We had a baptism this week and it was so special to see this young girl work her way to the font. Her name is Karolay Navarro and she is awesome! Her whole family is awesome but her parents have things going on in their lives that make it pretty much impossible for them to attend church, but Karolay comes every Sunday with a smile on her face. We asked her how she felt after her baptism and she said that she didn't have words to explain it other than she feels like a new person and that she is so happy that she made this decision. When she bore her testimony my heart was just so happy for her and the spirit was so so strong in that room and it made all the work worth it. I am so thankful to be able to be here and watch the lives of others start to change as they continue to grow closer to their Father in Heaven. I am so thankful to be part of their lives for this little bit, what a blessing it is to really be an instrument in the Lords hands. I love you all and wish you the best of luck in this week of yours!

Hermana Brasher

This week was a blessed one. We had days where we flew and days where we were really dragging our feet not wanting to do anything, but really when you start to pick up your feet and push through, the hard days are really when I learn the most. Yes, I would prefer a day full of blessings and people giving me free chocolate because I am sharing the word of God, but that’s like one day out of the seven but it is okay because I am learning how to love it. I am truly blessed for the days that start out bad and end with my feet throbbing and my whole body singing with relief when I get to sit down at the end of the day because with that I know I put in my part and did what I was meant to do. 

We have been able to have a lot of progress in our area and we have seen a lot of blessings in our lives and in the lives of others. I am grateful for the people that I have in my life because I know I am truly supposed to know these people. My area is an area full of blessings and potential.

I really am grateful for the blessings and promises that we have from our Heavenly Father because they are real and He will always follow through on his part if we do all that we possibly can on our part ... I know this to be true! I know that if we give it our all and then let Him fill in the spots we can’t we will be given the promises in the life. I love our Savior so much and I have really been able to grow a strong relationship with Him in these days because I have been able to really rely on him and I don't think I could have really built my relationship with my Savior like I have without my mission. Truly the best way that we learn things are through the experiences that we have and when we actually have to use the doctrine of Christ and apply all that we know into our actions...it’s when we do this that we will have our testimony, the testimony we need to push through all the garbage that the world is throwing at our feet. I know that this gospel is true and the only way we can truly have the happiness and peace in this life that everyone out there is looking for is when we truly live the principles of this gospel.

I hope that all of you have a great week and that you are are doing all that you can do to follow our Savior. I love you so much and am so grateful for all you do!!! Much love is always being sent from Peru.

Hermana Brasher

Well this week had all of the ups and downs a week could have, but in the end and looking back on my week, because my companion and I worked like crazy through all the downs, our Heavenly Father blessed us so so so much in the end. We were able to have the spirit with us in lessons where we really needed the hearts of our investigators to be softened so they could make the progress that they needed... and it happened! We were able to make the progress that we had planned for our week. I have a testimony about the importance of goals and plans. Having our goals and plans really thought out and really do our part because if we fully do our part God will fully do His. Like the story of  the brother of Jared and the boats and the fact that they needed air and light. The Lord told him he couldn't do windows or fire... but is there really anything that the Lord can’t do? No! He told him no windows and no fire because that plan was too simple, the brother of Jared didn't earn the help of the Lord by this plan. But WHEN he sat and really thought about what he could do, when he climbed to the top of the mountain and really searched for the 16 beautiful rocks and then asked the Lord that if he would touch the stones with his finger and make them glow, then he knew that they would be able to have light, and they had light! That is what we need to do with our plans and goals. Really do all of our part and then the Lñord will do all his part because we have to show that we are worthy of his help.

I love all of you and I hope that you are all doing good! It is all good here in Peru. It was getting cold and then it was hot and now it is getting cold again so maybe it will stay cold this time, but who knows! I wish you all a fantastic week and want you to all really look and pray to notice the hand of your Father in Heaven in your day because I promise he is always there, sometimes it just takes a little bit of hope, faith, and patience to notice it!

Love, Hermana Brasher

I have a new companion and her name is Hermana Alcocer and she is awesome! I absolutely love her! Yes, we have barely had a week together but her love for this work is amazing and I have really learned so much from her this past week. I also have a new area and it is soo soo beautiful! I am more on the coast and the beach is in my area but Hermana Alcocer told me that is is pretty sketchy at the beach so I haven't been able to convince her to let me see it yet, but I am working on it! At times I do get a little smell of the salty ocean and I love it. I am more out of the city so it isn't as crazy but it is still crazy.

This week itself has been a little weird. We have had a harder time finding new investigators but we have had a lot of lessons with new people but things happen. This week either people said that they don't want to get baptized and hear our message anymore or they weren't all completely there in the head... so yeah it was a rough week with finding new people. But with the investigators that they had before I got here have been awesome and there is some really good potential here in Barranca.

I just want to tell you all how grateful I am for the power of prayer and the blessing it is in all our lives. Today we taught the class in church and it was about faith and about how faith is dead with out works. One of those works is prayer and it is so necessary for us to always be talking and pleading with our Heavenly Father because he truly is always stretching is hand out to help us we just need to do our part and pray for the help we need. Once we start working our faith that is when we start to see the miracles and blessings in our lives more often. I know that it is true. I know that all you need to do is pour out your soul and heart to Him and he will help you. You just need to have you faith combined with trust and hope. Trust that he really will help you and hope for the blessings because they will come in the time of the Lord when we have learned what he needs us to. I am so thankful for our Father in Heaven and all that He does for us in this life and all that He has done for us in the life before.

Thank you all for your love and your prayers. I hope all is well and pray for you often. Lots of love always coming from Peru.

xoxo

Hermana Brasher

Well another one bites the dust and here comes Mayo!!!! It is starting to get cooler here and I love it!! It is so much nicer to walk around in spring time weather then the blazing hot sun. These past two weeks have been crazy and really they feel like a dream. So in other words I don´t really know what to say about the past two weeks.

Today I actually did something cool for P-day. Today for some reason Día de Trabajador which means that no one goes to work today so the family Camones invited us over to do a Pacha Manka which is food of the ground. It is pretty cool, they have this little underground fire pit and they put all the food in it like potatoes, meat, beans, and other food we don´t have in United States that is really yummy and then they put paper and leaves of the banana trees over it and then dirt over it and it cooks and it is awesome! I got to help uncover the food and everyone thought it was so funny that I wanted to help for some reason, and I also got to take the food out too. This family is so cute and so so funny it was really like being with my own family. Everyone was teasing each-other and joking with each-other and eating really good food, I felt right at home. It was kind of like a Thanksgiving lunch! 

This week we have found a few real awesome families that they have done really well in the lessons but then for some reason don´t what to wake up for church. So tonight we get to go cry repentance to all of our investigators which I actually kind like doing and I have had a lot of practice doing it, but it is always done with love. I am growing to love Peru more and more everyday and it helps that I am learning the language a little bit more everyday!

Thank you everyone for your love and your prayers. I hope all is well at home and I am always sending my love from Peru!!!

Hermana Brasher