I'm not here to find a husband.

May 4, 2015

HOLA!!!

It was funny reading your emails last week because everyone said they same things... Jaxon can say what dad says in three paragraphs in two sentences. haha:) Hermana Molina thought it was pretty funny. She has me read my letters to her because she says she needs to live through me because her family hasnt written to her in a few weeks. She was so excited to tell everyone that her companions dad is now a stake president haha shes so cute:)

Well, this week has been a long one! I have been so tired! One elder was so kind to tell me that I now have large bags under my eyes. Hah and many people have asked us why we dont wear make up and actually get ready like the other sister missionaries... Opps! On Sunday one hermana told us that we looked so nice and that it was a grand transformation that took place. Hah maybe we should care a little more, but theres no time and Im not here to find a husband hah. 

The best part of the week was Sunday. Our ward now starts at ten and so the chapel was packed! I have never seen so many people assist the ward before. Sacrament meeting was such a spiritual experience and people actually bore real testimonies. One of our investigators got up and bore his testimony as well. He paid attention to what other people said so he knew how to start and end his testimony. It was so great. He is such a great man! I love his whole family. 

We also had another family attend church. They have been having problems with their marriage and they separated for a few weeks, but now they want to make things work. The husband usually leaves his family to go and drink on the weekend, but this week was different. He wants to change. His wife said that he can do what he wants, but she and her daughters were going to attend church. So he went as well. He wanted to leave after sacrament meeting, but once again his wife said, "you can do what you want, but if we only attend church for one hour its better to not even go. I am going to stay for all three hours." She is the greatest! I love seeing the little miracles we get to see as missionaries everyday. This family was going to be separated and now they have great desires to save their family and have the gospel as a part of their lives. 

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it is true. It is our only way to true happiness!

I love you all so much! Have a great week! Thanks for everything!

Love,

Hermana Monson

I Told You So!

April 27, 2015

HOLA FAMILIA!!!!

Well, sounds like your week has been a little more eventful than mine! All I can think of to say is I TOLD YOU SO!!!:) Dad is going to be the best stake president ever!!! Im glad you were able to have a great spiritual experience with stake conference and meeting with a few general authorities. 

This week was a little hard. We couldnt find many people to teach... but on the bright side of things we were able to find many service opportunities. Once again we are on the look out for new investigators. No one wants to come to church and actually progress. There is always an excuse. Yesterday everyone we went to pick up to go to church or called didnt answer or had something better to do. Really? Theres nothing better to do that go to church! Many of the members dont even attend church.... especially the men. We are lucky to have two priesthood holders attend and arive on time to bless the sacrament. Its so sad. On Sundays the women have to wash all of the laundry for the week and the men have to play soccer and eat cerviche or drink all day. Quite the Sabbath day. Its so sad that they dont realize the importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy. Do we?

This week we have started teaching music classes to help the Relief Society learn how to sing. Its pretty funny because I dont even know  how to sing, but here they think Im amazing! I dont know how I have changed because I would never sing a solo at home, but here it doesnt bother me. 

This week I have been reading a lot in 1 Nephi. I have found it interesting how much these first chapters of the Book of Mormon talk about listening and following the prophet. As Lehi and his family obeyed the prophets and counsels of God they were blessed, and when they didnt they faced storms of darkness and were lost.... they didnt have Gods help or direction, they couldnt find food, they were almost killed in their ship traveling to the Americas.... But these events brought them to the depths of humility before they were destroyed. If you read in these chapters in 1 Nephi you can see that many times Nephi says that his family murmured. Even his father Lehi murmured at one point, but Nephi, he never murmured. His brothers called him crazy, the smote him with a rod, they tied him up with cords, but he never murmured against God or the words of the prophets, because he was going to obey no matter what. We live in a day as Nephi described when he said that men trample God and His counsels under their feet (1Nephi 19:7). What are we like? Do we murmur against God and the counsels He gives us through His servants the prophets? Or do we, like Nephi, continually strive to be obedient and follow the prophets of God? We must "hear ye the words of the prophet(s)... and liken them unto (ourselves)" (1 Nephi 19:23-24). I am so grateful to have a living prophet to guide us in these latter days. I know that Thomas S. Monson is called of God and gives us the counsels that we need from God at this time. The church is so true because only we have prophets to receive the revelation we need for these days!

I love you all so much! Thanks for you love and support! I hope you have a great week!:)

Love,

Hermana Monson

Hot and Cold Water!

April 20, 2015

HOLA FAMILIA!!!

Well, I dont know what has been the best part of this week, that we have a new shower head that actually has water come out of it... AND we have hot and cold water, or that Hermana Molina and I dont have transfers! I will be serving with her longer than any of my other companions... 2 whole transfers! hah

This week Hermana Molina and I have felt like marriage counselors. We have listened to so many sad stories of husband cheating on wifes, abusive and controling husbands, and families that are literally being destroyed. It makes me so sad to hear. I feel more scared to get married now, but I also have a greater desire to apply three important family activites in my future family... family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. This month marks the 100 year anniversary of the Family Home Evening program! Although it has been many years since the First Presidency announced this counsel, the great blessings we receive when we obey has not changed.... In 1915 the First Presidency said, "If the saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them.".... and today President Boyd K. Packer has said, "With this program comes the promise from the prophets, the living prophets, that if parents will gather their children about them once a week and teach the gospel, those children in such families will not go astray." What great blessings! In these days many families are falling apart, but we have the secret to keeping our families together forever, but why dont we actually do these things? 

Elder Richard G. Scott said, "While you are working to strengthen your family and cultivate peace, remember... weekly family home evening. Be cautious not to make your family home evening just an afterthought of a busy day. Decide that on Monday night your family will be together at home for the evening. Do not let employment demands, sports, extracurricular activities, homework, or anything else become more important than that time you spend together at home with your family. The structure of your evening is not as important as the time invested. The gospel should be taught both formally and informally. Make it a meaning ful experience for each member of the family."

I hope we can all apply these three simply principles in our lives so that we and our families can be securely planted in the storms that are all around us everyday!

I am so grateful for the wonderful family that I have! I have been blessed with great parents who have helped teach me the gospel and the importance of obedience. 

Thanks for everything! I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Love, 

Hermana Monson

Right Place, Right Time

April 13, 2015

HOLA FAMILIA!!!

Well, not too much happened this week. Hermana Molina and I were a little bummed that things werent a little better.... because sometimes all our leaders care about are numbers, but I am not here for numbers! 

This week I have learned that our Heavenly Father helps us be in the right place at the right time if we let Him (if we listen to the Spirit or are doing what we should). We were contacting the other day to find to investigators and we knocked on doors along one street and then decided we should go back and and turn down this other street. We found a lady, a mom with two little daughters, who is experiencing many difficult things right now and she was interested in what we had to share.... so interested that she wanted us to return that same day! Turns out that because of all these problems she wanted to commit suicide.... but then we knocked on her door and now she feels peace and hope in her life. We have returned to visit her a few times and she always has many questions. Shes not married, and I dont know how much she will progress, but I am so grateful that we could be in the right place at the right time. I know that the Lord will place us in the path of those who need our help so that we can be instruments in His hands! 

We also ran into a lady who received the missionaries before in a different area but then they left and she moved so she lost contact with the Church. She has such a great desire to learn. She came to church yesterday!!! WAHOO! 

Our investigator that had a baptismal date decided she never wants to be in her house so its hard to teach her and she cant progress very much. Plus, she wants the first missionary to return to baptize her and she wants to then go to Boliva when he finishes his mission and marry him... shes 40! Ya, its a little weird. Haha Hermana Molina and I have decided that the people her are just a little different. The only really normal people are the bishop and his wife. 

This week we had interviews with President and Hermana Williams. They are great! I always feel excited to get back to work when I talk with them. President Williams told us that sometimes the work doesnt move as fast as we would like it, but we are obedient and working, so sometimes we will have times like right now, when there arent many people progressing and when we dont have many investigators. He also asked me if I play the piano in our ward... I said no. He said WHY NOT!? hah ya, I should probably start playing, especially because the hyms here are like apostasy because they change the tone and everything.

Fun fact of Peru, all the little kids use a carry on suitcase as their backpack. Seriously they are huge and all of them use the ones with wheels! 

Sorry I dont have much to share this week! I love you all and am so  glad you could have a fun Spring Break! Love ya!

Hermana Monson

9 months in

April 6, 2015

HOLA FAMILIA!!!

This week was a busy one! I was confused as to why you were all telling me that I almost had 9 months in the mission when I still had a few weeks until I hit my 9 month mark... but I was wrong! The time sure flies by! 

What an honor it was to have General Conference on Easter Sunday this year. I have always enjoyed General Conference and looked forward to listening the the living prophets, but I think my love and excitement only grows each year! How blessed we are to have living prophets! I know I say that a lot, but it truly is such a grand blessing in our lives! I was so grateful that I was able to watch all of the sessions in English. We had a little room in the stake center for all the gringos to watch it. It is so much better when you can listen to the actual voices of the prophets and apostles and hear their exact words. I thought it was interesting the many talks on staying true to your beliefs and doubting your doubts before you doubt your faith and enduring to the end! We really need to remain strong and true! 

I was reading Lehi's Dream this morning and I loved each phrase used to describe the "fruit", or Christ and His Atonement.... desirable to make one happy, most sweet, fills our soul with exceeding great joy. My thoughts went back to conference when Elder Jorge F. Zebllos said, "If we know salvation is possible through the Atonement why would we expect anything less?" We know of the great blessings we can receive when we come unto Christ, so why dont we do it? Are we like the people in Lehi's dream who became distracted by the worldly things and let go of the iron rod? As Elder Gerald Causse said, "Is the gospel still wonderful to us?" I hope we can all come unto Christ and partake of His great love and Atonement. Don't get distracted. We need to always have an eternal view and endure to the end!... and if we do we will receive eternal life! Sometimes it seems so hard, but the more I think about it I think we just make it hard. I am so grateful for my Savior. He lives and loves each one of us. His hand of mercy is ALWAYS stretched out towards us. Take His hand. Just accept that we need His help in every aspect of our lives. 

I love you all so much and I am so grateful for the wonderful examples you have set for me... examples of Christ like lives. Keep working hard and remember the things that are essential!

Les Amo Mucho!

Hermana Monson

Our Greatest Joy and Protection will be found in the Family

March 30, 2015

HOLA FAMILIA!

Well, this week can be summed up by saying NO ONE WAS HOME!!! I dont know why but this whole week it was so hard to find people to teach and many of our lessons feel through. But I guess thats just how life is sometimes!

Luckily after a whole day of walking around and finding no one we were blessed with the opportunity to attend the General Womens Conference. Wow. It was great. I loved the song that they shared that says, "God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be". How blessed we truly are to have a family. I am so grateful for the family I have and the many things that I have been able to learn from each one of you  so that I could progress and become a little more like the person God wants me to be. I know I have a long way to go before I become like Him, but through you I have been able to change little by little. I loved how Sister Esplin said that we need to be spiritually strengthened as a family. Only through the spiritual things can we be protected from the worldly things. It takes time and effort from EVERY family member. I hope that we all can focus a little more on the things that really matter, the things that will help us become eternal families. To do so we need to do as Sister Oscarson said, and be defenders of the family!

This week I have also had the opportunity to study a lot about Joseph Smith and the priesthood. While reading Joseph Smith History it caught my attention how many times he used the word persecution. He was persecuted beyond belief, and yet he continued doing the work of the Lord until the last day of his life so that we could have the priesthood and truth upon the earth today. Thanks to Joseph Smith we have the power to be sealed as families forever. What a grand blessing we have! 

Always remember to put the family first. Our greatest joy and protection will be found in the family. Remember to have FHE, family prayer and scripture study, and do your family history! These things will help us to become who God wants us to be!

I love you all so much! Have a great week!:)

Hermana Monson

Baptism Planner

March 23, 2015

HOLA FAMILIA!!!

WOW. What a great week! We spent a lot of time helping Hermana Rebeca feel prepared for her baptism. We have been so blessed to have the opportunity to visit with and teach her. She really is such a wonderful woman. Our district leader said he has never had a baptismal interview like the one he had with her. He said she was so sincere. She was so prepared and ready to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. Like every baptism it was a stressful day. It was supposed to start at 10 and at 9:50 there werent any leaders there.... only Rebeca, her family, and of course our zone leaders! But it all turned out so beautiful. You could feel the Spirit so thats all that really matters. Hermana Carol helped us make cupcakes for afterwards. And best of all Rebeca was so happy!!! She is a real convert. 

We were also blessed with lots of investigators and menos activos that came to church (nine and nine)! We have two families of new investigators. One family we have been teaching for a while. With Hermana Aranguren we visited the mom, Roxanna, but her husband was never there  (this is the family that we had to do some counseling with). I always thought that we shouldnt visit her any more because no pasa nada con ella! But I sure have learned my lesson to not give up on anyone! Now her husband is always there and they came to church and stayed for all three hours! They have changed so much as a family and individually!

Lately we have visited a lot single ladies (in their 40-50s). They are a little different. One asks me for help to respond in English to guys she talks to from the U.S. on facebook. Another has friends that told her she needs a companion and she said, "WHAT!? Are you crazy!?!" (Hah I thought of Aub). Hermana Molina and I have decided we want to get married quickly once we get home haha. Aub this is why you need to go on dates!!!

This week it has rained almost every night. It rains in the night and then during the day it is so hot! It has also been sooooo humid. I didnt really notice it until we were in the air conditioned mission office and walked outside. Its the worst. You can feel a hot vapor all the time. We want to be transfered to Cajamarca (the only cold part of our mission) haha. 

This week Hermana Molina and I have been studying a lot about the conference talk "What Way do You Face?" by Elder Lynn G. Robbins. This talk is so good! I was reading today in Mark 14 and this chapter is about when Judas Iscariot betrays Christ. He forgot which way he faces. But how? He was a disciple of Christ. He spent much time with Him. He saw the many miracles He performed. Why then did he forget which way he faced? How many times do we forget which way we face? In a world full of temptation and all sorts of evil we need to be truly converted to the gospel so that we never forget which way we face! The gospel of Jesus Christ is so true! 

I hope you all have a great week! Love you! 

Love,

hermana Monson