Processing Pigs.......Oh Joy!

So Aushlynn had a interesting first week in Chulucanas!  Avery had the opportunity to process chickens on his mission........Aushlynn has had the opportunity to process pigs on hers. Oh my....poor girl. It almost sounded like a set up from the Elders.  Haha...you be the judge of her letter!

 

Wow Mommy and Daddy!! 

Chulucanas is very different! It is still very hot. Sometimes I think it is hotter than Piura. The people say that it will be cooling down in a week or so. I think they are joking with me. I think I have had some of the most diverse areas in the whole mission. First I was at the beach and then I was in the middle of the desert and now I am in the middle of the jungle. I am definitely going to be a Peru expert when I get home! Wow to say the least my week has been crazy. Every day I think that I have seen all that Peru has to offer me and then something crazy happens... 

 

Well for starters on Tuesday we have a district meeting... half of us are in Chulucanas and half are in Tambo Grande about 30 minutes away. There are no cars or anything to Tambo Grande from here so we would have to take a bus and hour to Piura and then a bus an hour and a half to Tambo Grande and then back to Piura to Chulucanas... we weren’t about to do that so the Elders decided well.... I guess we could take a moto its only 30 minutes...... well Hermana Llontop and I were like are you serious? In a moto..... yeah we all smushed in a moto and got on our way... about an hour into the ride the driver tells us it’s probably going to be another hour till we get there.... what?? We continue... we are literally crossing rivers and on dirt roads oh it was awful... so hot.. and Hermana Llontop had to sit on my lap the whole way... anyways we stop like 30 minutes away from Tambo Grande because our moto driver told us that he didn’t have his papers and that there was the state police... we waited for like 20 minutes but he never left so we decided to try to pass him, well yeah he caught us... luckily we are 3 gringos and we are teaching the word of god so elder Harris whipped out his bible shared a scripture and he let us pass.... hahahaha oh man I couldn’t even believe it.. We made it to Tambo Grande and had the meeting for like 30 minutes and had to go back to Chulucanas.... hahaha I never want to do that again but it’s a funny memory.

 

Chulucanas is very different. We have lots of lessons everyday which is good for my Spanish. It’s a small branch with like 30 people. The people here are friendly and accepting to the message Kind of like my area La Cruz. We have a lot of people that have dates for baptisms but no one ever wants to come to the church... it’s very frustrating. 3 girls just returned from missions this week from this branch and so I am hoping to work with them a lot!! 

 

This week we did service for a less active member. The elders were supposed to come but they bailed. We get there and I have never in my life did something like this... we slaughtered a pig... in skirts!!! I about threw up like every 5 minutes.... We slaughtered the whole pig and cut it up and took all the insides out and well I just hope we never go back... I am kind of still in shock... that’s a story to tell my kids.

 

Well today for p-day we went to a little town outside Chulucanas that sells art work. It’s really pretty. I bought another turtle for mom  and I found a one of a kind Jesus is the Christ statue.... this guy made it for a missionary but he never came to get it. He gave it to me for 10 soles. I will have to send it to you guys when I get a chance or when Hermana Ana comes to Utah in June!

 

Well I can’t wait to get my package and hear from all of you! Hope all is well back home! I can’t believe it’s almost been 6 months! The time is flying but there is not one place I would rather be then here on this crazy journey! I am learning things I would not otherwise have learned and for that I am grateful!

 

Love

Hermana brown

Hermana Brown and Hermana Llontop (pronounced Yawntop)

Yep this girl seeks out the puppys. She has never met a dog that she hasn't tried to pet.

She says that this is the stairwell to hedoublehockeystick.

Peruvian art....also her and her companions name badges.

My love for turtles is rubbing off on her.

I wonder which turtle that she bought me!

Welcome to Morrapon!

Homes in Chulucanas.

Picture wall is up and going again in the new area!  Just waiting to get her package so she can have a few new additions!

More turtles...no she did not get me this one...she is so sad about it too!

Some more Peruvian art

Some mountains that she hopes to hike on a p-day. Looks pretty green to me despite the hot weather.

Here is part of the pig that she processed.  I am sparing you the picture of the pig blood and inners that they made in to sausage.  You are welcome. She says that she almost threw up every 5 minutes.  I think that she did well.  I would have gagged the entire time.  I probably would have been pretty useless.

On To A New Adventure....Chulucanas

Did this past week just fly by or what?  I am getting pretty good at this Missionary Mom thing.....it has only taken me about three years and ten months....but I am getting better. I know...right???  This week was kinda scary.  You have heard about the earthquake in Ecuador...right??? Of course you have, well it was about 450 miles away from where my daughter was serving.  I'm not gonna lie, it gave me some anxiety.  It was a little to close for my comfort. I pray for her safety and for the safety of all the missionaries.  I especially pray for the people of Ecuador...bless their hearts! Such tragedy.

 

Well, this week Hermana Brown is on the move.  She has been transferred to a new area.  It was so very difficult for her to leave.  She loved her companion, her area and the members.  She is especially sad to be leaving the Silva family. But....she is excited for a new adventure...Also, it is said that in her new area the Butterflies are massive...she is scared out of her mind! This girl has been scared of butterflies since she was little....haha....who raised this girl anyway??  She is a weirdo! Anyway, here is what she has to say this week!

 

Hey Mommy and Daddy!! 

 

So yes I got transferred and it was a pretty emotional goodbye! I loved that ward that I was in and well I know I complained so much about how hard the area was but I am sure going to miss it. The hardest goodbye was definitely the Silva family. Ahh.. I cried for like an hour! She even made me lasagna for my last meal! She is the absolute best! I am really going to miss her. I hope you guys stay in contact with her and she gave me her email to write her! I also had to say goodbye to Hermana Xmenia :( she seriously is amazing! The good news is her mothers parents live in my area that I got assigned to so hopefully I will still see her a few times!!

 

Okay yes I got transferred to......... Chulucanas!! My new companion is Hermana Llontop! She is super sweet but does not speak a lick of English! That’s okay though because I am hoping to learn more Espanol anyways! She has been out almost a year. She is from Chicalayo Peru.  I love her already! Anyway Chulucanas is way different then Piura! It’s about an hour or so east of Piura. It's close to the mountains. I can't wait for some hikes in the mountain's and to the waterfalls on p-day. Hermana Martinez, my trainer is my sister leader so I will get to go on exchanges with her! Sweet! Also, Elder Osmond is in my zone. Pretty cool to serve with someone from South Jordan! I actually love it here from what I have seen already! I know I am going to love it here. It’s a branch, so a lot less members than Piura but that just means a lot more opportunities to baptize!! There are 8 dates for baptism here already! Our area is also GIGANTIC!! I am so excited to see what this area has in store! Also our room isn’t that bad and doesn’t have bugs! I am really happy! Everyone has told me that it is hotter in this area too....Hermano Silva said that the butterfly's here are 3 times the size of butterfly's in Piura but he just likes to scare me.. I am actually scared about the butterfly's! I also have a part in my area called Morrapon! It is a mountain area! I am so stoked about that!! We go with the Elders once a week!! 

 

I heard about the earthquake in Ecuador. I will be praying for those people. I didn’t feel anything from it though some said the aftershocks would reach us, but they haven’t. I finally went into the clinic in Piura for my cough. I was diagnosed with Bronchitis and have some medicine that I am taking for it.

 

Something that I learned last week is that we are stronger than we think we are. We can do more things than we think we can. We are capable of doing the impossible with the help of the lord. I know that through prayer and fasting we are able to receive revelation. I know I could not be doing what I have been doing like learning a new language.. getting use to a new country... without the help of the lord every step of the way. I am so grateful for the atonement we have to use whenever we need it. I am grateful for this church and its members throughout the world. I noticed in this last week sacrament that we are all one big LDS family and that just because we speak different languages or live a different way we are all sons and daughters of god! I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! 

 

Well I know its not a lot this week but I have a lot of pictures to send! I hope all is well back home! I pray for you all daily!

 

Remember to do your family history :))

 

Hermana Brown

Hermana Brown and her new companion Hermana Llontop. Please don't ask me how to say her name, I have not a clue. I am waiting for autocorrect to give her a new nickname for me! haha! But, there is hope that I can say it correctly someday soon because she calls home for Mother's Day in just 18 days! Woot! Woot!

Aushlynn's new kitchen.  She says in this area she has no pensionista and she will be cooking for herself. She is quite happy about this arrangement. She also says that she needs some Flaming Hot Cheetos, Nutella and Kit Kats.

Her room. The pictures wall is not up yet but will be soon.  Remember, if you want to make her wall, we are a sending a package this week and you can still send your photo and a letter.

Xmenia, Aushlynn and Xmenia's mom and baby sister.

Pday last week. We all shoved into this taxi that was about to break down!

Hermana Sandison and Hermana Brown....she is going to miss her so so much!

Hermana's in her zone with a few Elder photobombs!

Aushlynn and her package that Hermano Silva delivered to her!  I think that she really liked the letters! (and the candy it looks like she is counting and dividing it like she used to do to her Halloween candy)

This is her new bag.  It looks amazing! Her old purse the "strap broke".  Now if this was my option for a new bag, I would have broke the strap on purpose. Right...whose with me??? What a awesome souvenir for her to bring back when she returns home.

Who ever made this bag for her did an amazing job! Look at all the detail!

Aushlynn and the Silva Family.  Umm....go Cougs! I knew I liked these people!

Looks like somebody can't hold still for the camera....haha!

Hermana Brown and Hermana Sandbox, I mean Sandison at the Silva's saying good-bye. But more like see you later I am sure.

Aushlynn and her companion again. I like the Peruvian dress by the way...this is one that we did not send. I am sure that she had it made.

Hi My Lovelys

This week it is kinda rough. No new photos from Aushlynn so I thought that I would put one up of her and her best friend! They used to sleep together every night and poor Buddy has had such a hard time adjusting to her being gone.  For the first few months he would scratch at her door looking for her. He is going to be 16 this July, I hope that he is still around when she gets back.  Good news! Since the weather has turned warmer we have seen more zip to his zippadeedoda, so I think that we are in good shape.

Oh yeah, also if you are wanting to send her a letter I an sending her package on the 20th, so if you can get it to me by then that would be fantastic!  Remember she wants letters and pictures.  You can also email the letter and pictures to me and I can print them out.  She wants the pictures for her picture wall! kmdaam@msn.com

Here is what Hermana Brown has to say this week.

Hi My Lovelys!Well this week seemed to just fly by.... I feel like it was just Monday! Not that I am complaining or anything. This week I feel like not much happened just kinda the whole walking in the burning sun and knocking doors thing ha ha... I had some really good experiences this week though!

 

Well.... my last hope to have a baptism this transfer fell through this week.. :( OH Bummmmmmer. We have been teaching her for a long time even with Hermana Martinez and well she moved to Tumbes this last week and so the sisters in Tumbes picked up where we left off and she got Baptized. I just feel like I have the worst luck with those things called baptisms. Oh well I have come to realize that’s not the most important thing on a mission. As long as you are diligent and continue to preach the word of god to as many people as you can that he will be pleased with your work and service.

 

Yes elections were this week! It was seriously the longest days ever! In our area it’s very normal to have all of our lessons fall and so yes we didn’t teach a single lesson those two days :) We just studied our scriptures and visited members. I think I was going a little crazy just sitting in our room all day. So I heard today that there was a tie in the votes!!! So they are holding another vote on June 5th..... I’m not to thrilled about this and I’m sure Presidente isn’t either ha ha... 

 

So the inevitable has happened.... yes I am sick. Not throw up sick or even troubles in the bathroom. I have this nasty cough! I’ve had it for about 2 weeks now and it is just getting worse! Anyways... poor Silva family has to hear my coughing all night long and throughout the day! :( Hermana Ana is so good to me that she has given me a couple remedies to try.... Peruvian Remedies I might add... she first gave me this bottle and told me to take 3 spoonfuls a day. It consisted of honey, onion, garlic, and radish. It smelled so rancid!! I about threw up just smelling it. I took that for about 3 days but it didn’t seem to be working so why keep taking it lol.... then she gave me this drink that consisted of honey, lemon and ginger! That also tasted bad... it kind of just burned my throat. Well here I am still living with this cough... hopefully I can get over it really fast.

 

Anyways this is the last week of the transfers and well I think I will be leaving. Although I am not sure I have been preparing myself to say goodbye to the people here. They are so awesome! I have learned a lot of things from the members here. Especially the Silva family. They are lifelong friends. I hope to stay in contact with their family. They have helped me through a lot of trials here on the mission and have the strongest testimonies and so much faith. I hope one day I can be as strong in the church as them!

 

As reflecting back on this transfer I feel like I have learned a lot of things but most of all I have noticed that a mission isn’t just about the people you are serving but also its about my progression as a member of this church. I have done some many things I never thought I could do. I have noticed that my weaknesses are becoming my strengths, and my trials are becoming my triumphs! These are just one of the few fruits of living this gospel! I am so grateful that I get to pin his name to my shirt every day and say to people that I am a representative of Jesus Christ. I hope I can continue to grow my testimony and grow my faith throughout this crazy journey! 

 

I hope all is well back home and I am praying for everyone back home! I know through the plan of salvation that we are able to see loved ones again and that they are all rooting us on in heaven! :)

 

Hermana Brown

Watching Conference on this Beauty!

Well, it's that time of the week again. Time for the weekly update on Hermana Brown and her adventures in Peru. This week was kinda exciting!  We got to meet Edgar Silva!  We were so blessed!  He is the wonderful man that that has been called to be a Mission President in another Peru mission starting in July.  Anyway he flew to SLC this week and brought a package to us from Aushlynn. I have learned one thing in meeting him.....My Spanish is very bad.....it is pretty much English with my own twist of a accent. OYE...I am never gonna learn that language.  They talk so very fast.  I defiantly do not have the gift of tongues.  Haha. The missionaries who go over there and have to learn the language..... well it is nothing short of a miracle! Anyway, Presidente Silva was kind enough to take packages back to both Hermana Brown and Hermana Sandison! Blessings for sure!

Here is what Hermana Brown had to say this week!

Hola Mis Padres!!!

Wow this week was a wild one! Ha Ha I’m in Peru.... I feel like a ton of things happened this week but I just got back from the beach and I am exhausted!! Hopefully I can tell you all the highlights. 

Yes it was conference this weekend! I thought all the talks were extremely powerful and very inspired. Yes I got to watch the first 3 sessions in English and we had investigators come with us for the last so we watched in Spanish. I thought that the main topics of the conference was the atonement and the importance of temples. Oh my gosh the whole church was cheering and hugging each other when they announced the new temple that is to be built in Lima!!! It was so awesome to see these faithful church goers in Peru get another great blessing! I loved all the talks that were given! I feel like now that I’m out here on a mission that all the principles and things that were taught I can use more in my teachings and just affected me more.

This week we had interviews with the president! Also we got to talk one on one with Hermana Rasmussen! Honestly I love them so much. I am so glad they are my mission presidents! They both have such good advice and just give you that pump up you need to keep going. Also president gave us this talk to read that’s called Why the Church by D Todd Christofferson! I highly recommend it. It makes some very good points that all members should be made aware of and it has helped me realize that the LDS community is one big family all helping each other get to the end. Also in the church is where we are able to learn and feed off each others testimonies. 

So Hermana Sandison and I had a very spiritual companionship study this week! So these past few weeks I have just been complaining about my area and how hard it is and thinking why was I sent here... who am I  helping? I’m just knocking doors all day... like I just didn’t know what I was supposed to be learning from this area! Well after this talk that we had I finally pinpointed why I was in this area! I needed to be humbled. This area is the closest thing to a States mission here in Piura. Daily I get spit on, doors slammed in my face, rejection after rejection... and I saw my attitude getting worse and worse about this area. I describe this area as being not the most humble but the most humbling. I’ve realized that I needed to be here to be humbled and really have to rely on the lord and the spirit. Some nights that’s literally all I had here and in the end that’s all anyone has. I’ve learned that no matter what trials he throws at us, it’s only making us a stronger person and also we need to think what is he trying to teach me. 

This P-day we went to the beach in Paita as a zone! It was fun. We played soccer like usual and I also fished ha ha. One elder had all the stuff to fish so we fished. We didn’t catch anything but that’s usually my luck. My neck is absolutely fried but I did really well at applying sunscreen everywhere else. Yay me! 

Okay another thing here that I have learned is I am scared of all bugs.... small, large, gigantic... I can’t do it. The bugs here are a whole new level... huge moths... flying beetle bugs... giant flying crickets!! Pray for me...

Anyway that’s pretty much all... I think. Hope all is well back home! :) Remember to write me a letter and send me pictures :)

Hermana Brown

The beautiful TV that we viewed conference on!

Hermana Sandison and Hermana Brown.  Funny story, every time I email Aushlynn and type her companions name my autocorrect changes it to Sandbox.  Problem is I do my best proofreading after I send something. Haha! They must have a good laugh each time I mention her name!

The Trio of Ingram, Brown and Sandybum! My Besties!

Just the Beach...I wish I was at a beach!

The Hermana's in the Paita Zone!

P-Day with the Paita Zone at the Beach!

The Bus People

You know how we're just plugging along thru life trying not to look stupid? Most of the time I do a pretty good job...but I have my moments. Have you ever said anything stupid and then those who heard it will never let you live it down?  Yeah......Well, I said something stupid ONCE in my life and I am not sure that I will ever live it down.

It was back when I was a senior in high school. It was just right before my high school graduation. Now, I was a hard worker as a kid. I had had a job since I was a sophomore in high school.  I was rolling in the dough if you know what I mean.  Anyway, I had just accepted a job to be a summer sub working at Pepperidge Farm.  They paid really good, $11 an hour and that was back in 1990! The only problem with the job is that it started 2 weeks before I graduated. Lucky for me I was scheduled to work the night owl shift. I started work around 10:00 pm and got off around 7:00 am.  I then booked it to school and put in my time there and then came home to sleep.  Easy Peasy!  I was young!  I could handle a little fatigue!

Well, I guess that you could say I was a little tired and the hours I was putting in were starting to get to me.  Not only was I working full -time and going to school full-time, but I was dreaming I was working too.  You see I worked on the cookie line and all my hours of sleep I was dreaming I was cupping cookies. Cookies coming at me so fast and I was nowhere good enough to pick them all up when I first started. AUGH! It was a nightmare! If you have ever worked there you will know of my dilemma.

Anyway, after school I went down to my room and started my dreaming shift. I don't know what I was dreaming this time, but I bolted out of bed and ran up the stairs and burst into the kitchen and YELLED...." Are The Bus People Here???" My family burst out laughing. They were like what are you taking about. I was like the "The Bus People...when are they going to be here?" This went on for a little while..... my family were idiots...of course they should know what I was taking about! THE FREAKING BUS PEOPLE!! Have you ever had that wake up moment and you know that what you have been saying was crazy......well, at some point in time I had that realization! Man, what can you do at that point?  I just hurried back down the stairs and went back to bed.

I am pretty sure at the time of my outburst we were having a family reunion with all my family on both my parents sides because everybody seems to know about this little incident of mine. I will never in this lifetime live this down.....whenever I see my family they think they are so smart and mention the bus people.....they are so very clever! GIVE A GIRL A BREAK!  I WAS TIRED! Well, now you know the story of the Bus People...

Anyway I gotta go...my bus just pulled up out front!

It turns out that the Bus People are real!  There is even a book about them!

 Also, there is a movie about Bus People.  This looks freaking terrifying......I think I will skip it!

The indignity..

Today.... I had to endure being STABBED in the arm and my blood being sucked from me......and standing on a scale in front of someone....THE HUMANITY! Two of my most unfav things in the entire world.

Kendall informed me.....well reminded me a few weeks ago that we had to get our annual health screening done. UGH!  Now, its not a requirement.....but if you do get it done they give you a $100 gift card per person and an $1500 dollar discount on our health insurance premiums for the year. Who wants to have to pay an extra $1500 in health insurance???......so you see... they pretty much force us to get it done!  Anyway when he reminded me about it,  I told him to schedule my appointment for 2 weeks out.....you know.... so I could lose weight and get healthy in that amount of time. Haha! I have good intentions, but life seems to just gets in the way. I should have just had him schedule the appointment for the next day because all that I have accomplished is being stressed out knowing I have to be stabbed in the arm!

I had to start fasting last night.  I KNOW!!!....They are depriving me of food too! I usually can not eat without a problem....especially in the morning....but the minute that I can't have food is when I want it....you know.....like fast Sunday! I barely survived the night and woke up starving to death.... and Stressed out that I am getting a needle to the arm today. I guess that you could say the silver lining in all this is Kendall is going to watch my crazies for a half hour today.....you know a little break for my sanity!

My appointment was for 8:15 this morning. I arrived at 7:55. I played my Pandora LDS hymns on the way over...you know to relax me so I would be calm. (its a nice feature to have unlimited data on my phone.....you know unlike my kids who have to suffer with 2 GB...their parents suck and are so unfair!) I was the only one in the parking lot until 30 seconds before they opened and an old man pulled up.  I jumped out of the car....no way was he butting in before me....I just needed to get this over with.

I got checked in and the guy called me back. He told me to remove my shoes and jacket and jump on the scale.  First of all he stayed in the room while I took my jacket and flip flops off...Jeez....a little privacy please.  I then verified with him that I should just stand on the scale and not actually jump on it like he asked.  I mean you never know.....maybe he did want me to jump up and down on it.....but my knees bug me and I was not really wanting to jump around this morning if I did not have to. Good News! I was 3lbs lighter here than on my home scale.  WOOT!  Also, he measured me and guess what folks....I GREW TALLER! I am now a tall 5' 3"......no more 5" 2 1/2" for me. Life has been good to me!  Good thing I stretched nice and tall! He informed me that he just rounded up.....PPPHHHHHEEEEWWWW!! Deflated. In other good news....my blood pressure is thru the roof!  Put your hands up "thru the roof" Party!!! I am not sure he meant it in a party sort of way!  he says I must have white coat syndrome......I think I have I'm going to be stabbed in the arm with a needle syndrome.

I was such a big girl when it came to being stabbed.  I did not even let out a whimper.  I took it in the arm like a Mother! He took 2 vials of blood....why they need so much anyway? He put a cotton ball on my arm and ripped off a piece of white tape to cover it up and told me to leave it on for 30 minutes. What?? No cool band-aid. How unfun is that. I will probably keep it on half the day to be safe and you know get sympathy. You know what?? I did not even receive a sticker, token or sucker upon leaving......they just sucked my blood  and dignity and I received no prize.....LAME!

Here is my battle wound...I am sure it will be a bruise tomorrow...that how it rolls for me.

Five...count them...1 2 3 4 5 months on Sunday...no way!

Can you believe that this girl has been serving as a missionary in Peru for FIVE months on Sunday???  Also, as of today she has served 148 days. Another number fact for all of you that are counting (I'm sure its quite a few) only 39 more days until she calls us for Mother's Day!!! EEKKKK!!! What a blessed holiday this has been for the past 4 years! So excited! Only 13 more months to go, we are nearing the 1/3 completed mark folks. This week has been super great because I received three pictures of my favorite missionary during the week.  I know....I was greatly blessed this week! The heavens were shining down on me even though it kept snowing on me here in Utah.

 

Here is her letter this week:

 

Hey guys! 

 

Ha Ha, well this week has been awesome! I sadly didn't get to have my baptism because the girl told us she is moving to Tumbes right after she was done with her baptism interview..... what the crap... Hermana Brown cried only a little bit. The work is just a crazy roller coaster here in Angamos. The people here are smart and so they really understand what we are teaching them and ask a lot of questions which is cool. It’s kind of like a States mission here. Yes we are still getting doors slammed in our faces every single day but hey the people we are teaching will be really strong in the church once they convert. Yes I say once they convert because they will one day. 

 

This week we had exchanges with our sister leaders. I am not too nervous to do these anymore because my Spanish has progressed a lot. It was really fun and I learned a lot from Hermana Orellana. We had lessons and found a family to teach which is awesome! They are really receptive too! I’m excited to keep teaching them. I asked Hermana Orellana how many baptisms she had and she said she didn’t know. How do you not know like really? She said they aren’t my baptisms anyways they are the lords. None of us really have baptisms because it was the Holy Spirit that testified of our words. It could of been any of the missionaries that taught them. I liked that a lot and kind of changed my whole aspect of baptisms. Even if I wasn’t able to have a baptism that I would still be happy because I spent every day furthering the work by talking to everyone I could and introducing people to the church of Jesus Christ.

 

So yes it was Women’s conference! Hermana Ana is so awesome! She said that we could go with her to the conference. We had an investigator lined up to to go with us but last minute she told us she couldn’t go anymore! Hermana Rasmussen invited us over to the mission home and we got to watch it in English! President also put it in Spanish for Hermana Ana! I loved it! It was all about service! What better to hear about when serving a mission no? It was good to understand everything too lol. I can testify that when we serve others that we receive bigger blessings in our lives and that when serving you forget that you’re even serving because you grow to have great love for the people. 

 

So it was Easter this Sunday! Ha ha I didn’t see a single colored egg or I didn’t eat one piece of candy... that’s weird lol. Here they celebrate Easter for 3 days! Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! You would think this would be a few great contacting days, but nope... haha everyone was actually kind of mean and we got doors slammed in our faces but whatever :) We had a dinner at the Silvas house with all the missionaries and they put on a cute little devotional about Easter! It was awesome! We after ate chicken and fries with Inca cola... ha ha... no I still don’t like Inca Cola :)

 

Yes it was Presidente’s birthday!!! He does like eggs so no we didn’t smash eggs on his head ha ha... ( I’m hoping if I tell people I don’t like eggs that they will be that nice when it’s my birthday ) We had yummy grilled cheese and Hermana Rasmussen’s famous lemon cake! SO GOOD! It was fun to celebrate and get to talk to other missionaries and stuff. 

 

For P day today we got pedicures with Hermana Ana! She is the best seriously! She has become a really big influence in my life here on the mission. She has taught me countless things but most of all how to love and serve others! She is seriously amazing! I love her so much!! Also we went to Cactacous and tried to buy a bag and well I didn’t buy one but I did order one that will be ready next week. I thought it would be cooler to have one that actually had what I wanted on it and so it’s going to have my name and my mission and the Piura Vida sign! It’s going to be awesome! :) Now we are here in the mission home making cookies with members here in the ward and Hermana Rasmussen! We seriously have the best mission Presidents! I can’t complain about the air conditioning either :) We have a family home evening later tonight with all the missionaries in our district at the mission home and are watching a world wide choir? It should be a blast :) 

 

Well that’s pretty much all from me this week! Hope you all had a great Easter :) Remember to continue to serve your neighbors and you will be greatly blessed. love you all. 

 

Hermana brown

Picture sent to me from President Rasmussen. I knew it would be worth my while to friend him on facebook!!  I have seen may pictures posted of my favorite missionary on his mission page, but this was my first to get personally from him. SWEET! I believe this was Easter Sunday and also President Rasmussen's Birthday!

Hermana Ana sent me this picture on P-day!  She is such a sweetheart. Aushlynn and her companion live in one of their apartments.  They have also been called to serve as Mission Presidents in July for another Peru mission.  They are gonna be awesome. She took the missionaries to get pedicures on Monday.  LUCKY! I have not got one since before she left!

I received this picture from Hermana Ana after Women's Conference.  It was such a tender mercy to receive. To know that me and my daughter were doing the same thing at the same time was awesome.  It has been a tradition for me and the girls to go downtown to conference for awhile, so it was fun to continue the tradition....well sort of!

Here are some of the crazy animals that you can find running around Peru.  Madi is sure that the dogs are going to haunt her dreams! Haha! I don't know, but I would guess those are going to be around a long time before they are purchased!

The people on the bus!  Jimmy was so excited to see this picture of Hermana Brown and her companion and another set of sister missionaries.  That boy loves busses and he LOVES to see Aushlynn on a bus.  It makes his day!

Hermana Brown says that this is the meal that she sees 5 out of 7 days in the week. I am forbidden from making chicken, rice and beans when she returns home. She is grateful for a meal and also for the hands that prepared it...but she wishes for a little variety. I think it looks super tasty!

Peruvian sandal's....she say they are super comfortable.