Hermana and the Llamas

Well, we were GOING to go to Quillabamba this week, but there was a transportation strike, so we went to Hna. Nelson´s sector instead because it´s in walking distance. It was the best day and a half of my last 2 transfers. I got to go on splits with my mission daughter! We caught up on our lives, and studied spanish (because I actually understand the grammar now. mostly) I missed her. During the strike, people were throwing oranges and screaming and burning stuff, so we stayed inside until it was safe. more time to talk. Love that.

When people stopped throwing oranges and decided to work again, we went to Urubamba and Ollantaytambo. The hermanas there are such good examples. They taught me so much about what I should be doing better as a missionary. I want Hna. Chipunavi to be my next companion. She is a CONVERTED missionary. not just a tourist/"I want to be able to say I served a mission" missionary. I like that.

I randomly remembered my setting apart blessing and how it said "the children of Peru are beautiful and their parents will open their doors to you". Guess what, it´s still true. EVERY single convert from my mission (other than the 83 year old part member family guy) has come from talking to a child in the street. I decided to stop knocking doors and getting rejected by "Catholics" (they just put the sign on their door but never go to mass). Instead, I am going to talk to every child I see and ask to talk to their parents. They can´t say no to their kids.

We got 8 new investigators this week from just talking to kids. Also, there was one guy that had brand new puppies in his lil yard. That´s almost a child, right? I can talk to kids. adults are a lil more difficult.

My favorite moment this week was when we talked to a lil girl with a broken finger. she was 4 and her name is Gabriela. She talked my ear off about all her friends and how we have to look both ways so we don´t get squished by cars and have to go to the hospital. haha. We held hands and walked to the park with her mom. she played while we taught her mom about the Book of Mormon. She said she believed us and wanted to learn more before she gets baptized. I love kids. Gabriela came back to our park bench and I asked her to join us in our prayer. I taught her how, and after we prayed, she said amen. We hugged, and split ways. We haven´t had a moment like that in months. I LOVE KIDS!

I have been thinking about the person I want to be when I get home, and that requires changning some bad habits. I want to be an organized person, so I set a goal to not leave anything where it shouldn´t be. THIS IS SO HARD! I have thrown things wherever I want my entire life, then end up cleaning for hours one day. But, as a result, I don´t have to waste my pday cleaning. I WILL be an organized person when I get home. just watch haha. (I bet my family is laughing right now.)

We are going to Chili´s right now to have a birthday lunch with our District (elder Samaniego´s birthday is tomorrow) and I´m about to get some real american food for the 2nd time this week. I´m in heaven.

Love you all! be good.

1-- my pensionista and I in the restaurant. She is the best and always has an essential oil for everything.

2-- me and my baby in her sector (her sector is where the plaza de armas is. this is just the back of a fountain) I LOVE HER and I want to be her companion forever. But we get along too well, so I stay with companions that challenge me and teach me things...

3-- Hna. Chipunavi and I in Urubamba. She{s just... the best.

4-- Hermana Smedley and I. We didn{t go on splits this transfer, I went with Hna. Chipunavi.

1-- Ollantaytambo. This is their pensionista´s lil store. she is in Lima right now gettnig her Endowments out. I LOVE THAT. The 2nd person in their whole town to get their endowments.

2-- no words.

3-- yee haw