Peru Iquitos Mission - August 2015 to February 2017

I'm Home!

Our friend took pictures for us at the airport ...

Happy Brandon could kinda be there!!

All ready!!

It seems like it took forever for her to come!

Her luggage was opened and she lost a few things.  Kyle was
trying to fix it!

Jared grew the most while she was gone!!

Week 78

February 6, 2017

SURPRISE!

I actually do get time my last Monday to write home.  I don't know why, because I'll see you guys tomorrow! but I better take advantage of the time I have!

Basically this has been a crazy week. 

Raul, as promised. got baptized! It was a great experience. Usually there are always like 10,000 problems when we are preparing for a baptismal service and we were a little stressed because I had lots of ending the mission meetings that stopped us from being able to plan as much as we would have liked too.  Saturday was fast weekend so we started our fast so that everything would go well with Raul`s baptism ... and it did! There was not one single problem! It was a miracle! Such a testimony that God answers our prayers and our fasts!

thats the bishop on the left and Raul in the middle!

Raul's daughter and daughter-in-law who aren't members came to  the baptism with their kids!

We also had the GIANT blessing of finding a very prepared soul to teach- her name is Bertha.  Her best friend is a returned missionary that lives in another ward, and Bertha also has classes with Paola, a girl in our ward. They both gave us the referral of Bertha so we went to go teach her!  After one lesson, she told us she felt peace, more peace than she has ever felt in her entire life.  She has never felt so good in any other church. She came to Raul´s baptism and told us "That is how Jesus got baptized.. I want to get baptized like that"!   She accepted getting baptized the 25th of February! Even though I won't be there, I know it will be such a special experience for her!

This week has been quite the emotional experience.. lots of lasts. It's been quite sad.

I don't have much else to say, but I'd like to share what I've learned from my mission.

It has been a wonderful experience. Definitely one of the hardest, but one of the best. I have learned so much about the importance of having God in our lives. Without him, we will never be anything. Howard W Hunter said, "Please remember this one thing.  If our lives and our faith are centered upon Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right".  I have learned that to be so true. 

I hope that all of you can remember daily the Savior, because he really is the reason we are all here. I am so happy to know that someone willingly gave His life for me, and that thanks to Him I can return to live with my family.

I know this is the true church, and I know that it is the only way to be truly happy!

Love you all! See you soon!

Hermana Gurney

Week 77

January 30, 2017

Well, this is it.  My LAST EMAIL HOME.  Can you believe that? I still can´t.

This week has been a little nuts because little by little it has been hitting me that I will never have this same life experience again... I've been trying to take pictures of everything and record some things too, but I know it won't be the same!

Wow.. I can't believe it. I feel so conflicted-- I'm super stoked to see you all again and be back home in my nice comfortable bed with hot water and air conditioning. But I'm so sad to leave the world of mosquito nets and constant heat.

The Amazon River!

All of the Hermanas going home this transfer!

Last pday, we went out to eat with some other sisters at an expensive
restaurant.  I only ordered a milkshake!  :)   

It will be a very interesting last week here.

We were very blessed this week-

The Elders before us starting teaching a man named Raul. He´s really awesome.   He comes to church every Sunday and is always reading the Book of Mormon. He just never wanted to commit to a baptismal date. We had been working towards the 4th of February all transfer but he always told us he needs to prepare more. Anyways, this past week we were teaching him and I felt impressed to share a scripture in Mosiah 18:9-10, which says,

"Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts,what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?"

Anyways, it hit him!  We testified to him that he was prepared enough for baptism and that God is just waiting for him to say yes. He said, "yeah, I'll get baptized. When?" We told him the fourth, like always and he said "I accept".

You guys can´t even imagine how happy I felt in that moment. After a month he finally accepted!! And for my last Saturday in the mission... how awesome! He had his baptismal interview this past weekend and everything is set for this Saturday! When I'm home I'll update the blog and put up the pictures!

Eloy and Nelida keep coming to church, and that is great!  They told us they want to get baptized, but they also have to get married first so they don't have a date set yet... once we get their papers done... it will be all good to go!

With a pet monkey!

This is a super cool tree.  Those random things are birds' nests!

Giant lizard in a member's back yard.  They said that it sometimes comes all
the way up to their back door.

Also, this week we had the blessing of finding many new people! One of them is Juan Sebastian. He is always sitting outside his house when we walk by and every time I see him I think about talking to him.  So finally this week we talked to him and he is super cool! He told us he wants to change his life because three months ago he had a really bad accident due to alcohol. We are excited to start helping him on this path! 

The other is Bertha.. she´s a referral from a ward member who is really excited to start meeting with us.  She has two friends who are returned missionaries and told us she wants to get to know our church! Hope things go well with her this week!

Anyways, I love you all ton! Thanks for always reading my emails!

See you next week!

Hermana Gurney