Training!! (July 20, 2015)

Hey Family!

Thanks for another great email! It was so fun to hear all about your week. Thanks for the pictures as well. It was fun to see Emma with her cheer squad, the house, and its crazy that Miles is already home. I am going to complete 6 months in the mission soon and I can't believe it!

Ok about my companion.... I am training!!! Before this transfer a lot of people teased me that I was going to train but I didn't believe it because I only have 5 months. But, when we got to transfers on Tuesday I knew I was going to train before President told me. I just had the feeling. Hna Beatty is also training, and the Latina sister in my group is also training. There are only 3 hermanas in my group and the three of us are training. It's honestly crazy because we have very little time. Hna Guzman is also training.. again. However, this time she is training a Latina so it will be a little easier than training me :) 

So my "daughter" is Hna Ricconi. She is from Argentina. She is 19 years old and just the cutest. The truth is, she already knows a ton. She worked a lot with the missionaries in her home ward, so she has a little bit of an idea of how the mission works. She also loves to dance! She was studying dance before she came on the mission. We are really similar so it has been a really fun week. I just hope I can train her and that I know enough to help her progress. It is scary now because I am in charge of my area. I've always been the younger companion, but now it's up to me to report everything with the elders, make sure we have investigators, and find solutions to everything. Pres Erickson has a lot of faith in me, maybe more than I have in myself. We had a training Friday with the President and all the new missionaries. It was fun because I got to talk with Hna Guzman for a while. I realize now how blessed I was to have her as a trainer. She is a wonderful missionary. It seems like yesterday I was at that exact same training with her. I honestly believe that because of the wonderful training she gave me I am able to be training now. It's crazy that I'm still in my first area and already teaching someone else. Even though my Spanish still isn't great, my goal is to be completely obedient so that Heavenly Father can help my touch the hearts of our investigators though the language of the Spirit. I KNOW this is going to be a transfer where I learn a lot, as well as Hna Ricconi. Spencer, I know you trained Elder Gibby. Any advice on training? 

So for this Saturday... we have 6 baptisms! It's honestly amazing. F and A (the family) and their two sons will be baptized. There are also two youth, C and E who will also be baptized. F is the man that fell last week and hurt his head. He is doing so much better, and after an interview with the Zone leaders on Friday, their family of 4 can be baptized. Each time we meet with A, I am reminded why I am on the mission. She has truly become converted to the church through the Book of Mormon. She tells us each time we meet what she has read, and how she knows this book is true. My testimony of the Book of Mormon has grown so much in these 5 months that I have. I wish I would have studied it more before I left for the mission. Make sure that you guys are reading every day!!! 

I am learning a lot to rely on my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know this transfer I will have to trust him more than I ever have. Because I am still new in the mission myself, my goal is to be obedient so that I can be worthy to receive the help of the Spirit in every lesson. If not, this transfer will almost be impossible. But I know that the Savior knows what we can handle, and President Erickson as well. I am just going to remember all that Hna Guzman taught me because I look up to her a ton. 

Next week is the " week of Peru" so each house has the Peru flag out front and its so fun to see everyone celebrate their country. Hna Carmen (the mom of Gypsy) already planned lunch for us one day next week to be able to try all the traditional food of Peru. I really love this country. The people are so loving. Hna Ricconi told me she was shocked that people on the street actually listen to us. I guess that is not something that happens in Argentina. But I have grown to love contacting people because everyone has a different story to tell. There are some really hard days in the mission, but when I remember why I am here, I can't help but be happy. 

Sorry this letter is a whole bunch of random thoughts, but its kinda been a crazy week. Please pray for our 6 potential baptisms this week, and as well for me :) haha I love you all so much! Thanks for your constant example and love. I am so blessed to have a family that supports me in all I do. 

Much Love!

Hna Vernon 

 

With a few sisters in the mission. Two of them are my sister trainer leaders and one is a sister in my zone. 

Hna Guzman and Beatty. It was so fun to reconnect with them during cambios 

Last photo with Hna Torrico 

This is my new companion. I am her trainer! Her name is Hna Ricconi and she is from Argentina. Pres Erickson photobombed this picture... 

Gypsy left this week. Her mission is the mission of Hna Ricconi! They were able to meet each other and Hna Ricconi sent a few things with Gypsy to give her family 

 

The Power of the Holy Ghost (July 13, 2015)

family!
First, I am so glad you got the package! Kayla was so sweet to take it for me. I'm so glad everything made it safe and I hope you like your gifts. I will work on sending another package soon. It was so fun to have the efy group here and it was a tender mercy to be able to send the package with her.

So this was my last week with Hna Torrico. It was a crazy week. The good thing is, we worked really hard. We had another baptism this week! It was the baptism of T.  She is 14 years old. It was a beautiful baptism with a lot of support from the ward. The ward of Independencia never lets me down. They are always there when we need them. We are also working with the sister of T and she will be baptized the 25th of this month. The next step is to get her parents in the font as well! 

Because Hna Torrico leaves tomorrow she had a ton of meetings in the mission offices during the day. So once again Gipsy was my companion. I feel like I am losing two companions this week. She is so prepared though. She teaches me so much when we are together. Her testimony is so strong. She is really nervous to leave her family, but I told her that is normal. However, the Lord will help her family and protect them. 

So last night was a real test not only for my Spanish, but for how well I can react in scary situations. We were visiting T so that Hna Torrico could say goodbye, and our investigator A knocked on the door. She was crying really hard and said that her husband F had fallen and was bleeding very bad. We ran with her to where her husband was to help her. When we found him he was with his two kids and a lot of the neighbors had gathered around. Someone had already called the ambulance and they were arriving to help. However, A and F are very poor and don't have money to go to the hospital. So they bandaged up his head and left. While Hna Torrico was talking to the doctors I was busy trying to call the bishop. The bishop told me he was going to send someone to give F a blessing. Luckily, one of our converts, A, lives very close to A and F. He pulled up in a taxi right at this moment. I explained to him what had happened and he invited F and A and their two kids to stay in his house for a bit and have something to eat. It was such a blessing to have A show up because we didn't have any food to give them and it was really cold. We waited there in the house with them until two other members came to give him a blessing. I am so thankful for the priesthood power. 

So I should explain a little more about A and F. (I think I did a little last week as well). For their job they watch over the cars in their area. They have a home, but it is really high up on the hill and they don't have much there. So they are always out on the street with their kids. We didn't know it before, but they usually don't have food to eat. F has had problems in the past with drinking and recently has been trying to stop. For this his body has been really week. Between trying to overcome this addiction, and not eating, this is when he fainted and hit his head. We went to visit him again this morning and he was doing ok. His face is super swollen and his head is wrapped, but we gave them breakfast and he is going to be alright. I am thankful for the Holy Ghost and the guidance it gave us last night during this experience. Also, I know the Holy Ghost guided A as well. She didn't know where we were, but she had a feeling we were with T. She is a woman of a lot of faith. She is so humble and I feel very blessed to know her. She, her husband, and her two kids will be baptized the 25th of this month as well. 

I don't have a ton of time to write anything else, because I have to go with Hna Torrico to the offices again today. But I will have a big letter next week letting you know all about my new companion. The truth is the transfer has been hard, but I have learned a lot of important lessons. I'm excited to see what this next transfer will bring. 

I loved all the pictures this week! It looks like you guys are having a fun summer. Dad, I liked the story about Grant Taylor. This is a lesson I am learning as well. I love you all so much and miss you like crazy. However, I am also very happy to be here and to be a missionary. The work is hard, but so rewarding. 

Hna Vernon 

 

T's baptism

Hermana Vernon and Hermana Torrico

Investigators F and A

 

Pure Love of Christ (July 6, 2015)

Hello family!
What was a great email. It sounds like you guys had a very full week. I hope the 4th of July was fun! Here in Peru it was just another day. However, I did sing the Star Spangled Banner to myself haha.

So for the past two weeks a group of kids from the US have been here in the ward. They are here as an EFY group. Its been really fun because they have attended church here in the ward and have had the chance to get to know the members. They have also done Noche de Hogar with us Monday nights in the members homes. I have had to translate a little as well so that has been a real test to my Spanish. But it's been fun. There is a girl here with the EFY group that is the cousin of Caleb Clark. It was fun to make a connection with someone back home. SO I sent a few things with one of the girls from EFY to give to you guys. She is going to have her family stop by when they are driving home from the airport and give to you. I wrote down your telephone numbers and I believe she will be calling you the end of this week. The kids go home Thursday just so you know. 

I learned a very big lesson this week about the love of Christ. Here in our area there is one hill that is a little more dangerous. We never go there at night just to be cautious. There is a man that is ALWAYS outside when we pass and always greets us. I will be honest I was never very friendly with him because he scared me a little. However, this past week Hna Torrico stopped to talk with them. His name is F and his wifes name is A. They have 4 kids. For his job, he stays outside and watches the cars for people who live in this area. (Its like a big cul de sac with hills). Because of this he is always outside with his wife. They are very humble people. We began to teach them about the importance of prayer and F began to cry. He has dealt with problems with drugs, drinking, and much more. However, he told us he has always felt the love of our Heavenly Father. His wife is wonderful as well. She told us she has listened to a lot of people talk about God, but no one explains it like us. After the lesson they told us they wanted to go to church with us on Sunday. 

Sunday was a crazy day. Hna Torrico had permission this day to visit one of her old areas. So Gipsi once again was my companion. Hna Torrico left at 5 in the morning. Gipsi was so sweet to sacrifice her Sunday (very early). Every Sunday before church, we pick up our investigators to help them attend. There were a ton of people to pick up yesterday! We picked up three young women, F, A, and their two young boys. They all live in the same area so it wasn't too much of a hassle, but I felt like a mother hen as they all followed me to the chapel. Once we got there, there were three more young men that we are teaching who had come with their friend. 10 investigators! I was really nervous at first because Hna Torrico was gone and I had to help all of them find their classes and feel comfortable. But even though I was a little nervous, I was so happy. My testimony of church attendance grows each Sunday. The ward really took in all the investigators and it was beautiful to see them feel welcome. The bishop told me ¨Hna Vernon, Dios esta feliz con su trabajo¨. It was beautiful to see the fruits of the work that Hna Torrico and I had done this week. Hna Torrico got back around 5 pm Sunday and we continued working hard until the end of the day. 

So we are teaching a girl named T. She is 14 years old. She has a date to be baptized this week. After the first lesson we had with her a few weeks back, she asked us when she could be baptized. haha I love this response. She has felt the truth of the gospel and wants to be baptized. It's not because it's something her parents want, or something her friends are doing. Its because she KNOWS the importance of this convenant with God. 

Thank you for the package! I love my scarfs and sweater. Haha I feel a little more like me again. Also thanks for the snacks. Gipsi had never tried peanut butter so that was really fun. She went through the temple on Friday! I am going to miss her a ton. She will be my companion again on Friday when Hna Torrico has a training for all the missionaries that are leaving. 

We also did splits this week with the Sister Trainer Leaders. I went with Hna Toscano to her area. She was Hna Beattys first companion. She is a wonderful missionary. I learned a lot with her. I am so thankful for the leaders that president Erickson gives us to help us grow as missionaries. It was also fun to be in a different area for a day. It made me realize how wonderful Independencia is. I love the people here so much. I'm thankful that I know I will be here for one more transfer at least when Hna Torrico leaves. Independencia is super close to the mission office. It's a very strong stake as well. The people are very humble, but because of this I think they are a little more willing to listen. 

The spanish is coming. Its still nowhere near fluent, but I am studying each day and talking a lot. I know with time and hard work I will continue to improve. 

I love you all so much! I hope you are able to get the few things I sent you. Thanks for updating me on Shawna. I will keep her in my prayers for sure. 

There are really hard days in the mission, but there are always beautiful days as well. I am very thankful to be in the service of our Heavenly Father. 

Hna Vernon

Lunch with the Stake President