October 28, 2013

HELLO! First off, I love you all. So much. You`re letters are killing me because I can tell that I would be in love with the weather at home right now. It`s not bad here, but since we`re semi coastal the wind is outta control most of the time and the wind brings the lovely smell of fish. But no, let me explain. Chimbote is KNOWN for it`s odor. It permeates everything. But they all say when you can smell fish, you know there`s money...
 

We were happy to have the baptisms of two amazing sisters this weekend. Hermanas Maria Esther and Evaling were baptized on Saturday night and Hermana Maria Esther was confirmed on Sunday. Hermana Evaling is pregnant and wasn`t feeling well so she wasn`t able to make it... It was hard, but I have faith that she will be there this week to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. We had great support from our ward as both of these Hermanas have time investigating the church. They will be strong members in the church and I`m excited to see more of their progress.
 

Hermana Evaling was a miracle because she was supposed to be married on Saturday in the matrimonio massivo, but for whatever reason, it fell through. Hermana Lasike and I went to her house to inform her, but we were doing everything we could to figure out another way to do it. When we went she wasn`t home and to be honest I was relieved a bit. To tell a woman that she still can`t get baptized because another matrimonio didn`t go through was a bit rough. Anyway, we later ran into her -- another miracle -- and she told us that her husband had gone to get the last of the papers finished up and they told him that they were already married! They just had to pay 12 soles for a few forms. I know that this was an answer to prayer and fasting. Another moment that touched my heart that the Lord is ever mindful of His children.
 

The familia Davila is doing well. The mom - Betty - and the son - Gian Franco - didn`t come to church on Sunday because she wasn`t feeling well and he had something for school, but Claudia her 12 year old came by herself! She also came to the baptism Saturday night. We went to visit them again after church and had a lesson. We plan on putting a date on them on Wednesday for either this Saturday or the next. Please just pray that her husband can continue to be more open.
 

Hermana Doris after not accepting a date, not accepting a date, not accepting a date...kind of accepted a date! Prayers please. We are hoping for this Saturday. She`s golden she`s just wanting to be sure.

We are seeing the hand of the Lord daily. We just need to always have faith that He hears and knows us. I was studying the story of the Brother of Jared this morning. I love Ether 2¨2. He is apologizing I feel for his fallen state and his imperfections, but in the end he says he knows that prayer is a commandment. It doesn`t matter our imperfections, our struggles, or joys or pains, He has commanded us to tell us about it through prayer. hmmm...I think He`s the best. ever.
 

I love you all. I pray for you. I love reading about your lives, even though maybe you think I don`t. I do.
 

Love Hermana Butterfield

xoxoxoxoxox

 

October 21, 2013

Quickly, Happy birthday to Stacy! I realized I didn`t put that in my last two emails. I`m losing my stinking brain. I hope it was great though!

 

Just another beautiful week here in Bella Mar! We worked hard this week and we have had some really good experiences.  We talked in church yesterday and we sang 'Abide With Me Tis Eventide'. It was the first time I sang in church in my time here. 

 

Tom was confirmed on Sunday!. We are so excited. He truly is such an amazing young man and we are going to work hard to get him incorporated into the ward better. He participated well in Gospel Principles and I know he is going to be a very strong member and example for his family. His family life, like so many here, has many challenges, but he has continued to be a diligent youth regardless. His mom died from cancer 6 years ago. You can tell this affected them a lot -- clearly. He and his dad are really close, though. We went to visit with Tom the other day but he had just gone to do homework so we contacted his dad and had the opportunity to sit and visit with him. He`s hilarious, but quite a scandal. I imagine him like I imagine Grandpa Royter being... haha.  

 

We are working with a family right now -- la familia Davila. The father wants nothing to do with the Gospel, but the mother, Betty, and her two teenagers, GianFranco and Claudia, are listening and have come to church two weeks in a row. We are thrilled with their progress.

 

There is a woman, Juniet, that we have been working with and at first she really wasn`t interested and really only wanted for us to come to teach her son who is seven. She was fairly cold and her personality is very direct and blunt. But we`ve worked with her and now we come for her and we have a great relationship with her. She has us come now even when her son Bruno isn`t home. We taught her three times this week and as much as she had told us she couldn`t come to church and wouldn`t be able to come this week, she came for Sacrament meeting! We were thrilled. She also came to an activity with us on Saturday night with her son. We met her husband and we are hoping and praying that her heart can be opened up just a bit more. 

 

We are planning on having a Noche Blanca this Saturday as a Zone. Basically instead of having just a ward baptism, it`s a stake baptism with all of the areas in our zone. The goal is 15 baptisms. We are so excited especially because whether or not the Noche Blanca happens, we have two investigators that will for sure be baptized and enter into this covenant this Saturday night. They are women that the missionaries before and Hermana Lasike and I have worked with a lot. Hermana Maria Esther will be baptized and she is going to be a strong member. She is wanting for us to work with her son Luis, but he`s pretty difficult. He`s 15 -- go figure. He`s a good kid, but he`s hard. He has seen a difference in his mother though and his younger brothers, Moises and Juancito who were both baptized, and so we hope that he can let this work in him. We taught him the Restoration yesterday...we hope it made an impact. Hermana Evaline also will be baptized this Saturday. She`s been investigating the church for months but she couldn`t be baptized because she wasn`t married. She will get married on Saturday morning and be baptized Saturday night.

 

We need lots of prayers this week. We are definitely seeing miracles and I am loving working with Hermana Lasike. We have a lot of fun doing this work.

 

Something I was thinking a lot of the last couple of weeks and I felt I should share, is how prayed for you all are. Everyone always say that missionaries are the people most prayed for. As true as that is, you are prayed for just as much. When people find out how far we have traveled they think first of our families. Many of them, the first prayer they offer with us is for us and our families that are so far away.

 

But as far away as we are, I don`t think I`ve ever felt so close. There are things I see, read, and hear, that remind me distinctly of each of you. I love you. Hermana Butterfield  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

 

Two scriptures I loved this week: Alma 18:32 and Mosiah 23:10

October 14, 2013

Well family, I hit my 6 month mark in Peru this Friday! Peru has officially been my home for half a year. I love it so much. 

So I feel that I should share an experience that happened this week. On Thursday, we were contacting a man -- who was awesome -- but the phone started to go off. I went to silence it so it wouldn´t bug us. As I was pressing the button I realized that it was president Marler. I just hung up on the President of my mission. Awesome. But I knew he`d rather me contact. Yeah no big. So as we`re walking I try to call him back. The call wouldn´t go through it wouldn´t go through it wouldn´t go through. Suddenly I felt a splash of water on my face. What the?! Hermana where did that water come from? We´re in the middle of a sand road, no trees in sight, clear sky. Hermana Lasike turns around and looks at me and we both realize what happened. I´ve got bird crap on my face. hahahaha We both start busting up laughing and as soon as this happens, who decides to answer the phone? I am laughing so hard I`m crying, standing in the middle of a road, and President Marler answers his phone. It was a good time. Don´t worry...I wiped it off on the way to an appointment with a post-it note... I love Peru.

This week was really good. We had two baptismal interviews. One was for Hermana Doris. She`s so ready to get baptized she just won`t accept a date! We were hoping the interview would help her get a bit more animated and the Elder said she can get baptized any time, she just wants to be ready. It`s nice because Hermana Lasike and I both have the same idea that we will never pressure someone to be baptized. We can bring them to the water, but we aren`t going to drag them there. It`s hard though because in situations like this we just have to be very patient which is something both of us lack. We also had the interview of a young man named Tom. He`s awesome and we have enjoyed working with him. It`s an interesting story in how we encountered him and how it all happened and I`ll tell you another day...sorry, not a lot of time. He was baptized on Saturday. We are really excited to continue working with him.

We have seen a lot of blessings and I know that the Lord is blessing this area because the ward members are working hard as well. We had interviews with President and Sister Marler on Friday and I just love working with them. I know I am where I am in the time I am here because I need to work with them. They are truly wonderful people.

Well I love you. Be good. Remember who`s you are.

Love Hermana Butterfield

October 7, 2013

Hola!

Conference was awesome, right?! I actually was able to see about two and a half sessions. One and a half in Spanish so I`m hoping to get the Ensign in English next month. What a blessing to hear the words of living prophets of God! We are so blessed to live in days where we have the ability to listen to them and learn from them. 

It has struck me time and time again and then listening to conference this weekend how hard Satan is attacking the family. I am proud to be a daughter of God and to have the divine qualities He has given me. I am proud to be a daughter, sister and friend to righteous priesthood holders. I am grateful for the opportunity to support them in any way that I can as they righteously fulfill their duties. I know my place in the order of our Lord. Not as a lesser being, but as a support and a helper. Thank you to the examples in my life who have taught me the importance of this role. I am grateful to have a testimony of the power and importance of the priesthood in my life.

As to the work we are loving it. We have had the opportunity to work with a few more members this week and it has been a really good experience. The members here really are supportive and it is a nice change. The Bishop even came out with us to visit an investigator the other night. This investigator, Maria Esther, has been being taught for two months now I believe. She had some concerns so she wouldn`t accept a date. Hermana Lasike and I discussed her one morning in our studies and decided that we should reteach the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the End. I felt strongly to share that Faith and Repentance are principles and that we have these in order to endure to the end. That after baptism we don`t have to be perfect, we just have to be humble and try every day to be better than we were the day before. We will have our falls, but we can always get back up. She accepted a date for the end of this month! We are so excited for her and I pray continually that she will continue to feel this desire and be baptized. She is so good and she even shared the pamphlets that the Hermanas have given her in the past and shared her testimony with friends that she wants us to teach. I can see a change in her eyes and it makes me so happy.

I was also impressed in conference by the invitation the authorities have given us: one person by Christmas. I want to know who came to your minds and I hope that each of us can follow this invitation.

Well I love you all. I hope all is well. I pray for you and I can feel your prayers. They strengthen me and help me every day.

Love Hermana Butterfield

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox