Pioneer children sang as they walked, and walked, and walked, and walked

September 29, 2014

Week 68

So this week people were busy or gone doing something I'm not really sure what. There was some big dance festival thing, though, so that could be it. We did a lot of walking this week but it was good. We sang songs and heard lots of music playing on every street corner. The elections are this Sunday and they are in full campaign mode. They are taking popular songs and changing the words to talk about their favorite candidate. My personal favorite is about Ivan. Super catchy, plus our area seems to be big fans, so I get to see his face every day when I wake up if I want. I also heard quite the moving really corny song about hermanos and hermanas we need to come together and basically the Quechuas and Amayras you need to stop hating each other. So great! I might be a little sad when the elections are over. But mostly happy I think. I am sad. though, because of the elections, we can't watch conference. Here in Peru it is illegal to have meetings during the elections or 24 hours before. Ahhhh!. :(  But I will see them the week afterwards. 

Moises came to church! He is doing better at keeping himself busy with uplifting things so he doesn't fall into old temptations. He even came to a church activity at 6 in the morning! That definitely wasn't my idea, but they insisted that it would be best because any later everyone starts washing their clothes and going to the market and stuff. So yeah.

Nilton came to church too. We haven't got to teach him much but tonight we have an FHE with them. 

This week we did divisions with the hermana leaders. The day before we told Jesica our pensionista that Hna. Viricochea wouldn't be there the next day and that another hermana would be instead. She asked where the hermana coming was from and we told her Argentina. She said she doesn't like Argentinans and so she was going to make Quinua so she wouldn't like it. I told her that she hates Papa a la Huancaina, haha. And the next day we had Papa a la huancaina! So that was a highlight for sure. 

Also we were waiting for a combi and a kid came up to us and said to my companion, Do you need some help? but in English. It was really cute. She was just like, uhhh, no we are just waiting for a combi. But way to put yourself out there kid! So cute.

Also, sometimes apparently I still mix up my Spanish. We were looking for an investigator and her son told us she went to her sister's entierro but I heard tienda. And so I'm just like oh, okay. Well could you let her know... I mixed up burial and store somehow. oops! 

But anyways. Kind of a slower week but it's okay. Have a great week! Love you guys!

And don't forget, confia en Ivan! Actually, just confia en Dios. 

Hermana What?

September 22, 2014

Week 67

A member of our ward returned from his mission and we met him for the first time. He looked at my name tag and said Hermana.....what?! It was funny because he said the what part in English. Haha. My favorite attempts are still Hermana Bexter and of course, the hermano we used to pension with just calls me Hermana Beck. I love it!

So here are some cool things that happened this week:

Well first of all, President Harbertson visited Puno! It accomplished its purpose of giving us more of the Spirit to go forth and work hard with new animos. It was the best. After the conference we had a couple extra minutes before our citas and there a less actives house name Yovana that a member showed us a while back. I suggested that we stop by. She had never answered the door before but this time she did. She talked about some of the hard things she is going to and just cried right there. She said that thanks to all the things going on, she had been thinking about the Church, and how she wanted to go back this week. It is amazing how the Lord always gets us to the people at the time perfectly designed to help them most. Maybe I would have liked to have found her much earlier when we had previously knocked on her door, but the Lord let us reach her in the moment that she needed us most and also in the moment that she would be most receptive to hearing the gospel message again and accept an invitation to come to church. Also, she lives with her pareja and parents who are all non-members. 

Also, remember Moises? We were going to stop by a potential investigator´s house. He lives in a part of our area that I wouldn´t really like to be in at night, even though it is lighted, but I still felt we should head over there. Thankfully before we had to turn into the street I don´t really like, we felt to stop. It was a relief but I wanted to know why we were there. We headed towards another potential investigator´s house from there and before long we ran into Moises! He told us he was going to come to church the next day. I had heard that one before but it still made me excited. And the next day, there he was in church! We had told him we were going to stop visiting him until he came to church or until he called us, and he he came! So we have an appointment with him on Wednesday. Dropping him was one of the hardest things I've had to do my whole mission, but obviously the Lord had a wise purpose behind it all. Maybe he will be able to see more dramatically the difference the Spirit makes in his life. I sure hope so. 

Also, Ever didn't tell us this, of course, but we talked to his mom Gala and she told us he is leaving behind some of his old friends (because they always try to pressure him to drink) and they tried to beat him up this week. We are trying to help him form more and more friendships in the Church to help him stay strong. I am really proud of him. This week I heard his testimony about enduring to the end and it was just the best! He is working in his calling. His brother Nilton´has been busy with work and stuff but hopefully he won´t escape us this week. We had an intense lesson with just Gala. I felt so strongly to invite her to be baptized and she accepted, However, she did not accept a date. She is scared. But I know she felt something. We pray that the Spirit works with her and we can help her overcome her doubts. They are so close!

On a lighter note, this week I showed the dogs who were boss. There is this annoying dog that always bugs us when we go to a certain less active´s house. But this week I used the thing mom gave me that makes a high noise that dogs don´t like so they leave you alone. I used that and he just stood there. I am pretty immature when it comes to dogs so I started to stick my tongue out at it and make raspberry sounds at it. When a lady came out around the corner right behind it. Haha oops! Embarrassing.

Also, I read this talk by President Monson where he talks about two shepherds he once saw. In one the sheep knew his voice and heeded his call and it was a cute story and all that. Well we were arriving where Maria lives and I saw a lady coming down with a TON of sheep. And I thought, awww it´s going to be one of those cute stories you could use in a talk, because she is a good shephe
rd. I finished this thought right before she began hurling stones at the sheep to get them to hurry up. Welp. There goes that nice feeling. 

So anyways. I love you guys a lot! Have a great week! D&C 64:33

Love, Hermana Beckstead

Pics- we went to a lookout point as a zone. It´s like the condor we went to but this time it´s a puma! Also, this random lady asked if she could take a picture with me. Ün recuerdo. Being tall and white makes you famous!! Also, my comp took a pic of me studying. One day the miracle of indoor heating will reach Puno, but that day is not today. But that´s okay because of this D&C 122:8 

Love you! 

I am going to resurrect with a TON of hair!

September 15, 2014

Week 66

The Puno Plaza

Haha, that's what a lady in our ward said when we were talking about the resurrection, because not a single hair of your head will be lost. That's going to be so great!

This week was pretty crazy! On Tuesday, Hermana Hunter and I traveled to Cusco. And then she left me! It was so sad! I miss her! And then the next day we went to a training with President Harbertson and I got my next hija! She's great. Her name is Hermana Viricochea and is from Cochabamba Bolivia. She has been a missionary for 3 weeks! It is hard adapting to mission life but she is doing a great job and is a fast learner. Also, she already knows perfect Spanish so she is just jumping right in. 

Hermana Viricochea and I

The last Puno ice cream with Hermana Hunter

So we got back to Puno in the afternoon and we have mostly been going to get to know the members and gain some trust with them. Also with the Familia Luque, Nilton (the only non-member brother) is back and so we are working with him again! We had a great lesson with Ever about family history. He hadn't been working on it, but we found out the real reason why this time. I guess he has a lot of really bad memories from his grandparents, and he prefers to not remember. It was cool because we could talk about how he can do a great service for his grandparents, and they will have a different, much better relationship when they see each other again. 

Saying goodbye to the family Luque. We told them it was going to be a funny picture, but I guess they didn't hear that part. 

Also, speaking of temples, Luz Marina is going! I don't have details because the missionary I talked to had a transfer out of Ollanta one transfer ago, but she has had some serious health issues and even had to go to Cusco for treatment, but somehow, I don't know how, but has raised enough money to go to the temple. I am so proud of her and so happy for her! 

Well, that's pretty much been the week! We have seen some super cool thunder and lightening, as in the coolest I have seen in my life. It's been great!  Also, my name tag is kinda dying and sometimes falls off in inopportune moments, like when I was filling up my water bottle in the sink and my tag fell right into the toilet.  

I love you guys a ton and hope you have a fantastic week! 

Love, Hermana Beckstead

"Sometimes I Lie"

Week 65

September 8, 2014

Haha. That's what Angie said. Angie is the 9-year old we are teaching. Her brothers are members and her mom is returning to activity in the church. She said this when we were playing 2 truths and a lie at a family home evening. She said this statement was the lie haha. 

Another nice moment this week was finally getting to visit Maria (the 85 year-old hilarious lady) again. (see the picture)

Well, sorry but besides that I'm not really sure what to write about this week. It was probably one of the hardest of my mission (but it's okay because I got my mom's package with food in it!!!!) There are some problems going on here in the ward that I can't really explain now, but one day I can.The zone leaders gave us the option to both leave Huayna Capac but even though it's hard, I didn't want to give up on it. Plus, the transfers were in a week anyways, so we would just see what happened. And here's what happened. My hija is leaving the nest and going to the jungle! I am going to miss her so much. We have grown so close in these three transfers together! She has become an amazing missionary. I will be staying here, but am super excited because I will be spending my last two transfers training a new missionary! I am so happy! I love training.  I am excited to help her and make the beginning of her mission the best experience possible and share everything I have learned and learn from her too. Also, I am not going to tell her these are my last two transfers and we are going to work hard and have fun doing it!  Plus, Hermana Hunter gets a sister! So yeah! Also, I know we are going to help the ward. And complete the Familia Luque! So great! Love you guys! Have a great week!

Well. I tried for that photo but it is just not happening. While I was doing this I remember this week the sister leaders telling us that just when something really good is about to happen Satan tries to attack us. My zone leader opportunely said, 'so we just shouldn't try.' haha. Funny, but not true! Keep on keeping on and next week you will get pictures of me and my hija! Know that I love you all lots! Oh yeah, and Hermana Valverde is one of the new sister leaders! She is going to do so good! And I get to see her when I pick up my hija :)

Maria and I

There is a mermaid in lake Titicaca

Week 64

September 1, 2014

Hey Guys!

Well let's start out with the beginning of the week. So we go visit this hermana whose cousin is a member and invited her to church (a different ward actually, but she lives in our boundaries). The lesson was going normal and good until she was just like, Can I tell you something? And of course we said yes. She said you're not going to judge me right? No. And she proceeded to tell us this thing that she had kept up inside of her and hadn't told her friends or her family. How is it that people trust us enough to tell us such things 20 minutes after meeting us for the first time? It really is amazing to me. Being a missionary is an incredible calling. She said her cousin invited her to church and she said she would go, but only once and then never again, haha. And he told her she didn't have to come in a skirt if she didn't want to. But she went and felt so good that she went and bought skirts for Sunday, and the Sunday after that, and the one after that! She bought three skirts, guys! 

And the main event of this week of course is that Elmer got baptized! Wooho! Saturday Elmer was baptized and Sunday he was confirmed and also received the priesthood. We didn't know this until just recently, but apparently he used to be an atheist, and his family thought that everyone would eventually join the church except him. And Ever used to kick the missionaries out of his house!  His mom and little brother want to be baptized. And we finally got to talk to the dad for a bit! He works everyday in the mines but he told us he wants to get baptized someday. We invited him to the confirmation but he said he wouldn't be able to because he had to go back to the mine early in the morning. Well, surprise, he came to church anyways! And his answer changed to, "I won't let December pass by without being baptized!" Also, Elmer's less active sister came over from Juliaca and came to church for the confirmation. Apparently she is going to come to our ward every Sunday now. And the other sister that is a member is attending church in Puerto Maldonado. And then of course, the brother on his mission. I think his family is progressing in large part thanks to his prayers.  Also, Ever is doing great. The Bishop told us that Ever came up to him and asked him how he could help. He keeps blessing the sacrament. This family calls us their angels, but I am the one that feels blessed. We just walked by one day and felt we should knock on their door and we did and we met them and here we are. I know they are going to make it to the temple one day. I think during the first part of my mission I did a lot of planting seeds (remember Gimena? She was recently baptized, about a year later. And a family I visited a little finally got married and baptized, about a year later) but now for some reason God is giving me a great gift to see this family progress. They are so cool!  Also, Elmer says hi to my family because he said he has felt their prayers. And Bishop says hi too. and Carlos and just everyone says hi from Peru. They love you guys a lot.

And about the subject. Wellll, obviously.....there's a....mermaid...in the lake (say this with Antoine Dodsen accent). The Bishop's wife Gina told us a wonderful story about how a man was always going to the lake to talk with a beautiful mermaid until one day he went missing. Story goes that she took him. She also told us other really great stories about all kinds of wonderful mythical creatures that live here in our very own backyard. Who woulda thought?!

Anyways, love you guys! Have a great week!

and we went to Juliaca and I got to see Hna.Coffey pants