Week 17: Seguir Adelante* (*Moving Forward)
“To know even one life breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Pensamientos Espirituales* (*Spiritual Thoughts) for this week: Isaiah 12:2, Alma 29:9
Hola querido familia y amigos!!!* (*Hello dear family and friends!!!) I hope all is well with each and every one of you. Know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers. :)
For last P-day, we cleaned the room of bastante teleranas* (*a lot of cobwebs), did Internet, and ate fantastic tacos de chorizo before viajando a* (*traveling to) Villa Rica! We played a bit of basketball at the capilla* (*chapel) before walking to Laguna El Oconal, a fantastically beautiful lake! :) We took pictures, used rope swings that went out over the water, and dipped our feet in the lake, to the delight of little fish that nibbled on our feet – and, consequently, to our discomfort, jaja! Pero todavia era lo maximo.* (*haha! But it was still the best.) :) We thought we’d be staying the night with the Villa Rican sisters, but Elder Butterfield cancelled the district meeting for tomorrow, so we ended up traveling back to Oxa late at night and going straight to cena* (*dinner). Fantastic dia* (*day). :)
Martes* (*Tuesday)! Today began with a fantastic study of Jesus the Christ and not being able to find anybody en casa despues* (*at home later). However, after lunch, we visited with Rosa C., a menos active* (*less active) SO CLOSE to rescue, and taught her about the Ten Commandments y obediencia* (*and obedience)! Era tan chistoso* (*so funny) - Alva tried to say “no cometeras adulterio”(thou shalt not commit adultery) and ended up saying “no cometeras albedrio” (thou shalt not commit agency). Nos puse a reir por casi diez minutos* (*we laughed for almost 10 minutes). :) Despues* (*Then), we went to our investigadora* (*investigator) Angelica and taught her about la vida preterrenal* (*premortal life)! She’s part of a patronage program for her hijita* (*daughter), and they’ve recently mandated that she attend their church, but she really wants to come to ours and is praying to be able to. :) Following this, we went to our investigadores Durania y Willy and talked to them a little bit about La Expiacion de Jesucristo*(*The Atonement of Jesus Christ). Then we went and visited Nadia, our investigator, and taught her about the importance of reading the scriptures from 2 Nefi 32:3 before going to Geraldine, a converso reciente* (*recent convert), and discussing repentance. To finish off the day, we went to Angelica B., a menos activo, and taught her about the Plan de Salvacion y esperanza* (*The Plan of Salvation and Hope). :)
En Miercoles,*(*On Wednesday,) we went and visited our investigator Jose and taught him about diezmos* (*tithing) and answered his questions. Era tan chevere* (*It was so cool). :) After lunch, we visited our investigadores Rosa y Calendario, a little parejita de viejitos* (*old couple), and taught them about La Restauracion* (*The Restoration); a bit hard, for neither of them can read. Despues, we wandered all of Oxa to no avail due to the fact that the first plane to land in Oxa landed today, the start of a direct flight between Oxa and Lima that will be SUPER caro* (*expensive). We finally found Lydia S., a menos activo, and taught her about albedrio y 2 nefi 2* (*agency and 2 Nephi 2). Following this, we taught Hedvit, a menos activo, about the importance of being edified on the rock of Christ. En siguiente* (*Next), we visited Celeste y Arletti, our investigadora, and taught them about the Expiacion* (*The Atonement). Chevere dia* (*wonderful day). :)
Jueves,*(*Thursday,) we began by visiting Jose, our investigator, and teaching him about the works- the Ten Commandments, matrimonio eterno, y albedrio y consecuencias!* (*eternal marriage and agency and consequences!) He prepared us delicious chicha morada helada. Era lo maximo. :) After lunch, we went to Rosa C., a less active, and taught her about the temple investidura* (*endowment) before going to Carmen, a menos activo, and teaching her about La Expiacion* (*The Atonement) and why she did not need to be afraid, the Holy Ghost, and the Trinity! Despues, fuimos por* (*Then, we went to) Nadia, our investigator, and shared Mosiah 18 with her. She told us that she was afraid of being baptized because she was afraid of going less active, so we’ve finally figured out why she ditched her baptismal date. Progress! :) Following this, we taught Mariella, a recent convert, about el servicio del FLJ* (*Service in the Strength of Youth) before going to Hedvit, a less active, and sharing about how God will always fulfill His promises if we do our part. :) Despues, we had Noche de Deporte*(*Sports Night) and played bastante* (a lot of) volleyball. :)
Viernes!* (*Friday!) Today, Peru officially got a new president, an American, PPK! After lots of cleaning, studies, weekly planning, and lunch, we visited Rosa C. and taught her about La Obra Misional and servicio* (*Missionary Work and Service) - she said she’d been thinking lots lately about going on a mission (and accompanying us to lots of citas* (*appointments) lately), so we challenged her to pray about it! :) Bien chevere. :) Then we went to Jocelyn, a converso reciente, and taught her about the Diez Mandamientos* (*Ten Commandments) before going to our investigator, Rosa M., and teaching her about La Restauracion and the Libro de Mormon* (*The Restoration and The Book of Mormon). Despues, we went to Vanessa, a less active, and taught her about the importance of reading La Biblia y el Libro de Mormon* (*The Bible and The Book of Mormon). Then we visited Angelica B., a less active, and taught her about DyC 82:10 and obediencia* (*obedience)! Following this, we had Noche Misional* (*Mission Night), where the elders taught a lesson about listening to the Spirit and we played Habla Chancho* (*Hog Speaks)! :) Era bacan* (*Very cool).
En Sabad* (*On Saturday), we left early to La Merced for a conferencia de zona* (*zone conference), where we had capacitaciones* (*training) on following the Spirit and trusting in God and played a fun game called Sofa for a while. We ate lunch of chifa- arroz chaufa and chicharron de pollo*(*fried rice, chicken and pork rinds) which was tan rico* (*so rich) before taking the longest taxi ride yet back to Oxapampa, but we got back safe, so no complaints here. :) We visited Rosa C. and taught her the Plan de Salvacion with little dibujos* (*drawings) Alva made before Clase de Ingles* (*English class), where we taught about sentences and questions and helped with English homework. Fun day with a bit too much travel time. :)
Domingo* (*Sunday)! Alva’s had the gripe fuerte* (*bad flu) all week, the worst of which hitting today. Pobrecita* (*poor dear). :( In the morning, we went and got Vanessa and her kids and took them to church with us! We gave the lesson in Sociedad de Socorro* (*Relief Society) on focusing on eternal rather than wordly glory before lunch of trucha frita* (*fried trout). We then went and taught Rosa A. a menos activo, about the temple investidura* (*endowment) before going and contacting a woman who was recibiendo charlas de misioneras en Trujillo antes* (*working with missionaries in Trujillo before)! Despues, we went and visited Hermana Yolanda, the relief society president, and then we went to Consejo de Barrio* (*District Council). This week has been a hard one for all of the people here in Oxa, but everything, o sea* (*that is), every trial, every experience, every SECOND has a purpose, and we are all meant to learn from them. :) Difficult but good week- hopefully Alva gets better al tocque* (*quickly)! :)
Today, we are staying here in Oxa for P-day and we have absolutely no clue what we are going to do, so it should be fun! We’re going to travel to La Merced tonight for an hna capacitacion* (*sister training) and for the multizona despedida a Presidente y Hermana Henderson* (*multi-zone farewell to President and Sister Henderson) tomorrow. It’s crazy to think that this cambio* (*transfer) is almost over, but I’m still LOVING Oxapampa and I’m super happy to have the most fantastic companion out there. :)
Espero que sus semanas van a ser cheveres. Recuerdan el Senor y todo que El ha hecho por cada uno de ustedes; todo va a salir bien.* (*I hope your weeks are going to be amazing. Remember the Lord and all that He has done for each of you; everything will be fine.) :)
Con amor y mis oraciones para siempre jamas * (*With love and prayers forever and ever),
Hermana Schmid
(*Italic translations by Karissa’s mom using google translate)
