... but for reals ... only because my daughter is perfect! Meet: Hermana Kelley from Mesa, AZ. All the qualities of a stellar missionary? She´s got ém. If I had to describe Hna Kelley in a single phrase it would be ALL IN. She has just immersed herself in the work from the moment she set foot in Perú.
Remember me my first week in the field?
Emotional mornings ... struggling to love my comp ... being tired all the time ... stressing big-time over the area ... probably super negative ...
Then flip that around 180 degrees and that´s Hermana Kelley. She is SO willing to learn and try new things, her spanish is already rocking, she´s invited the whole world to baptism (even contacts in the street, we set a companionship goal to invite people every day), SO positive and dedicated to improve. I love her.
I´m just confused ... how did I get so lucky? I want to be like: ¨President! I wanted a challenge for my last transfers! This isn´t a challenge, this is a dream!¨ haha okay, I guess the challenge part has come with the increased responsibility, but I love it!
I love it all. I love the Spirit I feel as I teach Hermana Kelley all the ins and outs of missionary work -- how to use the agenda, how to plan, how to teach and ask investigators questions. I love seeing her bear a simple, carefully thought-out testimony, I love getting her excited about our area and the members and families here. I love studying the 12 weeks training with her and refining our skills. (Seriously I still have so far to go and I´m so grateful to learn alongside her!) I love studying the language and seeing Hna Kelley´s enthusiasm to speak spanish ALL the time. I love high-fiving after miracle lessons and finding prepared investigators. I love going running with her (swimmer and runner before the mish, we´re going to be ripped by the end of this :) and watching her have all her ¨firsts¨ here in Piura!
Like...
- first bodoque (homeade fruit popsicle thing but plastic bag style and you bite off the corner)
- first moto-taxi ride (¨you´re sure this is safe right??¨) hahaha
- first time dumping sand out of her shoes at the end of the day
- first time teaching
- first time seeing a chicken waddling around the room while teaching
- first time crossing a crazy Peruvian street (no, pedestrians do not have the right of way)
- first time getting semi-attacked by dogs
- first time doing service!
- first Piura sunset
- first time seeing chicken feet in a dish
- first arroz chaufa
I feel like I´m appreciating all these little details so much more. Hermana Kelley´s just like: I love it all! I love the dirt! I love the heat! I love being a missionary!
True that.
We saw lots of miracles this week! We found new investigators through knocking on doors (like cute Francisco who´s more on the elderly side and SO attentive and the only thing he had to say after challenging him to baptism was: ¨Where do I get baptized?¨) and also got member references (from Hermana María who is doing so well!).
Hna Kelley´s first lesson was on the Atonement and Grace with Mark -- so I´m sure she´ll remember that one forever because it was awesome. Mark is going to be baptized on Saturday! I think his testimony has grown most from his personal study of the BOM and when we asked him if he´s still going to get baptized on Saturday with his famiy against it he said absolutely yes! Still one of my fav investigators of all time ...
I think our theme for these next weeks will be Doctrine and Covenants 123:17
Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.
It´s easy to do everything cheerfully with Hermana Kelley. We´re going to keep this fire going and I´m excited to find all the people God has prepared for us here in Tacalá.
Que tengan una buena semana!
Hermana Parks
Hermana Kelley!!! The day she got here.
service project!!! Hacking down tree branches with a machete and trying to plow through the rocky desert earth was a first for Hermana Kelley :)
(a member got the crazy idea that she can start a garden .. I don´t know how well that´s gonna work out in Piura, haha)
Our pensionista is an angel ... she has started giving us quinoa as a substitute for rice! heck yes! So hermana Kelley went like 5 days in Piura before she was served rice! #miracleshappen
desert life
and she brought american stuff!!! what.
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