Week 15 Letter

Monday, September 26, 2016

Miracles in the hope!  (My area is Esperanza/hope) So let me just share with you the fun miracles that happened this week:

MONDAY: We went to the beach for Pday!!!! The salty ocean is seriously one of my favorite things ever. So pretty! And we went to a store close to the beach and found regular white bread!!!!!!!! 

TUESDAY: It rained! Lightly for about 13 seconds, but nonetheless, rain!!!! Which NEVER happens. And who knew, rain smells bad here too. 

WEDNESDAY: My comp specifically prayed for safety from bad people and then...I am safe...hahaha. So many stories, but for another time. Also, we had time to study language...first time for a very long time. haha.  

THURSDAY: We had family home evening but our Plan A lesson wasn’t going to work, so we ran down the street to a bodega (little shop that is seriously every other house), bought water and saltines and did dad's living water object lesson. We didn't have salty potato chips so we used saltines and made people eat them super fast so they needed water. haha. It was a hit. 

FRIDAY: After so much stupid David Archuleta, My comp put in a new USB and Josh Turner came on with a song called Me and God. Thank you Josh Turner! Also, Amazing Grace is about grace!!! Not about nature...I didn't know that. Whenever I heard that song before, I thought of the scene of in Maverick, where they sing Amazing Grace up in nature....hahahahaha. 

SATURDAY: Women’s conference in...wait for iiiiiit! English! So instead of understanding 80-85% I understood about 98%!!! I am not sure I ever really understood English 100% and now my English is toast....Also, I am pretty sure President Uchtdorf has an accent...right? But I didn't hear it...Sad!

SUNDAY: Alejandor was baptized, confirmed and ordained a Priest!!!!!! This is such a huge miracle. We have worked so hard with him. He had so many doubts and didnt ever feel the spirit, but with faith, patience, hard work on all of our parts, he now has such a strong testimony and wants to serve a mission!!!!! He beams with joy and excitement. 

We have worked so hard to spend as much time as we can teaching, and it is wonderful. Maybe I don’t get Spanish study time, but I get to practice so much when teaching...and living life because no one here speaks English. haha. But being a missionary is so great. Teaching with the Spirit is so great, but you really have to learn to listen to the Spirit!!! Patience has always been hard for me, y'all know that, but I have learned to work on that a lot. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! 

So, think of me every time a car is in reverse and a stupid ringtone type of song doesn’t play....that will be the death of me I swear. Every car plays the same song. Not like a beeping that trucks have, this stupid song of ringtones. 

Also, spiritual thought  -

When things are hard, I always go to the scriptures, no? Well, I LOVE this little pep talk found in 2 Nephi 1:20-23ish

"be MEN, and be DETERMINED in one MIND and in one HEART, UNITED in ALL things, that ye may not come down into CAPTIVITY." 

I always think of dad when he tells us: "Man up." yup. We could all use a little more determination, unity, brains, heart and some more manning up. 

 This is Ali sticking out her stomach and saying she is thinking of Shauna.  Haha.  But look at how light her hair is getting.

Week 14 Letter

Monday, September 19, 2016

Wow! Another Week has flown by and I have nothing to tell y'all!   No okay. So, we have a baptism Sunday and I am praying so hard that it happens because Alejandro is so ready but there is always opposition, no? But we have had a lot of great lessons with him and his friend Oscor. We also have another new investigator Viviana who is progressing like crazy, the other day we fasted with her. She is divorced and has a daughter who has 3 years . And it’s a sticky situation with her ex but she just left it all so that she could change her life. She is so awesome. Ahhhh the work is awesome. Lots of lessons this week. 

I had to fly back to Lima for immigrations so that was fun. No actually it was fun. I flew back with 2 Hermana Clark who was a training sister with me in the CCM and it was so good to see her. It was such a great day to just look at the progress that we have made. Also, it was so nice to be able to just say whatever I wanted. Even if I didn’t know the word in Spanish. I shouldn’t say that. Hermana Soto and I had super fun conversations and talk a lot. But, I felt more like Ali for a day. A good little reminder that I can be Ali and Hermana Lee at the same time. But yeah. I bought some American candy in the Lima airport to bring back to my comp who has never had a Twix or skittles or M&Ms.  She loves me, and hey, I like being loved. ;) I taught her the Skittles game and she was done after about 5 skittles. I think that the ability to eat a ton of skittles, sugar or sweets without a sugar crash is a gift. A gift I am so fortunate to have.  But candy was nice because it has been a really long time. haha. Also, funny story, Hermana Soto was raving and raving ab out this cake that is here during Christmas time, and little shops are starting to get them now. So she found one and bought it. I was so exciting right, it was fruitcake. FRUITCAKE. And she doesn't even eat the little fruit pieces, she picks them out. hahaha. 

Thanks for all your letters! I love you all! 

Pics: Skittles, motor taxis which are the main form of transportation and my best friend Gordis. He is so gross. He has a lame tongue that hangs out. But he follows us everywhere. His owners are a less active familia that we are working with.

THINK OF ME WHEN YOU EAT SOUR CREAM. I for sure miss that. 

Hermana Lee

Mom,

I was sick. But not like throw up or cold or fever.  A ton of pain in my stomach for almost 3 weeks and this week I finally told my pensionista and comp because I really couldn’t eat one day. So she gave me some natural drinks and after a couple of days of not eating very much I feel fine today. But I guess a lot of missionaries have problems with their appendices. One missionary just had his taken out the other day. So, I hope one day that isn’t me. hahahaha. But I am fine. There are no sick days on the mission. haha.

I miss Krispy Kreme. I went to Lima this week for immigrations and in the Lima airport there is American candy, so I splurged. I really needed America. haha.  A day. Lots of sitting. But I got to go with a couple other missionaries. 2 from my group in the MTC and it was SOOOOOO GOOOD to see them again.  

Um, I’m fat, haha. No all is well. We had an awesome training with our president last week. He is so great. A lot of missionaries don’t like him because he is way different than the old one. He is more into the handbook and expects more and has higher goals and standards and changed a lot of things so that we have more proselyting time. But I really think that he is inspired of God and will turn this mission around! He isn’t like the super loving grandpa that the other president was like. And he isn’t into a bunch of reunions with missionaries and other stuff. But I really think that he is what this mission needs. He served here in my area and zone as a missionary, so he LOVES, LOVES, LOVES my area and is so happy that me and Hermana Soto are the first sisters in this rough area. And he is super happy with our work, even when we feel discouraged sometimes.   I also ate a hamburger and Hermana Marble made brownies so that made my life. 

Love ya!

Week 13 Letter

Monday, September 12, 2016

Hey! So first of all, last week we went to the mall which is the most American thing here. And I found tortillas and I bought them and I ate them and I loved them. There is also Dunkin Donuts so we had donuts, Hermana Soto for the first time ever! She for sure approves. Also, I did probably the most girlish thing ever in my life. And it wasn't even super girly...but...I dyed my companions hair...died...no dyed...painted...massaged her hair with my fingers...no that sounds terrible. Painted. I painted her hair. This concept is so foreign to me I don't even know how to spell it. haha. But ya. Real companionship goals b because she must have had a whole lot of faith in me. 

Ok, so, Alejandro is on date for baptism on the 24th. He has such a strong testimony and has really come a long way. So we are praying like crazy for him. And we are teaching his friend who is also really awesome. I love teaching them because the spirit is always so strong and they grasp on to everything that we teach. Our ward has been really involved with helping them, so that is awesome. We also are teaching a family. Well, the mom and her 2 teenagers. They too are so great. This week we found a lot of new investigators and so we are working hard with them. This week we have so much we have to do! But it is always better when we are working harder and when we have more to do. 

Ok, so this week, I finally ate something that I just really did not like. They eat all parts of all animals, and I don't have a problem with that. If I don't know what it is, the better, right? But this week, my pensinista fed us tripe. It is the exact shape and texture of a human tongue. With the little tongue hairs too. In my previous life, I have seen a lot of tongues, and I swear I was eating tons of human tongues. I couldn't help but think of Hannibal Lecter and Silence of the Lambs. I know, dark, but honestly that is what I thought of. I ate all bazillion pieces and was thanked Hermana Margarita a ton, and then also thanked Heavenly Father that I am still alive. hahahaha. 

Other than that not a whole lot of exciting stuff happened. I shouldn’t say that, life is always exciting in Peru. But we walked and talked and taught a lot. What else do y'all want to hear? Oh, I have to wear pants now. Well, I don't know when exactly, but we had a training about it. Also, right now, in the internet cafe there is "Forever Young" playing and other English songs...I don't like this song, but I w won’t lie, I appreciate the other 80's songs that played like "Tainted Love" and “Take me on" Or "Take on me".....Oh what a great time the 80's were. ;) 

Also, there was a 6.6 earthquake, so not super big, but I felt it in the middle of the night. My bed is super sketchy and some of the boards fell from the bottom. So that was fun to try to reassemble my bed in the dark without contacts or glasses. Ha-ha. 

Think of me every time you walk on a sidewalk a safe distance away from all the taxis or buses. Also, I such a better pedestrian than the Latinos...it helps that I drove before, so I can better judge stuff and I watch more carefully. Ha-ha.  

Love, Hermana Lee

Week 12 Letter

Monday, September 5, 2016

So, this week was kind of weird. We taught soooo many lessons but they were all our Plan B's... almost all of our appointments fell through which was weird, but I have a testimony in planning! haha. No, it was good. 

This week we had intercambios with other Hermanas. So I had a different comp for a day. Hermana Messina de Las Vegas. She has 14 months on the mission and is awesome. But like to speak in English a lot, which was a nice break from all Spanish. But, I learned that I can no longer read out loud in English. I can't pronounce the words and it hurts my mouth! We did comp study in English and reading out loud in English was so weird! So, I guess that is a good sign, right? Ya. Good stuff. It was also fun to show her my area. I think she was kind of shell shocked as we were walking through all the dirt and sand. She has only served in the city. It was fun though.

This week while fasting we found a new family to teach. A dad and his 3 sons. The wife passed away just over a year ago. They are so great. We found them yesterday and taught a quick lesson and have a return appointment, but I just felt so much excitement and love for them. Answer to prayers. Our Presidente has put an emphasis on finding families, and young men to teach. 

The other day, I read a talk by Elder Bednar about bearing up Burdens and having them be made light. I can’t remember the title or how it translates in English. But it was so great. When we choose to yoke ourselves to the Savior, we will find rest. That doesn't mean that our burdens will disappear though, but we will have strength to carry them. Alma 37:34 talks about how when we are weary in good works, we shall find rest. So...Pretty sure that means we should work if we want rest. Funny how when we work harder in the work of the Lord, or really any work, we are happier, and things become easier. But this week I have learned to rely more on Jesus Christ, because it is only through Him that I can find peace, joy and even rest.  

This week is ward conference, so they have a bunch of activities in the ward every night. So we will be busy running those. And lots of work inviting more and more people! We are also working so much with one of our investigators who is on date for the 17th, Alejandro. We have met with him for a long time, and he has been ready for a long time, but his parents are super anti. But miracles, we were able to find his mom and we talked to her a little bit. And to the dad a different day. His dad isn't super against the church anymore, so that is good! Answer to lots of prayers and fasting. 

It has been such a pleasure learning how I can serve the Lord each day. Know that I am doing great, learning lots and pushing through. Because life's hard in the west (and south) but I can do hard things. For reals. ;) 

So I am not supposed to eat anything except at my pentinistas house, right? ya, well, we can buy fruit and things from little markets, but a lot of things that we really NEVER can have, like strawberries, ceviche, grapes, actual food prepared by others (pastries are okay I think), and NO HAM...Well...

Think of me when every time you eat ham and then don't have crazy headaches after and wonder if you have worms in your brain....No, jokes, I don't have worms. And the ham was on pizza so it should be fine, right? Because pizza is always perfect and super good for you. And honestly, it was probably chicken disguised as ham. I'm good, for reals. hahaha. 

p.s. okay the picture. Ya, this is what happens when you live in a country where there is no Crest and you only brought enough to last about 243 days. Yes, I calculated it out in my head. But really, you waste so much toothpaste because you think it is gone, and it isn't! Currently, the lid is sitting on my desk in a Ziplocs bag. I have about 4 more uses of it. ;)   Love, Hermana Lee