July 14, 2014
Week 57

Boy do I have a lot to tell you guys! At the beginning of this month when we made our goals, we had two new investigators that we were pretty excited about. We felt like we should put 2 as our goal for baptisms. I was hesitant because to be completely honest, I am tired of setting goals and failing at them but we prayed again and I felt a peace come over me. So we put two as the goal. Well, turns out one of them lives just outside our sector (we learned it wasn't part of our area when a member came with us) so we passed that reference over to ChanuChanu. And then the other one didn't come to church that Sunday and she isn't quite ready to give up dancing in the Candelaria, which is a really big festival where they dance for the saints. So I was just praying really hard that we could meet this goal. I remember what President Harbertson taught about real faith. I know Heavenly Father wouldn't just make me feel like we needed to put 2 just to set me up for failure. So I have been praying a lot. This week when we were planning, we had an appointment with two new investigators we had felt inspired to contact off the street. I just had a subtle impression--that's them. I just got so excited! Heavenly Father brought us to this awesome family. The parents aren't members but have three children that are. One is currently serving a mission. The dad is out of town for work except for the end of the month and we are excited to meet him but for now we are working with the rest. There are two brothers in their 20s that I feel like have just been so prepared. We invited them to be baptized the 26th and they are praying about it still. But I know what Heavenly Father's answer will be. They came to church. One of them especially has just been reading in the Book of Mormon and Liahona like crazy. I don't feel worried about it. They haven't given a definite yes but the Lord has just prepared them so much and heard all my prayers. I am so grateful for all my opportunity to practice having real faith I don't have to worry because God made me a promise and He is not going to back out on it. So let me go back to how we actually found them. We were just walking down the street and I had a prompting to knock on this random door. We met Evert who told us he used to go to church and listened to the missionaries but stopped because he was offended. We talked to him a little and invited him to church but didn't make another appointment. The next week we were walking down the same street and my companion felt like we should go back. So then we met Elmer, who is Evert's brother. He has a lot of admiration for his younger brother that is in the mission field. He has noticed how happy faithful members of the church are. They just love everything. Elmer is 23 and wants to go on a mission. They showed up at church! In a suit and tie and Evert had actually combed his hair. It was kind of one of those sacrament meetings where the speakers were making me nervous but I just prayed that God would save this sacrament meeting. In that moment, the counselor got up and announced the patriarch would be speaking.It was perfect and they loved it.  Prayers answered for sure! So they are doing great. We have an appointment with them tonight and we will see what they say. I love you guys! Have a great week! 

The pic in front of the tree is from carnival, the big water festival thing. They walk around this tree and chop it down and then collect all the goodies below. Like a piñata tree. 

Peruvians and Party Games

Week 56

July 7, 2014

Hahah. Well. We have an investigator Patricia who is pregnant. As a way to get some good fellowshipping AND eat cake we had a baby shower. Baby showers are relatively new here, and they haven't been Peruvian-ized quite yet. The word for baby shower here is "baby shower". The last ward baby shower was a family event that included a clown and was a little strange, so we showed them how it was done. Let me just say, at parts it was kind of like pulling teeth. But they got a kick out of pin the binky on the baby.

Also, Happy Fourth of July! My comp has this sweet American scarf (see pics) and we were very patriotic that day. The sad part of the Fourth of July was that we dropped Moises. He just is not keeping his commitments. I had to tell him we weren't going to stop by anymore until he started to show his faith by doing things like attend church. He legitimately looked sad. And it broke my heart to tell him that. As we walked away Hna. Hunter and I just cried. But it was one of those times where we were disappointed, but not in ourselves.We did all we could do for him, but in the end it was his choice to not progress any more. At least for now. I see a lot of potential in him. Maybe just now is not his time. 

This week we had a lesson with a less active. I won't use her real name but lets call her Martha. She is a return missionary who came back and fell in love with a non-member. They never got married but they moved in together and they now have two kids. It was so weird to teach her because she already knows everything. She already knows that she is involved in serious sin, but we did share a message of hope with her. She just started to cry and say "it's all my fault, it's all my fault". It was so sad. But I know we have to remember the message of hope we share for her. No matter how low we find ourselves, we can always be picked back up thanks to the Savior's Atonement. This morning I was reading in 2 Nephi 4. I love that chapter because so many times I have felt so frustrated with myself for not being as strong as I know I should be. My soul wants to do so many good things but sometimes the flesh wins. But I love the line, Pero se en quien he confiado. But I know in whom I have trusted. I know that if we put our trust in the Lord, we can overcome our weaknesses. As we make more and more righteous decisions it will become easier to do so. We can be triumphant through the Atonement. That is what the gospel has to offer our burdened down less actives (and everyone!). Martha has come to church a couple times and has met with the bishop. She is on the right track. We will help her experience the freedom from guilt and pain that the Atonement provides. And it is there for literally everyone at any time or place.Be free!  I love you all so much!

Hermana Beckstead

 

oh yeah. And the food is papa a la huancayina. We have a new pensionista and she is the BEST! It's my favorite and she made it.  Also, we went to the shore of the lake again. Have an awesome week! 

Guess Who Has Legs?

Week 55
June 30, 2014

Well, I do. But RUPERTINA HAS LEGS TOO! I know. What? I feel a little silly being tricked by a 76 year old woman, but hey. These sweet Puneños are quite the little tricksters. Starting off with the member family one of my first days here trying to get us to believe they were investigators and would be extremely offended if we didn't take their alcohol. They didn't get me that time but boy did they get me this time. You see, Rupertina is a little on the plump side. And here their native dresses are really big. So she just always had her tiny legs under there hidden sitting on the bed when we visited. You can imagine my shock when we caught Rupertina standing up in the street by their house one day. So yeah. But it's really nice that she has legs because getting her to come to church is going to be a lot easier now. And she came! It was so great! 

This week is going great with the less actives. Not so much with the investigators. We are probably dropping Moises at least for a little bit because if he won't even come to church there is no way he will have the strength to quit for good because he will be missing out on those blessings. There is a scripture in D&C that talks about how they received the glory they were willing to receive. We have done our part. It's up to him and his agency--where he wants to be.

And then there was the part of this week where a drunk man yelled at us, "get out of here Satan!¨ Twice. But it was one of those Elder Holland being a disciple moments and I'm just like just keep walking. 

Oh yeah, one funny story: We were talking with an hermana we contacted who had just had a baby. I asked her "where do you think your baby came from? She just paused and was like,  "well, I think we all know...when a man and a woman..."  WOAH woah woah stop. That is NOT what I meant. Like before that! haha so fun. 

Then we met this less active Thania. We have had her address for awhile from our area book but we hadn't found her house! This week we found it! And it was one of those awesome lessons where we just asked questions and found out why she really went inactive. I just felt like we were able to discern her needs and I felt so much love for her. I felt prompted to share the story of the Prodigal son and I just almost cried there with her. I felt that God loved her so much. She made a few bad mistakes that led her so far away from the path God wanted for her and as a result felt ashamed to come to church. But I really do feel like we helped her. And we stopped by for her on Sunday and she came to church for the first time in a very long time. I felt so happy to see her there! 

It was a great week. I love you so much! Have a wonderful week! God loves you!

Hermana Beckstead

Pictures- my hija finally got her first llama sweater! They are the warmest.

Our stake had a dance festival for the public. We went outside and got a bunch of people to come in off the street. Great missionary opportunity! The wards did dances from different countries. Ours did Bolivia and of course they were pretty much the best.