Hey fam bam! It’s your Peruvian child coming to you live
from the llama capitol of the world! Well this week started off with a bang..
That is we started off the week being homeless ha ha.. After P-day ended at 6
Monday we headed over to dinner and realized we did not have the keys to her
[the pensionista’s] house.. and unfortunately that keychain also had our house
keys on it too of course so we walked to our land lord’s house who was not
home. It was freezing and windy (Yeah if anyone is headed to Peru don’t listen
to anyone that says it is always warm) so we went and ate at a chicken
restaurant and went to visit this sweet old lady. Then it was time to be in our
room so we just sat on the curb outside our door trying to get ahold of anyone.
The leaders answered and we told them we were sitting outside on the street and
he panicked saying, “There’s a shooting on your street?!” Haha so we reassured
him we were safe but homeless. We ended up taking a taxi to California (one of
the areas) and spent the night with some other Hermanas. It was way fun! But we
were exhausted the next day because we didn’t sleep very well. The next day we
were almost in tears so excited to welcome home our pensionista haha… We are so
grateful for a cook! We sound so pathetic and spoiled having a cook because I
know all the other missions my friends are on have to cook but yeah it sure is
a blessing. . There is no time to cook! Especially because we only get 30 minutes.
I’m almost positive we dropped about 5 pounds from hardly eating. Anyways, she
welcomed us home with gluten-free quinoa banana pancakes.
The rest of the week was great! Something I learned this
week was how I need to LISTEN better… There have been a few lessons where I
catch myself not really listening but instead thinking of what I need to say
next. And it NEVER works out. BUT, when I listen the entire time I am always so
amazed at how the spirit fills in where I am weak and words come out of my
mouth that I had no idea I even knew. Funny story really quick… about learning
the hard way when one does not listen… We were in a lesson with my favorite old
lady..okay I don’t pick favorites.. But she really is awesome. Think Audrey
Hepburn, but Peruvian. She talks with this very dramatic tone and makes all of
the Audrey facial expressions hahaha… Just a sweet tiny lady! Anyways, so we were
in a lesson with her and I zoned out for a second.. Literally a split second..
Then next thing I know she was BAWLING talking about death and how “He” died.
So I’m just sitting there like, “ohhh shoot…Who died?!” She had a good cry for
about 30 minutes then showed us a picture of her and her HUSBAND who we know. I
panicked and just thought, “How did we not hear about this til now!!” Then I
started to testify about how families are forever and then my companion handed
me the photo again and very subtly pointed to the very corner… and I saw the
head of her black lab dog. So we quickly began talking about Noah’s ark... and
how ALL dogs go to Heaven. I didn’t listen for a split second and missed the
word “perro” (dog)..
She REALLY loved her dog! It’s kind of interesting when
people actually have PET dogs here because there are just hundreds on the street
and they are all just avoided by everyone.. Except for me. I laugh every time I
think of when I was in Prague and I went and pet this homeless guy’s dog when I
was with Wilson and Ev and Wilson got so grossed out haha! He wouldn’t sit by
me because he said I had fleas.. But then he got over it hahaha. Annnd I can
already see dad beginning an email telling me not to pet them. Don’t worry
Dad.. I’ve already pet all of them! Just kidding I’m being smart I promise..
got my handy dandy hand sanitizer.
This week we had the opportunity to do a temple session with
the entire zone and President! It was so SO cool. I cannot wait to show you
this beautiful temple someday. I pondered about a lot of things and really felt
that I received some great answers as I talked to God. It was also the best day
ever because when we were eating in the cafeteria Elder M. (the zone
leader) came up to us and gave us a huge package from Hermana Pattillos’s mom
and I got 2 letters from Evie and cute little Jessie! Ah it was the best.
Everyone loved Jessie’s adorable letter and Evie’s graduation announcement! The
McConkies also gave me a sticker of their family picture which I think is so
awesome that I may or may not have put it on the back of one of my name tags! So
now if I ever have a bad day I can just look at my nametag and think of Evie
and my adventures in Slovakia drinking too much hot chocolate, Wilson and my
Snapchat face, or Legos with Hyrum and George.
Ok well this is yet again way too long so I’ll end it with
what I studied this week! I studied Alma 23 first and really focused on verses
6-8. I like how in verse 6 it says how the Lamanites were converted unto the Lord and never
did fall away. Then in verse 8 it says, “Now these are they who were converted unto the Lord.” Like David A.
Bednar said in a devotional, a testimony is not enough.. You have to be truly
CONVERTED. I remember Dad asking me once, “What would you do if a general
authority left the Church?” And I remember thinking that was insane to think,
that would never happen, I would question everything. Dad you also then told me
how this lady came into your work office once and told you how she was so
excited to go to General Conference and how she went on and on about the
General Authorities and how perfect they were. You told me how that’s obviously
not a bad thing, but what if one fell away.. Not assuming at all that this lady
would have taken her name out of the Church or something.. It would be rough
for everyone.. But if we are truly converted we don’t have to question or
worry, because we are converted unto the Lord and our foundation would be firm
and strong! It makes me so sad when people get offended by other members or by
a church leader or policies and immediately leave. I think a lot about Kasper
Fetzer’s story of when the bishop forgot to unlock the church and completely
forgot about their baby’s funeral. And the bishop said, “Well Kasper, I’m
assuming from what I’ve done, you want to leave the Church.” And he said back, “Bishop,
if this were your church I would leave.. But this is Jesus Christ’s Church and
I will never leave.” I am so grateful for his choice that day.. especially
because Dad may have not been born in the Church! He was truly converted!
Anyways so I am learning more about what it truly means to be converted.
Well, I miss you guys! I think I miss sugared almonds from
Scheels more buuuut.. Haha just teasing.. McKinley is HUGE! I LOVE all of the
pictures of her and my best buddy Jack Jack. You guys just about kill me with
pictures of the cabin. I can almost smell the pine trees from here! I think the
thing I miss the most right now is fishing with Dad! I kind of have this bad
habit of just going off the days like lunes, martes, miercoles etc. and I don’t
look at the date or month.. So the other day Obispo (Bishop) asked what I like
to do most this time of year in Utah and then it hit me that it’s June in
Utah.. Gahh. So I told him I love fishing and I guess he does too so he is taking
us and some other missionaries fishing next P-day! It’s not river fly fishing
but I’m stoked. Ok well I love you! Mom and Sarah stop being sick with a cold!
Haha hope you feel better… If it makes you feel better the zone just got hit
with the plague (stomach flu) which means we will all have it because we see
them all the time and I just ran out of my airborn candy chews.. So if this is
the end, God be with you till we meet again.
Love,
Flash-Bang (Flaboomba) AKA Hermana EspringHer
No comments:
Post a Comment