Hey everyone! it sounds like everyone is doing so great.  This always gives me such happiness to hear that! This week has AGAIN been one of miracles that I can’t even count.  We have seen so much progress in our recent converts especially!

Oscar, our recent convert went out with us yesterday to our lessons and honestly his testimony of this gospel is so strong and powerful. In fact, when he was giving his testimony to a new investigator she began to cry telling us that she has not felt a feeling so pure and strong in her life in that moment. This lady, time after time has slammed the door in our face, however, yesterday she allowed us to come into her house and had such a spiritual experience. To know that she can live with her mother again, the power of the plan of salvation is so real and strong! These people have known this plan before but their heart just needs to be awakened by the spirit again to be able to remember!

Also, yesterday one of our less-actives who hasn’t come to church in 10 years walked up to the pulpit without fear to share his testimony about how he has been lost for these 10 years and that now is the day to change his life. I don’t feel like there was a dry eye in the room. Right after that another less-active, named Gabriella, got up and bore her testimony about going out and preaching with us and that now, she has the desire to go on a mission! 

Also, yesterday two of the less-actives that we have been working with received the Mel Priesthood! It was such an unbelievable experience to see their faces after they were set apart.  We asked them how they felt but they both told us that they could not explain it. Now, they can bless their families with the power of the priesthood and help them on this path of discipleship! 

This week was unbelievable especially this Sunday.  They had to open THE BACK to fit all the members, less-actives and investigators.  And the bishop told us in ward council that they have not had to do that for 10 years! All because the hand of our Heavenly Father is pushing each of these people along the path of salvation .and now more than ever! I have so much gratitude for the DILIGENCE of my Savior in this work of salvation because without Him we could not get anywhere in this work! 

I love each and every one of you. Never forget how much your Savior loves you and how willing he is to take upon his shoulders your pains and your afflictions! Thank you so much for your prayers and your love. I couldn’t do this with YOUR FAITH! I love you! Keep smiling!

Love,  Jess

Hey fam!!! How are all of you this week? It always sounds like you are doing AMAZING! And so are we here in Peru.  We have seen so many miracles and mini tender mercies along our path this week and I can’t tell you everything because we don’t have too much time on the internet today but I will tell you just a few.

This week we have been activating a family of five.  When we started this change the husband of this family wouldn’t even let us in the door but little by little as we have been praying and working with the rest of the family.  He has changed COMPLETELY. The other night we were at their house talking about the temple and the covenants that we need to make there in order to have an eternal family and receive the blessing that come from that. And the dad said, "We know, we have talked and prayed about it and we have set a goal to go in OCTOBER to the temple to be sealed as a family!" This was unbelievable to hear for me because just a few weeks ago he had just slammed the door in our face and told us not to come back. Persistence and the power of prayer are the keys . . . and smiling haha so that they will let us in! But this is truly a miracle that was given to us by the hand of Heavenly Father!

Also the other day we went to visit a family of members but little did we know that the husband was not a member. As we talked about the plan of salvation we asked him if he had heard this plan before and he said, "Yes.  Millions.  The missionaries have taught me for 15 years but I still haven’t FELT my answer."  We continued to talk, talking about his divine responsibility as a father and his son, who is 10 years old, turned to him and said, "I want an eternal family.  Please help us."  He looked him straight into the eye and began to cry and after a long time of silence he said, "That is the first time I have ever felt that in my life.  Now, I feel I am on the right path."  We all got down on our knees and HE offered the prayer.  I had never heard a prayer with so much faith and true intention in my life, hearing him thank his Heavenly Father for his ANSWER after 15 years of waiting! UNREAL.  The holy spirit is amazing!

Sorry, I don’t have too much time! I love you all and thank you for your prayers!

Love,  Jess

Hey fam! It sounds like everyone is doing just great! That makes me so happy! I hope everyone had an amazing valentine’s day. It was a lot of fun here . . . in the rain! Many miracles happened this week. I don’t have too much time to mention all of them so I will just mention a few. One of the biggest was the baptism that we had this last Saturday.

Honestly this week has been a week of miracles for my companion and me. Not only have we seen miracles in our area but we have seen complete changes in our companionship. But the biggest miracles that we saw this week was our baptism that we had with Oscar. It was probably the most spiritually-filled baptism I have ever been in. The mother and grandmother of this same family have been rescued and were there in the baptism crying and baring testimony of what they had lost while being less-active and now her son/grandson is being baptized. At first, Oscar would not let us walk into his door because he told us he was a man of "science" and that he didn’t believe that god existed. Slowly but surely we walked into his life and gave him a Book of Mormon and EVERYTHING changed from there on. In his baptism he said, "I used to be a man of science but now that I have this book in my hands I am a man of god." He is 18 and he is planning on going on a mission!

Also this week my companion and I put together a "sister conference" with all of our sisters from Moquegua and Ilo. The sisters from Ilo came here for the morning which was so amazing to see all of the sisters bond together and feel the joy of missionary service. My companion and I spoke a lot about our purpose here in the mission and their purpose as children of God and talking about obedience and dedication. And then, we had a testimony meeting and many of us began to cry and I truly felt that we all needed this so badly. It was such an unbelievable feeling to hear the powerful testimonies of each one of the sisters and to see the amazing potential that each one of them has. This conference was such a spiritual experience for everyone and now we feel a lot closer to them as their leaders!

We had another amazing lesson with Marcia, the investigator who stopped us on the street and asked US for a pamphlet. We were sitting there in the lesson talking about the restoration and Hna. Lucia (the mom of Oscar) accompanying us, and all of the sudden Lucia says, "Do you feel alone?" And just from this question Hna. Marcia began to tell us about her entire life and how she has felt very alone until now. The spirit was so strong in this moment and all because of one of the members asked her an inspired question. We explained to feel accompanied by the Holy Ghost we must first be baptized and she ACCEPTED in March. Such miracles!

Today Edson is going to the temple! And yesterday our convert received her calling, her recommend and paid her tithing! It was such a special thing to see these two progress and on top of that Edson and Ana are great friends!

Well, this was my week, it was amazing! Thank you for all of your prayers and words of comfort for me each week. I know I say this every week but I honestly could not be here without each and every one of you! Thank you! Keep smiling! Talk to you next week!

Love, Jess

Andre (one of our rescues) baptizing Oscar!

Birthday party of one of our recent converts

Easting Panatone (for Christmas) in February!

Lunch at our convert's house

Baptism of Oscar!

Our District

Sister Conference with our sisters from Ilo and Moquegua

Haha Thank you companion for reminding me . . . ahhhh scary!

 

Hey fam!

It sounds like everything is going well back at home! I don’t have too much time to wright but this week was super special with the baptism that we had. I need to tell you the background of this kid. He is so strong in his testimony of this gospel! Paolo is 12 years old and had been an investigator for one year and had told us that every day this year he had been praying to receive an answer about the prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. He has received a profound answer and has been urgent about getting baptized this entire year. However, his parents would not give him permission. We have been working with them this entire transfer and as we have been focusing on the Book of Mormon, slowly but surely the family softened and gave him permission. His father never supported him and we were sure that he was not even going to come to the baptism. But when it came to Saturday, he came! Which was such an unbelievable step in the life of Paolo. Now, he is the only member in his family and we are working with him now to become the missionary in his family. And he has already started this process. He told us three weeks ago he and his little brother (seven years old) are starting to read the Book of Mormon together each night!, Haha and speaking of his little brother, after he was baptized he walked to the font and said, "My turn!" haha. His mom pulling him away, he says, "But I can when I turn eight, right mom?" And to our surprise she says, "Yeah yeah, when you are eight." Little by little I know this family will become an eternal family!

And our new convert Edson baptized him! It was so amazing! He was so nervous, but he did an amazing job! We were working with him the entire week to memorize how to do the ordinance. And also, Edson received his temple recommend and has saved up money to go to the temple this next week! He is taking the name of his grandfather in order to do the work for him! Ah we are so excited for him. He is going to be such an amazing missionary!

We have been working with a family. The mother is an active member but the husband has not assisted in five years. The other day we had a lesson with him about the prophet Joseph Smith, his devotion and love for this work and we were extremely direct with him saying that if he doesn’t go to church it will be on his head for the rest of eternity, that he wasn’t able to reach exaltation with his family. He began to cry and promised that he would come. He always promised us that he would come and never did so we didn’t think too much of it at first but as we were sitting the relief society and all of the sudden I look over at the door and Luis is standing there with his suit and tie and briefcase. It was such an amazing site to see! The bishop almost had a heart attack haha! Such miracles each day!

Well this was my week; filled with little miracles each day. All we need to do is open our eyes to see them--especially during times of difficulty. During these times of difficulty these miracles are even MORE accessible but it is just our clouded vision that blocks us from seeing them! Thank you so much for your love and your prayers. I KNOW I could not do this without each and every one of you! Keep smiling!

Love,

Jess










Hna. Zobrist!



Leadership Council







My two moms in the mission - Hna. Rivera and Hna. Castro





Our area "Los Angeles" in the rain









Edson (recent convert) baptizing Paolo




Paolo's baptism







Plaza de Armas in Arequipa