Week 71- Do cheerfully all things in your power

Dear Friends and Family,

So this week has been a little different than expected. Last week was transfers which means that we weren't able to really work the first part of the week picking up and dropping off sisters everywhere. We had to get around 25 sisters... Real fun right? And where did they sleep? Well luckily we could put 5 in the other area (my last area) and so we were only left with 20 of them. So we had these foam mattresses everywhere. LITERALLY everywhere. You couldn't walk anywhere without people on the floor sleeping. It was like a HUGE sleep over. I never really expected that as a missionary. 

With lots of sisters in the apartment we decided to celebrate and make desserts. NOTHING turned out as planned. The brownies turned to oil... so we made this pudding thing that we froze and then ate it like ice cream... it actually was really yummy. Then I started making banana bread and guess what? When this sisters came back, there are NO BANANAS in NONE of the stores. So what do you do? We added more sugar and more flour and more vanilla and then poured in half a bottle of orange juice. I think it may have been the most delicious cake I have ever made (or maybe I have just been in Peru a really long time.... not sure which) But it really was yummy.

 

I will just have to say that I live with the most amazing girls. We work lots but after we plan at night, we definitely have lots of fun sitting around the guitar and singing our hearts out... with whatever song starts playing and then chatting about our day. It will definitely be the best way to end. By the way, I had originally extended till February but after praying and pondering a lot about it, I have decided to come home on my actual date to come home which is Dec 31st... so I will see you all after the new year!

 

So on to a more spiritual thing this week. I was kind of down about the fun assignment I have of traveling all the time (which I love seeing new places... but the actual traveling part is NOT fun) and I kind of was thinking that I am not sure if I actually really make a difference. I was frustrated and couldn't decide on when I wanted to go home and I was talking/having a meltdown with one of the sisters and she said. You know what, I think you are one of the strongest people I have ever met and I honestly could not have asked for a better person in my life right now. (She happens to be in a cast right now). She said when I met you a few weeks ago in Andahuaylas, I needed you that day and you didn't know it, but you helped me a lot to really enjoy everything again. And then being here with you where you are the only person that understands what it is like to be in a cast and try and work as a missionary (which I am not the only person ever to have that happen, but the only one here right now in Cusco). She just explained that it helped to have someone there to talk to and understand at the end of the day. Anyways, it was definitely one of those warm fuzzy moments when you can sit back and say, you know what? I am where I need to be and doing what I need to be.

 

When I think of Christ, I think about all of the people he healed and taught and all of the miracles and sometimes I completely forget about the apostles that he served and helped as well so that they could become the servants he needed when he was gone. I always thought that a mission would be about teaching people that didn't know anything about the gospel but didn't think a whole lot about teaching or rather serving my fellow missionaries. I am grateful to be able to be blessed to experience so many opportunities. The Lord truly loves me more than I could imagine.

 

I just want to share a miracle this week. So I am working on not stressing myself out with all of the things that I can't do and just focus on the things that I can do. So my mission president gave me a new scripture that I love. ''Therefore, dearly beloved (Carly... yes I inserted my name), let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.'' There are so many things I can't do, but it really doesn't matter. So I was doing REALLY good until last night, my USB was gone. I just wanted to cry and my head started to hurt. I was like really? I already lost HALF of my mission pictures, I really can't lose ALL of them. I just sat down and thought, I have done all I can do to look and I am just going to cheerfully stand still. I made popcorn and shared it with the other 2 sisters and then 2 of them came home and I asked if they had seen my USB. One of them said yes... but I honestly thought she was kind of being sarcastic. Here is the miracle. I had a zebra nail file in my backpack with my USB and it fell out when I got out of the taxi on the other side of Cusco. She got out like 2 people after me and the zebra caught her eye and then saw the USB. She asked some people if it were theirs (I obviously didn't hear) and no one said yes. She had hoped that it would have the name of someone she could baptize or that at least the person would be happy that she found it. She prayed Saturday night to find the person to whom it belonged... Well let's just say Heavenly Father heard both of our prayers and I was so happy to have just stood still and enjoyed my night as much as I could and not fret about all of the things I couldn't do and just be happy.

 

May you all find miracles this week in your life. Do all things CHEERFULLY in your power and stand still and you will see the hand of God in your life.

 

Love Always,

Hermana Lang

Week 70- The best missionaries don't wear a badge

Sister Thompson's cast... it's beautiful right?

Dear Friends and Family,

 

I really wish this week were as eventful as last but it hasn't been that exciting. It was one of those weeks that we worked hard but not as rewarding as we hoped. Everyone we found pretty much didn't live in our sector.

 

Anyways, this week started out with Machu Picchu on Monday and Tuesday we had to go pick up a sister who guess what.... is in a cast. I felt so bad for her. I was like I know EXACTLY how that is. I told the office that she needed a wheelchair and we worked together and had a lot of fun. I think me being in a cast was good because she knew that she wasn't the only one who felt discouraged or down for not being able to work. It made me laugh though because one Sister tried to make it all better by saying I know exactly how you feel. I once had a cast on my wrist. The sister with her ankle cast and I just looked at each other and laughed because not walking is much different than a cast on your arm. haha

 

The most exciting part was that Elder Nelson came to visit Cusco yesterday for a devotional. It was really good. He talked a lot about how to talk to other people about what you believe. He talked about the importance of prophets and apostles and 70s but that they can't do it all which is why there are missionaries and had the missionaries in attendance stand up. Then we sat down and said, ''The best missionaries don't wear a badge though.'' I thought about that a lot and the ways I would like to continue sharing the faith and testimony I have hear with those at home. It is so true. The best missionaries are the normal people like you.



 I ran into Julian... he's from Puerto and one of
my favorite people. Best surprise ever from last night!!!!

Well, transfers are this week. I am staying in Cusco and there are 2 new sisters that will be living with me. The only problem is that they may be my 2 favorite sisters. I am going to have to make sure we get to bed and don't stay up talking for forever. It will be a good transfer for Christmas!!!

 

I hope you all have a wonderful week.

 

Love Always,

Hermana Lang

 

Week 69- A week of Adventures!!!

I found peach rings and bought them

Dear Friends and Family,

 

I don't even know where to start. There is WAY too much that has happened.

 

Part of being a sister leader means that we sometimes have to run errands. Last Monday was spent picking up and getting a girl to the different places she needed to be to get her temple recommend and set apart to be a missionary and such. She doesn't come from a stake, she's from a district and so she had to come to Cusco to be set apart by our mission president... so Pday was not so relaxing as we had planned. But it was really exciting because I knew her from Puerto Maldonado and she is going to Salta which is where my companion Hermana Saavedra is!!!

Pegasus in Andahuaylas

Tuesday, we were up early to go to Andahuaylas... I have officially traveled to my entire mission. Andahuaylas is about 9 hours in bus from Cusco and is inside of the departamento de Apurimac. It is a little warmer than Cusco and really green and pretty but there are bugs that bite. There are 4 sisters that are there and 3 of them are from the US so that was fun to be with them.

 

 

 

 

 

Hna Thompson, me and Hna Huaman

Anyways, in Talavera.... part of Andahuaylas, Hermana Thompson tells me she's sorry that I was going to be with her... I didn't really understand until we hiked up a freaking mountain to this little pueblito that is super cute. It was KILLER... it was like an hour hike to get there but we taught so many wonderful people! We even had someone teach with us and translate to Quetchua... I will tell you, it is SOOOOOOO different, the spirit was way more powerful in Quetchua and the crazy part is that we couldn't speak a word... All I know how to say is I love you in Quetchua and How are you and random phrases like that, but we actually understood what they were saying and didn't have to have the sister translate their questions into Spanish for us, we just responded in Spanish and then she translated it for them. Anyways, it was a really special day.

 

 The view from Allantihuankha
(the mountain we climbed)

Allantihuankha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After 2 days in Andahuaylas, we returned back to Cusco.... SOOOOOOOOOOO fun. NOT!!!!!! The closed the road and so we got out and walked around for 3 hours and got bit by mosquitos and I swear, I have never had bites that itch so bad. Then they opened the road back up and we got back to Cusco safely.



Being stuck on the drive for 3 hours

Plunging the Baptismal font

So if you don't notice. One of the pictures below is me in a baptismal font with a plunger.... yes. This really happened. The other sisters had a baptism and asked us to help them clean the font because it was DISGUSTING!!!!!!!! Well... the water wouldn't drain... so one of the sisters said to try and plunge it... Sounds dumb, but it worked. I plunged out a black bag that was clogging it and we got the font sparkling clean. Anyways, new experience... plunging a baptismal font.

 




Machupicchu pueblo

Well, the hardest part of the week was with the Aguilar Family. We have been working SOOOOOOOOOOO hard with them and we go over Saturday night by a miracle because we had other plans. When we get there, you walk in and you could feel that everything was all wrong. Well, the parents sent the kids outside to go and play and then the mom starts to yell at her husband saying that she can't believe he had an affair and he sat there denying it the whole time. I was speechless. I didn't know what to say or do. But I just opened my mouth up. It is interesting. I have been promised that if I share my testimony of the Atonement that that blessing will be extended to many. So I talked about the power Christ really gives us. I told the husband that he needed to repent because if he didn't have an affair, he was guilty of flirting because you don't just assume someone has an affair out of nowhere and I told the wife that she HAD to forgive her husband. It was one of those moments where you really aren't talking, just the mouthpiece. They both sat silent. We then said that we would be there early the next morning to go to church together. 



Hna Sheets and I

Machu Picchu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Sunday morning we show up and they weren't planning on going to church... that's what we figured which is why we showed up early. We talked about their family and they decided that the 2 of them were going to come. We got to church and during the second hour, they talked to the Bishop. Afterwards they asked us if we could talk outside. We said of course. So when we went outside, we found out that they are moving, THIS WEEK to another ward so we won't really be able to visit them, just a little bit to help them get to know their new bishop and the other missionaries. Then they both started crying and thanked us so much for the words we had spoken the night before. For being there at that moment because the wife was ready to leave the house for good. She said I can't thank you enough for saving my family.

 

Machu Picchu

my name

my name tag

 

 

 

 

 

Saving a family. It struck me. Sometimes I miss my family so much, but you know what, I came on a mission to share the Atonement with other families and saving just one family is well worth the hardships. There is nothing more important than our families and we must fight for them.



Hna Sheets and I

 Reading the Book of Mormon in Quetchua

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

US FLAG that we borrowed from some people

Well, the most exciting part was going to Machu Picchu today. I am beat, but I hope you enjoy the pictures!!! There is nothing to compare and the pictures don't do it justice, but if you ever get the chance to go, DO IT!!!!!!

 

Anyways, I hope you are all doing well at home! Write me and let me know. PS.... I have 90 days left. Super crazy. I cannot believe how time flies. 

 

Love Always,

Hermana Lang




There are llamas there that keep the grass trimmed

 The entrance to the city of Machu Picchu






Me and Machu Picchu

The climb to the Puente de Inca

The view from up above... we were higher than Wayna Picchu

Week 68- It is by Grace that the Impossible is Possible

Dear Friends and Family,

So we'll just start off with MISSIONS are HARD... the hardest thing I have done so far.

This last week, I reached breaking point. I was done. I couldn't do it anymore and my body was telling me so and was about ready to call it quits and go home. It was a rather humbling experience. So I am not going to go into details of everything, but just let you know what I have learned from it all.

I read a quote posted on my wall that I had COMPLETELY forgotten about. ''I pray that He will give you the challenges that will lead you to eternal life, and that you will have the humility to accept those challenges.''

Ok, lesson learned... well, more of like in the process of learning. Accepting your challenges is not such an easy thing to do but I found a lot of comfort and help along the way.

I read a talk about the Atonement of Jesus Christ by Elder David A. Bednar. In it he defined Grace as divine means of help or strength. Well I needed that for sure. I decided I was going to stay and not give up... Most of you who know me know that I never have said no to a challenge and have never found anything impossible... even playing the organ in church when I had no idea how to play it just a week before. This was new for me. My life wasn't just full of the possible now. It was asking for divine means of help AND strength to do what was impossible for me.
 

Wednesday was a roller coaster... LITERALLY. We took a trip to visit the sisters in Quillabamba. Twists and turns, and flips and cork screws...  winding back and forth. It was really fun! For about 5 minutes and then I was SICK. Not fun... We won't describe the details of being sick. I thought, REALLY? Life wasn't hard enough as is? This isn't the grace I asked for.

Well, we got to Quillabamba and I was still queasy. It was a warm rain. And I ate half of my lunch and then got to work with the sisters there. It was a miracle, after forgetting about how sick I felt, we had a wonderful day and somewhere in the middle, I realized that I didn't feel sick anymore, just a little thirsty haha.

So to describe Quillabamba. The sisters there are awesome! We had so much fun for Halloween at night painting our faces and then Quillabamba is part of the jungle. It is surrounded by mountains and BEAUTIFUL. I felt like I was in Hawaii... The only thing is the mosquitos are aggressive and luckily I managed to leave with only 5 bites.

So the drive back, I got some motion sickness medicine and life was a lot better.

Here in my area, we were only here Saturday and Sunday. It was amazing. EVERYONE that we visited on Saturday came to church on Sunday. Never has that happened before AND all of the Aguilar family came for the first time ever. It was beautiful to see them all there. The Dad is right on track to baptize his 2 children and then begin preparing for the TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!

So lesson learned? Grace came. It wasn't the way I expected or thought, but help from the Lord is always close by. So this week's lesson is about Grace. I hope you can all find divine help and strength from Him who loves you most!

Love Always,
Hermana Lang