Transfer 1, Week 5!
October 22, 2018
Hola mis amigos y mi familia!
This week was a rollercoaster! Lots of ups and downs and luckily the ups outweighed the downs because we got to SEE & HEAR THE PROPHET OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS WITH OUR OWN EYES AND EARS!! All of the missionaries (about 150-200 missionaries in each mission) in the Lima South, North, East, West, & Central Missions gathered at a huge stake center in Lima and got to hear from Elder & Sister Falabella (Area President of the NW of South America, creo), Elder & Sister Stevenson (Member of the Quorum of the Twelve), & President Russell M. Nelson and his wife, Wendy. Let me tell yah, that was a once in a lifetime experience. My witness and testimony grew so much about the authority and power that the prophet has from God in this very day. The Holy Ghost testified to me personally so strongly that Russell M. Nelson is God's representative and mouthpiece for His church on the earth today. SO AMAZING. I also got to see a bunch of my friends from the CCM! Mostly the ones in Lima South but also some friends from West & Central, too. I probably won't see the ones from other missions again during the mish so that was nice. I got to see my BFF, Hermana Petersen!!! (my comp from the CCM) that was so fun! And next week we have a 6-week training so I'll get to see my CCM district again in Lima. The only annoying part about that is the 12-hour bus ride. For the prphet, we left at night, around 9pm on Friday and arrived Saturday morning, saw the prophet, then got back on the Cruz del Sur bus Saturday night and arrived Sunday morning and went pretty much straight to church. So FUN. JK.
President Nelson also visited the people in Peru at a stadium of some sort on Saturday night and we were able to watch that (as a transmission) before leaving for Ayacucho. That was amazing tambien. Part way through his message, he said, "now I'd like to speak the thoughts of my heart to you in your own tongue." He thanked his translator and his translator sat down, then the prophet spoke the rest of his talk in SPANISH. Everyone in the audience was amazed and loved it so much. I felt the Spirit so strong despite the fact that I couldn't understand the message as well. I know that the prophet President Nelson loves and and every one of us, just as God does.
A lot of things happened this week before seeing the prophet, too. For one, we found a permanent home for our perrito! the abandoned puppy we found on the side fo the road a few weeks ago is now officially named "Rain" (Because we found her in the rain and because I love the movie spirit. Also they wanted an English name, haha.) She is living with our pensionista, Carolina, and her family. I'm happy she has a good home and that we get to see her pretty often while in Ayacucho.
We had intercambios again and I was with Hermana Ferguson otra vez but this time in my area! So I led her around the streets of Americas II for a few hours! It was a little scary not to have my comp but we didn't get lost! So that was good. It was good to talk to her in English for a little bit, too!
Also that day I got approached by yet another drunk man, hahah. *facepalm* (3rd one this transfer) He was normal at first, just passing by and he stopped to shake my hand. I thought maybe he recognized me from church because I'm new and I knot know a lot of people but then he pulled my hand up and kissed it. Lol. I let go real fast and Hermana Ferguson thanked him and asked him to get going, ha ha. So that was interesting.
The morning we got off the bus from Lima and arrived in Ayacucho, we were in a hurry to church and somehow the pipes for our water got clogged and toilet water leaked all over the floor of our hallway and main study area. SO GROSS. So that was another eventful thing this week....super fun to deal with and clean up...not. Random fact for yah, ha ha.
You guys, no joke, one day I heard a Shawn Mendes song on the radio of a restaurant we were just walking by and legit started CRYING. True story. I thought I was adjusting to being a missionary but apparently it's harder on me than I thought, lol. So that was sad. I miss music that's in English (& not Spanish or Quetchua) from from the United States. Que triste.
This week we taught a family outside their house on this little dirt road and the son was playing with his friends so they all listened in on our message. There were like ten 8-12 year-old boys, the mom, and her sister, ha ha. We went around and introduced ourselves and I made the mistake of saying "me gusta cantar" when asked what I like to do. The niños all begged me to sing them a song in English, so after pleading for awhile, I gave in and sang "I am a Child of God". They were all shocked and laughing because one of the boys' face was mesmerized. I'm not that good, I promise, it was probably just the English that surprised them and they were probably expecting a cool, upbeat pop song. OOPS. So that was memorable and embarrassing, ha ha.
I want to let you all know that I"m dying here not being able to eat strawberries. It's the fruit that we can't eat at all because it's just too hard to guarantee that it will be safe to eat, because it grows in the ground, is small, and you don't peel it, and strawberries are my favorite so that's sad. Instead, I buy fresa flavored yogurt, ice cream, and candy to get me through. Just wanted to let you all know I'm living vicariously through Costa's strawberry wafers. Thank you.
This pday we did a little spas as the Hermanas of Ayacuho! That was fun and relaxing. Friends, and Fam, I would like to remind you to be grateful for everything you have this week. Whether it be running water that's clean, paved roads, palm trees, your job, a washing machine, pest control, a nice neighborhood, a nice house, a grocery store, a car, the ability to eat strawberries, whatever luxury you have and take for granted, BE GRATEFUL. I have been so humbled living in Perú this past month or so and I am grateful for all the comforts I enjoyed at home and for the nice apartment I have here in Perú, among other things. So this is just a reminder to hug or call your family, and enjoy the comforts you enjoy.
I love you all!! Have a fabulous week!
Love,
Hermana Lowe
Español frase de la semana: "pe"
Peruvians add this to the end of most responses, such as "si, pe!" or "claro, pe!" I don't really know how to describe it in English....the closest word would be "duh" or something close to that. It's funny.
