I get constant strange looks from people. They call my flanca and rubio (skinny white girl) every day. Its ok, theres worse things to be called, I will take it. THE FOOD IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. My companion cooks like the boss. MY FAVORITE THING? Torta crido. Boo, you should be jealous right now. Look it up everybody. Dulce de leche is amazing and the helado is even more amazing. :) Yesterday I had asado for the first time! I was very hesitant to eat it when I saw how dirty everything was and there were flies everywhere but I swallowed my pride and ate it:) Argentines know how to cook. REGINA cooks for us all the time. Shes my grandma that takes care of me. SHE SAYS HIIIIII IN ENGLISH!! When she found out I was from US, she looked up english words to say to me the next day! It would make you laugh
AND YET I feel like Im still losing weight. No joke I think I lost like 10 pounds. It is because we have been working so hard, I have never worked so hard from morning to night where my bones hurt! IVE NEVER FELT SOOOO TIRED IN MY LIFE BUT I LOVE IT. The work is amazing, and even though it works you to your limit, it is the most rewarding work in the world.
And lo siento the keyboard is in espanol so sorry if my typing looks like 3 yr old-
CARLA- Carla is a less active. We went over to her house my first day. I felt the spirit so strong even though I HAD NO IDEA WHAT SHE was saying! I felt prompted to write on a paper D&C 6:36 (ALL THANKS TO MOM and Brother Mead) "Look unto me in every thought, doubt not fear not" She texted us THAT NIGHT and said thank Hermana Terry that scripture was an answer to my prayers!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THEN THE NEXT DAY SHE TOLD US SHE WANTS TO GO THROUGH THE TEMPLE!
After my first day- Uhh lets just say when we were walking home, I BAWLED!! HAHA I cried so hard. So much spanish. Its just not the Spanish I learned. So overwhelming. My companion is letter of the law obedient. Like we have to repent if we come home at 901 instead of 900. YIKES. But ya know what, I needed that cry because it forced me to my knees. I felt peace after that night. AND NOW I have my frustrating times, but I FEEL HAPPPY! Im already in love with these people. So dont fret, Im OKAY! My apartment is tiny and ok truth time... its the closest thing to poverty. :) WE ARE SO FORTUNATE FAMILY. SOOO FORTUNATE. THANK YOU DAD. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.
For some reason Ive completely adapted. You cant be an entitled spoiled brat and live here, so it is very humbling for me, and helping me to appreciate everything Ive had and not demand certain things in life.
So on Saturday me and my companion had an appointment with Trinidad (Less active 50yrs) We clapped at her door;) but no one answered!! So we started walking away. I SAID a prayer in my heart asking Heavenly Father if someone could just please come out and let us in. SECONDS after my prayer a 21 yr old man opens the door. We end up sharing a scripture with him..outside (cause we cant go inside alone with a male) HE IS SO GOOD! He broke up with his girlfriend because he wants to live the le de castidad(law of chastity). ;);) BUT HE STILL DOESN'T FEEL WORTHY. MY heart BROKE for this guy. He wants to be a part of the gospel so bad. The only thing I could think was, Our gospel IS FOR PECADORES(sinners). I AM A SINNER. WE ARE ALL SINNERS. THATS WHY WE HAVE THE SACRAMENT. IF WE TRULY UNDERSTOOD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS ATONEMENT WE CAN HAVE ALL THE CONFIDENCE TO REPENT BECAUSE WE WILL BE FORGIVEN EVERY TIME. I think most of us lack the confidence that it will even work or more importantly that we deserve it to work for us. (no one deserves it- FREE GIFT)
IF ONLY I COULD SAY THAT IN SPANISH!!! HAHA. Anyways, what was amazing about that lesson, was that there was a huge picture of Christ right behind him. I knew that Jesus was PRESENT in that lesson. That he opened that door for a reason. That I need to stay prayerful about doors opening for us for a reason. God works in many ways. Blows my mind.
Another story. There's a woman named Gladis who we visited and she is DEPRESSED. There is no hope in her eyes. Her two sons ran away because she and her husband separated. They still haven't come back yet and its been WEEKS. I cant even imagine. I told her that God trusts her because he knows she can do hard things. I told her that she will be stronger through this trial and that we will pray for her two hijos. So please family.. pray for Gladis to find her sons.
Jorge. This guy is CARLAS COUSIN. He is a returned missionary but fell away from the gospel. Hes thirty years old. When we came into his home a scripture instantly came to my mind. D an c 62.3. It talks about (my thought) how much you will be blessed serving a mission and that YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN because you served a mission. I explained that to him... not even knowing his situation. I told him Gracias foe serving a mission. And that he will be blessed for the rest of his life for it. He was really kind! AND HE KNOWS ENGLISH. THANK THE HEAVENS ABOVE. I NEVER FELT SOOO GRATEFUL TO HEAR ENGLISH IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. Anyways we got him to go to church!!! When we left Hermana Quintana said that before, her and her comp were trying to get him to go for weeks!! I WAS LIKE, WE ARE GOOD TOGETHER!! ;) Our companionship really clicks well.
Last--- Juan and Cinita and there two little ones. :) Our investigators!!! Juan is honestly the nicest guy ever. He tried sooo hard to make me feel at home and tried hard to speak in english. :) They are great examples of christlike people. We never actually taught them a lesson, we just talked. :) And then we got them to come to church!! HERMANA Q once again said, Its impossible for the missionaries to get to these people, especially to go to church... BUT WE DID IT!! AHHHH miracles!!!
So then comes Sunday. The night before I was feeling a little homesick and discouraged about my castellano. (which by the way is the most beautiful language Ive ever heard.When you get the old men talking its like listening to an Italian talking fast with a lot of shhhh[s) anways..) I prayed and asked Heavenly Father for a compliment. :) (MOM, another great thing I LEARNED from you:)) And I woke up the lyrics from the song "You are a light on a hill," [others can find him through you At that moment I KNEW that I was called to serve here for a reason. Missionaries are used to stand as a light for him. We are his fill in hands and words. I was called to speak in a different language for a reason. SO WHAT if I dont know the language. Im just gonna smile and love with all my heart because as a first weeker, thats pretty much the only thing I can do. :)
So luckily it was fast Sunday so we had testimony meeting. JUAN AND HIS FAMILY WERE SITTING in the front row and Jorge was standing in the back!! MY HEART WAS SINGING!! Bishop Gonzalez, (HIS SPANISH IS THE HARDEST TO UNDERSTAND) teased me and said I should give my testimony FIRST WEEK. In my mind I was like, HA IN YOUR DREAMS BUDDY BOY. NO WAY. I would make a fool out of myself. But guess what...... I DID. I walked up there with my himno libro in mi mano and a smile on my face. The spirit of Juans family hit me sooooooo hard!! HOLY SMOKES. Here I am this silly WHITE GIRL standing in front of native Limans:) and Im feeling this emotion Ive never felt before!! SOMEHOW BY A MIRACLE (also known as the gift of tongues) I gave my testimony. I started out saying, GOD LOVES ALL OF HIS CHILDREN. HE KNOWS ALL OF HIS CHILDREN. HE LOVES HIS CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES AND HE LOVES HIS CHILDREN IN LIMA. BUT MAYBE LIMA A LITTLE MORE;) (I got a good laugh out of that:)) I said that Im excited to bring others unto Christ because thats the MOST HEALING thing we can do in this life!!! And then once again, I quoted Come unto Jesus. Mi favorito. First I quoted in English. WOW I felt the spirit so strong quoting this song in a language that they don't understand, but I did. Juan was smiling so big. My heart wanted to explode because there was too much love in it. Then I quoted it in espanol. :) THAT was Allll God. Theres no way I couldve given that testimony with the spirit in the language first week. :)
After, the music lady said that Come unto Jesus will be the first song we sing next week. :) These people will literally break there backs to serve other people. Lima is paradise with tons of fleas, COCKROACHES, and fliesss galore. :)
What fills my heart with joy every day is listening to the cd we bought for my mission. :) The song "Savior redeemer of my soul" makes me cry every time. My companion is always like, ESTA BIEN? And im like estoy bien. :) Oh man. These argentines are the WORST singers Ive ever heard in my entire life. But IM so in love with them. They're adorable.
I WISH you could see how me and my companion interact every day. Its seriously the funniest thing. I just have to laugh it off. :) We are like a comedy gone wrong with miscommunications and silliness. Shes sweet. Shes a good mommy to me. :) SHES 23!! Crazy huh? When I tell the Argentines Im 19, theyre like ohhhhhh chicatita (little baby)!!!!!!!!!!!!! Haha they crack me up those Argentines.
Ok so Im the person in charge of Primary. No kidding. Im the younger, missionary, spanish speaking version of Mom. Mom, could you please send me some ideas for Primary? This place is a little boring. I really need to perk up(entertain) this Primary. The kids don't know it yet, but they are about to have more fun than they have ever had in their lives!
I keep getting proposed to here. If you are a white American girl in Lima, you are a bit of a celebrity. I guess its just the price I have to pay. If it gets my new friends to church, I can handle the new pressure of celebrity status.
Well, thats all folks. Actually not, I could go on FOREVER! Time is flying!!! I hope you guys are all good!! Im doing awesome:) Super humid and sweaty but awesome. :)
I love you all. Till next monday my friends!!!!!!!!!!! CARRY ON CARRY ON CARRY ON
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