Familia! Amigos!
I finally left the CCM yesterday morning and got my first assignment!!! I stayed in Lima and am in an area called San Juan. My companion is Hermana Lara from Huancayo (an area of Peru way up in the mountains). She is a gosh darn sweetheart. I have been praying for her since before i met her and those prayers wre answered because she is seriously so patient with me and so so nice. She is super easygoing too which is great for me.
OKAY so our assignment as a companionship is different from every other part of the mission because we do Family History and get to take new converts to the temple!!!! Its kindof like an experiment that the Church is trying out I think because its never really been done before. It so cool though!! Because the goal is to have all the new converts who have been baptized reach their goal of going to the temple and being sealed as families. Super cool! And we also teach classes on how to do family history so that these members can take names to the temple. We work on the family history part every Wednesday and Thursday and then every other day of the week we get to proselyte and teach in our area like normal. But every single Thursday we get to go to the temple with new members and be with them as they have that new experience!!! How cool right?!?! we are the only ones in the mission that get to do this. Im pretty excited. I already love that this mission is so focused on FAMILIES... ETERNAL families. We also work ALOT with members of the church who have become less active, and try to bring them back. I have helpedteach in a few lessons already and I LOVE ITTTTTT. I can hardly say anything but what I CAN do is bear my testimony and teach basic gospel principles. And what else is more important? Thats what I came here to do anyway :)
The area I am in is interesting. Walking around, it feels like a pretty poor area but i also dont really know what else to compare it to. Its like a really busy city but, LOTS of people. Youll walk into a shack made of bricks and cement with no windows, but then right next door it lokoks like a small beach front condo with nice cars parked in front...its so weird. Our apartment is nice for this area I think.. (again I dont know what to compare it to...haha)
My companion and I are also the ONLY ones in probably the whole mission without a pensionista! someone who cooks for us! haha we are looking for one but right now, we just cook for ourselvesd in a little tiny room in our apartment. It is hardly a kitchen, but it does the job!! haha! There is a mini fridge and a fold out table with a portable stove thing on top with 2 burners. :) My cute companion made me the most delicious papas fritas this morning for breakfast!! She is known for making good peruvian food so im excited. Today we are going shopping for more food so that will be good cause I got nada ahora!!! haha perhaps some eggs, pollo, y granadillas!!! hahaha (have you googled a picture of that fruit yet?! I bet you still dont beleive that i eat it.)
My spanish is frustrating me a bit but I just need to give it time. My companion is so funny cause she doesnt speak hardly ANY english except for a few random things. For example, yeterday we were walking down the street and she says ¨Necesito usar al baño...I gotta peee.¨I was laughing so hard!!! Ï-gotta-pee is the only thing i heard her say in english. I was dying.
Im overall doing good. I sporatically break down and cry at the most random times though because it feels a little overwhelming with so much that is NEW and a bit scary. But its okay because a lot of the time when I cry I also laugh at the same time because i really am happy to be here.
I road in a moto-taxi today for the first time!!!! It was awesome! Those things are everywhere here!!!! Its like these little tiny go cart-sized, 3-wheeled taxis that take you around. It was so much fun haha. The roads here though ARE NUTS. There are legitamately no road laws. People just drive all willy nilly and go wherever they want and there are no lanes. Im not even exagerating. But somehow we all survive haha! Its just quite the adventure out on those streets!!!
Also I got to see Ben Smith from high school so that was exciting! Mom, Hermana Douglas said that I talk just like you do and right when she said that I just burst into tears!!!! I miss you so much.
I dont have much, no mucho español, and not many that understand or know me, but I do have a few important things on my side:
1) My smile. I can always smile and give love to people even if other than that, all i can do is talk like Dora.
2) the Spirit...aka peace and felizidad
3) PRAYER--- ive never had to rely so much on prayer!!! it is maazing to know my heavenly father is right here with me. The only one who truly understands. And He speaks spanish AND English AND spanglish.
4) These scriptures:
3 Nephi 18:24
D&C 84:88
They are getting me through :)
I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!! and everyone who emails me and lifts me up. I am so thankful to have you guys on my team.
Dont forget to look for Heavenly Father LOVE today! and to have a good PERSPECTIVE and mindset in whatever your circumstances may be. I know it is possible.
LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!
UNTIL MONDAY!!! :)
xoxo
Hermana Gardner
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