Week 13: Adelante como Elefante!* (*Forward like an Elephant!)
This week was one of the best weeks yet- complete with the news that this will be my third transfer here in Oxapampa and today is officially my three month mark! It’s gone by way too fast to even comprehend. Some spiritual thoughts for the week: DyC 64: 33-34, Alma 36, DyC 6:34 :)
Lunes*! (*Monday)! Today was a tranquilo tranquilo* (*quiet, peaceful) pday here in Oxa with just the four of us Oxapampinos! We cleaned, did internet, and went shopping for snapback hats in the morning before eating at Feliz Dia and waiting at the terminal for a combi* (*Peruvian bus) to take us to *drumroll* Catarata El Tigre for the tercera vez* (*third time)! They took us to the mouth of the trail on the road and dropped us off to hike it. At the waterfall, we met some really cool English-speaking (PERFECT English-speaking) tourists from Switzerland, who came up to us because they thought I was German. (Everyone thinks I’m German- this is getting normal now). We dipped our feet in the rio* (*river) and hiked around the waterfall. Despues de bajando* (*after going down), we had to wait about 30 minutes for a combi to come take us back into town. We got back and went to the Familia Martinez and taught the father, Alejandro (our investigador) about the Restauracion* (*Restoration)! Fantastic P-day. :) I’m officially out of training and pretty stoked about it! :)
En Martes* (*On Tuesday), we started the day the best way- servicio* (*service)! We went with the elderes to Vanessa, a menos active* (*less active) we are visiting, and cooked locuro for her! :) We talked to her kids, I played some guitar, and we got to know her a bit more! It was fantastically fun. :) After almuerzo* (*lunch), we went to our investigator, Angelica, and taught her La Familia* (*the family)! She had lots of great questions and she said that she believed it was from God! :) Chevere* (*fabulous) lesson. She’s absolutely fantastic. Then we went to Jocelyn and taught her Alma 47 before teaching Edilia, a nuevo investigadora* (*new investigator), about how God is always on her side and the blessings of the temple. We then taught Mariella, a converso reciente* (*recent convert), about albedrio y responsabilidad* (*will and responsibility)! Then we went to Durania and Willy and taught them La Familia and challenged them to get married instead of conviviendo* (*cohabiting). Despues* (*then), we went to Maruja and taught Alma 47 (no bajas al monte del evangelio* (*no casualties on the mountain of the gospel)) and, without knowing that she’d stopped reading her scriptures, I felt the need to use scriptures as the example of bajando un poco* (*a little casualties) if we stop; so, we accidentally burned her; but we all laughed it off after! Then we went to Hedvit and Rita’s house and their whole family ended up showing up, so we all joked and laughed before teaching Lucas 14:27 about how for God, nothing is impossible. :) We got back to the cuarto* (*room) worried about cambios* (*changes)- and then we were told that we are both staying in Oxapampa! :) Third transfer in Oxa for both of us. No tenemos ninguna problema con eso. Somos tan felices!!* (*We have no problem with that. We are so happy!!) :)
Miercoles* (*Wednesday) began with the fun news that Hna Alva’s got la gripe* (*the flu).:( After chevere study in Alma 36, we visited Sylvia, a recien rescatado* (*newly rescued), and read 1 Ne 17 con ella* (*with her)! Despues de almuerzo, we couldn’t find anyone en casa* (*at home), but finally found Hermana Ayde, a fantastic menos activo que tenemos* (*less active that we have). She shared with us many problems pasando en su familia* (*many problems happening in her family), and we talked with her and tried to comfort her a bit. :) Despues, we went to our investigator Nadia, who we haven’t been able to find for about three weeks now. We shared parts of 1 Ne 19 y 1 Ne 21 con ella, reminding her that Jesucristo* (*Jesus Christ) hasn’t given up on her and neither have we. Despues, fuimos por Rosa, a menos active* (*Then, we went to Rosa’s, a less active), and taught her 1Ne 21 as well! Then we went to our investigadora Rosicela and taught arrepentimiento y la poder de la Expiaciona traves de Alma 36* (*repentance and the power of the Atonement through Alma 36)! En siguiente* (*Next), we went to Katty, a menos activo, and taught about la caridad* (*charity) before going to Angelica, a menos activo as well, and teaching OLA- orando, leyendo, y asistiendo* (*praying, reading and attending). It was a great dia (menos la gripe, jaja!) :)
Jueves!* (*Thursday!) All our morning citas* (*appointments) fell through, so we did a lot of walking around in the rain. After lunch, we went and visited Jocelyn and shared the story of Alma 36 with her! :) Great chapter, great story, great lesson. Then we felt that we should pass by Luisa, an investigator we have, and see how she was doing. Luisa shared problems she’s been having with her son. She needed someone to listen, and I’m really glad that we could be there for her. :) Then we went to visit Rosa, one of our menos activos, and we taught her Eter 12. Era chevere. :) We stopped by Mariella’s and shared Alma 36 with her before going down to Santo Domingo to visit Brigitt, a converso reciente* (*recent convert)! We helped Brigitt and her mother prepare herbs to make pachamanca and taught them 1 Ne 21. Then we went to Grace, a menos activo, and taught her more about prayer and its importance. Then we visited Kenia Arrieta, a menos activo, and shared DyC 74 with her quickly, since she had to salir y vender gas* (*go out and sell gas). Despues, fuimos a noche de deporte y jugamos volei!* (*Then, we went to have a sports night and play volleyball!) Alva’s a bit better hoy* (*today)- hopefully la gripe passes soon! :)
Viernes empezo on estudios tan cheveres y planificacion semenal!* (*Friday started very well with studies and planning!) We’ve been really hoping to find new people, and today, we found a few incredibly great ones! :) One woman we found, Edith, is very Peruvian but has a daughter with bright red hair, another daughter with the same color of hair as mine, and a son with red hair as well! This German blood, though. We talked for a bit and she invited us back almost instantly. :) Then we went to see Ayde again and taught her about servicio from Un Pobre Forastero* (*a poor stranger). Her cunada* (*sister-in-law) was there and she said she would come back for our next cita con Ayde! Then we went to the capilla* (*chapel) to teach our investigators, Oscar y su esposa Maritza. However, only Oscar showed up and we didn’t have a member with us, so we weren’t sure what to do… but a few Sociedad de Socorro* (*Relief Society) sisters showed up for manualidades* (*crafts) and one of them offered to be in the lesson with us! Bendiciones* (*blessings). :) However, he presented us with a biblical thesis as to how we are wrong in honoring the Sabbath on Sunday. We tried the best we could to testify and explain, but he was very closed off to our beliefs and said we were against the true God. However, he said he will keep investigating and reading the Book of Mormon, so that’s still bueno* (*good)! :) Despues, fuimos para visitar Hedvit y Rita* (*After, we went to visit Hedvit and Rita), and we shared Eter 12: 27. :) We then had Noche Misional* (*mission night) and watched Jeffrey R. Holland’s testimony of the Book of Mormon. :)
En Sabado en la manana, visitamos a Hilda (a menos activo que tenemos)* (*On Saturday morning, we visited Hilda (a less active we have)), and taught her about the importance of the commandment of servicio. Then we found Maria, a menos activo we haven’t seen the entire time I’ve been here, and we taught her about la barra de hierro* (*iron rod) and the importance of reading las escrituras* (*the scriptures)! :) Despues de almuerzo, we went and taught our fantastic investigator Angelica and her mother, Luisa! Their puppy was the one that peed on me forever ago- today they said they always heard me call it Preciosa, and it kinda just stuck! So I’ve named two dogs in Peru now. :) We shared Alma 36 with them and Angelica said she’s coming to church tomorrow!! :) Following this, we visited Yisela Quispe, a menos avtivo, and taught her about the importance of guardando el Dia de Reposo* (*keeping the Sabbath day holy). Despues, we visited Mariella and taught her the Fortaleza de la Juventud* (*the Strength of Youth). We then had Clase de Ingles* (*English class) and taught them more about the alphabet and joked around, and then had correlacion* (*correlation)! Era chevere. :)
En Domingo* (*On Sunday), our investigadora Angelica CAME TO CHURCH. :) And stayed all three hours!! Era lo maximo* (*it was the best). I gave a talk on arrepentimiento usando* (*repentance using) Alma 36, Alva bore her testimony, and the Elderes talked on baptism and el don del Espiritu Santo* (*the gift of the Holy Ghost)! It was a pretty fantastic Sunday. :) Then we went and visited Candi, a menos activo, and taught about Lot’s wife and the importance of no mirando atras* (*not looking back). Then we visited Ana, a menos activo, and explained La Introduccion del Libro de Mormon con ella* (*The introduction to the Book of Mormon with her)! Despues lots of citas falling through and consejo de barrio, we got to visit Alejandro (our investigador) and his wife from la Familia Martinez and read La Familia con ellos and challenged them to be married on June 18th! I really feel like they can make this day. :) Despues, we had a noche de hogar* (*Family Home Evening) with Angelica y su esposo, menos activos que tenemos. They had their little nietos* (*grandchildren) in the lesson, so we taught La Armadura de Dios* (*Armor of God) and played Simon Says! It was a really baccan* (*fabulous) day and a super baccan week with good people, good numbers, and good times. :)
Today, I woke up with a really sore throat, so I’m hoping that goes away soon! We’re probably going to go to a catarata* (*waterfall), Catarata La Suiza, today, one we haven’t yet been to because it’s a bit farther away, pero va a ser chevere* (it will be cool). :) Oxapampa remains the same – Hna Alva y yo y Elderes Riser y Hernandez. I’m super happy to still be here with Hermana Alva, and we’re even happier because this week was equally successful and fun. :)
Espero que todos sus semanas van a ser tan chevere* (*I hope all your weeks are going to be wonderful). :)
Con amor y mis oraciones* (*With love and prayers),
Hermana Schmid
(*italic translations by Karissa's mom using google translate)
