Week 23

My area is so close to the beach 

¨Surely the Lord smiles upon the one who desires to come to judgment worthily, who resolutely labors day by day to replace weakness with strength.¨

This is my new favorite quote and I know its true and have been learning so much here. There are the times that I feel like I am falling short. But guess what? I am trying. And as long as each day we try to be better than the last, through repentace and the grace of the Atonement of Christ, we will please our God.

Every morning I wake up at 6:30, say my prayers, go running out in the streets of Peru and can hardly believe that this is real sometimes. Then for breakfast I have a yummmy mango every single day with some bread and Avacado. Its pretty much the best. But I will admit I think I am getting fatter. Not alot, but all we eat here is rice, potatos and more rice. So that's that. But don't worry there is this thing called ¨6 months till sexy¨ for the last 6 months of the mish. I'll put that into practice alright!

So yeah the guy that was in love with me, I thought he was actually interested in the gospel too because I am a little naive girl. But nope. We presented him to the elders and then I thought he was going to continue, but I guess he told the elders he wasn't there for the lessons. So that is great. I'm pretty upset. I just never see the bad in people! I had so much hope for him and he really seemed like he wanted to change. 

Then our only investigator with a baptism date decided we didn't talk about the bible enough and doesn't want anything to do with us. I have no idea how that blew up so fast. He was so ready then bam! Pretty sad. I think God is trying us right now. >Becuase we have been working so hard! and nothing is happening. We don't have people to teach! This isn't how it is supposed to go. I am suppose to be in Peru changing peopels lives and baptizing! But I had a good talk with the comp and as long as we are doing all we can it's going to be good enough for God! That makes me feel alot better

But I haven't let myself get discouraged because  that opposes faith and I need faith! Its not even funny how much I didn't know before the mission. This amazing and everlasting gospel is just unfolding before my eyes day by day, experience by experience and I am so thankful. I will never be the same. There is just so much more to everything. I love this church.

So Peru is crazy-

These people are a crazy mix between the laziest people I have ever met and the hardest working. They work allllll day but then they don't do anything! The are an oximoron.

They are also the most unreligious religious people I know.

Do you have a car that barely functions and has no gas? PERFECT you can be a taxi driver here°!

I see my jetta here all the time. You know your car is ghetto when they have it here in Peru. 

So yeah I had a little experience with the devil! Pretty scary. I have totally run out of time too so i will totes tell you about it in a week! I love you guys!!!!!!!!

Here's a moto. It's what we travel in here. Scary!

Week 22

HAVE 5 MONTHS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is craziness! But I am here and each day I just want to be here more and learn more and bring more people to Christ. This work is the happiest, most fulfilling,hardest thing in the entire world. I do not want to come home in a year. It's too short.

So story time boys and girls: And maybe not the good kind haha. So we have a problem. One of our investigators is .... in love with me. I know that sounds funny but really! And it got pretty weird the last lesson. So yeah, we are giving him to the elders in our area. We will see if he still progresses. :[ 

Next, welp I kinda had a Terry Wood situation last night.(if you know what I mean).

Also had one of the happiest moments in my mission. We find this less active kid who is 26 and he is way honest and straight up with us (which is the best) and we were like how is your relationship with God? "Bad" he says.  haha welp at least he is honest. So he told us all about how he just got baptized because his family did and he never really felt that spirit that everyone always say they feel. And he wants to know why and how we have faith. So we taught and we taught with the spirit and at the end of our lesson I was testifying  and extending some promises and I looked at him and he was just crying. Ah! He felt the spirit. Then he came to church and in that moment when I saw him in the chapel  I felt something. Probably the happiest feeling I have ever had. It just was just such a  small thing but my happiest moment on the mission. 

 I have realized that there is a big difference in my Spanish when I have the spirit. We gave a couple lessons last week and it just flowed. I was surprised at some of the words I said that I am sure I didn't know before. I love doing this work IN THE RIGHT WAY. That is when the Lord will bless us with his spirit and we will see real conversion.

Our mission president said how he doesn't want baptisms! He wants real growth! There is no difference in a new member and a member reactivated! We are focusing on less active members so much now. 

Peru is one of the only South American countries without a training program for the members yet, But it starts next month! I am so excited because the work is going to grow! It's a plan called "la obra de Salvacion" and it is going to rock Peru.  We are going to really do the work in the right way.

I love you all and I miss you- but not too much! / Hermana Quist!!

By the way, I have decided the baby's name will be Sam ( as in samantha)

Week 21

Happy B-day Big AL! I love you! Try not to grow up too much before I get home! Speaking of getting home I am at 5 months which is basically 6 months which is basically 1/3 of my mission! Which is basically my whole mission! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH I already feel the part of me that doesn't want to come home.

So I am in Chorrillos Laureles. Look it up. Its pretty sweet we've even got a Pizza Hut here! Yeaaaah. It's way different and my arera is actually super small.  I was not transfered for danger reasons. It was because we had some missionaries in our mission that were temporary and they left to their real missions.

 I am with another North American! Which is never done! This is the first time Pres. did it because there is going to be alot more North Americans coming. It's pretty dangerous having 2 gringas together. I am with Hermana Del Rosario basically my favorite Hermana from the group in the MTC .We could not believe that we were going to be comps. It's basically so fun! We are so funny together. It's hard to be funny in Spanish and I feel like a different person when I can be funny and talk in English. SO it's nice to be able to express myself and be myself for a change. It's hard though because we don't want to talk in English but we do alllll the time. And now somtimes the English slips into my Spanish! But it's ok because we are only together till the end of this transfer then I am probably going to train a newbie here

( mark my words!) 

This area is a little more sketchy. We totally have drunk people out in the streets all the time. I almost pee my pants everyday, I am so scared. But God really protects us, so I don't feel too in danger. But yeah we have had some experiences. I tell you them when I get home haha. Also the other day we were attacked by a dog! It BIT my backpack. AAARRRREE YOU KIIIIIIIIDING ME! I was so scared! I kicked it in the face too! Yeah! I also hid behind my poor comp.

Speaking of poor, I was throwing up all morning. This was the first time I have gotten sick. We ate with the members last night and something did not sit right. #livinthelife! #joyofeatingwithmembers

The members REALLY like us. No joke. They love us. And this ward is already so much better than my branch in Canete. There are actually people that do their callings! I think ima love it here. 

Everyone says how we are their angels and go on and on about how much they love us. But it's just because right now God is using us to show his love for his children. It's weird being on this side of things. And its really helping me love them more, because I can feel the love God has for them when he uses me to show his love. God is good.

We tried to make Choc chip cookies (Gregs recipe) didn't really work out! But its just because they have weird and different ingredients here! Everyone  thought they were delicious so thats all that matters.

Week 20- 1st transfer

Gracias for all the pictures! So basically I could not be more happy right now! My brother is going on a mission to Monterrey MEXICO on February! I totally prayed he would go Spanish speaking! I can just feel the blessings that God gives our family for me being out here and now we are going to have 2 out! Wow there is nothing more important than serving the Lord and I know we will be blessed throughout our entire lives for this decision. I am so happy right now! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

So this week was a real SHOCKER. So we are working hard and I am loving my area and then last night I got a call saying I have an emergency transfer, We don't know why but I am leaving in about 1 hour to go to Lima to my new area. I am actually pretty heartbroken and all our investigators, members, and I all had some rough goodbyes. But I will go and do whatever the Lord commands with a willing heart. I love my Zone and we all had a farwell yesterday after General Conference (which was sooooooooooo amazing by the way)! Did you guys catch the part where you need to work more with the missionaries?haha) We can always bet on the prophet to help our investigators gain a testimony! I'll put my money on the prophet anyday!

I am having so many awesome experiences and funny ones too. I am growing and learning so much but I just can't write it all to you. Just know that there is nothing like this. And I'm pretty sure coming home is going to be hard. This church is so true it's so obvious it me! I loved the talks by Elder Utchdorf and Bednar. I have really gained a testimony of why making convenats is so vital. My understanding of this is expanding x1000000! I love this gospel!

To Alex 

Alex you are totally my favorite brother (that is...blonde) haha.  I literally laughed outloud reading your letter. I wish I could have seen your play you did with the cousins! And sorry about Happy Sumo and your food poisoning  hahah! I am so lucky I haven't  got sick yet! (knock on wood)!

I love you dude and I can't wait till you go on your mission! Somewhere Spanish speaking too!

To Dad

Dad 4 wheeling in Moab and hiking in Zion national park would  totally be my disneyland too! I'm holding you to that promise that we will go back. And also one day I am bringing you here to my adventure. It's so amazingly different here. It would blow your mind. I love you and miss you! 

To Adam

ADAM QUIST! SPANISH SPEAKING!!!!!!!AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I cannot wait to speak spanish with you! Dude you are gunna love this language! I started freaking out when I saw your email! I wish I coulda been there! and I am sooooooooooooo happy you are loving school as much as I did! I LOVE YOU! TE AMO! 

HERMANA QUIST! CHAU