April 28, 2014

Hello all!

Fun story, last Monday we did a BBQ as a zone. Ok it was potentially the worst BBQ ever and I decided cooking with other missionaries is just a really  bad idea, however, it was the birthday of Elder Cortez and he wanted a BBQ...he`s from Argentina. Anyway, since it was his birthday there was cake and the tradition in Peru is the first bite is taken directly from the cake which usually means someone pushes their face in the cake a bit but not a whole lot. Anyway , one of the hermanas got a bit too excited and shoved the cake in his face. It turned into a huge cake war. There was cake everywhere. It was a funny experience.

                    

Things are going well here. We are seeing quite a few miracles and I see the  Lord`s hand every day. We have a few investigators that are progressing really  quite well and I am anxious to see how they progress in the next week or so. We have been struggling to find new people to teach, but we have a found a few that really seem to be good and that seem like they will progress. 

We had a lot of success with our investigators with some activities that the different organizations in the ward had planned this last week. They were able to participate and they had a really good time. On Friday the Relief Society did a rice and potato festival -- I live in Peru, it`s a big deal. We prepared a dish with Camila and one of the YSA in our ward and it turned out pretty good. Camila seemed to enjoy it and she invited her mom, grandma, and cousin to the activity. How cool ! On Sundays, we normally have to call Camila to remind her or wake her up -- she called us and her mom came as well! This girl just needs to get baptized all ready. Hopefully this month. Also, an investigator that we hadn`t had contact with in a while showed up out of the blue. He hadn`t been keeping his commitments so we didn`t go for a while to see what would happen. One of the YSA from our ward got in contact with him and invited him to an activity as well. He had a good time and the next day he was at church in a white shirt and tie and loved it. It was his second time at church and he seems to meld well with them. He called us last night to ask when he could be baptized! That was a new experience for me. We will see how he progresses. He has the desire, but he has to complete his commitments first.

I know this is the Lord`s work. I see his hand every day. I know in the moments most difficult, he is there for us. I know we can find peace in his word  and strength in faith. I love you all so much. I hope you have a fabulous week and you can recognize the tender mercies of the lord.

Love Hermana Butterfield

April 21, 2014

Happy Easter everyone! I´m sad to admit that I definitely thought that it was next Sunday, I´m not sure why, but it sounds like it was a fun day and that you had a fun time....minus the ants in the Easter eggs. I hope that we were all able to take some time to contemplate the importance of this day and what we really celebrate. I clearly had forgotten what day it was, but we had been able to share a lot about the resurrection of Christ a lot in the last week as Peruvians celebrate the entire week -- we´ll get to that later. It truly is remarkable the blessings we receive and I don´t think before I recognized truly the importance and divinity of what occurred.

As I said before, Peruvians celebrate the entire week -- semana santa -- the holy week. It´s a huge Catholic tradition that is celebrated and as there are parts very beautiful, the majority use it as an excuse to get extremely intoxicated, so I guess holidays are pretty much the same here as they are at home haha. My companion was missing home a lot. It´s hard for those that are from here and they are living so close to their culture and their family and they can´t participate. Please send prayers her way. I know she struggles at times, but she will complete her six month mark this week, so that is really exciting.

We´ve been able to come in contact with some new investigators in this last week and are excited to see how others are progressing. Camila, the young woman who we have been teaching went away for semana santa, but when we called her at 7:20 am Sunday morning to wake her up for church she was already awake and getting ready! MIRACLE! She´s 18 and studies and 8 o'clock church is hard for her. She has a testimony though and we can see it growing all the time. She told us that the other day a man came to her house concerned for her well being. He said he had noticed the two young women coming to her house and was concerned that she was listening to us. That we believe in another book and all sorts of things. She said he was so persistent that she wanted to hit him. She asked if he had read the Book of Mormon and when he said no she asked him how it was he could judge and discount it if he had never read it? That she had read it and knows it´s the word of God. She then excused herself and went back inside her house. WHAT?! Girl´s got guts. I was so happy to hear this. We are working to get her friends in the ward. She´s a bit shy, but we feel at this point that´s what she needs to progress. Prayers please, the YSA is a bit dry in fellow-shipping.  Jose was also able to receive the Aaronic Priesthood this week. So fun. He´s awesome!

We received our changes last night. Hermana Ascencio and I will stay here together in Gedeon in Chimbote. I predicted almost every change within our zone correctly. I´m getting really good at it. haha I guess it comes with time...

Hey congrats to Melinda Harper on her mission call! How exciting is that! I am so happy for her and I know there is no greater thing she could be doing. Just like everyone that serves a mission there are sacrifices, but those things that we leave for this short time will still be there when we return, and even better, we should be even more prepared to do them better. I am so happy for her. Send her my love. Anyone have her email address?

Well, love you all lots. Things are good here down south and progressing smoothly. I hope you are all well and healthy and happy!

Love Hermana Butterfield

April 14, 2014

We`re halfway through April! What?!

Jose was baptized on Saturday. So cool. Possibly one of the people most prepared that I have met. His family came, and although I`m not sure how much they truly support him, they came. He was so happy and content and it was such a joy to listen to him bare his testimony. He`s 21 and he just loves the gospel. Then he came on Sunday, of course, and was confirmed. His friend, Luis, who is a recent convert as well is who introduced him to the gospel was able to baptize and confirm him. 

Luis, the recent convert, was able to go on splits with one of our zone leaders this week in our area and he was in heaven. Luis and Jose are both going to mission prep and they both are just so enthusiastic about the work.

Things are going well here. The weather is changing and getting cold and windier. Normally I would be in heaven, but cold weather is more enjoyable with jeans and hot chocolate haha.

The area authorities put out a challenge and invitation. They invited every family to begin, today, to read the book of mormon from the beginning for 15 minutes everyday together until the end of the year. Also, for every individual to do the same. Maybe that could be a good challenge to have as well. So I`m going to challenge you all to do the same.

Love you so much. I hope all is going well

love, hermana butterfield

April 7, 2014

Hello all! Wasn´t conference awesome? I loved it!

I´m happy to hear that you were all able to make it for Grandma Beth´s funeral. Wish I could have been there to see everyone together. Please send my love to all.

Well, we have things to be grateful for. We were able to have investigators in conference which was awesome and we are so happy for that. Jose is also going to be baptized this Saturday! He truly has been a golden investigator and we have enjoyed working with him, even though really I don´t think we did anything. Everything just clicked with him. We called him on Saturday night to remind him about conference but he couldn´t answer his phone because he was in Priesthood session. He had even asked permission to get Saturday off so he could attend, but wasn´t able to. It´s always amazing to me how prepared some people are. The kid wants to serve a mission and is attending mission prep for the Stake. What a gem. He passed his baptismal interview with flying colors and as we had passed over the questions to help him get ready I loved listening to his testimony. He feels it. 

In regards to conference. As always it was fun to hear them talk about family and the importance of our strengthening our homes and relationships. I was definitely struck by how we were taught to be careful in our words with all, especially those we love. Sometimes I think we get so comfortable that we forget that maybe it´s them that we should have more caution in how we speak. 

I also loved Elder Uchtdorf´s talk -- he talked about living a life of gratitude, right? I forgot my notes...oops. But I'm sure it was him who talked about it. Today as we were driving to use internet I see a guy with a shirt that said, ¨what did I do to deserve God¨. So often we say what did I do to deserve this? but really we have been blessed with so much and we have to remember the Lord and our blessing through everything.

I am so grateful to be here serving the people of Peru. Many times we pass through things that we don´t understand, but we have to have faith that it is all for our benefit and learning and that it will help us in the long run. I know that our Heavenly Father has a plan for each and every one of us and I am so grateful to know that HE will NEVER abandon us and many times although we might feel forgotten, it is actually him that is carrying us through it all.  I love you all so much! Please take care of one another -- we´re family after all.

Love Hermana Butterfield