Week 35: Ice-Skating, Christmas carols, and Paneton
Pensamientos Espirituales* (*Spirtual Thoughts): Alma 57: 21
P-day! Today was spent yendo de compras* (*going shopping), and we decided to buy a paneton and some hot chocolate! :) It´s a Peruvian Christmas tradition, so we put on musica de la Navidad* (*Christmas music) and celebrated a few months early. :) It's been especially cold this week, so we figured it was fitting! Chistoso era* (*it was funny). :) We visited our investigator Alex and had a noche de hogar* (*Family Home Evening) about faith to terminar la dia* (*end the day). :)
On Tuesday, we had a district meeting and mini birthday celebration for Elder Chujo and Elder Moss! After lunch, we visited our investigator Milagros V. and read her LDM* (*Book of Mormon) before going to our investigator Mely and explaining el Evangelio de Jesucristo*(*The Gospel of Jesus Christ). Despues* (*Then), we went to our investigator Miley and talked about prayer. :) Then we visited Ada, less active, and explained temples before going to our investigator Jeny G. and talking about why we need a Savior. :)
Wednesday! En la mañana* (*In the morning), we made tacos with Iris to celebrate her 30th birthday! :) Then we traveled to San Juan for divisions. I was with Hna Cruz! :) We made visitas* (*visits) and there was lots of hail and snow, so we decided to aprovechar* (*advantage) and ice-skated down the hills in our boots.:) We fell a few times, but it was incredibly fun! We also decided to contact Christmas caroling due to the weather. :) Fantastic times! :)
Thursday, I was back with Vallejo! We decided to go through the area book of old investigators and I found one that I felt like we should call named Flor! She answered and asked us to visit her right then, so we did. She told us that she had been praying because she had been feeling really alone, and then de la nada* (*out of nowhere) we called!:) The Spirit is a real thing. After lunch, we visited our investigator Bety and explained the introduction of the LDM* (*Book of Mormon). Despues, we went to Noeli, less active, and got to know her before visiting Juana (member) and Alex (investigator) and making pizza with them! :)
On Friday, we visited Rebecca, less active, and taught the Restoration and watched a video before going to Mely, investigator, and teaching her about the Plan of Salvation! :) We then visited Josefina, converso* (*convert), and talked about patriarchal blessings. :) It was dumping rain and hail and our citas*(*appointments) fell through, but despues* (*then), we had a noche de hogar* (*Family Night) with our investigator Milagros V. and our mission leader, Betto, on fe* (*faith)! :) Our carbon monoxide detector also went off in the night, so that was a locura* (*crazy); we slept with the windows open as a result. We're not quite sure if it's broken or if there's a problem quite yet.
Sabado* (*Saturday)! In the mañana* (*morning) we contacted before teaching English class. After almuerzo* (*lunch), we visited Jeny C., less active, and read her LDM antes de ir a* (*Book of Mormon before going to) our investigator, Olga! We shared the Plan of Salvation and she promised to come to church tomorrow. :) We then visited Milagros B., less active, and taught about temples before going to Kris, less active, and teaching about albedrio y su importancia* (*agency and its importance). :)
On Sunday, I officially hit 8 months in the mission! Vallejo greeted me with a "Happy 8 Months" sign en la mañana. The mission FLIES by. I really haven't felt the time. :) Our investigator Olga came to church today and we had salchipapas for lunch, so all was well! :) We visited Miguel and Josefina, conversos, and talked about la obra misional con ellos* (*missionary work with them)! :) They've really become family to me. Our citas fell through despues, and we ended up having to walk through a drunken party en el Mercado* (*in the market), and a drunk guy pulled my hair really hard, so that was suficientemente feo* (*ugly enough). Anyway, we then visited Paty and her son Ricardo, menos activos* (*less actives), and taught la Restauracion* (*the Restoration). :) I absolutely love it here in C.D.P.* (*Cerro de Pasco), even though this week was freezing cold with rain and hail. It's fantastic. :) Next Sunday they will tell us if there are cambios* (*transfers). Ojala que no* (*hopefully not). I really like Cerro. If there are no cambios, I will be writing normal time here in Pasco, but if there are cambios, I will be writing sometime in the afternoon when I get to my new area.
C.S. Lewis once said, "Love is not an affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained."
I love each and every one of you, but most importantly, Heavenly Father loves you all individually. He wants and knows what's best for you and He will help you and guide you along your way. Trust in Him, for His vision is much greater than we can imagine; and in the end, all things will work together jointly for our good. :)
Con amor y mis oraciones para siempre jamas * (*With love and prayers for ever and ever),
Hermana Schmid
(*Translations made by Karissa’s mom using google translate)
