Sister Jessie's Mission

FAM!

Hey! How is everyone this week? You all sound like you are doing great! Well, this week has been a little bit of a crazy one.  I rode on my own on Monday night to my new area.  The bus ride was about four hours long.  I arrived at about 8 at night and didn’t have a cell phone. Haha just a little bit confused, however, the tender mercy of the night was that as I walked into the terminal with my suitcases and everything, no one was in there.  As I looked around helplessly all of the sudden I hear, "Hermana!" I turned around and it was a young couple who just happened to be members of the church! Literally they were the only ones in the building. They offered me their cell-phone to call my comp and talked to me for a while. Wow, such a miracle of the day. 

My comp and my pench came to pick me up. My comp is exactly like me.  It’s kind of scary.  It’s like I’m looking in the mirror when I’m looking at her and all of the characteristics she has. She went to Skyline and we have many of the same friends but we didn’t know each other before. Crazy. She also went to BYU before she left studying piano performance. This is her last transfer but seeing how diligent and obedient she is, she doesn’t seem like she is finishing! My penchanista is the cutest thing ever! She just loves to talk and talk and talk and she plays Christmas music 24/7.  The first thing she said to me was that I look like the child of the famous actor on Italian job.  Haha I have no idea why. Her family is adorable.  Her two sons call me their sister and her husband is the bishop so as we are eating there it is an amazing opportunity to talk to him and what he needs us to do for the ward.

My new area is completely different that Arequipa. Arequipa is like a New York—kind of crazy with a bunch of people. Here, it’s a small town with a lot less people. It is so CALM here. The streets are small and everywhere you look there is an old fashion hotel. The atmosphere kind of reminds me of Europe with all the old buildings. But so far I love it! I can’t wait to get to know everyone!

I’ve done a lot of traveling this week.  I’m putting my Stever travel gene into practice. After I came in on Monday we worked Tuesday and then it was off the Arequipa another time for the leadership conference (!) on Wednesday and Thursday. I loved the conference.  I learned so many things that I can’t even explain--mostly just how to be more humble. There was such an amazing spirit there as we talked about our goals as a mission and how we can hasten this work. Also, I truly learned of the love that our mission president has for each and every one of us. He truly does feel like a dad. As we were in the mission home that night all the sisters got in their pajamas and were talking in the living room. And all the sudden president comes out in his pajamas just to talk and laugh with us! haha He is unbelievable--a true example to me of humility.

We came back late at night on Thursday and got ready to work on Friday! We have a few investigators that are progressing. One of them I met yesterday and we had the idea to go to the farm of one of our recent converts with some other members and the bishop to have a lunch and a testimony meeting with Maria (our investigator). She truly felt the spirit and bore her testimony also, telling us that she felt like she had been with us before this life. What a miracle. She is very Catholic but we are going to work with her a lot more this week, but yesterday was a big step for her thanks to Heavenly Father and his guiding hand!

This has been a crazy week and I am continually, even more now, recognizing my weaknesses and realizing my complete and utter reliance on my Heavenly Father. Without Him and His guidance I could not do anything. I wouldn’t know where to turn, what door to knock on, what words to say. He guides me and comforts me in every step that I take. I love Him. He is my Savior, my comforter and most importantly my friend. Every day we need to SET APART our TIME to KNOW Him, and if we do our yoke will be fastened with his and our burdens will be made light! I love each and every one of you so much! Thank you for all that you have done for me, without each of you I wouldn’t be here right now. Well, I will talk to you all next week but until then! Keep SMILIN! :)

Love, Jess

lunch after the leader conference

with the sister leaders from TAcna

cooking llama with a member!