Gosh dang it I love Peru!

Hey everyone! It’s been a great week in Guadalupe, I love it more here everyday! We had tuna fish and onion sandwiches for breakfast one day, so that was not so great, but I survived. Thursday (Thanksgiving) was a normal day for us, but we had a really good lesson about the plan of salvation with a family we're teaching. They have had all the lessons from the elders who were here before us, and we're not quite sure what their issue is, they're not big on keeping commitments, but we're working on it. Friday we taught so much! I love that we get to teach a lot here, if something falls through, there's almost always someone nearby we can go to.

Saturday was our mission conference and we got up at 3:30 to catch the bus to Trujillo. It was only half the mission, but I got to see my friends in Cajamarca, and hna Clark (one of my friends from the ccm)! Elder Godoy and President Marble spoke, and it was amazing! It really motivated me and helped us figure out some things we can do differently to improve. After we got back to Guadalupe, we had a lesson with familia Sandoval, the family with 6 kids. I only know 5 of them, cuz the oldest (who is 13 years old) lives with her boyfriend. But the ones I know are super super cute and LOVE hand sanitizer. They come up to us with their hands stretched out about 3 or 4 times each lesson to ask for it, it's super funny.

So the fiestas of Guadalupe started a few days ago and it goes until the 10th of December. There’s a fair and a circus and everything, also fireworks that go all night long and concerts with very loud speakers. We live really close to the plaza so we hear EVERYTHING. It’s kind of annoying...also, our shower isn't working and our only dresser has termites...but gosh dang it I love Peru! And it makes me very grateful for what I have. The people here are so humble and so kind, and I’m excited to share the gospel with them. I love you all, and I miss you, but I’m so grateful to be here in Guadalupe, Peru serving my Heavenly Father. 

 Mission Conference in Trujillo

Hermanas Stevenson, Clark, Alvarenga, Schuyler, Chaparro

 

#Reunited - Hermana Clark and Hermana Stevenson

 My awesome tan lines

The view of The Hill of the Virgin of Guadalupe from our roof. That's a statue of the virgin of Guadalupe.

1st Week in Guadalupe

 Well, first email from Guadalupe!! It’s been a good week, and crazy fast too. Monday, Hna Holmes and I took the bus here, about 4 hours, and no one was here to pick us up! We waited about 15 minutes then the zone leaders got there. Hna Holmes went to Pacasmayo, and I’m here in Guadalupe, but at least we're still in the same zone! My area is huge and is mostly dirt roads, mud-brick houses with dirt floors, and lots and lots of sun. and people have told me that it will only get more hot...Wednesday we had district meeting, and that was fun to see other missionaries. Here in zona Guadalupe, everyone is in pueblitos (towns) that range from 10 minutes to 40 minutes from each other. Our district is us and the zone leaders in Guadalupe, the elders and hermanas in Chepen (10 minutes away), and the elders in Pueblo Nuevo (also 10 minutes away). One of the elders in Chepen, Elder Olsen, went to Timp Academy and we were friends for a few years, so that was cool to know someone already. Friday we had a lesson with a family with 6 kids and the parents don't know how to read. That’s pretty common here, and not a problem I had in Cajamarca, but it went well, we just have to explain things pretty simply. On Sunday I got to see Esther and her kids!! She is Hna Delgado's convert and I knew them in Cajamarca, but then they moved here! They live in the elders area but at least I get to see them at church. It’s been a fast week, but I love my area! My comp is Hna Mancilla from Bolivia and she is 26 years old. That’s a little weird to think about sometimes...but she's cool and we get along. My blue shoes are almost as grey as my grey shoes because of all the dust, I definitely miss paved roads. The food here is a little different too, I’ve had chicken feet and fish heads in my soup, but worry not, I did not eat them haha. I do miss Cajamarca and my ward there, but I’m excited to be here! I was reading in Alma 27:17-18 the other day and it's super cool: 17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.

 18 Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness. Let’s all try to be truly penitent and humble seekers of happiness so that we can be swallowed up in the joy of our God. I love my Heavenly Father, and I love this work! Have a great week!

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Ciao Cajamarca

November 7, 2016

On Tuesday we found out that they´re closing our area...not really closing, but the elders in our ward (elders Wynn and Nunez) will take over our area. It´s because the ward boundaries in our stake are getting realigned and our ward will be pretty small, only big enough for 2 pairs of missionaries instead of 3. And also because there´s not very many missionaries coming to our mission in the next few months, especially hermanas, so they have to close some areas. So hna Delgado and I are leaving Cajamarca at the end of this transfer on the 14th and we won´t be together anymore. There´s a teeny tiny chance I could stay in Cajamarca and just be in a different area, but it´s very unlikely. So next week I’ll probably write Monday morning before we get on the bus to leave Cajamarca...I’m sad, I was expecting another transfer here, but looks like i probably won´t be getting it. I’m sad to leave our awesome ward, but more to leave our zone up here that I love so much. But I guess I better get used to it cuz I’ll have a lot more changes in these next 13 months. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

November 14, 2016

Well it's been a pretty interesting week here. We were just sitting there waiting for stake conference to start last Sunday, when President Marble came up to us and said that Hna Delgado was getting transferred to San Pedro de Lloc because one of the hermanas there went home a week early. So Hna Delgado left for San Pedro on Monday morning, so I spent most of the week with Hna Holmes and Hna Fuller in Pueblo Libre. It was probably the funnest week of my time in the field, and I haven't laughed that hard since the CCM! It was so much fun to be 3 gringas together, we talked and laughed all day long! But the mattress I had to sleep on was awful, and destroyed my back for a few days. I did have some good lessons in my area, and I talked with the elders to help them get to know my area a little bit so they can take care of it. I found out yesterday that I’m going to Guadalupe! All I’ve heard is that it's super hot and there's tons of mosquitoes....but I’m pretty excited too! i don't know much about my new comp, so I’ll tell more next week. Hna Holmes is getting transferred to Pacasmayo, so we'll get to ride the bus down together, so that will be fun. Overall, it's been a bit of a crazy week, but a pretty fun one too. My bus leaves in an hour, so I’m trying to enjoy my last hour in Cajamarca...I’m sad to leave, but excited for a new adventure serving the Lord. I love you all! Have a great week!

 Guadalupe

 

Main Square in Guadalupe