Happy New Year!

Me, Hna Pettit, and Rolando at the Temple

Happy New Year!! What a week we had…and another this week. These holidays are throwing us off a little bit. It almost doesn't even feel like a holiday, we just have to be considerate of other people and their families with all of their parties and stuff. We have had another week of eating and eating and eating. I honestly don't know how I haven't gained any weight, because my morning workouts are horrible. If anyone has any ideas of 30 minute workouts I can do on a third floor apartment, please let me know :) hahaha

On Monday night we had 2 dinner appointments with some members. They all make really good food and they make us eat so much. In each meal I eat more than I ever would have at one time before, but now I do it twice in 2 hours...not that I'm complaining because it’s delicious. I've gotten slower than ever at eating. The members are starting to make fun of me for it! I just like to talk! And a lot of times we have Spanish lessons at the table, so it’s fun.

My family got to meet Jilma on Wednesday (on skype). She is the one who has been receiving the lessons for 6ish years. She is the only one in her family who is not a member of the church. We visited her a couple times this week and each time we learned something new. She thinks she has to read to entire Book of Mormon in order to know that it’s true.  I'm so happy that I know that we don't. It’s like eating cake. We don't have to eat an entire cake to know that it’s yummy, only a little slice, even though all of it is good and we will finish it. There are investigators who absolutely know that it is true without reading it all. The confirmation comes through the Holy Ghost when one is willing
to look for and recognize the answer. We have decided to be a lot more careful when we go over to their house. This time we accidentally drank some black tea because we were told it was herbal...definitely not herbal. That is the second time in about a month that I have broken the Word of Wisdom. Aren't you supposed to be even more obedient as a missionary? I guess Hermana Moberly should extend her mission so she can keep learning ;)

Overall this week has been super awesome and I loved it! We went to the visitor's center a couple times with different investigators and had a blast!

Christmas Eve- such a good day! We were told by president that we should visit members and families during the day and then we could go caroling at night, so we don't interrupt parties. Fun fact, Hispanics celebrate Christmas by staying up until 12 on Christmas Eve and opening their presents and eating a huge dinner...so different! So on Christmas Eve we visited the Deza family. I know I'm not supposed to have favorites, but they are really high up there ;) It was also Hno Deza's birthday, so we had to sing with them, and they fed us a meal, then cake, and then arroz con leche. And then we had a dinner appointment. So we went and ate again and met some members in the ward that we didn't know. But Peruvians still eat weird food. A lot of fish, but they cook it in weird ways, so I had something with fish in it, but I'm not exactly sure. Then we were just about bursting and went caroling with some of the English speaking missionaries and had some fun. Then we had a party 2 floors down at a sisters apartment with pizza, presents, and of course a nativity! And guess who I was?! The Donkey :) and the best one yet! I'll send pictures when I get them. It was a fun night and we celebrated Christ's birth a little differently.

Christmas day- We had another Sisters party at a different apartment :) I love parties! Then I had a Mexican Christmas lunch with Hermana Sanchez. Her mom actually lives in Pachuca Mexico, so there is a chance that Curtis knows her, which is pretty cool. Then I went to the Campos' house and I SKYPED WITH MY FAMILY! It was so much fun and for once I didn't cry :) it seems like forever ago already, but one thing I do remember is that I called and they answered, and before I could see them I heard Cory just yell my name :) they talked to Jilma a bit and Hna Campos was saying lots of nice things about me, but I think only Cory understood, hahah. So that lasted for 40 fantastic minutes. We stayed there and visited the family until we went caroling. We went to the Deza's first with the Hermanas, thinking we would meet up with the Elders later, but then they invited us in and we played a joke on the Elders. We told them to carol at the Dezas and that we would meet up later. It took a lot of convincing, but they finally did it. So they started caroling to them and then we came out and clapped for them. I don't think they thought it was as funny as we did, but the Dezas loved it! Then we did some more caroling the rest of the night and we even managed to drag along some of the Deza kids! That was Christmas and I loved it. I didn't feel homesick one bit because I know that I have family here too :)

Friday night we went to the visitor's center with Rolando and it went perfectly. He also came to a baptism on Saturday night and now he is super duper pumped for his own baptism! (Also I got to a familiar face from home and I got a hug from Vasty) He even asked me and Hermana Pettit to make food for it, but then we let him know that he didn't want us to make the food, especially if he didn't want American stuff. But he is set on being baptized on February 15! It’s a set date, and even if I'm not in Little River I won't miss it!

Those were really the highlights of the week, sorry it’s so long. But I'm still loving the mission, it’s going by way too fast, and I love you and miss you all. I hope your Christmas was as good as mine and that your new years will be great! I'll be watching movies again in a few nights. How to Train Your Dragon 2 and another one, but I hope
they're good!

Thanks for all of the letters and emails, it means a lot to me!

Before I finish I want to share some of the things I learned this week. BE ALL IN. This will be our theme as a mission for the first quarter. The word be has a lot of different forms including is and are. What we ARE will always matters most to God. As a missionary we do everything we can to BE what God knows we can be. The word all is an absolute. Everyone has a different amount of all. My all may be less than my companion's all, but that's all that is expected of me. Never compare yourself to others. Being IN is being where you are when you are there. So to be all in, we need to do all we can do and God will make up for the rest. 2 Nephi 25:23- it is by grace that we are saved after all we can do. You cannot be or do all that Christ did, but you can be and do the best that you can.

Foggy Temple Lights and Reflection

If you have the chance, look up the words to the hymn "dear to the heart of the shepherd". It is incredible and now one of my favorites!

I love you and miss you. Thank you for your prayers :) you are incredible, but we can all be better. Change isn't scary, it’s an eternal principle.

If anyone is willing, can you please look up information on David Huntsman and send it to me? He will be our next mission president starting in July.

Sorry again, I'm all over the place, but make this week great and be all in :)

Love always,
Hermana Moberly

P.s. Can you like my stuff on facebook please? It’s more effective in proselyting that way :)