Life in the CCM, was a bit difficult the first half week, but this last week has really improved. I honestly never realized how much I expected of myself, until I had someone with me constantly to tell me, hey. Hermana, we{re doing our best, we can{t be perfect. I}m in missonary mode, like, yea we can!!!.....but I remembered no one can successfully master a new language in 6 days, AND also be a master teacher...in that language.
I don{t even know where to begin about my week, my life, my companions, the people here!
The place
so Peru is humid all the time, but it{s been really breezy and cool lately. My Maesta told us the earthquake has made the weather kind of odd. Everyday is almost always an overcast day, but its still always warm and paradisiacal (spelling?) I am so taken care of here, and I speak English way too much of the time, to realize that I{m in South America right now. It{s cool here, I love it, and every week. on Pday. we get to take the autobus to the temple here in Lima, as I sit with my fellow Hermanas and Elders, I also get to see the regular temple attending citizens of Peru. And I never cease to fall in love with them! They{re beautiful skin, eyes, dark thick hair! Even better, they have such a rich history here, and they are so so kind. I think their hearts are just 5 times as large as any other peoples. Maybe its because they live so close to the equator, I dont know?
Speaking of the Equator, jajaja, the CCM president, Presidente Cardon, told us when he first got here, he and his counselors checked to see which way the water drained. Apparently, the toilets here flush in the opposite direction.....ponder that for a bit.
The people
Well, I guess I already mentioned how sweet and beautiful they are. But I am so especially thankful to have had a roommate who was from Peru. Hermana Castro was the MOST AMABLE, amigable, just most caring individual ever. She left this morning to serve the people of Ariquipa, Peru. Hermana Benyo and I said our goodbyes this morning at 3am, when they bussed out of here. Actually, our other 3 latinas left to Ariquipa then too. Hmna. Garcia from Mexico, Hmna. Amador from Honduras, Hmna. Rivera from Chile. Wow, we got so lucky rooming with these girls. We became so close in such a small amount of time. They will make the BEST missionaries their mission has ever seen. I love them so much. Last night Hma. B. and I sang , Para Siempre..something something, I only memorized that much of the title to find it in the index of the Himnos. so we sang that, everyone cried...except me, I drained my tear ducts as a child, and then we let them pack. This morning though, when they left, they turned off the lights, after hmna. B and I laid back down and shut the door. I immediatly was empathetic towards all of Andy{s toys when he grew too old for them. My heart broke. I said, in a half awake stage, Hmna...I feel like little bo peep....and weve lost all our sheep. then real tears were shed by both of us. mostly because we were missing our latinas, and partly because we are so exhuasted all the time...in a good way I guess.
The food
They serve rice everyday. WOOWOO! It{s so delicious too, because they cook it with oil and probably tons of butter. Then they give us whole chickens each, lots of potatoes, I{m getting into beats, they stain my food pink and I think they{re good for me, so dos puntas por Hmna. Talbert! I like the food, needless to say. Especially the churros. The street vendors deep fry these pastries that are filled with dulche de leche and dust, neigh, dump lots of sugar on them. So good....Hermana Benyo and I are trying to put on as much weight as we can before heading into the Jungle. the skinny mission. we keep on getting told that because we{ll sweat a lot, and because apparently its pretty common to get a parasite, so we{re eating for two essentially. Esta Bien, though, everybody. Todos Cosas son muy bien.
The culture {out of these waters} mermaid reference. hmna. benyo loves her too!!!!
We went on splits on Saturday, and went Proselyting in North Peru. We drove for a while, and passed such eye opening things. Hermana Castro and I tracted behind the church building, but on the way, we passed shacks and literally just walls that were built into the mountains. Some people had to climb steep steep stairs all the way up the mountain to reach their homes.
Hermana Castro and I were able to hand out a Libro De Mormon and a few pamphlets. It was so fun, and so cool. I prayed Id understand these people. And guess what. I did! I am so poor at speaking. but I can know what they are feeling and referring too. Maybe I just rock at reading body language. no, actually its called the gift of tongues. and I pray for it everyday, and thank Heavenly Father for it more than that. So, another funny thing, the neighborhood was so just run down and dirty, they were chopping a chicken up just on the sidewalk, for what? dinner maybe, idk. Then there are dogs EVERYWHERE! Hma. Castro was so scared, and I poked fun at her, and told the member that in America dogs are so sweet...they both paused and said, well their not in Peru. So like, Ive been instructed not to make eye contact or run at any of these sweet, killing, creatures. ok. got it.
My district
they{re so great! I love them all. I{d say more, but I{m running out of time. We decided to do Secret Santa for each other. cute right?
Randoms of the CCM
So I{m really into playing futbol, not because I{m very good at it. but solely because I{m in south america, and I can.
Tis the Season
They putting up a nativity scene at the temple! They play Christmas music in the stores and they{re putting up Christmas lights around the tropical bushes and trees in the CCM. They are so sweet.
Favorite scripture was Alma 5: 38 (Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you; yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ...) this week, because I was just really down on myself and my ability to learn Spanish and teach. I prayed to know, or just to have comfort. and I opened to this! Like, it was just so powerful, I was CALLED of God, to be here, and to teach those people I have been assigned to. I am so grateful to be a missionary. And I know this is when and where I should be. I love you all! I know your prayers for me and for anything else you are asking for, are heard by Heavenly Father.
sincerely, Hermana Talbert
Pictures next week!
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