Turning point....

 This week was a turning point in my mission and not just because i FINALLY ate Cuyi! (Guinea pig, which i dont ever want to eat again) but it was just such a good week. I don't even know where to begin, but last week i wrote a little bit about being a consecrated missionary. Well I read a talk this week that honestly changed my life. It's by Tad R. Calister and its about being a consecrated missionary. After I read this talk I felt so pumped. I dont know how to explain it but I was just ready to get to work. Something that I love about the mission is you are constantly wanting to better yourself. You are constantly wanting to set goals! Well I did A LOT of thinking this week and set new goals. I can honestly say that I am SO happy in the mission. I dont want to be anywhere else right now. I am really enjoying this work. I know that I am not a consecrated missionary yet but its my goal to work on being one. Its something I can work towards every single day. I wish I could talk about the whole talk but really don't have time for that so I'll just tell you all a few parts that i really loved. 

The first thing that I loved was the part that said "If you want to baptize a few people, you talk to a few people. If you want to baptize alot of people, you talk to alot of people. and if you want to baptize everyone you can, (ya pues) you talk to everyone you can" and thats exactly what we did this week. This week we talked to EVERYONE, and we say miracles because this week we were able to find 43 new investigators. You just have to open your mouth like it says over and over in the scriptures.

Another quote that I loved was "you wanted to change the world, did you think there would be no cost?" -MLK yeah as missionaries we are not changing the world but we are changing peoples worlds. We are giving them the opportunity to change their lives. You cant just come out on the mission and not expect to change who you are and give it everything you have. I thought that quote was super cool. 

Basically I just want to work my hardest and be the best missionary I can be. Im soo grateful for this opportunity I have to serve in Perú. I love the people here and i love this work. I want to testify of the power of the fast. You can see miracles in your life when you fast with a true purpose and pure heart. I love fasting. I want to challange you guys to become more consecrated members. because we belong to the most amazing church here on this earth. I love you all so much have a great week!! 

xoxox

HH

 " There is no escaping it, God will demand our all" 

  When we were contactng we thought this was a door and probably sat here for a good five minutes before we realized it was a wall haha. (probably more funny for us than you guys) 

Eating quinea pig for the first time.

  This little tiny bone is good luck if you find it in the cuyi, you're suppose to put it in your drink and drink it for luck....crazy peruvians!

  My crazyyy zone CENTRAL

Crazy...Tired

I am tired. haha. 

Yesterday I went to Chivay to play for their conference. It was quite the adventure. I was on a divisions with another american which was SO much fun. She was adorable. So we left our house at 3 in the morning to catch a taxi to chachauni like 40 minutes from our house where we were supposed to be picked up by a bus to Chivay. Well when we got to the place it was in the middle of a bunch of bars and I have never seen so many drunk peruvians in my life. So our taxi driver said he would stay and wait with us until the bus came. Well, while we were waiting our taxi driver fell asleep and the police came and started questioning us as to why two american girls were with a taxi driver at three in the morning in the middle of a bunch of bars. So we had to show them all our passport info and everything. Finally at 4 30am the bus showed up and we were off. Well, Chivay is 5 hours from here and the road is the craziest thing ever. (its crazy crazy beautiful though and there are lots of wild llamas) but we made it to Chivay in 2 and a half hours if that explains the ride. I got off the bus and immediatly threw up haha. Good times. BUT Chivay is amazing. I would say lets go there someday but I dont think I want to take that ride for the third time. I forgot to dress warm and nearly lost my toes but its all good. The program went really really well and we were able to listen to president talk. The people in Chivay are SO grateful for the church. I was so humbled by their love. They have about 20 members in Chivay and they meet in an old bar. (kind of ironic). After the conference we all went to eat at a buffet  (nothing like an american buffet haha) which was super fun and then we returned home and i passed out in my bed dead tired. haha

Last pday we had a big BBQ with my zone and played soccer (I was the goalie) it was pretty fun. This week there was a big protest here in Arequipa that got real crazy. My area was pretty calm. There was just a bunch of crazy people walking around yelling stuff and throwing rocks at cars. Everything was closed because they get real crazy here. I took a picture of all of the rocks in the road after they left because i was scared to take a picture of them haha. I guess in the plaza they starting killing people and it got really crazy.

This week was a little hard for me. We lost two of our investigators and i was feeling pretty bad. The next day I was reading in the bible about the story of Peter and John, When Jesus asked Peter 3 times...do you love me? I was thinking about it a lot and was thinking about how much I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father. How important this work is and how important it is not to get (i cannot think of the word i want to say right now right now) but down on yourself. How important it is to keep your head up and be happy. I was thinking about if Jesus were to ask me the exact same question what would I say...Obviously I love Him but am I truly showing it through my actions every minute of every day? I need to truly turn my heart to the Lord. I need to give it ALL up, every thought and every action and give my heart to this work and my Savior. I only have a short year to truly give it all up and go to work. I know im not perfect and everyday we are trying to become more like our Savior but its time to work even harder and be even better than the day before. I want to challange you guys to do the same. I know that you aren't all on a mission right now and you're all living your lives and doing your things but think in what ways you could be more obedient, in what ways you could give more to our Savior. I can promise you that you will see blessings.

I love the quote that says "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it."

I love you all so much, Im so grateful for the support I have. talk to you soon.

xoxoxo

HH 

pics...i cant remember their order but...after the protest, I thought misti was looking pretty nice (trying to take more pics for my mom haha) the city of Chivay and just knocking on some doors (for you mom) 

MOTHER'S DAY WAS AWESOME!!

Kinzie and her Pensionista.....she expressed how much she loves Kinzie. So grateful!! 

Somewhere in Arequipa...

Family time with Kinz. YAY!!!

Mayooo.....

I dont know about you guys but this week was like a year long. haha. pero esta bien. I cant believe we are already in May! yeah I get to skype my fam this sunday but lets not think about that too much hah...Last pday we had a multizona with a bunch of missionaries and played futbol..Ya I just watched because they are way too serious about soccer here and I have no talent what so ever in this sport. 

I got a new temporal comp (paula) this week. shes a member here and wants to go on a mission..shes been a member for 2 years...she showed up with nothing. no scriptures...nothing... haha so thats been super fun! man my spanish is getting good because i do ALL the talking. its a blessing really. I really can see the Lords hand in this work. On tuesday we were in a lesson with a sister who is super catholic and knows so much about the bible...(i know nothing about the bible) and had a billion questions about the bible and the book of mormon. I do not know how but I was able to answer her questions and find things in the bible that I did not know exsisted haha. after the lesson we were wallking in the street and I was just thinking like holy crap that was super cool haha. How cool is our Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost!?!? it is SO important to have confidence in his promptings and just go for it because when you do you will see miracles! 

I dont think I have ever knocked on as many doors in my life as I have in the past two weeks..finding new investigators is probably really frustrating...BUT i know if we are diligent we will eventually have some luck haha...I really decided to just have a different perspective about my area this change...Not alot happens in my area but im going to change that. it all just depends on me and my attitude. oh and my temporal...haha. Ill probably be here for my whole mission so I might as well enjoy it and work my hardest right?! 

Ky put this talk in her letter last week and i LOVED it so now i want you all to read it! 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng

anyways, today we are going on a tour of Arequipa so that should be fun! I love you all! See you SOON! 

xoxoxox

HH 


**As Kinzie and I were emailing, she shared with me that they are having a big concert with all the missionaries in that area and that she is playing a violin solo. I am so PROUD of her and so happy that she has the opportunity to share her beautiful gift with so many! This is what she said:

"oh yeah i get chills everytime i think about it because im super stoked but im playing this song"

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGaPp8waFDo

Click on the link to hear how beautiful the song is. It brings tears to my eyes and makes my heart HAPPY!! I wish I could be there. :(