So yesterday I called Mom in Atlanta and then after that I was able to talk to Danny for just a few moments and then good thing I didn´t get through to Jamie because when I hung up and was walking back to my gate, they were calling my name on the intercom. So on the plane, the poor girl next to me was 16 and flying alone to visit a friend. Our customs and immigrations forms were only in Spanish. Which are kind of hard for me to even understand because those aren´t words that I ever use. But we got the forms and after she went through immigrations, I couldn´t find her to see if she was alright. I certainly hope so. Oh! So we boarded our plane in Atlanta and then were delayed an hour. Someone was complaining about some smell in their seat? I don´t really know, but I do know they had to call a cleaning crew to try and fix it. So I got into Lima at 1am. Then after going through everything it was 2am when I got out. I had seen 3 other elders in line behind me and then I couldn´t find them. I proceeded outside of the airport and a Taxi man approached me. I was really uncomfortable at first and then he actually ended up being really nice. He was saying that for missionaries, there is normally someone inside waiting. We tried calling the numbers that I had on my sheet and he couldn´t get through. I had the address of the MTC in Lima thanks to Katie for writing all of my addresses on a piece of paper for me. He said he knew where it was. I said I was going to go back inside to make sure I couldn´t find the other elders. I then found them. But I´m glad it all worked out. The other 3 elders never received their visas and so they were in Provo for 9 weeks. But they don´t speak Spanish very well, so I had to translate everything from the driver. It was fun. They speak a lot clearer here than they do in Argentina.
Then I got to the MTC at about 2:30am. I walked into my room and met my 2 companions (Mangrum and Warner?) They both are from the US and I don't think they speak very well either. But Hna Warner is going to Cusco with me on Tuesday. I am here until then. I woke up at 6:30 as usual and got ready only to find out that they were allowing me to sleep in till 9am since we arrived so late. So I tried to go back to sleep so that I wouldn´t feel sick all day. But now I am here and the schedule is different. We actually go out and proselyte in the afternoons on Saturday. So I will be with Hna Mangrum and another Latin sister.
So some stuff from the past week. Mario.... We finally got to him!!! I don't remember what it was that we said that hit him, but I told him we could have happiness in the middle of our trials and that's what the gospel brings. Now Mario is kind of a rude person and he snapped back and was like Really Hna Lang? How can anyone find happiness when they are being abused as a child? That really hit me. I realized that we had been going at things completely the wrong way. But that it wasn't necessarily that he could be happy while all of these bad things are going on, but that he has a Savior, a best friend, who knows his trials and could be there for him so that he could find the strength and the comfort to get through these awful things. We talked a lot about the Atonement (completely not our plans... but what he needed) and then we asked him if he would pray and he said he felt like he was ready to pray. I certainly learned lots though. 1) listen to the spirit. 2) work hard and keep trying. Don't give up and 3) you really cant teach lessons. We don't teach lessons, we teach people. And that is sometimes the hardest part is going ok, I planned this lesson of all this great stuff, but sometimes, you can't follow that and you have to just go on faith and preparation and follow the spirit, but the greater joy comes from that.
So I met a sister at the Provo Mtc and I don't remember her name who was from Saomoa, but she said that when she called home when she got to Provo, the first thing her mom asked her was "How does it feel to be in the land of the prophets?" That stuck out to me. I rarely think about how blessed I am to actually live in the United States. Not just for the freedoms we have, but also for the blessing to be in the same place that the prophet speaks. I've learned so much about gratitude the last little while and although I don't feel like I am super ungreatful, just how much better I really need to be at being grateful for the many blessings that I have.
Also, for my plaque, the scripture I want is D&C 50:41-42
Anyways, that's it for now.
I love you all and cannot wait to be in Cusco. The weather here isn't cold. It's FABULOUS, but Cusco is colder, so we shall see! :)
Love,
Hermana Lang
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