Monday, October 12, 2015

7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. I'm Home.

Lunes 28 de Septiembre
We went running everywhere today because we don't have another Pday to finish up all our purchases. We stopped by several stores.
We also went to Violeta's house to pick up a skirt she made for me and there was a fabric that she had all folded up, and I fell in love with it. I told her I loved it and she then offered to make a dress from it.
Once we made all our purchases and stops we went back to the room to start cleaning and "packing."
In the night time everyone we had appointments with weren't home. We ended up finding a really sweet lady but she is going out of town until the 2nd of November...... bummer. We taught her a little bit about the restoration and she really liked it.
Then we went to dinner and finished oraganizing and cleaning the room.

Martes 29 de Septiembre
Before lunch we had to go to the office to sign papers so that we can leave the country okay when the time comes.
Then we had lunch and language study.
Today we hardly found anyone in their homes. :(
Luckly we gound Paola and we talked about the restoration and following the living prophets. She is excited about going to general conference.
In the night, Violeta stopped by and dropped off my adoable dress that she ended up giving to me as a gift of friendship.

Miercoles 30 de Septiembre
Today we contacted all day long. No one was home. At one point we were tired and so hot (the sun was buring us) that we bought some bodoques (home-made popcicles). Turns our that the entire neighborhood (diego ferre) found out about it, because someone took a picture of us and put it on the local news saying "Sister missionaries from the LDS church seen taking a break, eating bodoques." hahahahahahahah you know that the news people are desperate when the LDS missionaries eating bodoques is big breaking news. All day long everyone kept telling us they saw us on the news. hahahaha
what a day.

Jueves 1 de Octubre
We had our last district meeting today. It doesn't feel real that I am going home.
In the afternoon we visited Jesus and Evelina. Jesus cried (he is a cold hearted man) when we told him that we were going home on Monday. He told me that I have touched his heart and that he has only had few (2 or 3 missionaries) really touch his heart during the 54 years of him listening to the missionaries. It was really sweet. He was also sad that we wouldn't be there for his baptism (apparently he has decided to get baptized) hahaha :)
Later we went to Angel and Martha. We talked about the plan of salvation. He really liked it a lot. In the end when we told them we were leaving they cried and begged that we would stay. Angel is nervous that the new missionaries won't be as nice and patient with him as we have been.
Later we picked up Eloisa to go out teaching. We were also with Rita. We went to visit Carmen Mateo but Eloisa's wheelchair couldn't get into the house, so we grabbed some chairs and sat outside. We taught a little bit, it was hard to keep Carmen focused. hahaha
Our last visit was with Irene and Ernesto. It is hard to teach them now, because they are so distracted by the fact that we are leaving and because they are constantly getting up and leaving to help the gym rats that are in the other room working out.
It was a pretty good day.

Viernes 2 de Octubre
This morning the idea that I am going home became a little more real. We had out interviews with President Williams. I love my time with him. He always knows what I need to hear.
In the end he made me take my picture off the wall or the missionaries. That hurt. It burned. To know I will not have my picture on a mission presidents all again hurt my heart.
After we visited some people.
We visited Gaby and Jose. Poor things are going through a really hard time.
Then we visited Ever and Gladis. I love them. We takled about following the prophet and general conference. They loved it... until we told them that we were leaving. They were sad. That is when Ever jumped up out of his chair and ran and grabbed a hand full of candies for each of us and also some wafers. We took a picture and then we left, but first we had Ever say the prayer. :)
Then we visited Paola. All was well, she understood everything and was so excited until we told her we were leaving Monday. She got super sad and said, "Well..... now who is going to be at my baptism?" We told her "Elders" and her face went white. We asked her what was wrong, to which she reponded with something missionaries don't want to hear. "My husband doesn't allow elders to visit me." That is when out hearts dropped. We comforted her and told her that God has a plan for her and her husband, but that the only thing she needs to do, is stay strong and show her husband that she is serious about this choice.
Tonight we went on a search to find a scale to weigh our suitcases. We didn't find one, hopefully tomorrow we will.

Sabado 3 de Octubre
Today we had General Conference.
We said goodbyes to a lot of people. I still didnt feel real.
We ate lunch with the Bishop and his family. I died. They gave us so much food.

Domingo 4 de Octubre
General Conference again. But this time, when we said by to the Latino Elders, they started to sing in spanish "God be with you til we meet again." They were always joking with us. hahaha
For dinner we ate with Antonio and Arecenia. They were both crying a bit.

Lunes 5 de Octubre
We had a meeting in the mission office to learn about being independent and preparing for marriage. That went from 8am-4pm. It was a super interesting class.
At 4pm we went to the mission home and ate a turkey dinner with President and Sister Williams. We had a good time.
At 8:15pm we went to the airport and found SO MANY PEOPLE wanting to say goodbye to us. It was so fun to see them all again.
Our plane took off at 10pm and we got to Lima at 11:30.

Martes 6 de Octubre
We left Lima at 1am and got to Atlanta and then we headed to SLC Utah. Once the plane landed I started to freak out a bit, becasue I couldn't believe that in less than an hour I would be seeing my family. I was the last person off the plane and I had to go to the bathroom, so I was one of the last people to see my family. I was at the top of the stairs and once I saw my mom I just ran down the stairs. It was a special but heart breaking day. I left my sweet families in Peru to see my family in Utah. My heart was very confused.
After seeing everyone and talking to those around me, we headed to visit my sweet Greatma (great-grandma)
just the cool streets in chiclayo
District Lopez Villadonico
just everyone and their love for God
Lofgran Martha Angel Dodson
Dodson Ever Gladis Lofgran
Views from our house








my house
Dodson Paquita Lofgran Anaya
Lofgran Amparo Dodson Tony
Lofgran Dodson Eloisa Julio

Lofgran Igrid Dodson
Lofgran Guiliana Dodson
Lofgran, Daughter of Violeta, Violeta, Dodson
Lofgran Paola Dodson
street of the pension
road outside of house
road outside of house
in front of house
pension
itty bitty taxi
Irene Dodson Lofgran
just hanging out on julio's moto taxi





The latina zone
Back: Luis Wong and Lofgran
Front: Anmary, Gladis, and Dodson
Lofran, Evelina, Jesus, and Dodson
Lofgran Arecina Antonio Dodson
Lofgran Dodson Mili and Sebastian
Erinson Lofgran Dodson
on our way to the mission office
 heading to the mission home with Pres. Williams

                                         

dinner

Our group of Sisters
Pres. Williams, Hna. Williams, McGinnis, Waite, Lofgran, Kennedy, Dodson
President Williams and Hna Williams

selfie in President's Bedroom hahaha
dessert
Antonio and Arecenia
my sweet clara
my sweet leyton family

motto of the mission

sweet note from the neighbors
look who was waiting in the airport for me...Landen Epperson
(Elder from my mission)
just enjoying some nice soft green grass



my sweet greatma