Week 45: The best way to spread Christmas cheer... :)
Pensamiento Espiritual* (Spiritual Thought): Moroni 9: 6
Please click here for a special audio message from Karissa this week!
Lunes was una LOCURA* (*Monday was CRAZY)! In the morning, we went to the mission house for a rehearsal and had lunch. :) Despues* (*Then), we met with our zone (part of Huancayo and Huancavelica) to plan and practice our sketch for tomorrow's multizona* (*multi-zone meeting)! I get to be a little old cholita vendiendo mazzamorra de tocush* (*lady selling tocush mazzamorra). :) Then we went to Real Plaza for the performance! Lots of people came and listened and other missionaries were contacting. Just a fantastic event. :) Then we all (singers and some contactadores* (*contactors)) went out to dinner with Presidente Silva and his familia para terminar* (*President Silva and family to finish). :) Una dia chevere* (*a wonderful day)!!!
On Tuesday, we had the Christmas multizona with all of the missionaries in Huancayo and Huancavelica! :D They had me perform Ave Maria again de sorpresa* (*of surprise), we did a white elephant gift exchange, handed out the gifts from the mission moms (thanks Mum!) and got to see Feliz Navidad* (*Merry Christmas) videos from our families. :) It was the greatest!!! :) We came back and visited our new investigator Liliana, who's always wanted missionaries to visit her, so she was a CRAZY tender mercy. :) Despues, we went to Rosalia, menos active* (*less active), and explained La Restauracion* (*The Restoration)!
Wednesday was a normal day, por fin* (*finally)! We visited Liliana, investigator, in the mañana* (*morning) and explained the Plan of Salvation, because her abuela* (*grandmother) recently died. She said that it just makes sense. She's just the greatest. :) After lunch, we went to Severina, less active, and talked about exaltation before going to Elizabeth (less active) and her son Mario (investigator) and explaining the Ten Commandments. Luego* (*Then), we went to our investigator Gloria and got to know her and then visited Luz Maria, less active, and talked to her about the importance of families. :)
Thursday! We did some member visits and contacted in the mañana! After lunch, we visited Elizabeth (menos activo) and Mario (investigador) again and explained diezmos* (*tithes) and ofrendas de ayuno* (*fast offerings)! Luego, we went to Fam. Llacua (conversos) and shared the Plan de Salvacion* (*Plan of Salvation)! I asked the little niño* (*boy) where he thought he was going after death, and he yelled back "A HACER COMPRAS!!!" (literally TO GO SHOPPING!) so we all DIED of laughter. :) Despues, we visited Luz Maria, less active, and talked about the eternal love of God before having a noche de hogar of hermanasa* (*Family Home Evening of Sisters) in San Carlos, where we watched a video of the Natividad* (*Nativity) to celebrate La Navidad* (*Christmas). :)
Viernes* (*Friday)! Today, we had a surprise ensayo* (*rehearsal) in the morning... that ended up going SUPER late into the tarde* (*afternoon). We came back to Chilca to change and then went with Hna Silva and the hnas de San Carlos (keeler and espinoza) to Parque Wawamarka* (*Wawamarka Park) to sing! It was outdoors and a bit cold, but lots of fun. :)
CHRISTMAS EVE! We had the final practice for our performance in the morning! We came back to Chilca... and nobody was home. :( todos se fueron a ver sus familias* (*they all went to see their families). BUT we found a new investigator, Elizabeth, and got to know her before traveling to Open Plaza (a HUGE new mall here in Huancayo) for the last performance!!! It was the absolute best. :) We ate Christmas dinner at President's house with all of those involved in the performance. :) The night was full of fireworks, because they celebrate the 24th in the noche* (*night) here, but it was just fantastic. :)
NAVIDAD* (*CHRISTMAS)! :D Church was only one hour today and not many people came, but it was still a great time! We then opened up our gifts from my family and it was my favorite thing that my comp, Hna Aramayo, could have a real Christmas. :) Then, I got to talk to my family which was just amazing and see all of the beautiful Utah snow! :D A definite highlight. :) Nobody was home de nuevo* (*again), so we visited Jessica, member, and helped her with mission prep before going to Elizabeth, less active, and her son Mario, investigator, and talking a bit about Christ's birth for Navidad. :) FELIZ NAVIDAD A TODOS* (*MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL)!!! :D
"Fill your minds with truth.
Fill your hearts with love.
Fill your lives with service."
- Thomas S. Monson
Con amor y mis oraciones para siempre jamas* (*With love and prayers forever and ever),
Hermana Schmid
(*Translations made by Karissa’s mom using google translate)
