Una Semana Fantastica!

August 27, 2012

Hola Familia!!! Como Estan?

I have lots to catch you up on.  We started out the week in Trujillo... We waited for about 4 hours in the clinic to see if I could get a demoral shot to help with my headaches and right before our turn, the doctor ran out to an emergency. So Hermana Turk made an executive decision and we went to dinner for my birthday!! I had the most delicious Fetucchini Alfredo that I have had in 11 months!! So yummy!! Thank you Pres. and Hna Turk. As we got back to the mission home Hna Turk gave me my packages from home for my birthday with the ¨magic pills¨.  (mom note: we were finally able to send her some prescription meds for pain)

The next morning we headed back to Trujillo and we got the word that Roger and Pilar were going to change their wedding date for Thursday! So we headed off to their baptismal interview Tuesday afternoon!! They are amazing and have such strong testimonies and are so excited for this next step in their life. 

Wednesday we had interviews with President Turk, and then we got to hear from Pres, and Hna Turk. It was great, a very uplifting day. Lots of things that I needed to hear, and some things that I can do to strengthen me testimony!   My interview with President was great, He is so inspired. I am looking forward to learning a lot more from him. 

So after a Long day Wednesday, we had a multi-zone meeting Thursday again with President and Hna turk. It was again another great meeting. I love being around them, they are always so full of energy and such strong spirits. 

Thursday was the wedding of Pilar and Roger, we weren´t able to go because we were in meetings all day, but they were officially married, and after our meetings we worked on preparing for the baptism that night. Satan is very powerful, so we didn´t want to give him time to do any damage. Their baptism was planned for that night and it was amazing!! The musical number, the talks, and the support of the members!! My favorite part, were the testimonies of Pilar and Roger. They were awesome. I love them so much! I didn´t get any good pictures because there were so many cameras going.

So the Week was a great success!! I love being a missionary. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve the people here in Chimbote. They have changed my life

Changes are next week, We´ll see if we get changed. I hope not, but well see. 

 

Love you all!!!! Thanks for the brithday cards!!

HNa Sandstrom 

August 20, 2012 - Happy Birthday to me!

Hola Familia!!!

Thanks so much for the birthday wishes!! I got all the cards and letters today – what a great gift.  It’s definitely going to be a birthday that I will never forget!!

This wasn't for my birthday, but Hno Lucho's on the 16th
It's just a week full of Birthdays

This past week was a good one, but I don’t have much to report. Roger and Pilar ended up not getting married, because of the mountain of paperwork. But they will either be getting married this Friday the 24th or on the 29th.  We are so happy with them.  We went with them to the devotional for President Monson. It was awesome. The songs were gorgeous, and I have to admit I was a little trunky while watching it. 

This next week is going to be great, we are going to have interviews with President Turk, and we are going to have a multi zone conference too.  Hopefully we will also have a wedding, and a belated birthday party thrown by my pensionista – she is the greatest!!!.  She has been planning it for a while. I love her!! We won’t be able to have one today because my companion and I are headed into Trujillo for me to try to get a demoral shot (Happy Birthday to me).  We will stay overnight and come back with President.

I love reading the dear-elder letters from my missionary cousins. I love reading their experiences and remembering experiences that I have had here. I am excited to share this with them for the rest of our lives. Love you Elder Holt, Sister Holt, Hermana Bosco, and Sister Thompson. 

Sorry I don’t have much to say, there hasn’t been much that has happened this week. But I want to wish my mom a very Happy Birthday!!!!! I hope that she has a fabulous day! I am so grateful for my mom and everything that she has taught me. She has been such a good example to me all my life. She has shown me how to be the best missionary. She is an example of how to always be an example of the believers, and to have confidence that our Savior will help us through every trial. I am so happy for the decisions that she has made and how she is always full of advice. She has taught me how to always love others. No matter what the situation is. She has a great testimony, and is never ashamed to share it with others. Our family has been through so rough times, but my mom has pulled us together and strengthened each one of us! I love you mom!!! 

I am so grateful to be apart of an eternal family, and I love you all. I know that we can be together forever! 

Thanks so much for your prayers for me and for the people of Peru!!

Love you 

Hna Sandstrom

eating aji de gallina - like a curry with chicken -
SO DELICIOUS and I know how to make it now 

Hna Bond from Bountiful, Hna Searman from Arizona
and Hna Coronelio from Lima

I love my companion :)

Thank You Gardener for Cutting Me Back

August 13 2012

Hola Familia Mia

I am doing good here, it’s been a pretty good week. 

This past week we had a great Mission Night, we did Lehi´s dream where we tied a rope all throughout the church, and then blind folded people. It was fun to watch the members tempt their friends. We had a great turn out, Roger and Pilar and their family came. They are really progressing, but their wedding stuff isn´t … this is Satan´s way of stopping their progress. Because we know that they are going to be great leaders someday.

This past week we had a work visit, and I was with Hermana Bond. She is from Bountiful, and is companions with Hermana Shearman. She told me that her mom is following my blog. 

So Hi mom from Hermana Bond-  J

Also last Sunday Walter received the Priesthood, and then yesterday he passed the sacrament.  It was great.

So I have been having these therapies from the nephew of the 2nd counselor of the mission.  He is blind and has a special gift. He has been rubbing my feet to find out what hurts and what is wrong with my body. He says maybe its my colon, or my cholestrol.  But it hurts SO BAD!! I was sobbing, I was screaming.  Oh it was so awful -- worth it I guess if it helped, but so far it hasn’t. :)

This past week along with my wonderful head, I have been caught with the gripe… which is the Spanish word for flu, strep throat, and any type of sickness that one may have. Its been quite fun.

I have realized that The Lord definitely brings us down before he can bring us higher. I remember the conference talk that said, ‘Thank you gardener for cutting me back’.  (FYI -it was D. Todd Christofferson April 2011 http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/as-many-as-i-love-i-rebuke-and-chasten?lang=eng&query=thanks+gardener) 
I know that this headache stuff is a trial that he is giving me to help me become better. But Oh at times it’s tough. 

Here are some scriptures that I have found in my studies this week: DC 46:19 and DC 42:48-52 and Mark 5:34-36.  I know that through my faith I can be healed, but it’s figuring out what more I can do to strengthen my faith. I thought I had faith, but I am finding out that I need more of it. 

I am so grateful to be here in Peru, and to be in this Mission, with President and Hermana Turk, and with my companion. I am seriously so blessed and happy to be here. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and I am so grateful for him and for the sacrifice that he made for me.  

I know that the Lord can take my pain away, or that he will give me the strength to make it through.

Thanks for your loves and prayers, and fasting. 

Love 

Hna Sandstrom 

 The dog is a Peruano Perro. 
They are so ugly!!
They have no hair. 
He lives with us. 

My Favorite Family

August 6, 2012

Hola Familia Mia!! (y Amigos!)

Hey! How are you All? How’s life going? What’s going on with you guys?

So life is going good here in Nuevo Chimbote. We haven´t had a whole lot of working time in our area this week, but when we have, it has be great! My favorite family (in Peru of course, nobody can replace you guys, I feel so loved and thought of. THANK YOU!!) is Roger and Pilar.  They are doing awesome! They are completely changing their lives for the gospel. Hna Pilar and Hno Roger each have such a strong testimony of the gospel. They are so prepared. They were waiting for us. I know that they needed Hna Cornelio and I, and not any other missionaries. Its incredible how the things we have said and the things they feel come from our testimonies. And what they feel when they come to church. We have been helping them today get all of the paperwork ready to get married. They want to get married the 14th.

And so even though I will terribly sad to not be with Calais on August 14th, I will be happy to be at a different type of wedding. I hope that this will help numb my pain of not being with you Cal!. LOVE YOU LOTS!

Hna Pilar

But Roger and Pilar are seriously the cutest family. Here is a picture of me and my comp with hna Pilar, but I´ll work on getting one of the whole family. I feel like if nothing else has been worth it for me to come to Peru, admidts all the pain and head problems. It was worth it to know that I have helped them come to know the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the most precious thing that we have.

This past week we got to go out visiting with our awesome pensionista. She is the best and makes the most delicious food. This is her grandson too. I might try and bring him home with me. He is adorable. And when we come for lunch and dinner, he is waiting by the window to play.  I love him.

our awesome pensionista (cook)

Fabiano, her grandson

They are having me rest tons to see if it helps the headaches, which I don´t like at all. I think this is the Grandpa John coming out in me (headaches and fighting rest). But I am praying really hard and I know so many others are praying for me too.  It’s just frustrating. 

But I do have faith that things are going to get better. I know that God will answer our prayers, It may not come when we want, and it doesn´t depend on how many people are praying but it is the will of God.  And we can´t loose faith. Thank you so much for your faith and prayers. I am seriously strengthened. I don´t know how I am still going at times but I am able to make it through. I know that he will help me through, because I am HIS MISSIONARY. And I love this work will all of my Peruvian heart.

 

Love you lots!!

Hna Sandstrom