Week 49- Burn your trash day

Dear Friends and Family,

So today is June 24th. It is supposed to be the coldest day of the year here (I don't believe it). But anyways, that meant that everyone went out after dark and started to burn trash, old clothes, whatever you have to keep warm. It was interesting to look at the hills and see them all lit with fires of people burning their stuff! I wanted to burn something, but then realized that I needed everything I had. Oops. I guess I will have to keep more junk so I can celebrate the Cold Weather next time!

Well, one difference here about Puno is that heaters don't exist and it's cold here. So more people live on the second floor of their house. Which means that when you knock, they don't always hear. I am not a Pro at throwing rocks at windows. I always thought it was a romantic thing from movies... nope here it is normal life. We throw rocks ALL day long every day.

The other exciting thing is I have no clue when Shark week is, but this week was DOG ATTACK week. I am really surprised that my companion and I are still alive. I have never been attacked by so many dogs. I think I will be single all of my life because my heart doesn't work anymore thanks to all of the adrenaline and shock from the dogs practically eating us.

We had fun with our headbands!!!

Well, there have been a couple miracles. We decided that we have pretty much baptized almost all of our main investigators and that we needed to look for new people. We were kind of stumped and had to think lots about what to do. Well, Saturday, we were with our phone luckily and a member that I barely know calls and says ''Hermanas! Can you come to an appointment at 8? I have a family I want to show you.'' OF COURSE WE CAN! So we went and it's a family of 4. We just got to know them a bit and haven't really taught a lot, but the mom says that she doesn't want to go to the Catholic church anymore and wants to come to our church! Sweet! So we shall see what happens this week. They are super busy and only have time Saturday. Then there is a lady Norma, who got baptized almost a year ago who doesn't come to church. I have seen her twice and never can contact her. Well she came to church yesterday and brought her sister and told her sister that she had to make time to visit with us! She said that she loved church and was going to come every week! Life is so much better when we can work with the members and the people that they know.

The other exciting news is Josue and Jesus. Which apparently was quite the accomplishment. Who knew? Apparently several people have gone to visit this family (missionaries, members etc) and they have always said no no no. The first time we went, they said sure. It really gave me a testimony of the fact that the Lord has HIS own timing and we have to be ready and prepared to listen to Him.

Anyways, thank you for all of your prayers, they strengthen me and help me to do the things that I cannot do alone! I love all of you!

Love Always,
Hermana Carly Jo Lang

Week 48- Don't get taken by Aliens... Believe in Christ

Dear Friends and Family,

 

So highlight of this week would be talking to Pilar. She talked with missionaries before and we found her name and decided to visit her. She is super friendly. She's about 20 years old and lives with her partner and her little girl Almendra. Well, we started talking about how she ended up with so much faith in Christ. She began to talk about her childhood, miracles that had happened in her life. Honestly, really cool stories that she had to tell and then she gets to the climax and says but what really grew my faith was when I was on the internet one day, I read about aliens and people being taken by aliens and testimonies of lots of people of what they did to not be taken by aliens. And you know what the answer was? Believe in Christ! Haha, I definitely was not prepared for that! But, I am super glad that Christ has kept her safe in her own life. I thought about my life and really, believing in Christ helps so much. When we truly turn to Him, our faith grows and whatever fears we may have begin to diminish.

 

Sillustani Lake

Well, other fun things that happened is that we went to Sillustani (some ruins) that really weren't that exciting. BUT, there was a GORGEOUS lake there. Why would you talk about Lake Titicaca when there is this lake? The view was incredible. 

 

Tuesday, we went to visit a family and when I left, I picked up my backpack to leave and one of the daughters looked at me a little frantic and pointed to me, I looked down and realized that my skirt had attached to my backpack and when I put my backpack on, it lifted my skirt completely up. LUCKILY, I had on pants that day because of the cold weather so embarrassment was avoided and we all just laughed.

 

So miracles that happened. We met Lucia. She was someone who the missionaries taught before and a member remembered and brought us to her house. When we knocked, she said she was busy and didn't have time. We told her we were missionaries and that we wanted to come back another day to share with her. She asked from what church and when we told her, her face lit up and said I wondered why they hadn't come back, come right in, I really don't have time, but you can talk while I work! She was super sweet and so we shall see how everything goes this week.

 

Baptism of Raul

Raul, got baptized yesterday! He told us earlier in the week that he couldn't be baptized and my heart sank a little. He said, he really wanted to, but didn't have time. Well we talked with him and really listened to what he said. We then invited him to pray. When we came back, he told us, I really don't know how I am going to have time, but I feel that the Lord wants this for me and so I will make time! It was so sweet!



Well, Josue. He is the son of a member and is preparing for his baptism this Saturday. So we taught him about tithing. We were struggling with 1/10th because he didn't understand math. So I used fingers. I used coins. And finally I gave an example of with 10 chickens, you give 1 to God. So then we talked some more and at the end, my companion asks, what is tithing and cute little Josue responds, tithing is 1 chicken for God! Hahaha I just smiled but truly laughed inside, but at least he understood with chickens what tithing was.

 

Well, I am almost out of time, but I am so grateful for your love and support. I wouldn't be here without so many of you.

 

Love Always,

Hermana Carly Jo Lang

 

carly.lang@myldsmail.net

Hermana Carly Jo Lang

Misión Perú Cusco

2417 Av. La Cultura

Frente al Urb. Santa Ursula

Capilla Mormona

Cusco, PERU

Week 47- Festival de Papa (Potato Party) I thought I had left that kind of stuff in Idaho

Dear Friends and Family,

So lots of exciting things happened this week. I now have 11 months in the mission... This next month (July) will be a year, AND.... it's my birthday July 9th, so feel free to send me some love!

 



All of the sisters

Anyways, so a couple of things, there are now 33 sister missionaries in this mission. That is a LOT in comparison to 22 like 2 transfers ago and there are 8 of us from the US... also a record breaker since being here. The new sister missionaries from the US are all super sweet and glad they are here. They looked a little scared though. The fun thing is that Hermana Calderón has been begging President to get all of the sister missionaries together... SOOOOOOO... Wednesday, we all went to Cusco. In the morning, we had a conference about being pretty on the inside and also on the outside... Then, the rest of the afternoon, we were able to all talk and bond, paint our nails, etc. It basically was a girl's day and it was super fun. I am not sure I have ever heard of that in another mission. Then in the evening, we had a testimony meeting with us and President Calderón and his wife. He had just received his release call and read it with us and then asked about 10 of us to share our testimonies. It was really nice to get to know the other sister missionaries because they are all so wonderful.

 

The next exciting news is that Paty and Milagros are sisters and cousins of Elvis (who got baptized in December). They come to church every week and have SUPER strong testimonies, but their Dad has always said NOOOOO to baptism... Well we went to visit them on Saturday and it was kind of a crazy visit with a bunch of other things that are best not to mention, but at the end, we asked how was their Dad. They both lit up and said that their Dad finally gave in and gave them permission as long as they don't come to him crying wishing that they hadn't been baptized. We asked them if they wanted to be baptized and they both said there was nothing more sure in their lives that they wanted! So... June 29th is when they have decided!!!!!!

 

Well, another fun story is that my companion had to go to Lima for 2 days. I was frantically trying to find someone that could help me out because we had lots of things planned and really didn't have time to leave my area to be with the other sister missionaries if I couldn't find a companion. Luckily, a month ago in the other stake, a girl came back from her mission in Buenos Aires! PERFECT!!!! Best part was her accent... it totally brought my ''sh'' sound and we were able to talk in the same language of Argentina haha and we drank mate! It was SUPER fun. The other thing is that she was an EXCELLENT missionary and taught me some things and gave a lot of great ideas that I'm excited to apply here. 

 

Last story is that we are teaching 2 cousins. Their families are all members except them and they both decided they wanted their uncle to baptize them together. Sweet. But we weren't so sure about the Dad. About 2 months ago, I knocked on the door of this house because someone had told me the that Family Llanos were members and that they lived there. So I asked for the Llanos Family and the Dad came out and said Nope, this is the Huanca Family and that the Llanos lived a couple houses up. I was a little confused but shrugged it off. Well, I later found out that they were the Huanca LLANOS family. So yesterday, we went to visit the 2 little cousins and the Dad was there. I was a little nervous but he said that he was super glad we were there. He said that he had passed through some difficult things and that actually about 2 months ago, 2 sisters had come and he sent them off because he wasn't ready to talk to anyone, but that now he was. I kind of laughed and he asked why? I then explained that that was me that had come. He then apologized for sending me off but thanked me because that day that we had knocked is what then made him start thinking about what he wanted in life and how to get there.

 

Last but not least. Here, Potatoes are BIG. I thought they were big in Idaho, but there are like 40 different types of potatoes... maybe lots more. And there is a potato festival. It made me laugh and think of all of my Idaho friends. So shout out to you!

 

A big slide

Well, I am out of time, but I am so grateful for your love and support!

 

Love Always,

Hermana Lang
 

Week 46- Transfers!!!

Dear Friends and Family,
Time goes by so fast. But GOOD NEWS!!!!!!! My companion and I told President that we didn’t want to have transfers… AND he showed us mercy and we are going to be together for our birthdays! Her birthday is the 14^th of this month and mine is the 9^th of July!!!
 


Pedro and Nancy... MARRIED!!! cutting their cake

Anyways, this week was HECTIC and not everything I hoped it to be, but after all was said and done, my companion and I felt a lot of peace and felt that we did what the Lord expected of us. So… the Cotrado Family has not reached their goal of baptism. The Dad wants to wait a little bit and the mom, is saying until her kids are 12 years old and then they can ALL be baptized together… that’s 2 years from now. But we are working a lot with the Dad because he said definitely not more than 3 months. BUT, the good news is that they got married on Saturday which was another nightmare and a headache to plan, but it was in their house and they didn’t want anyone to come, so it was simple. It was us, and them, and then a member family who were the witnesses. It was nice because afterwards, we all talked and ate cake and just enjoyed the happiness that they could unite their family.
 
Exciting news though is that despite the crazy week and running errands to fix paperwork and other things that I am not used to as a missionary, we had an excellent church meeting yesterday. Raul came yesterday and it couldn’t have been more perfect with all the testimonies. The spirit was SOOOO strong. He is preparing for the 15^th. Then Josue and his ENTIRE family came yesterday and his cousin now wants to be baptized with him the 22^nd and his mom gave him permission. Then, we visited Paty and Milagros who have been attending for 6 months and didn’t have permission. Well, we have been visiting the mom who accepted to be baptized the 29^th and they have been talking with their Dad who has opened up a lot about the idea of giving permission. We all have faith and hope that the 3 of them will achieve their goal.


Part of my zone at a museum

 
Well, I am out of time, but I love you all lots and hope all is well. The church couldn’t be more true! I LOVE being a missionary and hope that this week goes well for everyone.
 
Love,
Hermana Lang