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

Beautiful week in Cusco

February 15, 2016

Hey family!

  How are we??  Its been a beautiful week here in Cusco.  I love

Cusco. Its awesome.  Hermana Borja is also the greatest!  We laugh a

lot even when we have a little bit of stress.  The work is going good.

We are going to rescue a really awesome family and have a couple

investigators with baptism dates. All is well here. 

    This week the Hermanas from Puerto came to visit us.  It was so

much fun to see Hermana Alailima again!  I spent the day with her and

it was awesome.  She has become an amazing missionary…I wonder who

trained her?... haha joking.  But really she teaches so well and I

learned so much from her.  It was good to hear that Puerto is doing

really well.  Lots of my old investigators have baptism dates and she

is getting along really well with her companion.  They were able to

fly to cusco and on the way back we almost missed their flight.  It

was something out of our hands but wow talk about stress.  We ended up

full on running through the airport parking lot.  And then later that

day we were almost late getting home from an appointment so we ran

like crazies to be there at 9.  We made it and i was grateful that day

had ended.

We also had zone conference with our zone and another zone in Cusco.

It was amazing.  President is the best and his talk was perfect.  He

talked about our purpose as missionaries.  Later he talked about the

worth of women and talked super hard to the Elders.  I have the

greatest notes.  We had to give a little training and we were so

nervous.  I think it went good but I called on an Elder and got his

name wrong. It was embarrassing….. I think I am becoming more like

mom…  jaja love you. Anways the conference was awesome.  President

sometimes talks to prepare us for the life after the misión and he

told us that our purpose on earth is to get married in the temple to

our prince charming.  He also said that the scripture about the

natural man only refers to men.  Jaja 

Yesterday was a really rough day.  We had been walking for hours and

hours without finding anyone to teach.  WE had a appointment at 6 with

a less active and his two daughters who aren`t baptized. As we were

walking past a park to go to the appointment someone called us and it

was this less active.  WE were able to teach them and it was a  great

lesson. It was a huge tender mercy and I was grateful that we were

able to find them.  Because if we had passed by with out him saying

something we would have found his house empty.

This week I am trying to have an attitude of gratitude.  THis sector

is very different from Puerto and I am trying to get used to it.  Its

been a little hard but I feel like the Lord is with us.  He really

walks with us everyday and feels exactly what we feel.  I know he is

preparing people that I need to find in this sector and if we are

obedient and do what is asked of us we will find them.   Plus this

week Elder Holland is coming!!

Well love you all!

Con amor, hermana Russell

First Exchanges

February 8, 2016

Hola Familia!

How are you guys?  OKay so I am going to try to make this a really good letter….

We had a super great week this week!

We had our first exchanges.  I was with Hermana Cutimbo from Spain.

It was fun to get to know her and get lost in the sector because I

didn`t know my sector too well… but she was super patient with me and

we found lots of people to teach.  We have a new investigator named

Sandra.  She is a YSA and she is super awesome.  She accepted the book

of mormon and her best friend is a really solid member.  It was super

great!

THis Sunday we had the privelge of being accompanied by Presidente and

Hermana Harbertson.  Yup All afternoon.  It was so great!  They are so

awesome and I learned so much from them.  We started with lunch and I

sent a photo to dropbox of my pension and her family with the

Harbertsons.  It was great. Then we studied with them a Little bit and

then we went out.  WE had some great appointments.  Hermana Borja and

I were super nervous though… but we made it through.  We had a awesome

experience which I will after I tell something funny that happened.

Yeah so if you remember from last year, this month, february, is

carnavales.  Which means the whole city participates in a huge wáter

fight.   Yeah so yesterday was the day of carnaval and when we were

walking down a road with President and Hermana Harbertson a car slowed

down on the side, shouted Hola and sprayed us with foam…. All over.

Like they got us reallly really good.   Hermana Borja and I were

completely covered and as we were wiping ourselves off we saw someone

that we could contact.  We tried to contact him and he completely

ignored us.  It was like he was literally deaf.  He didn`t even look

at us.  He just opened his door and went in his house with his

daughters…. Hermana Harbertson was kind of shocked that we got

rejected like.  But we just laughed.   I think today we are going to

play carnaval with the Zone.  We are looking into buying some of that

spray and whipping it out at the end.

Yeah so the spiritual experience.  When we were with the Harbertsons a

cita fell through so we decided to go to a less active that we had

looked for.  We found her house before but hadn`t been able to make

contact.  So we rung her doorbell of her apartment building and she

answered and said she would come down to talk.  But when she saw

President with us she invited us up to her top floor pent house suit

(and I mean literally).  Yeah so she invited us in.  Her name is Emily

and we had the best lesson with her ever.  Even though she is less

acitve she still pays her tithing because she wants the blessings from

it.  She is less active mostly because her husband, member, isn`t very

fond of the church.  President Harbertson talked a Little bit more

than he had in other appointments and it was so spiritual. I can`t

even put into words the spirit that we felt. He promised her some

wonderful blessings if she will start Reading the book of mormon and

ah man… I can still feel the spirit from the lesson.  Emily is the

best.  We are going to slowly help her husband and her come back to

the church.  WE are going to make brownies with her and try to fill

her house with the spirit so her husband can feel it.  J  We are so

excited and I learned so much from Pdte. Harbertson.  It was such a

great evening.

 Well I had a bunch more to write but hey what will I tell you guys in

a couple months?

Thanks for everything you do for me.  I love my family so much and I

am so grateful for the restored góspel.  We owe a lot to our Savior

and even though we won`t ever repay him we can show him our love and

gratefulness through our obedience.

Have a great week!

Love, Hermana Russell

Sister missionaries with the pensionista and her family and Pres. and Hermana Harbertson

Hermanas Russell and Borja

The streets of Cusco

Cusco

Hey fam!!

    So ya, I am in Cusco now.... I miss PUERTOO!!!  Its so cold
here.... but my companion Hermana Borja is the best!  She is from
Ecuador which is my third companion from Ecuador.  she is great! I
knew her a little bit before but its been great getting to know her.
We have had a crazy week.  I got here tuesday night and we spent the
next day running back and forth from the terminal dropping girls off
and some at the airport going home.    Because of some of our
responsibilites I haven't had much time in the sector and feel a
little stressed because next week two hermanas are going to visit us
and we are both going to work in our sector.   We aren't actually
going to travel this change so it should be good.  All the hermanas
are going to visit us, even the ones in Puerto.  So yeah a little
stressed. but all will be good.  I am in the barrio Ttio and the
estaca Cusco.  Our chapel is on the 28 de julio and we live right
across the street.  OUr apartment is super nice.  WE have a kitchen so
maybe I will learn how to cook some food.   Our apartment is so big
because whenever someone comes to cusco *hermanas* they stay with us.
so yeah we do a lot of picking up and dropping off.  kind of like
moms... haha.   Training on wEdnesday was the best! President is so
cool and I am so excited to work a little more closely with him and
Hermana Harbertson.  Its going to be  a huge blessing.   anyways.
everything is good here.  the ward is great and huge... 140 people...
and our pension is great!  I am super happy although I do miss Hermana
Alailima and the Puerto crew.  Its so different here.  I am so used to
drinking cold things that if they don't have a cold inka cola in the
store I can't drink it tell its super cold... haha weird... probably
why I have had a cold since december.  anways everything is super
great.  don[t worry about me.
  THis week I studied 1 samuel... ay no recuerdo... but its about saul
being desobedient and how its always better to be obedient.  I think I
have learned that here.  Its always always always better to be
obedient.  If I were to give any advice to future missionaries.. its
this.  Be obedient!  Just do it!
Well I'm sorry if this is reall short.  I love you all a lot.
   Love Hermana Russell

Brownie Sundae from Chilli's

Hermana Liders in Cusco. On the left is Herman Borja from Equador Emma's new companion

Leaving Puerto

sigh...... I´m leaving Puerto and my Hija..... AHH I can´t believe the
time has already come to an end here in Puerto.  I will be serving  in
Cusco and I am super excited for this new chapter.  I will actually be
the Hermana Lider for the Hermanas Here in Puerto so I will be able to
return. :)  I am super excited.  Hermana Alailima has been the
greatest companion.  We literally have always gotten along and its
been a joy to train her and to watch her grow.  she will have her
first latina companion but I am not even worried about her.  She is
going to do great things here in Puerto.
  Bueno this last week has been really good. but it also has been so
hot..  Its like a furnace here..
  Well this Sunday they released our branch presidency.  We have a
new president and I am really excited for this branch.  I think its
going to work a little more smoothly,  THe best thing ever is that our
recent convert, for rescue, Hermano Benito will be the second
conselor!  I was sooooo pumped when I heard this!  I am so excited for
him and his family.   We talked to him after and he thanked us for
visiting him and helping his family.  It was probably one of the best
moments ever.  I am so happy for him.  I know that this will help him
and his family make it back to the temple and be even more strong.
It was a really good way to finish my time here.
  wE also had an activity with the young women.  I love them here and
its been great hanging with them recently.  They don´t have a
president so I have been teaching their lessons.  WE had a spa
activity and I think i curled about 4 girls hair.  But you don´t
understand.... these girls have more hair than all of the russell
girls put together!  Seriously!  GIGANTE!   I wanted to cry but tHey
all turned out beautiful.  But at the end i was sweating so bad that
little drops of sweat were dripping off my eyebrows... my EYEBROWS.
gosh one little girl looked at me and said "you are shining!"  Anyways
I would say it was a successful activity. and Hermana Alailima and I
made quite a team.. She corn rowed everyones hair and I curled it.
  Yeah so last but not least is Leonor.  She is literally the best
and I am going to miss her so much.  She said Saturday night that
since she has been reading and living with the family she has felt so
much better.  I think she is really going to be baptized soon.  she
has real intent and I can see that she really wants to know.  I sent a
picture with her.
  well,  I have learned so much here in Puerto.  It has been so so
hard.  Probably the hardest sector, but I am so grateful for what I
have learned.  I have truly learned to lean on and trust in the
Savior.  He is our brother, our friend, and our Redeemer.  He is with
us through the failures and the successess.  I cant wait to tell him
thanks.  I know that everything that is wrong in the world can be made
right through His Atonement.  God´s plan is perfect and is Gospel will
help us return home.  I love you guys... have a great week!!
Love, Hermana russell
p.s.  Thanks for putting up with the ugly pictures :)
p.s.s.  Ellie and grace are not in any way allowed to drive or date.

Sunny Puerto

Hey familia!!!!

      So the best news that we got this week is that

1.        Jeffery R Holland is coming in February!!!

2.       And we got cell phones……HALALUJAH!!

And basically that is it….

Love, Hermana Russell







Just kidding..  what´s shaking guys !!!  Its been a great week.  It
went by really fast due to my trip.   We have been working so hard
this week that I have been getting home so exhausted.  WE go to bed as
fast as we can and literally are like zombies in the morning.   We
decided to start running in the mornings because it makes us feel so
much better.   I don`t know why I am so exhausted….  Oh Puerto…. Haha

This week the Hermanas from cusco came to visit us.  They are so
great.  I spent the day with Hermana white.  She is the best and so
great.  We shared the restoration with an investigator and the spirit
was so strong. When we challenged her to be baptized she said yes and
accepted a date for the 20 of February!  I am really excited for her.
Her name is Juliana and honestly it feels so good that someone finally
accepted a fecha!!  Yaya later we visited my favorite person ever
named Leonor!  She is 86 years old and literally still kicking it.
She is hilariously sassy and is accepting the church.  We
visited her and right off the bat she said she won`t get baptized.
She lives with members, by the way.   Anyways we started talking to
her and she said that the only difference between catholics and
Mormons is that we didn’t worship Mary.  So we talked about Mary and
shared a scripture in the book of Mormon to answer her question.
After she seemed more comfortable.  We had planned to teach lesson 2
on the plan of salvation but I felt like this lesson we needed to
focus on the book of Mormon.  I asked her if she had prayed about it
and she said that she had.  I asked her how she felt and she said she
had forgotten.   Palm in face.   #teachingoldpeopleprobs   anyways we
bore our testimonies about the restored church and the spirit was so
strong.  She said she was feeling it and it was such a sweet moment.
I challenged her to baptism and I thought she was going to say yes.
She was smiling and nodding her head…. And then she said no…. haha we
will keep trying.  She came to church and looks so comfortable there.
She is surrounded by members and even comments in Sunday school.   I
love her.  Especially when she tells me all her crazy remedies to
cure my legs.

And that’s about my week.   Changes are next week.  So we are dying.
We will probably get a change because we have been together for three.
  I don`t want to leave Puerto but she doesn`t either.  I have learned
how to love here.  I have learned about sacrifice here.  And mostly I
have learned that the Christ is the center of the God`s plan.  I
testify that he is our Savior. He loves us and he is mindful of us.
He will be with us through our triumphs and our failures.    I  love
being  a missionary.  It’s the best thing ever J

Love Hermana Russell

Machu Picchu

Hey family!!

 Bueno we just got back from Machu Picchu and it was AMAZING!  I am

so tired though.  I haven´t slept in 24 hours because reuniting with a

certain old compi kept us up whispering all night, but we did have to

get up at 1:30 to head to Machu Picchu.

  Well this week was super hard in terms of the work and we were

super duper frustrated.  Hermana Alailima is a great support and I

love her so much for her hard work and persistence.  Its not easy

being here but I know one day it will be worth it.  Because it was

just a boring week I will skip right to macho picchu.

  After sacrament Sunday we headed to Cusco.  Another Hermana went

with me and we travled with the zone leaders.  It was a long but

beautiful ride like always.  In the terminal I was greeted by Hermana

MInaya and it was the BEST REUNION!  Later I went to the Cusco house

where Hermana Solar and Hermana Campoverde and a ton of other awesome

Hermanas were there.  IT was so fun to see them and reunite with them.

 And so that night we woke up or stopped talking at one thirty and at

two thirty we had to be at the church.  We got picked up in a little

van and were driven to where you take the train to machu picchu.  It

was super long and I was so cold!  Gosh I miss the warmth of Puerto.

Hahah Anways when we got there we took the train up to Machu Picchu

village and from there we took a bus to Machu Picchu!  It was

beautiful and the tour guide was the best.  He would stop us every so

often and talk to us about the culture of the quechuas and what Inca

really means.  It was so interesting and I wish I could tell you guys

everything I learned.  We spent four hours walking around and

exploring with the tour guide who is a member and was wearing all BYU

gear.  He was super cool and answered every question I had  without

laughing… haha.  Its such a cool cool place!   I can´t really even

explain…. I guess ya´ll gonna have to come.

Something I asked was why they had to build their temples or live so

high up in the mountains because its literally takes all morning to

get there and its super well hidden.  Well Beto the tour guide said

that they believed in sacrifice.  That you had to work a little and

sacrifice a lot to build a temple.  I just loved this.  The Lord does

require sacrifice, but everything that requires sacrifice is amazing

and worth it,  just take Machu Picchu for an example.

Well I love you guys a lot.  I am going to keep working hard and

sacrificing because I know that its for the best cause we could

possibly imagine.

Love you guys un monton!

Hermana Russell