March 19, 2012

How are you?   

I have to say that this 

past week has been crazy!

Thanks grandma for lunch, we went with the other Hermanas to a botanical park and had hamburgers.  They were SOOO delicious!! 

THANK YOU!

We also had interviews this past week!!! Yay!! It was the best. I always love hearing from President and Hermana Turk and the assistants. There are probably pictures on Hermana Turk’s blog (Thurs March 15^th post).  But it was great fun. My interview with president Turk was great. I love hearing from him exactly how I can improve and how I can be better as a missionary and as a person. I know that he cares about me and thinks about specifically.  It’s individual and personal. I love it.

One day this week we went to Salaverry to change telephones and on the way there I thought I was on the harry potter bus from movie 3. It was crazy. I could just picture the little Jamaican head laughing at me. The drivers here are super crazy!!

So Oscar gave us a reference this week. His friend wants to be baptized and his mom gave us permission so we are super happy about that. Well we went to get Oscar before the appointment with his friend Pierro. But Oscar couldn´t leave because his mom was gone and his little sister was there with him. He had this great idea to do divisions. Haha he said Hermana Sandstrom you stay here with my sister and ill go with Hermana Mendoza to Pierros house. It was a good idea but sorry Oscar.

We went this week as district to help a member. Her roof fell and we were going to use our height (with 4 north Americans we have the advantage) to put her roof back together. We are going to another Hermana’s house tomorrow to help her too.

Yesterday we had a baptism of a little boy in our ward. His whole family is members, but a lot of them are inactive. His grandma is actually a temple worker in the Provo temple. I think, I know she lives in Provo and works there. It was a great baptismal service. The family of Hermana Turk is here and their nieces and nephews sang the new primary song, I know my Heavenly Father loves me.  I think that is the name of it. Not sure. But they learned it in Spanish. It was so great!! I loved it. The spirit was so strong!!! Reminded me tons of home, all my little cousins.

  

Today we went with the Turks and their family to the famous beaches of Trujillo. We played volleyball and flew kites. It was an awesome day!!  My face is so sunburnt. Oww
(see Turks blog March 20 post 11:39 am rough start...fantastic finish)

SO tomorrow is CHANGES!!!! I´m leaving Monserrat but I don´t know where I´m headed off to yet. I´ll find out tonight.  I´m sad to be leaving but it is a needed change. I have grown to love the members of this ward so much. I love Trujillo.

´Thank you all for everything!! I´m excited for the this change! It will be good.

Love you all lots!!!

Hermana Sandstrom.

3/12/12

Hola Familia!!

Oh how I love you and I love hearing from you.  You must know I think about you everyday and pray for you all the time.

So you know you miss mom's cooking  when your pensionista gives you popcorn or porcork for dinner and its the best meal ever!

So you know you are a true missionary when you are always tired and the 10 minute taxi puts you to sleep.

So you know you are having a great time on your mission when the Noche de Misional turns into a water balloon fight between the missionaries and the ward mission leader.  So funny.

So you know you are a good missionary when you and your companion wake up at 4:30 in the morning to call the other hermanas investigators to wake them up and go to work so that they can go to church.

:)

Last Monday, we spent the majority of the day at a funeral.  I didn't quite know what to expect, we were there for three hours in the morning and I was fine (there was no casket), but when the casket came in I don' know why happened.  All of the memories from Lindsay's viewing and funeral came flooding back.  I don't remember all the details, but the overall events.  I guess I could never fully appreciate the significance of having the gospel as part of our lives during that time.  As I sat in the chapel on Monday, i watched people cry, and mourn because, as for their knowledge, this was the end.  Oh how powerful it was for us as missionaries to stand and testify of the plan of salvation.  Because its real.  'He lives to grab me daily breath.  He lives and I shall conquer death.'  It's because of the atonement, crucifixion and the resurrection that we are able to conquer just like he did.  He is our perfect example.  

Thanks so much for being great examples to me during this time.  It was hard in different ways for all of us.  It would have been easy for all of us to be done or stop being productive for a while.  but we had this unseen force behind us.  Thank you for pressing forward. 

This past week has been quite the experience. We only have about two investigators and we have been searching for new people like crazy. Seriously it’s been a roller coaster. But the Lord knows what he is doing and why. And he knows who he wants us to become. I have been thinking about the talk from general conference about where the Lord is the gardener and He knows what we can become and this is why sometimes he is cutting us back. Because HE LOVES US!!! Its true, He loves us so very much.

I was having some struggles and during our interviews with our zone leaders on Tuesday I asked for a blessing. And you know what, it was the coolest. I have found so much strength through the blessing. During the blessing I heard some things I wasn´t expecting to hear but throughout the week I know why the Lord wanted me to hear those things. After the blessing Elder Elmer told me to go write those things down because they definitely didn´t come from him. It’s so true. Those things come directly from God, Our Father in Heaven. I invite those of you who are struggling right now in your life to ask for a blessing.  You will receive the guidance that you need and feel the peace and then if you follow the council given you will feel the support and help from God as you go about those things. I know the priesthood is real and it has been restored to us in these latter days.

As for my 2 investigators; Ceni is such a hoot. I love visiting her. She has a restaurant and gives pension, which means basically she regularly feeds people. She always calls us ‘mi amor’, which means my love. I love hearing that. So this is her struggle. She can´t come to church and doesn´t have much time when we can really teach lessons. But I swear one day she is going to be future relief society president. She is such an amazing person. Please pray for her that she will be able to sacrifice one hour Sunday morning to come to church with us.

Our other is Annamelba. Her daughter was baptized with Hermana Oliveros. (who I got to see this past week!!! So fun) I visited annamelba with Hermana oliveros and she wants to be baptized but doesn’t want to commit to a date. She doesn’t feel like she has her absolute answer. But she loves coming to church and wants to be baptized. Its funny. But we are planning her baptism service for the 24th. I know we can help her, she is great!

WE had quite the encounter with an hermana last Sunday. Her dad was our investigator but she doesn´t want him to listen. She was yelling so loud neighbors were coming out of their houses to listen and see what all the commotion was. It was horrible. I just sat there and cried. She yelled at me, you must not understand Spanish because I told you two months ago i don´t want you to visit my dad. The thing is her dad wants to listen and it’s not even her dad. Her mom and her are renting rooms there. He is married to someone in Spain. Its so weird. But it was awful.

So last week we received an invitation to read the Joseph Smith Story multiple times before General Conference in a couple of weeks. I invite you to do the same. I know it will help us receive personal revelation during Conference (Its the most wonderful time of the year). :)

Anyways I love you all so much! Thanks so much for everything

Love Hermana Sandstrom

DC 6:13,14-19 

March 5, 2012 

Hola Familia!!!

Everything is fantastic here in Peru. We have had quite the week. So first off we had a great Mission night. It was great; we had so many people there, less actives and investigators. It was so fun. I´ve got some great new Peruvian games to play!

  

During the last part of the mission night activity, Oscar had his interview. He knew all of the information and Elder Elmer said that he was really smart, but he sensed that something was wrong.  Oscar said that he had been seeing ghosts and having really bad nightmares. So after the interview Elder Elmer wanted to give him a blessing. It was cool. He also brought his arm to the square. He did it all in english because he didn´t quite know how to in spanish.  It was really powerful and the blessing he gave Oscar after was awesome. so much comfort and advice that he was able to feel. 

Isabel's baptism

So the best part of this week was that we had two baptisms. OSCAR AND ISABEL WERE BAPTIZED. It was awesome. Isabel was so excited. She was great. She was calm and confident and then after bore her testimony. It was so sweet. She has grown and made such a change in her life. It was cool.

Sweet Isabel

Oscar's baptism

Oscars baptism was also great (although a little nerve racking when we had issues in the font again).  Maybe one day I’ll have a calm baptism. ha.  Well Oscars whole family was there and his dad, who isn´t a member, really loved the service-- so we are going to work with him now (yea).  Also his family from another part of trujillo were there. There were also lots of members from the ward. It’s so great when the ward gets involved. We really did see the Lord’s hand in our work this week. 

He really does bless His missionaries. It’s so powerful. I am learning so much everyday that is making me a better person. I can´t imagine my life without my mission. I have already learned so much!! He is watching over us all. 

I love you all thanks so much for you prayers. 

Pray for me extra hard this week it’s going to be a tough one. - Thanks

love Hermana Sandstrom 

Baptisms

February 27 2012

Hola Familia!

Como Estan?

This past week we were crazy busy and so many things happened. We had a multi-zone activity with all of the other Hermanas here in Trujillo. It was great to see them all.  It was also great to hear messages from President Turk and Sister Turk. They are so awesome. President Turk invited all of us to close our eyes and to remember our baptisms. For some it was in the past couple of years and for others it was a long time ago. But for us to remember the clothes, the music, the water, the place, our family and friends, to remember the person who baptized us and to remember the words of the prayer. It was so cool. To remember dad and I dressed in white.  I remember all of my friends and family were there. I was baptized on the same day as two of my elementary school friends, lara shelley, and jordan wheat. I remember dad whispering to me that he had looked in the font and had seen ice cubes floating. I was so nervous and didn´t want to get in the water. When I stepped in the font. It was so warm and I felt so much peace as I stepped into the water with dad.  I remember coming up out of the water and feeling so clean. The spirit was so strong!! What do you remember about your baptisms? Think about it.  Write down what you feel and how you remember it.

Angie's baptism

I got to put this into action and think about it again Saturday night. ANGIE was BAPTIZED!!! It was so cool. She felt so good and she even halfway shared her testimony after. It was great! I was so happy for her. It was really a miracle that we found her again and that she wanted to be baptized!  A baptism isn´t complete with out the gift of the Holy Ghost. So Sunday morning we went to wake her up and she was already up and getting ready. Her friend luz was there, she doesn’t believe in the Mormons-- its sad. She doesn’t know why and she doesn´t want to learn. Anywho- we went running around for our other investigators and came back for Angie 30 minutes before church. She wasn´t there. She had left with luz. I was so sad for her. Twice this has happened to me. They are baptized and then disappear before their confirmation. Well we waited for a while and then left for church. While we were waiting for church to start, Elder Elmer pulled us out to introduce us to an investigator who is part of our ward. As we finished I told him Angie didn´t come with us. So during the opening hymn he comes in and asks where Angie lives. I give him directions and he leaves. I have to say, I was asking God why this was happening and what more we could have done for her. Well with about 10 minutes left in the meeting, Elder Elmer flags us out again and guess what?..... HE HAD ANGIE WITH HIM!!!  But yes it was a miracle that he found her and that she received the gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday.

sleeping under the stars

Last night when we got back to our room it was so so hot. Remember the lake powell analogy? Yes so we did something very lake powellish, we slept outside under the stars. It was so cool!!! So fun.

We have some pretty great members of our ward here in Monserrat who remind me so much of some of my family members. Hermana Estella reminds me so much of Grandma BArker (Gma I got your package today! THANKS so much!!!) And Mario Ruiz reminds me so much of Uncle Ray. Its crazy but I love it.

We got a call last night from the district leaders, there is a funeral today for somebody in their ward. So we have been asked to represent the missionaries and attend the funeral.  And to talk to these people about the plan of salvation. I love teaching about the plan of salvation. But I don’t like funerals. After lindsay´s funeral and also Lindsay Draper’s dad's funeral, they are hard and i just don´t like them. When you attend a funeral where the majority are members of the church, its a time to remember the happy memories because there is the knowledge of something more. But this morning when we were at the viewing it was just painful.  We are going back after internet time to talk to people.  Oh Its going to be interesting.

 

I Love you all. 

Thanks so much for your prayers, 

letters, and support!!

I´m the luckiest missionary!!

Con Mucho Amor

Hermana Sandstrom

eating sandia :) yum

February 20 2012 

I loved the Valentine packages. THANKS. Its been so fun! Thanks for the scriptures and the quotes and the suggestions. I don´t know about the progress on the Trujillo temple. It’s not close to my area. 


I’m so jealous of your St. George weekend. Good luck emmy and megan in your soccer games! I was telling my companion that a lot of my family was in st.george this weekend; swimming, playing games in the sun, shopping and paying soccer. And she said Hermana, I am your family and we are doing the same things here.... kinda. It was so funny; I was like oh yea. :)

It’s getting so hot here right now. We are dying. When we go in houses to teach it’s an oven. Picture those adobe houses in forgotten canyon at Lake Powell and that’s where I am. It’s about 85 degrees, some days closer to 90.  We go in these houses to teach and the sweat just runs. It’s so hot! But as soon as we go outside the air feels so good. Some days I just want to go jump in the water. Oh Powell. :)

So mom I´m so glad you are loving the mtc. Your description last time of those elders was exactly my same feelings. So much you want to share, but you just don´t know how to say it in spanish. 

This past week has been a week of MIRACLES!!! Literally. So at our last district meeting we were asked who in our area is progressing we all wrote down their names and throughout this past week we have been praying for every investigator in the zone in every prayer. It has been soo cool. To pray for the success of the other missionaries and their investigators by name. Well as we were doing this our three names that we gave have not really been progressing BUT we have encountered three different people and they have progressed immensely!! 

Emma and Isabel are doing great. Isabel is going to be baptized Saturday March 3rd. Yay, she is so fun. When we walk down the street Isabel and Alexandra run out to meet us. I love it. Emma is progressing but a lot slower. Her dad is a very stout catholic and doesn´t understand why another baptism is important. He has given permission for us to baptize Isabel, but Emma is easily persuaded so we need to be patient with her. But we love them so much!!

... And for the other miracle this week. Remember Nicole.... Well her older sister Angie listened to us when we would visit dayvi and nicole-- but Angie didn’t want to come to church or be baptized. Well one day we were going to visit nicole and she didn´t want to come out of her room and talk to us so we just started talking with angie. Well we started singing Soy un Hijo de Dios. (I am a child of God) and she loved that song. She has a 6th month old baby and she wants the very best for him. She wants him raised in the church. She said she wants to be baptized and come to church with us on Sunday. So guess what she came to church with us yesterday and is getting BAPTIZED!!! I´m so excited for her!! There are members of the ward that want to help her because she is so young and the baby’s dad isn´t around.  But she wants this for her baby. So cool.  Last night was her interview and Her baptism is saturday!!  I love her. 

I have really been trying to love the people her in my area. Last week mom said `give all the love you can` and I have been trying hard.  When I am really focusing on the needs of the investigator the love just comes. It’s awesome, I love the feeling. 

Please pray for Emma, Isabel, Angie, Jose and his wife Brenda this week. 

Thanks so much for all of your love and support!! I love you all! 

HNA SANDSTROM  

Christmas/Valentines pants - Thanks Aunt Sherry
I'm going to see if a lady in our ward can alter them
I'll need them if I go to Huraz :)
kaylee was really never this big - the xxl was all that was left :) 

Hermano Freddy, our ward mission leader and the one who
does our laundry, brought us pizza hut!! OH my gosh it was delicious!!
and yes that is real strips of bacon - oh the little joys in life 

Sandrita and Fabricio - we live with their family

Hermana Mendoza had an ear ache,
so this is an old wives tale that is supposed to relieve it
 - you light the whole thing on fire and air comes out in big puffs 

Hey Familia! ¿Como estan? 

Hello Hermana Mendoza  my new 'companera'

FELIZ DIA DE AMOR!!!!!!!

good bye to the awesome Hermana Oliveros 

This week has been crazy!! I love it. This past week we had changes. It was crazy but good. My New companion is Hermana Mendoza. She is from Bolivia -Santa Cruz. She is the oldest in her family of 8 kids and she is a 4th generation member. She is amazing and a very hard worker! Our numbers have been awesome this past week!. We are going to see miracles this change. We are determined to do the very best! Always! She is great. Hermana Oliveros is in Huaraz. Hermana Mendoza came from Huraz. Huraz is a 10 hour bus ride away and is basically Utah. With tons of snow right now and i hear it rains all the time. I can´t wait to go there. 

So this past week we started teaching Emma and Her two daughters Alexandra and Isabell. They are awesome. She is separated from her husband. Her daughter has accepted baptism and she is thinking about it because she was baptized as a baby. Her father is working as the adversary and discouraging her to be baptized again. But we have time no worries. They all came to our missionary night activity but not to church. We need to get them to the church this Sunday so they can be baptized before next change. But I love them so much and want the best for them. 

awesome sunset in our area

So my Spanish is coming right along. I had our new zone leader tell me that it was really good and he couldn´t tell who was talking me or my companion :) I was stoked. Hopefully it will continue to improve. I can understand a lot more than I can speak which is frustrating at times. 

So with changes we got a new zone leader. His name is elder Terry. He is from highland. Crazy huh? He is friends with trevor smith and and also a new elder in our district is from ceder hills. He is friends with daryl chadwick and knew lindsay. crazy connections. 

Wakka Wakka - ancient temple

So today we visited Wakka Wakka as a zone. It was great fun to finally see something of Peru. It’s this temple that was buried and now they are discovering it and excavating it. 

great scripture !  2 Nephi 28:29

I’m excited to hear more about your new calling mom!! 

Congrats Connor on winning at the Science Fair - tell me more about your project.  Parker, sorry you've had so many stomach aches, hang in there buddy.  I love you boys!! You guys are the best valentine I could ask for!!! 

Here is the photo on the roof with juana. We have officially stopped meeting with her. She has told us that she doesn´t have time for God and that she doesn´t want to follow Jesus Christ-- so sad. 

The clown faces photo last week was when we visited a lady in our ward. She has a costume shop. Lindsay would be in heaven.   

Please pray for Emma, Isabell, Melissa, Kristy, Ingrid, and Ricardo this week.    Thanks! 

Con Mucho Amor 

Hermana SANDSTROM

February 6th 2012 


Changes are coming...

This week has gone by fast.  We have come to the end of another change. wow. Hermana Oliveros receives her change information tonight and I’ll find out my new companion. CRAZY! I will be leading my area and I´m nervous about this. I’m not so confident about my ability to lead, but I´m hoping I get an experienced companion and she can help me out.

i don't know if this is supposed to be
 ducks on the roof or not -
but apparently Kaylee's area anyway 

So this past week was kind of a downer. We went to visit Juana, in this pictures she is showing us her ducks that live on her roof. (so funny)  We wanted to invite her to church and asked her if she still wanted to learn more and to be baptized and follow Jesus Christ. She said no—just that bluntly.  It’s so sad when people make those decisions. I feel really sad for her. 

Then the next day we went to visit Josue and his mom Pricilla. Well they too said that they no longer wanted to be baptized. So yea that pretty much where our area is. It is now time for changes, and we are going to start fresh-- New companion and new investigators. We are going to have success this coming change!!

Hermana Oliveros has been a wonderful companion
hard working and a lot of fun too!

I have learned so much from Hermana Oliveros. I have learned patience and faith and to never give up. We just keep going one day at a time. And when people make sad decisions or reject the gospel we have to accept the fact that it’s not because of us. We have done all we can. It’s up to them.  That is our mission-- To invite others to come unto Christ. INVITE is the key word. 

Who can you invite to come unto Christ?  They could be a member, non-member, family member, or complete stranger. Who can you help to come unto Christ? I invite all of you to help us with the missionary work. I love this scripture: This is what we do. Every member of the church 2 Nephi 25:26

This is the Lord´s work. This is why I am here. So many miles from home and everything I know… To talk of Christ, to Rejoice of Christ and to share the message of the restored gospel. I love the work! Yes the days are long and its blasted hot, and I am frustrated. But I wouldn´t still be here unless I knew that this gospel was true. That our savior Jesus Christ LIVES!! How special is this message! 

So a question for you returned missionaries. How do you approach the Catholics or other religious people? How do you help them realize that there is more than just believing in Jesus Christ and occasionally 

saying your prayers or visiting a church? 

Thanks for your prayers and love family!!! 

LOVE

Hermana Sandstrom

Mom that will be great for you to be a Spanish speaking investigator at the MTC. I´m so excited for you.