WEEK OF TENDER MERCIES

HOWDY YALL

Wow seriously I have no time to write. But I love you all so much! The mission is the best. The mornings are hard and most of the time I am sooooo unmotivated to do anything, but there is always some TENDER MERCY from the Lord throughout the day that reminds me that He is aware of me and that I am in the right place!

So the weather here in Cusco is difficult. In the morning it is cloudy and chilly, then it gets SUPER hot, then it rains, then it is really cold. But it´s fine - im learning to deal with it!

This week my comp and I had some really good lessons. We met with a new investigator and taught him part of the plan of salvation. The spirit was so strong! Both of us knew that he needs the Gospel. I´ll keep you updated on what happens!

The food here is getting better! Im getting better at saying when I dont want to eat more - it is hard because here it is rude to say you dont want to eat what they offer you. But all is well!

I am loving my area! My spanish is slowly but surely getting better and I can say VERY SIMPLY what I need to. We walk SO MUCH everyday. Wow. But it is good!! The work is hard and some days I feell ike ive done nothing but I know that if Im giving it my all then that is enough!!

This week I have been sooooo grateful for the Holy Ghost! He has guided me and helped me understand the things I need to. He has also helped me to discern when something or a situation is dangerous of which I am eternally grateful for!

Keep the faith! I know that the Lord loves each and everyone of you and He wants to help you every single day in your lives!!!

xoxo - Hermana Miceli

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HOLA FROM CUSCO

Wow. I apologize in advance this email is going to be so scatter brained.

I am in Cusco!!! We got here last Tuesday morning and spent all day at the mission presidents home for orientation. Wednesday we went into the city and found out who our training companions would be for the next 12 weeks! My comp is Hna. Paez - a latina!!! She is from Colombia and she is THE BEST. She is so patient with me. But, no english... it is SO HARD. I also live with two other latinas which is so fun but so hard! So yes, my spanish has grown so much already and is continuing too! It is incredible to see the Lord helping me everyday.

Anywhosey, I LOVE CUSCO. It is sooooooo beautiful and authentic and the little people are adorable. And the kids! Ahhh my heart. My area is called Tullumayo and is more or less in the heart of Cusco. The hardest thing this week has been breathing! Where I am at sits at more or less 11000 ft so it is SO HARD to breath. Literally my first couple of days I was dying after like 10 steps. But it is getting better! In time Ill be able to get around just fine - my body just needs to get acclamated!

This week we havent really taught any lessons - we have just been getting to know the people! My comp has been in this area for almost 7 months so she has just been showing me around and introducing me to our investigators and to the members! The mission is awesome here. We have a lady in the ward who washes our clothes. Here in Peru we have what you call a Pensionista which is a family in the ward that you pay to cook for you basically. We only have a pensionista for lunch but I am SO GRATEFUL for that. Holy Cow. The food. My stomach. UGH SO MUCH. But it is soooo good - my pensionista is la familia molina! They are the best!

This week has been so difficult and frustrating. A different struggle everday. But the Lord has answered every single one of  my prayers. Already I love Cusco and the people here. Watching people change their lives is incredible. Plus, I gave out my first BOM in the real world today! And he understood everything I was saying! VICTORY.

Until next week! I love you all!! I feel your prayers and I am so grateful to be a missionary!

Hermana Miceli :)

PS : I forgot my camera cord so I cant send pictures but yes, dirt roads here in lots of places. It is sooooooo different.

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Ciao CCM, HOLA CUSCO!

Buenas tardes!!

THIS IS MY LAST EMAIL FROM LIMA AHHHHHH. IT IS CRAZY!!! This time next week I will be in Cusco!!!

I have loved my time here at the CCM so much and have learned SO much but I am so ready to be out in the real world!!! Pray for me. Starting next week I will have dirt floors, bucket showers, and guinea pig for dinner. :)

Happy Late Valentines Day! They actually did celebrate it here. We got little boxes of candy and these DELICIOUS cupcakes with sprinkles. Winna winna chicken dinna (Literally because that night we had chicken for dinner.)

This week has been so good! I have learned a lot about being humble! We had an awesome lesson with our investigator Sofia! I owe everything I have achieved here to the Lord and to the Holy Ghost. It is the most incredible feeling to walk out of a lesson and not be able to remember what I said because it wasnt actually me speaking! I cant explain it, but every lesson I am humbled and so grateful that the Lord trusts me enough to allow the spirit to accompany me always!

My spiritual thought this week comes from Mosiah 2:24 in the Book of Mormon. This week I have thought a lot about obedience. As a missionary we have lots of rules, but they are all for our good and help us to become the best servants we can be for the Lord. Mosiah says "And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you;" It goes on to say more but how cool that if we are obedient to the commandments of the Lord he will IMMEDIATELY bless us. It is a promise. It is so important to follow the rules that have been set for us in life. I know that we can be so blessed when we are obedient. It is hard sometimes, but with the help of the Lord we can do it and have so much JOY! There is a quote we learned on Sunday that says "Cuando casi sea obediente, casi recibira la bendicion." Which means "When we are almost obedient, we almost receive the blessing." BE OBEDIENT. Whether in the gospel, or in your job, or in school, or at home. It is so important and is the only way we can unlock the blessings of heaven!! God loves us and wants to bless us, let him!

PEACE OUT FROM THE CCM. NEXT TIME YOU HERE FROM ME WILL BE THE AZTEC LANDS OF CUSCO!

 

A very happy and healthy, Hermana Miceli :)

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OOPS

Sorry so many emails! Here is the weird alien fruit!

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2 WEEKS LEFT

Buenas tardes!!

This is CRAZY. I am an advancado here in the CCM and only have 2 weeks left here in the CCM! Time is going by so fast for me - I hope it is for you too!

This week was even more of a blur than last week. Hard to believe, I know.

Last Sunday, Me and my roommates sang How Great Thou Art in sacrament and it was awesome! Spur of the moment musical number holla.

WE GOT TO WATCH MEET THE MORMONS ON SUNDAY NIGHT. HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEK FOR SURE!!! Here in the CCM you come to appreciate the smallest things. Like a REAL MOVIE.

I had some great lessons this week with my comp Hna. Wattles. We did a practice spur of the moment teaching thing on Saturday and we taught a young girl named Maria. We had planned a lesson on the Plan of Salvation but when we got in we didnt even look at our lesson plan and instead were prompted to teach her prayer and introduce her to the Book of Mormon. Holla for the Holy Ghost. Then we taught a man named Jose totally spur of the moment. NO PLANNING. But it was the best lesson we have taught so far in the CCM!!! The spirit was telling us exactly what to say. It was amazing. At the end we sang Families Can Be Together Forever (In Spanish of course) and he was about to cry!!! Lessons like those remind me why I chose to serve a mission.

My fav thing about the MTC: PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM DEFINITELY. The ice cream here is delicious and peanut butter is a rare delicacy so when you put them together it is HEAVEN. Again, you come to appreciate the little things.

So funniest thing. The latinas left Monday night and Hna Montgomery (One of my roommates) and I went in to say good bye. Well latinas LOVE listening to North American sisters sing, like seriously they are obsessed. So they begged us to sing and as we were picking a song we turn around and they are all lined up with their cameras ready to film us! HAHA like 15 latinas. SO FUNNY. It was like full on papparazzi. But it was so cute. I will miss them! It is hard everytime we have to say good bye to people here in the CCM!

Today after the temple, Hna Wattles and I gave out a BOM! He was the nicest man!!! We talked for a good 15 minutes about the catholic church and the Book of Mormon. It was the most incredible feeling being able to speak spanish to these people and they actually understand! I cant wait until I am in the field in 2 weeks and get to have experiences like that everyday!

BY THE WAY: 2 WEEKS AND I WILL BE IN CUSCO. WHAAATTTTTTTTTTT. Ciao until next week!!! I love you all so much and I pray for you daily!!!

Hermana Miceli :)

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MORE PICS SORRY

MY DISTRICT! They arent very photogenic ;) but they are the best ever!!! They are my best friends. I love all of them so much!!!

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Rap Battles and Bird Poop

Hola everyone!!!

 

Okay weirdest title ever I know. But rap battles is because this week in the CCM with my district and roomies we have been rapping to stay sane. Here is one of the best by yours truly "Room 217 is the dopest room eva, some people dont like us but I say see ya nevaaaa." Dont worry its not really true, buuuttt it rhymed. Also, one day during physical activity I was sitting under a tree and a bird pooped on me so that was fun! I hope it is good luck here in peru but idk so theres that!

Another week down! It is crazy, I am halfway done with my time here in the CCM! I only have 3 weeks left and then I get to escape the heat. SO EXCITED.

This week was a hard one for me. I had a hard time finding and keeping the spirit with me. For some reason I just felt really incapable this week of doing my job as a missionary! But on Friday we had a devotional with Elder Anderson of the Second Quorom of the 70 in the presidency of the church. IT WAS SO AWESOME. He talked about faith and having faith to ACT. There is one story I want to share. There was a young girl who had birds she loved outside of her house. She prayed everyday for them to be safe because there was a bird trap nearby that her neighbor had set up. One day after praying, her Dad mentioned to her that not all of our prayers are answered as we want them to be. She replied with "Thats okay dad, I know the birds are safe." "How do you know?" he replied. "After I prayed, I went out and destroyed the trap myself." she answered. Moral of the story: We must pray in faith ALWAYS, and then then get up and ACT. Like the little girl, we can pray for things to happen but we must have faith to begin the process of receiving blessings. IT WAS AWESOME. The spirit was so strong!!!

This week I have also been really humbled with the language. I started out really well my first two weeks, and then this week for some reason things were really hard for me. I feel like I am at a standstill all of a sudden and I am not sure why. But this week PRAYER has become so real for me. I testify to everyone reading this, that HEAVENLY FATHER HEARS and ANSWERS our sincere prayers. I know He does. There is no way I would have made it through this week without His help. For that, I am forever grateful.

The temple this morning was soooo awesome!!! Obviously the sessions here are in Spanish. Well this morning I went through without a headset in English and I understood everything!!! Partly because I have most of it memorized (Thanks mom and dad for allowing me and encouraging me to go to the temple so much before I lefty!) but the Gift of Tongues was so real for me! It was the most incredible feeling! I also saw Hermana Reyes! She is a latina who was in the CCM here my first two weeks and just left last week but her mission is right here in Lima so we saw her! Holla for tender mercies from the Lord.

 

That is it for this week!!! This week has been trying but I have grown so much! I still love being a missionary and everyday Jesus is right next to my heart on my nametag. SEEK after him! He is the way. It is so hard here, but the joy I feel everyday is indescribable.

 

Hermana Miceli :)

 

PS ask me questions so I know what to write about!!! The weeks here in the CCM are the same, so it is getting hard to stay entertaining!!!

 

PSS!! Our fake investigator Ruben is getting fake baptized next week! WOOT WOOT

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