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!