Feliz Navidad!!!!

Wow, it's already Christmas??? I can't believe it! It doesn't seem like Christmas time but it seriously is! I love Christmas time, it's always been my favorite holiday. It's completely different here and I love it! Everyday we testify about the birth of Christ and his importance in our lives! And I testify that Su Expiación es la mas importante cosa en esta vida! (His atonement is the most important thing in this life). We cannot live with our Heavenly Father again WITHOUT the Atonement.

Our Christmas tree

I learned something really cool this week while taking the Sacrament: there were two priests blessing the Sacrament. While we were singing the hymn, I was watching them break the bread. One was breaking it hurriedly and quickly, trying to finish before the song ended. The other was breaking it slowly, and carefully, and singing along. The Sacrament isn't some hurried thing that we take once a week. It should be the pinnacle of our week. We should look forward to renewing our covenants and should do it with reverence and respect. Just something I learned that I wanted to share. :) 

This week was great! On p-day our Zone did a gift exchange. Elder Patzi got me and I got Elder Sanchez. I gave Elder Sanchez a cool wallet thing (what do you get an elder??) and I got these earrings and a wallet thing. It was awesome. We then watched The POLAR EXPRESS! Way too trunkie for me! :) 

My Christmas gift from Elder Patzi

Anyway, this week we also had revision de Cuarto. Hna Erickson (wife of president) came to our apartment and made sure that all was well. We cleaned like crazy!! I'm very grateful that my father taught me how to clean. :) Thanks dad! 

We had a visita de trabajo con E' Mickelson. So the first time we had a visit with him, I was so nervous I couldn't say the first vision. I’m happy to say that this time, I was able to share the first vision, and I said it with power and the Spirit! Pretty awesome!! :) 

We also had interview with President Erickson. He promised my comp y yo that if we have 10 investigators in the church every Sunday, this area is going to flourish like none other. We're working hard on that. This past week we had two, next week we want more, but it’s not just our job, it's also the job of the ward! They need to help us. 

We're getting more and more references every day! My comp and I have started saying that la obra misional es 10 percent missionaries and 90 percent members. We teach and they do everything else. They support, and help, and once we're gone, they're there to stay and answer questions. That's why it’s so important to have member missionaries! 

Anyway, this week was great!! Thank you all! And have a great Christmas! Love you!! 

--- Hermana Hicken

 

Hooray!  Watermelon is in season!  They are huge.

Well, this week it was humid and hot!!  Apparently, its ten times worse in February so that'll be interesting to see! :) Anyway, this week was fun! First, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGES!! I have enjoyed the goodies inside and I’m so grateful!! Thank you!! :) 

Funny story... Okay, I get a lot of attention here because I’m a gringa. I get a lot of unwanted attention. I get a lot of "hellos" "how are you" in English and I always ignore it, but one time my comp and I were just getting super annoyed with some drunk men who were being... drunk. So while they were trying to say hello to me, my comp said, "Ella es de Alemania no Estados unidos." She pretty much said that I’m from Germany not the states. That got them to be quiet! :) Now anytime people try to talk to me in English we say that I’m from Germany. :) 

Anyway this week was good. After emailing last week, we went and ate at Chili's. TRUE AMERICAN FOOD!!!!!

The rest of the week was normal. On Wednesday we did service. We cleaned the rooftop of a building! That was fun! Sadly, I don’t have pictures but my comp does so maybe I’ll steal them from her. :) 

Maria y Manuel are doing okay.  Maria is amazing and one of my heroes! She's one of those ladies that takes everyone in and takes care of them no matter what. She loves everyone. She's also really scary when she's mad! It’s interesting! :) 

We picked up a new investigator named Enrique... he's a doctor and we teach him in his clinic. He's awesome! He has so many great questions that we are able to answer! I love it! 

Navidad is coming up! If you haven't seen the new Christmas video you need to. And please remember Christ this Christmas. CHRIST FOR CHRISTmas. Yeah, anyway, here’s a picture of a nativity WITHOUT Christ. It looks so lonely right? Don't forget Christ. ;) Anyway, love you all! Have a great week!! :) 

--- Hermana Hicken

The sun over the ocean

Metas, Metas, METAS!!!!!!!‏

Another week aqui en La Misiòn Perù Lima Norte!! Navidad is slowly starting to arrive in Lima! It's not the same here as it is in America. For one... there's no snow! And two... Santa Claus (papa noel) is about ten times creepier. 

Monday: after emailing we went and ate lunch and then played games like capture the flag and ultimate frisbee. The Latinas had NO idea what Ultimate Frisbee is so we had fun teaching them how to play! :) It was a pretty normal day. 

Tuesday we had our weekly meeting with our zone. We talked about our Metas (goals) for this month. The goal for Chinchaysuyo this month is 3 baptisms with 1 man over 18 and 1 family. The goal for Tahuantinsuyo is 14 baptisms with 4 men over 18 and 4 families. It's pretty awesome! We're trying to make our goal! Also I met a woman from Utah, she took a picture of me and my companion and tried to get presidente in the picture with us... that's kinda against the rules and it's the presidente so we said no thanks and left.... but yeah. 

Wednesday: I ate hìgado (liver) for lunch and it was really good! As pictured here. 

(This picture was sent to me -mom- through facebook from a member)

Thursday we had another meeting with our zone where we talk about the goals of the mission. This month the mission goal is 130 baptisms. The goal for the year is 1600 baptisms and I think we have about 1500 baptisms right now. It’s crazy! We also talked about our normas de la mision. Cada week we are supposed to have 32 lessons and 100 contacts. Well, now we have to have 32 lessons, 70 contacts and 15 references. It's pretty awesome! I'm excited to work with this new goal! 

The rest of the week was normal. Maria y Manuel still need to get married! Like NOW!! We're starting their papers this week!   The coolest thing happened while I was teaching Maria and Manuel about the plan of salvation and I had this feeling to share with them the picture of us (the whole family). I bore my testimony about how one decision that my parents made 21 years ago has blessed us eternally! The spirit was so strong. I know that our family will be together forever! It was so cool! :)

Friday we had a visita de Trabajo (exchanges) with the hermana leaders. I stayed in my area with Hna Rodriguez. It was cool to kinda be in charge for once. 

Oh, Sunday: I also ate chicken hearts!! Really yummy. I promise! 

Anyway, that’s it for this week! Thank you so much for all the support! I love you all! 

Also pictured: a gigantic nativity scene... takes up half the room! 

---Hermana Hicken

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! AND HAPPY BAPTISM FOR MAYRA!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAYRA WAS BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I’m so happy for her!! 

I'll start with Monday. After emailing, we went to the capilla and watched Wreck it Ralph and ate McDonalds. We also talked to Mayra about her baptism. It was a pretty restful pday ;) we also played capture the flag! 

Tuesday was hna Aguilera’s nine month mark so we ate cake and pizza with some members! It was a lot of fun. Also, we had a huge earthquake (7.3). It was felt in 5 countries... AND I DIDNT FEEL IT!! How sad... :) 

Wednesday: nada, just a normal day. :)

Thursday: THANKSGIVING!! Okay, so Peruanas don’t celebrate thanksgiving. So our zone made pancakes and eggs and did our weekly planning together. It was a lot of fun! After working and all that jazz, hna Aguilera and I bought pizza and Inca kola and that was our Thanksgiving dinner. :) 

Friday: okay... So it was "pouring" rain... It never truly rains here... but the sidewalks get super slick. We were walking to our apartment and hna aguilera decided to run... and slipped on the stairs!! Oh my, it was hilarious! :) Anyway, it was a normal day tambien. We taught Maria and Manuel. And three of their adult kids and all of their kids. It was crazy! :) We taught them about chastity and how they need to get married. Hopefully they'll get married this month! :) 

Saturday!! It was super crazy! In the morning we cleaned the capilla and proselyted a little. In the afternoon, Mayra was baptized! The water was freezing cold and she did not want to get in! But somehow she got baptized! ;) I’m so happy for her! She's my first baptism and real convert because I started the lessons with her!! :) WOO!!!! 

Sunday, Maria and Manuel came to church which was really cool! :) This week was awesome!!! Thank you all for the prayers and support! Well, gotta go! Love you all!!

--- Hermana Hicken

lomo saltado