Hola Hermana! Hola Hermana! Hola!

That is about the extent of my Spanish vocabulary. Just kidding, but it sure feels that way sometimes. Also it's my subject because I accidentally sent that to someone we were inviting to our ward family night. I copied and pasted the invitation but somehow copied the first part twice so...Hopefully the Hermana we invited felt our enthusiasm.  

So this week was fun. Fall is gorgeous. It poured rain a few days this week, then yesterday and today have been beautiful. I took a picture with my favorite fruit off of a random tree near someone we try to visit every couple of weeks. If it's poisonous, someone please let me know because I've been eating them for a while now.. he he...

Kousa Dogwood fruit!

Speaking of food we had really good food this week. There are two restaurants where friends we are teaching work and we went to both this week. I had salmon eggs benedict which were SOOO good at one, and papusas and platanos at the other. Super good. I also had pig stomach yesterday which I didn't get a picture of. Not my favoritest thing ever but fun to try. 

A couple favorite things this week. We had mission tour, which is like a huge Zone Conference with half the mission and our area 70, Elder Haynie, spoke to us. It made me super hyped to be here and do this work. One of the most amazing experiences was reciting the Living Christ and singing Joseph Smith's first prayer together. The spirit was POWERFUL. This church is true and Jesus is the Christ!

Our branch had their family/halloween night and it was so fun! They had us help paint faces. We made witch hat cookies for it and it was just a party. This branch knows how to have fun. And the amazing thing is that we had two people we are teaching there! One of them was a surprise, we dropped by her house earlier that day and invited them and they actually came! And loved it! And THEN, they came to church the next day!!! And loved that too!! I forget that this church and the members have such a special spirit about them and people feel it. 

Wednesday night we got an 11 year old girl to the mutual activity at this cute little farm (like the ones in Spokane Rachel!) so we got to go see all the cute crafts and squash. Unfortunately our girl's tooth started hurting so she didn't have as great of a time but it was still good.

So one of the biggest struggle we have is that a lot of people we teach don't have a way to get to the church which is super hard! But it's a huge example to me that the Lord provides away if you act in faith. The woman who came to church had a way to get there but no way home and she came anyway. A member was able to give her a ride home. She was just such a huge example of faith. 

I'm trying to have faith but it's not feeling so awesome right now honestly! Spanish is mmm subpar. We had an English fast on Friday which helped a lot. But thanks for all the prayers and advice and encouragement! I need them haha! 

I love you all so so so so SO MUCH! 

Love, Hermana Peck

"We're making applesauce?!?"

...Then my companions both look at me like I'm crazy because no, Hermana Peck, that is not even close to what she said. No applesauce. I can't even Spanish. Haha. 

Hey my amazing family!!! Happy fall break! Thank you all for your notes! 

Wow this week was such a huge test of trusting in God's plan. You know those days where you have plans, but nothing goes according to plan and you can't help but doubt your plan-making/revelation receiving abilities? Yep, that was our week. Every day. We kept thinking things were pretty solid but with factors like buses, technology malfunctions, people, (a.k.a. the hand of God in all things) those plans went all over the place. So I've learned so much this week to trust in God and His plan. Even if Satan tried to make us feel like it was our fault. No, Heavenly Father knows what He's doing. 

Monday we were supposed to go visit a member but Hermana Whitehead got a sinus infection and was really sick so we didn't go. 

Tuesday was preparation day so that was kind of weird, and we had to reschedule some appointments which was a test of faith. 

Wednesday we had a Zone Training Meeting. President came and hyped us up. He reminded us that the Baltimore area is filled with SOOO much potential and that these people really do need and want the knowledge that we have to share. That night was cool, we got a girl we are teaching to come to Young Women's! Our branch is all Spanish by the way just in case anyone was wondering. They are so fun and like to have fun. We played volleyball and then they taught us how to dance. While we were dancing they were taking turns singing. Everyone kept pestering us to sing so I got peer pressured into singing Gravity by Sara Bareilles and it was actually pretty fun even though I was super nervous.

Thursday we had a really spiritual weekly planning which was much needed. We have quite a few people that we are teaching but most can't meet that often. It was good to receive some inspiration about how we can help them. 

That night we went to a member's house, they have the cutest little boys and teenage girl. We taught them how to make chocolate chip cookies which was super fun. They loved it!

Friday we had exchanges. Our Sister Training Leaders live in the apartment building next to us so that was easy haha. It was fun to teach a few English lessons again! That night plans went CRAZY and we ended up driving into the city to meet a referral we got who just moved from Utah. Their 11 year old daughter wants to be baptized! We hope to teach the whole family, they are so sweet. 

Saturday we had a training broadcast by Elder Ballard and Elder Christofferson but had technology problems so we just caught the end of it. Super inspiring though, reminded us just how divinely laid the plan was so that Joseph Smith could restore this gospel. This church is true. It holds all the truths of God, so perfectly undeniable through the Spirit. 

That day was kind wild because the buses were not coming because of a marathon so we were stranded at bus stops most of the day. But that night we got to go to a birthday for a girl who's mom was just baptized last week. It was pretty fun. Because the Spanish people love to party I have had tres leches cake three times this week and I am not complaining  

Yesterday we had church. I love church. And awesome surprise, 2 people we are teaching showed up!!! We are feeling super blessed. 

Basically even if we feel like we are messing things up, Heavenly Father's work is still going forward. My goal this transfer is to let go and let God. Looking forward with an eye of faith. Forgiving and accepting the healing power of Christ's Atonement. I've found a lot of peace through something Elder Ballard said in the broadcast this week. He said that our smiles, our heads held high, and our conviction are the message. So when I'm feeling like I'm hindering God's work with my imperfections or lack of Spanish-speaking abilities, I find peace in remembering all I have to do is smile, hold my head high, and remember my inner-conviction of the truth of this gospel. I love it so intensely. We are so blessed to have this knowledge. 

So ummm because I saw how miraculous it was to have our friend Mary come to the activity, I would love to invite you to think of someone you could invite to an upcoming activity who isn't a member or hasn't been coming for a while. Everyone wants to be included! Also, we forget the powerful Spirit in the church buildings and in our congregation. People feel it and they love it because it's home :) Literally is the spirit of our heavenly home. Love it. 

Thanks for all the love and prayers! Keep on keeping on because you are exactly where you need to be on God's timetable. Love you all so much!!!! Love, Hermana Peck

"I Feel Like A Billion Bucks. . ."

Says Hermana Whitehead with a sinus infection. Haha she's such a hard worker, she's been feeling awful for weeks now and we finally went to see the Doctor yesterday and turns out she has a sinus infection. 

It's been that kind of a week haha.

 

Man I loved all of your emails! My nieces and nephews are growing up too fast!! Slow down everyone! 

Other than Hna Whitehead being sick and a couple hundred other curve balls, this week was not bad at all. Haha. I'm coming to find that that is just typical. You're thinking, she's just learning this? Yes. It just hit. Took me a second but hey, I'm learning. 

Turns out learning is sloooooow. Especially for me in the Spanish department. 3 steps forward, 5 or 8 or maybe 21 back. Youch. I've been blessed to be able to understand grammer and pick up speaking pretty fast, but my understanding skills have gotten worse...which has humbled me to the ground. I've cried during multiple lessons now because it really hurts to feel dumb. Definitely still learning humility. I know it's going to take a lot of hard work to figure it out so thanks for all the prayers. I need them haha. 

Cool things this week. We had a lot of dinners with members which was nice, I am finally getting to know the majority of them. We have such a cool branch. I still love the food. We had things like empanadas but masa based instead of flour. We also had tostadas made by Hermana Heydy, she makes the best. Lots of chicken and beans and rice. Tres leche, love that. 

That was really cool actually. The Elders had a woman and her son get baptized on Saturday and they asked Hna Whitehead and I to be the witnesses. I was a witness for a baptism! Kind of weird but kind of not. 

I think my favorite part of the week was when we decided to have a day consecrated to finding so we said prayers the night before to know where to go. I kept feeling like this one area Pikesville, but it's kind of far away so we scheduled to go there in the evening if we had time. We were in the city most of the day and God kept placing people in our path. We didn't start teaching any of them but had really good contacts with them. Then we went out to Pikesville but by the time we got there it was kind of late so we decided to just try by this one person before we had to head back. She wasn't home so we were kind of feeling stumped. As we were walking away, there was a Hispanic man across the street kind of laughing at us three white girls in a sketchy place at night (that's pretty normal, people always think we're crazy). Hermana Whitehead is awesome and went to talk to him. He is actually super cool. He said he's been praying to know what God wants for him, and that he wants to understand God and the Bible more. He accepted a Book of Mormon and was going to try to come to church. He has been in contact every day and we are going to go teach him! Super elect. 

A few other people we are teaching surprised us and came to church! They really liked it. Super exciting. 

I was reading the story in Mark 5 with the man with the unclean spirit (Legion) and it reminded me that it is all Satan who makes us feel unworthy of coming unto Christ and receiving his healing even when we know that Christ wants more than anything to heal us. In Alma 7 it says "Come and fear not". Committing to come unto Christ, to do better and be better, can feel intimidating because Satan wants us to fear trying. He tells us we will fail. But in reality, Christ's "yoke is easy, and my burden is light". I'm trying to exercise more faith in Christ's love and healing and I hope you all can too this week. Please please please read the Book of Mormon every day. Find one thing from your reading that you can take with you and share with others during the day. 

I love you all! Love, Hermana Peck

"You are the rainbow between my storm clouds"

Thank you everybody for all the Birthday wishes!!! I loved my Birthday week and my birthday day, you all made me feel so special and loved. I love you! 

Monday was fun because we went and got a few cute halloween decorations and got the apartment all ready for a trio. The work was a little anticlimactic because we took an hour and a half bussing to a members house, they weren't there, and then had to bus back. Haha welcome to Baltimore. But that is when I got the birthday email about the aquarium tickets so we were SO EXCITED!!! 

Tuesday during district council our visa-waiting sister was dropped off! Her name is Hna Henrie, she is from Texas and is super sweet. She is the oldest in her fam of 6 kids. Baltimore is quite the adjustment for her haha. And Hermana Whitehead and I CRAZY and giggle our guts out all the time so she thinks we're nuts but all good. She will probably be here for the next 4-6 weeks. Yep we found out transfer news, we're all here in Baltimore for another 6 weeks, YAY!!! Blessed. 

The Spanish has been so so this week. Whenever I really need to say something the Spirit helps me and it's good. I am progressing but really need to study more. We just haven't had time. Still love it. I had some good food this week, some rice pudding, flan cake, real rice and chicken and beans. I really love it. The members are so sweet. We don't see them often but when we do they are so sweet.

Thursday we had interviews. President had super good advice about transitioning my good English missionary self to the Spanish work without losing my teaching/spiritual listening abilities. I am really looking forward to the day when I feel like a competent missionary again XD

All week I have hyped up my birthday and it DELIVERED. Bless my companions for being so excited with me. We had so much fun. Made cake, painted nails, wore my favorite dress, had GENERAL CONFERENCE, played conference bingo, the Elders threw a surprise party, I got to call my amazing family and got to sing with my dad. Thanks again for everything. I loved every second. We're actually headed over to the aquarium this afternoon and I am SO EXCITED!!! 

You all know how much I love aquariums and this is one of the best! Thank you so much mom and dad not just from me but my lucky ducky companions too :D 

Conference was the best. I loved Elder Bednar's talk on Saturday, it was a huge wake up call. I feel like there we are definitely an army being prepared for battle. I feel so blessed by so many revelatory experiences, I hope you all had some too. 

We're going to go play, sorry this is just a random skim! Love you all! 

Love, Hermanana Peck