We keep rollin rollin rollin on the river 2-2-14

I know everyone (including me) was dying to hear where Lex was transferred and how she is doing so I won't delay for a moment her posting this week!  I just got her email 7 minutes ago!  :-)

Saludos a todos del Trébol, Lima, Perú!

Hey kids, hermana Hewitt received her first area transfer in the mission!

sheeshfinallyshehadwhatlikesevenmonthsonthemissionimeancomeon

You heard me right. On Monday Hermana Jaramillo and I received word that we both would be leaving Puente Piedra. Crazy, right? It's rather rare that Presidente takes both companions out of an area at the same time. But, obediently, we packed up our things, I spent the whole night cleaning our house, and on Tuesday we went to the stake center in Las Palmeras with a gigantic group of other missionaries - almost half the mission - to find out where we'd go and with whom.

I was crossing my fingers for something far out of the city, like Huaraz or Barranca or Paris or something cool like that. SO SELFISH, I KNOW. But the faraway zones were announced and we waited and waited and WAITED and finally came the zone bordering the Lima Central Mission: El Trébol. Before I knew it, my face popped up on the screen with none other than the face of...Hermana Jaramillo! CRAZY, RIGHT?

i know.

i was shaky.

everybodywaslikewaitreally?

After all the other transfers had been announced, AP Elder Chacon announced that they were going to ask for three more testimonies. Naturally, they invited two awesome elders and the awestruck Hermana Hewitt to share their feelings with the group.

I don't remember all I said, but I opened my mouth and it was filled. Lately I have been focusing really hard on speaking and acting by the power of the Holy Ghost, and I was blessed in that moment to say things that I know someone else needed to hear. For me, I needed to be reminded that Heavenly Father has a plan and a reason for everything.

President approached my companion and I as everyone was exchanging information and keys and cell phones. He told us that Trébol has been on the bottom of the charts for about a year; that the ward is discouraged and the baptisms are few and the missionaries have unfortunately been disobedient. He let us know that he put us there because he needed missionaries who would change the culture of the zone and the area, who would animate the members and strengthen the missionaries. Our responsibility is so great, but we feel extraordinarily humbled and privileged to be given it. 

So since we got here, we decided to be more obedient and to start contacting like there's no tomorrow. Woof, it has been HARD! Our very first day, a nice fella greeted us as misioneras all friendly-like and then ended up yelling at us, pointing his finger in my companion's face and telling us flat-out that the Book of Mormon is not true and that everything we believe is a lie. 

Que gozo es poder saber

But we did contact a familia de oro yesterday night! They are wonderful. As those of you who know me more or less have figured out, I am okay with dancing and singing and wearing sequins in the street. In a similar fashion, I asked them if we could say a prayer with them right there. My companion looked at me like a crazy person, but they were all for it! And the Spirit was so strong.

SO

STRONG.

Guess what. They don't live in our area. But those elders had better baptize this family! 

Let's see, what more.

Well, Hermana Moody is in my district. She came here last transfer to train her companion, Hermana Cardozo, and they are still here together. She is pretty sure she'll die here. And her other daughter, Hermana Bendixen, is in our district too! It's crazy. Three daughters and a granddaughter, all with our beloved Hermana Moody.

One day perhaps I'll reach that unreachable star

I recognize the jungle accent now. It is SWEET.

There are a lot of older folks here. We are planning to baptize one this week. He is pretty much my grandpa. And also another investigator is like my other grandpa. I gotta say, I missed my grandpas this week. 

We are in the heart of Lima. We went from the lower-middle class outskirts to the upper-middle class suburbs. Brand new trials, brand new opportunities.

Scrunchies are still a big thing in Perú.

My companion was drugged the other day. We decided not to mess with that business.

The ward council here is phenomenal! The ward is muuuch smaller, but the leaders are outstanding and I am thrilled to work with them. Our bishop kind of looks like Mowgli. He works really hard and loves the members and has such a strong testimony of the Plan of Salvation.k

So, here's to new beginnings, new members, and stronger Saints.

EVER ONWARD

Hermana Hewitt

P.S. To everyone: If you feel like congratulating me for completing seven months on the mission, I won't send you hate mail. I love you and so does your Heavenly Father!