, gross esperience! Now all is well, but wow that was just...wow!! 

- That smae Thursday morning, we were able to go teach a recent convert, Hno. Eler. Our lesson was on Family History work! And then yesterday evening, I was able to help one of the YSA in our Branch find and reserve and print off family names to take to the temple. This week has been a week of Family Search. I am so very grateful that I was able to leran how to work FamilySeach and that now I can helpso many people here. That work is soooo important!! I invite each and every one of you to look up your familys, find the info. It so good to be informed and to be able to help those who have passed on!! :)

- Thusrday evening we had an FHE in the same house where we live upstairs, for Hna. Juli. It was really short sweet and simple, and afterwards we enjoyed little sandwiches with chicha morada and lots of laughing LOL good times! :)

-  Friday we had a Zone Meeting that they didnt tell us about until th night before LOL. But ya it was really good, we talked about making plans and putting our faith in the Lord. I love getting the new ideas from so many other truly inspired missionaries. After the meeting, we began intercvambios with the sister leaders and I went with Hna. Parks to Tacalá. We had an awesome time, speaking way too much English LOL I learned better ways of iviting people to make commitments, thathas been a bit of a trial from me because I am not super confident, but Hna. Parks showed some awesome examples. We also went to their wards Noche Misional where we played Volleyball in our skirts, laughed with the Elders, and Hna. Parks almost served the ball right into my face! LOL After that we bought hamburgers and I fried some platanos and introduced Hna. Parks to burgers con platanos fritos!

- Saturday we got up early and went and played soccer with the Elders. Super fun! Then ewe headed back to Tambogrande. All day Saturday we were accompanied by Hna. Carmen, an 18 year old recent convert who has the strongest testimony I have ever seen! She is like my sisters, that sweet girl! And she has a huge desire to serve a mission as well!! There are three other YSA guys that are also on the track for a mission, so in the next year Tambogrande could easily have 4 missionaries out!! :):):)

- Sunday was a good day. The meetings were good, and what was even better was that Hno. Juan,the YSA leader, accompanied to go visit our YDA investigator Azucena, she is super interested and accepted a baptismla date!! :) So Hna. Sucari and I are super excited! Then came more piano lessons in the which I have had to take steps backward and focus more on teaching how to read music before we get to the piano. It has been areal adventure! 

- Today, we went to our Pensionista house and cooked hamburgers with fried eggs, platanos fritos, tomatoes, cucumber, a delicious sauce called wuakatay, ricoto, mayo, and ketchup, and french fries on top. Wow, huge!!! And the four of us ate two each....I literally might explode... and We watched Madagascar 1 and 3 LOL so fun!! :) In the evening tonight we are going to throw a little party for our ward imission leaders Bday! :) It is going to be great! :)

Well, that was my week! Hope all is well with you all! Les amo mucho!! :) Hasta la próxima semana!

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - August 8 2016

August 8, 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!

How are you all this week? Sorry for the awkwardly cut email last week, crazy timing issues LOL Here is what happened this week...

- Tuesday we had a final practice session for our special musical number for the Multi Zone Conference. We were doing well and then for some reason we decided to try as high note at the end, the F. LOL well none of us have been practicing singing for wuite smoe time and it was the funnniest mostt pathetic sounding thing ever! LOL Prove that singing require practice!! Thursday we presented the numbers and they turned out reallly beautiful! Especially This is the Christ! :)

- Tuesday we had a real direct lessooon with one of our Investigators, Hna. Saira. We had tto talk about Chastity because she isnt married to her husband...Hna. Sucari and I were nervous, but it went really well! The Relief Society president, Hna. Angela accompanied us and bore a beautiful testimony of the blessings of a family tied together through the Gospel. I am so grateful for parents who have raised me right and I am grateful to have been blessed with a family in the Gospel!

- Wednesday evening we had to travel to Piura and we stayed with the Sister Leaders so that we could be at the MultiZone Conference on time Thursday. The Multi Zone was AWESOME! All about the Book of Mormon, how we can better ¿use it to find new people. LOL we played scripture chase and I made it to the top ten! I won a cute little tin mug that looks like the kind with which one asks for money filled with candy! One of the best lessons that I got from the meeting was something that Presidente Rasmussen said. We are the only church that presents a book and says "read it to know if we are telling the truth". It is amazing how we know without a doubt that these things we teach are true, but we dont force anyone; we just invite them to read and pry and find the truth themselves! Wow!!

- Friday was super awesome! We went with Hna. Flora (the owner of the house we live in), her daughter and member Hna. Juli and their family out to their fruit fields!! We left early and traveled in the bed of their truck for anout 45 minutes to get out the countryside, passing tons of fields of mangos, platanos, rice, guabana, papaya, limes, etc. Very Tambogrande! We spent the morning picking limes, using a long stick with a wire hook tied to the end to pull down the fruit. We also ate a Peruvian picnic before coming back to town! Super awesome!! :) and Very beautiful!!

- Saturday we were finally able to track down Hno. Eler, a recent convert who has been MIA for a while due to his work. LOL we asked him if he had questions on what he has been reading in the Book of Mormon and he literally pulled out a sheet of paper with a list of questions scribbled out and thats what we talked about the whole time! It was surprising but it made us happy because tht means he really did read! LOL

- Sunday was a beautiful fast and testimony meeting! The members here in Tambogrande almost all do a real testimony, no stories,  scriptures, songs, etc. I was wonderful! I really felt the Spirit as the members testified of their Savior, this Gospel, and the wonderful blessings they have received. 

- Today, Hna. Sucari and I had a wonderfully chill Pday in the which napped, cleaned the room, read, ate something simple, and now we are writing home. It was a good day!

Well, thats my week! I wish you all the very best of semanas! Les amo mucho!!! :) Hasta la próxima semana!!

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - Its AUGUST?!?!

August 2 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!

Hopefully all is well back home! Here is what my week looked like...

- Tuesday eveing we taught a les active who is so ready and really has the desire to return to church. Hs name is Carlos. His mom has diabetes and the doctors recenty ad ot cut off four of her toes...So tey are struggling rigt now to make te payments and Carlos has been prepared to receive our lesssons right now. He said the closing prayer, is first prayer out loud ever, and prayed that all the les actives in Tambogrande would return to the church eoecially imself!! That was pretty cool!

- After that, in the say evening, A member named Hno. Herny accompanied us to go visit Hna. Amparo. She is so prepared as well, but she has yet to recognize it. We also had  lesson with her on Saturday and we alswas feel the Spirit so so strong with her!! Please pray or her that she can feel the Spirit and recgnize the beautiful blessings se receives!!

- District meeting Tuesday.

- And A big party Saturday for Hna. Juli{s bday and eating wayyyyyyy too much Friday for the Independence day of Peru! LOL!!

Sooooo sorry that it is so short and off, but there have been wayyy to many issues today and we are with the hour and I have to go..... Love you all soooo much! Be good!

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~