Later Happy Hanford!

Hey everybody!

So we'll start off with transfers!  Elder Agazzani is going to be training!  WHOOOOOOOO!  I'm going to have a grandson!  He'll also be taking my place as district leader!  Ha!  So he's doing exactly what I did with him: district leader, trainer, and leading the area for the first time! Yeeeeeeeeeees!  Maybe his trainee will do the same thing and then I'll have a great grandson!  Yeah!  That'd be sweeeeet!  As for me, I'll be heading to Visalia to be a zone leader with yet another native companion also from Paraguay.  I think the Lord really wants me to learn Spanish good.  We'll be in a Spanish WARD. That's right complete with an obispo (bishop) and everything.  It's going to be so weird and so awesome at the same time to actually have a ward to work with!  I'm really looking forward to it!

Well enough about transfers!  We had another successful week this week!  Especially as a district!  We made the goal on Monday that we'd hit 100 lessons as a district together this week because we hit 92 this past week.  WE TAUGHT 106 QUALITY LESSONS!  THAT'S RIGHT BABEE!  106!  It felt so great to hand that number over to our leaders.  They were awe-struck with the righteousness of that number.  It was awesome.  Disclaimer though:  It's not all about the numbers.  Each of those lessons were QUALITY lessons.  We didn't just teach a bunch of random bums and just count them.  So yeah.

I've started to read the New Testament now that I've completed the Book of Mormon and it is so GOOD!  Especially with the Joseph Smith translation.  Our church is so true.  Jesus really is the Christ.  Just pop open one of your scriptures and it'll testify that he is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. (You might have to dig some to find them in the Old Testament but they are there!)

Ok. Time for my follow up with yall.  When you read my last letter did you read the BOMmed part?  Have you started?  Are you coming up with an excuse right now for why you can't? There is NO reason why you cannot.  The Savior's Atonement is all about CAN.  If you are thinking up some excuse for why you can't, I invite you to first repent, then get down on your knees then ask for some help to find time or MAKE time to read the Book of Mormon and finish it within 6 months of starting! Don't cheat yourself of so many blessings!

I love you all!  Keep on  keeping on!

Elder Frame

Worth It!

Well, I have no time and wanted to write a little bit of the time I have left! So everything here has been going great and yes I love every bit of my mission! But I did have one day this week I wanted to go crazy! It is a bit chaotic here in our branch.

Our president has left and it is affecting everyone. When there is no head there is no organization at all. He left and is having problems returning so we have been without a president for about 2 months now. But it has taken a toll on the members, our investigators, and definitely the missionaries. One day I turned to my companion and said.... "ugh sometimes it is hard being a member of the church." and then literally as I said that I tripped stepping up onto the curb, biffed it hard core and I have to say it was one of those moments I should have started laughing but I started crying. I was so overwhelmed as I have been training, helping all the leaders with their callings because they don’t see the importance in doing it, and our citas had fallen through and I felt like the world was just totally falling. Haha! Oh how I laugh about it. But seriously I just laid there, cried like a 2 year old for a few seconds and then told my companion... We can do this... Haha!  Oh brother, the experiences on a mission.

But even when it feels like nothing is working out I had the thought. It will only be for a moment. And it was. Everything is not perfect right now but it is all worth it.

I have had so many other experiences this week and have no time but overall I LOVE IT. I love being a missionary.

But I found a quote this morning. President Uchtdorf said.

"Living the gospel is not a burden. It is a joyful rehearsal- a preparation for inheriting the grand glory of the eternities."

It is so true. I love being a member of the church and I love helping others come to realize that the gospel is everything, even when it is hard. 

But enjoy your week wherever you are. Keep up the work, and let us all focus on building Zion wherever we are. It is worth it. All worth it.

Well, love you all!

Hermana Frame

We have had Quillabamba days this week and all the schools march.

 They call it disfiliando. Crazy!

But it is so fun to watch them and 

we were able to see some of the members in our ward.

Francesca one of the young women in our ward, 

loving it! It is hot though and they get so tired. 

But it is a cool tradition they had.

We had family home evening again and made arroz con leche with mozamorra]!

 It is a normal dessert they have here in Peru! It is super yummy!

We went to Cusco for a conference!

 We were able to see Hermana White with her daughter (she is training too

We had a great time helping with a boda-wedding

 that Hermana Essig and Hermana Guahardo had that night we were there.

 We helped with all the food and all the people loved it

 as Hermana Bazo and I were the servers.

It was super interesting!

Hermana Hunter turned to me at the wedding and said...

 I want Chilis... Let’s go and grab some chips and salsa....

 so we went and hurried back as it was almost nine thirty haha!

 We went there and also to get frozen yogurt! We had such a fun time! 

The pics of all the people selling food in the plaza de armas! 

It is so fun to be in a different culture to see everything they eat, sell, and well... enjoy!

 Helping Hermana Margarita with her family history! 

Oh I love doing it and she is so excited to bring the names to the Lima temple.

 It is 24 hours away but has a goal to go in December!  Wahoo!

I went to Siete Tinajas for the 4th time with my zone!

 I think I know it pretty darn well!

 But we found another small waterfall a little farther in so that was cool!

BOM-med

Random pic of me I found on this elders camera!

 Sweet. It's during out leadership meeting.

Whoa.  Sorry.  Last week I took too long at a soccer activity that was an hour and a half away and we weren't able to email. Now I gotta tell yall how two weeks went.

Honestly. It feels like it's been four days since I last emailed.  The weeks are super meshed together.  It's almost the end of another transfer and I'm going to turn into an old missionary next transfer since I hit my year mark.  Crud.  I'VE ONLY HAD TWO AREAS! THERE'S NO WAY THAT I CAN BE OUT FOR A YEAR!  I'm not an old missionary. Every time somebody asks me how long I've been out after my year mark, I'm just going to say "Oh, just over a year."  I won't be an old missionary.  It's not possible.

So yeah the Gomez family is doing super good since being baptized!  The two kids went to mutual last week and brought 4 other friends.  It was sweet!  We now are going to start teaching they're friends and their families!  It's been awesome!  The Lord is blessing us with families to teach!  It's been so exciting and rewarding to see our faith and works and prayers and studies and everything we do out here in the mission pay off!  I've said it before and I'll say it again: This is the most satisfying thing I've ever done in my life.

I'm about to finish the Book of Mormon.  I'm reading the rest of Ether and Moroni right now.  I've studied it a bit differently than I have before.  I've read it trying to imagine Moroni writing all those things down. Alone. Wandering. Nobody with him.  It's interesting to study the Book of Mormon through the eyes of the writers. You can see them writing something down and just hoping and praying that we read it. That we use it. That we change our habits and ways of thinking because of it.  You can relate any story in the Book of Mormon to something you are going through.  Here's a few things I've discovered and learned as I've read through the Book of Mormon these past two months.

Moroni: We are never truly alone.

Alma the Elder and his son Alma: We can receive help from heaven with those that we love.

Nephi: No matter how righteous you are, you are going to have trials. Endure them with faith.

Teancum: Anger is not a good reason to kill somebody.

Moroni: Freedom is always something to fight for.

And a bunch of others.

Hey. If you just read this you just got BOM-med: Book of Mormon bombed. You gotta read the Book of Mormon within the next 6 months.  It's going to bless your life immensely. That's an easy promise to make seeing as every single prophet since forever has promised us that.

Love you all!  Have a great week!

Elder Frame

 Hat's off to the trees of Cali.

My companion loves me and my guitar

Cool Sunset!

Well, this week was a great week! We are here in the internet early getting in our emailing because we have a crazy day ahead that will be a zone pday! Wahoo! But overall Hermana Bazo and I are going strong!

A BIG HIGH FIVE FOR US!

We had 5 investigators in sacrament this week! I hate numbers as a missionary but it was a HUGE accomplishment. We are teaching so many people right now and it is such an incredible blessing for us. It is the Lords work. We are His hands and we see miracles daily when we give our lives to Him. I love being a missionary. But they all have a date to be baptized and well, we are praying and working, praying some more and doing all we can so they can work towards their goal!

But don’t think everything is fine and dandy. Yessica has a LOT of problems with getting papers done to get married but we are trying all we can to help. We are also teaching another old couple that we found (remember the turkey story), yeah!!! They are married (which never happens in Peru, in which I say MIRACLE) and they are wanting to be baptized ASAP. Haha! 80 years old and going strong! But it takes a lot of patience teaching them but it is an incredible experience because we take members with us that speak QUECHUA! What! Wow, I testify that the spirit is incredible. No matter what language, what situation, who is in the lesson the spirit is the key. Wow! But also reading to them from the Book of Mormon in Quechua is quite the experience. Haha! I am still learning Spanish for heavens sake…. You would all die laughing if you could hear me TRY to read. But wow, our church is incredible. To have Books of Mormon in more than 100 languages. It blows my mind! WOW! But yeah, we had a great week. Moving forward and loving the missionary life. I LOVE MY MISSION. I always will.

Funny moment this week. Well, yesterday bahaha. I called to give our numbers to the elders…. We do this every Sunday night… but anyways at the end of the phone call I meant to say Call us, yeah? Because we were planning pday and I needed him to call us with more info. BUT in Spanish call me and love me is REALLY CLOSE. (me llama y me ama) I am sure it is funnier if you actually speak Spanish but the elder just had a huge awkward pause and they both just started laughing because it was on speaker phone. OH HERMANA FRAME! But it totally sounded like I said will you love me? HAHA! Yeah, well I need to go! Have a great week! Love you all!

Hermana Frame

We love the bakery across the street! of course we find every reason to go!

 Haha... But we have limited it to once a week! Oh the temptation!

Our weekly family home evening! we had both families that we are teaching..

 Yessica and her kids and Daisy and Paula (Paula will be baptized on the 8th of august)

 and then Wendy our convert and all of it went down in Merys store!

 We love our FHE. It was a bit crazy though!

 Pizza was the hit and everyone loved it!

Eating yummy churros on pday!

The hermana leaders came and I tried not crying when Hermana Essig left!

 She has 3 weeks left in the mission. Oh how I love her!

 She has visited me 5 times here in Quilla!

 Such good memories with all of these hermanas!

We played UNO on pday! Uno is such a hit here in Peru! thanks mom for sending it!

Us teaching in quechua!

 Or more like Hermana Mery teaching in Quechua! Haha.

 We are there just to help her with it all. Such a cool experience.

 And of course the inca cola we have practically in every lesson we have.

And we helped clean a members house

 because they had a son visiting from Provo Utah!

 Wow, it was fun to talk to him about Utah

 and no I wasn’t trunky. Haha

Hey. Sorry.

Hey so sorry I wasn't able to email yesterday.  We took too long at our activity so I had to get rid of emailing.  Sorry.

Love you all.

Elder Frame

Go Back to the BASICS

I had a great, normal, and wonderful time this week in the mission. How original… Haha! But short spiritual tid bit. A quote that I came across this week really had an impact on me!

 “In our day to day actions, it is often the small and simple things that have a long lasting impact. What we say, how we act, and how we choose to react will influence not only ourselves but also those around us. We can build up or tear down.” Per G. Malm of the seventy

The little little little things we do every day. What we decide to eat for lunch, who to talk to, what movie to watch, what to post on facebook-or every other type of social media, what store to go to, who to talk to, how long we study, etc. There is SO many things you can do in one day whether you are a missionary or not has a lasting impact.

 This week Hermana Harbertson told us that each morning she gets up and studies. She immediately says her prayers and in her personal study, she studies something from the doctrine of Christ: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, or Enduring to the End. She looks at what she will face that day and what she NEEDS to study, studies it and then applies it. Wow, her testimony is powerful.

Hermana Harbartson was able to come with us to two appointments with one of them being abuelita! 

Oh how it was so fun to see her talk to her... Well, I had to translate all of it

 because she doesn’t talk very well in Spanish but she just looked at me and said.

 Hermana Frame, thank you for visiting her every day. You will be blessed.

 I told her I already was.

 We do go every day and what a blessing it is to bring the love of our savior

 to a 90 year old woman who has not one person living with her and sits all day long.

 SHE is a blessing to us and teaches me humility to me daily.

 I have seen the miracle of the basic doctrines of the gospel. In my investigators when they change their lives through these 5 things they are completely different people. They have more joy, they want to do good, and they see that Christ is everything. Look at what you are doing every day? Is it helping you have a life filled with joy and happiness? If so great! There is always something to improve… Focus more on what matters most. And for those that feel like they are not. Well, my advice is to go

 BACK TO THE BASICS.

Pray, study, and trust in the Lord. He will help you if you are you are doing your part to learn from your studies, and then ACT. Well, I need to go! Have a great week!

Hermana Frame

This the way they build homes in Peru! I can’t remember if I already sent a pic. 

Bu,t WOW!  It kills me every time I walk by. I hope the men didn’t mind me taking a pic.

One of the young women had a dinner for her birthday and her parents bought her chancho!

 A whole pig! WOAH! Yeah I had to get a pic with it.

Our weekly family home evening!

We had popcorn with the Joseph Smith movie!

How amazing it was to help teach my recent convert Wendy 

as well as my investigators Yessica and Mijael together about the prophet Joseph Smith.

It brought the spirit so strong. Oh, how I love our FHE!

It was fun to see how much Yessica loved learning about the life of Joseph Smith. 

We stopped and talked to a cute lady who was selling chica morada! 

It was SO good and we have a return appointment.

But on every corner they sell this type of drink.

Gotta love Peru.

But it is funny because all the moto taxis stop and buy it to go.

Pretty good business haha.

Cotton candy with my pension! SO YUMMY!

MOM YOUR PACKAGE WAS THE BOMB!

 We felt like it was Christmas!

 Candy, more stationary, sticky notes, colored pencils, and WOW the hymn books, and more!

 My companion was on cloud nine and she can’t stop saying.

 Well, I miss two things. My cat and your mom. Haha that means a lot!

 Mom, thank you for the package!

We had fun at the zone conference!

 I love my zone and it is always a treat to learn more

 about how we can become better people and as missionaries in this time of our life.

 I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.

Blah. Another Subject Heading I Can't Think Up Anything Clever.

God's Grace Shed on America.

Hey everybody!  How's life been for yall?!  I'm praying and hoping all has been well.

So yeah.  This week has been so great!  We have a progressing family coming to church with dates for next weekend!  Their last name is Herrera and they have introduced us to extended family and their friends!  It's awesome!  They are all accepting it so fast we are just trying to keep up with them!  So yeah.  It's been a blessed week in the Selma area!

The fourth was crazy fun!  Not that great of fireworks but it was ok since we ate like 3 dinners all hamburgers and hotdogs!  Nothing says 'Merica better than one hand holding a hotdog, the other a hamburger, fireworks overhead, and being burned by little kids with sparklers.  It's a great feeling. I'll tell you what.

I've really buckled down hard and started to read the Book of Mormon like a madman.  I have read from Second Nephi to Third Nephi this week..... that sounds like I just read like 1 book but there's actually a lot inbetween there.  There is SO MUCH we can learn from each character in the Book of Mormon and their situations.  I've felt more strength, love, and support from my Heavenly Father as I have made scripture study more of a priority in my studies and throughout my day.  There's an article in the ensign for this month that also helped me understand why I've been feeling the spirit so much more in the mission.  It's about going to bed ontime and arising early enough to study the scriptures.  I invite all of you to read it.  It will be such a help to you all.  Especially in these summer months.

Hey.  Love you all.  Keep the Faith.

Elder Frame

All of us Brilliant Americans!  Oh and that Argentine back there.

Fun with the Zone Leaders wheelchair!

(btw I did get all the way down the stairs.

That's right. I'm SO prepared if I get injured!

Some Turkey and Spirituality

I should probably put spirituality before the turkey but hey! Funny story. Hermana Bazo and had such a great week! We found many new investigators that we hope progress and WOW I have never seen the work like this before here in my sector. But anyways! Yesterday we got done with studies and began our afternoon of walking our sector, having lessons, and working to contact every living Peruvian that walks in our beautiful sector.

HAHA! No, but we went to find one of our investigators but she wasn’t there. I thought it was odd because I knew we were supposed to be there. But apparently not for her. We were walking away and all of a sudden the door that is right next to hers opens and it is an old woman probably in her 80s. She looks at us and immediately I just started talking to her. Weird! I don’t usually do that… Well, I mean I usually just say good afternoon and keep walking! But, something was different. I immediately said HI! We are missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! Have you ever heard of our church, the Mormon church? She said no but she was catholic (what they all say) and we asked if we could talk with her a little bit. She invited us in. BUT this is where the turkeys come into play. She has two very LARGE turkeys. They were right there. Right where we were supposed to walk in. And if you know anything about turkeys they spread their feathers out and make it look like they are 50 times bigger than they really are and I was like…. Um, Hermana Bazo… It wont do anything to me right? Wow, but they were making this weird choking noise and their gobble gobble gobble and wow can you tell I have found a new fear? TURKEYS! Haha! So the whole time during the lesson these turkeys were sitting there hissing at us or whatever they do… and well it was hard for me to concentrate. Finally I just asked the old woman if she had a palo (stick) so that I could wave it at them to get away. She was laughing so hard! I think with me being American and then having a fear of a stinking turkey… she was getting a kick out of it. But, we did have the lesson. And we were definitely supposed to find her. She needed to know she was loved. Her husband is in the hospital and she lives alone, besides her turkeys… haha but we were meant to find her. I know that. AH! And just to be able to help bring her the love of our Heavenly Father. I just always feel like I am doing my job when they feel it. When they want us to come back, when hug us as we leave even though we have only known each other for 10 minutes. I love being a missionary! Oh the little tender mercies of the Lord.

This week a little more on our Savior. This is from my study journal this week: I was not on the earth when Christ came. I wish I was but my trial of faith is to be here without Him physically being here and believing He did come, and that He will come. I have faith He came preached. I know that He did. I know that He was kind, gentle, loving, and wanted to be there. I know He wept for those that suffered, and not only that but for the joy He felt for those that we righteous and that wanted to come to Him. I know He loved them ONE by ONE. I know that by living His teachings we are happier and we are complete. We don’t have to constantly try to find the missing piece that comes from living in the world. I know that I can feel clean. I know that through repentance and the daily change I make to change my worldly desires to be more in line with those of my Heavenly Father I am doing what I came here to do. I know that as I change I can help others by testifying that He lives. He is not here physically but I know He is here.

I read an article and the words spoke to me… “Growing up in the church and going to primary, I have learned about Jesus Christ from when I was a little girl. And my testimony has grown stronger since then. Now that I am on a mission, I love having the opportunity to share the gospel and testify of Jesus Christ every day. As I think of the savior and all the things he has done for me, I want to be closer to Him. I am personalizing the things I learned as a child. I love being able to help others feel the love of our Savior Jesus Christ. This is not just something I say-it comes from my heart.” Susana V.

This week I realized that studying about the Savior helps my faith grow. But I have realized that it is my actions that show it all. As I serve and serve trying to serve my Heavenly Father I will find that my character, desires, and thoughts change to become more like Christ. When I help others come unto Him I have found that I become closer to Him.

I love this gospel. I know you all know that. But it is why I am here and wow, the blessings I have had. Thank you to all that have supported me. I am so happy, so grateful, loving every bit of it. Until next week!

Hermana Frame

Photos in the morning of the 4th! 

I wished my cute mom was here to paint 

cute red, white, and blue stars on my face

 but a flag and a picture of us is good right Mom! 

Hope you all had a good day full of American food, 

fireworks, parades, and just spending it with family!

I played monoperu this week! Monopoly but Peruvian style!

 It was fun and they are both investigating the church. 

It is the only way that I could get into their house to teach them. 

And you bet I did! 

We taught them, and had a fun game of monopoly after!

Pizza! We had an activity with the YW-YM again

 and they wanted me to teach them how to make pizza! 

Such a good day on the 4th! 

I felt like I was in America for about 2.5 seconds!

I had fun teaching Rudolf the Red-nose Reindeer for English Class! 

They all love my enthusiasm... Ha.

They have parades randomly... Like all the time. 

This was one for a high school that had their anniversary. 

It is so funny to me because it is so normal 

for people to just have their own parade whenever they want! 

The teachers even had to march as well! Haha!

My companion is obsessed with Cats. 

Fun fact. I told her we need to get a bigger picture of Christ 

on our wall because it is a bit weird 

to have the cat one bigger. HAHA

Yessicas papers came so she can get married! 

Don’t be fooled she was actually super happy

 but she had a HORRIBLE cold 

so she hated that I wanted a picture 

with her but we took one anyway haha.

 But slowly but surely we hope to have her baptism. 

I am learning PATIENCE!

 We played volleyball this morning at 7 and it was so fun!

I love it and wow beating the heat was so good 

because with the humidity it is ridiculous.