Evergreen Avenue : Week 12: Teaching Peruvians the Art of Roasting Marshmallows

Well, we had another successful week here in our beautiful country of Peru! I honestly don’t know what to write.. I just talked to you guys! Obviously I am always so extremely excited to talk to you guys and open up your emails.. But really.. are the weeks going as fast as they are for me for yall back home or is that just the mission life? A part of me just wants to read your emails and not send a big email.. But I probably would be murdered.. So I’ll continue.. ya know, to keep the peace. Really I just can’t wait to tell you about these experiences and people in person. That will be a lot better.

The fourth of July was a success! I loved starting the day off reading all of your emails and seeing pictures of the McConkies’ homecoming! I started crying at the computer looking at the pictures.. it wasn’t sad tears though.. I was surprised that tears started falling and realized that it was because they just made me so extremely happy and your emails helped me feel like I was there too and I got to experience the grand reunion with everyone. In Carly’s email to me she said, “If reunions are this beautiful and wonderful on Earth, can you imagine the reunions in the afterlife?!” I can’t even imagine that feeling.. especially when just seeing pictures of my family reunited I felt as though my heart would burst. Don’t worry, the real homesickness kicked in after emails at the grocery store.. I had that choking cry feeling hit me missing you guys and so I turned to my companion and she gave me a big hug. I sure am grateful for Hermana Pattillo! She really is my best friend! She makes me laugh SO hard.. Every day we laugh so hard we have tears streaming down our faces.. We’ve been struggling with comp prayer because once we started laughing so hard while trying to pray that now EVERY time we try to pray we start cracking up about who knows what.. Sound familiar fam? Remember when I couldn’t say the dinner prayer for like a month because I would start laughing, then Sarah, then Dad haha.. So anyways we are working on that..hah..

Ok back to the 4^th of July. After emailing we all went back to change into Red, White, and Blue stuff and headed to a park where the zone set up a BBQ! Haha some of the Elders went a little too overboard with a fanny pack, flag in their pockets.. It was pretty funny. They made us all hamburgers which were way good! I don’t think I have ever ate that much junk food.. Plus I am pretty sure we all have an Inca Cola addiction.. We need to quit. We played soccer for a few hours after and we all about died.. Never again haha. That night we had an FHE with some new members and investigators! We shared the movie “Legacy”… Very cheesy but a great message! Then I shared my family tree and talked about how each of them could be pioneers for their families and change generations from their example to follow the Gospel. Hermana Pattillo helped me with telling it in Spanish because it was a lot of new words but it went great!

BUT, here comes the best part… We then taught them what a S’MORE was! We taught them how to roast marshmallows!! Yall really thought I would go 18 months without s’mores? I’ll always find a way.. Even if it is with a candle… They loved them! They thought we were crazy. But I’m pretty sure we got them hooked on them now haha! They were obsessed! I don’t think they understood that you put it OVER the fire… not IN the fire.. So they burnt theirs to a crisp every time but still thought it was super good.. Oh if only they could experience the real thing! Kills me a little haha. And ever since that night Hermana Pattillo and I have been a little obsessed with roasting marshmallows with matches at night after planning… Basically we’ve been camping out too because Buenos Aires power keeps going out so we have our little candle to study and roast mallows. SO while yall are camping in Utah..we are too! In Peru.

Camping out

Just in case you need to know how to make THE PERFECT marshmallows at the ranch next week.

Ate all the marshmallows so we went to bananas next.

The rest of the week was great! We had lunch with the President at the mission home Tuesday, T. came to church again along with some of our menos activos, we had transfers, aannnd I really need to look at my planner for the rest.. I keep going blank! But guess what I found out this week! You know how my CTR ring is 3 rings together? Well I totally realized I could use it to teach about the Godhead!! It looks like one ring, but then it is three. God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost work together as one.. But they are three separate personages. It is really cool being able to use it in lessons! Who would have thought. SO, cousin Hyrum, if you ever need to teach someone about the Godhead use our CTR ring!

Ok… I’ve come to the conclusion that I am just going to make a list of the pros, cons of this week because 1. Lists are fun sometimes, 2. I don’t have patience to write. Haha.

Pros of the Week: (Highlights)

Found a geico (Hna. Pattillo made me write that) [Carly: She means gecko.]
Made s’mores
T. came to church
3 couples getting married (then they can be baptized!)
Moved more dirt.. To save houses.. We are still sore!
Helped T. with the restaurant he is opening
We have water again! (Prayers are answered)
We have the protection of our Heavenly Father.. and also pepper spray now!
We have wonderful investigators!!!
Watched the sunset at the ocean during dinner.

Helping with Hermano T.'s new restaurant!!! The whole zone loves him!! We love our investigator!

Our friend.

Cons.

Dropped “Our Heritage” in the toilet (The book…Don’t ask)
Hermana Pattillo has a killer cold.
No water..again..after it came back haha.
No power
The new accessory (pepper spray) was almost used on a drunk guy!

Obviously the pros always outweigh the cons.. I could probably think of a lot more highlights! But I really am not feeling the whole writing thing today. I will end with what I learned and we will call it good for this week because really I am just excited to read your emails and talk to you and about what YOU are doing.

I’d say I learned a very important lesson this week… Something was really bugging me. In all of our lessons I love to tell our investigators how God knows each and every one of us personally and also that we can receive answers to our prayers through the scriptures.. We talk to God through prayer.. He talks to us through the scriptures. Well the truth is.. I realized I never think highly of myself when it comes to thinking God knows ME personally. I have always just had the attitude that I loe God and I love our brother Jesus Christ.. But they have more important people to know! I always hear about peoples’ crazy conversion stories or experiences and wonder why I haven’t been given a huge sign that God also knows me personally without showing me a sign. I’ve kind of just accepted it because I love Him. But as I have been telling that to people.. Looking them in the eyes telling them that I KNOW God knows us personally, I realized I was not practicing what I am preaching. Therefore I can’t tell them that without true sincerity. I prayed about it ALL week. I prayed a lot to have comfort that my faith could grow WITHOUT a sign.

Then I realized another thing I always say, “You will find an answer to your prayers in the scriptures!” Duh. So the next morning I opened my scriptures. I started the Book of Mormon over and right now I am in Alma 32. My favorite chapter! I just read it the other week as part of long distance study.. But I was surprised to see a verse I never even paid much attention to until now. (You will always learn something new! That’s why we can read the Book of Mormon a billion times a billion.) I read verse 16, 17, and 18. It just immediately opened my eyes about how God knows each and every one of us even if He gives you a sign or not.. He still loves you even if you just have your faith and you have not had some grand experience. The veil is a reminder of God’s tutoring and patient love! You guys could get something completely different from that verse.. But it really was an answer to my prayers.. and what perfect timing to be in Alma 32 that day. I also read a talk by Sheri Dew given May 1, 1998 at a BYU Conference called “This Is a Test. It Is Only a Test.” After reading it at this point I was just thinking, “Ok ok I get it, I’m sorry!” Haha.

In conclusion and to sum up a little from what I got from the talk as well, God does answer our questions.. It’s ok to ask! It doesn’t mean you are weak or lack faith. Also that the scriptures ARE the way that God can answer our prayers. It’s like the teacher’s book with all of the hidden test answers.. A Cheat Sheet for life! Well more like this Earthly test is open book. Remember how excited you would get when your teacher would say, “Ok there’s a test tomorrow..” (all the kids whine, “NOOO.”) “But, I guess you can use your books.. So I better see good scores! No excuses!” Use the scriptures.. They are the answers to our prayers! The test is OPEN book! Hollaaa. So grateful for open book tests.. Only way I passed Nutrition…

Well fam.. Have a great week! Be expecting a package full of letters! I am sending it with Elder C. who is headed home to Utah! His fam came to pick him up and they are traveling so I am not sure when he is dropping it off! And I put chocolate in it.. So you might have chocolate covered letters if it melts.. Didn’t think about that one. Enjoy hahaha. Carly, I’m loving all the songs on my iPod! Especially Gentri! They are SO good. Keeps me going! Remember, 1. Orar cada dia, [Pray every day] 2. Leer las escrituras. [Read the scriptures] 3. Asistir la Iglesia [Attend church] 4. Servir [Serve] 5. Ir al Templo! [Go to the temple]

“Cuando es un sacrificio, recibimos MAS bendiciones” ["When it's a sacrifice, we receive MORE blessings."]

Siempre,

Flash

More photos!!