Sister Jessie's Mission

Fam!

Hey fam! How are you all? It sounds like you are accomplishing amazing things back home! This week has been great. A few disappointments here and there but this week we are going to work as hard as we can to seek the Lord’s will in these situations that we have passed this week. We just have to trust in him, and the people that he has prepared.

Brian is unbelievable. He is always hungry to learn more and his will to follow Jesus Christ is unreal. However, this week came the challenge. His dad works in a Circus and is never home but this week he came home and Brian had the chance to talk to him about his baptism and his choice to follow Jesus Christ. His father said that he refuses to give permission. Brian will turn 18 next year but has every desire in the world to be baptized now. We are continually praying and fasting so that his father will be able to soften his heart but also we are willing to accept Heavenly Father´s will if this isn’t his time quite yet. We are going to trying to find his dad to talk to him today and we are going to do all we can to give Brian this opportunity to be baptized!


With the family of Claudio and Lisbeth, we have planned their date for their marriage to be on the 25 of October and we are going to try to have the reception in the Stake Center. It is unreal to see the change in them, as they both decided to finally after five years to keep the commandments of God and get married. I will update you guys on the wedding process as we get more details!

I was able to go and watch the general women’s conference this week! It was so amazing! I absolutely loved the messages about the sacred covenants that we make in the temple. At times we forget how sacred these covenants truly are. We must prepare fervently each time we go to the temple. And we must go constantly in order to find our potential as children of God. Through making and keeping our sacred covenants we will be able to become the people that Heavenly Father has created us to become. However, you all need to go constantly to the temple. We are so spoiled to have a temple so close to us and at times it is so easy for us to make excuses as to why we can’t go. But go! The people of Peru and the people of my ward dream and prepare unbelievably hard for six months in order to make the journey to Lima one time. We must have the same dedication and diligence. It is such a blessing!

I won’t be able to have the opportunity to listen to general conference this next week. This week in Peru they have elections for the candidates here in Arequipa. Sunday is when everyone will vote. So we will not have sacrament meeting or watch general conference and we will stay in our apartment for most of the day because apparently it is a little scary to be out on this day. I could only imagine! So we will be watching the next week!
 
This week we contacted a family of five who are Baptists yesterday we had a lesson with two of the daughters of this family and we talked about Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith. This lesson was so powerful and the two daughters were surprisingly receptive! We asked them when we could come back and they invited us to teach their entire family of 10 and some of their congregation on Thursday. Haha a little intimidating but it is such an amazing opportunity! We are going to have to prepare this entire week to know exactly what we need to say to them!

Today we have another Noche de Hogar with Brian’s family! The last lesson with them was great but their entire family is Catholic and they have their own Catholic church that they run so they are a little closed. But slowly we are going to try to open their minds and hearts a little bit!

This week we have seen many difficulties but many miracles like always! We just need to work even harder this next week to find those who are ready to listen to the truth. Thank you so much for your prayers. I love you all so much! Until next week! Keep smilin!

Love, Jess

With the ladies of the ward at the Stake Center ready to watch the Women's General Conference