Week #25 - Cajamarca

Wow.... what a week!

This was my first week with Hermana Ortiz from Bolivia, and it was super great!! We were able to visit lots of members, and at the end of the week, we had a little more support than usual from the ward. It´s so important that the members accompany the missionaries, so when you have the opportunity, ACCOMPANY THEM. THEY NEED YOU.  Gracias :) Also if they ever ask if you need something, just tell them what ya need... don´t feel weird asking for things. It´s a blessing for them to serve you and a blesssing for YOU, when they serve you.

We were able to visit Diana and her mom Deisy this week. Deisy is absolutely amazing and has read all of Joseph Smith´s testimony and is going to read 1 Nefi 1 this week. She loves the Book of Mormon, and has already received an answer that it´s true. She gave us a few references from her family that live close by. She told us: ¨I just love the way you talk, everything is so convincing and I know you can convince my family too!!" While we loved to hear that, it made us laugh a little. We explained that truly it´s not us that does the convincing, but the Spirit. This past Sunday she was so excited to go to church with Diana but it turned out that she arrived home late in the morning with her ¨husband¨ and couldn't come.  They´re not married but have been living together for 17 years... I don´t understand sometimes. Diana couldn´t come alone because her mom locked her in the house on accident because she had the keys.... There´s alwayyys something! BUT just yesterday, an Hno. Edingson came to accompany us and we were able to visit Diana and Deisy AND her partner, Castilando. We shared the Restoration and showed the video of the first vision, and the spirit was so strong. Castilando was so impressed with the video, and I could tell that he was truly touched by the Spirit. We´re really hoping that he´ll progress just like Deisy, so that they can get married, then baptized, then SEALED for all eternity!!

Yesterday one of our appointments fell through, and we felt impressed to visit Flor since she nor her partner Wilmer were at church, and they told us they would come. When she doesn´t come to church, that usually means Wilmer has left to visit his family for the weekend, and is drinking... Flor is so strong, and I love her so much. When we knocked on her door, sure enough, Wilmer had left her and her two baby boys to go spend time with his family and get involved in bad things. Tears started to stream down her cheeks when she told us she just doesn´t have motivation to do anything, to read the Book of Mormon (she usually reads everyday, faithfully) or to pray. She told us she had a dream about her son, Justin, and that he was walking along a river bank towards Wilmer, but that as he got closer and closer, the river started to boil below him, and she couldn´t bear to watch him walk anymore. She had some pretty crazy dreams before, but I truly know that God speaks to her through the Spirit and often through her sueños.

We talked with her for a long time, and she told us that she feels like she needs to separate from Wilmer. It´s so sad when families separate, and this is never our first resort. She truly knows this gospel is true, and wants to be baptized, but Wilmer is making things very difficult. We´ve tried so hard to help him with his addiction, and even set goals and plans with him when he´s tempted to drink so he can stay strong. It´s so sad that he´s not putting into practice these plans, and it hurts my heart so much that Flor is suffering. Hermana Ortiz and I cried with her yesterday, and are praying for her everyday to know what´s best. She works so hard to help her two little boys grow strong and she´s started reading the Bible and the Book of Mormon with Justin. 

I´m so grateful for the chance we had to watch conference!! I felt the Spirit so strong. Luckily I was able to watch a little in English since a member in the ward, Sandra Peña, speaks English and could accompnay me with other American elders for the Saturday session in a different room. Sunday I watched in Spanish with Hermana Mariño. I truly know God speaks to us directly through His servants. These men have the power to make promises and I know that it´s crucial that we listen to and obey their words to be protected from temptation, and have the strength to overcome our trials. 

Sé con todo mi corazón que Dios nos ama. Que su plan es perfecto y que no hay una mejor manera para demostrar nuestro amor por él que el guardar los mandamientos. Sin nuestros dolores ni nuestras aflicciones, no tuviéramos la oportunidad de conocer la felicidad aquí en la tierra. Jesucristo resucitó y gracias a ello, resucitaremos. Hagan todo lo posible de vivir dignos de su Espíritu, y sé que tendrán mayor dirección y paz aquí. Hay esperanza mediante la Expiación de Jesucristo. 

Use his Atonement, because He payed the price. All we have to do is come unto him with faith and humble hearts and He can heal us. 

Love you all so much! And thank you forever for the prayers and support :)

--

Hermana Doney

Photo!!: Hermana Diana and her mom own Cuyes (Guinea Pigs!) I got to hold one before they ate it... haha just kidding. But actually they are fattening them up to eat them eventually...