No letter this week .... traveling to Arequipa

Elder Pond, Elder Jones, Elder Sitton, Elder Foster

Hna. Cunningham, Hna. Mahas, Hna. Smith, Hna. Flora, Hna. Riverin,

Hna. Huish, Hna. Hubert, Pdte. Gonzalez, Hna. Gonzalez, Hna. Bowers, Hna. Kingsford

Family!

Wow! Today has been a super crazy day. Just 5 minutes ago I got back from my last temple experience for the rest of my mission. It has been a pretty emotional morning....but I was able to soak it in the temple for 3 hours which was such a blessing! The temple has grown to be unbelievably special to me...especially here because it is an escape from the chaos out on the streets. The peace is tangible. It was sad to think that this was my last time but, today as i sat in that small, intimate and gorgeous celestial room...my heart flashed back to the day I entered into the celestial room at the SLC temple with each of you. I was overwhelmed with joy and tears----realizing I can give the people of Peru that sacred experience. Allowing them, like I did, to look into the eyes of their siblings, spouses and parents and know with assurety they can live with them forever......just like I can with you. That promise is unbelievable to me!

Right after this we are going to "interpool" to get our Visas....it may take all day haha. Soo....we will see if I will be able to stay in the country!

It has been a great week! But nothing too new has been happening here....we are all just counting down the single digit days until we get out into the field next Tuesday! I can’t even imagine that right now. I am definitely going to have to learn how to be a professional at Charades with my Latina companion because my option to take a break and speak English just goes out the door! It will be super hard to leave the people here at the CCM because it feels like I have gotten to know the Latina sisters and elders, the teachers and even the cleaning people. For example, there is one cleaning guy who we call "chocolate"....because every time we do service (cleaning) he asks us if we want chocolate....and we get super excited----then he hands us a rag an  says "mmmmm yummy....come back when you are done and I’ll give you more". The people are  so loving here. I am super scared to leave but all I need to do is trust the Lord as I hop on that steep learning curve. It will be great!

 The classes are awesome mostly because the teachers are amazing. I swear they are all going to be general authorities soon. Each week we get a new investigator...so right now we are teaching 3 "fake investigators a day" which is sometimes a little bit crazy. But some days I have 4 lessons because the Elders always ask me...have no idea why?... to be the "RS pres" or "member" in their lessons. It’s pretty fun though!

It is insane being the oldest group here because I definitely don’t feel like it! But a new group of 32  North Americans came in on Sunday. They were supposed to come on Thursday but because of the weather they had to come later! In that new group was my really good friends Sarah Stringham from Olympus. It was so exciting when I saw her...and actually... her companion is from Skyline and we played against each other in bball. I know it’s bad but right when I saw her face ii just got a flood of bad memories haha. That Oly/Skyline rival never really goes away I have found! But she is super nice and we realized we hung out a couple of times...small world!

My though of the week was sparked on Sunday....we listened to a devotional at the Provo MTC by Elder Anderson...titled "First love, then sacrifice". At the beginning of my mission I felt like letting go of the comforts of life, my friends, and most importantly you guys...was a burden and a trial. But gradually through this CCM process that state of mind has changed. And Neil Anderson said it perfectly when he said "as we sacrifice for the things we love, we begin to love to sacrifice". And those "things" I love are my Heavenly Father and you, my unbelievable family! Thank you for being the root of my love because.....because of that I am able to find joy and love in the things I have sacrificed and will continue to sacrifice on this mission. And Anderson goes on to say that as we begin to love sacrifice.....our love for the things we sacrifice for will magnify! That couldn’t be more true right now. My love has magnified for the Lord and each of you through sacrifice. I love you!

Anyway....it is insane that the next time I will talk to you....I will be in my mission. I am nervous but as it says in Alma 26:12....With the lord, I can do all things! And so can each of you. I feel your prayers for me in my every step and I hope you know I am praying for each of you individually each night and morning! I miss all of you! But just keep smiling!

Love, Jess

Sorry this is the only picture I have for this week because today was kinda crazy but....happy late valentines from our district! Love you!

These are our roommates....the one right next to me is the girl Amanda knows

This is our entire district with our teacher...Hermano Huita...who planned to meet us while we were out!

Sister Flora is on the right and Sister Smith is on the left....we are going to Arequipa together!

a little sneak peak of the sunsets in Peru...this is the view outside my window

Family!

 

Happy Valentines week! I love you all soo much! This week has been really good! Our district is now the "advanced group" here at the CCM...wow...I don't feel advanced at all but as I look back at my first week....I've realized how real the gift of tongues is, if I work hard. But I have found that working hard doesn't always mean sticking my head in language books but drawing closer to Heavenly Father in my personal study---allows my Spanish to flourish. However, I am talking as if i know a lot....it really don't. I realized when I went proselytizing this week that our teachers talk extremely slow (making me feel super accomplished when I understand). But outside the CCM walls...I have no idea what they are saying but it is all good...as long as they can feel my unbelievable love for them---that is all is needed. The language will come!

 

Lets see....the food is my weakness right now....oh that rice, its dangerous. But after my teacher who went to Lima South on her mission said she gained 45 pounds. Oh man. I hope that isn't my destiny haha. But hey if it is...that poundage is evidence that I loved these people so much...right? However, for the past few days I have been substituting rice for the giant bananas and mangoes which are unreal----but I am not worried right now because physical activity is allowing me to work it off. But it is funny...ever since the Latino elders found out I play basketball they come find me everyday and say "basket..today...si?" haha I love it. Its not only a physical relief but a comic relief...watching those Latinos dribble a basketball but I am sure they feel the same way when I try to play soccer....

 

On Saturday, we went proselytize out in Lima North---I actually went to the same exact place I went before which is rare people have been saying. But I thought is was super neat because I was able  to recognize specific people from the last time and they actually remembered me which was a surprise. I was paired with a Latina from Argentina...she was super sweet but shy---which forced me to talk a lot more. I'm not sure how much of it made sense but the people are soo loving here and they just smile and nod. Our assignment was to go around and visit the less-active members in the area----we visited 3 but one of these was a family that actually met before. They own a small little shop...and they live in the storage area in the back of it. As we cam e in we were greeted with kisses on the cheek and loving hugs from the kids. Right when we asked them if we could share a message with them...they immediately closed up shop (which would never happen in the USA) and sat down to listen intently. In their small shop with cloth ceilings...we began with a prayer and proceeded to ask them why they haven't been going to church. After a lot of excuses...I was prompted to ask them how they felt on their baptism day. As they each spoke...they became extremely emotional. Even though I couldn't understand a lot, the spirit there was tangible. After a minute of silence...my companion asked...Do you want to go to the temple and be with your family forever? They confidently said yes! There was a reason I was prompted to attend the temple often because Heavenly father knew that this family needed to hear my "Spanglish" testimony of it. This was a super special experience for me... and I realized that the difference between traditional missionary work and the work of salvations is leading these people to the temple.

 

After we came home to the CCM... we had free time for like 30 min. So our district decided to lay down on the grass watching the sunset---they are unreal here---and talk about our experiences which was amazing. But because it was getting dark one of our teachers came and acted like he was telling a ghost story in a scary voice...but it was actually the Joseph Smith story ahah. Our teachers are hilarious...but...they know how to whip us into shape when it is time to get to business!

 

Today we weren't able to go to the temple again but we just decided to do a bunch of contacting in our Spanglish. Our companionship gave a pamphlet to a police officer who said he "has always loved Jesus"....and afterwards he wanted us to sign it ahah. He was such a sweet man.

 

This week has been great! And the things Heavenly Father has allowed me to see and experience has been unbelievable...more than I could have ever imagined. I am going out into the field in two weeks which scares me a little bit but I know that the Lord is my side in this work. He is laboring right beside me in this work. I just want you all to know how much I love you! I wouldn't been here if it wasn't for your influence and your prayers. Our family gives me strength every step of the way. I pray for your each specifically every night! I love you and miss you all so much! Just remember to keep smiling!

 

Love, Jess

 

Family!

This week has been great! The other day we had to say goodbye to the group of Latina sisters that we have grown so close to, which was so sad. Our district re-arranged the hymn "God be with you till we meet again" to sing to them before they left. And when we did....the love in that room was unreal....followed by hugs and many kisses on the cheek haha...I love that. I think it should be a law in the US.

The new group of "gringos"(they call us) came in on Thursday....and wow even though they are all the same age as me they just look like babies. They all had that deer in the headlights face I had the first day I got here. Katie Johnson, a girl in my ward down at BYU, came in that group and it was so fun to see her. Also, my new roommate speaks Spanish but she has live in Salt lake her who life and has known Amanda Bennett since elementary....small world! And she is also obsessed with essential oil....mom, you should be happy because I get a dose of it every night....as she spreads it all over herself haha.

My companions have been great which is a blessing because another companionship in our district had to switch around because they absolutely loathed each other which was hard to see. But I am positive I will be given companions like that....but I'll just have to kill them with kindness! Easier said than done haha.

The classes have been good...but there is so much to learn with this language. But I have to just tell myself that I will not be overwhelmed and have to remember that I have been called and the Lord will kit the task to my capabilities. Now, I am always telling myself "don't stress" which is something I never could have done before my mission----all of you know the worry and stress side of me too well. But it goes to show how God can change any weakness into a strength.

Sunday was amazing...I got a little dose of familiarity on that day here. We were able to have all our regular meetings and afterwards we watched a devotional by Holland. It was probably the most straightforward....hammer down...in your face Holland talk I have ever heard and that is saying a lot. He expressed that he expects superhuman performance out of the missionaries and that we are never again allowed to go back to who we were after our work is finished in the field. He definitely got close to the "singe my eyebrows a little" and whip me into shape. If you have a chance to listen to it.....it was at the Provo MTC on Feb. 28, 2012----its kinda long but totally worth it!

I was really bummed today because the Lima Temple is closed for the next couple of p-days I am here...so I am pretty sure last week was my final time for my whole mission. But its all good....this is not a time for me but the time to shift the eyes of the people here to the temple. So....instead of going to the temple we went out to shop which was fun to get another taste of the culture. Another sister and I didn't want to buy anything so we just started to walk around....giving people who would listen to our "Spanglish" a pamphlet. I loved it...I just need to learn Spanish haha so I can answer their questions.

Well, there isn't too much else to say since I am not out in the field experiencing the culture. But I just want to thank our whole family for making me who I am today. I am so thankful for homesickness because, as a result, I have obtained a motivation to give the people of Peru the foundation of the gospel in order to build a family as powerful as ours. There is no greater gift than family. I miss you all so much....and I cant tell you enough times how much I love you! Thank you for your prayers...I can feel them strengthening me each day. I pray for all of you individually each day!

Love, Hermana Mahas

Sisters from my district going to Arequipa with Elder Sitton and Elder Jones

All the Hermanas in my District that are going to Arequipa 

Jessie's first day at the MTC (Jessie's comps, Sister Bower (left, white sweater) and Sister Huish (right, yellow skirt)

 The Elders

Jessie's District 

 Out shopping and taking in the culture and the people

Playing soccer for exercise

The Latina Sisters

Applying for a Visa

Family!

Well this week was extremely hard but I feel like I fulfilled the scripture in DC58:4---where it says....After much trial...come the blessings!

So....I met my companions after a while of wondering around not knowing where to go haha. I am in a trio with Hermana Huish who is always laughing and bubbly----she is from Washington. My other companion is Hemana Bowers, she also went to BYU (small world) and she is from Cali! They are both super fun! My district is awesome---there are 4 Elders and 9 Hermanas which is pretty funny!  4 of the other Hermanas are going to Arequipa with me and the rest are going to Lima North. We are all Americans...I thought at first we were paired with the Latinas. However, we have 2 Latinas living in our room. One of them is from Chile and her name is Hermana Madera---she is tiny and super sweet. The other one is from Columbia and her name is Her. Ruerta...and she is literally Anna Wright in a Latina body----but I love her so much! She makes me laugh 24/7. They are constantly singing and dancing in our rooms and always want us to have "Englisssss class"---because the mission president told them they need to learn English because it is the language of the gospel---which is pretty cool. And then they give us Spanish lessons in return---I learn more from talking to them than I do in my classes haha. Whenever I talk with them they keep telling me that I sound like a Mexican (haha thanks huggy!)...mostly because they say I have a good accent and pronunciation! I really don’t know how to say anything so at least I have that going for me!

We have class all day and the teachers are really sweet...assuring us that it is ok if we mess up haha. We plan lessons for investigators...their names are Mario and Yolanda. It is a great experience figuring out how to understand how to teach. We have physical activity at 2 everyday...which is like the hottest time of the day but it is pretty fun! We just play futball with the Latinas the whole time...love it!  The food is good here but I am just trying to get used to all the meat and rice I am consuming---but they feed us well here---it is forcing me to eat breakfast now.

On Saturday we actually went out to proselyte. Wow, that was a huge eye opener. I was paired up with Her. Chavez from Mexico...she is so sweet. Her parents are mission presidents in Mexico.  We got dropped off in Lima north and paired up with another Hermana Goodpasture who has been out for 8 months---she was from Florida and super laid back and fun. Walking around seeing the life these people live was unreal. Stray dogs, kids without shoes, and such poor living conditions...

I will tell you an experience I had....
We were walking around and we saw a lady outside her door. She said she didn’t have time but my companion asked for one minute of her time so she accepted. We proceeded to pull out a hymn book and the 3 of us started to sing. And although there was chaos around us....the spirit gave her peace and I could see it. My companion turned to me and asked me to bare my testimony. ahhh I was completely surprised. But I was given the gift of tongues in that moment....but not through words. I was just given a calm mind and heart to be able to express what I had studied before----because the gift of tongues is not a free gift. We gave her a pamphlet and she accepted an invitation to go to church. It was such an amazing experience. She was such a humble and sweet lady.

Today we went to the temple...and I cannot tell you how much I needed that. It helped remind me of what my purpose is here. It is not baptism we are getting these people to...it is the temple. Ahhh the temple just gave me so much peace today....never take it for granted! After that we went shopping out on the street which was pretty fun!

This week was one of the most trying week I have ever experienced. But I could feel your fasting and prayer were working on me. With the strength of the Lord I was able to let go of myself and just go to work. I only have 18 months out here and an eternity to look back on it! I couldn’t get through this without your love and prayers. YOU, my family, are my strength. I miss you all so much! I love you!

Jess

"Everything is well"

I just want you to know she is well and doing great.

I felt that I have to be in touch with you since I saw you the first time in that way you and especially she will feel your love trough me, don't worry. She is great and she has two wonderful companions that really love her, best wishes and thanks for fasting and praying for her, she feels your love and support, love Hna Gonzalez 

Mónica De González (Mission President's Wife)

First day in Peru

Hey!

So I am here and I am pretty confused about a lot of stuff haha. Yesterday's trip was a little crazy. We got off the plane at LA and they took us quickly to the next plane so we didn't have any time to eat...so thanks Mom for the Hi-Chews...they pretty much saved me! I wasn't able to sleep at all on the plane but your letters made the flight better so thank you! We got off the plane and went through sooooo many customs---if Sister and Pres. Gonzalez were not there I don't know where I would be! We were greeted by the old President and his wife...it was nice to hear a clear American accent in the midst of all the Spanish I had been hearing.  Then they drove us to the MTC---the streets and the surroundings remind me of a lot of Mexico.  It was about 3AM when I got to sleep...because I was trying to find my way around in the dark and trying not to wake up the other sisters haha.

This morning I woke up at about 7AM to the other Spanish sisters chattering away...I was planning on sleeping in a little longer but before they left they came over to my bed and said "Sister Bennett...Levantanse"----haha apparently I am Sister Bennett now. :) All of the other sisters in my room went to the Temple early in the morning so I got up pretty confused. I didn't know where to go or what to do. So....I just walk around trying to find someone to talk to. Finally, I ran into a cafeteria worker and he got me some food---but I didn't have much of an appetite. Someone came and led me to the women who I was supposed to meet and she was surprised I was up already haha. But, since then, she has been showing me around and getting me situated. It kinda feels like I have been running around with my head cut off....and I am still trying to find the other half of me right now---But I am sure I will find it eventually!

The grounds and the buildings here are very beautiful! I don't have any pictures yet because I just got in this morning but I bet I will get some to you next week! I can tell this is going to be a hard week for me. But I am sure this is how every other sister feels when coming here for the first time. I know Heavenly Father will help me! 

There is not much else to say considering I have only been here for a few hours!

But, I miss you already...which isn't a good sign...but I love you all so much and I can feel your strength and prayers----I really really need your prayers right now.

Thank you for all you have done for me! 

I love you all!

Love, Jess

"Safe at the MTC"

I just want to tell you that your daughter is doing great, today will be her first PD, her district will go to the a Temple today but she can sleep for some hours because the sisters must be ready a 6 o'clock and it will be just 4 hours for her to sleep so she will wait until next week, she is so happy here and I will send you some pictures with her companion in two days, thanks for letting her to serve a mission. 

Mónica De González (Mission President's Wife)

At the SL Airport about to travel to Peru with President and Sister Gonzalez