Well, thanks everyone for the birthday emails! Sorry I can't respond
individually to you all. I really enjoyed the Spanish efforts from
Josh. :) I had a great week!
We took our branch to the temple to do baptisms! We especially convinced Hermana Josefina (super old, hard of hearing, and SO cute!) to go. We got her parents names who have passed
away ya and she did baptisms for them. Everyone here was so fascinated by the technology and the laundry chutes in the temple. It really made me realize how privileged I am to consider all that normal. Hermana Josefina's biggest concern was that the water would be cold. We told
her it would be warm, but she didn't believe us. She was happy afterwards because it was was and she had a great experience!
Okay, so last pday we hiked chicken river (well, really it's el río
pollo, but it's funnier in english). We gained a friend for part of
the hike. This random man who just carried around a slingshot and
showed us some super clear water. It made me laugh. We decided to give
him an american name. He's now Spencer. I tried to learn how to
throw. Overthought it and got WORSE. And I held a really big tadpole
which was pretty sweet. Elder Cogollo went up and made the waterfall
be a waterfall. (There was no water when we got there.) Then he just
kinda disappeared, and so instead of turning back the way we came, we
hiked somewhere the missionaries haven't hiked before. We were on this
narrow strip of land by a little canal of water for the chacras, and
on the other side- a long drop. Then on this little strip of land we
had to go underneath a tree. It was actually really cool! And pretty.
And fun. We found a cow skull we named Freddy. We took some pictures
with Freddy. And then we hiked all the way down the road to Otuzco.
The next day, we ate cuy (por fin!) It was actually really good. Who
would've thought guinea pig would taste so good? I still prefer
chicken and fish though.
We also saw some llamas hanging out in front of some random house
which was cool. I think they're the ones who work in the plaza for
tourists. We found their home! Muahaha. Free pics with llamas. :P
We taught this lady Ricardina, who's adventista, and wasn't paying
attention at all. I really started thinking about when Christ said
that with their lips they honor me but their hearts are far from me
when she was talking. I went to show her a picture of my family,and
she started to bend it in half without even looking at it. So I just
slide it out of her hand before she can do any damage. Well, that
actually really upset my companion, and she cried after the lesson
about it. She's seriously the sweetest,
We taught our dueña, Amelia, this week. We talked about temples and
eternal families, and how we need to be sealed. She cried a little
bit. (Her husband was the last branch president, and passed away a
year ago. Did I already tell you all that?) But it's her daughter
that's going to make it hard. She listened, but countered us with what
the Catholics believe. So we're going to have to teach a really
powerful first lesson with them.
We were climbing up this hill, and this harmless dog started barking
at us. I still got scared. This little girl who was about 9 or 10 a
little ahead of us told them to stop (not her dogs) and they totally
obeyed. Powerful little 10 year old! She's now our friend. Alejandra.
:)
I got to a point where I was SUPER frustrated with the language this
week because nobody was understanding me. (The results of ten months
with only gringa companions). So I decided to fast about it- and since
then it has been so much better! I still have to repeat myself for
some people, but not as often, and my accent has already gotten
better. I've never really had an experience with fasting before, so it
was really neat to do that this week. I knew it worked, but I never
really had any strong personal experiences. Yay fasting!
On Friday, we headed to this little pueblo next door to Otuzco called
Trigopampa. It was really fun to go there. It's surrounded by chacra.
We taught two lessons, and are going to head back (in moto this time)
on Friday to teach one of them again. She's super cool. The people in
the tiny towns are so humble and willing to listen. They also do not
practice religion because they're so dedicated to their work. So we'll
see. But it was fun to go!
So then we were in the chapel for interviews for the temple Friday
night. We brought Josefina along, and the elders had to be there so
Elder Price could help Presdiente Roger every step of the way. (Elder
Price literally does everything here.) But then we were just talking a
little bit afterwards about plans for the temple the next day and
everything. And I don't know how this has become a thing, but Elder
Cogollo and my companion have really taken to teasing me about
marriage (it all started with all my friends getting married right
when I first got here, and it just took off). And so Elder Price tells
me Elder Cogollo had something to tell me. And so he gets down on one
knee, pretends to pull out a ring, and asks me in Usted form to marry
him. (That's the formal form the the word you.) It was really annoying
actually. But I think you all may appreciate that I still get teased to
no end. Even as a missionary.
But then it was temple day. The temple was gorgeous. The Spirit was
strong. And there's little temple stores next to it like in Lima! I
got a llama keychain. :) I also took pictures with the magic cuy. (I
don't even know how to explain that one. Just ask me when I get home).
Transfers are this week! So I'm staying of course with my comp. And
Elder Cogollo is staying. He just finished training. Elder Price is
going to Cajamarca. (So cool!). And An Elder Jensen is coming to
replace him. I think he's half gringo half mexican by what I heard. So
it should be fun. :) I'm glad I get to stay. But I wasn't really
expecting anything different.
We also taught a menos activo, Jhon, yesterday (Yes, it's spelled like
that). He needs a little better understanding of doctrine. But he has
potential to come back. He's been away from the church for a long
time. But we brought Presidente Roger and wife, and they just went off
on a tangent (like most talkative peruvians), so it wasn't the most
focused lesson. But hey, support from the members can be much more
important.
That's my week! We're still searching for regular people to teach, so
nothing too awesome yet. :)
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