On the move again......good-bye Chulucanas......Hello Paita!

Well....you will never guess who is on the move to a new area....this girl......again! Aushlynn is having to say good-bye to an area and people that she has come to love. In Chulucanas she has formed some sweet friendships that will last a lifetime. She has also seen some things that she would just as well hoped she would had never seen. This area will forever be etched in to her memory and heart for sure. 

Here is what she had to say this week.

Heyyyy!! :)

So as you already know I got transferred to PAITA!!! I am always on the move... The sisters in the mission only have like 4 or 5 areas in there whole mission and I am 7 months in and I am on my 4th area! I’m pretty sure I am going to know all of Piura before the end of my mission! Each area is so different too! Honestly the worst part about being a missionary is having to lug all your stuff to different areas!! Honestly every time I pack all my stuff I wonder how I even got some of these things lol. You would think by now I would have not much to bring with me but that is false ha ha. My companion actually stayed in Chulucanas so that’s cool too! 

I am super excited to start this new adventure in Paita! Fun fact... this is Hermana Pays area that she has been in her whole mission! It was fun to get a few notes from her when I entered the room! My new companion is Hermana Ramos! She only has 3 months in the mission! She just finished her training! She is super sweet and super funny! I’m so excited to see what Paita has to offer and also I’m ready to see some baptisms lol! Also I am close to the beach again yay!! 

Anyways my last few days in Chulucanas was super sad. I made a lot of good friends in that area! It was a sad goodbye. On Sunday I had about 3 lunches and 2 dinners lol. I seriously am going to be full for like a week! Also Hermana Nelly made me a big cake and the branch had a farewell testimony meeting for me! It was super cute and I am super grateful that I was able to serve with some of these people! 

We did a lot of service this week as well. One day we went to Morrapon and moved churches and painted the new building. The walls here are made out of dirt so you can imagine how good that paint went on ha ha. Anyways we also were able to attend sacrament meeting in Morrapon! We were able to get 25 people to come to church that day! MIRACLE! This week we aren’t able to go to church because they are voting for president again so that gives me a chance to go and visit members and get to know them more!! :) 

Anyways I am super excited and pumped for this new area! I know that the lord has people for me to teach here! 

P.S. Also... my room doesn’t have a door on the bathroom... we have to shower with buckets full of water and then use our used shower water to flush the toilet. I’m thinking we need to change this lol... 

Hermana Brown

 Hermana Brown and her new companion Hermana Ramos. This will be her first time serving as the senior companion....no way has she been out long enough to be the senior!!

The Elders and the Sisters on her last day in Chulucanas.

Hermana Nelly made her ceviche and shrimp

Hermana Nelly and Hermana Anakris...and of course Hermana Brown.

This photo was taken from the bus on my last visit to Morrapon...I am going to miss how green and lush that it is there!

Hermana Llontop, Hermana Anakris and Hermana Brown.  I am going to miss Hermana Anakris so much! ;(

 Hermana Brown and Hermana Llontop before a service project.

A cool picture Aushlynn and her companion took with their Missionary name tags and Young Women's Medallions.

 On the bus to Paita with some other missionaries.

The cake that Hermana Nelly made me. It says: I wish you a lot of success in your new area!! Photobomb by Elder Harris....thanks to him Aushlynn can't have one nice photo on her camera...haha!

Hermana Brown, Hermana Nelly and Hermana Llontop and her departing dinner.

 Aushlynn with a sister in the Chulucanas branch.

Me getting my flu shot! I still hate shots! (I am going to go out on a limb and guess that not to many people enjoy shots either!)

The Elders were so proud of this pole that they cut with a machete and then dug a hole in the ground with. Part of a service project. You must be super resourceful in Peru





200 days down.......



Howdy Everyone.....so we passed the 200 day mark.......I know.......we are doing awesome! I am going to paint Aushlynn's room this week. We are also getting new carpet installed on Saturday.  She will be so excited to see pictures! Hermana Brown sounds like she is doing amazing! Here is what she has to say this week.

 

Hey Guys!

 

This week I went into it having an optimistic mind. I went into this week having good thoughts and good goals. Well this week was better than the last few. We were able to continue to work and continue to push the work of the lord further! I realized when I am doing the lords work and teaching and preparing people for baptism I am the happiest. I also set some goals for myself this week that I was able to reach! 

 

This week we were able to find and teach 4 new people. Now I know every week we say that we found new people and you guys are probably thinking wow they are teaching like 50 people ha ha. Well most of the time here it’s very hard to contact these people after the first visit ha ha. The people that are really the chosen are the ones that are ready for our message and are always there for our 2nd visit. We have one investigator named Mary. She is a mom of 2 kids. We have taught her 3 lessons now. When we gave her the book of Mormon and told her to read it we came back the next visit and she had read like 20 chapters. Okay this is unheard of. She is very in tune with the spirit. She hasn’t attended church yet which is a real bummer but I know she is prepared for our message.

 

So this week one of my goals was to teach more with the bible and the book of Mormon. Every morning for personal study I would study scriptures for our lessons that day. I realized that I got more out of the scriptures when I read them not just for my own knowledge but for someone else’s as well. This week I am so grateful for the scriptures. They have answers to questions that no one else has the answer too. A lot of the people here are very into the bible and so I have been trying to study verses from that too. There is a lot of things that I didn’t even know and am learning so much. 

 

This week we had a district meeting in Piura. Our district leader (Elder Harris ) is very good at inviting the spirit in these meetings. We talked a lot about obedience. Our mission is really struggling with this at this time. I know that Presidente puts rules in place not just to add more rules but it’s to help us be better teachers, be more in tune with the spirit, and also be able to receive revelation. 

 

This week we did a lot of service. I always love doing service :) Maybe it’s because I don’t have to be in a skirt.... :) No I really love helping the people in Peru with the things they lack. It’s very sad because sometimes it’s as simple as running water or having light in there house. This is one thing I have learned to be very grateful for. This week we did a lot of weeding.. yes weeding mom. We also for p-day helped move churches in Morrapon. I know this is the last p-day of the transfer but I was happy to be doing service. We think they are going to close this area to sisters next week when transfers happen. That means I will probably be on the move again! Such is the life of a missionary.

 

Well that was pretty much my week. Thank you for all your prayers! They are felt all the way here in Peru. I know I am pretty far away but you all are still very close in my heart. :)

 

Hermana Brown

On the road again......I can't wait to get off this bus!!! (Hermana Brown is not a big fan of busses.  They make her a little nauseous.)

So everyone tells me that I am a princess because I am literally scared of all the bugs and well I really don't like dirt. (huh....she sounds like her momma!) I have now reached a new level of princess. I was walking to an appointment and somebody gave me a bouquet  of dead roses and told me I looked like a princess! :0)

Climbed to the top of the bell tower in the church.

I wonder if she rang the bell....I am betting that she did......accidently..... on purpose! I know her!

We toured a Catholic Church for p-day....yikes it was super weird

Hermana Thomas turned 20 on the 20th so we had a fiesta. In Peru for birthdays, they smash eggs on your head....I may or may not have purchased 20 eggs for the cause.  Other brought eggs as well so she had about 40 eggs smashed on her head. I also prevented the Elders from throwing flour on her.....us girls have gotta stick up for one another!!! I kept telling her that it is a great conditioner for her hair and scalp. Yeah.....I am so in for it on my birthday....shh.......do tell anyone when it is!!!

Who is going to clean up this mess????

Exchanges with my Mum! Wow, I have missed her!

Oh man......I miss her today!



I thought that I was doing ok with this girl being gone.  It turns out that I miss her more than I thought.  I was loading her pictures that she sent and when I got to really look at them good....I just started missing her....like crazy crazy.........A few tears might have slipped out.....I will neither confirm or deny it...I guess that is how it goes when you are a missionary momma. Now see what I have done.... I have to go blow my nose and wipe my eyes before I can finish this post!

 

Alrighty...I have pulled it together (maybe) and will finish this up. Here is a fun factoid for you. Aushlynn has been serving for 197 days....on Saturday she will hit the big 200! It always makes me feel better when I can cross off a big milestone. Ya know! So...She sent quite a few pictures.  Here is her week.

 



Hey Mommy and Daddy!

 

Well this week was sure interesting. I didn’t know that when I came to Chulucanas that this is what I was going to be getting myself into. I not going to lie this has been my hardest area / trial on my mission so far. Sometimes I think I’m in Peru... On a mission... Speaking Spanish... and sometimes it doesn’t even seem real. I have done things that I never thought I could do and I have seen things that maybe not many people in their life time will see and well somehow through all this madness I am grateful for it all. I am grateful I am here. I am happy I am here. I wouldn’t be out here if it wasn’t what the lord wanted. I know this is what the lord wants for my life. I know these trials and these challenges are for a purpose and it’s just preparing me for the battle ahead... the rest of my life. This mission is setting the foundation for the rest of my life and for that I am ever grateful. 

 

This week we traveled to Piura twice. I am not a really big fan of buses so I wasn’t very happy about this. My companion has been a little sick. The first trip we made we went to the clinic and it was closed. I then started to get a little irritated. We went to the emergency section and they were able to help us. BLESSING. They were able to get her some medications and send us on our way. We also made an appointment for the next day. :))))) This is a sarcastic smile. My companion was able to get medical treatment and some testing the next day. I have been praying every night to find ways to help her. I have been trying to read in preach my gospel the section about Christ like attributes. I have been trying to work on my patience and my charity and love. I know this something that I need to work more on. Jesus Christ was a great example of this. I hope to one day have the patience love and charity that he did. I know that if we all strive to have more Christ like love eventually we will able to obtain it. 

 

This week with our investigators was interesting. We didn’t have a lot of visits this week because of our situation but we were able to find a new family to teach. They are awesome! They are super willing to listen to us and take into consideration all that we had to say. They have 4 kids that are all over the age of 8 so that’s awesome as well. I am hoping that we get to continue to teach them more. Also we were able to teach a girl named Katy. This is the first time I had got to teach her but she is an investigator my companion had with her other companion. I was able to teach her the plan of salvation. After we taught this lesson she told us that she had felt a special spirit that she had never felt before and after she was able to open up to us and share her life story about her family. At this time in her life she needed this message the most and I was grateful that I was able to teach her that day.

 

This week we also had a multi zone conference in Piura! In this multi zone they talked a lot about the fundamentals of this gospel. The faith... and the scriptures. I was very grateful that this was what the topic was. I know that it was inspired. I know this is what I was lacking. My faith had grown weary and well I felt like I was just reading my scriptures but not getting very much out of them. President talked about how faith is a very basic fundamental in this gospel but without it us as members cannot receive revelation. I really loved all the talks that were given that day. Also one Elder that I look up to a lot ( Elder Gandarillas ) He gave this farewell testimony. I felt the spirit super strong. He is such a great missionary and one day hope to have as strong as testimony as him.

 

On Sunday during sacrament meeting the missionaries sang a musical number. Come thou fount. It was really good and the members loved it. I felt like I was singing a solo up there. Ha Ha.

 

Well this is all for this week. I am super excited and optimistic for this next week. I know with a good attitude that good things will happen. Thanks for all your prayers. I hope all this well back home and can’t wait to hear from all of you next week :)

 

Con amor

 

Hermana Brown

 

Hermana Brown is a babe magnet......she loves littles!

She is her Father's Daughter!  They both have an unhealthy addiction to this stuff! Here is the unfair part. Both her and her dad can fall asleep with in a minute of laying down! What the heck.....it is so unfair......I so much as sip the stuff and I am not falling asleep until at least 2 AM!

Hermana Brown, Hermana Llontop and Presidente Rasmussen. She loves Presidente but.....She said it was either a good picture of him or a good picture of her....she chose wisely I see. (It's how I would have chosen) I am not sure whose sweet hog is in the background....maybe it is Presidentes'....haha!

Aushlynn's District

Hermana Brown and Hermana Martinez....She says who really looks like the Mom here. Hermana Martinez was her trainer.

The Sisters in her Zone.

Zona Miraflores

They can't be serious all the time.....gotta have a little fun every now and again!

Practice makes Perfect.....

She must be thinking....I hope were not having chicken and rice for lunch again!!!!

Another one of her district.

One last time with the selfie sick....why does one person always have to ruin a perfectly good photo?? What's more important....talking to the only other Elder in the photo or getting a good picture for memories??? Sheesh! haha

Hiking to Cataratas Caracucho

Good Morning all.  Sorry to hold on to this letter for so long.  I have been meaning to get it up, but we have been in crisis mode at our house.  Our basement flooded when we turned the sprinkler system on for the year.  I have been dealing with that instead of making this blog post a priority. Please forgive me!

 

So first of all....it was so awesome to talk to Aushlynn on Mother's Day!  She looked so amazing! To bad that my pictures of her on the Skype call did not turn out so good.  Her eyes were always shut. Ugh....I tried! She is doing great.  She got her package on Saturday and was super grateful for it.  She enjoyed the letters and pictures and it could not have came at a better time.  She had requested lemonheads and I being a awesome mom opted to send a bag instead of a box.  Well, during our call she proceeded to eat half the bag! Haha....well maybe not half....but she was enjoying them.  We had fun times talking to her.  One time during the call we started to get pixelated on her end......she yelled.....everyone off the wifi!  Haha... this is a inside joke because we have heard Kendall say it for the last 4 years during our missionary Skype calls! Since Dyllon is in Italy on vacation we had him facetime in.  For some reason we could not get a 3 way Skype call to work.....I think it was because Dyllon was on his iphone or something...anyway it was great for the whole family to get caught up!

 

She is doing well....she has moved on from last week and is going strong. Her is her letter. 

 

Hey Guys!

 

Well it was so so so good to skype with you guys yesterday! Honestly it could not have come at a better time. One thing that I have learned here in the mission is that all we have in the end is our family and I am so grateful for the family that I have! I am so grateful for the plan of salvation and to know that I will be able to live with my family forever because of the decision you guys made to get sealed in the temple!

 

Well this week was kind of hectic! We were able to find 3 new people to teach. One lady is a reference from one of the members here in Chulucanas! We are hoping that she starts to progress and is able to come to church with us this next week! The other two are in Morrapon! The daughter is a member but the mom and sister are not! We are beginning to teach them :) I hoping these people really have an open heart and a real desire to follow Christ. 

 

We had a zone meeting in Piura on Saturday! Man I always love those things. They are always so uplifting and full of the spirit. One thing that I took away from the meeting is that we need to humble ourselves and give our whole self to this work. That the person that needs to be converted the most is our selves. That to become a true disciple of Christ we need to forget ourselves and love and serve others. I find myself the happiest when I am serving and helping others. This is true Christ like love. 

 

We went hiking for p day!! YAY FINALLY!! The hike wasn’t too bad and the waterfall was absolutely beautiful. We went as a district. Hermana Thomas and Hermana Sukati slept over as well. Little to say it was a party! The waterfall was so peaceful and well I was so wishing that I could have just dove in!! I am so totally wiped out right now ha ha. I have lots of pictures don’t worry! :)

 

Well that is it for this week. I am so grateful for all your love and support back home. I am praying for you all daily and hope all is well! I love you all!! :)

 

Hermana Brown

Aushlynn at the waterfall sporting her new Broncos shirt....loud and proud! The hike was so very fun! The waterfall was amazing!! :))

Hermana Thomas and Hermana Brown were the first to hit the waterfall!

Elder Arrington at the waterfall.

The start of the hike. I am assuming the waterfall is called Cataratas Caracucho. I could be wrong, but I am going with it. (that is a lot of A's in the name!)

Awesome tree that they passed on the hike.

Hermana Brown and Hermana Martinez!

Hermana Brown and Hermana Llontop looking fabulous in Peru!

Feliz Dia Mama!  This was at a Mother's Day celebration at the church!

Aushlynn joking to her companion that she has two singles brothers!

Her eyes are shut...but she looks really really good! There is something about talking to your missionary on Skype.  They just seem to have a special glow about them.  It must be the light of Christ.

What happens in Peru stays in Peru

This week was definitely not Aushlynn's favorite week in Peru.  In fact if the week could be wiped from her memory it would be such a blessing.  Keep this girl in your prayers. It's rough out there sometimes. We have chosen not to share her experience with you.  She wants to forget that it ever happened. So.......tiny letter.......but lots of pictures! 

 

Also, this girl hit her six month mark yesterday! Woot Woot!  I am typing in month seven! EEKKK! Less than one year to go. I think I am a fan of the 18 month mission! haha........AND we get to Skype with this sweet girl in 4 days and 22 hours and 16 minutes....but whose counting down anyway??

 

Hey mommmy and daddy... so I have a lot of pictures to show you guys this week but... I don't ever want to remember this week again... I had a really tragic thing happen and well I'm okay now after I had an interview with president and a blessing from him and my district leader. I don't really have a letter for this reason but I have pics you can put on the blog.

Mother's day call...um yes...I am really excited. Also, just now... haha, I got the news that I will be getting a new companion probably this next week or the next. My companion is actually from the Ecuador mission and never got her visa but Presidente just told her that her papers went through and that she will be going to Ecuador. I am so excited for her.

Love you guys!!! : )

hermana brown



Hermana Brown and Elder Burrow. Haha.  I just love this picture....Only in Peru....well I guess not only in Peru...but still!

Hermana Brown and Hermana Thomas.....us gringas need to stick together out here!!

We went Hiking for P-day.

Cool street art!

More pictures of Marrapon

Once again a picture in Marrapon

Hermana Brown in Morrapon

The sister leaders paid a visit! My Momma Hermana Martinez!

Hermana Brown and Hermana Llontop. Trip to Piura in the bus! The wheels on the bus go round and round.....round and round...

Picture from my hike today!