Back to Iquitos (and lot's of pics)

Dear Family and Friends,

These last couple of weeks I have been working on seeing the hand of the Lord in all our labor. I got transfered from Tarapoto back to Iquitos and I had to work to feel good about the change. I know now that it was an inspired change. We are finding so many new people in an area that nobody else wanted to work. In fact when I heard about the area from another sister I said "Geez, I hope I never go there". Well folks, God had other plans. I learned the that the hand of God is in all things at all times. There is not one thing that goes unchecked or is an accident or a coincidence. I have really gained a newer and fuller testimony of the Plan of Salvation and that we are all part of it.

I also learned something super cool in a work visit that we did. Alma the younger went from one of the most vilest of sinners to an astonishing successful missionary to father and then he got twinkled. God's perfect plan includes repentance and getting better day by day. Even if we are not one of the most vilest of sinners we can repent. We can repent of a disorganized apartment, an ill managed area book or even failing to invite people to church, and we can do it quickly. The sister that I was able to visit had a few things to clean up in her room and the companionship needed to update the area book for over a month but when we went to do a follow up visit I have never seen a cleaner missionary apartment or an area book actualized in so short a time or such an improvement in teaching. It really is amazing what repentance in the everyday life can do for a missionary or for a member. I am so happy that I have the oppurtunity to preach repentance to these people so they can experience changes in their lives!

Lots of love!

Hna Burrell 

At the falls

bacan di.  cool right?

Ennzo got baptized...chocolate pues

I almost fell in the water

Me and Estes after changes...supes awk

Me and my new comp, Hna Gutierrez

Nico looking for the cookies in my bag

Tarapoto

Tarapoto Sisters

The Elders crashed the party

The Elders go exploring

The Falls

The tortillas are not turning out well

Touching a cougar.  They are really soft.  This one has a stomach tumor.

We found a jungle animal and named it Nico

ZL Elder Valdez trying to hide

ZL's Rost and Valdez.  Guess which is the gringo?

Camu Camu in the Jungle

(Dad:I told Haley that if she didn't give me something for her blog, that I was going to make something up...photoshop a picture of her wrestling an amazonian gerbil...)

Tarapoto sunset

These past few weeks have been crazy. Its hard to believe that another transfer has passed by so fast.  (Dad: Haley has been in Peru for just over 1 year) 

The whole area (5 countires) have had a ton of missionary rule changes. We can't eat with the members anymore because there were a ton of missionaries getting sick from the dirty food. Its not too bad here in Tarapoto, but better safe than sorry. We were all ordered to take anti parasite pills a couple of weeks ago and we will be retaking the dosage in a couple of weeks. Also they changed the rules for sick missionaries. Now if you are sick for 3 weeks or more...parasites that are bad, broken bones, opperations or anything that will like take longer to heal... you go home. No questions asked. Some times I dont understand and now I feel like we are racing against the clock to keep a few of the sisters here in the zone from going home.

Haley and Hermana Estes

Today are changes (transfers)! My companion and I are really hoping that we don't get changed. We shouldn't because we have only been together for a short time. I would really like to finish my mission with her. Its possible. But that would leave her with one change and she would have to train a new sister leader. 

The work is going well. We are working hard and praying hard. All of our invesigators are families but they all have really huge doubts. A lot of them are struggling with gaining a testimony. We recently had a training on the importance of the Book Of Mormon so we are reading it with all of the investigators. Its working! 

Camu Camu

We are going to work really hard this week to make sure they can get baptized this month. We are also working on getting a lot of new investigators, this is something that we have been struggling with. We are not having a lot of references from the memeber. Dear members, please give the missionaries references. They really need them. 

Tarapoto is just a beautiful as ever and it is getting closer to Camu Camu season. Its one of my favorite fruits and most def my favorite time of year! If you guys ever have need for a high dose of vitamin c just need to find some camu camu vitamins! They say its real good for your skin too! 

I hope that everyone has a great time this week and that you all remember to say your prayers! Prayer is so powerful. Much love!!!