Service, Perspiration, and an Anniversary

So, we currently have two investigators preparing for baptism: Kristen and Karen. Kristen is being baptized this Friday! Yay! We are super excited for her and she is so ready to be baptized! However, today we got a call from Karen asking us if we could stop by her house. We were nervous because her baptism was planned for this Saturday. We went, and it turns out that she has a cousin that recently returned from his mission who wants to be there and baptize her! The only thing is, he lives far away. So, she asked if we could postpone the baptism until next week on the 21st. That is a really good reason to postpone a baptism, so now we are helping her prepare for the 21st! We are a little relieved because she still has a lot we need to teach her, and now we have more time to do it and make sure that she understands and has a sure testimony of the gospel. 

 

Hermana Larsen helping make hats

This week, we have really felt the Spirit as we taught Karen and Kristen to help them prepare for their baptisms. Yesterday, we needed to teach Kristen about the Law of Chastity. We were really nervous at first, and we began slowly. Then, Kristen comes out and says, "My body is a temple!" We smiled and were so glad that she understood what we were trying to get at. It's little moments like that where we realize that the Holy Ghost is speaking to the hearts of our investigators and helping them understand what we are saying.

 

Super cute hat!

Also this week, I have learned more about the power of service. Giving service to ward leaders really helps them build their trust in you. We helped the primary president, who is the bishop's wife, prepare for the primary program which was yesterday. We helped make the handouts, gave notes to the less actives and investigators with children, did a little decorating, and played the piano for the program. She is really glad for our help and has given us many references of less actives and investigators. We also helped a recent convert make her hats and costumes that she sells for the new year. She has fallen really behind because her husband, who was also recently baptized, has been very ill. We helped her and talked with her and her husband, and she feels the love that we have for them.

Check out the candle on Elder Sandoval's birthday cake!

Elder Sandoval had his birthday this past week, so we celebrated by making tacos at their pensionista and singing happy birthday! The candle on his cake was freaking awesome! He was a little scared of it though -- ha ha!

 

It sounds like Utah has been pretty cold, so I am glad I'm here in Peru! Although, it is getting pretty hot now! Some days, we just sweat all day! No one here has air conditioning, so we all just kind of smell bad together -- ha ha! Since we don't have snow here, I decided to make some snowflakes for our apartment! Yay! I actually kind of miss the snow! I got grandma's present on Tuesday, and it had some Christmas scarfs in it! Super cute!

This Thursday, it will have been one year ago that I opened my mission call to Peru. It seems weird that a year has already flown past. Crazy to think about! The people here are awesome, and I am loving the members and investigators in my area more and more. I really don't want to change areas before Christmas. I am just super loving living in an apartment finally! I really hope I get to enjoy it for more than two weeks as well! Also, now Karen is getting baptized on the 21st, so they better not change me to another area because I really want to be there for her baptism!