The Week I was almost shot for smiling

July 24, 2014
Week 58 1/2

Hey Guys!
Well sorry I´m writing on Thursday instead of Monday. It´s because I had to go to Lima, AGAIN! But this time I left Lima with my Peruvian ID! So I am good to go. Peruvian immigrations office: my message to you is hasta nunca!

Anyways, here is the update on Elmer and Eber. We were sad when Elmer didn´t show up to church on Sunday and Eber made us nervous because he was late but he came! We talked to him afterwards to see if he was still up for his baptism on the 26th. Apparently that is the same day of his cousin´s wedding and it was going to be fun but his mom wants him to help all day. And so he is most likely getting baptized the following week. We were a little sad because it would have just been the coolest miracle to see them both baptized on the 26th but I was reflecting on it. We had our vision so set on the 26th but we felt strangely at peace when it didn´t work out. I think it was because we knew we had worked with that goal in mind and had done all that was possible. It made me wonder why Heavenly Father wanted us to put that goal. I think one of the reasons may have been this: I think if we would have only put a goal of one baptism instead of two, we would have focused more on Elmer because he seemed the most ready, where in reality, his brother Eber was more ready to get baptized. Also I think the Lord wanted us to have this goal as the 26th so we would maybe be a little more bold and with a higher attitude of urgency than we may have been otherwise, and so they will get baptized sooner than they would have otherwise, even if that day isn´t the 26th. That would have been an amazing miracle if they had both been baptized on the 26th and I would have been so grateful to have been able to see that. But we did not lose the faith and we were expecting that baptism right until the very end. But I know they will make it. I can´t wait for one day all of their family to be members and to be sealed together. We will get them there. 

And so about the subject line, this week I had just about the most terrifying experience of my mission. We opened this area and apparently we still don´t know all the ropes yet. Anyways, we got into a combi (these little bus-van things that go everywhere) that was not the right one and it took us right out of our area. We realized this and got off. We started walking back to our area and had to cross this hill where the army station thing is. It was good because that is in our area so we just had to get to the right side of it. And there are houses out there so we knew it was okay to be walking there. But we were walking by the Ejercito and there were guards up there on the walls. I guess I have because friendly I dunno because I´m a missionary or something so I just gave a little smile to the guard and we kept walking. But exactly when I smiled, he cocked his gun! Oh my gosh it was so terrifying. But we got out of there and he didn´t shoot us! So we are happy! 

Also, we have this cute member we visit. She is old and widowed. We happened to show up when the elders and a member were already there. But we were the ones with the appointment. So we stayed and she gave us all food of course. She is just so hilarious. She was giving the member such a hard time for eating slow. She had prepared soooo much food. There is no way we would have been able to finish it all if it had just been us and she just made him eat more and more and was making jokes about him not having teeth (don´t worry, he does) and stuff. He had finally gotten a little tired, and was just like, and what about her? (meaning me, because I definitely was not pulling my weight). And Constantina (the lady) was just like, Naaaaah, she´s a little lady! Haha yes! Probs the only time I have been ¨little¨ on my mission. 


I love you guys! Hope you have a great week! It´s weird. I will email you all again in like 3 and a half days. What? Love, Hermana Beckstead

Special meeting with President Harbertson in Juliaca on the shore of Lake Titicaca

 Hna, Olivares is my sista leader now! And she´s grown! (Just kidding, she´s on a stool)