Intercambios.....

We did intercambios this week. I went with Hermana Escobedo. She's latina. So a full day of no english. But it really wasn't that hard. I'm pretty sure I've switched from being someone who just is learning spanish to someone who speaks it. I can even talk on the phone without getting stressed. (For those who don't know, I really struggle in english speaking over the phone. So this is big). But it was an insane day. We taught NINE lessons. NINE. That's a lot. Hermana Favero and I usually max out at four. It's because we're both really new, and the area was left alone for about two weeks because of Hermana Fairchild's foot, so we're building it back up. But basically, Hermana Escobedo told me I need to talk more in lessons, and when she looks at me to teach for more than just a minute or two, but to actually let the Spirit speak through me. So I did with all those lessons. And it's amazing how much better I got as a missionary in just one day. I had some amazing moments with investigators I don't even know. I forget how much revelation I really am entitled to as a missionary. So the next day, Hermana Favero and I were teaching out on the street, a lady Carmen, and I just taught and taught (like actually half of the time like I should), and afterwards, Hermana Favero looked at me and asked, "What happened to my companion? I was thinking, Who even is this girl?" She was really impressed and really happy. So I now feel about a thousand times better. I LOVE teaching. I love being a missionary. It's so fun helping people and watching them change.
We had a lesson with José again, and so I was in charge of figuring out what to teach him, because he already has all the missionary lessons. So I made a really long timeline out of just paper, and put a tiny dot on it, and told him that was earth life. everything before, and everything after and more is la vida preterrenal, and life after death. I ended up just kinda confusing him at first, so we kept trying to explain it... I need to make a better visual. But anyways, we shared scriptures from Abraham with him (he's practically a member, so it's not confusing for him), and really discussed eternity with him. We also told him he has three choices, and told him that he could be sealed to his deceased spouse if he separates from his pareja. He and his pareja don't even love each other, but he still loves his deceased wife a ton. So it's really just down to him making a decision. He's an amazing person though. I hope to see him get baptized one day.
So we teach some really wonderful people- at an old folks home. We do it partly for service, but they all keep converting!!! So we have three members, and a recent convert there. We now have two baptismal dates for the end of February with two of them. They all hobble to church (the members) each week. They're the best. Then we tried to commit another one to baptism, and he said (like every peruvian) I'm Catholic. So all the viajitos (as we call them) said, don't worry, he's just new. I swear, that place is a place of conversion. It's the best!
We also committed Elsi, who's married to a menos activo of many many years (he fell away with his bishop as a youth, they both started drinking together!) So anyways, he has his testimony still, and Elsi LOVES the family a proclamation to the world. And so we just have to get them married (marriage is expensive here, which is why nobody is married btw). But then she can get baptized,a nd he can be rescued. Man, I love seeing little miracles happen down here! :)
So the spanish word for attend (like to attend church) is asistir. So EVERY missionary ever, says assistances when we're counting how many church attendances we got of investigators each week. And it really bothered me at first. I swore I'd never say assistances, because it's not a word. But I said it this week. So sorry if my english is really a lot weirder than it already is when I go back home.
Also, I read a scripture in 3 Nephi 5:13 this week. It was very powerful to me and my calling. Y'all should read it. I love that I have literally been called of God to help people gain eternal life. And that's so much more than what I can even comprehend what I'm doing. And I literally have power and authority given me from God to do this work. It's just amazing to me. And that's how I'm seeing all these little miracles so often. And it's how people change their hearts. It's why people, like our investigator Sandi, dream about two white girls showing up with a blue book that changes her life before ever meeting the missioanries or hearing about the book of Mormon. Yo sé que esta obra es la obra de Dios. Y todo lo que estoy haciendo es de gran importancia. Yo sé que en este mundo, que no cree en Dios ni Jesucristo, que ellos son reales.  Y he sentido el poder de Dios en bendiciones, en el templo, y en mi obra. Yo sé que hay más después de esta vida. Y estoy más feliz y gozoso que antes mi mision.
Still loving life as always. Pictures next week if the internet is faster. Sorry for slacking on that.
Hermana Brogan