Happy Halloween and Sisters Conference

Ill be home for Christmas!!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!

FELIZ DIA DE LOS DIFUNTOS O DIA DE LOS MUERTOS 👻

One topic that I have studied most in the mission, is about "Forget yourself and Go to Work" or "He that loses his life for my sake shall find it." When we forget ourselves and worry about the other, things change, because otherwise it doesn't work. Ha ha its an interesting thing that Ive been trying to teach my companion. I think it has a lot to do with the talk they gave in the Women's Conference last time about the mirror and the window. Ex. This week my companion and I fought and it was our first time. She was angry because she felt that I always spoke too much in the lesson. And I was angry because I felt that she never took the initiative to be a missionary. We spent several minutes very angry at each other, but it wasn't until we could both lay aside our anger and try to think of the others side that we both calmed down and spoke frankly about what we felt and needed help with to change. Honestly it was a great spiritual experience for me to see how once I forgot to think of her, my anger built and the Spirit left, but the moment we decided to think of the other, Everything changed. 

Victoria is doing so good(: This week she accompanied us to visit Luis and she gave a great testimony. She said that she had been very frightful and that date after date, she fought with herself, but the moment that she truly asked God and did her part, she felt peace and when she was baptized, she felt peaceful the entire time.

David is progressing as well and Jean Pierre and Sofia. The whole ward counsel is so excited with the investigator's that we are bringing and they are feeling the missionary spirit. (: It is such a blessing to be serving in this ward and with the leaders here. 

So this week we had a Sister Training Conference. (: First it was such a blessing to be again with all the hermanas and right before I left! We have some amazing girls in our mission. Well President asked me to share some thoughts on "Important Things I Learned from the Mission." Ha when I heard the theme I laughed and said whoa um that's a bit large ah aha. But I wish to share my learning experience. As I began to ponder, I thought to share many Tanuvasisms (Things that I learned from my Tanuvasa home) that came to mind. Things like "Finish Strong" or "Always Start with a Smile", but there were so many that I couldn't organize my thoughts. I felt like there was so much to share and so little time. So I pondered and wrote and pondered and wrote, and then, I prayed. During the prayer as I asked the Lord for help, I felt the prompting to ask, "Lord, what and how would you have me teach?" As I finished this prayer and went back to look at my notes, my thoughts cleared and light entered in. I felt peace and I knew that the Lord was teaching me what HE wanted to teach, not what I wanted to teach.

I think sometimes many of us do the same thing. We ask the Lord to help us in worthy endeavors. We seek help in the scriptures to support our thoughts and try to put it together, but somehow there is just always something weird, a little part here, or a funky part there. And its because we try in essence, to create the symphony that we wish to hear, having a small perspective. But I imagine, that God sees the symphony doesn't only consist of the instruments we desire, but requires all that He knows. God knows the desires of our hearts, and of those we teach. He knows our circumstances and the circumstances of those those around us. He knows how everything can fit perfectly together. What we need to do, is let Him take the wheel. (Wow and what irony that I'm saying this) When we trust in Him, He lights the way and our souls can sing. (Alma 5:7-9)

I invite you guys to take a look and ask the Lord, "What and how would YOU have this?" I promise that He will enlighten you. 

But other than that Momma, I'm doing well. Its weird, dying (finishing my mission). I can't believe it still and my mind can't quite understand it. I'm not sure I will either until I am literally on the plane. But sometimes its sad to think that this will all end. I love these people. I love this work. I love learning from God more about how to bless His children. But I try to be hopeful. I believe it will choke me when I get home, but I have hope that there I can serve as well. I promised to the Lord that I would never stop serving Him, and so in whatever way I can find, I will do. 

I'm so thrilled to see you guys <3 I cant believe how fast time has flown by. And I have never forgotten my beloved family.

Have a great week everyone and take care!!

Love, Hermana Tanuvasa 

Its time for a Zone meeting :)

So this week was AWESOME!!!! We worked hard and we worked to get the members helping to truly be friends with our investigators. We also took the time for people to feel our love. We had several oppotunites daily to sit and truly talk with the pople in Sullana or help them in a small service. It truly worked miracles, because Sunday at church we had EIGHT INVESTIGATORS attend. WOW!! That is the highest number of investigators attend church, that I've had in my whole mission!!! haha Then the ward welcomed them with open arms and at the end of the meetings, every investigators was with other members and not us!! YAY!! 

And speaking of our little flock, heres' what we've got. So Victoria will be baptized this Saturday at 11.00. She is finally at peace thanks to some serious divine help that came from Kara! Can you imagine that!! I think the Lord knows us so well. After that is Aaron Anival (a recent convert) his best friend. He is progressing and is coming to understand the gospel more and more but we are poraying for him big time. Then there is David. This last Sunday we met David and his friend Jorge. At the end of the first lesson when we challenged them to baptism, even though Jorge didn't accept, David accepted right away that He would ask God, and if God told him, he would do it. On our second visit, he told us that he had read his Book of Mormon, seen the Restoration movie (without our invitation) had prayed and knew that the church was true and that he was going to be baptized. WOW! haha David is very similar to Bryan ahha. After that we have an investigator named Jean Pierre and Sofia. Jean Pierre we found a few weeks back, he's 20 years old and what I would say, just like me, Super awkward ahaha but he is awesome and after coming to institute, his mom talked with us and wants us to visit her daughter as well. We did and Jean Pierre and Sofia both came to church(: They are such adorable siblings. After that is Miriam. She is the mom of Jefferson, a recent convert. She knows the church is true and wanted to be baptized earlier but her husband didn't let her, but now he is gone and she can be baptized!! She is very happy to be able to attend wiht her son(: Our little flock is moving forward, repenting, changing, and preparing for baptism. What miracles the Lord is working in them. 

Hna. Vasquez is the best as well. She is a joy and she helps me become. She reminds me of how I can improve and then helps me to accomplish my goal with patience. I am amazed by how amazing of a companion she is. We are always doing crazy stuff. Oh ya, btw funny story, so in our second visit with David he says, oh ya and Ive seen you (speaking to me) before with another girl. I explained that it was Hna. Arce my last companion. And he says, ya one day I saw you guys walking by this park and you, Hna. Tanuvasa tripped and almsot fell. Wow! agh :(  "yep that was me". Same old, same old. Hahha thought you guys would get a kick out it as much as my companion did ahahhaha 

This week for our Multizone Meeting, we were focused fully on repentance. I wish that each of us could ask the questions, Why do we repent? Is it necessary? What blessings come from repentance? and Am I repenting daily? These are the things we studied and learned. I realized that this, repentance has been the lesson I have most learned throughout my mission. We sin, and make mistakes, but through true repentance, we come to better know our Savior Jesus Christ and we truly can become "sons (and daughters) of God" Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can put off the natural man that is within us! It is possible!!! I know it with all my heart and I thank God for the opportunity to repent every single day. I know that repentance brings miracles. As we work to change who we are, the goals we have can truly be accomplished. The more I repent, the more the world around me changes. What blessings lie in store for those who repent. 

Well I hope everyone has a FANTASTIC WEEK!! Lets go hard and work work work!! With joy in our hearts, because we have the truth of our Savior Jesus Christ in our hearts (: 

Love you all!!

Hermana Tanuvasa 

Progress and Miracles

We love the sisters in our ward

I am doing great!!  The area is progressing and we are seeing miracles. We just need a little more help from the ward but we are seeking to build better relationships within them through activities and things so that we might be able to bring more investigators and they will feel comfortable to take the steps like baptism. Victoria is progressing, but she is so fearful. This week she was able to have her interview, which was a huge step, but she says she still doesn't feel prepared. We are praying a lot and asking the Lord what else we can do. 

Sometimes there is so much work to do and so little time. The other day when helping a member who was very overwhelmed, it occurred to us the question, If God knows of all the things we have to do and finish, why does he give us only the certain time that He does? Hahah I asked the question to Him, but I still don't have the answer. (: 

So question, Is there any way that I could be able to go into the temple before I am released? I just would love to finish my mission in the Lords house. If you could find out if I can, I would be happy, but if not that's ok too.

So briefly about this week, we did tons of service and know the boys of the YSA call me Hna. Yuca, ya, well basically like saying Sister Yoked... the most beautiful nickname I've received ahahha. Other than that we found a family that is in desperate need of the gospel and they accepted baptism immediately. I saw that God saw them in their situation and saw that they were ready to receive Him. It is wonderful how if we listen to His voice, we will find the treasures that He has waiting for us. 

Well I've got to go sorry shorter email this week but I love you guys!!! Take care!!! 

Hermana tanuvasa

General Conference week

I am awesome!!1 We had another fantastic week filled with miracles and special experiences and of course I loved conference!! What beautiful songs and messages. I was able to see all the sessions in Spanish and understand even more this time than the last!

I LOVE Hermana VASQUEZ!! She is an angel and we keep learning and growing together. She helps correct me and see what I can do better which is exactly what I need at this time. The Lord knew me and knew what I needed.
Thank you for your prayers and love, truly I can feel it everyday. Mom and family, I am truly happy. I think Ive better come to understand how the gospel works and it brings my so much joy. I am at peace and I know that God will help me change and help my companion and I bring the work of change among these people here.
I loved the talk by Elder Neil L. Anderson. I think that I have always known the gospel and appreciated it. But as I have had the privilege to share the same message day by day and see it change lives, I have come to LOVE IT AND BE AWED BY IT.
How merciful is our Heavenly Father!!! He sent His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON to give his life for each and every one of us personally. But he loves us so much that he continues to bless us with our agency so that we may choose to follow His Son. He provides the way so that we may keep his commandments, and when we do, we are immediately blessed. THAT IS CRAZY!! I know of no company or enterprise that offers these types of benefits!!! God also leads and guides us through the difficult trials and temptations of the 21st century through living prophets and apostles!!! He has provided another testament of His living son through the Book of Mormon and sends His Spirit to testify of the truthfulness of it.
Friends and family, this gospel is AMAZING, ROCKIN', THE BOMB.COM AND EVERYTHING ELSE. <3<3 I invite you all to see it again through the eyes of one in darkness. To see the light of Christ through the restored gospel of this day. I love my God. He is all merciful and all loving. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. He is my strength and my song. He is my joy in each moment. I love being His representative and I love working with His children for their salvation.
As Moms favorite song was sung and said " I know Heavenly Father loves me" (:
Take care everyone and have a great week!!
Oh and update! We found Victoria and she came to general conference and was visibly touched by the Sunday afternoon session. We found an awesome kid named Martins, I will add the story I sent to President Rasmussen below. And we were able to help and love our members. SUPER SUCCESSFUL WEEK AND THIS WEEK EVEN MORE!!!!!!
Hermana Tanuvasa
"So two experiences that went together and showed me that God is very in control and blesses when we do our part.  So we were walking to our room Tuesday night and a guy was walking the same way and we start to talk. He tells us that he had been in the army and seen some really scary things. He accepted an appointment for the next day. At the same time, one of our members had given a referral of a less active who had been strong and had actually preparing his mission papers less than a year ago, but who had gone inactive. We had found him two days before and when we went to visit the other guy, Martins, we asked our less active, William to accompany us. When we first entered into the home, Martins entered into his room and pulled out a Book of Mormon saying that one time a missionary had left it in his work and he had planned on giving it back to us when he found us but had forgotten completely for almost two years. We officially "gifted" it to him and began to explain the purpose of the book and the blessings that it would bring. He was moved to tears as he told the story of his deceased grandmother and the love they had shared. He told us that he felt very far from God and wanted to come back. William then bore a strong testimony, without being asked, of the love God has and the ability to feel it as he read the Book of Mormon. The spirit was strong and each person was guided in their words by the power of that same Spirit. We testified that he would be able to know of the truthfulness by the Spirit, to which he could feel in that moment;a sweet peace and joy.The next day we visited William and he told us that he had many times asked God if the Book of Mormon was true and the church and as he bore testimony and then learned that the Spirit doesn't speak in grand ways, he realized that many times he had felt the Spirit, but hadn't recognized it. "