Weekly From Arequipa

Hope everyone is doing well:) Nothing too crazy happened this week. Our investigators for the most part are all progressing! My comp and I had the idea too start a book club for our ward and investigators. The book we are reading es El Libro de Mormon:) The club is every Wednesday evening for an hour and a half and is called "La Nube". Our first reunion was Wednesday and we had such a great turnout. We read 1 chapter all together and we analyze throughout what we are reading. We all talk and have food after and everyone has 1 chapter or reading homework each week. We made bookmarks with the reading assignments and our ward is really excited about this club. Bishop announced that anyone who attends for 3 months straight without missing a week will receive a triple! We had the idea because some of our investigators were having a hard time understanding the scriptures. With the club, they will be able to understand each chapter a little better and meet the members of the ward too. 

Ok. The mangos, avocados, and sweet potatoes here are seriously to die for. We are eating lots of them everyday and I am addicted! They are so much better here for some reason ha.

We  had a mission night Friday for our ward with messages from Hemana Alais and I, then games after. We played lots of games and anyone who lost in any of the games had a consequence after the games were over. The consequence: all the losers had to dance in front of everyone. It is a tradition here, the dance is like the chicken dance and it's so funny. Then everyone votes on the best dancer. ha I was one of the losers and so obviously I used your chicken dance daddio-& I won! hahaha. No, but the activity was great because members brought non-member friends and it turned out great! Missionary work is not just for the missionaries! Members play a HUGE part in our work here. Our ward is so supportive and helping us lots:) Oh the baptism of Fiona is this week! So excited for her. Sorry I will give more updates on our investigators next week, but I have to go! Love you all so much! Go make it the best week!

xo

jacob 5

Hermana Wood

pics: pancakes for P day, one of my favorite fruits here, and how Hermana Alais & I feel about finding m&ms in Arequipa:)

Semana Santa & Llamas!

Happy happy Monday! Hope you all had a great Easter! (and ate extra lots of candy for me;) Whoa I have always loved Easter, but here in the mission I appreciated it like never before. I am so grateful for my Savior and his atoning sacrifice for each one of us!

This week was really good. Ok the week of Easter here is "Semana Santa". The Catholics really go all out for this week. From Thursday to Sunday hardly anyone works, and it is just family time. They have different rituals, celebrations, and activities each day to celebrate the week. For example, the first day, they all put out lanterns on the street in the night with candles & Hermana Alais and I were reminded of Tangled ha. Other rituals are really dark and for example they reenact the crucifixion of Christ in the city with chanting & ugh I would tell more about it, but I don't like thinking about it. ha. This week I have fallen in love with the church´s video for Easter! In English I´m pretty sure its called Prince of Peace? We have been showing it to investigators, members, everyone, and everyone loves it. A solid way to bring the spirit :) 

Ok this week we had a few experiences that testify that there are no coincidences here! We have a Heavenly Father who is so mindful of us. For example, we were in a lesson with an investigator Thursday. During the lesson we got a text from other missionaries with a referral named Emerita in our area. We had another appt. after, but Hermana Alais felt prompted that we needed to go visit the referral right then and there. We went directly to the address of the referral & a lady opened the door in full panic  mode. Her mom, Emerita (70 yrs old), had fallen just minutes before and sliced the shin of her leg open. Literally sliced it completely open. Hermana Alais is studying medicine in Argentina and knew exactly what to do, before taking Emerita to the hospital. I am convinced that Hermana Alais saved this lady´s leg! She got her leg stitched up at the hospital and still is in pain, but doing lots better. Come to find out, Emerita doesn't even remember meeting the missionaries or giving them her contact information. She says she feels the spirit whenever we are around, and wants us to keep teaching her everyday. I caught the Arequipa fever Saturday. I had a migraine and my fever was real bad. The bishop found out and immediately (Saturday night) offered to come give me a priesthood blessing. He is so kind. Sunday morning I felt completely normal.. yeah miracle. We met another family of 4 this week and all of them want to be baptized. Miracles here in Alto Selva Alegre! 

Sad news: We found out this week that one of my favorites, Fiona, lives on the street above our area, so we had to pass her over to the elders serving in her area and we can't keep teaching her :( We are going to stay in contact though! She is progressing lots and will most likely be baptized beginning of May! Also, an update on the family with Paola and Fabricio. Their mom has been so busy with work, so we weren't able to teach her this week. We taught the kids, but we need the support of the mom, Patricia!

Hermana Alais and I get along so great. She is the best ever!!! I feel like I have known her my whole life. Long story short, she had a problem with her patriarchal blessing before the mission, and she was able to receive a new patriarchal blessing this week from the patriarch of our stake here. It was so special. and she asked for me to be in the room, so it was a really cool experience. Also, we finally saw a llama! There is a llama that moved into the park next to us. We visited the llama and named it Cuzco, but shortly after these pictures, the llama spit on Hermana Alais, so we changed the name to Yzma. Ha. Also, I can officially say that I have lived in Peru for 3 months and haven't had a sip of soda!! Everyone offers us soda, but I can get away with my water. I love the mission! It is such a blessing to be a missionary. The gospel changes lives! Love this gospel with all my heart. Have the best week!

Alma 7:23 xo

Hermana Wood

First Transfer - Staying Put - Yeah!

Hope all is going well:) My comp Hermana Alais is currently in Lima. She had to leave yesterday to fill out more visa papers, but she will return tonight. Right now I am with a cute Hermana from Ecuador as my comp because she has to fill out papers at the mission office today. We are leaving in a minute to go to the office, so sorry no time to write! We are working really hard here, but I will keep you all updated!

Transfers are this week! I am officially not the newest missionary in the field because the new missionaries come today:) I have at least one more transfer with my trainer, luckily, she is the best!

I got a package this week! I was not expecting it and AH it meant so much more than you know! This week was harder. None of our investigators with a baptismal date could attend sacrament meeting, so that was a little sad. We are going to get them back on date this week! It felt like all of our appointments were falling through and just lots was falling apart, but we are setting some new goals and going to work really hard this week. 

P-days: We have visited the Plaza de Armas a couple times and I love it so much! There are a bunch of cute authentic stores and lots of tourists. There are 2 members of our ward, both named gaby who are our best friends. 

Have the best week. As Elder Hales said, Don't be part time disciples! Go make it a great week. Love you all so much! 

Alma 5:38

Hermana Wood

We Found A Family

Familia! Hope that you all had a great week! Conference always makes for the best weekends. I was able to watch 2 of the conference sessions in English which was such a blessing. Conference is still great in Spanish,  but its nice to hear the actual voice of the prophet & apostles in English. :) We really are so  blessed to have a prophet on the earth. Ah I wish I had more time to type up some of the notes I took. I loved Elder Andersen’s talk on "Overcoming the World" and focusing outward. I also loved Elder Rasband’s talk on letting the Holy Spirit Guide. I challenge you all to follow the 4 steps he mentioned: 1. Strive to live worthy of the Spirit. 2. Be Willing to receive the Spirit. 3. Recognize the spirit when it comes. 4. Act on the first prompting. I am learning more each and every day the importance of trusting in the spirit. We all need the Holy Spirit as our guide! I loved all of the talks, but those were just 2 of my favorites. We had 7 of our investigators come to conference too, which was so great :)

This week: We found a family! While we were contacting, we found a single mom named Patricia. She has a 12 year old-Fabricio, and a 9 year old-Paula. Patricia had been looking for a religion for her kids, and that’s when we found her. We were able to teach them 2 lessons this week. They came to conference with us yesterday, and they are all on date to be baptized! Little Paula is such an angel. She has read the Book of Mormon every day this week and is counting down the days till her  baptism.. oh my heart! Also, we started teaching Fiona’s mom this week and she committed to be baptized too! Our investigator Haime who was going to be baptized this month had a family emergency and had to move. He called us this week so sad and said that the next day he had to leave Arequipa.. so sad! We will try to get him in contact with other missionaries. My companion is having a few problems with her stomach, and there is a nutritionist in our ward, so we changed pencionistas this week to the nutritionist in our ward! She is such a good cook, and cooks so healthy. We are so lucky! Water update: it comes and goes. We had water half of the week, so progress! 

Go make it a great week! I love you all and praying for you always,

xoxo  Isaiah 41:10

Hermana Wood