What a week!

Hola Familia!

Its been such a great week here in Cusco.  Wow.  I don´t think I am

going to be able to express every thing I have felt, seen or heard

this week.

This week we had the Hermana Leaders from Abancay with us for

divisions. (it also means that next change I am going to be able to go

to Abancay!!!!).  anyways I spent the day with Hermana Baker.  She is a

great Hermana that I had met before in Puno.  She wasn`t in my zone

but we saw each other a little bit.  Anyways she trained the same time

as me and so it was cool to spend the day with her.  I was really

nervous because we didn`t have any appointments for the whole day and

we just had plans to pass by and surprise visit people.  The night

before I told Hermana Borja that I was a little nervous and later told

Heavenly Father. I told Him that I was nervous and that if He could

please fill my day with things to do and places to go.   The next day

was amazing! I have such a testimony that God really does answer

prayers. We had a day filled with appointments and I learned so much

from Hermana Baker.  THe coolest thing about being a Hermana líder is

being able to meet lots of hermanas and work with them.  I learn so

much from each one.  It’s incredible.  I feel like I am not here to

teach but to be taught and I feel super blessed.    The next couple

days passed by really fast.  Hermana Borja was sick Wednesday with a

super upset stomach.  We tried to go out but she couldn`t keep

anything down so I listened to talks by Elder Holland all afternoon.

Hermana Borja is doing much better!  We don`t know what happened but

It looked like a 24 hour flu.

anyways Friday was concilio with President.  It happens once  a month

with all the leaders of the misión.  It was fun to have our house full

of all the Hermana Leaders.   I got to see Hermana Campoverde and

spend a little bit of time with her.  She finishes her misión in two

weeks!  Crazy no?’  anyways at concilio I got to see Hermana Minaya.

J it was the best!  And concilio was great.  We had a moment just with

the sisters and Hermana Harbertson.  She talked to us about charity

and that every name should be sacred on our lips not just the name of

our family or friends.  Because we are all children of God and how can

we love God if we don`t love his children?   Hermana Harbertson is the

best and it was so great to be personally taught by her.   Concilio

was a great experience. I learned a lot about a lot of things.. hahah

Saturday was AMAZING.  For the first time we had the whole misión

together!  Wow. It was so great to see so many old friends.  At 10 o

clock we were seated in the chapel waiting for Elder Holland.  Wow.  I

don`t think  I can express everything that was mentioned or everything

that I felt.  He arrived at 12  (is plane was late)  and he shook each

one of our hands. He said he did it each to give us a interview and

see if we were okay.  Then he talked.  He walked around the room as he

talked.   It was a classic Elder Holland talk.  He talked a lot about

the obedience and the reality of who the missionaries are.  He shared

his love that he has for his misison and the spirit was so strong.  I

realized how much I love my misión.  I dont ever want it to end.  He

said that we are apostles with a lower case a and that we are the

symbols of the church.  He talked about our image of missionaries and

who we are to be.  He said that when we agree to go to the temple and

make the covenants that we do, and when we agree to stay.  We stay for

eternity.  That we never walk away from this.  It was so powerful and

so amazing.  I can truly testify that he is a special witness of

Jesus Christ.  HOw grateful I am that we have a prophet today and the

12 apostles.   This Church is the true church.  It has been restored

and I am so grateful for it.

Have a great week!

Hermana Russell