Semana 34 in Punchana! (September 15th, 2014)

WOW. So much has happened since the last time I wrote you guys.

After three weeks of working without a companion We're finally seeing some fruits!  On Tuesday I had the COOLEST most spiritual lesson of my entire life with our investigator family Badick and Monica!  I honestly don't even remember what was said, it was 100% lead by the spirit but after weeks of denying baptism and matrimony, Monica took a complete 180 turn and told us that she felt in heart that it was what she was supposed to do. We prayed together, we fasted together, adn she has finally had a mighty change of heart. I love that SO much! An investigator that you truly see change and humble themselves and submit themselves to the will of the Lord after weeks of prayer and fasting and teaching.  I would take it any day over a golden investigator who decides to get baptized the first lesson. When they accepted I literally cried with happiness. Hermana Lozano is up and walking again so we've been working on the wedding papers this week! Love those two!

Our other big news is....WE'RE IN A TRIO!  TRAINING A NEW MISSIONARY!!!! We were kind of shocked when they told us that but hey, I'm excited!  Our new companion is Hermana Tinta from Bolivia. We went to the meeting of the new missionaries. There were 18 new missionaries, 3 Hermanas and 15 Elders....and almost all the elders were really excited 18 year old gringoes, it basically looked like the Orem High School graduating class of 2014 haha. We're training one of the 3 new sisters, Hermana Tinta. Hermana Tinta is very sweet and a bit shy. She is a new convert as of two years ago and although she doesn't know much about the gospel and admitted that she really had no idea what to expect or what missionary life is like, she has a great testimony and a sweet spirit. So far getting used to the heat, the walking 9 hours a day, the food, the being away from home, and talking to strangers has been VERY difficult for her. But being her companion just these few days has honestly helped my heart grow like 3 sizes.  I have learned in my mission to be much more expressive and loving, and I owe it to my latina companions who for the most part need those kind of qualities in a companion.  Hermana Lozano is struggling a bit because, although she is latina, she is a rare exception and she has always expressed her love in other ways such as service. She is NOT about that hug-giving life, which has been fine because up until now all of her companions have been gringas, and she doesn't know what to do when someone is crying a lot and this will really be a trial to help develop more charity. But I see it as a great learning experience and I'm trying to do everything I can to help both of my companions, one who is really sad and having trouble adjusting and one who is feeling very stressed. But I know that if we are patient everything will be okay, and hey the Lord is blessing us with success in our area! We have a matrimony coming up on the 27th and another investigator named Hayde who came to church accepted baptism for October! 

The Lord is always going to bless us and always going to give us trials. Maybe before our trial is that we weren't seeing our fruits and this is our trial now, honestly I am very content but please pray for my companions!  God gives us trials to stretch our souls, to refine us, and to transform us. We on the otherhand must learn to drink the bitter cup without allow it to make us bitter. Be patient, be kind, have the faith to accept God's will instead of praying to change it.

I love both my companions and know they both will be ok!

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!

p.s. After hearing all this awful news in the middle east, I'm pretty glad to be in an isolated island in the jungle surrounded by a spiritual bubble. Mom and Dad, Don't worry about me, I think I'm safer here than you guys are there! :)

Love,

Hermana Benyo

Photos

1.  Me and Hermana Tinta

2. Walking to our lesson in Bella Vista

3. Bella Vista

4. Monica--getting ready for the matrimony/baptism!!

5. It poured last night for hours straight

6. Basically all the houses in Iquitos got flooded in

7. The plaza got turned in to a makeshift swimming pool