Week 24: Episode IV: Return of the Gripe* (*flu)
Pensamiento Espiritual* (*Spiritual Thought): Read the Book of Mormon looking for references to God and Christ and underline each one. They cover every page! :) I testify that you will be more focused, more intrigued, and hungry to read more. :)
P-day! After normal cleaning, exercise, and internet, we went shopping and got the usual tacos de chorizo! :) We decided to go to Chontabamba with the elders, their investigator Junior, and a member Jhon! We walked tons to get to Mirador La Florida en Chonta, which has a gorgeous view of both Chonta and Oxa. :) While we were walking back, a white guy in a truck offered us a ride! :) He was from Birmingham, England, and we talked with him on the ride. Oxa’s fantastic- Brits, Italians, Germans, Swiss- que cosa* (*imagine that)! :) Luego* (*Then), we all played volley en la capilla* (*in the chapel) for a few hours before going to visit Jose, our investigator! We read 1 Nefi 2 con el.* (*1 Nephi 2 with him.) Despues* (*Then), we had a noche de hogar* (*Family Home Evening) at Bishop’s with Verenisse and talked lots about the Spirit World and had cookies. Chevere P-day* (*Fantastic Preparation day). :) However, the gripe* (*flu) hit HARD today- hopefully it leaves fast!
En Martes* (*On Tuesday), we began the morning with a district meeting here in Oxa, with capacitaciones* (*training) on contacting and contacting lessons! After lunch, we visited our less active Ayde and taught her from Alma 37 about how we should seek the will of God. :) Despues, we visited Sylvia, less active, and helped her with her manualidades* (*crafts) to vend at the feria* (*fair) before going to our investigator Jose and reading more of the LDM* (*Libro de Mormon – Book of Mormon). :) Then we visited Lydia, less active, and talked a bit about fe* (*faith). Luego, we visited Familia Martinez* (*The Martinez Family) and read Alma 32 and talked about la fe con ellos* (*faith with them). :)
On Wednesday, our service fell through in the morning. :( After lunch, we visited Mara, menos active* (*a less active), and helped her with her progreso personal* (*personal progress), reading bastante pasajes* (*pretty passages) about the Plan of Salvation and eating bananas. :) Luego, we visited our investigadora* (*investigator) Yheni and helped her aplastar mani* (*crush peanuts) for just over an hour, which was quite tedious but still a good time. :) Despues, we were exhausted, had no luck, and almost got attacked by a dog before visiting Celeste, less active, and showing her the video Only a Stonecutter and talked about perseverance throughout pruebas* (*trials) and defending the truth that we have in the restored gospel. Una dia bacan* (*a fantastic day). :)
Jueves* (*Thursday)! In the morning, we helped Matrimonio Mocarro arreglar* (*fix) their new house by cleaning and scraping off unwanted paint.:) After lunch, we visited with Rosa C., recent rescue, and looked over her mission papers before taking her with us for the rest of the day! :) Due to today being both vacaciones* (*a holiday) and Peru’s Independence Day, nadie* (*no one) was in house, so we stopped off for a cold ice cream to cool us down before going to Mariella, recent convert, and reading 1 Ne 7 and talking about la fe! Luego, luck left us and our citas* (*appointments) fell through before correlacion missional* (*mission correlation). Despues, we took Rosa C. with us to visit Verenisse and talked with her for un ratito* (*a while) before going to Noche de Deporte* (*sports night) and playing volley. :) Fantastic Day! :)
Friday came FAST this week! After studies, weekly planning, and lunch of papas a la huancaina, we visited Ayde, our less active! We taught 1 Ne 10 about la Expiacion de Jesucristo, fe, y arrepentimiento* (*The Atonement of Jesus Christ, faith and repentance). Luego, we visited our investigadora Noami and her daughter Nicole, our new investigator, and taught the Plan of Salvation! :) Luego, we visited Celeste, menos activo, and read Enos with her, discussing faith and prayer. Despues, we met en la capilla with Vere and some other members to plan Luz’s mission farewell (which is crazy- I was here for the call opening and the farewell! QUE COSA!) before Sinks and I taught Noche Misional* (*Mission Night) about Lot’s wife, the power of the Atonement, and learning from our past and progressing. :)
Sabado* (*Saturday)! The day began meeting Rosa C., Verenisse, and the elders to buy cake, balloons, and decorate the capilla with Mexico’s colors for Luz’s surprise farewell!:) After lunch, we visited our investigator Edilia and did a pre-entrevista bautismal* (*baptismal pre-interview), setting a fecha bautismal* (*baptismal date) for August 19th. :) Luego, we read 1 Ne 8 and discussed the Tree of Life with Mariella, converso reciente* (*recent convert), before visiting Mara, less active, and helping her with progreso personal! Despues, we had consejo de barrio* (*ward council), which we left early with Luz to go to a cita with Lillian, a less active, where we talked about paciencia* (*patience). Then came Luz’s surprise despedida* (*farewell)! :) We took pictures, ate cake, bocaditas y chicha, and shared palabras de animo* (*words of encouragement). :) Una dia tan chevere* (*a wonderful day)!
On Sunday, we had normal church reunions and lots of the people we’re visiting came to church, including two investigators- Edilia y Alejandro! J Ero lo maximo* (*maximum coolness). After lunch, we visited Rosicela, our investigator, and read a chapter in Helaman with her before visiting our less actives, Miguel y Anabel, and reading 1 Nefi 2 y 3 con ellos. :) Luego, we visited Verenisse and her recently set apart sister Luz, and Luz and i taught the Restauracion* (*Restoration) to give her some practica* (*practice) before she enters the CCM* (*Mission Training Center) on Tuesday! :) We talked to them for a bit before going and getting our ropa* (*clothes) and talking to Rosa C. :) Side note, today was Harry Potter’s birthday! Happy birthday to the boy who lived.
Today, we might go to Chonta, but we’re not sure- the only thing that’s set in stone is TACOS.
I’m just incredibly filled with joy this week. I love the people of Oxa immensely and they’ve impacted me greatly for the better. :)
Cambios* (*Transfers) are coming up on Wednesday, but the missionary portal told me today that I’m headed to….
CERRO DE PASCO* (*Note – Cerro de Pasco is one of the highest cities in the world at 14,210 ft elevation and has the highest stake center in the church) to be with Hermana Bernal from Mexico! :)
So, next time I write you I’ll probably be freezing somewhere in the altura* (*high mountains).
Les amo tanto y espero que este semana puede ser exitoso y divertido por cada uno de ustedes* (*I love you so much and I hope this week can be successful and fun for every one of you)!
Con amor y mis oraciones para siempre* (*With love and prayers forever),
Hermana Schmid
(*Italic translations by Karissa’s mom using google translate)
