Week 67- Let the scriptures speak... for they are God's voice

Going into the valley... Urubamba

Getting off of the bus... I was excited to not
be in a bus even though it was drizzling

Dear Friends and Family,

 

So this week was quite interesting. We had a training meeting ALL day Tuesday with Pres. Harbertson which was really nice. I also had the chance to have an interview with him afterwards and it was really nice to be assured that I was in the right place here in Cusco. Then Wednesday, we traveled to Urubamba and then on Thursday to Ollantaytambo... Just a few things about them. Ollantaytambo is 40 minutes away from Urubamba and there is no church building there, they have to travel every Sunday to Urubamba. They're both SUPER small, cute little towns. It was interesting working there and very different from any other area which I have been in, but it was definitely a joy to see that there really are wonderful people in ALL parts of the world. Friday we were back in Cusco.

There is running water ALL throughout
Ollantaytambo like this...
but I wouldn't drink the water.



Ollantaytambo



Hna Olivares and I

So we were trying to visit all of the people that we needed to most, so we stopped by the Aguilar Family. They had promised last week that this week they were going to come to church. When we stopped by, they had another excuse as to why they couldn't come. We talked about keeping the Sabbath Day holy and the husband said he didn't think he was going to come. We shared some powerful scriptures and still... nothing. So then we were talking to the mom about some of her concerns and in the middle of it, the dad says, ''we will be there Sunday.'' Everyone was kind of taken aback. We looked over at him and he was sitting there with my scriptures still open. I had kind of noted that he was flipping through the pages, but I have a lot of notes and pictures stuck in there that usually lots of people get distracted by my scriptures. Well distracted wasn't the case this time. He looked up very seriously and said right now I was praying in my head that God would talk to me through His scriptures and then he began to read from the page... ''Behold, and hearken, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, your advocate, who knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted.'' My companion and I just sat there in silence for a while. It was super powerful that it was better just let the silence, or better said, the spirit speak. The mom then ended the silence by saying we'll be there Sunday and you know what! She came yesterday! Her face lit up when she saw us and said ''I FINALLY made it to church after so long and I am glad I made it.'' It was a little miracle of the week that I will never forget.

Ollantaytambo

A sketchy bridge that we crossed
 that sways in the wind....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've always heard that when you want to talk to God, pray but when you want to hear God's voice, read His scriptures. This past Friday will be a day that I won't forget, when that really was the case. God was there talking straight to one of His children and it was an answer to a simple humble prayer. I just hope that I never forget this counsel in my own life.

More of Ollantaytambo



Ollantaytambo



 Luz Marina and her son Pachecutec... they
were baptized a few months ago with my
first companion Hermana Olivera

Ollantaytambo

Hope this week finds you all well and healthy.

Love Always, 

Hermana Lang

PS. Loved to hear from all of you and how your families are doing.

Week 66- Make the most of the time that's left!

Dear Friends and Family,

 

So this last week was interesting. It was super hard trying to find where directions actually were and they were all mixed up. I learned that there are 3 streets with the same exact name in very different parts of my sector and on top of it all, I was dizzy the entire week and we had no clue why.

 

But we just keep chuggin' along. Like the Little Engine that could. And you know what? Just like every letter I am pretty sure that I send, at the end of the week, I look back and I say ''Wow, God loves me way too much!''

 

So a little about my sector, it is small, it is relatively close to the Center of Cusco. And there isn't a lot of dirt roads... I'm actually pretty positive that there aren't any which is nice because there won't be a TON OF MUD when rainy season really gets started pretty soon here. 

 

To start off, this last Monday was pretty good. We made BBQ chicken (thanks to the BBQ sauce that Spencer sent) and we had a delicious AMERICAN lunch as our district. So Last Monday was a good day.

 

Then during the week, it was so hard to find people, but we have been working with the Aguilar Family. They are SOOOOOOOOOOO cute. Tifany (9 yrs) and Michael (8 yrs) are going to be baptized November 16th. We are just working a LOT with the dad so that he can baptize them!!!! The family has gotten to know a lot of the ward here and I have just fallen in love with the kids. They are so cute and so loving and I think I may bring them home with me! haha

 

Then we visited Oskar. He was baptized in April and recently hasn't been coming to church. The wonderful part is that I really feel like I am where I am needed. When we knocked on his door, I was pretty sure I had been there before. When he answered, I then remembered. When I had recently gotten my cast off, and was no longer on crutches but still in Cusco, I went with one of the sisters to visit Oskar RIGHT before his baptism. It was so nice that he remembered me and my foot. Haha he asked if I was running and jumping now! But Oskar has been having a rough time lately and luckily we came just in time because their family was not sure exactly what to do. Long story short... Oskar LOVES us and made us dinner... FISH!!!! Which was DELICIOUS! 

 

Other news is that the Bishop asked me to help out with a Young Men's/Young Women's activity... which means that I got to play the piano a lot this week!!!!!!!!!!!!! Such a blessing because it takes out all of my stress! 

 

The last exciting news... for me at least and anyone that has been out of the country and missed American food is that my friend sent me Nutella which I have savored every bite and spoonful. Well, one of the sisters who lives with me made crepes last night... There is NOTHING better than nutella crepes with banana slices... Made me think of my sister Cassie and Mexico... best breakfast ever! But... not super healthy. 

 

So this pretty much sums up my exciting life. This week my companion and I travel to Valle Sagrado (Urubamba and Ollantaytambo) then next week is Andahuaylas and then the following week to the selva (jungle)!!!!!!! Quillabamba! It should be fun and exhausting. I hope you all have a wonderful week. Love you all!!!

 

Love,

Hermana Lang

Week 65- God is good ALWAYS

Eating pizza to say goodbye to Elder Mamani who is now home.

Dear Friends and Family,

This week has been crazy. With transfers, there were a lot of sisters staying at our apartment. There were mattresses all over the floor and such. It was a lot of fun being able to have a HUGE sleepover in the mission, but I was super excited when everyone left too and we could have some peace and quiet.

So to start off, I am still in Cusco, but now in another stake. I am in the Ttio Ward and there are 4 of us in this ward.... 4 sisters actually and we are all sister leaders. The Bishop hates that we travel a lot, but luckily we have already won him over. HE LOVES my companion and I. He decided to divide the ward in 2 areas. He told us that he wanted us to work in his area and then called us Sunday and went out with us for 3 hours showing us houses and gave us a bunch of potential investigators. It was a really successful day yesterday despite all of the challenges.

Making my mom's orange rolls.... I didn't have a
rolling pin, so my hair mousse was used and then
to make it not stick to the pan, we used teaching
records (we didn't have any other paper.)

This week, I have been VERY aware of how much my Heavenly Father loves me. My mom has always said, ''kill them with kindness'' and I would like to say that there are NO problems whatsoever between the 6 of us sisters living together, we actually get along really well. BUT... it was a bit awkward at first. One of those moments where you walk into a room and can tell that people had JUST been talking about you? That is how I felt when I moved into the apartment, but now we all laugh and talk at night. I think it's one of those things that goes along with the gospel. ''By your fruits, ye shall know them.'' I just had to prove that all of the gossip was wrong and hopefully it stops!

The other blessing is that I have a really good District Leader who helps us out a lot. He really is concerned about us as a district and tries to help in whatever way he can. His companion was Emergency Transferred here and the nice part is that he is one of my friends from Puno... Another blessing.

So many members are giving us people to visit and the Bishop helps out a ton... another blessing.

My companion and I walk around all day just enjoying to the fullest being missionaries. We get along great.... another blessing.

One of the elders in my district, Elder Cuadros, IS FROM CORDOBA (Barrio Las Flores)!!!!!!!!! We talked about Argentina for like 15 minutes while everyone else got bored with our conversation... another blessing to have that connection!

 It hailed on us... LOTS

Well, last night, we visited a family. The Aguilar family. They have been members 4 years. They don't come much and when they do, they go to their old ward. They want their youngest daughter (9 yrs old) to be baptized. Also, their nephew was there and at first said he was Catholic, but was super polite and stayed. After the lesson, he said, ''would it be alright if I came Tuesday when you come back also?'' Another blessing.

We had a zone conference and we had to try and
keep all of the balloons in the air... we failed.

The last blessing may not seem as exciting to you guys as it is to me, but one of my goals is not only to be able to understand and speak Spanish, but to be able to translate it! SUPER hard, because you have to think in Spanish and talk in English or vice versa. Well, Friday we had a mission conference and there was a new sister from Utah, Sister Smedley. She had about 2 days here in the mission. President asked if anyone could help her out and just point out the scriptures at least or whatever they could. I raised my hand and was able to translate for her... almost word for word (sometimes the grammar came out a little funny or there would be a word I couldn't remember in English) for about 5 hours... I will say though that I felt like I was in Argentina when thinking all day in Spanish literally gave me a headache. Translating for 5 hours for the first time literally gave me a headache, but I really feel that the Lord has blessed me in my desires and that HE is very aware of the things we desire and need.

 My companion and I (Hermana Enriquez)

This week, I felt His love and saw the blessings.

God is good always. I don't remember how you write that in Hebrew, but it is my little sister Cassidy who always says that and it is something that I have realized. God is good always, just sometimes it's harder to see it.

I hope that this week you can all see that God is good always.

Love,

Hermana Lang

Week 64- The only thing constant in life is Change... Yup... Transfers are here.

Jadira (the best cook) and Matias and my companion and I



Ahi de gallina... my favorite


Dear Friends and Family,


My desk!

So I am being transferred to Ttio… it’s the other zone in Cusco. My new companion will be Hermana Enriquez from Ecuador. She is super sweet and Hermana Espinoza trained her!!! So I will start off with expressing just a little bit about how I feel.

Last night, they told me that I was being transferred. I was terrified. I was going to be training a new sister to be a sister leader, opening a new area, AND on top of it all, I was going to be living with the only 2 sisters that don’t like me. I was NOT excited at all. So much that I didn’t sleep actually and felt sick to my stomach.

I sat down and thought you know what? God loves me always. I have no clue why I am going where I am going or the lessons that I need to learn, but that I need to trust Him completely. He loves me enough to give me the experiences that I need to be the person that I want to be. Last Wednesday in our district meeting, we talked about success. One of the things was that the key to success is to realize that the only thing constant in life is change…. Ok… Challenge Accepted!!! I decided that I am going EXACTLY where I need to be and suddenly I felt calmer. I realized that everything will be perfect. It always is!


 Hna Parraga and I

My new agenda














me

Yesterday evening, I had the chance to talk with Sister Harbertson. She asked me about Conference. I, of course loved it! But… we had planned to have investigators come to every session (there are 4 of them) and they kept canceling. We got to the last session and NO ONE had come. And, my Dad had said that my old stake president would be speaking and hadn’t spoken yet. The intermediate hymn was soon to be coming up and I thought, ok… no one has showed up and I feel discouraged but if my old stake president will speak, everything will be fine. Well, the intermediate hymn was ‘’Called to Serve.’’ I started to sing but didn’t get very far before I choked up. Time goes by way too fast and this was my last conference here in Peru and here I was singing the song that says exactly what I am doing. I was called to serve the Lord. In the middle of the song, a family we had visited walks in and one of our other investigators. I was shocked!!! My heart filled with such warmth and I knew God loved me in that moment. Then right after the song, my old stake president spoke and home didn’t feel so far away as I looked at my ring that my sister serving in Hawaii, my mom, and I all wear. It was a tender mercy. After talking about how I felt about conference with Sister Harbertson, I just cried… and she cried with me too! I felt like she was telling me the things my mom would say if she were here.



 snow angel

 It rained last night, but up
in Saqsaywaman it snowed a little.... :)

All I can say this week is that I am so blessed. Life is hard and it isn’t always what we want, but the Lord is aware of you and loves you!!! I hope you can all experience His love this week as I have felt it so much recently! I love you all! I have such wonderful, beautiful friends… and life is perfect… as it always is!

Love Always,
Hermana Carly Lang
PS! Write me!!!


 Yo, Hna Parraga, E Ortuño, E Mamani