Quick update… but so inspirational! 6-23-14

I came up with my new motto today:

The battle is bloodier when we decide to fight.

WE WORKED OUR BUMS OFF THIS WEEK. 

Our appointments fell through.

Our members didn't have time to help us.

Those who did have time saw no success when they were with us.

Our bishopric who I have grown to love so much was changed.

We taught the first lesson like GOLD to three different people who literally just looked at us and said I don't care. (Precious time wasted.)

Our electricity shorted and we haven't had a way to cook for three days. 

#coldcereal

We were ignored.

We were rejected.

We were made fun of.

We were yelled at.

We were IN DESPAIR.

Our two precious baptisms fell through and it crushed us.

And then, the morning came.

We took the sacrament.

We were renewed.

We were transformed.

We were recharged.

We worked and worked and worked some more and we prayed and the Savior pulled us through. 

I testify that God loves us. Though the devil may toss us around to the point where all we can do is laugh because the tears don't come anymore, we have a promise. If we build upon the rock of our Redeemer, 

we cannot fail.

Be diligent, and don't give up. Just don't you dare do it. Pray and work and be humbly obedient to your God, and He will not let you fall.

Our new 1st counselor to the Bishop said something in sacrament meeting, and I would like to agregate the words of the Prophet Thomas S. Monson. 

"We came to this earth to serve the Lord as leaders in His Church." Shall we falter, or shall we finish?

I love you all!

Hermana Hewitt

Corazón. Alma. Mente. Fuerza. 6-9-14 (last week's email)

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

I love it!

Ah where do I even begin. Okay so we had transfers this week and I have a new companion! Hermana Do Santos. She is from Iquitos (the JUNGLE) and has 4.5 months on the mission. I am her second companion on the mission and we have some great great things in store for us!

My companion is such an incredibly simple-hearted, humble, and wonderful person. She knows how to listen to investigators and she really cares about each of the people we are teaching, even if she doesn't know them well yet. We are working to get her doctrine-teaching skills up to par, and what a great blessing that has been for me! I have the honor of helping her to confide in herself and in the Spirit to make us powerful. It is not an overnight process, but it is so indescribably rewarding already.

We have gone out and worked with everything we have this week! I testify that God answers prayers and that He can give us immediately those righteous desires of our hearts. With this new transfer I pondered a lot about the things I wanted to change and improve in the way we are doing the work in order to see better results, and as I have prayed sincerely for more faith and energy and for the desire itself to go out and change the world, it has been given to me tenfold. I am flat-out EXCITED to work!

Poor sweet Hermana Do Santos looks at me like a crazy person sometimes when I stop families in the street, but she did tell me in our companionship inventory that she appreciates my enthusiasm.

:)

Also she has an awesome jungle accent. It's like Southern U.S.A. vowels, but in Spanish. My favorite accent of all that I have picked up on.

Anyway. President came to our zone to give us a training as well as have interviews this week. Hermana Pinto had a very deserved right to make fun of me because I ALWAYS leave President's trainings having cried...but seriously! That President Archibald is one inspired leader! He talked to us about the dramatic expectations of this Work of Salvation that is being implemented in the Church - our vision has been soooooooo small. There has been this little-by-little mindset for a long time, but when President Monson said that the Lord is hastening His work in this time, he was talking about a very serious change. 

Another prophet, of the same priesthood authority and holy order as our beloved President Monson, tried to warn the people a very long time ago. That prophet's name was Noah, and it was raining.

Are we going to follow the prophet, or are we going to drown? I testify to you, every last one of you, that those are our options. Those are our two options, and we have the choice. 

I am going to follow the prophet, and I am going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am here to work with my heart, might, mind, and strength, and I know that when I do that, God is going to work miracles by my hands. I feel like Ammon! I cannot boast of my own strength, but I will now and always rejoice in the power of the Lord.

Please make the right choice.

I love you all!

Hermana Hewitt

In the vicinity 6-16-14 (with pics)

I ALMOST went to the temple this week! Haha dang it I am in despair. We had to go to La Molina (same district as the temple) for immigrations two days in a row. Hanging out in Interpol. Represent.

Also, my companion wears glasses and lost hers in her old area so we had to go buy some on Tuesday. The sweetest young couple owns the glasses shop! But they don't live in our area so we can't teach them! ARRRGGGHHHH however I do try and exercise charity so we are going to give the reference to the elders in their area. They had better baptize that family. 

With Hermana Do Santos

Anyway. While we were checkin out lenses, a small woman in a red sweater came and stood square in the front of the store, spit hard on the sidewalk to her right, and stared at me until I looked at her. I smiled and said Buenos días. She sneered at me and asked, "Are you a man or a woman?"

I was a bit stunned. I looked down at my long skirt, my jacket, my pretty scarf, and touched the end of my braid. Well...I am pretty certain I am a woman, and I am pretty certain I look like one too. Without really processing as I should have, I smiled again and asked, "What do you think?"

She began her rampage. Apparently there was a gringo man searching for her because he wanted to be with her, but she didn't care if I was this man or if I was someone else. She was there to tell me what a horrible person I am for being white and having the nerve to show my face in public in a third world country. I haven't ever heard such awful accusations as the ones that followed! At first I was trying to point to my plaque and say look lady I am a missionary but my companion grabbed my hand and shook her head. Thankfully, our new friend in the glasses store asked the woman to dismiss herself and I just tried to back away and not look at her. We continued with the process of choosing and buying glasses and she waited outside for about half an hour before finally retiring. 

I WAS ON EDGE ALL DAY LONG.

But at least I know that I don't REALLY look like a man. 

… or does she?  Thanks Uncle Jared and Aunt Sue for the "lip sweater"!

It's all good in this neighborhood.

We had the choice opportunity to talk in sacrament yesterday. On Father's Day.

WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT TO ME.

I was a mess on the pulpit. Mom, Dad, why did you make me such a crybaby?

All we're going to say is that I love my daddy, I love my stepdaddy, I love worthy priesthood holders, and I love my Heavenly Father. Thank you, all good men in my life. Keep being excellent fathers.

We've got a couple baptisms up to bat this week! Passed their interviews and super excited. :) Also we are going to work for 10 fechas! Keep Hermana Hewitt and Hermana Do Santos in your prayers!

I love you all and wish you éxito, esperanza, y ánimo.

Hermana Hewitt

OH P.S. Quote of the Week:

Ummm there are two. One was Elder Feller, our Argentinian Health Secretary. Somebody helping him with English taught him the incorrect name for the pound (#) sign on a cell phone. He started giving me someone's number and said, "Okay... Sister Aliaga's number is...hashtag 9546..."

Also, an investigator, Elena, was talking about her hard life and a fly zoomed past my face. As I swatted it away, she grumbled, "The fly, that BARBARIAN!"

I hope those actually are funny things. The mission makes me think EVERYTHING is funny. Therefore, I am happy!

With Hermana Pinto