Miracles Exist!

Dearest ALL. yes all of you: 

what a good week. what a happy sister missionary i am. we were two this week. like i told you,  my comp, my bff got HERNIAS! and was in and out of the hospital, and bed ridden. but good news! 

she is BACK! we are back to the tres! woow! BUT by a miracle. heres what happened. 

so, hna downs told me last week, that if things went bad at her last doctor appointment, she would be flying home monday! i got so scared! she has too many talents to go home. her spirit and testimony is too strong to not be used here in the field! i wont lie, i was pretty sad and discouraged FOR her!  she is my best friend, and my favorite companion. (we already have a lot of plans for post mission.... so dont worry, you will ALL meet her!) 

so when we got back to the area, i called up elder brown, our awesome district leader and asked him if we could do a zone fast for hna downs. (she had no idea). after a few phone calls, the zone leaders did a conference call with everyone in the zone, and we did a zone fast for our hna downs. they asked me to say it. i told them that i would need all the faith i could get. 

we all knelt, where ever we were, and started a fast together.   i called hna downs that night to check up on how the appointment went. she said it went REALLY WELL! and that she would be STAYING! and i KNEW it was cause we were fasting! i said "hna downs! the whole zone was fasting for you today!" there was silence on the other end of the phone. then through a choked voice i heard "thats why it went so well. i had a miracle today. the doctor poked where my hernia was and it hurt really bad. i actually screemed. but the second time, the pain was gone! it was wierd, confusing. but it was just GONE! and now i know why!" our fast brought a miracle! its amazing! and now she is here with us again. im excited for the rest of the zone to hear her experience. they will be so excited! 

also, another miracle, we have this investigator Sheila who is SO PREPARED! She has been to church every week for a month and a half WITH our menos activo familia that we are rescuing. (JUST LIKE YOU PROMISED! ) however, sheilas mom wont give permision for her baptism. 

but this sunday, her mom, AND THE WHOLE FAMILY  came to church! FOR 3 HOURS! IT WAS A MIRACLE!!!!!!! now i can see why she couldt be baptised yet. God is waiting for teh whole family to be baptised to gether. (or something like that) its all in His control. i have to remember that its not MY mission, baptisms dont happen in MY time, its all in GODS time. cause this is HIS mission. i am simply on the forefront fighing and doing my part. i cant see the whole perspective. but He can.

in other news, there was an earthquake in lima, so wheather in trujillo was wierd, 

also, our looking for a new pensionista AGAIN! becuase, (ok this is the sad part), her son, who is on a mission in Chili, is coming home early! this poor mother is so discouraged. she is so worried for her son. he was not adjusting well to chili. he was really struggling with missionary life, weather, food, companions, the whole thing. he fell into depression (like many missioaries do) and did not come out. his parents have been communicating with his mission president a lot this week thru skype, and came to the decision that he would be coming home. his parents are kind of disappointed, and his girlfriend, Gabi, as well.it is heart breaking. but then, this after noon at lunch, we found Mama Cicilia crying in the kitchen! found out that her son RAN AWAY in chili and they are all looking for him now! he snuck out in the night or early morning, and havent seen him all day! this poor mother! she is trying so hard to keep peace. she is very prayerful and very emotional. its kinda hard to hold a mother as she cries. i just want to fix it and promise that everything will be alright. my heart broke for her. 

also this week, i introduced my bolivian companion to french toast and pancakes. she LOVES them! and i didnt realize how much i missed maple syrup. felt like home (shout out to cheri evans for sending me the flavoring! youre THE BEST!)  

 

it was a good week!!! 

thats the latest and greatest. 

con amor, 

until next week, 

hermana gonzales

PS totally forgot it was thanksgiving until a fellow gringo wished me happy thanksgiving! WHAT THE? and how does one explain "black friday" to a latino,

"esperamos afuera de las puertas de una tienda, en la madrugada, y comprar cosas como locos!"

ya.... strange..... i know. 

but i would like to share some things i am grateful for. 

shoes

clean clothes and underwear

carpet or tile floors

a bed

a roof made of anything other than mud or grass or tarp

a full stomach every night i go to sleep

the gospal, and the hope it brings 

spanish, but mostly english

but most of all i am most grateful for my elder brother Jesucristo. el es mi salvador y redentor. 

el me ama. y le ama tambien. i am grateful for sharing this message with los demas. i love being a missionary. i love it and hate it. its the best and hardest thing i have ever done. but i have seen the lord hand more in the last six months than i have in my whole life. and for this, i am truly grateful. 

con amor, 

suyo por siempre, 

Hermana Gonzales 

 

 

Yes, I'm 20 and still pretend I'm Harry Potter. What's it to ya?

Cutting grass with a machete. This is really how they do it! I have not seen a single lawn mower yet. They use tools. #peru New talents every day, right?

More service. Washing clothes like a pro. Ok mostly making the Peruvians laugh at my lack of skill...but it's fine. Poco a poco (little by little).

Fond this 1.5 year old and 3 year old brother crying, ALL ALONE, in their living quarters. I cannot call it a house because there is no roof. They live with cuy, chickens, and goat. And she was diaperless, shoeless, with a shirt tied around her with a rope for clothes. NOT EVEN 2 YEARS OLD! I promise NEVER to leave my children home alone. I will take care of my children. Broke my heart. Thank you mom for loving me and not abandoning me EVER!