14 December 2009

Hey Hey HEy!! Happy pday to all. We had a pretty good week. We had our misión Christmas devotional. President and Sister Davis came and spoke. President Davis said hed like to see white christmas. And since it´s obviously not going to snow in peru he said itd have to happen in the bautismal font. Wed like that too. We have 3 good investigators who have fulfilled all the requirements to get baptized but dont have permission from their dads. From their moms yes, but their dads no. For some reason all our investigators in puno are underage. No, I take that back. We are teaching a 32 year old with 2 kids who lives with her dad and is scared to get baptized because of how he will react. We want to talk with him but she wont let us. One of the 3 is a 14 year old named Frank. His dad said if he passed a test he had to take on Tuesday that he could get baptized. Well, he failed. BUT, it turns out he could take a different test on Saturday to make up for it. So we spent like 4 hours on Thursday going over EVERY question of a practice test with him and explaining it to him. I was in 8th grade all over again and it was actually kind of fun. So yeah, we found out yesterday that he passed and will be able to keep attending the school hes attending and we have an appointment to talk with his dad tomorrow to see if he can get baptized Saturday so pray for Frank! Oh yeah, but back to the devotional. President and Sister Davis talked then we had a dinner of…..you guessed it, chicken and potatoes. Then we did skits and they gave us bibles and a homemade sugar cookie for our gifts. That sugar cookie was so good! So good! But yeah, it was a good devotional.

Oh, so I sent a photo cd this week. I hope it makes it there for Christmas! I feel bad though, I didnt think the elders were going to give us time to mail anything so I didnt even write a card or anything! So yeah, dont get too excited because its a big envelope but it just has a CD and nothing else. Sorry. Oh, but fantastic news, I got your package with CDs and cowtails and your card!! Thank you!! It made my week.

What else…changes are next Monday. Id really like to stay with my companion another change, but well see what happens. OH, and about the Christmas call. Ill be able to call for like 5 minutes on the 24th to give you the details about everything. Im still not sure what time we will be able to callo n the 24th or the 25th.

Anyway, I have to go, but I hope you guys are doing great and staying safe! Cant wait to talk to you!!! Love you!! Love,Chris

7 December 2009

Happy December!! One more fast sunday DOWN!! Ive never had a problem with fast sundays in the mission until I got to puno. I thought I was going to pass out yesterday! I wasnt even hungry, but walking around here without eating takes a little bit of a toll. Luckily I survived and now we are only 4 fast sundays away from the biggest reunion of all time!

Weve had a pretty good week. Its gone by pretty fast actually. We are still contacting and teaching and doing service. Oh my gosh, guess what? So remember how I told you guys we have to do these street contacts every week? Well I saw a guy with a papa johns hat on and used it as an in to contact him! Obviously that hat was shipped here from a thrift store in the US and the kid had NO idea what papa johns is or what I was talking about, but I was freaking out when I saw it!! Papa johns is definitely on my list of things I want to eat my first week home. Just FYI.

Oh, so speaking of food, this morning for breakfast I ate chuno! Youll have to look it up online. Supposedly its some sort of potato that people stomp on with their feet in a river? thats how it was explained to me at least. really made me excited for breakfast.Anyway, I didnt love it and puno is famous for it. Im officially in puno because ive eaten it. But yeah, you guys arent missing a thing.

What else, oh, we went and watched the christmas devotional last night. I didnt think not being home for Christmas was going to hit me as hard this year. I thought I was becoming kind of numb to the holidays because it doesnt feel like Christmas here. The good news and the bad news is I was wrong. I started sobbing when I saw temple square last night! Ridiculous. It was a good devotional though, I liked it a lot. Oh holy night might officially be my new favorite christmas song. Along with I want a hippopotamos for christmas obviously.

Last week we didnt do much, but today for pday we are going to a place called Sillustani? Maybe you can find some pictures of it online? Supposedly itll be cool. Ill let you know next week. Anyway, I love you all and miss you all and hope you are all safe and happy and healthy. Talk to you soon! Seriously! Love, Christa

30 November 2009

Hey Hey Hey!!! Happy Almost December!! Whats going on?? Im doing pretty good. We had a pretty good week. How was your Thanksgiving? We actually had a good Thanksgiving. We had a lunch with the district and the elders made chicken. Obviously. They also made mashed potatoes and rolls and even jello! It was almost a true Thanksgiving. Almost. I miss pumpkin pie!!! I did make apple crisp though. Its pretty much the only dessert from home there are all the ingredients here to do. We cooked it in this brick oven a lady in their area had. I took pictures, its classic. But yeah, tell me how your Thanksgiving went. I hope it was fantastic.

Oh, so we bought our boots this week! And its true, theyre nothing more than rubber rain boots, but I am so happy Ive been wearing them even when were in the room!! A few days a weeks it is sunny here and a few days a week its rainy. Friday was a rain day and we were late for an appointment and we were running and my companion fell SO HARD!!! I was dying. After I made sure she was okay of course. She pretty much did a slip and slide down a muddy hill. She didn’t get hurt though so that’s good news.

So theres this new goal in the mission that we have to talk to 20 people a day. So that’s 140 per companionship per week. So yeah, weve been doing our best to talk to everyone in the streets, buses, stores, etc. Before we always talked to people when we could, but if we were walking to an appointment or late somewhere we wouldn’t always take the time to do it. Now it’s a rule in the mission and I really like it actually. We have met some crazies this week! A man who wanted me to give him private English classes and said hed pay me and that nobody had to know…a lady who told us the terrorists had bugged her house and that they were always watching her and that we needed to come to save her from her sister in law who makes her take showers…etc. So yeah, Im not sure how much more success well have thanks to all these contacts every week, but it definitely makes everyday more interesting!

Anyway, I love you guys and miss you. Just a couple more weeks until we talk! Be safe and Ill talk to you soon! Love, Christa

23 November 2009

Hey Hey Hey!!!
Happy Thanksgiving! Well Almost anyway. How are you guys? What is going on?? Glad to hear you are all still alive and well after your trip to CA. Are you guys still headed to Vegas this week?? If so be SAFE!! And have fun. And eat for me. A LOT! Supposedly we were going to have some kind of district activity to do a little Thanksgiving, but Im not sure if it´ll happen. I dont think we have permission, but Ill let you know next week.

Anyway, Im still doing pretty good here in Puno.Turns out I got here during rainy season!! Em would be in heaven. So just about every day that Ive been here its rained at some point. It even hailed 2 days last week. And if youll recall my area is all hills, it is seriously San Francisco and I have fallen no less than 12 times. Obviously. BUT the elders are going to buy us boots!! Im pretty sure theyre the rubber ones you wear to like work in the garden, but Im pretty excited about it. Way more excited than I should be actually, but itll be fun to not have to worry about my shoes while walking around.

OH. Guess what! Best. News. Ever. I forgot to tell you that Hna. Arroyo is in my district!! My old companion, remember her? There are 4 sisters in puno and she got changed here when I got changed here so we are together again!Shes in an area called mirador, but we´re in the same district. My head about exploded when I saw her in the terminal when our buses got to puno. So yeah, I will get to see her at least every monday. I also got to spend all wednesday and thursday with her and her companion because my companion went to lima and they couldnt find me a temporary to be with. Ive always heard that it´s really hard to be with 2 other missionaries and that trios aren´t ideal but I loved every single second of it. Maybe it´s just because I get along with her and her companion or maybe it´s because the most absurd things happened to us in the 24 hours we were together, but it was awesome.

We also had zone conference and our interviews this week and it was good. President congratulated me for still being alive. Apparently the last north american that was in puno about 3 months ago had to be taken out of her area in an ambulance because she got so sick! But seriously, Im doing really well healthwise. I think peru has made me immune to everything possible so Im doing good.Wait, I did puke last night, but I think it was from some yogurt a lady gave us so not to worry.

Anyway, I hope you guys are good. Just about 1 month until we´ll be talking. Anyway, we have an activity this week we are planning and we are going to do service for an 85 year old lady that we almost had to carry to her house after church yesterday because she cant walk so Im sure Ill have LOTS of stories next week. Be safe and have a good, good, week. Love you! Love, Christa

16 November 2009

Hey Hey Fam,
So after a week in puno Im still surviving. I actually really like puno. Its no tacna, but I like it. My companion and I had to speak in church yesterday, lead the music, give the relief society lesson and help in a workshop for visiting teachers!! It was a busy day, but I like our wards.

So I found out this week that even though Im within spitting distance of the lake I'll never get to go to the floating islands. Theres one set of elders assigned to the floating islands, our district leader and his companion. Nobody else is allowed to go out there. Except the zone leaders. So pretty much the sisters are the only ones that will never get to see the floating islands. What a rip off. Oh well, I like my area too. I also like our pension. It’s a little rustic, but good. I walked into the kitchen the other day and 3 pigeons came flying at me. Apparently theyre the pets of the family…

My companion is great. I really like her a lot. Shes the only bolivian in the mission. Shes from cochabamba. Today is her birthday actually. I had our pensionista buy balloons for me and decorated the room while she was sleeping. Luckily shes a sound sleeper.

Oh, about Christmas. Im not sure if you’ve already sent things, but I was thinking maybe a little money and a few simple things like pens, candy, cheap ctr rings, pictures of jesus, drink mixes, etc. I think itd be more trouble than its worth to send clothes or shoes or things people can buy here. As for me, I don’t want anything, just maybe some more makeup. Oh, and nylons. Im never wearing nylons EVER again after the mission by the by. Oh, Im going to take some money out of my account today so if you see that Ive taken it out don’t worry, its me. It’s a little bit more than usual that Im going to take out, but don’t worry. It’s a long story, but its going towards a really, really, really good cause and Ill tell you more about it at Christmas. Oh and by the way, about the Christmas packages the elders warned us about 100 times that we cant receive packages that are worth more than 100 dollars so send cheap stuff!!

Anyway, I have to go, but I love you and miss you all. My companion has to go to Lima this week for some paperwork and I have to look for somebody to be with me for 2 days while shes gone! Talk to you soon! Be careful! Love,Christa

PS, Em, you will be SO proud, I met a dog that I like this week! His name is moofy, and I don’t know what has happened to me, but I love this dog. I think I need help. Talk to you soon!!

10 November 2009

Welp, Im in puno. PUNO. I was so sad to leave Tacna, but like I said last week I didnt think my luck would hold out for a fifth change in Tacna. I did love it though. But yeah, I left at 730 am yesterday and got to puno at 8pm last night. Longest. bus ride. ever. Longer than the trip I took in the greyhound from Provo to LV to visit britt when I had to sit far away from the driver that someone told me looked a lot like someone shed seen on americas most wanted. ANYWAY, here I am in Puno. I thought Id be a lot sicker from the altitude, but luckily so far Ive just had a headache since I got here. I woke up this morning and went outside and our area is all hills and from the top of the hills the lake is right there!!!! Crazy. From what Ive seen though I definitely feel like Im finally in Peru. Houses of mud with roofs of hay, a man chasing his llamas, ladies with their skirts and bowler hats digging in the dirt, after a year, I think Im finally getting the full peruvian experience. I just got a quick glimpse of britts email and I cant believe you guys want to do that for Christmas!!! I personally think its crazy. Who doesnt what gifts for Christmas?? You all at least have to exchange one gift with each other. BUT I was also thinking maybe for something I got changed here, the area with the most poverty in the mission, for Christmas. But Im not exactly sure what would be good to send for gifts or if money would be better. Im going to think this week and look for what people dont have and need.

Anyway, yeah, Im in 2 wards. One called Huascar and the other...I still dont know. Our pension is like 10 minutes from our room so thatll be different and I hear our area is pretty physically demanding and the work is progressing SLOWLY here, but hopefully things will get better in these few changes here. I know youre all praying for that and thank you.

Oh, so we had an activity in para chico the friday before changes. One day in the park we were contacting and we talked with 4 teenagers from Ecuador that had arrived in Tacna and were going to stay for like a month. Turns out 2 of them are members less actives so we invited them all to church and they came. It also turns out theyre dancers!! They were headed to Chile to tour, but one of them couldnt cross the border or something, suspicious I know, BUT, we decided we had to take advantage of their talent and we planned an activity in the ward. Its was like a ward family home evening. We watched a short movie, played games, they danced salsa and typical dances from Ecuador and we of course had empanadas and chicha. It was really, really fun. We were kind of worried because we planned it last minute and we had heard that ward members dont like going all the way to the chapel at night time, but 50 people showed up!!! So yeah, it was a good way to leave Para Chico. It was hard though, i didnt want to go. A few people came to the terminal at 7 yesterday to say goodbye and I was a sobbing mess. But, Im excited to be in puno too. My companion is Hna. Jimenez from Bolivia. My first companion boliviana. She is great.

Anyway, I hope all is well with you guys. love you and miss you all. Love,
Christa

PS, Mom and Darren,for the record there are 3 northamerican sisters in my mission. Counting me. There are more elders, but there is usually only 1 northamerican elder in every zone. Well, thats how its been in my zones at least.

2 November 2009

Hey Hey HEy,
What is going on? Things are pretty good here in Tacna. Not too much to report this week actually. OH, but I DID get your package and big envelope this week and THANK YOU!!! The brownies and desserts have been a hit already and my companion and I have gorged ourselves on cereal bars, gardettos, peanut butter crackers, etc. I also love the pillow case from Jen. Tell her thanks. And thanks for the pictures. Its been fun to FINALLy show people who you guys are!

So how was Halloween? So it turns out hardly anyone celebrates halloween here so I didnt feel like I was missing out on too much. I only saw 3 witches and 1 little ghost trying to collect candy so it looks like peru still has a ways to go for Halloween to be popular. I kept talking about halloween and people kept telling me that only that people that worship satan believe in halloween here? Woops! Someday peru will come to appreciate halloween like we do. It might take a few thousand chili dogs, homemade rootbeer, and truckloads of candy to convince them, but I think itll be worth the effort.

OHHHH, but want to know what we did do on halloween? We got wrangled, WRANGLED, into helping a little old lady construct her alter to the virgen mary because there was going to be a parade and she had to construct an alter with flowers and balloons and the virgen, etc. I saw wrangled because we could not get out of there. There we were, walking down the street, late for an appointment, and this little old lady grabbed us, GRABBED us, and asked us if we could do her 1 tiny, little favor, if I could help her hang a balloon from her window outside because Im tall. Can you believe Im tall here by the way? So I hang one balloon and then she just kept giving us stuff to do and every time we told her we HAD to go and that people were waiting for us she said we couldnt abandon her and that God wouldnt be happy with us and that she needed us more than the people we had appointments with!!! She kept promising us it would only be 2 more minutes, 2 more minutes, well 2 hours later my companion and I, 2 mormon missionaries, had completely assembled this altar for the virgen mary!!! I like to think God will understand. The worst part is though the counselor to our bishop drove by and saw us doing it!!!!! Luckily he just laughed. He got out of his car to tell the lady we really had to go, but she wrangled him into helping too!!! So yeah, thats how I spent my halloween.

Changes are next monday. I would really like to stay in Tacna, but I think 5 changes here would be pushing it. Well see.

Anyway, I have to go, but I hope youre all doing great. I love you and miss you. Thanks for all your prayers and emails and packages and support.