Potatoes & Lizards... 6-26-2017

Hola Familia!!!!

Well these last two weeks have been super crazy but super fun!!!!

First off this last week I fell out of bed and almost fell on a lizard that got into our room!!! How horrible!!! That was my first thought too. But then went I caught it and went to go set it free  outside 

(because I didn't have the guts to kill it) my pension was like no that's really good luck leave it in your room!!!! I just stared her after kinda confused, but she was serious!!!! But being American I took the lizard outside and set it free.   This was a first for my life and hopefully the last. 

Also this last week we met a new investigator named Pierre Valdivieso. He is so cool!!!! He's got quite a history!!! So he was a reference from a member who he worked with and after a little bit of time that he met this member he was doing another business agreement in another city and the person from this business  gave him a Book of Mormon. Then about a month ago he had the desire to quit smoking a pack of cigarettes everyday and to stop drinking completely. He also said that he is happy living alone, but he just feels like there is  a hole in his heart that he thinks can just be filled with God. He literally has been prepared by God to meet us! He is very much excited to go to church and all and I'm honestly so excited to teach him. Not only because this message we are sharing is  pretty great but also because I know with all my heart this gospel is going to fill his heart!!!! Is going to fill that hole!!!!! 

It's gonna be a great week!!!!!

Love you all and thanks so much for all the support!!!

Love Hermana McNamara  

Potatoes on her face to reduce swelling from a troublesome tooth!

Cassie's Testimony - 06-12-2017

This week Cassie didn't sent home a group letter, she asked me to send out a message.  In my letter to her I had sent here the lyrics to the song "Let it Be".  (Gentri had just released their version of that song and they are her favorite.)  Anyway, her message is in response to those lyrics.   She starts out with expressing their stressful schedule:

Today we are gonna play volleyball as a district so I am gonna pretend that the ball is my stress and I'm just gonna hit it away. Like you said I'm just gonna "Let It Be" and hope for another day. 

I like this part of the song let it be, And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be but I'm gonna change she to He and He being Jesus Christ because there have been so many dark hours here in Peru, so many you don't even know about and every single one I have felt almost like this song saying "in my darkest hour HE is standing in front of me, giving me his wisdom, so i can let it be".

My testimony of my Savior has grown so much here in Peru and this last week I looked back and I saw the progress of my testimony and a lot has been during my time with Hermana Soldevilla, when its been hard and I've had the darkness caving in around me and I decided to fight back, in those moments when I knelt down in prayer and many times through tears and tears and tears I've told my Savior "I accept these words of wisdom, please help me let it be" That's when my testimony has grown. Like the scripture says in 

Ether 12 : 6

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because

 ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

I know that this is true because I have gained my testimony in my trials. I don't need to depend on other peoples testimonies now because mine is strong! Ya it took me a lot longer than some other missionaries but unlike some missionaries I can say. I know that this church is true I can say that I know My savior Jesus Christ suffered for my sins. I know all of this and I can testify and not lie. I met a missionary the other day who said I'm still not sure if God exists and it shocked me, but i am so grateful that I know he exists and that really he loves me. You can share this with whoever you want, but I testify with all my heart that Jesus is the Christ, Savior of the world, and this darkness that is around me everyday, I know through the power of my Savior I can see the light again. I know IT's all true and I will never deny it!

Love you all so much!!!!! Thank You so much for all the support!!!!! 

Love Hermana McNamara

I'm still flying!!!! - 06-05-2017

Hola Familia!!!

 Hey!!!! Ok so this last week has been great!!! WE have been meeting a bunch of new people that are going to progress great!!! I didn't get called the devil this week which is even better!!!

This last week we were teaching a newish investigator called Xiomara about the Book of Mormon and she asked us.  "What do i have to do to be a missionary like you two?" It was so cool!!! She was saying that  after we invited her to pray everyday she started doing it and she noticed that there was a lot less yelling in her family and her house was a lot more peaceful. It was great to see that her keeping her commitments could bless not only her but also her family.  I'm really excited to see how she progresses.  

Also this last Sunday the elders in our ward have an investigator called Grecia and she is from the jungle of Peru and this last Sunday the bishop announced over the pulpit that she is gonna get baptized Saturday and she went running into the bathroom and ten she didn't come back and so we went looking for her and she was crying in the bathroom talking about how if she gets baptized her dad might disown her and she was saying her heart just hurt thinking about it and so we got to help work through some of those feelings but this experience really opened my eyes to how blessed i am to have parents that are members of the church and really support me in what I'm doing and love the church as much as I do.  LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD!!! THANKS FOR BEING MEMBERS!!!! 

I want to invite everyone to just sit down for a second and really think about how blessed you are to have parents in the church and if you don't have parents in the church I want you think about your heavenly FATHER who is so happy that you are a member of this church!!!! I promise Gods blessing every single one of you! You just got to trust him and endure to the end!!!!! 

Love you all so much!!!!! Thank You so much for all the support!!!!! 

Love Hermana McNamara