ASK and LISTEN (And Try and Find a Quite Room!)

We had transfers and guess what.......I will die in Tumbes! No suprise! Hermana Garcia is my new companion!!!!!!!! She is awesome and I am super super excited to be with her! She has been out 14 months. She is from Lima. 

This last week was full of great last times with Hermana Macias. She is off to Mexico and I will miss her terribly! 

We had intercambios this last week. I went with Hermana Maidana from Argentina. It was probably the worst intercambio I have ever had haha. First of all she got sick from eating lunch so we stayed in the room until 6 p.m. We finally left our room when Hermana Maidana realized she forgot the keys! Since we are in South America everything is caged in here (windows, your house etc) because of the robbers. So we couldn't leave the house because the bottom door was locked!! We had to wait for the family to get home to give us a spare key, but by the time they got home it was time to go to bed. Sometimes we don't know why things happen, but I know that God knows. Who know there could have been something dangerous that day that we would have run into and God was just protecting us? What do you think??'

I finished the Book of Mormon this week! Whoop! Cumpli con mi meta!! As I finished I knelt down and prayed in our room one morning. I tried to do it in a moment that  I couldn't hear the street music blaring downstairs, but it was almost imposible. I asked God for the 50th time if the Book of Mormon was true. As I prayed I felt just peace, calm, and warm. I felt like I was in the temple. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I don't need a huge answer to know it, but through the spirit we can all know of the truth. I invite you all to ask God if it is true tonight.   ASK and LISTEN ( and try to find a quiet room).

While I was waiting for Hermana Garica to come I stayed with Hermana Dionicio from California. It's always way too fun when there are two gringas together. We laugh alllll day long and make fun of one another. Today we went to some cool place and took pictures of the dock, on the car ride over I felt like I was on a safari traveling in who knows where. In moments like these I realize how much I love this place! It is so cool. Peru is a different world. 

Anyway I love you all! Have the best week! Pray for us to find new investigators!

Hermana Stringham 

Run to the TEMPLE

It's been a full but awesome week! DAD HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! I love you so so much!!! 

First off we had multizone conferences this last week. We said goodbye to President and Hermana Rowley as well. They will be leaving this next week...:( But the multizone conference was awesome. In President's last testimony to us he said, "I can promise you all that WE will live the gospel all of our lives." He then shared a scripture Mosiah 2:15-16 "I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day....I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God." I love that scripture! I want to finish my mission with a clear conscience and be able to look in the eyes of my bishop with NO REGRETS. He told us to do 3 things in our lives.

 1. Pray-morning and night (and at least one time with your spouse)

 2. Read the Book of Mormon every single day

 3. Keep your covenants

President and Hermana Rowley have been my parents for 16 months, and they will be greatly missed. I will never forget how much President LOVES the Book of Mormon, and Hermana Rowley saying "Tome agua."......it's the solution for everything when you are sick in Peru.

Our baptisms went through!! It was the best baptism of my whole mission. Very stressful as always. We got to the church and waiting about 30 minutes for everyone to show up. When we were all ready to start (late at usual) one of the Hermanos thought that we would provide him with Baptismal clothes...ahhhh nope we didn't have baptismal clothes for him. The Elders had to run home and bring some clothes. Thennn Maryori changed into her "Bata"-----what do you call that in English? Anyway her white baptismal dress and it was transparent. Hermana Macias and I ran home RAN. We arrived aout 10 minutes later but SWEATY. So don't judge these baptismal pictures. The hair that was once straight, and the face that was once pretty got ugly in 3 seconds when we started to run. 

FINALLY everything was set..we started the service 45 minutes late..again no suprise. Then we opened the baptismal font door to find a bunch of crickets swimming haha. We just threw them out in the hall fast. No biggy. 

Afterwards Hermana Maryori and Hermana Doris gave the most heartfelt testimonies I was shocked. I have never felt the spirit that strong in one of our baptisms. A ton of members came too to support which was awesome except for the screaming kids. 

We went home that night very very satisfied and we felt the heavens were happy too. 

I had intercambios this last week with Hermana Carrera from Trujillo! 

Saturday we watched the cultural event that took place in Trujillo and Sunday was the temple dedication! It made my whole week! Elder Uchtdorf, Elder Bednar, and Elder Godoy came. I learned a whole lot. 

Elder Uchtdor said, 

"Each time a temple is built Satan's power on eath is lessoned and God's power is more fully manisfested." 

"Being temple worthy is a standard we can and must have."

Elder Bednar talked all about doing OUR temple work not THE temple work. 

"The greatest work God has given us to do on earth is temple work for OUR DEAD. OUR DEAD NOT THE DEAD." In D&C 124 it stated "Your Dead" three times. 

"Temple work is all about OUR FAMILY not THE FAMILY." 

"Remember that the names that will be so difficult to find will be our own family names. When we were baptized our ancestors looked down at us with hope that we would offer them freedom....In your reunion with your loved ones you will see thier eyes with either gratitude or dissapointment." Depending on what we do to help them in this life. 

My testimony of the temple and of temple was strengthened. Maybe the whole Stringham geneology has been done but I know that the Carabine side lacks. If I have to I will go to Italy to find names. I love family history! We have a goal to send one name each transfer for every recent convert and rescatado that we have. The spirit of Elijiah is working in me.. 

Elder Uceda stated 5 things we must do 

1. Have a picture of the temple in your house
2. Buy your temple clothes NOW
3. Have a current temple recommend ALWAYS
4. Fill our your "My Family" book------mine got lost by the way
5. Visit the temple frequently

Hermana Macias and I like the first sesson so much that we attended all three sessions. 

Sorry this is a super long email but my parents aren't online to chat with me and lots of good stuff happened this week. 

I love you all CHRIST LIVES. Run to the TEMPLE because I can't!! 

xoxo Hermana Stringham

p.s. Hermana Macias and I put our beds together because she always gets scared at night. Last night she woke me up because she heard a scary cat-then she says "You are so good Hermana, you are going straight to heaven." I love that girl, it is our last week together :( 

SEIZE THE DAYS

June 15, 2015

Another week has passed. I hit my 16 month mark. OUCH. My comp Hermana Macias finishes her mission in two weeks so at this point we are trying to SEIZE THE DAYS. Because time is short. I can't believe it but tomorrow I will give my last testimony in my last multizone. Tomorrow will be the last time I see President and Hermana Rowley too :( It's all coming to an end slowly but surely. But I am taking it all in these last months! 

Well this last week wasn't so good our baptism fell through....because Hermana Doris had to travel to Piura for a few days and missed her baptismal interview. However we will WILL I am sure of it (if they both pass their interviews this week) have 2 baptisms this week! Hermana Doris and Hermana Margori! Whoop! This Friday. 

On Sunday they are dedicating the Trujillo Temple, unfortunately we can't travel down there but we will be able to see the dedication on Sunday in our church! 

This last week I had intercambios with Hermana Dionicio! She is from Northern California! We had a blast. First off she is darling and such a strong girl with all that she has had to go through in life. She is a recent convert (1.5 years) and the only member in her family. Second, we got to laugh a lot and talk in English. Third we ate American food---hamburgers Peruvian style....not to shabby,. We taught and visited a lot of less actives and taught them about the temple to get them excited to see the dedication on Sunday. 

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Fun fact: Tumbes is loaded with crickets right now! They sometimes jump on our faces when we are sleeping. Mom and Dad they don't fry the crickets here like they do in Cambodia so please eat one for me and send me a picture!

I made "Coconut Stuff"

I looked down at my shirt and it was NAKED! I forgot my namebadge!

June 8, 2015

Hola all! 

This last week we went to Piura for our Leadership Meeting at the Mission President's house, as always it was the most spiritual day ever! We ate sloppy joes...which before my mission I wouldn't eat, but in Peru they taste good! 

As we were at the bus station waiting for the bus I looked down at my shirt and it was NAKED! I mean I forgot my namebadge! Yay it's happened before, but I was going to a meeting with the President. YIKES. I didn't want to risk missing the bus to go get my namebadge so I just hopped on the bus and let my hair down to cover it up. Luckily not many people or missionaries noticed thanks to my hair. We went in Piura for 2 days. After our Leadership Meeting on Wednesday we were headed back to Tumbes when they told us that there is a big protest on the way to Tumbes. There are always protests...they through bricks at the bus and burn the tires...so we had to stay in Piura for one more day. Which meant 3 days without my namebadge...ooops :/ 

Anyway it was our last meeting in the mission home with President and Hermana Rowley. Kind of sad. They taught us a lot about repentence, family history (we have a new goal to send more names to the temple), how to correct missionaries when they break rules. All that good stuff. 

Bad news . Yesterday our investigator Maryori didn't come to church because she didn't have water or electricity in her house, and she didn't want to go to church without showering....which means she won't be baptized this week. It's a requirement to go to church 3 times for 3 hours each time to be baptized. Pray that she will be come to church this week and be baptized the next. 

Doris our other investigator will be baptized though this Saturday! Her husband makes excuses still to not be baptized but I know with time he too will. And that's a FAMILY! 

Have the best summer week!!!!!!! 

love you all,

Hermana Stringham

YOU REALLY BELIEVE THIS??

A lot has happened. It was a busy week...

FIRST OFF. THANK YOU THANK YOU McCall Longson and Kristin Christensen for the packages!!!!!!!! I died with joy and feeling sick from all the candy! Stuff I haven't tasted in so long like a starburst, recees peanut butter cups, kisses, snickers, orbit gum.....thanks guys your the best. 

This last week we decided to visit a family of members. As with all families they needed a spiritual boost. We walked into their door at about 7:00 p.m. Ya know in some houses you can just feel the tension? Well I felt it right as the door opened. The son was yelling at his mom because he didn't like the dress shirt she bought him. The daughter was with two other friends but they were all glued to their cell phones. The mom was lounged on the couch and the dad was getting ready for work. TYPICAL FAMILY. We sat down and tried to break the ice a little bit. But it came to a point where either we needed to share something or get out of there. I secretly just wanted to leave because I was feeling really uncomfortable with the angry son. Luckily my comp had a little more patience than I did and looked at me with the Restoration pamphlet in her hand. Fine I thought we are going to teach them the Restoration, but lets do it quick. 

We began the lesson. They were kind of listening but not that interested. Then we got to the Joseph Smith part. My comp was explaining it when the angry son looked at us and said "YOU REALLY BELIEVE THIS?" We answered "SI" We then began to share how we came to know it was true. The whole church how could it be true? We all came to a realization that you just need to PRAY that is the only thing each one of us can do. The 19 year old member who was with us shared her testimony as well of how she found the truth and finished in tears. The Spirit was SO STRONG. I felt it, my comp felt it, the member felt it. We left the family with lifted spirits that night. And I learned a lesson. The members need as much help as our investigators. 

Wednesday came. We received a call from Hermana Rowley saying that she was in Tumbes and wanted to do visits with us that afternoon...We were excited but also a little nervous. We did splits because we had another member with us too. So I visited with Hermana Rowley, she was my comp for 3 hours how cool is that! The first hour no one was home....I thought shoot...just my luck. I prayed to be able to find at least one person to teach while I was with Hermana Rowley. Finally the less actives let us in! (they always save us) haha. 

HAVE YOU EVER HAD YOUR MISSION PRESIDENT AS AN INVESTIGATOR??

The next day we had room inspections with President and Hermana Rowley. As you can imagine we were up the night before cleaning our room until we couldn't any longer....i don't like room inspections. But it went well! They gave us an A. Then President Rowley said "We wanted to do something different this time, we are going to do a practice with you." He looked at our agendas and chose an investigator to act out. Then we had to teach President  and Hermana Rowley but as "Jose and Doris" our investigators. TALK about nerve racking ahaha! They praised us and said we did great! Phew we passed that one.. 

We also had intercambios this last week I went 30 minutes away to a tiny little beach town with Hermana Ramirez from Trujillo. It was great, and I learned a lot from her! 

I was shoved in the back of the van today between two  men. I gave a mormon.org card to one of
 them but then he just wanted to get my number........sigh.

That was my busy week! How was your week?

Love you alll!!!!! 

This church is true if you are like the teenage boy and don't know it but are a member, don't live a moment longer without asking God. Just do it! All you need is to kneel and Pray! 

xoxo hermana stringham