Baylee - January 18 2016

January 18 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!!

¿Cómo están esta semana? Espero que todo está bien!! LOL I Hope you are all enjoying the cool weather...it just keeps getting hotter and hotter down here! Well, here is what happened this week...

- Monday night we had an FHE in the house of the f. Aguilar, the Branch President and his fam. We brought our awesome investigator Hno. Miguel. I am very grateful for returned missionaries that understand the importance of being friends with investigators and new members. The Presidents son, Ricy, served a mission in Chile, and he gets it, and it works out perfectly that he is just about the same age as Hno. Miguel! Please remember that, everyone! It is extremely important to develop friendships with and include those peple who are new and investigating the church. We are the Lords hands! What would Jesus do??

- Tuesday and WEdnesday this week was something called PARO. That is basically a protest or strike. Hardly anyone went to work those days, and there were men up the road between Talara Alta and Talara Baja, stopping all traffic and not letting anyone past. I guess the big oil company here has been bringing in workers from other places in Perú and even a¿other countries, and not hiring people from here in Talara. So the people made a stand. LOL it was so weird because the streets were almost deserted! That like never happesn! And what was a little nerveracking was that all the women had stayed indoors, and only men were out in the streets, for the most part. We still worked and preached the Gospel like normal, but it was definitely an interesting day! Almost as interesting asChristmas Day or New Years Day! 

- Wednesday night, we had another lesson with one of our recent converts, Hno. Johny. He has been reading a whole lot in the Book of Mormon and he had some questions for us. One in particular was really intersting. He read Mosiah 5:13, which includes a questions for all of us! It talks about the difficulty of loving one who we have not served. Bascially, if we dont serve God, we cannot know hHim! Johny wanted to know how he could better develop his relationship with God, to know im better. We talked about service, and utilizing the Atonement, and prayer. I invite all of you to do these things, serve others, use the Atonement, and pray EVERYDAY! These are ways that we can truly come to know God! 

- Thusrday Presidente and Hna. Rasmussen came up here to Talara because we had interviews! I love interviews, it is an opportunity to talk to Presidente one on one and express it all. Also, chatting with Hna. Rasmssen is fantastic! My mom away from my real mom, as good as it gets here in good ol Perú. It was a good day! Kind of crazy thought because Presidente was running behind schedule, so we ended having our interviews almost an hour late! We finally left the capilla around 2:45 to head for lunch at our Pensionistas! Oh, and That same day, I got a package from Grandma B., a letter from my aunt Stacey, and a few letters and Christmas ornaments from the Pinedale seminary class! REceiving things in the mail really just lights up the whole week! Thanks everyone! :)

- Friday, Hna. Mamani and I hace weekly planning, but recently we cant open our window because people put their trash our in the trash bin in the middle of the day, in the heat, and the flies are terrible! LOL So guess what we did...we planned for the week sitting on the floor by our beds with our fan! LOL It was a party! :)

- Friday night was real fun! We had a mission night activity of improv!! :) LOL We invited everybody, and tons of people showed, none of them knowing what to expect! Then we split eeryone into three groups and told them to choose a Book of Mormon story to act out. It was a hoot!! We laughed so much! My group acted out the part where Laman and Lemuel are beating upp Nephi because they dont want him to be there leader, then an angel comes and saves him. It was so silly because our Pensionista, Hna. Elli, and her sister were Laman and Lemuel!! :) Good times!

- Saturday, we were finally able to visit with Hna. Carmen again. She is recovering from her surgery, and all is going well. She still has a hard time walking, and cant eat hardly anything, but she is doing so well. And what is even more fantastic is that she knows it is all true. She attributes her still being here as a call from God, a huge reason to be baptized and serve the Lord. Once she gets all healed up, she plans to be baptized! :)

- Saturday we also visited with Hno. Miguel and went over the baptismal questions, to get him prepped for his interview Tuesday! He is so very ready! He KNOWS! and he came to church yesterday, so he has his three attendances, and tomorrow is his interview and we are going to visit with him everyday this week, and Saturday is his baptism!! :) I could not be more excited for him! It has taken him 2 years, but he is finallyready. He is so happy too, The light that shines from his eyes is such atestament to me of the truthfulness of this Gospel. Only something completely and utterly true could make someone as happy as this Gospel has made Hno. Miguel! 

- Today, Hna. Mamani and I had a chill day. We went and took some pictures of places that I want to remember here in Talara, went and looked at our mini-Catacaos which is like a souvenir place, bought some food for the week. Then we got to go and eat lunch with the F. Panta Sosa...they are some of my favorites! Cesar, Lilana, Samir, Emerson, Anais, and Nataly! LOL and todays meal was absolutely delicious!! Hna. Liliana made us Ceviche de Pota! LOL it is kind of silly becuase as missionaries, we arent allowed to eat real Ceviche, which is crude fish prepared with lime juice, and nothing more, not cooked, lime juice and onions. ut we can eat Ceviche de Pota becuase the fish is boiled first. And gues what...I LOVE CEVICHE DE POTA! LOL one of my new favorite foods!! And the company was all the more memorable! 

Well, this just might be my last week in Talara...Cambios are this coming week, and after  months here in Talara, everyone is expecting me to move on to my next area. That is such a weird thought for me! I have gotten so used to Talara! I love to people here, and I am so comfortable with the area. But, the Lord knows where He needs me! So maybe next week I will be writing from another area! We will see! :)

I love you all so much! Please write me!! :) Keep on keeping on! Hasta luego!

-- 

<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Brielle - January 13 2016

January 13 2016

So we had our zone meeting on a thursday becasue they did. Not sure exactly but they did. 

We were able to finally have another lesson with Carmen Alena. She is an investigator and her husband is a less active member and she is going to get abptized. She is so willing to learn and wants to get baptized. But we got into trouble becasue we have tot meet with her late and she was late so that made us late-er and so we got into truble. Hopefully this week won´t happen like that again. 

We went to visit Andreina again and we talked about enduring to the end and we finished the lesson and she was all is that all! After we learn the basics we know a lot. so that is why we are repassing the basics to be sure she understands and remembers. She is so awesome!!

Saturday Hna Quesada had a baptism in Puerta Plata so she went with a member and me and Hermana calderon stayed in Villa Olga and all of our lessons fell through so we contacted. 4 out of 10. Then we had to literally jump the fence to visit with a member because she didn´t hve the beeper to open her gate and was home alone. It was funny. 

Sunday we went to church and in the middle of sacrament meeting an American, a Chinese, and a Hawaiian walk in. Sounds like the beginning of a joke. None of them end up knowing Spanish. the American knew a little becasue he was learning but served his mission in Brazil. And he was the only member. So in gospel principles we used phones and they tried to follow along in English it was a little hard. They were visiting the DR with the University from the states to just learn about the country. So they stopped by becasue all of the group was sick from the day before. So during Relief Society I sat next to the Chinese lady. She is actually from Canada and speaks English. I used Andreina´s phone so she could read the lesson in Englsih. The title of the lesson was, Jesus Christ the Only Way to Peace and Joy or some thing like that. At the end I was talking to her and asking if she had any questions. She has no religious background. None. So I talked little about the Plan of Salvation and a few other things and she said. That she really liked what she felt and read so she is going to go to church with the American in the states so she can actually understand what is happening. She said I thought about visiting the church but I never thought that my first time would be in Spanish. The church is true and is the same in all parts of the world. The same church if Jesus Christ. It is amazing.

We had a good lesson/training with Felipe and Clara espinal (the familia Noble) we talked about deep doctrine stuff and we left like WOW it has been a long time since we have talked about anything like that. So funny.

We ended up having a Family Home Evening in the house of a less active and we talked about the importance of prayers how we need to help each other and pray in families and personally. The kids were actually quiet. Thanks to coloring pages that Hermana Clove left to me. 

Tuesday we had a Zone Conference and we talked about our objective as missionaries and how to develop Christlike attributes. It was a good meeting. Then we made sure that the church was clean when we left so that we wouldn´t get into trouble with our bishop and then had time for one lesson and then we had to be back to the church for our meetings with the ward. Today we cleaned and then we went to the church and made opcorn and brownies and watched movie with our district. We all came to the realization that next week is the last p-day in this tranfser and we are all pretty sure that there are changes that are going to come. We will see.

Hope ya´ll are well

Loves  

-- 

Todo Bien!!!

Hermana Buchanan

Baylee - Another week gone!‏

January 11 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!

How are you all doing this week?? I hope life is treating you well! :) Here is what happened in the mission life this week...

- Monday night, we had a FHE with Hna. Carmen in the house of the F. Rosales. The other Hna., Hna. Shumway and Hna. Valencia also came with some investigators. We had a good time talking about the Sabbath Day and Temple attendance. Presidente Rosales made a point that I relaly liked about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. He talked about his fmaily being happier when they are able to follow through with this commandment from God. and truly it is a commandment from God. Never forget that! Sunday is the Lords day!

- Tuesday morning Hna. Mamani and I went and cooked with Hna. Maria! She is great and let us do some real cooking. We made one of my favorite Peruvian dishes, Seco de Chavelo. It is fried greed platanos mashed up and mixed with chicken and beeft chunks, simmered tomatoes and onions, and some delicious spices. We added homemade mayo and a little bit of aji since the people here in Perú use mayo in just about everything. I got to smash the platanos! LOL it was a lot of fun. We also made a veggie salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, and lime juice, a Peruvian must have. And Hna. Mamani and I brought bananas, grapes, and BLACKBERRIES to make a fruit salad for our dessert. SOOOOO GOOOD! :) LOL We had a good time!

- Tuesday was also our Intercambios with the Sister Leaders, Hna. Valencia and Hna. Shumway. I went with Hna. Shumway in their area, and we had a good time, talking quite a bit of English LOL. She is teaching me to be more healthy LOL because she only has healthy food in her room! 

- Wed. night while we were teaching the F. Talledo, Johny told us that he had been asked to give a talk, and he had been given an open topic, he could pick whatever he wanted. He was joking about talking about government, Peruvian corruption, Barrack Obama! LOL We were laughing so hard! Can you imagine someone getting up in sacrament meeting and talking about politics??

- Wed. Hna. Carmen kept getting worse....she eventually went to get an X-ray thing taken o her abodomine and it turns out she had something like kidney stones, but really really bad, like a bag of little rocks on the side of her stomach. The doctos decided that they needed to operate. That basically turned into that she couldnt get baptized this Saturday...She had her operation Friday afternoon and yesterday Hna. Mamani and I went to visit her. She is healing up, but she still has so much pain. Ugh hospitals, needles, IVs....My stomach was real queasy after that visit...But Hna. Carmen is still faithful, she still wants to be baptized when she gets all healed up and feels better. In a couple weeks.

-Thursday I received my other package from my mom! LOL it was like Chi Omega Bid Day all over again! Glitter EVERYWHERE!!! LOL Hna. Mamani and I had a little glitter war...I also got a UW shirt that says My Patronous is a Cowboy! LOL :)

- Thursday, Hna. Rebeca accompanied us out proselyting. She is a recent convert of almost a year, and she has such a strong testimony! Every time she bears it,  my heart just soars! I love hearing the testimonies of recent converst! I want to invite you all to share your testimonies at every possible chance because you never know who needs to hear, when or where! :)

- Thursday afternoon, we taught Hno. Miguel about family history work and temples. He is enchanted by the idea. He is going to be the first member in his family, he has a baptismal date for the 23rd, and he is super excited to look for family names and take them to the temple! When was the last time you members went ot the temple? Personal inventory! If one of our investigators can feel such a joy about temples, how much more should we have as members?! Go to the temple! :)

- Friday, Hna. Elli made us homemade soy milk! LOL I just want to say that soy milk in the States, bought from the store in gross, but soy milk here homemade is delicious!! :)

- Friday afternoon, we were running like crazy! We had 4 appointments before 6PM instead of the usualy three, and we had to be on time because at 6 we had to go help set up for the activity at the capilla. Hna. Liliana was with us and we were runnign all over! I was a good, successful day!

- The activity Friday night was also pretty awesome. Hna. Mamani and I went and borrowed the projector from a less active, Hno. Romeo, and we set it all up to watch a movie. We were searching everywhere to find a member that had some speakers we could use. But it all worked out. We watched Gods Not Dead!! :) I love that show! And what is even better was that Hna. Mamani and I had two ionvestigators there, Hno. Miguel ahnd Hno. Edgar. 

- Sat. Afternoon we taught Hno. Edgar. He is awesom! He was a refere3nce and he is progressing so well! Yesterday he talked to us about wanting us to all teach his 12 year old daughter. He even plans to change his work meetins to a different day so that he can come to church Sundays! How awesome is that!!!??

- At church Sunday, Miguel came!! That means he only needs one more church attedance and then he can be baptized!! :) LOL I am so excited for him! 

- Also, one of the talks in church yesterday was really great, and it all started with a question, and personal inventory question. Do I read the Book of Mormon everyday? I want to challenge you all the reevaluate your time, and make the effort to feast from the scriptures everyday! Our spiritual food is jhust as necessary as our temporal food! :)

- Yesterday we had ourselves a little miracle! :) We didnt have any set appointments, and everyone we went looking for wasnt around. It was a pretty rough afternoon. But then, as we were heading to start knocking on doors, a lady in the street whom we recognized told us that her brother Juan had just got back into town. He is a reference we received and we have gone many times to look for him with no luck. We hurried over, and he is aboslutely golden!! His mother just recently died, which is really hard and sad, but it has got him thinking. We talked about the Plan of Salvation and what happens when we die, specifically about the Spirit world. He had tons of questions, we even showed him the scriptures about Christ teaching in the afterlife in 1 Peter. He was shocked that he had never been taught that, and yet it was right there in the Bible, his Bible. He was so excited to hear that there is hope for his mother. At the end of the lesson, we asked him to say the closing prayer. He was a little hesitant, but we knelt down and he gave the most heartfelt prayer, truly asking God to tell him what is true. I felt a calming peace enter the room, and once he said amen, Juan told us that he also felt it. He felt it! He made the comment that it is all a process, but the feeling he felt was something he couldnt deny. Hna. Mamani and I left the house floating high in the sky. It is moments like that that help me remember why I am here on the mission. 

- Today for Pday, the Zone went to the beach! And I am sunburned!! LOL Well mostly just my arms since I didnt put any sunscreen on them, just my face. We tooks some fuin pics that I will sen next week, and we played soccer! :) We brought some investigators, and one of them has a 5 year old son that came with us. He is just the cutest! LOL him and I played around as he helped me protect the goal during soccer. Good times! 

Well, that was my week! Lots of little experiences, some big ones! The mission is just like that though. Everyday flies by, even the ones that seem long! Well, I love you all so much! I hope you are all doing great! :) Until next week! 

-- 

<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Brielle - Wednesday 6 ENERO 2016‏

January 6 2016

The first wednesday of the year!! Feliz Año Nuevo!!

Well this week has been a long one because of the holidays.

Thursday we had to help Andreina find an outfit for her baptism because she hadn´t found one yet and nothing was going to be open on friday so we did that in the morning and then we got a phone call from the assistants. Saying, you guys are going to be a trio now and she is coming later today. So that is a big change. Our house isn´t big in the first place pretty small for two people but now it is packed we cannot fit one more person in this house there is absolutley no more space. Anyways, her name is Hermana Calderón. She is from the Dominican Republic from Santo Domingo. She has 11 months on the mission and things have been good. Then we ended up going to the house of Familia Vega to have at lest one lesson. Then we went to the house of Familia Bretón for dinner and familia Vega came too. It was a fun time. Then we went to the church for the party that bishop put together at the last second. We were going to eat Sancocho but they didn´t start til later. They had music and stuff and so we went home. We made our fire on the roof again. Not as big as last year when we burnt the duck. It was fun we coud see the fireworks in all directions. 

Friday we went to the church to make lunch because we now know how to turn the oven on so we can use it. And we watched a movie. Again it was pretty much dead hear. No cars. Silence. Really creepy. But it was ok. When we left to proselyte we had to wait a good amount of time for a gwawa to pass and then when we got there she wasn´t there but she said she was going to and we went to go cross the road to get  ride back and she was getting off a gwawa to come home. So we ended up having a lesson with Milagros. Then we miraculously were able to have a lesson with Albania. Who never answers her phone and always seems really grumpy. But it was a good lesson. She didn´t want us to leave. Then we went to Familia Bretóns house again becasue we didn´t have anywhere else to go that wasn´t super far away and dangerous to get to.

Early saturday morning we got up and went to a breakfast of the releif society it started at 7 there weren´t very many people but it was ok we got hot chocolate. We were finally able to have a lesson with Charly we almost didn´t becasue he wasn´t home when we were there and we went to leave and they came driving up. then we taught an investigator of the elders that wants us hermanas to continue teaching. She is a sweet lady. and then we surprised attacked a lady who wants to be taught but is always super busy. It was a good lesson.

SUNDAY!! The BAPTISM OF ANDREINA!!! We got the baptism font filled on saturday night and had it checked this morning and there were problems so the elders and some members were filling it some more with buckets. There were a good number of people who showed up for her baptism at 7 in the morning on a fast sunday. Then after chcurch we had lunch at the familia Bretóns house and we surprised Hermana Quesada because it was her birthday. I love the familiy Bretón they are awesome. Then we had one lesson with Ámbar and we are going to see who can finish the Book of Mormon first. I´m so gonna win.

Monday we helped get rid of a lot of stuff in the house of familia vega and then we had a lesson in a house really far away the family is members and they have a lot of children who want to learn and other people. It was fun. then we ended the day with a NDH in the house of Idelfonso and Judelka. It was a good one we shared the videos of the Models of light from Elder Bednar.

Tuesday we did weekly planning because they changed the Zone meeting to thurday and then we had two lesson and we had to have Hermana Bretón come and save us becasue the rutas were not passing Hermana Calderon can´t walk far distances. So I am grateful for her. I am sure she did it becasue her daughter was with us. I would have never thought to call and have her help us we would have just walked.

Today we went to the doctors at the mission home and then we met up with the elders at the monument and I finally wnt up. And then we went to lunch and then after lunch we ran to the office so that I could call in the doctors in SL to answer questions and then we came back to the house and chilled for a few and now we are here.

Hopefully we can get back to normal here soon. Hope ya´ll are good. 

Loves 

-- 

Todo Bien!!!

Hermana Buchanan

Baylee - Happy New Year!‏

January 4 2016

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! How was it? Did you do anything fun? I hope so! Here is what happened this week...

- LOL Monday night we taught Francisco outside his house by the streetlights because none of his family was home! LOL It was silly, but actually pretty nice because it is so much cooler outside than in! Silly moments to remember!

- Our investigator Carmen is really facing a lot of challenges right now. Wed. she had her baptismal interview. At first she didnt want to leave her house to go to the interview because she was worried her son would come home before she got back and be upset with her. I dont really understand the situation but she was worried. The absolutely most amazing thing ever happened. as we worked to convince her that it would be ok, words kind of came flooding out of my mouth that i didnt really think i could say. I invoked my calling as a missionary of the Lord and promised her, as a servant of our Savior, that if we knelt down and prayed right then and their and put our trust in the Lord, everything would be ok. Carmen was still a little hestitant, but we knelt down and we prayed. Thenwe headed out the door and called a moto to take us to the capilla. Carmen then had her interview and all went really well! She passed! She is on track for baptism. My promise was real too because her son was half an hour behind schedule, so he didnt get home until after the interview...but then yesterday she got real sick. With a fever and horrible pains in her stomach. this morning she called us around 8AM and told us she was going to the hospital the emergency room. she asked us to come because none of her family could or even ewanted to. We went of course. She was in terrible pain,. and we suggested a Priesthoood blessing. She agreed and we called the Zone Leaders. They came and gave her a blessing. they stayed with her so we could huyrry back to our room and change into real clothes because }we had left in a hurry in PJs- Throughout the day, she has gotten better little by little. I dont know what went wrong...she is facing so many challenges. the closer she gets to baptism,the more obstacles there are for her to climb. That jusdt goes to show that Satan knows this is true and that we needf to trust in God and beat Satan. Please pray for Hna. Carmen...her baptism is scheduled for this Saturday, and we are praying reall hard that all will be well and she can complete this imnportant ordinance. 

- Wed. night we had a lesson with our other recent convert, Johny. He is really awesome. We talked about the premortal life and the war in heaven. Johny brought up the idea that the war is still going on here omn earth. This is so true! We are fighting a battle against Satan and his angels.  we are working to overcome the darkness and return to the light with our Father in Heaven. We are soldiers in the army of the Lord. Never forget that. You all are here fighting for the good, now we just need to see what kind of effort we will put into our r}fight. Fight a good fight! Finish the course! :)

- In the day on New Years Eve, our Pensionista Hna Ellli and her daughter CAssandra who is 21 came with us toi visit our awesome investigator Miguel. It is crazy to me how Cassandra knows so much. She grew up in the Gospel, and yet she doesnt attend. We all need to remember the importantce and the truthfulness a}of this Gospel. This is a blessing and an opportunity that we cannot loose. There will not be another try. This is it. This is when we have to act, to mo}ake the decision to follow our Savior. Family and friends, please, live the Gospel. Acept it into your heart and mind, fight for the Lord. I guess that is kind of my theme this week. fight for the Lord!

- New Years Eve!! LOL in the day we worked like normal, but at 8PM we went to a FHE with the f. Panta Sosa in the area of the Elders. It was fun and silly, their family is so sweet and humble and fun! Also, Elders Ayala and Alessandri from Enace came, so we had a little party! Liliana fed us some yummy food with delicious juice! Next, Hna. Mamani and I had to hurry back to our room really fast, but first to Hna. Ellis to burn our doll!! LOL ubt it was too late. So we headed back to our room and had a little mini praty to wait out the new year. We made brownies and ate Chirimoya which is a tropical fruit here that is absolutely delicious!! You all have to try it if you get the chance! We also drank IncaCola. At midnight, Hna. Elli and her daughters came knocking on our door and we opened our windows rto watch them burn out doll!! It was crazy to watch it go up in flames. I filmed it! And there were a ton of fireworks and literally everybody was out in the street. So we watched our doll burn to burn away the year. Another interesting traditioin here in Perú for the new year is that people run in a circle around their block with their suitcase so that they have luck to travel all year long. LOL we saw one older gentleman run by our room and we wished him a happy new year! Then Hna. Mamanbi and I closed back up and did another Latino tradition, to eat 12 grapes and make a wish on each one, one for each month of the year. LOL That was something neat, something cool to think about. Especially since this whole next year I will be here in the mission. All of my wishes were chosen with that fact in mind. LOL then we crashed into bed!

- I read a talk this week from the most recent General Conference that I love. I loved it when I heard it and I love it still. It is called If Ye Love me Keep My Commandments by Carole M. Stephens. Please go read it! :)

- We are teaching an investigator named Lesly. She is awesome! She is 22 and super spunky and fun! And what is way cool is she already has a testimony. It has taken her 2 years, dating a member, to finally come to the point where she feels ready to be baptized. and we are helping her complete that inportant ordinance! LOL New YEars Day we spent a lot of time with her in her house because so many people outside were so drunk...LOL she bought us giant slice of chocolate cake and we shared family photos and chatted! Love her! She has a baptismal date for february 6th! :)

- Saturday was another silly moment to remember, teaching outside. We taught Mguel outside! LOL right now we have so many investigators that are men living alone. They are all really great, but we cant teach them in their houses a lone. So we taught outside! It was still a }good lesson! 

- Yesterday, we had 5 investigators come to church!!! and both of out 2 recent converts!! an 3 of our less actives!! and our rescued member too!!! Yesterday was a real good day at church! And the meetings were also very interesting, interesting enough that I was able to focus in realy well! Leslys parents came to church! Lesly has asked us to help her family, to bring them the Gospel. And her paretns came yesterday! They are really awesome people, fun and nice. Her dad is super interested int he Gospel. Her mom is a little hestitant, but she is willing to listen and learn.  I am so excited about that!

- Last night, Hna. Mamani and I made tortillas and fried platanos to make wrap things with ham and cheese and avocado. It was so good! I love platanos fritos!! LOL You all have to try them! Whe I get home I am going to find platanos to fry and I am going to make you all try them! Also it is super easy to cook them! :) 

- Today, Hna. Mamani and I went and borrowed InsideOut and Big Hero 6 from Johny and Eliana, our recent convert and his wife. Our District watched InsideOut!! It was awesome!! We all brought some food to share. Grapes, pa}otato chips, IncaCola, a Peruvian verison of cheetos puffs, mandarines, and some weird Peruvian chocolate bars. I love that movie!! Hna. Shumway and Hna. Valencia crieed, Hna. Mamani and I held back tears since we both had already seen it. Even the Elders like it! We had a good time! :) 

Well that is my week! It was a pretty good week, the only hard part is Hna. Carmen. Please pray for her. She needs all the love and prayers that she can get! 

I love you all so much! I cant belive how fast the ear is already going. it is Jan uary 4th! Make the most of it! Love every minutre! Fight for the Lord! :) 

-- 

<<< HERMANA BUCHANAN >>>

~ ~ ~ PERU PIURA MISSION ~ ~ ~

Brielle - Wednesday 30 DIC 2015

December 30 2015

Hello on the last Wednesday of 2015!!!!! We´re going to be ready to welcome in 2016.

Christmas Eve- another name is crazy day. We finished the Craft that we decided to go and buy the night before so that we could give it to Familia Noble as a Christmas gift. We were trying to have it done and ready to take it for dinner but that didn´t happen the Christmas tree was having problems staying up straight. Then we went to the church and had lunch with the elders in our ward and we watched the movie called Freetown and then we got ready and took a taxi to Familia Nobles house because the rutas were not passing and we had to be there. They wanted us there at 6 and we got there at 7 and they weren´t even close to starting. We started eating at 8 am then 9 came around we left and went to go take a taxi but there weren´t any in their usual place and the parking lot to La Sirena was closed to and that is where others wait. We were all well guess were gonna walk. And then a taxi passed by and took us to our stake presidente´s house and we carolled there and they gave a sweets,I ate the cirus peanuts that Grammy always had when I was litle and the little caramels that grandpa B always had. Good times. then we went to an investigators house and Carolled for them and then we went home. A good full day.

CHRISTMAS DAY!!!--- We had a lesson with Andreina and we waited a long time for a ruta to pass because were out on the dstreets and it was creepily quite. ON sunday it is pretty cute but it was even more quite today. We talked about missionary work and she wants to her family to listen. Now we are going to try to get them involved. Then we came back and went to the Bretón´s and got the stake laptop and then we went to the church and began calling. It was a good time. The brothers told me that I was doing really good becasue I only cried once and that was when you were bearing your testimony, where baylee cried before they started in the middle and when they said goodbye. It was fun to talk and I love it. 5 or 4 months and I will do it again and then I will be home. Weird. Then we stayed at the church and we order Domino´s pizza and we watched the Otherside of Heaven and then went home. 

For the rest of the week we only had a few lessons. Here everyone goes on vacation they go the el campo or to el río and so they are not in their houses. But we try. We have been using the shepherds part of the Christmas story. Read about the Shepherds and relate it to yourself. 

Tuesday we were walking and someone stops in the middle of the street in a car and usually when that happens it is a very what the I don´t know about this I better keep my head down. Kind of scares you, but it was a member from texas. They scared us at first. Then they gave us food. It was tender mercy from the Lord. In this area I have had expeicences like that so special. If you see the missionaries give them a little loving. Scare them a little. 

Today we were hoping for Apoyo to come so we could do a needed grocery shopping but it didn´t come. We were a little disappointed but we hope that is comes tomorrow. 

Yo sé que ahí cosas que pasan que no entendemos pero el Señor sabe y entiende todo!! Tiene confianza en Él.

Les quiero!  

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Todo Bien!!!

Hermana Buchanan

Baylee - December 28 2015

December 28 2015

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos!

Ahhh I have so much I want to say about this week in such little time! LOL I hope everyone had a merry merry Christmas! We had a real good time here! :) Here is what went down....

- Monday night, we had a giant Family Home Evening in the house of a member here named Liliana. She is the sweetest, a recent convert last February. We invited an investigator and the Elders also invited investigators. Hna Mamani and I were in charge of the lesson and the games. The lesson went well, but the best part was definitely the games. I taught them a game that Hna. Bazan taught me. Everyone had to choose a fruit or veggie to be, and we had to pass it around the circle like signs or Rah Dee Dah.  buit the hard part was that they had to say the names without letting anybody see their teeth! It is so silly, and nobody can help but laugh. We had a great time! :)

- Tuesday morning we taught our second lesson with our new investigator Edgar. He lives alone, so we cant teach him in his house. normally we would teach in the capilla, but there was some miscommunication and people were late, so he decided to take us to the new super market in town where we taught a little lesson and ate a small breakfrast. We taught about the Book of Mormon. He is just eating everything up! He loves learning, and he believes it is all true! Even in a super market with noise all around, I could feel the Spirit with him. Later in the week, we taught in a gas station deli place LOL but I still could feel the Spirit confirming what we said. It is so cool! Now he has a baptismal date for Feb. 6!

- Wednesday morning, Brielles birthday!, we did some service for a member, Hna. Wilma. Us, the other Hna.s and the Elders all went and stripped the old paint off her living room walls and did a repaint. It was so messy and fun LOL afterward Hna. Wilma fed us, which also was yummy. We got watermelon slices!! :) 

- Wednesday in the afternoon, our whole Zone went and invaded Negritos, an area in our zone that is lacking in numbers and needs some help. We went on a mass contacting trip. We received names to search for and we knocked on a ton of doors, each companionship in a different part of the area. It was really fun, not to mention that Negrios is absoelutely beautiful! I wish there were Hna.s in negritos...but no only one companioshio of Elders. 

- Christmas Eve was a day I will never forget! In the morning, we had a Zone meeting. One thing that stuck out to me in this meeting was that we were sked to share the gift we want to give our Savior this Christmas....Each perosn shared something very personal and touching, and the spirit was so strong in that room. Then in the afternoon after lunch, Hna. Mamani and made brownies to take to the f. Paibas later in the evening for our dinner. we also made some to take to the f. Baltazar to say thank you for letting us use their Skype! Then came Skype!!! :) Just so everyone knows, as soon as I saw my familys faces I started bawling. Call me a baby, but their faces are just so beautfiul1 :) That one hour was such an awesome time! :) I will never forget it! After that, Hna. Mamani had some difficulties figuring how to talk to her family, so we went to the f. Caceres to use Walters cell to call her home to plan a time to Skype. It didnt work out to SKype that day, so we planned for christmas Day. At 7 PM that night, all of us missionaries went to the Plaza here in our area and sang Christmas carols! In our matching Skirts and the elders matching ties and Elder Herrera as Sant Clause! So so fun, and the little kids loved it! We did contacting at the same time, to invite people! Next, we took tons of pictures, of course! At the F.a Paibas, we ate a normal Peruvian dish, nothing too special, but also enjoyed our brownies. LOL we avoided the Panetone....Panetone is a tradition here in Peru for Christmas, it is like a soft fruit cake thing. It is gross. Just so everyoe knows. It was late, but we had told Hna. Elli, our Pensionista, that we would stop by. So we hurried over, and there we played some games with Hna. Luana, talked with Samantha, Alan and Hna. Elli. Hna. Elli gave us some super cute gifts that she made by hand, little ornaments. And then she gave us MORE FOOD! This time we had turkey, which was yummy but not like how we cook it at home. She also gave us Panetone...Luckily, it was a little bit better than the other types we had tried. still not great, but eatbale. We had to hurry real fast bakc to our room, and i fell into bed, I was so very tired!

- Christmas Day! We woke up early and went with our District to the beach in Negritos to do a little gift exchange! The streets were literally empty...The tradition in Peru is to stay up all night Christmas Eve to welcome in Christmasat midnight and eat a big dinner in the middle of the night, so everyone was asleep at 6 in the morning when we took the half hour trip to Negritos. The beach was so calm and beautiful in the morning, so awesome! And it was fun to just kind of mess around with the District, playing in the sand. we thought about getting breakfast, but everyone was still crazy full from out giant meals the night before, so we avoided food at all costs. Later int eh day, Hna. Mamani worked to talk to her family...I felt bad but we couldnt get skype to work. She ended up just talking to them on the phone because the internet signal in Bolivia was realy bad...But she still loved it. We cried a little together and rejoiced in getting to talk to our fmailies! :) 

- One of our investigators is most likely going to be baptized on Saturday!! She just has to pass her baptismal interview Wednesday, and she is SOO ready!. Her testimony is so strong, and she made the sacrifices necessary to come to church these past two sundays. I am so excited for her! We have worked so hard, I have seen such a great change in her, and she has truly come unto Christ! :) Whooo Hooo! :)

- Saturdat we taught a less active, Rosa Arevalo. we taught her the final lesson necessary before she could be considered rescued, and it was on Eternal marriage and eternal families. I love that topic! I know it is the truth, families can be forever through temple ordinance performed by an honorable Priesthood holder! I know it! My family is eternal and I know I will one day see my family again after this life! I know I will see Grandpa B. Again! :) And guess what, now Hna. Rosa is considered rescued! She had her interview yesterday after church! :) I have baptized one person and rescued two! That is such an awesome feeling! :)

- Saturday morning, we went ot visit a recent contact we had made the night before. he wasnt there, but his family let us in and we taught his brother, Willy. Willy really wants to change his life, be better, he really wants to find God. And I was able to testify to him that it is in the Gospel and in the Church that he can find God. I was able to help him recognize the Spirit he was feeling! Hna. Mamani and I both felt the Spirit strongly and we were so very happy to help Wily, see that! We have another lesson with him this week!

- Today was a different Pday. There is rule fopr the rest of this transfer that we cant do any more Zone activites on Pday because we have had a lot of big group activites lately, and now it is time to work, or so said Presidente Rasmussen. So today Hna. Mamani and cleaned our room real good, then went and bought some food and ingredients to cook a lunch in our room. We tried one of the recipes mom sent me, Microwave BBQ Meatloaf. I literally felt like I had died and gone to heaven! I was eating realy good American food! It was amazing! :):) Thank you mom!! and we also made a fruit salad thing with bananas, grapes, and BLACKBERRIES and sweetened condensed milk. We c¡found Blackberries in the market, and we just couldnt pass them up! It was sosososososo good! :) A little bit of home!! :) 

- One more thing...For New Years Eve, the tradition here in Peru is to burn a doll to like burn away the passing year. So we are going to make a doll and burn it!! Hna. Elli and Samantha are going to help us make a big, life size doll and we are going to burn it! e prepared for photos of some crazy pyro-technics! :) LOL we will be careful, mom, dont worry ;) 

Well, that was my crazy full week. I real good week that I will always remember! :) Les extraño mucho, mis queridos amigos y familia. Ustedes son mi inspiración y mi apoyo. Gracias por todo, en serio. yo no podría hacer nada de esto sin su amor y ayuda y sus oraciones. Cuídense mucho, ya? Les amo! :) 

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