Emma's Big Peruvian Adventure!

Sheep Germs

Week 63August 25, 2014

Riding in the best mode of transportation EVER! They are these tricycles with a bench attached in the front. Terrifying at times, but smooth. We have taken them on a few occasions, once while eating empanadas. Delightful.

Dear Family Wamily,

I hope you are all doing great! It was quite the week.

Elmer and Ever gave us a referral of their friends. Turns out one was actually baptized when he was 9 or 10 but he stopped going. He doesn't really consider himself a member, I think. But how amazing that Heavenly Father led us to him to be able to help him come back.

Also, this week Hna. Hunter and I were struggling because we know that God hears and answers our prayers, but sometimes it is just hard to hear Him and we really wanted some direction. Well this week we went up to visit Maria and she told us how she prays but sometimes she just doesn't feel anything. We just testified that sometimes we don't get answers right away, but we have to keep trusting He is there, that it is just a trial of faith. It was cool to be able to tell her even us missionaries feel the same thing sometimes.

Speaking of Maria, one of the first things I noticed when we went is that she had one of her sheep inside instead of outside in the pasture with all the others. And the sheep was not liking it. Also, mind you, this sheep was rather large and tried to bolt for the door but Maria kept it pinned inside. I don't know how because I think if I collided with the sheep, he would knock me flat over. He baaa-ed really loudly from time to time but I kind of forgot about him as we had an intense lesson. I was super focused and leaned over to grab something and was startled to find the giant sheep's head alarmingly close to my face. He then proceeded to try and eat my coat I had taken off (it was actually hot up there and my arms got sunburned in their first little bit of sun exposure in a while) so I thought a friendly swat with my Gospel of Jesus Christ pamphlet would do the trick. Well, you know what, that fat, spiteful sheep went straight for my water bottle. My thirst will never be quenched quite the same again...

Also, remember how I said we were winning against the dogs again? Well, yeah, I take that back. They have gotten smarter! This week a dog apparently broke his rope (because part was still around his neck) and came after us out of an open door.He went after me first and got me away from my comp on one side of the street and then turned around to get my comp and chased her around the corner down an alley. I WAS ALONE IN A STREET IN PERU. Pure panic. Dumb dog. I heard my comp yell and she scared that dog away and we got reunited again. Maybe next week we will be back on top. But I better not jinx it.

Okay, now for the BEST part of the week. Elmer came up to me after sacrament meeting (I had been playing the piano) and he said, "I'm getting baptized Saturday." What?! I didn't know what to do so I just gave him a big high five and told him it was the best surprise ever. Apparently he had a bit of a scary life threatening situation when he traveled this past week to Puerto Maldonado and he told me, "You told me I shouldn't postpone things". Hahah that is the truth, brothers and sisters. It made me feel good because I had said that to him in a lesson where I was trying really hard to listen to the Spirit but I felt like we weren't getting through to him and it made me doubt myself afterwards, maybe I should have been more loving and less persistent, yada yada yada. But it was what the Spirit wanted me to say and he is getting baptized Saturday!

Also, his mom is starting to want to be baptized as well. His last non-member brother also but is out of town. We will complete this family! They are great.

Love you guys! Have a great week!