Week One: Check!

HOLA FAMILIA!! Warning: I dont know how to work this Spanish keyboard very well and there}s a big red countdown on the corner of my computer telling me how much time I have left! Wow! I have been here a whole week! <it has gone by "fast" like everyone says but the days are so loooonnnngg in the sense that we do so much it feels like something we did at ten this morning was actually two days ago! So for my letter this week I thought I would introduce my district to you a little bit. We have 4 sisters and 5 elders. Elder Williams is our District Leader, from Colorado, was on the dive team at BYU and is super cool! Elder Sanchez is a convert of 13 months and has THE STRONGEST testimony, it's awesome! Elder Driggs is a professional hip hop dancer and has competed on tv and in several national competitions and Elder Taylor loves doing impressions of famous people. That can be both a good and a bad thing ;) For the girls, Hermana Eliason is my comp. and is from Wyoming. I think that is description enough hahaha Hma Minson is our mother. SHe literally brought candy and stickers for us all and makes sure we remember to drink water and remember everything before we walk out the door. Hma Ekins is from Washington and is basically me in a 5 foot 0 kind of way. We have tons of fun together and she even got me to play sports with her during the Physical activity time. Yes, it was embarrassing but if nothing else, I WILL LEARN TO PLAY SOCCER! I'm in Peru for heavens sake! So I don't remember if I already told you about the Granadilla fruit (look up a picture) but the only way I can describe it is from a Harry Potter quote: troll boogies. Apparently it helps your digestive system so I may need to get used to it. Speaking of, I have been way sick the last couple of days. At least I don't need to worry about gaining the famous MTC weight :') I am doing much better now but still, pray that this hermana will be okay! So here in Peru apparently the women do this air kiss thing on your cheek. You should have seen my face the first (and second and third and fourth) time they did it. It was almost as good as the Latina's faces when I was trying to teach them how to say certain words in English. (they thought that fork and leg were the weirdest!) Another thing that is very different about Peru is the driving! This week we went to Immigrations and Interpol (two separate days) and it was LOCO. There were 3 lanes and literally 5 or 6 cars across and everyone was honking and pushing their way in. I am so #blessed to be in a walking mission! So today was our first P day (p.s. we are only allowed to take pictures on P day so this letter may be a little bit lacking) and it was so fun! We went to the Lima temple and it was such a neat experience. The session was obviously in Spanish which was very humbling but there was such a strong spirit there. Especially in knowing that no matter where you are in the world, the gospel is the same. AFter the session we went to the grocery store and to a temple shop (a bunch of trinkets they sell to missionaries) and I handed out two pass along cards. OH MY GOODNESS I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW STRESSFUL/WONDERFUL IT WAS. For the first lady I essentially said "This card. For you" (let's be real, I was never very good under pressure) but the second person was so good! It was on the city bus (Imagine about 45 sweaty Peruvians and missionaries packed onto a 10 foot long bus and it'll be scary close) and I was talking to the woman sat right behind my companion and I. I asked her how she was doing, if she had heard of our church, and then introduced myself as a missionary with the gospel. I handed her the card with the Savior on it and told her that God loves her and His church can make her happy and then we got off! What a rush! (I almost peed my pants though)

Despite the food, which is actually muy delicioso sometimes, the CCM is awesome! We get to teach lessons to Camila (our teacher) and we have a full soccer field, volley ball nets, ping pong tables, and several other thingsto do during physical activity. Also, I LOVE THE LATINOS. We sit with them every day during meal time to try and pick up the language and they are so funny and sweet! (There are about 70% latinos and 30% Americans) Also, the CCM is pretty chill. I was worried about it being super strict but there is a lot of time that we have where we are trusted to do our own personal study where we can go outside or memorize scripture or anything like that! I also have a great district and roommates so that helps a ton. The sky here is always gray. Correction, you can never see the sky. But the other day 6 stars were visible! I was excited and then saw two more stars that were so bright it was ridiculous! I made everyone come and see them (because they were so bright) and then one of the Elders kindly told me that what I was seeing were not stars, but lights on the mountain (dirt hill). Yes it was embarrassing but as is my life am I right? Well I am runnning out of time but I love it so much out here! Sometimes I feel a little discouraged with the language and sometimes I feel like we're studying the language so much that we don't get any "deep spiritual" time. But I realized that that's the beauty of it. The gospel of Jesus Christ is simple. It all has to do with faith in our Savior and obedience to His word. My testimony has already grown so much and I just get more and more excited every day. I love you all so much,

Hermana Stone

The District

Finally arrived at the Lima MTC at almost 3:30 am