Sister Jessie's Mission

Hey fam! How are each of you doin!? It sounds like you are all doing great! Sorry I don’t have tons of time today to write but it’s all good we will be able to talk on Christmas! I am super excited to talk to each of you and see how much you have changed -- especially the little ones! This week has been a good one. It’s finally nice to have a companion at my side. Hna. Bazan has been great! This change from Tacna to Moquegua has been really hard for her emotionally. It really took a toll on her. But it’s all good, we have set goals for this next week in order to help the sisters in our zone and to see the work of the Lord press forward!

This week we had our Christmas party in Tacna which was really fun. We went down there for the day and six zones got together to eat, do skits and to listen to President and Sister Zobrist talk. It was so special. We did some games, each zone did their own skit-- and they were hilarious, I can’t even tell you how hard I was laughing. After, we all ate PANETONE and hot chocolate which is the typical food that they have here for Christmas! It was so fun!

Yesterday we had such a special lesson with Edson about missionary work. After he gets baptized this week he wants to prepare to go serve a mission! In this lesson he began to cry because he was going to be able to serve the Lord full time and he has always looked for a way to do so in his life until now. He is so unbelievable. He is going to be one of the most amazing missionaries I know. He hasn’t even been baptized yet and he already has a firm testimony of all the principles that we have taught him -- especially the Book of Mormon. Ever since we gave it to him he has read a half hour each day and he says after he is done with all of his studies at like two in the morning he starts to read the BOM for hours! I am so happy for him!

In the mission I have truly felt the true reason for Christmas. I can especially feel this spirit when we contact on the street. We have been carrying around our little DVD player with the video He Is the Gift and as we see families in the park or people waiting for the bus we sit down and show them the video. It has been so amazing to see the faces of the people when they see this video, forgetting about themselves and the material things that we often focus on, focusing completely on our savior, Jesus Christ. Especially during this time we need to do as the first presidency says, “FLOOD the earth with this gift of Jesus Christ.” And as we do I can testify that we will feel the savior right by our side!

I love you so so much! Sorry the computer is going to shut off and I need to send this! See you soon!

Love, Jess

at the christmas party with the Pres

my comp and I at the plaza in Tacna

my zone at the christmas party

A message from Hermana Bennion's mom:
I spent a few enjoyable days with your daughter in Moquegua when I was picking up my daughter from her mission. I got to stay in their apartment and I thought the bathroom with its shower head over the sink was worth photographing. The night gowns were pretty cute too. I was impressed with the discipline and goodness of your daughter. She's doing great things in the ward and with investigators. It looked like a pretty rewarding life as a missionary.
-Rebecca Bennion

Here are a couple more photos. We were served a delicious Sunday lunch at some member's home. The other photo is in front of our daughters' last apartment.