Ups and Downs

On Mon, Jun 16, 2014 at 4:34 PM, Sarah Stringham <sarah.stringham@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Hola!

Happy Father's Day Daddy! (sorry I'm a day late) and Happy late Birthday STONE! the BIG ONE. 

Wow I have so much I want to say. So many feelings at the moment. This last week has been full of ups and downs. This last week was one that I will never forget. It was the last week Hermana Rivera and I would be together so we wanted to make the most of it. Monday and Tuesday we worked so hard, found 5 new investigators in one day! Then Wednesday came. There has been a ton of construction and every where we go there are ginormous piles of sand and pot holes. I don't know why but they've been digging up all the roads here. We were walking one day home from lunch. There was a wooden beem that we had to step on to get across the pot hole. I stepped on it first and the beam flipped up and hit my companions foot pretty hard. So her foot kind of slowed the work this week, but we had a good week. Well a few dissapointments. 

Maria Atoche and her kids (Jesus and Alexndra) remember they have had two baptismal dates in the past that have both fallen through. Well we tried to set a new date with them...This time Maria said no. She said she feels comforted and at peace when we are with her and teaching her, but when she attends our church she said she can't feel the comfort that she is looking for there. After coming to church twice she decided she doesn't want to be baptized in our church and natural her two kids follow her. Ugh so dissapointing. She said that while the Bishop is talking and during the sacrament people are eating, talking, kids are everywhere and she can't focus. Hermana Rivera and I couldn't argue because it is true our ward is so irreverant. We have been trying to help our ward but it makes me sad that because of the irreverance our investigators can't feel the spirit. 

This past week we focused on Dorris and Rafael the two ninos. They loved coming to church last week. Sadly their dad wouldn't let them come to church yesterday. But yesterday (our last day in Capullanas) we set a baptismal date with them for July 5! I just hope their dad says it's okay. A funny experience this past week. I was with Analy while Hermana Rivera was seeing the doctor. Analy and I went to teach Dorris and Rafael. Well as we were enetering their house I saw their grandpa. He was walking towards me with his hand out to shake mine. So natural I went to say hello and shake his hand. That's when I realized that he was drunk. Meanwhile Analy had entered the house with the kids and I was outside with the drunk man. He grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go. I had no clue what he was saying. I wasn't scared or worried. Sometimes I think I am too confident in myself... Anway Dorris saw that her grandpa wouldn't let go and ran outside. We then began teaching the lesson when he entered the house and sat down. He tried to grab my hand again. Meanwhile saying he would pay a million dollars to have me. He was asking if I would marry him. Hahaha. He wants me to be the mother of his grandchildren. Anyway lesson learned. I will be more careful next time and NEVER leave the sight of your companion. 

Yesterday was kind of a sad but very beautiful day. So on Saturday our zone leaders told us that Hermana Rivera and I were both leaving Cappullanas. NOOOOOO. Ahhhhh they closed Cappullanas again. There aren't any Sisters there. Kind of sad. Because we had to leave all of our investigators, less acitves who were progressing with us. I felt like I didn't get to see the fruit of my labors. This area has been a little hard. We opened it and closed it once again. They aren't sending sisters there because there is a lack of sisters so they had to close our area. The ward was devastated. There our four elders in the ward, but I'll be honest the sisters can gain a lot more confidence in the members. Hermana Rivera and I were feeling a little down this past week. No one is in our area to continue the work we had done. All of our baptisms fell through. Sometimes I wonder is it me? Or why am I not seeing success? Why won't our investigators who know it's true accept our message? But I have learned that as long as I doing what the Savior wants me to do it's okay. 

Yesterday was a very special day. We visited all of the families we have worked with. Pretty much everyone was in tears as we left. I feel like I have a hole in my heart. That ward needs so much help and Hermana Rivera and I both felt like our work was not done but only beginning. Because we didn't have any baptisms in that area sometimes I feel a little discouraged. But after yesterday I can see that I actually have made a difference in peoples lives. We reactivated three people and one family, and we served our ward as much as we could. The members were soooo sad, but I felt satisfied to see that we had actually made a difference. I know our time was not wasted. It was so hard to leave. Analy and her family were balling. Ugh I even cried. But I am happy. I like change. 

So this morning we all went to the stake center. I sat in my seat nervously as President Rowley called names and places. Finally my name was called. Guess where I am????  SULLANA. A place with more mosquitoes and the sun is ever so intense here. I am with HERMANA RIOS. She only has one transfer left in the mission. She is from Bolivia. I am really excited to work with her and learn from her! I have been with her a total of 5 hours. She is a little more quiet but very sweet. Hermana Rivera and I are in the same zone!!!! Whoop whoop. I am grateful for my mama Hermana Rivera. I miss her a lot! 

Anyway that is the news from Piura. 

Hope yall are doing fine! I love you alllll!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Stringham