Latest Report from Peru

Hello!!!!

Sorry about the cold. I am going to melt here come January. haha! It is hot, but I really enjoy the sunshine. I am happier when there is sunshine. 

This week there were 3 baptisms in our ward!!!! :D We are sharing the area with the Assistents to President. They had two ladies get baptized on Saturday and Hermano Fernando got baptized too!!!! During the baptism I learned something about the Atonement. I was thinking about how Hermano Fernando could leave all of the things in his past behind (he has had some rough times) and how he had the opportunity to start over again. I was not thinking about his past mistakes, but the bright future he has ahead. It got me to thinking, this is how the Atonement is. Jesus Christ came to Earth and gave His all, EVERYTHING He had. When we come to Him with our sins or problems, He isn't judging us, He isn't looking at how many times we have made the same mistake, He isn't asking us why we aren't better. He sees us before Him, humbled and trying to be better, admitting our mistakes, and promising to do better. Then He looks at us and sees who we can become, and all He can feel is love. He only wants the best for us, so He was willing to give all, He is willing to forgive and lift our burdens, because He only wants the best for us. He wants us to leave all the bad behind and start again each new day because He can see the bright futures we each have and the amazing people we can become. 

This week is also....nothing here. Yeah it is Thanksgiving in the States, but no such thing here...yet. haha! There is a family in our ward that is always so helpful, always helping us with whatever we need. We are going to go to their house on Thursdayand bake them pumpkin cookies and share a family home evening lesson as a way to show gratitude. Should be fun. We also have a new investigator. She has had a super rough family situation, but she is so prepared to hear the Gospel. We are really excited to teach her. 

This is also the last week before cambios (what is the word in English?). But yeah, so we shall see if I stay or if I go. The Lord knows what is best, so I will go or stay according to where He sends me. Well, that's all for this week. Know that I am so thankful for each and every one of you and the support you give me. Thank you!!!! 

I love you all and will write you in a week and talk to you in a month!

Love,

Hermana WaiteHello!!!!

Sorry about the cold. I am going to melt here come January. haha! It is hot, but I really enjoy the sunshine. I am happier when there is sunshine. 

This week there were 3 baptisms in our ward!!!! :D We are sharing the area with the Assistents to President. They had two ladies get baptized on Saturday and Hermano Fernando got baptized too!!!! During the baptism I learned something about the Atonement. I was thinking about how Hermano Fernando could leave all of the things in his past behind (he has had some rough times) and how he had the opportunity to start over again. I was not thinking about his past mistakes, but the bright future he has ahead. It got me to thinking, this is how the Atonement is. Jesus Christ came to Earth and gave His all, EVERYTHING He had. When we come to Him with our sins or problems, He isn't judging us, He isn't looking at how many times we have made the same mistake, He isn't asking us why we aren't better. He sees us before Him, humbled and trying to be better, admitting our mistakes, and promising to do better. Then He looks at us and sees who we can become, and all He can feel is love. He only wants the best for us, so He was willing to give all, He is willing to forgive and lift our burdens, because He only wants the best for us. He wants us to leave all the bad behind and start again each new day because He can see the bright futures we each have and the amazing people we can become. 

This week is also....nothing here. Yeah it is Thanksgiving in the States, but no such thing here...yet. haha! There is a family in our ward that is always so helpful, always helping us with whatever we need. We are going to go to their house on Thursdayand bake them pumpkin cookies and share a family home evening lesson as a way to show gratitude. Should be fun. We also have a new investigator. She has had a super rough family situation, but she is so prepared to hear the Gospel. We are really excited to teach her. 

This is also the last week before cambios (what is the word in English?). But yeah, so we shall see if I stay or if I go. The Lord knows what is best, so I will go or stay according to where He sends me. Well, that's all for this week. Know that I am so thankful for each and every one of you and the support you give me. Thank you!!!! 

I love you all and will write you in a week and talk to you in a month!

Love,

Hermana Waite

November 18 Email and Photos.

Hello again! This is your daughter. ;)

How are you all? I hope really really well. 

This week was great! I completed 2 months in the mission on Monday. The week started a little rough, but ended really well. We have seen so many miracles, every day. I am convinced that there are miracles all around us every day; we just need to open our eyes. 

Friday we had an activity that was to help investigators come to the church. We had what was called "Noche de Postres" or Night of Desserts. All the memebers brought a dessert and we all got to try them. Plus, there were so many non members, and we got to talk to them and have lessons with some of them this week. So basically it was like missionary heaven. (Free yummy food, and tons of potential investigators- what's not to love?!) We did not have the baptism this past Saturday, but are planning for this Saturday. We have been doing a lot of family home evenings, which are really nice! Last night we had a first family home evening with a recently baptized family! It was way cool. Also we had a little girl ask us what she could do to be a missionary. Wow, heart melt! We are having a lot of success working with the member. 

I am learning so much! I am so extrememly thankful to be here. I would be so much less of a person if I were not here. It is like it says in Matthew, when we lose ourselves, we find ourselves. I know that really, I am nothing, and that God is everything! Remember that He loves you and so do I!

Sorry, not much this week. I will have to tell you about it when I call you next month! :D And boys, don't forget to spoil Mommy extra for me for her birthday in a few weeks!!! I love you all so much and am praying for you every single day! Love you!!!

Love,

Hermana Chalea Waite

Another Week. November 11 Email and Picts.

Hey there awesome people!!! 

How is the best family in the world this week? I am sure a little cold. I feel a little more for you guys because it was cold here this week, which is weird since it is turning summer. Anyways, this week was a little difficult, but don't worry, I am totally fine. I just want to help people, but we have to rely on the Lord to touch there hearts and we have to allow everyone their agency. Which is really hard sometimes. But yeah all is good! :) We are planning on having a baptism for Fernando this Saturday! I am so excited. He is a great person, super nice. 

Here are some adventures I have had this week. So Thursday night we get a call from the Primary President asking if I would play the piano for the practice for the Primary program in sacrament meeting. My compañera says yes I will and the next day (Friday) we go to practice. Once there, I find out that I am also playing for the actual program on Sunday (yesterday). Yeah, I was so nervous, but it went well. I kept thinking about how Grandma Waite told me to practice piano before I left because I would use it on my mission. haha! I should have practiced more. Another cool thing I get to do this week, I get to be an English teacher! Every Wednesday in the church building (capilla instead of iglesia) we are going to be teaching free English classes. I guess here it is a really good way to find new investigators to teach. Hermana Gifford is going to teach an intermediate class and I am going to teach the basics. :) I am excited! :) We are also having a ward activity this Friday called Noche de Postres. All the ward members are going to bring a dessert and a friend. Then the investigators are going to judge the desserts based on taste and presentation. All of us are going to share dessert and get to know new investigators.  Hermana Gifford and I are going to try to make rice krispies or something like that. Corbs, too bad you're not here because you could totally enter your chocolate cake! mmm!:)

A normal day... breakfast, study for 4 hours, then out to work. Street contacting has not been super effective in our area, so right now we are racking our brains to figure out what else we can do to find new investigators. We are working with the members and visitng less active and recent converts, which is working really well! Seriously, members are SUPER DUPER important in missionary work!! I would invite every one to do it! So yeah, right now we are trying to think of new ways because we have used tons of the suggestions from Preach my Gospel, but nada. Although yesterday I realized that we are doing a different kind of work here by supporting the ward. We had like 2 less active members at church yesterday, which was great! In our mission, we have four groups of people:missionaries, members, less actives, and new investigators. These are the people we work with. In this area, we are just focusing on a different group than usual. :)

I hope all is well!!! Good luck with b ball Daddyo! Corbs, I would love to hear from you if you have a minute...:), Mom, HOW AWESOME that you get to be a Zumba instructor!!! Please can I come to your class when I get back?!:) I love you all so much and pray for you every day. Even though the world is bad, I know that with the Gospel and our Savior, we can make it! It is sooooo important, especially now, to stand up boldly for what we know is right. I invite you guys to read a talk by Elder Maxwell titled "Wintry Doctrine". When we become His disciples, we stand up for what is right regardless the consequences. 

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Hermana Waite

Busy week and I forgot to post again. Here is from Nov 7th. Another letter should come tomorrow.

So the pictures. Animal crackers I found in the store today.... :) yo= happy. my compañera Hermana Gifford, and some of our apartment and the view from the balcony. :D I think about you every day. I really hope you guys can come get me when I am done!!! I want to have lots of adventures with you. :)  We could ride the busses and go shopping and sing the reggatone songs that are playing on the radio, and walk around by the graffitti on the walls. The other day 'No es amor' by Aventura? was playing on the radio and I totally thought of you. I am becoming a little more adventerous too I think. I love you SOOOO extremely much Papa!!!! Take care, and don't forget to rest some too. Don't just work all the time. take a 'p day'.;) 

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got to try papa huancayena last night! Shayla Moulton told me it was yummy, and we were talking about it with an Hermano who cooks for us, and he made it for us! :) That's cool that Presidente is posting pictures on Facebook! Don't judge my looks too badly that first day, it was a little crazy in the morning. haha!

 Ok Dad, to answer your question, we eat all sorts of stuff. For breakfast we have bread, usually a crunchy roll with ham that tastes like baloney, and another soft roll with usually jam, sometimes eggs. We also have some sort of juice with every meal, or echo. Echo is a super yummy drink. I guess it is like coffee, but it doesn't have the same ingredients as coffee, so it isn't against the word of wisdom. Anyways, that's super yummmy! We sometimes have oatmeal too, which I really like. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. For lunch and dinner, we usually have the same thing. Some sort of meat, usually chicken, with rice and veggies. We eat broccoli, peas, carrots. Beans sometimes. We have juice and echo with it too. Last night we had pasta with our chicken instead of rice, and papa huancayena. I have not tried anything here yet that is yucky (knock on wood). It is all good. I am even learning to eat chicken with bones and stuff in it (yes, point! :) ). haha ! Every Sunday, and I guess Fridays and Saturdays now, we get to eat with the members. This week we were visiting families and were expressing our desire to learn how to cook Peruvian food. We have invitations to a couple of houses to learn. Yay!!! :) Mama, to answer your question, cuye is guneia pig. It is expensive though, so only for special occassions. I have heard it's good, but I am not wanting to try it.... we will see. I guess in the jungle, (not where I am at), they eat cat and monkey. Really! I promise. 

Our area is the nicer part of town, yes. Our apartment is...wow! We call it the palace. Presidente loves us, let's just put it that way.:) I love living so close to the temple too! We walked around the outside of the temple the other day with our investigator Fernando (the one who is getting baptized the 16 of this month), and he told us that he thought it was like Heaven. :) This is so true! I am so extremely thankful for the covenants we have the opportunity to make and that as families and friends, we can be together forever!!!!! :D This gives me hope, that through Christ and His atoning sacrifice, all will be well in the end. 

This week something I learned was that the times we have work are the best times. I was a little down earlier in the week because although we were talking to people on the streets and such, nobody wanted to listen. I was a little discouraged. We were praying to know how we might find new investigators, and our answer came through the members of the ward. Besides Fernando, our 6 new investigators are all references from members of the barrio (ward). I have gained a stronger testimony of the need we have for members to participate in missionary work! and really, as members, we do not have to do it alone! I would invite everyone to have the missionaries over for a family home evening with a non member or a less active member (these are the BEST!!!!!), or ask them to come over and teach you and help you practice how to share the Gospel. As my compañera always says, the Second Coming of the Savior is near, and there is only a little time that we can share the Gospel with our friends and loved ones. And trust me, when we put forth our best efforts, I promise that the Lord will help us! It is GREAT!!!! Anyone who is preparing for a mission, do not get discouraged! It is only hard because Satan knows that this work is important. With Christ, we can do ANYTHING!!!!  

It is amazing to see miracles every day. Some people call them coincidence, but they are miracles and evidence of God's love for us. I promise that miracles are all around. We just need to take the time to listen and open our eyes. 

Well, I guess that's all for this week. 

Remember I LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!! Thank you for your letters, love, and examples! I pray for you every day. Keep your faith and testimonies bright! 

Love,

Hermana Waite