Baylee - November 28 2016

November 28 2016

Hola Mi familia y Mis Amiogos!

How was teh week for everyone! Happy Late Thanksgiving!!!! Here is what we did this week...

- Yesterday was Branch Conference here in Tambogrande and last week they asked me to help them put together a special muscial number. So Monday and Saturday evening, we met to put it together. We chose Nearer my God to Thee because it doesnt go crazy high and it was relartiely simple to learn quickly. It turned out ok. I tried to make it a little bit more interesting on the piano, I hope it was ok... LOL I have been stretching a ton lately to make my little bit of piano knowledge work for lots of situations!

- Tuesday evening we headed to Pirua to spend the night there beause Wednesday we had a conference with Elder Hugo Montoya of the Seventy!! Wow, what an amazing expereince!! His huge phrase of the day was "it isnt about you but about the children of God". He talked a lot about leaving behind our selfish desires, our sins, our doubts, our disobedience, etc in order to come unto Chirst and better invtied others to do the same. The whole idea of forget yourself and go to work! It was awesome! And It was great to see so many of my good friends! I directed the choir, and it turned out amazing! It just filled the room with the Spirit! :) 

- This week, I was able to visit oe of our investigators named Alex. It was just me and a member because we went on dvisions. This investigator is amazing! It was only the second lesson and I asked him if he had prayed and asked God. He replied yes and began to recount his experience. He knows it is true! And every lesson since he has been prayiong and asking more and he keeps receiving an even stronger answer. He is inspiring! Please pray for him :)

- Today we wnt to Piura around 8:45 and visited with Presidente Rasmussen. We were also able to sing christmas carols with hioom and Hn.a Rasmussen!! So much fun! Than we came bak to Tambogrande where we ate delicious food, a TON, and wartched how to Train you Dragon in our Pensionistas house :) Good times!

Well, that was my week :) So much stuff, not enough time! Be good this week, love your neighbor :) This week begins Ilumina el Mundo,m the Christmas theme, invite each of you to look it up and do the progreçam of service everyday in December! It is an amazing way to bring us closer to Christ! :)
Love you all jhasta la proxima semana! 

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - First week in a TRIO!!

November 21 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!! :)

¿qué tal la semana? Espero que estén todo bien! My week was a good one, a new expereince doing everything in THREES! Here is what happened...

- This week we have done Divissions a lot more 

frequently because now we just need one member and we can make two companionships! So Tuesday, we went on Divisions. And we found five new investigators!! Each one of them is very unique and each one wants to knw judst a litte bit more about the truth of this Gospel. Then Saturday we also went on Divisions and 5 other new investiators! It has been amazing to see such miracles as we work with members and do double! Our desire to work is always elevated as we see all the miralces that happen through hard wor and great faith.

- Tuesday and Saturday, we also put into pla y a new tool to receive references from members. It is a long list of specific questions to ask, things like if they know someone who received missionary lessons before but was never baptizsed or if they know somene that would be a wonderful member of the church. We used it with the f. Valverde Lopez and also the F. Dominguez Crisanto. We now have like 15 references!! We are working to be more creative in our search, and the results are coming! :) And now we have two new progressing investigatrs from these references.

- WEdnesda was visited a recent convert, Hno. Moises, and our lesson was on the amazing conference talk What Lack I Yet? I love thast talk!! And Hno. Moises erally understood. I inite each of you to ask that question regularly. I know I have talked about this talk before, but it is so true we need to be constantly improving!! :)

- Thursday was our first District meeting and we are awesome! LOL we are all the same with just two more, Hna. Ramos in our trio and Elder Norman in a trio with the secretaries. I am really glad to be a District with such a desire to work hard and help our investigators, recent converts, and less actives!

- Thursday we also visited a very interesting investigator named Gladys...well, we thught she was awesome, but this lesson she begane asking questions about extra terrestrials, saying we are all some big experiment...sSo we are not really sure what she is looking for LOL!

- Our progressing investigator Hno. Jordi, is still awesome. This week we talked about chastity , the word of wisdom, and following the prophet. He is working hard to apply everything. We are praying hard for him, please pray for him as well!!

- sFriday we found a less active named Noemi. She has been inactive for many years, but she told 

us that about two weeeks ago ashe had wanted to go to church, but her little borther passed away. In these moments, she is ready to hear the truth once again. The lesson was so very spiritual! And then  Sunday I went with a member to pick her up and go to church together. She was one of the first there and she loved every minute. We overheaerd her promise the Eklders that she will be at church every Sunday! :)

- Saturday morning we headed to Piura to practice a choir number for when  Elder Montoya of the Seventy comes this Wednesday! Wow, amazing opportunities in the mission....conferences with Elder Bednar, Elder Godoy, and now Elder Montoya! And wow that choir we put together is amazing! I unknowingly was thrown in to direct with Hna. Parks at the piano. We are singing tjhe same medley from our last multi zona. We decided to spice it up a bit and put in a harmony part. My question first off was, who knows how to read music? LOL and three Elders raised their hands. So we had them come over to learn to part and one of the Elders, one who has now a week here in the field, dropped down to the super low bass note and blew us all out of the water LOL So we put it together and it sounds amazing!! I am super excited for Wednesday even though I am also very nerv ous to diredct because so much depends on me....

- Church yesterday went really well! I loved to talks focused on Obedience, Faith and Tithing! Something much needed here. Alwso the whole Sunday went well because us three, our wonderful trio, we were able to talk more with one another and I really love those two so very much! Sadly, I dont have photos once again...I am so sorry. Hna. Ramos is from Lima, as well, and she is super spunky. Just kinda of spontaneous and that is very different for me. She likes to have fun, buit she is also used to taking things slow and relazed a little bit of my opposite! LOL maybe it will be good for me :)

- Today, it was awesome! We went to Hna. Angela y Israel´s house with the Elders and we did BARBEQUE! Anticuchos (or cow heart!), sausage, and chicken. SO DELICIOUS! We also had fire baked potatoes, yams, and platanos along with corn on the cob! All with a waucatay sauce and of course ice cream for dessert! And we ate it all aws we watched BRAVE! :) I love that movie! It was a wonderful day :)

Well, thats my week! It is such a privilege to be here :) Les invito que sigan adelante, cada momento siempre! Sean fieles, busquen lo bueno en cada experiencia. La vida no es fácil pero con Cristo, es posible!! :) Les amo! Hasta la próxima semana!

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - Transfers!!

November 14 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos! :)

¿Cómo están? Todo bien? Espero que sí! Another week gone by, and here is what happened down here in Perú!...

- Monday evening, we went to an FHE with a family of investigators in the Elders area and a bunch of the Branch members. Wow, it was a powerful message! The lesson was on familys and how to be a better famliy, closer to God. We watched an old video about the responsibilities of the family and needed principles such as faith and family prayer. Afterwards, we sang Families Can Be Together Forever, and I got choked up! Wow, I love my family! I am very grateful for being raised in the true Church and for having a family who loves me, supports me, and teaches me! After the lesson, of course we had to play some games! :) We ended playing some simple rounds of hot potato and it was hilarious! Hna. Fernandez lost! and her punishment was to go to the door and scream to the neighbors that her pig had died! :) LOL

- Tuesday morning we joined the Elders en a service project at a less actives house. We painted a room! LOL and ofcourse we left super dirty, laughing the whole time! A little truth we discussed duringthe project was that truly a clean house brings the Spirit. Sadly, this sisters house was crazy disorganized...and for that reason, it was a little creepy and one just didnt feel good. For that reason, us missionaries we singing Hymns one after another the whole time! :)

- Tuesday, we found a new investigator with really wonderful questions, the kind that make a missionary just smile :) She asked about infant baptism mainly. We were able to pull out Moroni 8 and help her understand, she really got it, and she wants to know more. She knows the Relief Society president, so she is going be a great help!

- That same day we found two other investigators and the lessonwas simple and very genuine! We were relaxed enough to laugh and the Spirit was able to touch their heart! I love when we see people experience the Spirit!

- Wednesday afternoon, we visited for the first time with a less actve named Brenda. She used to bbe the missionaries Pensionista, but when the Elders changed PEnionsita, she stopped going to church. I think she got offended... but as we visitd with her this week, she was very open. Her comment was "I think it is time for me to retake these things". She is ready to come back, and Hna. Fernandez and I are excited to teach her!

- Thursday we had our last District meeting and it was a good one. We focused in on how to help the members do their home and visiting teaching. The 8 of us put our heads together and made a plan that includes first a training, weekly reports, demonstrations, and a prize at the end if they reach their goal. I am excited to put it into practice! Another theme we discussed was how to better use Family History to find new investigators. That has been a huge focus lately here in the mission. The whole goal is the get others to feel the desire to know MORE!

- Thursday was also a day of miracles in the afternoon! Hno. Juan and Hna. Luz accompanied us from 4:30 until 8:30, and we taaught many people. We taught one of our progressing investigators, a 17 year olf youth named Jordi. He is reading the Book of Mormon and understanding what he reads, and also he is super excited to work towards his baptismal date on Dec. 3rd! We also tracked down the husband of one of our contacts, and the lesson with him seemed to just fill each person with the Spirit. Hna. Luz commented that she just KNOWS that he will be a member one day. His schedule is difficult, but we are going to work with it. Another little miralce that day was that we were able to teach another one of ourinvestigators, Hno. Miguel. It wwas a miralce because it was in the middle of the soccer game between Perú and Paraguay! LOL normally nobady lets us in if Perú is playing, but Miguel´s comment was, God before sports! WHAT?? that is the first Peruvian man who I have ever heard say that! And the lesson was gret,too! We taught about teh Restoration and he was left in awe. He straight up said, I am confused. Hna. Luz and Hno. Juan were able to testify and invite him to pray in order to know. Wow, basically tons of awesome moments! ::)

- friday evening we had a Branch activity. Festival del Gusto! I made No-Bake Cookies :) And there were quite a few other plates to enjoy :) and we had quite a few inestigatos present, as well!

- Saturday, we made a cake! I finally received my packag for Mom and in it we found a funfetti cake with chocolate frosting, so we went to our Pensionistas house with the Elders and baked! And so we had lunch and a delicious dessert! Wow...I didnt realize just how sweet and sugary the sweets are in the States!! M;y mouth was in shock...:) 

- Saturday afternoon was another beautiful baptism of a 17 year old girl, Alexandra! She is amazing! :) and there we were able to hear from our investigator, Lourdez, that she also wants to be baptized! :) WOO HOO!!

- Cambios! So we learned that Hna. Fernandez and I are staying together, but that also another sister would come and we would be in a trio...!! What?!? There isn room for three people in ourlittle room! So we talked with the Assistants at the Family History training, and they told us they would work it out. Sunday evenign around 9:30, Our zone leaders called and informed me that...I would instead be going to tacala...and that I had to be at the office at 8AM, not being able to say goodbye to anyone....oh my goodness...how I cried....Hna. Fernandez, Hna. Juli too....Presidente Valverda, Hna. Luz, Hna. Katy, and Hno. Manuel our Branch mission leader came to say goodbye there at the room...It was so sad...Then at 10:20, almost time to close oursleves in, Hno. Manuel convinced me to call and ask Presidente, to see if I needed to go or if Hna. Juli could help us make room and I could stay...And Presidente told me he alsways wanted me to stay in Tambogrande, but the space iwas the issue. So Hna. Juli and her family commited to help us. We took about three hours then and there to move u the desks and the wardrobe into the room next door in order to put another bed inside the room! So I am staying in Tambo grande in a trio!!!! Hna. Fernandez, Hna. ramos, and Hna. Buchanan!!! :) WOO HOO :) 

So that was my week! Love you all!! :) Be good!

--

<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - November 7 2016

November 7 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!!

There went another week! Hoepfully it was a good one for each of you! Here is what happened here...

- This week was basically all about helping the Elders here in Tambogrande LOL they had a couple get married, have a wedding party, and get baptized! And they solicited our help! 

     So Wednesday Hna. Fernandez and I pitched in and bought the sister, Hna. Maria, flowers and also fabric to in order for the Relief Society to president to make a simple wedding dress. 

     Thursday, We got up a little early and got ready fast in order to be to the couples house at 7:30AM. I did Hna. Maria´s hair and makeup! Can you say Make Over?! :) It was way fun and we worked to make it special and sent Hno. Benjamin with the Elder early so they couldnt see one another. Of course, they have three kids already, but still it made it a little more magical. Then came the massive weddings that the court house does here. It seems to be a normal thing here in Perú. There were 100 couples getting married! It was neat, they did a toast with soda, danced a little, said I DO and kissed, then each couple was called forward to sign the papers. Then it was a}official!! 

     Friday, Hna. Fernandez and I went on Divisions in order to keep helping as well as do some work in our own area. Hna. Fernandez chose to go out an proselyte, so I stayed with Hna. Juli, the Elders, and our  ward mission leader Hno. Manuel to clean and decorate teh third floor room in the capilla for the wedding party! It turned out beautiful even though it took so much time! 

     Saturday was the best and most special day of all...their baptism! We all traveled in the back of a truck, more than 20 people, up to Los Peroles. They entered the water, first Hno. Benjamin and then Hna. Maria. It was an amazing experience! I can just imagine them with their three little kids dressed in white in the temple! Also, two of our investigators were able to attend the baptismal service, and both of them were greatly touched by the experience! It was so powerful and the Spirit was so strong! :) 

     Sunday, their confirmations! They showed up a little late, and just like with Hno. Renzo, we had to wait a little while. But they were just glowing and the Branch accpeted them so quickly! Amazing! :) and that rounds up their experience of the week!

- Saturday, we also had a Zone meeting in the morning. The topics were seminary/institute, and Family History, and how to better use these tools as missionaries! It was amazing to realize tht family history work and missionary work are the same thing! Every name sent to the temple is a baptism just as one that we complete here! I love knowing that my family is eternal, and we all need to help others make their families eternal, as well!! Share it! :)

- Today, Hna. Fernandez and I made pancakes in the morning and cleaned our room, then we came here to Piura to go to the mall and supermarket, and now we are here at the internet. a good chill day! :)

So that was my week :) A pretty good one! Les amo mucho!! Cuídense! Hasta la próxima semana!! 

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Baylee - HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

October 31 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!

How was your week?? Hopefully awesome! Sorry I have such a short amount of time, so much to do! But here is what happened here...

- We are focusing a ton on the Sabbath Day this week with every single one of our investigators because that has been the biggest struggle lately...attendance at church. Go to church! 

- Thursday we had the second Sisters Training ever here in the Peru Piura mission! It was an amazing experience! The theme was all about Eve and the two trees! Hna. Rasmussen just had an amazing inspired wow comment...women are given the role of the tree of the knowledge between good and evil, choice, and the men are given the role of saving ordinances, the tree of life! One cannot make it without the other, and all works through the two roles! Wow! Here are a few awesome pics! :)

- Thrusday evening, we had a Noche Misional bonfire! It was so fun! LOL it took a bit for us to figure out how to get the fire going and stay going, but it was a t}good time. We had two invesatigators there, as well! LOL Sorry, I dont have the photos to pass along just yet...We ate smores, hotdogs, and fire baked platanos! Delicious! Except I woke up a little sick in the morning...

- Our recent convert, Hno. Renzo, is passing through so super rough issues right now...Please pray for him, that is all aI can ask!

- We found an awesome new ivestigator yesterday! His name is Georgi and he is youth who went to the bonfire with a friend Thursday and wnats to know more. We arrived at his house, and guess what! It is a house fulll of Priesthood!! The mom, the dad, and SEVEN SONS!!! with one more on teh way!! LOL It was such a fun and silly lesson with that family! And Georgi is super prepared, he has asccepted a basptismal date and really wants to change his life. Of all his family, he is the most centered. Pray for him too, pretty please! :)

- Today... Happy Halloween!! I am dressed with Halloween colors! Today we had a zone activity in the which we went to a recreational park here and played soccer and ate together as a zone! It was way fun! Hna. Fernandez and I had also bought a little pumpkin! and some bags of (peruvian) Halloween candy to share with the zone! LOL We played Hermanas vs. Elders! And well, I bet you can guess who won...we will just say that I may have kicked a goal...into the wrong arch...!!! LOL But it was still fun! :)

Well, that was my week! :) A good one! Les amo y les deseo una semana fantástica! Sigan adelante, sean fieles! :) Hasta la próxima semana!! :)

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<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~