11 Months!

11 Months as a Full-Time Missionary.
Really, the greatest 11 months of my life.  I have grown so much, and my testimony of the truth has grown, as well.  I couldn't be happier!

Mac & Cheese ... THANKS MOMMY!!!!!

Our House Pet ... NO!
Due to the Summer, all the bugs are coming in!
We found this Friday night when we walked in our house ... almost as big as my nametag!

Well, this week was very crazy! Don't know how to really explain it. But it was crazy. My favorite part of this crazy week was hiking up the biggest mountain (Cerro) in our area. My companion and I had lunch with the Relief Society President on Saturday and the she lives at the top, tip top of the Cerro. I asked the other Elders in our ward how to get to her house. And they just laughed... then they said, "You need to hike!" They told me how to get their and my companion and I were just in shock! 783 steps until the top of the Cerro. So we started, when we finally reached the top we felt so proud of ourselves! We started shouting and clapping. WOO-HOO!!! But at the top, it's so pretty. You can see everything! So we ate lunch, then afterwards... the 783 steps down. But it was great. I love climbing the Cerros. I feel so great afterwards! 

On Top of the Cerro!

Also, my companion and I are helping 3 more of our investigators prepare for baptism. Paulino and Francisca our little abuelitos. They're so cute! And also, we're helping our little Luciana whose family are less actives. All 3 of them will be baptized on the 7th of March and Hermana Valdez and I are very very pleased. My daughter, Hermana Valdez, is such a hard worker! And I couldn't be happier to work with her. 

My Companion and I after Climbing the Mountain.
30 Minutes of Climbing!  WOO-HOO!

I hope this finds you all well and happy! I love and miss you all! Have a wonderful week. 

Con mucho amor,

Herm'ANNA' Karratti

Predicando en Perú

Week of Treats!

This week was wonderful, and full of cakes, cookies, and goodies!

Everyday at lunch this week, members gave us some pastel or something for my birthday and WOW!!  It was a great week!  On Thursday, my Zone even gave me a cake and sang to me!  But, thanks to the wonderful Elders in my Zone, half of the cake went on my face… I went to take the “bite” out of the cake (a tradition here) and the Elders pushed the cake on my face.  Tasted really good!  One of the American Elders said, “Hey look, Mrs. Doubtfire!”  Only the American Missionaries laughed, but, it was pretty funny.

Happy Birthday Hermana Karratti aka Mrs. Doubtfire!

Also, MILAGROS WAS BAPTIZED!!!!! It was such a wonderful service. I don't know if I mentioned this, but her boyfriend is a Return Missionary and he was able to baptize her. It was wonderful. But this past week wasn't all butterflies and flowers for her. It was actually really difficult. Like I said before her father is a Preacher for the Adventist church and yes, he was fine with us teaching Milagros. But, when she went up to him to tell him that she was going to be baptized, he wasn't very happy with her decision. Actually, in better terms, he was furious! He almost threw her out of the house. While she was telling us all of this we were in shock, but she told us something really special. I wasn't worried about what my father thought, or what my father did. I know that this church is true, and I know that God was with me. I didn't have any reason to fear. I was truly amazed! On Saturday, we were able to watch her make this sacred covenant with our Heavenly Father and I was so honored to be apart of it. After she was confirmed yesterday, she came up to Hermana Valdez and I telling us that she now wants to serve a mission! Yay!!!!

Milagros at her Baptism

Also, this last week we had Zone Conference with our Mission President, President Erickson and Hermana Erickson, and it was great! We learned a lot and even ate pulled-pork sandwiches! First time I've eaten that in 11 months.... Yum!

My Zone with President and Hermana Erickson
#specialhermana #sittingnexttopresidentandhermanaerickson
Jajaja oh hashtags

The Only Sisters in My Zone
(left to right) Hermana Valdez (mi hija), Hermana Karratti (yo),
Hermana McRae (hija de Hermana Paez), Hermana Paez (mama...she's training, as well)

Well, I couldn't be happier to be a missionary and I love it more than words can say! I hope this finds you all well and happy. Pray for the missionaries, we need it! Have a wonderful week, I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Con mucho amor,

Herm'ANNA' Karratti

Predicando en Perú

Hola St. James Ward!!

I cannot believe how fast time is flying. I March I'll complete 1 year as a missionary. Time is truly flying by! Everything is wonderful down here in sunny Peru, we're in the middle of summer and boy is it hot! A lot hotter than St. George, believe it or not. But it doesn't matter about the weather, what really matters is the missionary work! I love being a missionary. Right now, I have the opportunity to train. My daughter "hija" is from Ecuador and we have been working so hard! We've been working with not 1, not 2 but 4 investigators prepare for their baptism. One of the investigators is Milagros and she will be having her baptism the 14th of February, and we're very excited! It's been hard to teach her, because her dad is a preacher of another church. But Milagros didn't know what to do. Because she knew that what she was learning was correct, but she was scared as to what her father would say. Normally, all the lessons are in a members house but she doesn't want her father to know that she's listening to the missionaries. But, last week we decided that we needed to teach her in her house to try to get to know her father. So, we went there and we introduced ourselves to him and he told us, "I have such respect for you because you came to my house and you want to do this right. If my daughter wants to go down this path, I'll allow it." When we said that, all of our mouths just dropped. Especially Milagros. We went on to teach her, and as we finished we decided to invite her to baptism. We did and we originally planned for the 21st of February, but when we said that date, she asked, "Can we do it sooner?" The sooner the better! We're very excited!

Missionary work is the best kind of work, I love what I do! I eat, sleep, breathe missionary work. A few weeks ago the area that I'm serving in had Stake Conference and wow was it great! All of the talks were about missionary work, and "every member a missionary" and it was a beautiful conference. Missionary work is for ALL of us. We as children of our loving Heavenly Father have the grand opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with our brothers and sisters here on Earth. How amazing is that! Just like Nephi said, "... GO and DO..." I know that Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and that we are members of the true church of God. The Book of Mormon truly holds all the answers of the soul and if we truly study and with a sincere heart and a contrite spirit we can learn.

I love and miss you all!

Con mucho amor,
Herm'ANNA' Karratti
Predicando en Perú

One Year Older and Wiser, too!

First, I want to thank everyone for the birthday wishes!

Yesterday was a great day.  I even had a few surprises; members from my old wards came to visit me!  My companion and I were walking up to church yesterday, and I saw Hermano Miguel (my old Mission Leader) standing there with Jhordan and Jose (two of my converts).  I was so happy!  They came to visit, and during the last hour I had two Young Women from my first ward come to visit.  It made my day!  Yes, I wasn’t with my family, but I have my Peruvian Family here with me!

Jose, Jhordan, and Hermano Miguel visiting for My Birthday

Rut y Katy
Young Women from my first ward visiting for my birthday

ARE YOU FRICK?? Also, I want to wish my little (well not so little brother) GOOD LUCK AT STATE!!!! Bryant will be having State Finals this weekend and not only that but he will be going into his 100 Breast ranked FIRST IN STATE as a Freshman! This missionary is SOOO proud of her brother! Go kick some butt Birthday Boy! Love you!

GOOD LUCK, BUBBAS!!!

My Baby Brother, Bryant... Ready for State!

Well, this week went by so quickly! But, I couldn't be happier with how the work is going. Hermana Valdez and I are very busy right now, because not only are we helping Milagros with her baptism this coming weekend, but, we're also helping 3 other investigators prepare for their baptism. 4 baptisms within 4 weeks! Needless to say Hermana Valdez and I are really happy. This next week the 21st we'll have 2 baptisms. Hermana Francisca and Hermana Paulino. Their our little "abuelitos" they're 80 years old and the cutest couple I've ever seen. We're so excited for their baptism!!! The work is going along wonderfully and I couldn't be happier to be apart of it. 

Sorry, not too much to report this week, I hope this finds you all well and happy! Happy Valentine’s Day this week! I love and miss you all soo much. May God bless and protect you all.

Con todo mi amor,
Herm'ANNA' Karratti

Predicando en Perú

Soy la Mama Hermana Karratti

Happy February Everyone!! Holy Cow, Batman!

I can't believe that we're already in February! Well, first off I want to introduce my new companion... my daughter! Yes... I'm a mother! My new companion is Hermana Valdez from Ecuador and she is amazing!! Last Monday our zone leaders told us who would have transfers, and my companion Hermana Aceituno was transfered. So, on Tuesday we went to the mission offices and I was told that I would be training a new missionary! I was pretty excited! I went inside and met my new companion, and from day one it's been wonderful! She wants to learn and she is open to everything.

Sublime's!  White Chocolaty Goodness!
My favorite candy here in Peru

The funniest day would have to be day one. We walked into our apartment for the night and we received a call from our District Leader, I walked outside on our porch because we don't have signal in our house. I was talking to him for about 10 minutes than I walked back in, when I walked in I found my companion dead asleep on top of her bed. Still holding her scripture bag, skirt, shoes and all. I just laughed... Welcome to the mission!

My daughter, Hermana Valdez, and I at Stake Conference

This past weekend my stake that I'm serving in had Stake Conference, and it seemed that every talk talked about the Work of Salvation. Just like David O. McKay said, "Every member a missionary!" The missionaries need members. They should work hand in hand, and all the missionaries during the conference were all so happy about the theme of Stake Conference. Because here in Perú, the members don't really help the missionaries very much, but now we're receiving a ton of calls from members asking when they can come teach with us. Finally!!!

Hermana Teresa... a Less Active Member in My Ward
She is the little old Cat Lady as she has 9 cats living in her house!!

Well, nothing too exciting happened this week. Sorry, not the most exciting email of all. We've been teaching some amazing investigators and helping Milagros prepare for her Baptism in 2 weeks! She is soo excited and so are we! I love being a missionary and I hope this finds you all happy and well. Always remember that we have a loving Heavenly Father who is always there for us and he is listening to our prayers. He knows each of us personally and he will always be there for us. I hope and pray that you all have a wonderful week!

Con mucho amor,

Herm'ANNA' Karratti

Predicando en Perú