January 27, 2014

CAMBIOS -- CHANGES

We have cambios tomorrow. I`m a little torn, but they`re always for the better. We`ll get to those though. Let`s see...what happened this week.

We decided that we really needed a way to get references. We have been struggling to get new investigators lately and we needed to do something. So we did a movie night. It was pretty fun. We watched a movie called Frozen. It was pretty cute. I had Wicked in my head for some reason the whole time we watched it. It wasn`t my very favorite, but it was good. We had a decent turn out for it and we got a few references so we were happy.

We also had Lupe`s baptism. She`s a little girl who`s 11 years old. We have worked with her, her mom, and her brother, but she was the one that wanted it most. They will keep working with her mom and brother though. It went smoothly and she seems to have incorporated into the Primary well.

I gave a talk on Sunday. It was alright. It get`s really annoying because there are days that I can speak, and then there are other days that I lose it all. Dang. Oh well....it went and it`s done. I spoke on covenants and renewing them. I enjoyed studying them at least haha.

Ok so changes. Usually they come Sunday nights, but we got them this morning. Lasike will continue to be in Bella mar and I will go to the area of Buenos Aires...It`s literally on the other side of the road of one of the sectors in our zone. I don`t know my comp, but she`s Latina. I hear good things about my ward and I hope I can keep it up. The funny thing is is EVERYONE thought Lasike was out, but it`s me. They`ve been so sad all week and getting ready for her to go...but haha nope. me.

Things are good and looking up. I`m ready to grow just a bit more. I love you all. Keep being good and know I love you SO much!

Love, Hermana Butterfield

January 20, 2014

What`s up family!

Always good to hear from you and know what`s going on. I hope you`re all doing well and that you`ve had a great week. Things were pretty normal here, the day to day work.

 

Monday we did have the opportunity to go to a place called Cerro de la Paz -- Peace Hill. Basically we drove in a combi up to mid way where there is a creepy old catholic church...I`m pretty sure there are people buried under the church, like one of those old underground burial chambers. What is it called? a Catatomb or something like that. You can hike up to the top and there`s this massive cross...we didn`t hike all the way up. Some of the elders did, but by the time we decided to do it it was crazy hot and we really didn`t have much time. I was chillin with Hermanas Redd and Ivie and we just took a lot of pictures. We hiked up a ways, but not to the top. It was such a cool view. We could see all of Chimbote. I will try to send pictures at some point...I`m having technical difficulties lately though...just my luck. But it was really pretty and it was a nice change to get out of the same old p-day routine haha.

 

Graciela and Joel were both confirmed on Sunday. Graciela had gotten a bit sick and I was a little concerned we`d have another Joel situation where after the baptism we couldn`t get a hold of him, but everything worked out well. It was so nice to see them confirmed.

This morning we went early to see the youth off as they are travelling to Trujillo for EFY. Gian Franco is going as well. So fun. He has been helping with the Sacrament, Hermana Davila was able to share her testimony in Relief Society, and Luis continues with his classes for the Priesthood. I love this family. 

A sister shared a thought the other day that I really liked. She said something to the effect of that faith isn`t something we see, rather, it`s something we live. If I have learned anything or relearned anything on my mission is that faith is an action. We can`t expect so see the Lord`s hand to change things if we don`t expect to put ours to work. So I liked that little phrase. La fe no es algo que una ve, mas, es algo que una vive.

Well I love you all! I pray for you. Please keep walking by faith!

Love Hermana Butterfield

I chopped off my hair yesterday. I`m still not sure how I feel about it...we`ll see how I like it in a few days haha

 

January 13, 2013

Hello, all!

Oh man I really can´t believe it´s been another week. I feel like I say that a lot, but last night I was just thinking of how it seemed like yesterday I was sitting on my bed eating a mango and reading a conference talk half asleep. I feel like time is going pretty quick. Some days go really slowly, but really the time is fast. I hit my 9 month mark in Peru this last week so that was pretty cool.

I forgot to tell you all last week though, I met a penguin named Juan. Yep. In one of the poorer areas of my area, too. A penguin named Juan. He was really cute and super soft. Nothing I ever would have thought I would have seen in Peru. A penguin. He was pretty little and rather content just to sit and have you pet him. They said they just have a little bin of water that he can cool off in and he´s just fine. Who knew?

I did have the opportunity to go to another area in my zone and work with one of the sister training leaders, hermana Balcaza. She´s one of my better friends here in the mission. She´s from Argentina and we are actually in the same group and we´ve always joked about being companions or at least in the same zone so it was fun to go spend some time with her. We did not want me to go back to my area haha. It´s always fun to work with the other hermanas to see what they do differently and just have a change for a bit. It was fun seeing her area and meeting some of their investigators and members.

We did have the opportunity to have Graciela´s interview again on Saturday. I don´t know how much I´ve told you about Graciela, but she is a 78 year old woman who is such a gem. I just get a kick out of her. She reminds me a lot of Gma Butterfield actually. She had her baptismal interview a couple of weeks ago, but she has been Evangelica all of her life and she didn´t quite grasp the whole Joseph Smith thing...depending on the day. We watched the video of the Restoration later on and it helped her to understand more clearly. When we told her she had to have a new interview it broke my heart when she said, ¨I´m reading my scriptures, I´m praying, and I´m going to church! What more do you want me to do?¨ She passed her interview on Saturday and was baptized on Sunday after church. We were so happy because we were able to contact one of her friends from the other ward who is friends with Graciela's family members. She contacted them and they were able to make it for her baptism. Come to find out her nephew is one of the pioneer members in Chimbote. Very cool. She seemed very happy and I am happy that she could make the decision.

Last night we had a FHE with the Davilas. Betty has been reading her Book of Mormon and just loves it, so we talked about the first few chapters in 1 nefi. It was good. We made them floats, too! We found ice cream -- it was like the Peruvian Neapolitan, but a kind of caramel instead of chocolate -- and orange and strawberry soda. They seemed to like it. It´s always fun to spend time with them. We also got to talk on the phone with Betty´s brother who lives in the States. He is a member and has been trying to get her to join the church for a long time. It was fun to chat with him for a minute. Also, Gian Franco was able to pass the Sacrament and bare his testimony in Sacrament meeting. Very cool.

Well, I want to let you know that I know this church is true. I can honestly say that I see the changes it makes in us when we allow it. I knew the Gospel helped families and individuals before, but never really understood why or how. I know there are still so many things I don´t understand, but I´m starting to see a glimpse at how when we allow ourselves to be changed, the Lord will work miracles within us. We still have our trials and our shortcomings, but He seems to help make up the rest. Always. 

I love you all so much. I hope you know that. Keep smiling. Keep being strong. Remember your covenants.

Love, Hermana Butterfield

January 6, 2014

Happy new year family!

I just wanted to let you all know how grateful I am for you and how much I love you. I hope you know how happy I was to share a short part of my Christmas with you and to see all of your faces. Things are moving along here.

Luis and Gian Franco Davila both recieved the priesthood on Sunday. Luis is a priest and Gian Franco is a teacher. Betty is content as ever and Claudia is starting to have a lot more confidence with her leaders. The ward is awe struck at this family and their progress, but honestly, you know the Lord´s hand has been a part of things when it all seemed rather easy. 

We are looking for more families to teach and we continue to work with the members to help them know how to help.

I love you all. I am well and I miss you like crazy!

love bug

December 30, 2013

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year! I hope everyone´s Christmas was very special and it was enjoyed talking with family. I know that that was the highlight of mine.

Quickly, Happy Birthday to Becky Smith and Ryan McKell! I`m way behind on birthdays, but I hope they were wonderful.

So let`s see. We really couldn`t get into houses at all on Tuesday or Wednesday. People were very busy getting ready to celebrate Noche Buena. They really don`t celebrate Christmas day here. The tradition basically is that they stay up until midnight Christmas Eve, eat dinner together as a family, open gifts, go out and light off fireworks, and then they go to sleep. By Christmas day it`s pretty much all done. 

Tuesday we made visits to some members and in the night time we went to the first counselor in the mission presidency`s house, President Mendez, for dinner. His house is pretty small, but we all (this half of the mission) seemed to fit in there. It was three zones and I was able to see some of my best friends in the mission. We did a secret santa thing within each of our zones. I had Elder Cunningham, my district leader, and I bought him a nerf gun. I know I`m the coolest. He loved it and I`m pretty sure he lost half the darts within 10 minutes. We got back to our room around 9:30 and the lady that we rent our room from came to our door and asked if we had eaten yet. They know that we come home around 9 and that we aren`t with our families so they invited us to come eat dinner with them early. She was nervous when we weren`t in at our normal time and went looking for us at our pensionista`s house. So we went over and had another dinner with them...we were technically in our house still.... we couldn`t help it. She is such a sweet lady.

Wednesday was fun. It started rough because I really struggled sleeping through a bajillion fireworks and loudness outside my window, but we got up and H. Lasike opened her gifts and after our studies we went to an investigator`s house for breakfast. We got permission from our pensionista so we were clear haha. Then we went around and visited members until lunch and after lunch we went to the chapel for the talent show with President Marler and his wife and 3 other zones. They wanted to spend Christmas with all of their ¨kids¨ so they spent the morning with the missionaries in Trujillo and then made the 2 hour drive to Chimbote to spend the afternoon with us. After the talent show we had a testimony meeting where a few of the missionaries shared their testimonies. Then we booked it to our area to Skype with our families. And that is what really made Christmas the happiest. Sure do love you all!

Thursday, surprise! Interviews with President! I always love interviews, really. It was good to sit and talk with him and then his wife.

Then, Friday.....Luis Davila had his baptismal interview. And so did a man named Joel that we have been teaching. Both of them passed. Luis said he still wanted to wait and that he would talk with his wife. So later that night we went to their house and we were talking with them. He was still undecided, but long story short, just before we left, he basically proposed to his wife in the way he told her that he wanted to be baptized with her the next day. 

Saturday the Davila family and Joel were baptized. I got my family. The best part of it was when they bore their testimonies - and this couple that was breaking up when we found them - stood together at the pulpit and you could see that the Spirit had worked miracles in them. Then Sunday they all came in their skirts (girls) and the boys in their white shirts and ties and were confirmed.

Merry Christmas miracle! I love you very much! Have a wonderful and safe new year.

Love, Hermana Butterfield

December 23, 2013

Merry Christmas, everyone!

This last week was really pretty fun. On Saturday morning we made the trip to Trujillo via bus.  It is about a 2 1/2 hour bus ride. When we got there we ate lunch and practiced our songs for the concert. After practicing for a few hours we had dinner and headed over to the plaza. The concert went well and it really was a lot of fun. I got to see my old pensionista and her family for a quick second and a few other members of my first ward. 

Afterwards we hustled over to institute to be there for the bus when it came...it never did. We waited at the institute building outside talking for hours. About 1:30 a.m. when it was determined that the bus really wasn´t coming the hermanas headed to the mission home and they found a place for the elders to stay. We got there and I tried to help get things set up for everyone. They´ve got tons of stuff. We got to bed around 2 or 2:30. We got up and hung out for a while...What do you do when you have nothing to get ready with, no study materials? I and a couple of hermanas helped hermana Marler fix breakfast and get it served. We went to church with the Marlers and then headed out. It was a long, hot bus ride, but it was a fun adventure. 

I love you tons. I hope everything is going well and just know that I can´t wait to talk with you all on Wednesday night!

Love Hermana Butterfield 

December 16, 2013

Hey fam!

Things here are good...they´re getting hot though...and we aren´t even in summer yet. The joys of summer in Chimbote are really hot sand, the smell of fish all night and into the morning, and lots of bugs. I love it though. 

We had a fireside on Friday night that Hermana Lasike and I put together. We had some musical numbers and some short videos and testimonies. A lot of our investigators came as well as menos activos and new converts. It turned out really well. 

We had changes last night. Hermana Lasike and I will stay together for our third change. I really think that President didn´t want to change anyone for Christmas because I think I heard that mission wide there are like 10 changes max. The good thing is we will hopefully see the miracle of the familia Davila being baptized together. We contacted and started teaching them together so it would be really hard if we didn´t get to see them baptized together.

The entire family came to church again, Luis included. I was so happy. Betty, GianFranco, and Claudia also all had their interviews yesterday and passed. They´re all ready, but Luis is just a bit harder. He has almost all the lessons and he seems good, but I think just a bit more time will be good. I want them all to be baptized together.

Well I love you all. I hope you´re doing well and I am excited to see you in about a week!

Love Hermana Butterfield