Week 77. This is it!

Let me just tell you all about how amazing this experience of a mission has been. This is indescribable. No one that has not experienced this can imagine the things I have learned. I don't even think I recognize all the blessings that have come into my life or that will come into my life as result of serving this mission.

 It says in Helman 3: 35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea,even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts untoGod. 

I love this scripture. As I read it, I just felt like it is a perfect "ending the mission" scripture. The mission has provided me with the opportunity to wax stronger in my humility, to where my soul is filled with joy. And not completely yet, but helping my heart be purifyed and sanctified. Why? Because I have given my heart to God. To Him. My Savior and my Redeemer. And I have complete confidence that that is where my heart will one day beome perfect and pure. 

There is nothing more I want in this life than to complete the plan God has for me. And I am very aware that after the mission I have the rest of my life to dedicate to Him. I am excited to give all my life to Him. What things is He going to let me do? How are they going to help me become more like Him? Will I have to overcome some big trail to learn a vital lesson that will assure my place in the celestial kingdom? Whom will I get to help? Who will I be able to take with me there? There is no doubt in my mind that I'm going to make it there because It's all so clear out in front of me and I will overcome anything He gives, to prove to Him my worthiness and love. 

Maybe one day it won't all seem so clear but I can always remember the time I've had here and get the eternal perspective again. PROGRESS - How am I going to progress more when I get home? What are the next steps to take? To make it back and make it back with as many people as I can bring with me! 

This last week.............let's just say I have occasional moments when it hits me and I cry haha but my companion has helped me set goals and I will have a great last week. I'm leaving this area with many families! Saying Goodbye is going to be so hard. 

I will see you in a week! I can't even believe it! I'm so excited to see you guys and I am so excited to show you this wonderfully crazy place and visit all the people I've met here! NOS VEMOS! 

Love, for the last time. HERMANA QUIST

Week 76

THIS IS MY SECOND TO LAST EMAIL!  So if you want to write me -this is your LAST week to do it! I have a feeling these next 2 weeks are going to be a big challange. Let me just say how much I love you all and how much I love the  videos and the pics and I don't really know how they make me feel, but we can deal with that in 2 weeks.

This week was my last Concilio in Lima with all the leaders. The last one!!!!!!!!!!! We always sing Called to Serve and the ones who are going home walk up front and sing in front. I was so sad when we all had to go up there ;( our group is so big that's leaving, like half of the leaders. Just alot of crying. 

Yesterday let me just tell you how it went 1- I have a cold sore ( I'm a monster )  

2- I sat in mud on the way to church because Peru is dirty and I had a stained skirt all day 3-Not one of our investigators came to church because it's Worship Saints day here. People have agency. We committed so many to go to church with plans and with members assigned...No one. 4- I lost the cell phone. I LOST THE CELL! We can't communicate with anyone! 5- My comp was driving me up the wall ... I'm so unChristlike hahah. Anyway feeling pretty bad and mad. Taking the sacrament I asked and was pleading that He can take these feelings away so I can keep going. I for just one moment didn't know how I was going to do 2 more weeks of this. THEN I asked for His Enabling Power so I could overcome my natural man and get out of my funk. Well we worked all day and I was trying to be extra positive but failing haha...we brought this member with us that decided to bare her testimony for 20 minutes about too much-the priesthood and keys and temples and endowments..... oh no it was so bad. BUT then we found a family!! We got in to the house and I asked the mom if there was something in specific that they wanted that I could ask in my prayer and she just started crying and telling us some of her problems and we found her need. Then afterwards we were impressed to share some scriptures in Moroni 7 and the husband while reading it ,started crying! The spirit just washed over us. I was literally in awe like..what's happening... this is great! We found a family that really really needs the gospel and everything I was feeling all day was drowned out and I am so grateful that God answered my prayers and gave me the opportunity to get out of my funk by working and finding people who need me. 

Sometimes is amazes me how imperfect I still am. But how can someone grow and learn if he never sins? How can someone repent if they never sin? Sinning isn't bad. Sinning and not repenting is bad. I continue making mistakes. But the good thing is, they aren't the same ones I was making before. I'm progressing! Repentance is somthing amazing.   

I can't wait to see you all! I love you!

These are Mamitas! They don't speak Spanish. Only Qichua. There are so many of them here. They secretly scare me because after you hug them they never let go. And just so you can get a little perspective about how my life is this is a drunk guy behind us annoying us and photo bombing. 

Oh how it rained!

Fried bananas from my wonderful Mexicana

Week 75

¨6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.¨

Deut 6:6-7

These words and teachings are a part of me. It is more than just following rules, it is living it. Willfully and lovingly. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a part of me. Never to be removed. They are in my heart. I have them there when I wake, when I sleep, when I teach, when I think. They are mine and I will have them with me forever. This is what the mission has done for me.

12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

2nd John 1:12

Soon we will be face to face and our joy will be full. I have many things to write unto you and to tell but I will wait till I can be with you all. Our joy will be full. 

We had interviews with President and he helped me accept a little bit that its all coming to an end. And how I can complete my mission and become perfected as a missionary before I

I leave. I have many goals and I have the animos? haha to do all I can.These next 3 weeks will be weeks of perfecting.It's time to live outside of myself completely to give all I have to others before I go.

I gave a talk yesterday. It is amazing how the spirit filled me and the things I spoke were not my own. I cried and bore my testimony in English. Everyone loved that. I have been in this ward for 6 months and have really established a bond with these members  and its going to be rough to leave them. I love them. 

Our invests are all falling. We don't know what's happening, but I'm pretty sure that God has something He wants us to learn. Somthing that He knows we are going to need. Maybe we want the success and the experiences we expect. But He is teaching us things, maybe something I'm going to need more ahead in my life. How to be a better mother , how to be a better Wife. How to be a better leader. Things that happen don't matter because He is in control and I have all my confidence in Him.

But good news CAMILA got baptized! We rescued her mom and baptized her. She is soooo smart andso great! I am so happy for this little girl that God has BIG plans for. She understands the Doctrine so well!

It rains alot here! We forgot umbrellas this day. It's sunny one minute and so hot, then the next is down pouring

Yummy stuff

This is Haunta.  It's so amazing!

Love you all! Till next time and until we can speak face to face and our joy can be full! Hermana Quist

Week 74

Joseph Smith said ¨We are not only edifying the kingdom of God, God is edifying us¨ That is so true, this mission is refining me and changing me. I still have a long way to go too! And only 4 weeks to do it! I have grown to adore the scriptures, the temple, and the gospel. I am so thankful for the opportunity God has given me to serve him.

 The mission also has its physical downfalls haha I'm a weakling! I have lost all my muscles haha. You would think that climbing hills all day, everyday would help...not really! Good thing I have a Gym....oh and a spa..I reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaly need a spa day.

I want to get you guys some cool stuff here. So this next week send me what you want ( extended fam ect...) We've got cool peruvian pants, hats, sweaters, llamas and earing and lots of other stuff  Al Capone que quiere?

So that family we found. Not progressing ;( but its ok because after 2 weeks of trials from God -WE FOUND A FAMILY! Seriously these last 2 weeks have been crazy. We were doing all we can and then we find somthing more to do and think there is nothing more we can do, and still nothing was happening. But we pressed on and we got our family!These ones are chosen. I am so hopeful and happy! 

Bad news Josue and Estefany...trouble in paradise. Couple problems that might put off their wedding! I have been working with them for so long and I just want to baptize them already! Satan is fighting haard!

But This Saturday is the baptism of CAMILA! She is soooooooooooooooo great! We taught her mom and are baptizing her. She knows the doctrine better than me! 

I miss you guys and thinking about home doesn't even seem real. Like Adam said, a magical land that doesn't really exist. 

Today we are going to HUANTA and it's going to be so pretty.  I will take alot of pics and I will be safe! I love you guys!

They are invaiding my area!

Me teaching Toshi about family history!

Ayacucho! So pretty! #imissmycamera

Week 73

Hey! I am so jealous of all the yummy food you tell me about. The lemon yogurt pancakes...oooo. You should send me the recipe so I can make them for my compie. Al Pal happy Bday! I sent you a card... through email. The mail system here is on strike so we are out of luck.

That conference was amazing. I don't know if it's because every time I'm more spiritual mature than before, but this was just inspired! And I got to see it in English so I'm happy :) I really really received some personal revelation. I'll tell you about it later. Time to change some things #suprise.

I have already used that principle of gravity that Christofferson talks about, teaching. It's true even if you believe it or not! Sorry!

I just love my companion. She is from Mexico. Not Monterrey ;( But she is soooo great. A great teacher and she has 9 months in the mission. It's different being with someone that has some more experience. My last 5 comps have allbeen  really new. It's easier haha. But more than that the work steps up. It's because she covers the things I don't do well  and vice versa. We are really rockin it right now. Power Companionship.

my comp keeps trying to make me eat spicey stuff #mexico

I am trying to write alot in my journal about the investigators so you can hear it all when I get back. I will talk about the marriage of Josue and Estefany. They are sooo close! We are going to submit all their papers today! Pray it works and they can get married the 1st of Nov. They are so, but so good.

The Work of Salvations is slow moving here but in my year plus here I have seen a change. The change is slow but it is there! They are really focusing on Family History now and we are making converts not just baptisms! Temple is the vision! I will send a pic of all the revelation I received about the famy history work. It goes like this. You hear it soooo much but until you really hear it in your heart and feel it and apply it, it doesnt matter.  I am finally in the Fam History Ship! Ready to save all my dead and all my living too hahah! Kenna watch out when I get home! haha

I love you guys so much! See you soon! 

Love Hermana Quist

It rain so much the house flooded

Ayacucho is so beautiful. This doesn't do it justice

Week 72

NO CHANGES!!!!!!!!! My prayers and pleas were heard! I am obviously so sad to leave Sister Wilkins because she mi pata! But It's probably for the best because I cannot have an American compie for my last transfer hahah.  Wouldn't be good. My new compie is Sister Jimenez! She is from Mexico and I already have done a couple interchanges with her so I know her! She is suuuuper sweet and nice and obedient. Thank you God! This last change is going to be the best! I am going to baptize 7 people this next change. It's going to rock! si or si!

There is NO TIME and so much to tell you all. These last couple of days have been crazy! So much going on! But for that I will try to write it all in my journal. Just know that I'm happy and determined! 

Missing you guys alot and really missing,even though I've never met, Abbita. I have so many feelings...I can't even express them all! Hahaha Hearing all the news of home and I cannot respond to all I want to say but Congrats to Keniesha. The world is changing! How many missioanries are we going to have in our family? So Awesome.

Not Trunkie don't worry! But thinking about the end and that this is my last change really seems unbelievable! Un real. ...AH!

Soooooo don't know what else I could say- Sorry I'm not spiritual in my letters like all the other good missionaries but I promise great things are happening.  I just will save them for after :)

By the way, I saw a 4 year old girl drinking beer....and a dog get hit by a car and die.  

I love you all!

Hermana Quist

We cook for ourselves now

Week 71

Email is getting harder and harder everytime. I love you guys .

This week has been amazing. Sorry to just talk about myself and not respond well to your email but there is no time! Sorry! 

Toshiro blessed the sacrement this week for the first time in his brand new suit. It was so great to see. When he took the water my only thought was ...The same man who 3 months ago was doing shots, is now blessing and taking the sacrement.... hahaha It's such a change! He also has a new calling! Wait for it................... WARD CHEF!  Didn't   even know that existed. HE IS SO ACTIVE!  He was really hesitant to have the priesthood but when he talked to the bishop, he stepped up. So when I saw him go up to bless the sacremnt I almost died!!!!!!!!

Mom I decided that you are going to have a great time when I get home as my new companion. I don't think I can ever be alone. Hahah and are you ready for 2 hours of study and practices in the moring! New companionship study partner!

We found a family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thay are married and they UNDERSTAND! It's amazing to see how they can be hesistant, but when they hear the whole message of the restoration they have this light or hope in their eyes! They have 2 kids and I am so happy! Prayer works! 

We are having a fun time cooking for ourselves.......lots of grilled cheese. We also are doing extra time of practices to perfect Sister Wilkins teaching before we are seperated! I am not looking forward to that! God has sent me to best friends!

Changes are this next week and I am literally beggin God and President to let me stay and end in Ayacucho! PLEASE! If I stay we will baptize 6 people! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAASE! I want to stay so bad...It's just unlikey.

Starting off into my last transfer is so hard. You start the mission off crying and you end it crying! I am just getting all I can get done in this last time I have. I get to go to Lima tonight! 20 hours round trip here I come! IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I think this might be my last councilio! So many emotions!!!!!!!! 

Week 70

Well those videos and letters all made me cry!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was the first time in MONTHS that I've cried! First Cameron has to go get baptized and then leave on a mission! All without me! I am literally crying out of joy. Cam I can't even believe it. That's not the same kid I left in May. And all the videos of Abby and Al Pal and letter from Dad...wooooo too much. Too much  happiness. Good thing I have a North American Comp to comfort me haha. I look at all those pics and I don't even know who anyone is... I feel out of touch. But in a good way I guess :)

So this week was straight up STRESSFUL! President called and assigned me to give another training this last Saturday. UH! haha Good thing Sister Jamenson did it with me. It was so hard. It was on how to get your investigators to church through the doctrine, plans, and members. Planning is a big thing here right now. And this is somthing I struggle with, so I learned alot planning it. Here is a pic of sister Jamenson and I at 4 in the morning when we finally finished! I am literally so tried!

We were up till 2:30 without anything good. The revelation was not coming! But we eventually were inspired and made the plan. It went really well even though I was nervous as always.

 It's so interesting all the things I've learned here. All about how to work with the ward council and a bunch of other things I'm some how going to have to apply to home life. It's all so ingrained (is that even a word) in my mind and my heart. The way to work as a missionary and to use PMG and what am I going to do with all this info and things learned?!

Sweet rain storms this last week. 

We found two new families! NOT MARRIED BUT WE CAN FIX THAT! 

Other things...lost my bag in a taxi! Well better put, left my bag in a taxi! KILL ME it had all my makeup and clothes and great stuff! So mad.............at myself! But honestly I'm less attached to worldy things here and I just let it go...who cares....I need to go preach haha.

I can't even think of what else to write....just thinking about what all went on with you guys.... also the guy I was working so hard with in Nasca finally got baptized! So happy!!!!! Everyones time comes!

I love you guys soooooooooooooo much and I am so happy! This is such a time of growth and for some reason this is one of the hardest time in the mission. In some ways not because I know everything I'm doing, but yes because I actually still don't hahah. It's a weird time! But I'm loving it so much! Thanks for all you do! Cant wait to see you all!...well yes I can just a little bit more :)

Love Hermana Quist

Week 69

My new boyfriend

Don't worry mom I'm not trunkie! We actually have had alot to do lately and it's keeping me occupied. We are trying so hard to have baptisms this month because after that we are told we can't put schedule any because there is stake conference, then elections, then general conference! Too much! Weird thing is that all of Peru is going to see conference a week later than everyone else! What the heck! It's because of our elections, which I hate because everyone wants us to vote for them or promote their campaign...uh we don't care hahah. 

Fun thing this week is that a bunch of guys threw fruit at us because I wouldn't look at them. So fun! I literally almost yelled at them. Then I remembered that story about some missionary with the mashed potoatos being thrown at her and decided I better not. Being a representative of Christ means putting off the natural man....alot! And it's really not that hard. With the help of daily scripture study and mo-tab. The mission life is just so engraved in my mind now. It's routine, but we have to be careful because we don't want to fall into the same thing over and over! That's why it is good to change our comps and areas! I love Ayacucho and I hope I stay and die here! I want to baptize the people I was sent here for! Mainly Josue and Estefany!

We aren't going back to Lima for a while! I hope! It's just hard when you aren't in your area. But now we are going to get it all worked out and have the best week ever! We are also going to start cooking for oursleves. It's time to stop eating all this food that makes us sick all the time hahah. I don't now how we are going to break it to our people, but I can't even do it anymore. We found a worm in our food the other day! Anyway I am loving life and I am trying to finish the strongest! It's a different feeling now. Feeling desperate to always be working and doing all I can! There is so much more to do!

Also I went and did an interchange with Sister Bailey, she is sooooooo great! I love doing intercambios and helping them set goals and seeing how they work and learning so much from her too! You would think that at the end of your mission you would be perfect and know everything, welp not the case.  There is just sooo much I need to do better still! 

We also went to the temple in Lima and I just feel reenergized! Its like pure peace and calm. The presence of God is so close and I needed it so bad! I feel so blessed to be able to have gone. God is so good. That's my new phrase GOD IS GOOD! 

I HAVE A BUNCH A PICS TODAY! ENJOY!

Our zone is great!

Temple

People are so short here

Week 68

Not alot of time his week, just pictures mostly. I LOVE THE VIDEOS: And
the one of Carter coming home, well let's just say I probably shouldn't watch
that again hahha. I am going to be a weirdo when I get home. MoTAb only.

This week it rained, and it rained and it rained. Also I got to be in Lima
all week and we get to go back tomorrow night! I lost four days in my area
but when we got back we worked really hard and still managed to have all
our 6 invests with a baptism date in church! And 8 in total!  Good week!
Also because Toshiro did his first fast with us. It was so funny. He
suffered haha, but stayed strong. He even paid his offering and is
sooooooo active its unbelievable! I'm so happy! I Love life, love the
mission and love you guys!

Week 67

I love all the videos! Thanks! How is Bear River Al Pal? Only 4 years more haha. 

So news from this week- My compie has to go to Lima to get a root canal. Ouch. We just got back Sunday morning from leaving Friday night because we had a check up for her tooth. Then we came back to Ayacucho to go to church and help our investigators and now we have to leave again! I'm stressed a little. I am going to try my hardest to coordinate with our mission leader so that he can take care of our investigators while we aren't there. I don't want to neglect anyone! Conact daily is so important. The trip is 10 hours on a bus each way...I'm going to have 4 nights sleeping on a bus this week. #mybackhurts hahah. But Saturday we also got a shopping trip in there some how! Woooh whoo! I looove  shopping here cuz it's cheap!

Words that came to my mind yesterday during  church:

Sacrement-remission, renewing, cleansing, and rejoicing. Clean from the sins of last. Hoping, striving to be better, through the Blood and the Flesh. 

Simple teachings and truths we all have learned but the more I hear it and teach it and live it the more I KNOW it and the more I LOVE it.

So Some lady came up to us yesterday  begging for our blood! ¨Please I neeeed it!" she begged....We ran away! haha

HOME WORK for you! This talk is amazing! Patience by Elder Neil MAXWELL. 

¨Pateince helps us to use rather than to protest, these seemingly flat periods of life, becoming filled with quite wonder over the past and with anticipation for that which may lie ahead.¨   

This just made me think a little about after the mission. Not worrying about it, just rejoicing in the miracles of my life and the things I have experienced and that have past. Looking forward with faith and patience to the future. 

We got to go to the temple. I was sooo stressed but it is like immediate medicine that calms the soul and puts the mind at peace. There were so many people there. Some that had driven from 20 or more hours away. They were all there in the hotel thing at the temple showering and living out of thier suitcases. Dedicated to the Lord willing to sacrifice all. We also had to shower there with them and stayed as a refuge in the temple bathroom because we had no where to go! I felt united. haha. Just a couple of sister missionaries tired and dirty from hours and hours of traveling with no where to go and 300 soles! I know Lima like the back of my hand and got us all through the whole day alone! Well better put God got us through it and He is so good to us.

Tell Carter hi for me and Abby too! oh and Alex...oh and dad...and Cameron, I guess hahah! And Geeky and Madimooo

I have to go now on a 20 hours bus trip! whooooooooooo! 

Love you all! Hermana Quist