All is Well

I have had so many amazing weeks in a row that it was about time to have a not so easy week! It all started when my companion had to go to Iquitos for a few days so I had to sleep on the floor of the other Sister's home and I caught a cold so I have been with a bad cold pretty much all week!! Then we got a phone call from Sandra saying that she isnt sure about her baptism and she cancelled her baptism date for this saturday, and Osler couldnt have his wedding or baptism this week because we didnt get his birth certificate on time! So many little not so great things happened that I was thinking, "What did I do wrong?" But then I realized how important it is to go throught a few trials so that we can learn and grow and it really made me appreciate a lot more all of the really good weeks I have had here in the mission! 

The experience that made everything better was sitting in sacramwent meeting and seeing my convert, Wills, passing the sacrament. It made me cry tears of joy seeing someone I taught the gospel to using his priesthood power to bless the lives of others! Thats what the mission really is about. Sometimes we have doors slammed in our face, sometimes we get a little sick, and sometimes there are a few more trials than expected helping someone prepare for baptism, but when all is said and done, if we could help even one person accept the gospel we have had success. To quote 17 miracles, " If we gave our all, it was for something." 

I feel like I have really given my all this week and I was happy to see that all of the people I have taught here came to church this sunday. The most special was seeing a huge family that we have been helping to reactivate come to church for the first time in TWO YEARS! I am so grateful for the little miracles that happened this Sunday becasue they made my whole week! No I just have to hope that this cold can go away and all is well! Osler is now getting baptised on the 8th of June. A man we are teaching named Jose is also getting baptised ont he 8th of June and we are going to work some miracles to help Sandra get baptised too! I love the mission even when we have trials, because I know that Christ and His gospel can help us through anything!

I hope you all have an amazing week! I love you all!

Hermana Toponce

Mateo 11:28-29

Faith in Every Footstep

It was an interesting week this week thats for sure. I get to stay here in Pucallpa and Im super excited about it! It is definitly and answer to my prayers. I had to organize a ward activity last minute because my district leader got sick and he was in charge and didnt show up so I worked with the ward leaders to have a good activity and everything worked out great! There were games, food, and a powerful message and investigators came so I say it was successful. In all of the lst misute planning we also were going to visit investigators and we got a phonecall from President saying that he wanted to come with us to visit a family that were teaching and that we had to meet him in the church in a half hour. We were on the other side of our area and we literally had to run to get there on time and when we greeted president we were sweating and out of breath! But it was an awesome lesson and our investigator Lessy came to church!!  It was her first time and I know it was because President shared his strong testimony. 

I got bit by a dog for the third time here in Yarinacocha and it ended up being a miracle! W knocked on the door of our investigator and her sister told us that she was sleeping, so we decided to knock on her neighbors door and thats where the dag was. I screamed and our investigators family came out to see if I was okay and our investigaotr heard me scream and woke up too! So we totally ended up teaching her and she acepted baptism!!! Sandra is getting baptised in June!!! I never thought I would be happy about getting bit, but I really am. I knew we needed to teach her that day! :) (Also seriously no worries, I am not injured just scared of dogs a little)

Life is going good. We are workin on finsing new investigators and helping Osler to be prepared for his baptism this saturday. Sandrea is getting baptised in june and another one of our investigators named Jose is about to accept a date! I know that God is preparing His children here in Yarinacocha and I am so beyong happy that I get to serve here still!

Have a great week everyone. Be careful around the wild dogs, and look for all of the little miracles that happen everyday!!

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Toponce

no pictures this week... camera problems

Did You Think to Pray?

So many things happened this week I dont even know where to start!

I was super happy to be able to talk to my sweet family yesterday for mothers day! They are the best! Its so weird to think that I will talk to them next when I see them in person in a few months. It goes by so fast! Happy Mothers Day to all of the sweet moms I know! 

ROCIO GOT BAPTISED! It was so great! Her family was so so happ for her and they had a huge dinner for her and for us after her baptism to say thank you. It took a lot of work to help her get baptised. We had to organize an interview with president, while I was in Iquitos and my companion was an hour away in Pucallpa, but with a lot of prayer we had a miracle happen and Rocio was able to have her interview and get baptised. Now she is excited to keep preparing this year to go to the temple with her family!!

Elder Falavela came and had a zone conference with us and it was amazing! He told us that we have been called on a full time mission and that we shouldnt be part time missionaries. He also explained the Atonement of Jesus Christ to us and it helped me to understand even better how much Christ loves us. I am so grateful for the saacrifice he made for us and for the example He has given us all so that we can return to live with God again. Elder Falavela said that the atonement is the motor in Gods plan because without it we cant keep going in Gods plan. I was so glad to hear his teachings and learn more about Gods plan.

We left right after the zone conference to the airport so that we could go to leaders council in Iquitos and we got there just in time to catch our flight! Leaders council was awesome because Elder Falavela came too so all of the Zone leaders, Sister Leaders, the APs and President were there and we set goals for the mission and made plans. It was an amazing experience to recieve revelation together to help the mission Improve! 

After the conference was over we went to the airport and our flight was delayed for two hours! I got to Pucallpa just in time for Rocios baptism! We had to run from the airport in the rain to get there but we made it! It was a busy busy week, filled with so many miracles. If anything my testimony of prayer was strengthened this week. I know that when we trust in God and pray with faith, He helps us to have success. Prayer helped everything work out just right this week.

I hope you all have a fantastic week and dont forget to pray! There is power in prayer!"

Con Mucho Amor, 

Hermana Toponce

ALMA 37:37!!!!!!!!!!

When Faith Endures

Hello, Hello! Happy almost Mother's day! 

I am feeling super grateful this week. I am so beyond grateful that I was called to serve in this mission and I know that God knows us, and knows what we need to do to become more like him. I love Gods plan. 

This week I felt that we should go to visit one of our old investigators named Rocio, I really didnt want to go becasue she has rejected baptism so many times it hurts, but I kept having her name pop into my head. We went to visit her, and we taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ and the spirit touched all of our hearts and she said... "I want to be baptised this saturday. I finally realized that everything you've been teaching me is true. I want to ba baptized for my family." ROCIO IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!! I am so excited for her and I am so happy that she FINALLY recieved an answer. This was just yet another testimony to me that we have to acceot God's timing. Sometimes we dont understand, but if we follow him we will always be doing what is right. She is seriously so excited to be baptised that she said she is going to name her first daughter after me, and she asked me to be the Godmother of her son and her mother in law was so happy that she gave me tons of hugs and kisses. It scared me a little bit, but Im happy that the Gospel has made them happy! I sure love their sweet family and I know that Rocio really truly has recieved a testimony of the restored gospel. 

I finished the Book of Mormon for the second time in Spanish thi week and it never fails to impress me. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and I know that it is the word of God and more importantly that it testifies of our savior Jesus Christ. I know that if we are obedient we will recieve blessings and I know that the spirit can guide us. I have learned these things and so much more by reading this wonderful book! I have a big testimony of this little book and I hope that all of you can read it too! It has changed my life!

Coming up next week: 

Highlights from our zone conference with area president Elder Falavera of the 70.

Leaders Council in Iquitos

Rocio's Baptism

Mothers Day

15 Months in the mission!

Stay tuned. haha

I know that the Gospel is true and I know that Jesus Chrit is our Savior and that His church has been restored. I love you all! Have wonderful Mothers day! Sending Besos from Peru!

Hermana Toponce