Mangos fall from the trees...

Hey family!!

Cómo estan?? Its been a great but super hot week here in Puerto!!  The

rama has a lot of potential and we visited so many less actives this

week but we saw a lot of success at church.

Well I have to comment about the wedding.  It sounded so beautiful and

I am so happy for Colby and Jessica.  You guys all looked fabulous

like always and I was so happy to hear that everyone joined in the

dancing.  That definitely decided for me that we would include

dancing in my wedding J.

Mom asked about the motorcycles. They are so crazy here!  There is a

ton and I have seen all types of people.  And yes sometimes whole

families or maybe a young family with a mom on back nursing her

newborn baby.  You guys wouldn´t believe what goes on here.  They even

have taxi´s that are just motorcycles and its super funny.-  Wouldn´t

it be so weird to just get on the back of a strangers motorcyle? Haha

sometimes when we are waiting for a moto taxi one of the motorcycles

will pull over like we are going to get on… hahah at least I know that

I could escape really easy J

Puerto is amazing and I love it here! bEsides being really hot and I

am just use to sweating a lot and basically being always wet, its

magical.  Mangos fall from the trees and the houses are all colorful

and just made of wood.  There are little bridges that crosses little

ditches and its cute. J I love it here and decided that if i wasn´t a

missionary and didn´t have to be outside all day  i could actually

live here.

Yeah dad asked if it was like a new culture and I would say yes and

no.  It’s the same language so that’s good but yeah the culture is a

little more different.  I would say that the people are a little

friendlier here.  They really love us and are always worried about us

being outside all day.  Puerto is really remote.  It’s in the middle of

nowhere but there is a national airport.  I guess we are the biggest

city that is closest to the border of brazil and Bolivia so they get a

lot of imports here.  Its really expensive to live here. 

My comps are super great!  I think Hermana Holland is excited to go

home and I try to be happy for her but also focus on working really

hard so that I don´t start thinking about home.  That´s a little

difficult for me.  She is still working hard though and finishing the

race real strong.  Hermana Alailima is really great.  She´s fun to be

around and so hilarious!  She reminds me of Sophie in some ways.  She

has a great love for the people and isn´t afraid to start

conversations or talk to the kids.  I wish I would of started out with

a little less fear of talking Spanish.  Its super fun watching her

learn Spanish because I feel like I get a first hand witness of the

gift of tongues and its amazing to watch.  It strengthens my testimony

even more about that and makes me really grateful for it.  She is

great as well!

I love your Spanish mom..   I can´t wait to hear your accent J

Okay so last week I received the best news ever!!!  GABRIELA GOT

BAPTIZED!!!!  She was a ysa investigator that I worked with all of my

time in Puno and she was really hesitant on being baptized even though

she knew it was true and had an interview with the DL and passed, she

still didn´t want to be baptized, so we actually dropped her for a

while.  SHe was still coming to the church every Sunday and

participating in all the activites but we weren´t teaching her.  When

I left Puno  I told hermana Minaya that they should visit her again

and try to give her a date for the 10 of October because 10 is like

her number or whatever.  Anyways I received an email from Hermana

Minaya that on Tuesday morning after general conference the Elders

Quorum president called who happens to be  a YSA and could possibly be

dating Gabriela (creating eternal families one way or another) said

that Gabriela wanted to be baptized that next Saturday.  HErmana

MInaya said it was a great miracle and the whole ward helped to get it

ready.  It’s such a amazing thing and I felt such joy Monday to know

that Gabriela had finally made her decision.  It also strengthened my

testimony in the power of the prophets and how they are really

inspired.

This Sunday was fast Sunday for our ward.  I think it was the hardest

fast I have ever had to do.  It was so hot Saturday afternoon and we

all just wanted water.  But we fasted as a mission and we saw instant

miracles.   We have a goal for 5 new investigators each week.  Its

really hard here for some reason but we fasted as a mission to find

new investigators.  Saturday night we realized that we had 4 new this

week and we only needed one new to make our goal.  As we were

finishing our prayer for the night the elders called us and told us

that the ZL have an investigator that they were teaching but he

actually lives in our area.   They wanted to pass him off to us in a

appointment the next day (Sunday) at five.  It was a prayer and fast

answered so fast.  WE were so excited.  We met him and had a great

lesson with him and the elders.  It was actually really fun to teach

him.  HE is super smart but really humble.  It was super funny though

because as the elders were explaining to him about why they have to

pass him,(its important to know that both the LD are latinos) the

investigator turned to us and asked us if we understood him…. The

elder just laughed and laughed.  Haha it was pretty funny because we

really hadn´t talked to much until then.  But then we got to know him

and I think he could really progress.

We had exchanges this week as well.  The Hermanas that visit us fly in

from Cusco.  Hermana Salas and Hermana White.  They are the best!  I

had a great day with Hermana Alailima and Hermana Salas.  wE visited

so many people and were busy the whole day.  Hermana Salas is the best

and super great at teaching.  I learned a lot from her!!  WE also got

like double lessons and numbers that day which was sweet!

I will finish with my experience of American Saturday night.  WE

visited a newly married couple in our ward who are the young men and

young womens presidents.  They are so American and its so weird!  When

we walked into their house they actually have air conditioning!!  They

have iphones and a mac computer.  It was amazing!  They ordered pizza

for us as we shared a scripture and then they brought out their

wedding photos and they were so nice!! Especially for Peru because no

one can take a good picture here, but seriously it was the best

night!!  They are a super great family and it was fun to gain their

trust because they offered us their house to teach and their time to

come out with us.  But it was seriously like being in Amee and Aaron´s

house…. WOW God bless America!!

aNyways I love it here and I love the work.  We are super busy but I

am doing so great..  I am learning a lot about love here.  Lots of

people just need love and as I am finding that lots of people and

members have huge problems all they need is someone to love them and

let them know that God cares.

Thanks for all the support!!

Love you all!!!

Hermana Russell