Our Lessons are B O R I N G..........

Dear Fam and Friends,

It is always good to hear from each one of you. Really thank you for always emailing me! Mondays would be sad if I didn't have such a good support crew back at home cheering me on. First off DAD no I didn't get called on to speak! But I was well prepared. We traveled an hour and a half to Talara...such a nice get a way. Sometimes you feel trapped in the mission because we never get to leave our area. President and Hermana Rowley talked all about having the Holy Ghost with us at all times. I felt like I got a slap in the face. I love multizone conferences because afterwards I feel so pumped to preach the word of God! I have been praying to know of my weaknesses and my prayers were definitely answered in the conference. My comp and I were talking recently about how some of our lessons are just plain B O R I N G. Then we realized it's because we have no energy. Lots of the times I am fighting to not yawn. So we have a goal to go to bed earlier, because no one can teach with the spirit waking up on the wrong side of the bed. These past couple of days after much prayer and fasting I have felt the spirit a lot more in our lessons. I pray everyday that the people I teach will feel of the spirit and will be able to recognize us as true disciples of Christ. You would think that finding the spirit is easy as a missionary, but it takes work and I am trying to figure out how to tune in to it at all moments. 

Multizone Conference September 2014

I loved the General Womens Conference too. It is cool to think that my mom and sisters are watching it at the same time. It was in Spanish.....so I didn't get the full effect of it but it was still beautiful. I loved President Uchtdorf's talk about how God is so giving and willing to pour out blessings upon us, but we have stirdy umbrellas above our heads that are getting in the way. Interesting how everything lead to our temple covenants. In the mission we teach all 5 lessons before baptism so that our investigators know about the temple because really our goal isn't just to baptize it is the TEMPLE. 

Today we painted the wall outside of our apartments because Elders before us had spray painted it and our President wasn't too thrilled... 

My comp locked the bathroom door from the inside two times this week! We almost didn't shower before church yesterday. Smart us we thought we would try to crawl under the door, but no we aren't as skinny as we thought. shoot. Then we tried going over the top of the door but no the door a very fragile wood. The last resort we asked our Land Lord for the keys. And guess what he had the keys! Woop. 

Alejandro called us the other day....ugh. We are terribly sad. He found work in another city and it looks like he won't be living in Sullana. There isn't a church where he is at either which is the worst part! Please pray that he will find work in Sullana so he can come to church. 

We have a new investigator named Deysy. Her son is a member so it was our turn to have lunch with them. Since then we have been teaching her and a little bit her husband. She has recently been wondering the purpose of her life and that day we showed up to teach her the plan of salvation. miracle. She is so prepared by the Lord. We asked her to be baptized but basically she said she won't be baptized unless her husband is too. The other day we had divisions and I taught Deysy and her husband Juan. I was with a member who doesn't say a word in the lessons. So I taught it all. And oh man Juan is a smart man. He knows a lot and kept asking me questions. I truly felt God giving me every word. I didn't want to argue with him and he was trying to argue with me. He asked me how old I was and then told me I live in a bubble and need to learn about other religions before I settle for one. I just bore my testimony and the spirit burned within my chest so strong. My testimony grew of Joseph Smith. I felt that he truly did see God the father and Christ. Even though the member I was with didn't have any words to say or to help me Heavenly Father did not leave me wordless, he was right there with me. 

I realize this time in the mission is short. I won't be able to ever live with Hermana Valencia again. I won't be able to ever be in Sullana again. God has given me everything I have. I want to make the most of his time that he has given me. I am so blessed to be here. 

I love you all. Have the best week! Also are we in a third world war or something?  I am hearing scary news that the United States is going to go to war again in Iran. Please keep me updated. Remember I love the news ;)

xoxo Hermana Stringham