This Week's Missionary Update

This was Marissa's district in the MTC.

I love the kids here. The other day I was wearing my hair in a side braid and this little girl pointed at me and told me that I was Elsa and my companion was Anna (from Frozen). So cute and so funny. 

Making brownies

My week has been good. Hard at times and disappointing, but my companion and I are working hard. The pensinistahas been doing my hair. I have to go. More stories next week.

She did mention to me that she taught the Word of Wisdom to an investigator this week. Thanks for visiting and for your prayers for The Sweetest Missionary Ever. 

The Stairs of Doom (A Missionary Update)

Hola from Cusco Peru!

I have been out for a month now. I have loved every minute of it and the people of Cusco Peru are so kind and caring. I have loved teaching them. And they are so patient with my Spanish. I love this gospel and I love seeing people's faces as they come to know their Father in Heaven. We gave a Book of Mormon to an investigator last night and he was so happy and interested. The Book of Mormon is my favorite book and I love sharing it and its message with people. We have been sharing the gospel with this woman that cries every time we give her a new pamphlet or the Book of Mormon. We hope to see her baptism in the future. I have come to love this city, the people and the language, as hard as it is. The dogs are wonderful as well. 

Marissa with a former missionary, Sister Bartlett, who returned to visit Cusco.

I'm always wearing my raincoat, it's cold here. Or always rainy. Yesterday we had a storm, lightning and thunder and rain and we lost power. Thankfully I knew exactly where my flashlight was and so we had light. Sometimes it is drizzly, sometimes it is a downpour and we rush for shelter. No matter what the weather, you go out and proselyte. It's a good thing I love the rain. 

The Sweetest Missionary Ever with Andru and Fabio

  

Hermana Madsen, Hermana Garcia, and Angeli

The "stairs of doom". 

We have to climb them to get to this girl we have been teaching, her name is Lucero and she is so cute. I love her. One time, we helped this old lady carry her load up there and I was sure I was going to die. I do get a good workout and have been getting stronger as it is easier for me to climb the hills. 

Love, 

Hermana Madsen

First Experiences in Cusco

This update covers the past two weeks. Read on for photos and excerpts from Marissa's emails...

These missionaries are from Guatemala, Bolivia, United States, and Peru

My first area is right in the city of Cusco itself. The flight to Cusco was an experience in and of itself. In the airport no one would listen to me and so we all had to wait for someone to tell us where to go when I knew exactly where to go. That was frustrating. The dogs here are wonderful. The people are as well. I've had so many wonderful experiences. We took a bus tour today and thankfully the tour guide spoke English. My pensinista is wonderful, and kind. I love the family. Also, guess who is taking bucket showers! This girl here. It[s fun. I have so much to tell you and not enough time. I will tell you that I love it here, and every day is a new experience.

My companion is Hermana Garcia, she is from Bolivia. I love it here! I love the dogs as well! Some of them are so kind and sweet! Most of them are actually!!! The other day we had like three dogs following us because I had given them food. They ate half of my pan con queso. It makes me happy to pet them though.

These photos are from her first day in Cusco, when she was welcomed to the mission.

My companion sings in Spanish and I sing in English. We have also been teaching each other the other's language and I have been helping other missionaries with their English. I love teaching! I have also been volunteered to teach others English, so I will have to let you know if that happens. Also, I told people I knew how to cook, and now they want me to make pizzas and tacos for them! Send me some recipes, alright, just in case. I know how to cook but not how to cook here! They don't ever have real kitchens. It's a stove top that they light themselves and no fridges either for the most part, no ovens as well.

Can you spot Marissa? On their p-day, they went paint balling! 

The other day we got a refrence from a member. The member came with us as we went to the store and talked to them. It was this woman and her mother. We gave the older woman a phamplet about the Plan of Salvation. Explanied what it was, talked about it, and all that. Then we asked her to say the closing prayer and taught her how to pray. I have gotten good at teaching others how to pray. She started to pray and then started crying. She was holding the pamphlet to her as though it was the most precious thing in the world. She came to church with us and I was so happy that the members welcomed her. She was so happy!!! This is why I am here, it's hard and difficult but so heartwarming and uplifting! 

Love you!
Mouse