Let's get down to business

So, we are a lot more comfortable in our new area. We now know the people and the streets really well and we were able to get to work this week, after Tuesday because I was sick on Tuesday. But This week has been super great! We taught one lesson on Tuesday and I was coughing so bad, which made me sad because we were teaching my favorite lesson, the law of chastity, but I was really happy because our investigator Flor understood and was willing to make the changes she needed to in her life to live this commandment. I am so grateful for the spirit because without the spirit we would be able to change peoples hearts.

Hermana Flor is the best and... shes getting baptised for my moms birthday! November fourth! I am so excited for her. She has such a sweet spirit and she is beyond excited to take this step in her life. The sisters who were teaching her before us could NOT get her to accept a date but with a lot of prayer and fasting Flor accepted to be baptised. Pictures to come next week :)

This week we had zone conference and we celebrated my birthday. haha! dontn worry my birthday isnt until christmas, but we wont be having a zone conference until after christmas, so we celebrated my birthday! There was cake and everything. It was really weird to celebrate so early but it was really sweet.

We know the members in our branch so well that we´ve been invited to so many family home evenings tonight that I dont kow what were going to do. My branch president asked me to give a talk on unity this week and I was so happy to help. Its so great that he had confidence that I could help the branch have a little more unity. I have so many goals for this transfer and this area. I know that there is so much potential here. We are teaching two new families and they are golden.

I know that when we accept the changes that happen in our lives, and ask for God´s help we can be successful. I was really sad to have transfers from my other area, but I know that God has a lot of things planned for me here in Tarapoto. I hope you all have a great week. Thank you for your love and support!

Con amor,
Hermana Toponce

Also sorry that the picture is blurry. The elder who took the picture had cake on his hands :P 

Zona Tarapoto!

Same Companion, Different Area

So we had transfers and I cant believe it! We were getting ready for bed on monday night because we were both certain that nothing was going to happen and the phone rang! We got transferred to Tarapoto. It is a beautiful area. There are lots of trees, there are mountains and its not hot. I was so happy when we got off the plane because I actually felt a little cold!

Here in Tarapoto there arent any wards, just branches but the members are so great. Our branch president was so excited to meet us that he offered to show us the whole area! Im super excited to work with the members here. The people here arent too interested in hearing our message. In my other areas it was super easy to get in the dorr, but here its been difficult. Im excited to learn how to teach the people here. I havent seen a wooden house in a week! and there are hardly any dirt roads. It is so different! 

Theres not too much to tell about the area yet, were still getting to know the members and the area and our investigators so there will be more to tell next week. I am just really happy and excited to start my new adventure here in Tarapotto. Also I cant believe that I am with Hermana Quispe again. I am so excited!

Hermana Quispe tried her first Pb&J this week so that was pretty exciting. There is penut butter here and I told her that she had to try something that I love. Haha she really liked it. 

I know that the church is true and I know that there are people here who are waiting for the gospel! We just have to find them. I hope you have a great week. Keep helping the missionaries find people to teach!! 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Toponce

I LOVE IQUITOS

I seriously love the mission. My companion is super great and weve been working well together. We are having a lot of succes and were happy! I couldnt ask for anything better. I also love my area. The people are really nice. My investigadors are progressing. THREE FAMILIES!! One is Esteban and Nara, The other is Lila and Jairo, and the other is Gloria and Jaime. All of them are reading their book of mormon, coming to church and preparing to get married and baptised in december. It has been so fun teaching them and they all tell me that I explain the gospel well. It made me happy to hear because my goal this transfer was to teach better :) We have transfers tonight and I am praying that I can stay here so I can see them get baptised! 

We arent teaching Bruno anymore... :( We went to find him and he told us that he had a dream that his church is true after praying. We wanted to help him interpret his dream, but he said he didnt need to hear more. I was heartbroken, but I know he will accept the gospel someday :) 

This week I totally ran into a cement wall. I was talking to my companion and I didnt look in front of my and I smacked my head into cement. It was super painful, but now Im totally okay. When I told president he told me that I need to be more careful. Haha! 

This week has been really good, and I am especially grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. Thanks to Him we have the chance to become better everyday! I have loved seeing the gospel help these sweet families. I cant wait to see what other families are here waiting to hear the good news of the gospel :) 

Have a wonderful week!

Con amor, 

Hermana Toponce

JUNGLE FRUIT

Hello everyone! I hope you all have had a lovely week. Mine sure has been great! Its finally fall here so were getting to eat all of the harvested fruit and I couldnt be happier! Theres pineapple, watermelon, mango, granadilla, and so many more that im not sure what theyre called. 

This week was great with teaching. We are teaching three new families and they are all on date to be baptised in december! I am so excited for them :) One of the sisters we are teaching is named Ada and this week she told us that she felt really happy while reading the scriptures and praying and we helped her to recognize that its the spirit. She was so happy to recognize the spirit that she started crying. It was such a special moment with her :) 

I got to work in my old area and we visited my convert! Junior! when we knocked on his door he was really sad and he didnt want to talk to us. He let us in and we found out that he hadnt been coming to church or reading his scriptures and he told us that he felt lost. I felt heartbroken for him. We testified the importance of reading the Book of Mormon and Going to church and he felt happier. This experience helped me streingthen my testimony of doing the little things so that we can continue feeling the spirit. Reading the Book of Mormon, Praying, and going to church are So important. They might not seem like big things but they help us so much in our lives. 

I recently completed eight months in my mission and I cried a little because I dont want it to come to an end. I love the mission so much! I love teaching these poeple the gospel and seeing it change their lives! Good things I still have ten more months. 

I love you all and I hope you all can remember to do the little things. Share the gospel. Have a fantastic week :)

Con Mucho amor, 

Hermana toponce

(sorry that there arent any pictures, the internet is slow)

Turtles, Conference, and broken doors

I have had lots of happy things happen this week and Im smiling super big because I know that Heavenly Father loves me and that he loves all of you as well! The gospel is so wonderful. I always feel super happy after watching general conference, but theres something extra special about watching conference in the mission. It made me think about how much has happened in the six months since my first conference in the mission and all that I want to accomplish in the six months until next conference! I was super happy because we had a bunch of less active members that weve been teaching come and Bruno came to conference! He loved it. He was nodding his head in agreement to almost every talk and I could tell that he found it very interesting. Im excited because we have an appointment with him tonight so well see what he thought :) Conference was really special. I loved hearing about the importance of service and accepting Gods will. He really does have a plan for us and it is always so much better than our plans :) 

Sunday morning at five in the morning we had a crazy thing happen. We live in an apartment complext that has five apartments and all of the sudden we heard someone yelling outside, "OPEN THE DOOR" and then start kicking the door. We woke up ad were super scared because we werent sure if it was our door or our neighbors door. It kept going for about ten minutes and then we heard a door break and we had to call the police. Turns out there was a drunk mad that thought he had been locked out of his house because he chose the wrong door. I was terrified! But all is well and he no longer lives in our apartment complex... :)

The world is crazy sometimes! I got to hold a turtle and it seriously didnt want to come out of its shell when I was holding it, I think its because it knows I ate one of its cousins in pucallpa! haha. 

This week we were working really hard to find new people to teach, (updates to come because we've found a few families) and it was super hot. I thought I was going to die, but we kept working anyways because we really wanted to teach! We also ran out of our money because it was the last day of the month and we couldnt buy coca-cola to keep us going, haha it was rough. But later that day wek were teaching a sister named Germany and she offered us Coca-cola! It was such a happy thing! I know that when we are working hard to do Gods work he blesses us. He really is watching over the little details of our lives :) 

I love you all so much! I hope you enjoyed conference! Please apply what youve learned and help everyone know how important this gospel is :) 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Toponce