Hermana Tanuvasa's Mission : Because of HIM

Andres drew this picture of Kayla

So this has been yet another crazy week. First of all, I love my companion. Were it not for Hna. Spainhower, I couldn't have been able to make it through this week. She means the world to me and I will cry when we are split up. Luckily we live close so after the mission we will be together often. Also, there are some amazing members here in Peru, and some I don't even know, but they help us with the work and our investigators can feel their love. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, please never underestimate your importance and the good that you can do. Wednesday, we were in the middle of a lesson and something kept telling me to leave, I didn't know what it was, as the lesson was going great, but we cut it short and walked outside and Jesus, our recent convert called to tell us that his sister, Rosanna had just passed away. She was 45 and had ovarian cancer, and three children, two of which are our investigators, Michael, 22, Roxanna, 19, and Andrea, who only is 8 years old.

Wow, when that news hit, we just cried, and cried and cried. I sat there in tears because I knew that I had absolutely no idea what to do for these people. We went that night to Jesus and he cried as he told us how much he missed here. Its been a while since Ive had my heart ripped out so hard. The next day we visited the kids and Friday morning we attended the funeral service. These nights I cried on my knees begging the Lord for some kind of answer or help. How precious this family is to us, and how much they are suffering. I can honestly saw that they are the first family that I really love and feel like I am part of their family, and to watch them suffer was something all together hard to bear. But prayer has kept me stable and the family moving forward. We are doing all that we can, staying by their sides, helping clean and prepare food and really just trying to bring in some of the light that we carry. And guess what? The Lord has immensely blessed us.

So in our zone we are working to have a Noche Blanca on the 12 of December which is basically that every companionship is working to have at least two baptisms and each ward is working for one family baptism. We had thought about moving Jesus´s baptism to the 12, but we felt strongly to make it as quickly as we possibly could. Now in this time of suffering, Jesus feels the comfort and is sharing his knowledge about the plan of salvation with his family. I know this is because of his faith and the gift of the Spirit that he has.

The Lord has also blessed me with a companion that loves to laugh and that can easily make any person laugh, no matter what age or level of understanding of her Spanish. Just Saturday night, we sat with Michael, Roxanna, Jesus, and Andres (Jesus´s brother) and just laughed about the silliest things. Mom, Dad, Keirra and boys, I miss you guys so immensely because that's what we used to do. But thankfully because we had that joy in our family, we were able to share a little bit of it with the Perez family.

This week was one of such intense sadness and yet one of such bright joy. I love the opportunity that God has given me to be here and be apart of this. But I testify that the only reason I was able to feel joy in a time of such sadness was because of the sure knowledge that I have that my Savior, Jesus Christ lives. That he resurrected on the third day and that because of Him, we too will live again. What a beauty it was to testify of that to this family. I know it is true with all my heart. What a blessing to see that miracles he creates in this time of Christmas.

I love you all and I know that I will see you all again, not only after the mission, but after this life and I give thanks to my God for sending His only begotten to be born so many years ago for us. I encourage you to take a look at the video "A Savior is Born". He was born for you and me so go find out why. He is the true source of all happiness. I know He lives!!!!

Love and miss you all and I hope all is well at home (=

Hermana Tanuvasa