Miracles of the week - Feb. 16, 2015

Satan just knows how great we are. Hermana Estes and I have been given girls with the MOST emotional problems and then when you focus on them, and neglect for so long their companions, they break down then too. Also, our district leader who is VERY difficult to understand told us the other week he thought we were robots. We felt really bad, really heartless. Like the tin man in wizard of oz and repented. Then when we couldn't do anything right our zone leader explained to us its because we aren't being specific enough with our problems that we write down on our informe de area. Elder Vera es SO hard to comprehend. Not because he speaks Spanish, but because he says one thing, but MEANS to communicate something entirely hidden in concept. Yesterday he made my comp. Hermana Estes cry, he told her to work on her Spanish, because the informe has alot of mistakes.......she has 16 months in the mission and this whole week people have been grilling us and our accents. It's just been a merciless week from all. Haha, also! one of the girls we went to visit, we heard she had another crying attack, so we went and bought cookies and chocolate and ran over to her house to see what was wrong with her. She told us, she doesn't feel like anyone loves her for real. That we are obligated to love her because it's our calling, and that none of her leaders really love her, its just what we're called to do, so it doesn't count. I feel like Hermana Estes and I have just given our all. Talents, time and HEART to these girls, and our zone and our investigators, and they just reject it all and say it was not done with sincerity. but its ok. Everything is alright, and there are still miracles that happen around us everyday.

Miracles of the week.

Carnaval. the good. the bad. and the ugly.
I mentioned before the holiday that starts in the beginning of Febrero and has no end right? Everyone has dirty water and paint that they just throw on anyone in the street. there is no mercy. So the ugly was the festival itself. We unfortunately had the party street. A radio station came to do the siging and beer advertising RIGHT in front of our house. and they sang off tune, and repetitively for 2 days straight. it started at 9 pm Saturday night, and then stopped at 4 in the morning Sunday. Then started back up Sunday at 2pm. and then wouldn't stop until 10:30 at night. It was so loud, Hermana Estes and I couldn't speak to each other and hear one another. The president even ordered all of the missionaries of Iquitos to stay and hide in our houses for the day. We had permission to go take the sacrament and split it. We had to have our food delivered to us in the morning before the party started. What we saw from our houses, was lots of dancing, music, beer, and wet brightly colored people. Oh and the most important part were the humishas. They're like opposite of Christmas trees. They bring palm trees from the chacra, and tie presents and new things onto the top, then secure them into the sand, and at the end of the night, the drunkards dance around the trees with machetes cutting the tree down and all the children collect the fruit and gifts that fall with the tree. We had 5 on the street of Yurimaguas. Demasiado era. the GOOD is that God loves us and does not tolerate wickedness. So RIGHT as 10:30 hit, when it was missionary time to go to sleep, He sent the rain :) and the radio station had to run to protect their equipment! yay! So we got to sleep last night.

Rosario.
She has schizophrenia. and the FIRST day she met with us, she didn't understand us. But not our Spanish, she didn't understand God, she didn't understand the doctrine. She told us she couldn't pray to God because she did not had money to buy more candles. (catholic tradition, i think?) but we taught her prayers are free! and not memorized! Little by little, we've seen a change in her. Then when she received the priesthood blessing. wow, EVEN BETTER! she smiles more! then, our fault, we were slow to give her a BOM because we have limited supply in mission Peru Iquitos, and she hardly could read our folletos. Miracle time. Thanks to the idea of our district leader, we brought her one. And that day, in entirety she read Enos and UNDERSTOOD IT! she explained to me what the word expurgar meant! She was learning what remission of sins was, and not just in meaning, but in practice. This was the woman who thought she had no sins, and that there were multiple Jesus`s. The Lord is changing her heart and her abilities! she is a miracle.

The reference.
We are teaching this awesome family, and yesterday we asked for references. The dad who is recently listening and telling us he wants to get married and baptized (miracle in itself) told us to visit his mom! So we went searching her house. on the street that is infamous for being a disaster of disorder. While stuck in the corner of the street, lost, a man walked up to us and asked why God permits so much suffering. I didn't know how to answer, if he was looking for a fight, or a real answer. Hermana Jiminez was quick and explained that He wants to allow all men their free agency, and in this way, can he judge and punish them according to their acts. He was satisfied and told us he was wanting to be baptized before, but the elders had transfers and left. We asked to visit his family. I asked for his direction and it matched the reference of Percy`s mom! I asked the man if he knew the mom, and said it was his tia! He showed us where he lived, and we taught him and his cousin, who are excited to be baptized!

The sloth find
Hermana Estes has a little sister who is SO determined that her sister find a baby sloth here in the jungle, and whats more. whats a picture! The Lord grants us all things if we ask in faith. So while walking through the markets of Belen, We found a member who helped us find a woman with a baby sloth. It was for sale. which is sad, she totes stole this baby from his home in the chacra. She was selling it for the US dollar equivalent of $20.00.
And idk if its the dress, its color, or just my essence. but after Hermana Estes held it, she let me take some pictures and the baby sloth fell asleep on my shoulder :)

Our area is growing! We are finding more people! I seriously love Hermana Estes. Shes from Alpine Utah, Abigail Estes. Shes so sweet and I have never worked so hard and so obediently in all my mission! the Lord is blessing us. No baptisms yet. but we're close :)

Take care all!
I love you, and I love the mission :)
Hermana Talbert

There is still SO much work still for me to do - Jan. 26, 2015

The Presidente has told me that I need to focus still. In my last interview with him, I told him I did this exercise with one of our sister missionaries. She was having a really rough time getting baptisms. She is a perfectionist. so she was just killing herself being here. She asked why she was here. She told us she had no faith in herself, but she THOUGHT she had faith in Christ :( so I used a trick Hermana Reyes taught me (my hija) (daughter, ie trainee) and I told this hermana that she should pray to the Lord and ask Him directly if He was satisfied with the work she was doing, or if she should just go home. I made her do it in our estudio de companerismo (companship study). I told her i didn't want her to talk to me, until she had prayed, reflected and wrote down everything she thought or felt. I did the same.
She calmed down, and now she`s doing better. but from this experience, the Lord also responded to me. I asked Him if what I had done was sufficient, or if He was mad I hadn't ALWAYS done my best. I did feel a little sad for all the times I COULD'VE been more diligent, but then an overwhelming feeling of...energy. filled my body. He let me know that there is still SO much work still for me to do. Like I could be happy with the work I had done, and constantly change. I cannot lose any time. I need to focus.
and then in my interview the president just reaffirmed that to me. He said there is much to do still.
This week was a testimony to that. We had 19 new investigators, and 5 of them were in the chapel! (after finding like 7 of the saturday!) Last night we set a date for a couple to even be married and baptized. Sachachorro is seeing Spring. this dead winter ground is sprouting so many potential members and bishops and teachers for the barrio (neighborhood) of Sachachorro. And I could not have seen this miracle without the help of the Lord and my wonderful companion. She is so humble, and so obedient.
speaking of spring. there are no seasons here. you could ask like 5 different people. some will say its winter, because its raining, or some say its summer cuz its so hot, spring and fall don't exist at all here....neither does winter really either. Haha, its hot. I wont lie. I sweat SO hard daily. but I realized, after converting celsius to farenheit, that I start to freeze and want a sweater and gloves at 20 or 18 degrees celsius. (That's the temperature the elders put the air conditioning at in our conferences and meetings) what is that, like 70 degrees? haha....

oh yea dad! could you send me some more money? I won't have enough to write you guys next week! Please? :) also, I need to buy new shoes...the average Peruvian shoe lasts me a good 2 cambios (transfers.  - 1 transfer = 6 weeks), then  it literally falls of my foot. I`ll take pictures, it's actually pretty impressive what the missionary life does for a ballerina flat. ( it makes it ugly and smelly)

Thanks for everything! I love you all! and pray for you every night :)
Hermana Talbert

por fin - Jan 12, 2015

Sorry, I thought I'd try to write a TINY family letter, haha, after like 7 months.
So Iquitos is cool. It`s like Indiana weather in the summer. It`s super hot and humid one second, then the next we`ve all got our sweaters and scarves on because its pouring tons of rain. Like it makes me question if God WOULD flood the Earth again. or at least Iquitos.......

Transfers are today! haha, my companion from Primavera, Hermana Reyes, emailed me last week and said Hermana Elizabeth the woman with SO MUCH FAITH has been praying that God will send me backto Pucallpa to now baptize her son, Josepth. Haha, i love her, but sadly, i don`t think God will let me back into the promised land, until I can find abundance in this land of Desolation......also my companion wants to leave :) idk if its me, or the area, or our district leaders or our sisters in the zone....haha, but i hope she stays. for her and for me. I love this little chilean, for all that she is and all that she does.
One of the perks of being a sister leader is that I get to work in EVERY area in this zone, except for the Elders' area, duh. But this week one of our sisters was having a mental breakdown panic attack morning/week, so we decided to go and do like an intercambio (exchange) for a few days. Which is very rare, but needed. I got to hang out with this misionary, and I realized what an AWESOME misionary she is. She`s just SO hard on herself and her imperfections. but as I helped her set her goals and reach them, as I taught with her, and just lived along side her. I realized how motivated she is. She just didn't have alot of faith, hope, love or patience with herself. She`s good now! she`s smiling and she`s hopeful :) I`m glad I could try and share a little of that gift which was given to me at birth ;) We`ve got to have hope for a better world, di? if not, nothing would ever change.
ok also......we`re NOT doing our best. we have low numbers, we`re not helping the families we have progress. buuuut, thats ok. i``m going to make that happen this week. whether my comp. feels like it or not. I have learned to love this area, and i WANT TO SEE PEOPLE IN WHITE. its been far too long. so, idk what pic this is, the computer wont show me, but I thought id share some. i`ll try to take more of my area, but in the  REALLY cool parts, i have much MORE fear that someone will rob me....but i`ll try this week :)
love you all!
happy new year!
hermana talbert

Christmas Devotional, and Katherine - Dec 8, 2014

Did you watch the Christmas devotinal? I DID! and i loved loved loved it. it honestly made me want to be and do better. it made me realize what i needed to testify still and help other people realize. That Jesus Christ suffered it ALL. but HOW could he have felt EVERYTHING that Katherine is going through, how could he know ALL of the heartaches and fears of us....the answer came to me immediately upon asking it....its because he is literally, physically, directly the Son of a God, our Heavenly Father, and because He loved us. HE loves us. Love, is the most powerful force en the whole world. it's what saved us, it's what sent Christ, it's what inspires Christmas, it's what makes the world spin.
I will pray for her. I will pray and pray and pray for her. I have learned SO many life lessons and have learned how to LOVE unconditionally from Katherine. Does her family know, can you let them and Katherine know that she has changed my life. She has been such a powerful missionary in the sense that she worked the will of God on me. I am constantly becoming the person I need to be, because She had inspired me. because Katherine loves me :) and because I love her.

um, so the clothes, some of them did fit! and i loved them. others were a bit big, but i LOVED it all :) sorry i opened it before my birthday....but, i had two packages and no room and a transfer. so i made a choice. luckily the Christmas package is STILL waiting in the bottom of our closet. thanks mom!
oh yea, i came to iquitos! in zone iquitos. and the Lord called me as a Sister trainer leader.....um, sorry idk how that translates. but basically i`m the zone leader of the hermanas, in respect to their health, their feelings, their companionship. stuff like that. oh yea! and super stoked because i get to see Hermana Benyo again :) LOVE this missionary. haha, she`s sweet. also, its super cool. i have like 4 Americans in my zone. and they`re all super chevere. and good focused missionaries. my companion es Hermana Astete, she`s got casi lo mismo tiempo en la mision que yo (she got to the mission about the same time as me) and shè s from Chile. She`s a good leader and she teaching me a lot about my calling and new area. I love her, she`s teaching me a lot about compromise in a relationship. haha. so thats the update. oh and thanks! i`m excited slash, not that exited for my birthday, no one here knows me, so no one will care, but i know you guys will. thanks!
take care! i love you :)
Hermana Talbert

Stressful week - Dec 1, 2014

Last week was nuts! It started out super stinky because we missed 2 appointments Monday night, which caused our leaders to burn us. that didn't make us feel good. then Tuesday and Wednesday they shipped me to Lima, so my comp. was all alone with a member RM, Diana, but they didn't teach anything?!? it turns out the Chilean zone leader was stressing her out about the wedding that was having problems. then Thursday, the day of the wedding everything turned around. When I got home Wednesday night, our district leader called me and started telling me we needed to start getting to work, my comp. cried, I couldn't explain why the numbers were so low and he told us to do divisions the rest of the week......so we did, then Friday we did a work visit, and Hermana Allphin helped me teach so many lessons. we taught 5 lessons from 10:00 am to 12:50. it was awesome. and well best of all, the family Tamani Maynas got married?!?!?!?! They are so stoked to go to the temple and Juan is super interested in sacerdocio (priesthood). like what it is, how he can have it, how he can bless his family. uh, they are SUCH a prepared family :)
I love all of our siblings!
Mom, I love you! stay strong, thanks for your example!
Hermana Talbert

Thanksgiving in Peru - Dec 1, 2014

haha, totally forgot about thanksgiving! My leaders, hermana kirk and hermana allphin are both from Utah, and they´re companions, they showed up to weekly planning wearing brown and tan and orange and red, i thought, how strange....oh yea! its thanksgiving day! they went home and baked a pumpkin pie.....for lunch i ate grilled chicken and rice......thanksgiving went unthanked in Primavera :/ It's ok, it´ll make it so much more sweeter when i get home!!!

So my year came and passed without much fuss, I asked my cook to find peanut butter and the bread from the states. haha, so by consequence, I ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a week straight. breakfast lunch and dinner. ´be careful what you wish for i guess´ I haven't burned anything yet, i did throw my shoes in our trash burning pile though. the other day we got caught far from the house without our boots in a huge rainstorm, so I walked through questionable water and mud and let them dry. I´m not putting those ballerina flats on again unless I want a bad foot fungus. THOSE I plan on burning. but clothes. never clothes. don't worry :)
DAD i got the two packages! finally my leaders stopped holding them captive!!!!! aaaaand i was going to wait....but i opend the one for my birthday already! listen why. there is reason to my actions.
1. I think I'm getting changed this transfer, so i wouldn't have room
2. It had the other package from Abby in it too, so it was really combined with a package that I COULD open now.
3. I saw they were clothes while opening the package from Abby and really decided I needed new tops because the ones I have now have numerous holes in them.

Thanks for being a great leader in the church dad! Even though it shouldn't be this way....there are many members who become less active, or offended by other leaders and members, and for this reason they fall away. But really, a good leader makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
We would hope that if you were called to another calling, the young men would stay strong, and THAT is an even stronger evidence of what great strong priesthood holders they are.....teach them to be faithful members.

In my district, I only have Elder Hecker. he´s from...Las Vegas, but he´s in the area that's like an hour away from all of us. haha, and then in my zone my zone leader, the sister leaders, and the newbies are all American. But the sad thing is that our zone is weird, we finished this transfer with elders that were dying. like they all flew home this week. and they were the zone leader, district leader and trainers......
This week we finished it out strong. Juan and Dulce finally got married!?!?!?! and they have their hearts set on the temple. they´re getting baptized this 13 of December. We worked so hard this week. its a new rule in the mission to be able to teach a lesson every 30 minutes. so that means, teaching a lesson in 15 and walking to the next appointment and starting in the next 15. I finally got it down dad! I know where almost every new member, less active member and contact lives.
so, I´m getting transferred. right before my birthday, right before Christmas, right before the baptism of the family I love.
because life, nor the mission is fair.
idk transfers yet....but i´m just trying to emotionally prepare myself for them.

actually, this morning, I prayed about our baptismal goal for January, and about the transfers, I asked God to put me with the companion, in the calling that would make me be the missionary He needs me to be. I know I'm not done changing, nor learning.
Pray for me Dad.
Hermana Talbert

Like a rough stone - with eye snot - Nov. 24, 2014

Wow, I cant believe I only have 6 months left? and i´m STILL learning. STILL having struggles. The mission is never easy. its ALWAYS teaching me something. This week, I´ve had the cold. i just bought some medicine. haha, but I've never had the cold like this.
1, its dumb, because its never cold here, idk how i got this
2. my nose is runny, but its like water falling out of my nose?
3. my right eye has swollen up, like the hunchback from Notre Dame. Yesterday it was watering and i´m pretty sure snot was oozing out too. but I´m fine. I'm better, and OH I have seen the magic of makeup.
The GOOD THING is that we have a wedding this Thursday!!! i LOVE the family Tamani Maynas , I loved them since the day we contacted them. I knew they had something special. They have a goal to make it to the temple. Their baptism is this 6th of December. so thats ok
Dad, I love you. I love the mission. I feel like a hard rock. One that God has to mold. To cut stone, you don't use pillows to mold it into place, you use knives, hammers and nails. the latter hurts, but it makes me who I need to be, in the Lord´s time. Not in my own.
Pray that I can recover from my cold, and from all the molding God is doing. I´m a rock. i´m strong, but these experiences still hurt, pray for me and my companion, that we can more quickly become who the Lord needs us to be.
Love you dad!
Hermana Talbert

Fasting for the people of Pucallpa - Nov 10, 2014

I just talked to my companion yesterday saying that we need to fast again. the mission only lets us fast 2 times every month, but everyone just does it once at the beginning of the month. I KNOW good things happen when we fast. but bueno, I never really had enough faith to fast specifically for miracles, because i didn't
1. want to be disappointed and
2. change the will of God.
But if its good, and IF I have that faith, why wouldn´t He deliver those miracles.
its a deal. We´ll fast this weekend, we´ll fast for miracles. thanks dad! also, I love sister boss and especially her talk. I like that people can teach with analogies like that and apply them so well to the gospel. It's what Christ did. He noticed everything from His surroundings and from it testified of the doctrine found.
Dad, I love the Gospel. I know God loves His children. Those who do not accept His existence, do so, not because they don´t believe in Him, its because they choose not to follow Him. It´s impossible to reject the existence of God, those who suffer, who make bad decisions just choose to put higher priority in the things of the world.
 When I lived at home, I NEVER put my clothes away, they went on the floor or the closet, or my bed. when grandma came over I stuffed them all under the bed or in the closet. they were out of sight. I made it appear like the clothes didn't exist, but they were still there, and when grandma left, Those clothes didn't just disappear because I hid them....in the end I had to answer for those clothes. They were always there.
ok, a bit dramatic, but that's how I feel at least about the people here in Pucallpa. They have a bible. they have the light of Christ, a conscience, they have us, and they have neighbors who are their examples. They know God exists, they know He is always there, always watching, always protecting them, but they choose not to listen. They choose not to change, They turn the blind eye, and THIS is what they will have to answer for in the final day. What are they waiting for?!? Dad, just explaining this to you, breaks my heart. It brings bitter tears to my eyes.....I love these people. I know every single one of them was created with me, next to me when we learned of Christ´s sacrifice, of God´s plan. I knew them before we came to this Earth, but it makes me very sad to see them putting higher priority to the things that don´t matter over our loving Heavenly Father.
Please pray and fast for the people of Pucallpa, of our nation, of our family. I hope they don't wait too long to change, I want to see them again someday, and I know that God does too.
dad I have to go! but I love you!
and stay safe! follow the guidance of the HG!
Hermana Talbert

Taken by Tarzan - 29-Sep-2014

Seems like the jungle took me captive for a bit, I don´t have TONS of time to describe ALL of the adventures we´re been having, but i want to share the  most important. It´s about miracles.

The miracle rescue
Jaime is our recent convert, and lately he´s been busy with work, and studies, and he hasn't come to church! but the other day he was driving his motokar around, and found two elders. He picked them up dropped them off, and they tried paying him. He said, no, it´s free. and Elder Henriquez immediately asked him...ok, what ward are you from? Primavra said Jaime. haha, then he said he felt as if God was pulling on his ear, letting him know he had another responsibility to fulfill. two seconds later he called us, after being lost for like 2 weeks, i received his call, he said he wanted to take us to our appointments at night and it didn't matter how far. Well, he was an answer to our prayers and pockets. We had a family home evening with a family that lives practically on the border of Peru and Brazil, so its far, and we aren't doing so hot money wise. he got us there and the family felt blessed to be visited by the members too.

The miracle find
through contacts, and through the mercies of our Heavenly Father, we have been finding FULL families who want to be baptized and join the church. They had testimonies. they are reading the Book of Mormon, they are coming to church! and they want to by married! We have tons of famliies like this! and we dont have enough time in the day to visit all of them! and i feel like such an instrument in the hands of the Lord. He brings us to these people. and them to us....one family, we found based on a small impressioni had. We were walking about Saturday night, ALL of our appointments fell through. no one accepted us into their homes, and it was already 8;40 at night. something told me, visit hermana Marlith. which was strange..she´s already a member, and her family is REALLY active. but we went, and siting under a light post, right next door was a woman, i knew Heavenly Father wanted us to talk to her. So we contacted her, and we´ve taught her already. She and her twin sister want to get married with their spouses and be members of this church. We bring them a book of mormon tonight. I love this work. and i love these people. and i LOVE having the spirit with us.

The miracle companion
If i haven't already mentioned. i´m training! and hermana Reyes is SO humble, so likeable, so polite and she always has a smile on her face. She is forgiving and she always the atonement to work in HER life, as well as everyone else's. we are seeing miracles here. and she´s only just begun this work!

The miracle Sunday
This one´s pretty obvious. it was Fast Sunday after all.
First of all, we woke up to rain! Heavenly Father watches out for us. When we fast here, i don´t do it halfway. The mission says we can drink water too. but i´ve stronger than the average sissy. So we fasted the full 24 hours, and waking up and NOT finding heat, and NOT finding sun.was SUCH a beautiful blessing from the Lord. THEN we continued to knock doors, so remind our investigators we had church. Hermano Hernan was already. he had his Book of Mormon all wrapped up in plastic, and we headed to church with Kiara, a 14 yr old. who was baptized without her family. (we´re teaching them and getting them married this november). At church our baptisms from the last night came! (thank goodness and thanks to Heavenly Father) they were confirmed, and then! we realized that Cesar, couldn't sign his own baptismal register. HIS PARENTS had to!!! woops. He´s the one that lives near the river that seperates Brazil and Peru. (exaggerating a tiny bit, but really, Brazil is like right there). We didn't have money, nor time to go, and whats more, if we got there, and his parents weren´t there.....likewhat!?! Two minutes later, his cousin walks in and told us that his parents were outside the chapel waiting to take him home!!!!!!! we ran out of relief society, and his parents signed his register.
all is well that ends well.

There are only a few of the moments that the Lord has let us have. and it is sufficient. We´re praying, fasting and working for more! I love this work, and i know this church is true.
I have traded 18 months of my life for this. and i am willing to give it all, all that I have, to show Him I love Him. I will teach it from the mountaintops, from the wooden huts, or at the corners of the grifos. I will testify this, that I know Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that He lives, and that we are in His work, that God has a plan for everyone of us, and we can understand it too. I know everything will be alright. I know that this life is more than the things we can have, it´s so much more beautiful than that.
I know this church is true, the Book of Mormon is the word of God and anyone can find happiness in this book, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that Thomas S. Monson speaks to God for the benefit of us and our families.
i love you all too! and i hope that you can see the miracles that God gives to y´all this week!
Hermana Talbert

I love Peru! 22-Sep-2014

While we are missionaries, we must learn different things and lessons and get to know certain people that can help mold us to be the people we need to be for the Lord and for our future families. I know i am learning those things here, through the people, lessons, the place and the challenges. 
This week i`ve been thinking a little bit too much about that family, a tiny bit distracted in lessons worrying about them. but this morning, as i prayed to know if the LDM is true, and if Joseph Smith was a prophet, i also wanted to know if they would be ok, their family and they will be. i felt it, and i have faith, i have hope that God knows why. Their family will be ok!
i love you dad! and i love our family everything is good here. never forget me and my comp. in your prayers!
oh yea, and please pray for her family! only her sister is a member. and her mom, recently is listening to the elders!!!!! Pray that her heart changes ,and that she will be baptized too! Cristina Reyes, and her family from Ecuador! 
I`m doing so awesome here. I love Peru. I love the freaking hot sun, I love this gospel, I love seeing the gospel change peoples lives. I love it when they ask God and get an answer. I`m learning SO much about life here, about the family, about poverty, about how harmful drugs are, about how selfish people can be, and then I learn how much love a mother can show to her children, about how much faith can do. Literally, it can move mountains.
take care! I love you a lot!
read your Book of Mormon
Hermana Talbert

Mangos, spiders, and snakes - 11-Aug-2014

its always summer here. we have two days of rain la lluvia de san juan, nd la lluvia del dia de ...another saint, i forgot. So it rains one day every june and one, no two days every August. and then its just hot and sunny all the time. so.......i really couldnt tell you what season wé´re in. haha i DO know that the season of the mangoes is september and october, which is GREAT because we just changed houses nd we have like 3 mango trees. ooops. theres a downside to mango trees, the mango trees have the biggest spiders, but whats worse....do you know what eats the big spiders? venomous snakes. best combination no?
one day we were sitting under a mango tree and a woman started screaming! and so we ran away from our sitting post and we spotted a thin little green snake, they told us it was venomous....then killed it with a machete.
in the house we havent seen any snakes, nor do we see anymore spiders..........but just to know. thats a thing.
oh what a after-Eden world I live in. with sweet fruit by the plenty, come spiders and snakes. the two things i have the MOST fear of.  cool.

hey, but i´m doing fine. i´d appreciate more money :) or letters. or peanut butter marzipan, but prayers too.
i always pray for our family. you guys are seriously such an example to me, and now the people i teach. because i learned how to tell stories in spanish! haha, take care this week mom, REST! and recover
hermana talbert

It´s in spanish...sorry.... - 28-Jul-2014

Wrote to the president about my week. I want you to know what happened to......but i dont have time to translate it....loooooo siento!
Woof Presidente Gomez,
Esta semana, yo sentia especialmente estresada. Elder Ramero debe ser muy muy muy estresado, porque Hermana Gutteriez, su companera y yo y imagino mucho mas sentian el pressure de el esta semana. Yo entiendo que el no tiene un companero esta semana. Yo entiendo cuan dificil es.....pero yo sentia tan solo esta semana. Mi corazon dwele mucho por el dolor de mi companera, y ella no pudo hacer nada. Yo tenia que buscar cada dia una o dos companeras para mi y ella, y cuando nadie llego, sentia como estaba gastando el tiempo del Senor. Sentia como una mala misionera, y todo de esto sin el apollo de ningun lider. Todos estaban frustrado, o mas occupado con otra cosas. Presidente, fuimos a la clinica cada dia esta semana, lo  siento mucho por los numeros. Yo esforce mucho que yo pude,pero disculpama, no era todo que pude hacer. Mi companera es muy biena, solo que siga mal. Ella quiere trabajar y caminar, pero cuesta mucho. Puede caminar un poqito, pero cansa rapidemente. Como puedo ayuderle....
En otra noticia, tengo mucho tender mercies del Senor esta semana. Fuimos Jueves en la noche a un cita con Hermana Surma Quispe. Ella es un menosactivo, su hermano fallecio en Junio, Beans. Extranamos Beans. Esta noche me fui con Hermana Grazzli, su amiga, y mi companera de esta dia. Solo encontramos ella en su casa, no habia nadie mas, o nadie mas queria escuchar, uno de los dos.....Presidente, que paso era una experiencia, que nunca me voy a olvidar...Antes de empezar la oracion por hma. Grazzli, yo estaba llena de amor por Surma. No le conozcgo muy bien, su hermano si, pero ella, casi nunca hablaba ni conocia....pero en esta momento,yo estaba llena, todo mi cuerpo y corozan de amor and entendiemento por ella, y no era de mi parte. Al orar, y compartir yo, y mi companera testificamos sobre el amor que Dios tiene por su hijos. Presidente, ni un palabra era de mi, casi no puedo recordar que yo decia, pero yo recuerdo el sentimiento. Era veracidad, era sincera y era amorosa. Le dije que Dios le ama, y nunca le deja solo. Nos dijo que sentia muy solo esta mez pasado, Beans murio en una manera muy grotesque y sin signas....Comparti el historia del hombre que esta caminando en la arena del mar, en la orilla, Dios esta caminando con el, y puede ver dos parejas de pasos de pies, pero cuando el pasa por tiempos dificiles y tristes, por mirar, solo hay una pareja de pasos de pies. En el fin  de su camino, esta hombre dice el Senor,porque me dejo solo. Porque en mis momentos mas duro, mas triste, porque tu me dejes? El Senor,respondio, no te deje solo. En los tiempos cuando solo vio una pareja de pasos de pies, eran mios, le carge en mis brazos. Nunca voy a dejarte.
Cuando yo cuento esta historia, estaba lleno hasta mis ojos del Espiritu. Tenia un poder que brillo a fueda de mi. Nos terminamos en una cancion, y oracion. Cuando terminamos la leccion, su otro hermanos aprecio! Uno por uno hasta su familia estaba alredor de ella. No pudo ser una mejor ejemplo de que solo segundos atras fuimos testificando que Nuestro Padre Celestial nunca va a permitirnos estar solo. Su familia estaba con ella. Yo siento que los angeles estaban con nosotros ensenando. Tenemos un Padre Celestial quien nos ama, y un hermano mayor que hecho posible por nosotros tener esperanza y fe en todo. Siento que Beans estaba en la leccion con nosotros, el era el amor enviado por Dios que yo necesitaba a tener por su hermana.
Yo amo esta obra, y sabe que Presidente??? Fuimos a visitarle de nuevo iyer, y tiene un hijo que no es bautizado! Ya le invitamos a ser bautizado, y vamos a rescatar hermana Surma, y preparar su hijo a hacer un convenio con su amoroso Padre Celestial.
Yo se que mi Senor vive. Puedo tener desafios en la mision, puedo sentir solo y estresado, pero nada puede frustrar el obra del Senor. Estoy muy agradecido por mis desfios, por ver mejor mis bendiciones, no soy solo y todo estara bien.
Woof, what a week Presidente. Muchas Gracias!
Hermana Talbert



(Here is Google Translate's version of this:)
This week, I felt particularly stressed. Elder Ramero must be very very very stressed because Sister Gutteriez and his companion and I guess they felt the pressure much of the week. I understand that does not have a companion this week. I understand how hard it is ..... but I just felt this week. My heart dwele much pain my companion, and she could not do anything. I had to search every day one or two companeras for me and her, and when no one came, I felt like I was spending time in the Lord. Felt like a poor missionary, and all of this without the apollo of any leader. They were frustrated, or more occupado with other things. President, went to the clinic every day this week, we feel sorry for these numbers. I tried hard as I could, but disculpama, it was not all I could do. My companion is very goog, just follow evil. She wants to work and walk, but cost much. You can walk a little but rapidly tired. How can I ayuderle ....
In other news, I have a lot of tender mercies of the Lord this week. We went Thursday night to a meeting with Sister Surma Quispe. She is a less active, her brother passed away in June, Beans. Beans miss. Tonight I went with Sister Grazzli, friends, and my companion on this day. Only she found in his house, there was no one else, or anyone else wanted to hear, one of the two ..... President, what happened was an experience I'll never forget ... Before starting the prayer for hma. Grazzli, I was filled with love for Surma. I did not know very well, if your brother, but she rarely spoke or knew.... but this time, I was full, my whole body and heart and entendiemento love for her, and it was not for me. When praying, and sharing me and my companion testify about the love God has for his children.
President, not a word was to me, I can hardly remember that I was saying, but I remember the feeling. Truth was, he was sincere and was loving. I told him that God loves him, and never leaves you alone. He told us he felt very lonely this past mez, Beans died in a very grotesque way without slogans .... He shared the story of the man who is walking on the sand of the sea, on the shore, God is walking with, and may see two pairs of foot steps, but when going through difficult and sad times, look, there's only a couple of steps away from feet. At the end of his road, this man says the Lord, because I leave you alone. Because my hardest, saddest moments, because you miss me? The Lord, answered, do not leave them alone. In times when you only saw a couple of steps feet were mine, they carge him in my arms. I'll never leave you.
When I tell this story, to my eyes was full of the Spirit. I had a power shine fueda me. We ended up in a song, and prayer. When we finished the lesson, his other brothers appreciation! One by one until his family was long around her. Could not be a better example of that just seconds ago we were testifying that Heavenly Father will never allow us to be alone. Her family was her. I feel that the angels were teaching us. We have a Heavenly Father who loves us, and an older brother who made ​​it possible for us to have hope and faith in everything. I feel like Beans was at the lesson with us, the love was sent from God that I needed to be at her sister.
I love this work, and know that President?? We went to visit him again iyer, and we have a child who is not baptized! Now we invite you to be baptized, and we are going to rescue sister Surma, and prepare your child to make an agreement with your loving Heavenly Father.
I know my Lord lives. I can have challenges in the mission, I can feel lonely and stressed, but nothing can thwart the work of the Lord. I am grateful for my desfios, for better watch my blessings, I am not alone and everything will be fine.


also, here are some picutres from our baptisms! We had three :)

What are you looking for? - 09-Jun-2014

Our zone leaders gave us another lesson on being focused on the work. I think they really feel like our minds or hearts aren't here in Zona Centenario, in Pucallpa Peru. So Elder Peacock asked us what our desires were, setting aside what we were going to eat for lunch. As missioneries, we need to leave behind EVERYTHING to be something else, someone else here, an instrument in the Hands of God. Elder Limon asked us, which is harder, to leave behind your family, your car, your studies, your medical practice, or to wake up at 6:30 en punto. woof. They realy burned us in this meeting, but in a good purifying fire kind of way. Why is it SO hard for us to be obedient, to be diligent, to be humble? Well the answer is, if we are not looking to be obedient, nor diligent, nor humble, we´re not going to find it. Alma 29:4 dice la siguinte, ¨No deberia, en mi deseos, perturbar los firmes decretos de un Dios justo, porque se que el concede a los hombres segun lo que deseen......¨ The Lord gives to us, what we strive for, what we look for. But if we are looking for this or that, looking to sleep in till 7, or looking to only teach the attractive investigadores, or looking to be better than another companionship. We will acheive these things.
I had to ask myself, am I looking for the right things? Am i searching for treasure....or for trash? Because if i´m looking for trash, i´m not going to see the gold thats shining right in front of me!
This week we contacted a woman while she was raking out the tiny stream in front of her house, I stopped to help her while my comp. got her info. I told her jokingly, i wasnt going to stop until i found the treasure i was looking for. We laughed about it because i{m just really funny in spanish now, and because no one was going to find anything valuable in the muck and filth i was raking up. Like it was super nasty. But i was thinking about it later, and it occured to me that even if their had been something good there, no one was looking for it, so they wouldnt hve seen it anyway.
The gospel is like that. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the MOST precious gift from God. More precious and beautiful and sought after than gems, or gold. Tristemente, it´s apparently the most gaurded as well. People dont know what it looks like, sounds like, feels like. It´s a treasure that will REALLY bless people´s lives. so much in fact, that they NEED this gospel, but they arent searching for it, so they really can´t see it when its right in front of them!
Last week we thought it´d be fun to practice lesson 2 and contact in the cementary, so we walk inside, and waiting practically 2 steps behind the gate is a woman watching us. Im excited to run to the back and find people crying at the gravestones and preach eternal life....but my compnion walked over to this woman instead, with her two sons playing behind her. We started talking to her, i introduced ourselves as representatives of Jesus Christ and began telling her that we were sent to help her. She told us her husband died last month, his heart had just stopped working. He was a great, intelligent man, and she was still in shock. We set up a time to come teach her.
What happened is that houses here are impossible to find. But since this is an experience about finding treasures....
AFter a week of not being able to track her or her house down, finally one night she called us! My compnion was dead asleep, and i went to set our phone´s alarm to get up for church, I saw we missed a call from an unknown number. I called and i asked who it was, Nany! soy nany! OH! nany, wow, how are you? We wanted to invite you to church tomorrow. how are you doing? She told me she was not doing well. The following 10 minutes she was sobbing on the phone, she was sharing her testimony of her belief in God, but that she feels he abandoned her and took her life away from her. She told me she didnt want to lie, that she was drunk. She put her two sons on the phone, Rex (6 years) asked me if i was the hermanita from the cementary, si, i said. Ayuda mi mama, ayuda mi mama. ella esta mal, esta triste. This same boy hasnt eaten in weeks, he doesnt want to, he misses his dad. Nany put her other son on the phone to talk to me, he asked me to help his mom, and asked when we were coming. I asked him for his direction again, they told me they´re house was like gold, a yelllow one story house. I promised we´d come and take them to church.
After i hung up, i realize I had promised i´d find their home, after a week on NOT finding it. and that we´d find if before the church service at 9:00 am........I fell to my knees asking my HEavenly Father to keep NAny and her sons safe while she was drunk at home. I prayed that He would help me find this house of gold, and that i could keep my promise and help this family.
I have a testimony that the Lord gives to us what we ask for. The difference between looking for this woman´s house Sunday morning, compared to the rest of the week, is that I had the Lord´s help Sunday morning, and because I knew what i was looking for. We found them. Nany has lost her faith, her husband, and she didnt know how to find it, or what any of this looked or felt like. We are teaching her how to find her faith again, that she will see and hold her husband again.
Her story is a story of searching for treasure. I found her house of Gold, a real treasure and answer to my prayers, and she is finding her eternal family.
I know the Lord loves me, and loves this family. Even though we experience losses, the Lord still loves us. He has treasure, hidden in this life, that we need to only search for, and it will be revealed to us. But if we are not searching for it, we will not find it, we will not be able to see that it´s shining right in front of us.
I have learned to pray that those who dont know what they´re looking for will realize what this treaure is, and then i pray that we can be worthy to bring thise treasure to them.
I am not Jessica Talbert, runner, reader and what not student. I am a missionary, I am doing the Lord´s work. Jessica could not have found this house, nor found this woman in the cementary, just watching us. But Hermana Talbert, she can. I am trying every day to be someone different here, someone better. I know that the Lord will help me to help Him realize His work, and bring His treasure to those who are in need of it and searching.
Pray for me to be receptive to His spirit, to find these people.
Pray for those who are sick, who are suffering, who don´t know what this Gospel is like, that they may find it.
I know these things are true and I will never forget them.
Take care family and friends! I love you so much!!! Be kind
Hermana Talbert

Just the Bare necessities..... - 02-Jun-2014

Living in the jungle isnt as hard or primitive as it sounds. I´m still waiting for the day when I get to live in a treehouse...but thats fine. i´ll learn patience through that. Because of the nutso situation with my companoin and her boyfriends idea to leave her mission, i´ve been studying alot about the family.....and i learned this..
Excerpt from another letter that i want to share with the family:
I promise i´m not trunkie, haha, but this week in personal study i´ve have just been studying the CRAP out of the family, and marriage. Mostly because my comp. has issues with wanting to leave early to get married, and stuff like that. but I find it SO helpful when we teach these families. The scriptures are our manuel of ´how to live a happy life´. how to find happiness, how to study, how to be kind to our brothers and sisters, how to work and be successful, how to have a happy marriage and just any problem you´d ever have! I´m so far from perfect, but i am learning. I know i am progressing, because i honestly used to detest my companion, and now! i love her, i´m not worried or upset about anything. i honestly took a chill pill sometime this last week and the effects are marvelous. I can find the guidance of my HEavenly FAther MUCH quicker, and much more sincerely. So, back to my estudios. I´ve learned so much about HOW to be a parent. My calling as a missionary doesnt stop after i take this plaque off next year, We have been instructed as parents in Zion, to teach our children the doctrine of JEsus Christ. we are asked to teach them that they might understand, that they might develop a testminoy of their own and choose to be baptized and follow Christ. They will be our mini investigadores that we will need to teach, commit to read and pray and study, then help them to be faithful in the church. Mainly through our example i think, and through our teachings. With this companion, more than i´ve learned about marriage, i´ve learned about how to be a mom. And let me tell you, when I forget about myself, I honestly feel like i don´t have a burden in the world. When i carry someone elses burdens, sometimes it really  hurts. Sincerely, my heart hurt this past week listening to the stories and problems of others, and trying to help my companion get healthy..but i couldnt make a list of my problems to you right now. none come to mind! I am so greatful to have a FAther in HEaven who loves me, and gives me all of these experiences to be a better person and to learn to love unconditionally.
Thank you all so much for your prayers.
I´ll tell you once again, i love my mission. i love what i´m doing and i love the people here. Remember that the Lord has a plan for each one of us, and that this plan is unique por cada persona. But it all ends with the same purpose, in the same place, with Him. There is only one kingdom of God, only one Christ, our Savior, only one bautismo, one faith, and one church. That is the Church of JESUS CHRIST of latter day saints. His church was restored with all the same powers and purposes as when Christ came. I do not doubt this, and I know that by no other way, can we receieve all of the blessings God has for us and our famlilies, than by our membership, loyalty, obedience and knowledge of this.
I love Peru! and i love being a missionary!
Take care!
I love you al bunches
Hermana Talbert

My very own China Town - 26-May-2014

So I was thinking about this the other day. I REALLY wanted to serve a mission in Asia, like Dad, but turns out, Peru is my own little china town. The people here, the majority of them look like they`re from Asia! They have squinty brown eyes and we had one return missionary come to church yesterday that could pass as the asian prince from the Roger Hmmerstien african Cinderella. Also, remember when Allison would bug me about `cooking rice for all of China` They totally cook more than I did. They`re cooking for all of Peru!!! They eat SO much more rice here, and so much food in general. Oh yea, and they have motokars, which are like rikshaws, but instead of men running them, they`re motos.
So this week. I am learning patience, charity and love. We went to the clinic Lunes, and then Martes again. My companion has gastristis, and she was saying that her stomach was burning. So we spent all monday night in the clinic and then tuesday morning. She doesnt have anything. just pain, for eating things she shouldnt. So this week I`ve been trying to watch her. but she just eats this stuff anyway. I gave up trying. I hope the elder`s blessing will be enough to sustain her until she goes home to her country. She`s always plnning out her mission. She wants to leave this November to get married, but she wants to finish in her country, so she can also plan her wedding and apply to college.........I`ve really tried to help her. but I must not be a very good teacher.
Along with the life coaching, We tried to go running the other day, and i couldnt for the life of my me, FIND my shoes! My dearly beloved blue nimbus, worn running shoes. nor my proselyting shoes, nor my alarm clock, nor the makeup nd shoes of my companera..........Turns out the men who were putting in a cieling in our house, were also slowly snatching our things too. and when the owner of the house called them, no one answered. They left their ladders and a bunch of wood in the back.....
Haha, while I had hopes they would return, I starting thinking about shining the other shoes they left to give to them...because apparently they really needed women`s shoes, my companera starting fuming. calling everyone she could, furious. While i began studying about how to have charity. I felt so humbled that day, when we had discoverd our things lost to these strangers whom we had trusted. I really felt sad more than anything, but it went away and i was able to relax and continue our work. She is still upset bout this. I can testify, that when we can focus on our spiritual gifts and blessings, we can save ourselves from the stress and depression of things temporal. We lost more than our things that day, we lost a part of the spirit, and that more than anything really killed me.
I really love these experiences. They really are the best. It`s like a workout plan for cross country. I KNOW there will be days when we hve to `run intervals` when it will be tough, when I just want to stop carrying the burdens of everyone. but through these experiences. I become stronger. We are all running, or walking the same road, but we can become stronger and faster, and better, depending on how we walk, or run it.
Yesterday in fast and testimony meeting, our investigator, Ani 11 anos, said she wanted to bare her testimony, so i walked her up there. Haha, when we sat down, the daughter of our pencionista told me she wanted to talk to 6 years, then when i sat back down, the bishop`s daughter told me she had something to say too, 6 years. By the third time, i realized the Lord needed me to share my testimony as well as build it up to that point. After Elena had born her sweet testimony, I testified that, haha, obviously, i was being used as an instrument in the Lord`s hands, in that very moment to help these girls share their testimonies, hahaha, nd in this work. I know without a doubt I need to be exactly where I am. I don`t know who i am impacting, who i am to meet. But i know that i will impact someone for the better, nd that i will meet those i need to. and that the Lord has a plan for me while I am here. And for that i am SO grateful. I am SO happy to know that the Lord loves me, and that he loves me enough to challenge me and let me struggle through rough companionships or days. I know the Lord loves His children. Every single one of them. And i pray every single day that he will help me recognize these people that NEED the gospel and that NEED to know that they can recieve blessings if they obey His word.
Well I have to write the president about my week now, but take care everyone. and Enjoy this first week of summer vacation!!!!! woohoo! bacanaso para todos :)
hasta luego, y`all
hermana Talbert

Saluds de Peru! - 12-May-2014

Elder Henriquez es aca! He followed me from Tarapoto. My old district leader is now the Zone Leader of the other Zone here! He is the coolest, i`ve already learned so much from him and his testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon. So that`s WAY fun.
also, FELIZ DIA DE MADRE! para, grandma talbert, makemson, MOM todo de mis tias, and all the moms from work, like bakers peak, and MOMS TIMEOUT and Mrs. Gibson and KATHY KLINGERMAN, wow, shes the coolest. and Hermana Dunford, and HErmana Ellis, Hermana Schulte, i could go on...but in summary, hay una escritura that talks about the fruits of the spirit. If it is a good seed, a good beginning, it was bring forth only good things. I can recognize good mothers, by their children. All of these mothers have worked, are working so hard to raise a family, a happy family. And Their children are the BEST. especially the children of my mom ;) haha, no lo siento. But besides their fruits, and their efforts, these women, the mothers of the world deserve so much love and respect for who they have chosen to be. In the bible dictionary, or in spanish scriptures el guia de las escrituras, the definition for Madre, Mother, says...`El titulo sagrado de la mujer que da a luz o adopta hijos`. The name mother, is sacred. and it indicates that you have been chosen to help the Lord bring to pass his eternal plan for every one of us. Thank you mothers!
i don`t think i said it well enough, or enough times last night, disculpa Mami. Seriously, you are such an example to me! Dad must`ve been SO obedient, to recieve a blessing such as you. Bien hecho, dad. i´m sorry i coudlnt have been there to try and make you breakfast in bed, or write a a beautifully sweet, tear jerking poem, but i`ll make up for it and the next mothers day in 2014, in years to come. All i can do now is hope you had a GREAT day! and know that you are not just any other woman, not just any other mother. You are mine! and you are a strength to more children than just the 6 of us. You are an influence in the lives of so many more! and i hope that you never feel disappointed, or feel alone, or feel insufficiente, because YOU are a pride to me, because YOU have dad, siempre! and us, your children, and your Heavenly Father, who is SO proud of who you are and who you are learning to become through your immense faith. and NEver feel insufficiente, because you are everything you need to be and more. You`re perfect for our family. I love you so much mom! And I miss you and our family, and JAke, but I am so happy here, and I hope i´m making you proud too! I hope you had a great day, and i hope you have a GREAT semana, and a strengthening year. FEliz dia de madres!!!
Wow, like i really wish i could explain my weeks better. Next time ´ll bring my journal and jot down the highlights of my week. I just sometimes have el mente de pollo, and it doesnt help that these weeks go by in a FLASH!. seriously, so so fast. I`ll work on that this week.
Well, haha, i really dont know what else to say.
i hope everyone is doing well. reading their scriptures, paying tithing, going to church and praying. It`s really the little things that count. Alma 37:7.
Cuidence, les quiero tanto

Ok so, we have a photo of.....our distrito! We were showing them a family we had found, which was in their area, and while we were walking to lunch, we saw this sweet, well organized tree farm. Like a tamed chacra. Then we have me crossing the sketchy puente, in our shortcut between areas. It literally saves us like 45 minutes to use this and approx. 6 soles, woohoo! Except when it rains we can`t enter through the walls on the other sides, so thats a downer. then....i forgot what this other picture was.......oh yea! Feliz CUmpleanos and merry christmas to me! in may.....Wow, it was SO great to get a package. Love the mints, i eat them like every second and yes, i gave mi companera the duplicates of things, she really appreciated the lantern, because she`s scared of the dark, in our room, when we`re sleeping. so glad she has that now! 
YAY cumpleanos! This was one of the 3 cakes we ate yesterday.
aaand this tortuga is going to be our soup tonight for cena.
We watched the video of Hermano Humberto killing it, wow, it was actually SO sad, but they found it near the rio, and brought it home and..yea, made plans to make a dinner out of him.

April Showers - 28-Apr-2014

 So every night i have to pound my bed to tell the spiders i`m going to occupy it for a hot second. preferibly 7 or 8 hours. Killing them isnt an option, because they breed faster than rabbits and because the spiders here are SO STINKING fast, oh and they jump. so like, thats impossible. hopefully the only thing that becomes of this is that i obtain spidey powers.
Sleeping situation, check. Now i`d like to address a thought i had while eating at a members house one day.
Hermana Sonia cooks for us every pday and she`s the best. Last monday we ate chifa, but it was so cool. Rice and every kind of tiny sea creature you could imagine. there was squid, or something like that, snails, mussels, clams, fish, and a tiny salty red fish that looked like a kidney bean with legs and antenae. But then i had this thought....wow, i feel like the little mermaid, if i eat more fish will i become one? I could proselate to those areas that are floating villages if i became a mermaid. My train of thought came to a hault when i realized every fish in that movie had a face and it was her friend, so she was probably a vegetarian anyway. Dream bubble bursted.
Tambien this week, since my comapnion was in Lima AGAIN to get her card, she went with our sister leader too. So Hermana Child and I got to be companions for like 3 days! haha, slumber party! It was SO fun. But since we both had citas fija in nuestra areas, we were taking motokars back and forth from her area to mine. it was a crazy time, but so so fun! One of her investigadores asked me to be the madrina of their baby. I said sure! but then i asked what it was exactly and they told me its like a testigo, a witness for their wedding. Hermana Child knows the same amount of spanish as i do and so we were both like, uhhhh, we`ll talk to our leaders about that and get back to you, but probably not. because hermana Talbert isnt from Peru......They asked me to be the godmother. haha, because that reqcuires i buy all of the necessidades for their baby, i will not be their babies godmother, thats also a catholic tradition, so yea no.  Hermana Child is the BEST missionary. She already knows so much and she only has like 2 months in the mission. She`s from Salt Lake and she showed me pictures of her family, they are the CUTEST! Haha, they sent her a pìc of their easter egg hunt. (I really feel like this continent broke my heart when EAster never happened) Honestly feel betrayed, but it`s fine, next Easter i`ll show Peru how to celebrate the right way. Feelings aside, I did have a really fun week. Hopefully Hermana child and I can be companions somewhere down the road!
Oh, a miracle showed up yesterday! Efran, a man who has been assisting iglesica por 5 anos, dropped off the radar these last two months. His baptism was supposed to be tomorrow! and we couldnt get a hold of him!!!! Then yesterday we received a call from him, he asked if he could still be baptized tomorrow and that he`d been on a trip until just now. So he had his interview yesterday night and tomorrow , on his Birthday he`ll be baptized. lo maximo!!!!!
Other than him, our investigadores are having a hard time progressing, the church is really SO FAR AWAY from where they live, and i can testify that if it rains, it is so hard to get to church. When it rains, the ground, the earth just starts moving beneath your feet, it swallows your feet up or becomes a river entirely. I dont know how to motivate them. I wish i could take away their agency, and give them my faith, my determination. I wish i could walk all the way with them, but im just one person, and i cant do that for all of them every sunday. One day i´ll leave, and i cant be the only cause for them to come. I`m struggling finding the way to show them their faith, to help them find their determination, to make their hearts and minds make their legs move. It is SO hard to herd His sheep, when they dont realize that they are wondering. If only they realized the urgency of being in the right pasture at the right time. If only they understood that the right time is NOW and the right pasture is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Seriously all we can do is love them and invite them, and encourage them, haha, but like, sometimes their just not listening. Learning patience........
That`s all for now, have a great week.
love one another, dont litter, study hard
Hermana Talbert

woops, lemme explain the pics. This tarantula lives in our bathroom sometimes kitchen. he`s the size of my hand and FAST. This is this morning in Luz Divina, an area in ours thats SO lejos, and thats so beautiful. The dew was settling on EVERYTHING, haha, so beautiful and so frightening. Like Edward Cullen, this campo.

Feliz cumpleanos! - 21-Apr-2014

yay! Today`s the birthday of Elder Hormaechea, so we had hermanito Humberto  make an appearance at breakfast. After you get over the inicial fright of barney, he`s really funny.
So this week they sent my companion to Lima to get her visa, so i got to have a sleep over with Hermana Child and Hermana Gutierrez. SO fun! I got to see their area, teach with them, and it was a fun experience.
Also this week i`ve been thinking ALOT about the Plan of Salvation. Mostly about our life after this one, and if we really do live afterwards. I`ve been saying it and teaching it until this point, without really KNOWING. But after reading in 1 corinthians 15 and Alma 40, and after alot of prayers, I am not worried for my soul after I die, I know there`s a home waiting for me, with a family whom I love after this world. I´m not talking about my mission, haha, i mean, I know i won`t be lost after i die, and I know that Grandma B isnt either. Heavenly Father has had a plan for her since before the Earth was created, and she continues to progress along that path even now. I know Grandma B, and I know she will want to be kept very busy, so I don`t worry for her. I will be a little dissappointed when I dont get to return to see her sugar white head, or her rosy pink sweaters, or her sweet old smile. But I won`t be sad, I know she is happy and I know she received the grandest welcoming party. She was a missionary like me once, and again I know she`s returned to do this work, only on the other side.
I know this Gospel is true, everyday I gain a testimony of that. I kknow that God has a plan for me, and it`s my job to try and figure it  out as i go. He knows all that he has in store for me, I need to strive everyday to walk that path,and its hard. but I don`t walk this path alone.I have a wonderful family, great examples of friends and I have my faith in Jesus Christ, and that He lives.
tenga una linda semana
Hermana Talbert

When it rain, it pours - 14-Apr-2014

There`s no happy medium here, either it`s scorching hot and dry here, with dust storms blocking sight of anything, or we get super cold rain that creates rivers in the streets in seconds. Today it`s raining, and we are SOAKED through, haha, soaked. It`ll just make my bed tonight feel all the more comfortable.
We had a baptism last Saturday! Maria and her daughter were baptized, much to the chagrin of the grandma, who is REALLY evangelical. She tried keeping JAunita hostage last Saturday, but this Saturday they essentially told her to shove off, and were baptised! yay!  They are so happy. They really have new spirits, they smile al the time and nothing can bother them.
Well i`m cold and I have to write the president for this week.
Take care, i love you, have a great week!
Hermana Talbert
I hope everyone is ok, I`ll be praying for everyone.

Pina. no mas. - 07-Apr-2014

Pina. no mas.
Elder Peacock told me that this means, suck it up. but in translation its only pineapple, no more.....so yea haha, not always translations work. But Hasta la pasta, is just something I say, it confuses the latinos too. but it rhymes....so i like to use it when i´m in a dr- suessy mood.
So my camera doesnt load onto this computer, but next week! oh man, have i got PHOTOS for everyone. A baby monkey thought my fuzzy head was its mother, so it climbed up my arm and started to fall asleep on my head. when the boy who had the monkey before, i think as a pet, well he started getting angry that i  `took`his monkey, so he wanted it back! yea, ok, i told him. but not my will, but the monkey`s...because when my companera tried to remove him, that baby monkey cried so so sadly, and held onto my hair for his little dear life.
I have pictures of this sweet monkey...but next time, ya?
Haha, also, something pictures can`t show, i talk charapa. It`s como, in the selva people talk funny here, its spanish todovia, but it sounds like they sing..idk, you´ll get to find out this mothers day...When is that actually?
Conference was AMAZING! I loved every part of it. I left my cuaderno at home, but next time i´ll remember to bring it and highilight those partsi want to share. wow. wow wowo wo wow, I LOVE listening to these men. AFter it was over, I hadn`t a doubt in my mind ni mi corazon, that Thomas S.  Monson is a profet of God, and that all of the talks were inspired. I know that this Church is true, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ lives. I have hope that all of my friends and family who have not this testimony yet, will learn to know, learn to love and learn to live this testimony, in time. Pero, espero que esta pronto.
I love you all so much, and i love this work.
Hermana Talbert