Rubias are Rare

Hello everyone!

First week in Ayacucho down! A LOT has happened and I don't know if I will have time to type it all. 

The culture here is amazing. So many native Peruvians and traditions that have opened my eyes. Some people here, usually the older generation, still speak the language of Quechua, a native language to Peru, it's not even an option on google translate! I have to learn some basics of it to be able to hold a small conversation and bear my testimony. So crazy.

I stick out SO BAD here, hahaha. I am super tall, white, and blonde. The exact opposite of every single Peruvian. I get stared at all the time and little kids love to come up to me and say Hello! because they know I speak English haha. It's definitely going to take some getting used to.

I'm understanding more Spanish, but it's still hard to communicate with my companion and understand everything in church and meetings. I rely on the already fluent North Americans to help me translate. It's a struggle and I can't wait until I can speak and understand fluently. 

My day consists of studying, walking, and trying to interpret everything happening around me, mostly the language. We have been walking the street of Amancais mostly this week, and working with the members and inactive members on the long street. We contact as we go.

We ride the bus everywhere, which is not a fun experience, it is often crowded and super bumpy and hard not to fall flat on your face haha. I have a couple bruises and calluses on my hands from gripping the handle bars so tight haha. But it's better than walking so I shouldn't complain. If we aren't taking a bus, it's a little three wheeler taxi cab. SO FUN haha.

I tried talking to the bishop's four year old son, Amateo the other day and it went bad. The kid knows more spanish than me. I kept saying si? and enserio? the whole time because I could not understand what he was saying.  so that's where I'm at.

Yesterday President and Hermana Richey tracted with me and my companion down Amancais! It was super fun. They talk to literally everyone. No fear. Unfortunately none of our appointments that night worked out but we went to a members house and visited with her for awhile and President gave her a blessing. It was cool. 

Stake Conference was on Sunday! we stood at the front of the building and welcomed people as they came in. We gave so many kisses and shook so many hands. Here the custom is to kiss the women on their cheeks when you greet them. I was surprised my makeup didn't come right off. 

In Peru, I eat mostly rice, potatoes, and bread with small portions of veggies and chicken. So don't be surprised if I'm 50 pounds heavier coming home haha. So many carbs. Other hermanas here have gained 20 or so pounds since being here... so pray for me. 

My best friends here on the mission are 1. Spanish to English Dictionary, 2. Hand sanitizier, 3. Sunscreen, and 4. Bugspray

Today we had pday with Pres and Hermana Richey and went to a cool Inca ruins place further up in the mountains! Its called Wari. It was super cool! I'll attach pictures. 

The weather is good, warmer in the afternoon and cooler in the morning and at night. Although its pouring rain right now as I am typing. It's usually super dry and dusty here.

Until next week! I'm leaning so much and my brain hurts at the end of the day from so much interpreting and translating but I am so glad to be here! I can't wait until i can speak to the people better! I'll keep working at it. Love you all!

Hugs from Ayacucho,

Hermana Lowe

a book of mormon in QUECHUA, an ancient native language that the older generation speaks here in ayacucho! im going to have to learn my testimony in Quechua so i can speak to them... so crazy

a map of our zone, I'm in the AA something something haha (Americas 2)

Some pics from Stake Conference

The elders in our zone

The 4 sister missionaries in the Americas Ward, Ayacucho Stake

                       The place we went to today for P-day with the Richeys, called Wari, super cool! 
                                      I took so many pics and saw super cool things and views!

Just chillin' underground

AYACUCHO!! First Email from the Field

8/19/18

Hi everyone!  

It's been a crazy few weeks! Last week we learned the ropes of the Peru CCM! It was better than I thought it would be. We had fun playing soccer and volleyball with our Elders, eating soft serve ice cream, and skipping the line to meals because we are Hermanas, haha. Definitely differrent than the Mexico CCM, but still good. The beds were comfier and the food was better, too.

Yesterday we left the CCM and went to the Mission Home in Lima. We drove with the Mission President and his wife, special treatment again because we are Hermanas. There was Hermana Petersen, Boyd, Valencia, and I. We spent most of the day in the mission home AND I GOT TO SEE MY BOYS!!! All the Elders from my district plus a few from my zone were there and I was so happy to see all of them. One of the happiest I've been here on the mish. 

We had to say goodbye again though because of Visas. Us four Hermanas already got our visas last week when we came so we left straight for the field last night, whereas my boys are sitting in Immigrations and Interpol right now figuring all that fun stuff out. 

SO MY FRIENDS I am in Ayacucho, Peru! I left yesterday night at 9pm on a 12 HOUR bus ride. Not the most fun I have had, but at least I didn't throw up from the super windy roads up the mountain. We arrived this morning around 9am and moved into our apartment. It's a cool city up here, pretty hilly and mountainous. Definitely a culture shock though.

So I am in Ayacucho and my cute comp Hermana Petersen is in Ica (Crying emoji). We had to say goodbye yesterday and that was hard. We became so close and know everything about each other. I miss her so much! But she's in the cool oasis part of Peru and I am so excited for her.

My nueva companion is Hermana Ruiz! She is my trainer! On the mish, she is my mother, and I am her daughter. Her trainer is my grandma... etc etc.  She is from El Salvador! She's super bubbly and cute and caring, but there's a huge language barrier between us at the moment haha. I wish I knew how to communicate better with her, but I know it will come. We are going to study hard this week on language study. 

So last night before the long bus ride, we left the mission home (Hermana Boyd and I and our trainers) and took a couple busses and walked to dinner at this approved Mexican restaurant. I got carne tacos. So good. We then walked around and took cool pics together! After that we caught another bus and a taxi back to the Mission Home to get our bags and then that same taxi to the bus station to catch our bus. Many little details went wrong, but we made it to the bus and now we have cute pictures to show for it, haha. I know that God was watching out for us. 

Hermana Boyd and I get stared at a lot because of our excessive whiteness hahaha. We just smile and say Hola, buenos tardes, because what else can you  do. All four of us got called Elders last night walking around, too, so that was funny. 

So random thing, at my new casa we have about 2 roosters as neighbors. So that's divertido, haha. I haven't even tried sleeping yet, but I hope they know when to sleep lol. 

Today is my pday, but pday will usually be on Mondays. Pday ends at 6 and we go TRACTING and CONTACTING and we have two appointments tonight. I am so nervous because I know about .2% of Spanish. Please pray for me. 

The Mission President and his wife will be up here in Ayacucho this weekend for a conference or something so I'll get to see them soon! They're absolutely awesome and so fun. (Also at Maya Elkins: the first thing Hermana Richey said to me was, you're the one who knows my Maya! I loved making that connection!)

So in conclusion I am trying to take things in one at a time! I know that I am called to Peru for a reason and that God needs me right where I am, even if I don't know the language or have to put on buckets of sunscreen everyday for these next 16 and a half months. I love this Gospel! I cant wait to share its happiness with the people of Peru!

Love you all! I could use some prayers to help with adjusting! But I know I'm going to be fine. Love you guys!

Hermana Lowe

Conversation this morning

Brittany: I'm in las montañas!!!! It was a 12 HOUR BUS RIDE from 9pm-9am yesterday night. Not fun at all

Stu:  Wow. Overnight???  Were you with Elders too?  Who is your trainer?  Was the bus ride scary?  Nice bus?  How’s the weather there?

Brittany:  yup. Overnight! I did not get much sleep and I was carsick nauseous most of the time when I wasn't dozing. But I didn't throw up and now I feel physically better. It was me and Hermana Boyd, and both of our trainers. It was very stressful getting a bus and a taxi to the bus station and paying for our bags and getting our tickets, but it worked out. The bus ride was scary, but I tried to ignore it and sleep. Lima traffic for the first hour or so, and then 'Big Bear' roads the rest of the way, with the roads not being as developed as a normal road so it got bumpy.

The weather is good I think, this is my first time outside and it's sunny.  My trainer is Hermana Ruiz from El Salvador. She's super nice and caring, we just can't talk that much to each other yet.

Stu:  Sister Richey messaged us last night and Mom was nervous and couldn’t resist and asked where you were going for your first area. She messaged back and told us Ayacucho. We were literally running around the house. So excited. We have been googling and mapping and stalking everything about it.
Are you assigned to a particular ward?  Did you sleep at all? Hermana Richey said that Ayacucho is “The Jewel” of the mission. I cannot believe you get to start there. So cool. 

Brittany:  I don't know what ward yet, but I'm settled in physically to my apartment. Gotta go!  Didn't get to reading all my emails this week so maybe next time. 

Love you!

Hermana Lowe

me and mi amor! In our Mexico CCM shirts at the Peru CCM haha. We're doing our teacher, Hermano Salinas' fav pose.

My mission twin!! Love Hermana Boyd with all my heart. 

My trainer Hermana Ruiz! We took a lot of pictures yesterday

Murals in Barranco!!!

Mas con H. Ruiz, my *mom*

the Lima coast last night before leaving for Ayacucho

Arriving in Ayacucho this morning after a red eye bus ride

Pics of my apartment! 

Unpacking

The alleyway into our house

mi apartamento

District 107 in the Lima CCM 

"Ammon" group at the Lima de CCM

All the nuevos, their trainers, and the Mission Presidents, at the Mission Home in Lima.

All the nuevos entering the mission home in Lima, Peru!!

All the nuevo Hermanas with their trainers and Sister Richey in the Mission Home. 

  Deb:  We received this picture of a handwritten letter from Hermana Lowe yesterday evening along with the picture below and a very nice email from President and Sister Richey, the President of the Lima South Mission.  It was such a comfort to receive word that she had left the Lima de CCM and was at the Mission home getting ready to be assigned to an area.  At this point, we still had no idea where she was going.  Later last night, I was able to chat with Sister Richey and facebook and find out where she was headed, on a 12-hour bus ride to the mountains of AYACUCHO.  It was a relief and a great blessing to know, yet it made me pray all night long for her safety on those mountain roads on a dark night in a foreign land, when I knew she would be carsick!  So grateful she arrived safely!!

Sister Richey, Hermana Lowe, President Richey