Final Stretch

My dearly beloved,

Don't think I´m homesick when I say I think about every single 1 of you, in fact I really couldn´t not miss you more, but I always pray that you can all stay safe, healthy and happy I know HF answers my prayers.

¿Que tal? (What's up?)....

Stephen turns 8 in 6 days!!!!!!!!! Feliz cumpleaños Sunny D :)

Also, Padres, happy late anniversary. Thanks for getting married and having me.

In 7 days I fly out to the jungle, aka Iquitos.

I can kind of carry a conversation in Spanish. Prayers are TOTALLY appreciated, because I am still trying so hard to understand this language to no avail.

Luzitos de Cristó (Lights of Christ that she cares for)......

Mornos, non mormons, all christians alike, by the way you dress, speak act think and do...stick out! You already carry the glow of the Light of Christ in your facade. Know that you stand out. Stick out, stand out and be set apart from those around you. but " stick out, stand out and be set apart" in a GOOD way. become like Christ. That´s what this life is all about.

 

"My Words Never Cease" by Jeffrey R. Holland

Elder Holland explains that the LDM is another testament of Christ, just like the Bible, and it is true. "we invite all men..." Thats found in the intro. then read and follow Moroni 10:4 through 5 (And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true ; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power... 5And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.)
 (k, this is me now)  I DARE everyone, anyone to read the Book of Mormon, follow Moroni{s promse and still not feel and know that it contains a fulness of the truth of God. IT can transform your lives, if you are looking for a transformation. IT can improve your lives even when you think life can´t get any better.  Therefore, be ye humble. You can receive many blessings upon many more if you try. Yo promeso, con todo mi corazón (I promise with all my heart).

A Change of Plans...

This week was full of surprises, challenges and changes. 3 of our distritc´s Hermanas chose to switch into the Latino districts, so two thirds of my trio left and so did Hermana RAnsom´s compañera. I had to move rooms and I became Hermana RAnsom´s comp! She´s so intelligent acirca del Libre de Mormón y otra (about the Book of Mormon and other) Gospel principles. I still miss my old compañeras, but I´ve noticed that showing my loyalty and admiration fro hermana R. has really strengthened the unity in our companionship. DAD, all of you advice and letters really have helped me to realize my rose as her compañera. I always mean it or try to mean it, when I tell her, {Yo vivo para servir usted!} (I live to serve you) Our district is only 3 elders y 4 hermanas now. And all but 1 elder and 1 hermana were on the immigration list to visit Interpol to finish their VISA paperwork this week. Guess who the Hermana was....yea it was me. I don{´t know what this means for me at the moment, but I´m not too worried. Elder Largent and I split into different existing districts on Friday. He got to be with the 3 new elders from Norte America, pero I was blessed to find a comp. in a latino district. The day was easy, personal study, and fútbol but THEN we had classes....at this time in the day my district shouold´ve been arriving home already....but instead I was Proxy Hermana Benyo. The maestro (teacher) spoke muy rapido (very fast), but by a mircale (the gift of tongues. Moroni 10. 9 through 18) (8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of... 9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom) I understood and participated! Since latinos don{t need grammar lessons, they just learn how to be awesome missionaries. Among the many insightful things the teacher mentioned, was that when we pray, we always kneel. His reasoning was that, when Christ suffered the pains, guilt and sins of the world, infinitely and entirely. He knelt. As a sign of humility and respect unto Christ and our HF, we kneel too. There´s always rhyme to reason in this church I´ve just barely noticed. Our "culture" is the way it is because of the teachings of prophets past and present. Mormóns typically don´t strive to tattoo their bodies, or have more than 1 piercing (girls). These seemingly trivial things though, are guidance from prophets, thus they are commandments. an dthere is a good reason for every single one of them, whether or not we know it yet.

I also wanted to share some Gems of knowledge from 2 of the elders in my district. Elder Largent (Oklahoma) going to Cuzco, shared his testimony and talk on Sunday on our purpose of being here in Perú. With the Libro de Mormón, we are here to testify (2 Nefi 25:26) (26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.) and teach of Christ. Elder Boyd K. Packers said, " In a world ever more dangerous...The Book of Mormon: Another TEstament of JEsus Christ has the nourishing power to heal starving spirits of the world." Elder Largent said that " we cannot merely offer these people a crumb, we have so much more to offer! A crumb will not fill them, it cannot satisfy the hunger to know that they are beloved children of God and that they have a purpose here on this Earth." We must let them FEAST on the words of God. My cause for the next 17 months is to reduce spiritual world hunger. Without food we cannot live, without Hope we do not want to.

Another Elder (Allan from California) Piura mission, spoke about the HG. As missionaries we're expected to know the teachings of this Gospel. We must take every moment to treasure up in our minds the scriptures and principles of Christ, so we can fill the filing cabinets in our minds. When we teach, with the HG, it can search our cabinets and bring to the front of our minds and mouths, the perfect scripture for that exact persona  in that exact moment. The HG cannot find a file that doesn´t exist. It´s our job to stock it full, it is the HG´s role to command it when we teach and testify.

Con permiso,

love yáll!

Hermana Talbert

(I have pictures and I will put them up soon)