Dear Family,

I'm here in Huancayo safe. Huancayo is over 3,200 km high, and I got sick from the altitude change. Remember that Christams when we had the barfing disease? It was kind of like that but I haven't passed out. I'm mostly better now.

My compy is Hna Almidon from Nazca, Peru. She is older, like 35. But she works hard. She hasn't actually told me her age, even though I tried to sneak it out of her, but she got baptized 13 years ago when her friend the same age visited her after returning from her mission. That means at least 35.

Huancayo is pretty. There is actually grass and plants that grow on their own, and it is mountainy. My area is poor, and everyday we pass sheep and cows being led around, even though it is in the city. They say it's really cold, but it's not actually that cold. Yesterday we got caught in a cold rain storm, and that was cold. It's a lot better than the hot humid weather in Lima.

We don't have many investigators. The hermana whom I replaced finished her mission, and I think she may have slacked off a little at the end. But we are working, working, working.

For Christmas, all the missionaries outside of Lima are going to come here for a conferencia with the Leyvas. They opened an area in the jungle for hermanas, so they are going to come stay the night with us. Other than that, all the hermanas are in Lima. The conferencia includes a talent show...

I'm glad everything is going well at home. Thanks for your love and support. BTW mom, I shared my lemonade drink mix with the pensionista here, and she loved it, so if you happen to send me another package sometime soon, you could send some of crystal light.

I forgot to tell you that I sent a package to you. I hope it makes it because it was expensive to send, and I don't want your present to get lost because I won't be able to get another one. I sent it with the name and address of the pensionista in Canto Grande. I was going to send some food too, but it cost a lot more. I also sent a little package to Jenae and Liz, and they should have gotten it already, so we'll see.

Love,
Sarah

Dear Family,

Today are cambios, and I'm leaving again to go to Mantaro, which is part of Huancayo. I'm really excited to go to provincia, and I am going to be the senior companion. There are two sets of sisters in Huancayo, and now all the rest are in Lima. Hna Tavara is going to train.

Don't worry, I took good advantage of the things here in Canto Grande, and in 6 weeks I think I gained about 15 pounds. But in Huancayo it is the cold, rainy season, so I'll probably lose again.

This week we have been busy. We don't have enough time to do everything we need to, and we already have this week full with appointments. But I'm not complaining, it's much better to have lots to do than to have nothing to do. Gregorio, our awesome investigator, was really sad because his wife said she didn't want to get married. We were going to teach them together, but the wife left and took all the kids. We are going to surprise visit today to talk to her. We also received a reference from the elders in the neighboring area who had been teaching someone in our area. Someone told them to give us the reference, so we went with them to meet the guy. He already has his asistencias, so hopefully we can do what the elders couldn't and get him to accept the baptismal challenge.

We had an activity of puertas abiertas, which consisted of the organizations setting up a display in a room, and we stood outside the iglesia trying to get people to enter. We got some good references from that too, even though only primary and young women showed up. We also had an activity with all the zone where we each presented an ordinance in the church from blessing a baby to sealing. Not many attended, but it was a good activity.

We already ate all my Christmas package candy. btw, I got the three christmas packages, but not anything from before. I was going to save the snickers bar until christmas, but yesterday after we finished our fast, it was sitting there lonely on my desk, so we ate that too. I am especially happy that you managed to send me some knee highs.

I am in the process of sending christmas cards, but I'm not sure that they are regular letter size, and I only put one stamp on them. If they cost more, everyone will owe the post office in my behalf.

That's about it. I'm excited to go to my new area. I have the feeling that I'll be there a long time. the missionaries from Bolivia who have been here since they got thrown out are going to stay here in Peru, so we are going to have over 20 hermanas in the mission. Thanks for you love and support.

Love, Sarah

Dear Family,

Guess what? I got a whole slew of letters and packages, to the envy of the entire zone. I haven't opened anything yet because we are going to go to Lima and I don't want to lose anything, but they put it all in a nice bag for me. So thanks a bunch. Maybe I'll save something to be opened Christmas day. Or maybe I'll just open it all now and for Christmas wrap it up again.

It sounds like there's not much news from home, but it's okay because I don't have much to say either. This week we had three baptisms. We could have had four, but one fell through. Two were the kids in the familia Alfaro. We really wanted to baptize the whole family, but the parents are having a hard time giving up drinking so we decided we shouldn't wait to baptize the kids because we don't know when the parents will be ready. Oh, but this is funny-the mom was thinking about the baptisims, and she said "I know there aren't godfathers and godmothers like in the Catholic church, but I was thinking their grandpa could be their godfather and you two could be the godmothers." So I now have a godchild-Diego Alfaro. But I'm not sure what a godparent does. I think they buy presents and give money. The other baptism was Roger. All his kids and his wife are members, but he refused until recently. He has cancer, bone cancer I think, and he spends his time in bed repenting. His son (with the help of another guy) baptized him, and I've never seen a family so happy about a baptism. They've waited a long time for him to come around. Did I tell you about Gregorio? He was the street contact that always is waiting for us. He is conviviente, and this week we taught him chastity and word of wisdom. He accepted both and he is going to get married por the mission in December. He hasn't gone to church yet, because his work won't give him permission, but he told us that he was thinking about looking for a new job so he could go. And we haven't even taught Dia de Reposo. I've never taught someone so prepared.

For Thanksgiving what did I do? Nothing. We had our bapitsimal interviews. We were going to get pizza, but I wasn't feeling good. The day before we ate cau-cau, which is chicken intestines. It was gross, and I think that is what made me sick. I only ate a little bit because the pensionista gave me fried chicken in case I didn't like it. So Thanksgiving was just another work day. We are going to eat pie one day, but we haven't passed the place that sells it in a while.

I have a research task for you Mom. What can I do so that my hair stops falling out? It's really thin, and I got it cut this past week, so now I hardly have anything up there. I think it's just from stress. I'm repenting for all the times I complained about having thick hair.

I played for the primary program in one of the wards. I think they just chose whatever songs to sing, so it was easy because they chose I am a child of God, Called to Serve, I love to see the temple, and we thank thee oh God for a prophet. The whole thing lasted 15 minutes ,and the bishop made the primary president ( his wife) fill the extra time with her testimony.

That's about it. This letter is nice and long, and Mom you were worried that I wouldn't write anything home.

Love,
Sarah

Dear Mom,

I felt bad that I didn't send a real letter (I thought), so I went home and wrote a letter and sent it to you today. I assume you got the pictures yesterday. I forgot to write about what we did for pday (we went to the Catacombs in Lima), but that is what some of the pictures are from, and the others are of the baptisms we had this weekend. One of the girls is blind, and I've had fun teaching her. Also this week we have 3, hopefully 4 more. One of our planned baptisms for this weekend fell in one of the commandments, and we were pretty sad, but that evening, we had this experience. One of our investigators is guy who has cancer, and is bedridden. All his kids and his wife are members, but he wasn't interested until he got cancer. Now he spends all day reading church books. He wouldn't accept a baptismal date. One day the reason he didn't want to get baptized was because life is so uncertain, and he could wake up tomorrow dead, and we tried to get him to understand that he should want to get baptised for that reason, but he didn't accept. Finally yesterday he just said in the middle of the lesson-I want to get baptized. Hopefully we can work things out so he can get baptized before his surgery. Also, we have been visiting an old investigator, and something happened to her that made her want to repent and change, so we put a baptismal date on her as well. She said to us-do you really think I could be like you two? I felt like saying-I'm just me, you don't want to be like me, but I realized she saw in us the blessings that the gospel brings.

This week is Thanksgiving. I am thinking about making a pie for the pensionista and family, and I hope I can find the stuff to do it and I can do it well. It makes me laugh that Joanna is complaining about eating McDonalds for Thanksgiving. McDonalds is luxury.

I love you lots, and I am excitedly hoping to receive the packages. And I was able to open the pictures. I'm glad everyone had fun. And I hope Dad enjoys all his new toys and the new job.

Love,
Sarah

Dear Family,

While I'm thinking about it, I thought of some things I could use if you have any time and money to add to my packages. I left my watch in the temple the last time I went, and when we went today, they couldn't find it. I bought one here, but it already broke, plus it's ugly. And I would appreciate some piano music. I've seen here a book of piano music of the church that is all chained together, but I don't remember who arranged it or what's it called. Or just copies of some of the religious music we have at home. Yeah, you could send batteries too- AA.

I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures the pensionista sent. I don't have copies of them, so please don't delete them. The pensionista said that whenver I want to send pictures she will send them for me since we don't have much internet time. I've enjoyed the pension here a lot.

Yesterday we had the multizone conference. I enjoyed it like I always do. We had interviews too, so we spent the entire day at the church.

This week we have 3 baptisms programmed, and next week more. The family we have been working with is having trouble with the word of wisdom, and you have to be clean for a month before you can be baptized, so the parents can't get baptized this month. We are trying to decide how to handle the two kids because we want the whole family to get baptized together, but if the parents can never comply with the word of wisdom, at least the kids should get baptized.

We had ward conference in one of our wards. Over 200 people attended. I had to laugh because they had a special choir, and there was someone who just screamed out the song the entire time. I was grateful to hear the one verse that only the men sang. Also, the relief society made or bought tablecloths for the sacrament. They were just normal, except that the top one said in huge sparkly letters, SANTA CENA. I'm not quite sure if it is appropriate or not, but it made me laugh.

I'm glad things are going well at home. I got the family newsletter, and I have a question- where did Aunt Dianna and fam move? Love you all, and thanks for your love and support.

Sarah

Dear Family,
This was a really long week, but Sunday made up for it. The area is really big, and we have been walking a lot to try to get to know the area better, and plus we go running in the mornings for our exercise, so in the nights I am really tired, and my legs and feet hurt. Everyone we talk to gives us their address and we set up appointments, but they are never home, or they don't let us in, or they give us false addresses, so we spent some long days in the street. But yesterday we had a really good experience. After church we had an appointment before we went to lunch, but later the bishop invited us to branch council. We decided more important was the appointment even though all week we hadn't been accepted for a first discussion. We went and the lady let us in, was very receptive, and we taught one of the best lessons I've had. Also in church, the family we are teaching went, plus some members brought non members, some of whom are very interested. I guess the scripture about after the trial of your faith is true.

Hna Távara and I get along really well, and we are having fun despite the tough week. For pday last week we went to Barrio China, which I suppose is the Peruvian Chinatown. It was fun, but a little ironic that I have to go to Peru to go to Chinatown. I am enjoying the never ending feast of good things. This week we went to MCdonalds. It's across the street from our room. It was pretty much the same

Yesterday in church I almost started laughing during the closing prayer because the hermana who offered the prayer prayed that the Lord would touch the hearts of the government leaders in Peru because they don't work.

We were going to have zone conference this week, but it got postponed. I haven't asked Pdte Leyva about coming home for college transfers, but everyone I've talked to about it said that the hermanas can come home whenever they want, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Our internet time got cut to 30 minutes, so I probably won't send pictures or other letters much anymore. We now write to the president in the other 15 minutes. It's alright that you can't send clothes or knee highs. I bought two shirts this past week and new knee highs. You won't catch me at home wearing any of the clothes I bought, but in the mission, it doesn't seem to matter much as long as I look respectable. But you are welcome to send me the following- toffee, fudge, Butterfinger Jingles, shoe inserts if they are not considered clothing, my deo, other things you think I would enjoy. I got your letter with the stamps, and also a letter from Joanna with some pictures from her mission.

I love you all. and I'll keep the mentioned people in my prayers. I know the church is true, and the Lord takes care of us.

Love, Sarah

A Baptism in Tilda

With Sis. Waddoups

A baptism in Canto Grande

Sarah sent these via email on Monday and I got them on Thursday. While I am so thankful to be able to communicate via email, myldsmail does have it's glitches.

Dear Family,

Surprise, I got transfered again. I am now in Canto Grande, barrios Begonia and Santa Fe. It's a lot different from Huanuco and from
Tilda, more city, and the area is huge. I don't know where I am most of the time, so I just follow my companion around. She doesn't really know the area very well either, so we've gotten lost a few times. You definitely don't need to worry about me losing weight. The pensionista here distributes baked goods like cake, alfajores, cake rolls, cookies, and a bunch of other junk. She lets us eat whatever we want, whenever we want. Plus, there is a McDonalds on the corner, a Dominos Pizza across the street, a SuperWalmart type store, and a movie theater nearby. One day she brought home Dunkin Donuts. Despite all this, I don't really like being in the city very much. My new companion is Hermana Távara, from El Callao, a part of Lima in the South. I love her, and we get along really well. She is a lot like me, but the Latin version. I have realized that I can't eat as much as I used to be able to, but my compy can eat and eat and eat. It's alright though, because she likes to run, so every morning we have gone running in a park nearby. Hna Távara completed 9 months in the mission the day after I got here, but we are going to end together in August.

I was a little sad to leave Tilda. The area is one of the better areas in the mission I think, and the ward supports the missionaries a lot. I was also sad to leave the zone, because we all got along really well. It was fun having other hermanas in the zone. But yeah, now I'm here in Canto Grande. The wards here are good too though. One is a small ward, and the other is really big.

It's sounds like everything is going well at home. It's too bad about BYU. Maybe next year they'll really be good. I got a letter from you Mom. It's starting to get hot here, and the sun is strong. I'm hoping that since I'm in this routine of transfering a lot, I'll get transfered to Huancayo for the summer where it's cooler and it rains a lot. I'm willing to stay there for a long time. But they say in the mission if you ask to go somewhere, you get the opposite. Does that go for sisters too? because the President really likes me, and might be willing to send me there if I ask.

Can you send me a few more recipes Mom? Now I'm in an area where it's possible to actually cook real food, and the pensionista was asking if I knew how to make a few things. I was thinking about making peanut butter cookies.

I managed to take a picture of the baptism we had, so I'll send it so you can see my new companion.

Love you lot,
Sarah

Dear Family,

We had an exciting week here. The conference with Elder Christofferson was great. He gave a great talk in which he gave us an apostolic blessing that we would be able to teach with power and authority, and we would not be confounded before men (D&C 100). He also said that in D&C 4, the sickle is the Libro de Mormon, and we should thrust it in with our might. Elder Costa of the presidency of the seventy also spoke, and Elder Christofferson's wife. They all spoke in Spanish. Sister Christofferson told us that she sympathized with us trying to learn Spanish. Elder Christofferson shook hands with all the missionaries, which was a big endeavor since there wer a bunch of us. There were all the missionaries from the 4 Lima missions, the CCM missionaries, and all the NorthAmericans that got kicked out of Bolivia. It was really fun to see missionaries that we haven't seen in months. I suppose it was how Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah felt when they found each other after 14 years of missionary work and they were still brothers in God. I got to sit by Hna Lucas, my CCM companion. She never got the letetrs I sent through the Peruvian mail (surprise). I also sent a letter to Jeff with her letter, so I suppose he never got his either.

We had three baptisms this week. I still don't have batteries for my camara, so I'll have to get the pictures from my comp. Andrea and Josselin, 12 and 13 years old, were baptized Saturday, and Juan, 22 years old, Sunday. The baptisms Saturday were actually a bad experience because we went to get Josselin, but she wasn't in her house. We went all over town looking for her, and in the meanwhile, the ward baptized Andrea. We missed her baptism. Later we found Josselin and baptized her. I probably would have done things differently, but I wasn't in charge. But they got baptized. Juan's baptism was great. He brought all his nonmember family and friends, plus the ward supported well. He is preparing to go on the mission.

Saturday we did a service project of picking rock on a mountain. It was pretty exciting, and I learned that picking rock is really hard work. After 3 hours, you couldn't tell that we had done anything. More of the rock and dirt ended up on my clothes. The purpose of the activity was to move a lady's house about 10 feet over so they can make a road up the mountain. The house is a crate box the size of my bedroom at home, and there is no floor or a real roof, so I think it would be easier just to move the lady's house somewhere else.


No, Mom, I don't blame you for the mail. Today an Elder told me that he got a package, and the candy was opened and half eaten. I'm certain that it's the Peru mail system. I can't believe Jennifer is engaged. I haven't written to her in a while becuase I haven't heard anything from her, but I'll write now. I have an idea for sending things. I spend my freetime thinking up ways my mail could get to me, and this was my latest thought; I always get the letters where the address is typed instead of handwritten. Maybe they are more likely to slip through without being stolen. Maybe you could try that, because I am running out of stamps, and Janet wants me to write to her more. She found out what it's like to get mail, so she said she would write more to me if I would write to her.

They haven't told us yet about transfers, so you'll have to wait to hear. I love you lots. Thanks for your love and support.

Sarah

Dear family,
I am doing well here in Tilda. We have a lot of investigators and they are progressing well. Yesterday we had 7 investigators in church, and they are all people they can be baptized. Remember Pedro, my mariachi friend? He came to church! Really he came to talk to the bishop about something he does with kids sports, but he was there for 45 minutes in his suit jacket and everything.

Saturday we had our first baptism in Tilda, Marcelino. I bought new batteries so that I could take pictures, but I should have known. They were Peruvian made, and only lasted one picture. Hopefully I can get some of the pictures from my comp. We were happy to see him baptised because he is a real convert. The elders that share the capilla with us brought an investigator, and they were asked to give a talk at the baptism. It made me laugh because they read 3 Nephi 11:33, which is a great scripture about baptism, but they also read verse 34, which says that those who are not baptized will be condemned. Yesterday Marcelino was confirmed, received the priesthood, and was interviewed for a calling. Transfers are next week, and either my comp or I is going to be transferred. Neither of us want to because we have lots of investigoatrs and the ward supports us so much. Plus the pension is good. By the way, I weighed myself today. It cost a sol, but it was worth it. I weigh the same as when I went to the doctor in Huanuco, which surprised me because I thought I had gained weight.

We had our p'day with the hermanas. It was a lot of fun, and Pres Leyva took us to Alcomar, which is the tourist zone of Lima, probably where Dad goes when he comes to Peru. We ate at Tony Roma's. You guys don't even take me to Tony Roma's, and there is one 3 minutes from our house. I enjoyed it very much. Later I played Disney scene it with their duaghter. She likes me because she wants to go to BYU, and she wants to study biology, so we make a good team. I talked to Hermana Leyva about my mail that never arrives, and she said she checked in the office, and nothing has arrived there. She thinks you are writing the address wrong. I said I don't think so, and she said you could try to claim the packages at the post office. What I understand from that is that I'm not going to see the packages again. This week I got letters from Jo and Jan and Carolyn and Katrina.

This week we have a conference with elder Christofferson, which will be exciting.
In other news, there isn't much news. Oh yeah, this is funny. We have an investigator named Jesus, which is a normal name. He is the sobrino of the pensionista. She told us that his mom is named maria, and his dad is jose. So, we are teaching Jesus, the son of Joseph and Mary.
I'm sad that BYU lost. It made me so excited that they were doing well, but they always break under pressure. Tell Joe and Tracy and my namesake hi. I would love to hear from them.
I don't have any pictures to send because of the previously mentioned batteries, so thanks for your love and support.

Love,
Sarah

Dear family,

I am at a different internet place, and the keyboard is terrible, so thanks Mom for editing my letter. I enjoyed receiving my birthday emails, and a card from Grandma, and the YSA newsletter. I feel bad that people send me stuff and it doesn't arrive. Maybe it would be better just to not send anything for awhile. My bithday was good. The pensionista made a cake, which was delicious, but it was the first birthday I've had without ice cream.

The best birthday present was our Sunday night informe. We have 3 investigators with baptismal dates, 7 went to sacramnt meeting, and 5 are progressing. Th ward helps a lot with retention, friendshipping, and references. If all the wards and branches supported like this, the missionary work would move a lot faster in all the world. The family that called us to visit them came except for the mom. We found out that the litle girl in the family isn't really 8 years old. She's only seven. Apparently the half year before your birthday, you get to say you are already that age. So I've been 22 since April and I will be 23 next April.

The temple was great. It seemed so civilized and quiet and it smelled clean. I left my watch in the pocket of my dress, so now we ae late to everything and will be until I get a new watch.
Today all the hermanas are going to spend the day with Hna Leyva. I'm not sure what we are going to do, but I am excited. That's why we are doing our email early.

I told you last week abou my mariachi friend, right? This week we saw him again, and he was in his complete mariachi suit with his guitar. He accompanied us down the street, playing and singing one of his religious mariachi songs. Everyone was looking at us, and we were trying not to laugh. He bought us water, and told us he would come to church if the bishop gave him 5 minutes to sing. I must have looked doubtful because he took it back. I wish I had my camera.
I don't really have anything else to say, so I'll send pictures.

Love
Sarah

Dear family,

I am doing well and I am really happy here in Tilda. We have a lot of investigators, and the members keep giving us more references. We set a goal of 10 references this week, so we are working with the members a lot to receive them. We have our first baptism here, Marcelino, the 18th of October. It is the son of a member, and he is really happy with his decision. He doesn't talk much, I assume because he is a young man, and we are sister missionaries, but he always is happy when we come to teach. He went to three sessions of general conference, and made his mom buy him a suit so he could go to church. We are also teaching his sister and their grandmother. If we can, we want to baptize the sister and another youth the same day.

General conference was great. The ZL's told us we could only go if we brought investigators, so we worked really hard to get them there. Later they told us we could go anyway. Sunday morning I got to watch in English, which was better because you get to hear the actual voice of the speaker, and their exact words. Plus everyone didn't look at me when I sang the songs in English. Those who speak Spanish taped their talks earlier in Spanish and played it instead of being translated. Elder Gavarret, who spoke Sunday afternoon, is an area authority for Peru. In the last zone conference, he picked me out of the audience to give a talk. We also had zone conference this past week. It was good, but the best part was that after we got to go to Papa John's. Wow, food tastes so much better when you haven't had it for a long time. Even my companion liked the pizza, and she doesn't like much American food. Don't worry about the weight I lost, because I think I'm gaining it back here. I ate 5 pieces, which I thought was good, but the skinny elder next to me ate 9.

Last p'day we went to Plazavea, the Wal'mart of Peru. It was exciting because they had some American food like macaroni and cheese, snickers, and peanut butter. Expensive though. My companion I think was a little shocked that I would buy a jar of peanut butter for 15 soles.

We get to go to the temple this week, and we are having p'day that day. The zone is going to the zoo. But we still got to do email today.

I got some real mail today, which made me really happy. But nothing from my family.

So you want to know about my companion. She is very short and she is from Chiclayo, Peru. She likes ceviche. Her dad got baptized when she was 3 or 4, so she has pretty much been a member her whole life, which is rare in Peru. She has 2 older sisters and a younger brother.

I've had some fun experiences lately. There is a guy who must live in our area who came up to me shouting bad English phrases. I told him I spoke Spanish, but he continued with the terrible English. He told me he sings religious mariachi songs for birthdays, 15 anos, weddings and such, and then he gave me a mini concert there in the street. He gave me his card and we went on our way. I've seen him twice since then, but he hasn't sung to me lately.

Thanks for your love and support.

Love,
Sarah
Ps. how is BYU doing?

Dear Family,

Everything is going well here in Vitarte. We have been busy going to all the references that the members give us, which is super good. Yesterday was a little disappointing though because not a single one of our investigators went to church. It's been slow trying to start the area, but soon we will be caught up. The barrio is really strong, and helps alot. We had ward council for the first time in my mission. In Huanuco, one of the barrios had it once the whole time I was there, and the others, never. But I guess it is hard when there isn't any leadership. It was great, and the bishop spoke on how to help new members. They recently called 8 ward missionaries, and we are going to make them work.

This week we were walking home from an appointment that fell through, and a little girl ran up to us and said that her dad was calling us. So we turned back and found the guy. He said that this son had been going to church with a neighbor boy and recognized us when we walked by. The family is interested in the church, and the Dad told us he wants to change and have more religion in his life. We are really excited, and we are going to visit them tonight.

This week we moved into our new room. They recently painted it, but they painted it yellow, brown, and maroon--a color scheme I'm not a huge fan of. Hermana Leyva said to paint it again, and when she says something, it goes, so it will probably get painted. The pensionista is good. I think for the first time in my mission, I had a day without eating any chicken. Instead, we had hamburger. She tries to cook healthily, and I like it. And I've been feeling a lot better.

The weather here is cold! Whoever told me Lima was hot and it never rained was misinformed. Yesterday it was cold and rainy, but it's always like a misty rain. I am making good use of my coat, Mom. I think winter should be ending soon though.

I'm glad to hear the family is doing well. I still haven't received any mail through the normal mail system. I don't think it's a good idea to send anything to my street address, but I was thinking that maybe you could send something through DHL. I don't know if it is really expensive or not, but then it wouldn't be going through the Peru mail. How is BYU's football team doing?

Thanks for your love and support. Love,
Sarah

PS Did you get my letter home? I sent it last week I think. And it has some good pictures. It's a good letter too.

PSS I got a letter through normal mail from Emily. She said that Dad announced in church that I have severe intestinal problems.

Sarah sent these pictures on Monday but they somehow got hung up in the system and I just got them today. I would assume they go with her last letter.

Huanuco

Branch President in Huanuco

Other sisters in the zone

Dear Family,
I am here in Vitarte, in the barrio Tilda. What a change this is from Huanuco. Our neighborhood is mostly middle class, there are paved streets, the lady who is going to wash for us has a washing machine(!) and we have water and electricity regularly. The trip wasn't bad, except for my comp, she threw up the whole nine hours. The trip is pretty through the high parts of the Andes, so I enjoyed it, plus there was a little bit of snow or hail on the ground, and the Latinos got all excited.

We are living with the other set of hermanas in our zone until our room is ready. I don't know if you heard, but all the North American missionaries got taken out of Bolivia because they are on the edge of civil war. They got divided up to go to the 4 Lima missions, so we have an abundance of North Americans. I'm having fun because for 5 months I didn't see another gringa, and now I'm living with 2, one from my mission, and her comp from a Bolivia mission.

We are opening an area, and we only have 1 ward. It is a big change from my three branches in Huanuco. They were struggling to have more than 40 or 50 in Sacrament meeting and there were only 2 priesthood holders to bless the sacrament and 1 to pass it. The barrio Tilda is stronger than Mount Vernon I think. They gave us lots of references Sunday, which is great. I think they are afraid if there aren't baptisms, they'll close the area again.

I really don't know much about Vitarte. I am enjoying the luxuries of living in a city though. Saturday, the pensionista made Kraft macaroni and cheese. I did hear that there is a supermarket, and I am excited to go. The problem of Lima is that it is really polluted. Usually you can't see the sun except for about two or three hours in the afternoon.

I already realized that I'm not going to get better in my health. I just keep working. And there aren't any moscos here, so they don't bother me anymore. Hopefully by the time I go home, the scars will be gone. And I got rid of my headlice. I still haven't got any mail. Maybe people should stop sending things for a while. This week it might be because I'm in a new zone. But where does all the mail go that's in my name?

I'll keep the family in my prayers. Did Ben have any sort of insurance on his truck, or did he just lose a bunch of money? And I was really happy to hear from Dad, but can you remind him gently that I can't receive email from his address? If I have time, I'll write a little email to send to him. Thanks for your love and support, and your letters and packages, even though they don't arrive.

PS--I just wanted to tell you that I just got three letters, one from you through Dear John, one from Jo, and one from Carolyn through Pouch.

Love,
Sarah

Dear Family,

I'll hurry and write my letter and send it. My letter last week was good though.

This week has been hard because in our interviews the week before, Pdte. Leyva told my companion that she would be transferred, so she hasn't really worked much this week. I was sick the day of the interviews, and the Pdte. took me to the doctor after he finished with the interviews. The doctor gave me a strong antibiotic and something to reintroduce bacteria to my stomach. I have been feeling some better, but I don't think the medicine did much. After more than a week of eating soup I was glad to finally eat real food.

Pdte. Leyva is thinking of putting all the sister missionaries in Lima, so I might get the chance to close my first area.

Yesterday we had 7 investigators at church. 4 of them are not married but living together. 2 of the others are going to be baptized this month. We also received a golden reference yesterday of a 92 year old man who has been attending church in another area. We haven't contacted him yet, but I am excited.

Yesterday instead of doing the choir, all the missionaries in the zone trained in a meeting about missionary work for the two stakes here in Huanuco. My comp and I trained the leaders of Primary, RS, and YW. It went relly well, and later the stake president talked about the importance of retention. It was much better than doing the choir, which I am not enjoying much. The youth only go for the refreshments, and the stake president wants them to learn more songs and to sing the different parts.

I got the Scoresby family newsletter today, but nothing else. If anyone else is thinking of sending something, I would really enjoy a jar of peanut butter, knee highs, and shoe inserts. So
I just found out that I am being transferred to Vitarte in Lima. I am going to open a new area for hermanas, but with the same companion, Hermana Espinoza. I am a little disappointed to have the same companion because we don't get along super well, but hopefully we will do better. It will be exciting to have a new area.

I'm going to send the letter and later try to send pictures.

Love,
Sarah

I wrote I nice long letter, but my computer shut down, and I only have 2 more minutes. Thanks for your love and prayers. I still am having problems with my stomach, but I'll get it fixed hopefully. I'm glad everything is going well at home and with the family.
Love,
Sarah

Hi Mom,

We had Edelmira's baptism this week. It was great to see someone we have worked with for so long get baptized finally. The others in that group are not progressing due to not being married and in the family that is married, the dad won't give permission. We are working with new investigators trying to get them to pray and come to church. It looks like September could be a slow month in the area.

Yesterday I taught youth choir again. There were a lot of kids, at least 50, and I was trying to play the piano and lead at the same time. A girl that returned home from a mission the same time I got here helped me, and it went well. Plus, the stake approved a budget for refreshments for the choir, so everyone was a little more happy (except the pianist, who was not invited to participate in the refreshments).

I was sick yesterday and Saturday, I'm pretty sure with the same thing as before. I'll probably have to go back to the clinic. But, last night the pensionista made a remedy for me of egg white, oil and celery, and put it on my stomach to take out all the bad stuff. Then she covered it with newspaper and tied it on me with a cloth. I'm not quite sure how the germs get taken out, it has yet to be tested by the scientific method, but I do feel better today. I slept horribly though because my stomach hurt in the night and I had newspaper tied around my stomach.

I'm excited that BYU is ranked so high, but I doubt they'll stay. Who is the quarterback? And do they have the same kicker that couldn't ever make anything? Keep me posted.

Love,
Sarah

Dear family,

I don't know when you are going to check your email because you are traveling. I hope the trip is uneventful. Your trip sounds really long, but fun. I have an assignment for Janet. I want her to check and see if the WRI is still in existence at 1063 JFSB. I had a dream that the WRI sent me a package, and I felt bad because I haven't written to them and I said I would. It was definitely a dream though because there is no money in the WRI budget for sending packages to missionaries who turned down extra work time when they offered it.

I haven't gotten the package yet, but they didn't hand out mail yet today, so I still have hope. Last week I bought two pairs anyway because it was so bad. They don't go all the way up to my knee, and they are orange, but I'll make do with them until the package comes. The mail has been taking a long time to get here lately. I hope Casie starts liking Utah State. Hopefully her bishop in her singles ward will help her. The letter I got from her last week was great.

What is going on here? Not much. Edelmira, one of our investigators that we have been working with for a while is going to be baptized this week. It was a challenge teaching her because she is from a tiny village in the jungle, and doesn't remember hardly anything we teach. Plus, she had terrible dreams of a man strangling her and telling her not to get baptized among other fears. We did everything we could think of to work through her doubts and fears, and when we were about to give up, she accepted a baptismal date.

I was asked to play for and teach the stake choir for stake conference in November. The choir is a youth choir, mostly 12 and 13 year olds. We had our first practice yesterday, and it was harder than any other choir I've been a part of. They don't know anything about music, and they are 12 and 13 year olds. I've been trying to think of games or something primary style to teach them, but I can't remember any.

President Leyva has been changing some of the rules, and I like them. We used to have district meeting p'days, but now we have it Tuesdays. In place of the meeting Monday we have a time to clean our rooms and bathrooms. We have to send keys to our rooms to the office, and the president is going to come unannounced to check our rooms someday. I don't mind because I keep everything neat and clean. The 70 who came for zone conference sent a list of words that the missionaries aren't allowed to say anymore, mostly slang, and said that we shouldn't have pictures of boys or boyfriends in our rooms. Most of the new rules made me laugh.

That's about all that is going on here. I realized that if I go home on time to go to school in the fall, I have less than a year left in the mission. Crazy, huh? I love you all!

Love, Sarah

Dear Mom,

Thanks for your letter. I have been feeling better, but I still haven't got the package that you sent. I am in desperate need of knee highs. I got Jo's letter and sent her one, and today I got a letter from Emily and Preston, written two months ago and sent one month ago.

We had zone conference this past week with President Leyva. A 70 came, Elder Tavarret, with his wife, and Hermana Leyva came also. It was really good, and Elder Tavarret taught us some principles from Preach my Gospel to help us, especially how to work with the members. President Leyva told us that in the last training meeting for new mission presidents, President Monson spoke and said that missionaries should stay in one area for at least 7 or 8 months. That means that I'll only have 2 areas my entire mission. So, I am settling in for a long stay here in Huanuco. The purpose is mostly to gain the confidence of the members. Since the prophet said it, yeah, I won't complain, but it's hard to stay a long time in one area with the same companion. We didn't have interviews because the 70 came, and we are going to have them this week or the next week.

The kids here had their winter vacation the past couple of weeks, and now things are back to normal. The anniversary of Huanuco was last week, but we didn't get to see any of it because our area doesn't include any of the actual town. That's pretty much all the excitement around here. Our investigators are not progressing very well, but we are working with them and trying different things.

This week we have been fulfilling the prophecy of Jer 16:16. We have hiked way up to the last houses to teach people. To get to one house we had to climb up a gully. It was fun though because we found a monkey (a pet, not wild) on the way to the house. The scripture says that the hunters will hunt in all the cracks and crannies, and they will find. I have faith that there are people to be found even up on the mountains.

Yesterday the high counselor in charge of choir asked me to play the piano and teach choir until they can find a director to teach. I get to choose the songs and everything.

Thanks for the update on the Olympics. Nobody here cares about who wins because Peru doesn't win at anything, but they like to watch. In the letter from Em and Preston, Emily told me that the Wimbledon final was really exciting.

Thanks for you love and support. I know you are being blessed for supporting two missionaries.

Love,
Sarah

My pensionista, her daughter Ximena, and us

Dear Family,

Thanks for your letters Mom. I am sad that I didn't get my package of knee highs this week, nor anything from Jennifer. I'll have to save my one pair of knee highs without runs for zone conference Thursday. I did get a very nice letter from Casie. Can you have Janet send me her address at Utah State? Wow, I finally found the question mark key.

Not much has changed in our area or in the zone. We found out that the mission president didn't transfer any of the sister missionaries this last transfer. It gets a little tiresome to work in the same area with the same companion, but we keep working. I read Jo's tirade, and I am thankful that at least my companion is willing to work and is mostly obedient. Our investigators are progressing, but we can't get them to take the last step and get baptized. We got a new district leader, and he suggested some things to try with them, so we'll do that. I really want to see them get baptized this month. We have 2 who can be baptized any moment as soon as they accept a baptismal date (one with 3 kids older than 8), and two that want to be baptized but falta matrimonio.

I realized that the Olympics are going on. One day our pensionista left the television on while we were eating, so we saw a little of men's gymnastics. It made me think of the times we watched the Olympics together and followed all the events and also how we played gymnastics all the time in the backyard. Let me know if anything exciting happens in the Olympics.

I felt good almost the whole week, so that's encouraging. Today my stomach has been hurting some. Maybe I feel worse Mondays because we eat late Sundays. Don't worry Mom, if things don't get better, Thursday when Hermana Leyva comes, I'll talk to her about it.

This letter is kind of short, but I don't have that much to write. I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing well, and that Janet is working. I'll write to her one of these days, probably at her BYU address. Thanks for your love and support.
Love,
Sarah

The baptisms of Emanuel and Sergio, with refreshments, and the baptism of Clorinda. The boys, Emanuel and Sergio are hilarious. Emanuel told me that he didn't get a good grade in his English class. When I ased him why, he said his friend told him that English was Spanish backwards, so on the final, he put perro is orrep and gato is otag.

Here are pictures of me with my cui (if you look closely, you can see the foot and claw), the wedding of Freddy and Alicia, and at Kotosh.

Dear Family,

Thanks for your love and support.

Today is cambios, but my companion and I are both staying. I was looking forward to having a new companion, but I guess I get to learn more from her. I never thought I would have trouble getting along with my companion, but it is one of the hardest parts of the mission. I am excited to stay though, because we are going to have a lot of good baptisms this month.

We had the baptism of Clorinda Saturday. It felt good to have a baptism of an adult. Medaly, the investigator who has a brother on a mission wants to get baptized, and her husband is willing to get married. We are going to work for the end of the month for their wedding and her baptism. Guillermo is an investigator that we have had since I came. He has wanted to be baptized, but finally this month he can get married and baptized. His wife, Soraida is now interested in the church, and we want to have them get baptized together. Yolanda is an investigator that we contacted in the street. Her husband is not interested, but Yolanda has a testimony, and brings her 4 kids to church with her every Sunday. Three are older than 8 years old. She wants to get baptized next year, so we are trying to help her accept a baptismal date sooner.

Last Monday for p'day we went to Kotosh, which is an ancient Incan temple. It was fun. It wasn't like tourist sites in the US where everything is guarded. We couldn't enter all the way into the temple, but the other ruins we got to climb all over. I guess they think that if it lasted 4000 years already, why bother taking especial care of it.

Congratulations to Preston for his triathlon. I miss running a lot. I'm happy that Jennifer called you. I sent have sent her two letters, and I'm excited to get something from her.

Love,
Sarah

Sorry, but again, my letter got deleted, so here is a short one. I sent a letter in the mail today with a couple things, so look for that.

This week we had the baptism of Emanuel, a kid, and the wedding of the menos activo family. It was interesting to see the different traditions. Later I'll send pictures of the wedding and the baptism because now I don't have time. Next Sunday the father is going to receive his calling in the church, which is going to be counselor to the branch president. It's been great to see the changes the Gospel has made in their lives.

Our other investigators are progressing well. In August, if I don't get transferred, I will finally have baptisms of adults and families.

Here is a quick funny story. I had finished teaching about baptism to Emanuel and his 8 year old nephew, and my companion started talking about confirmation. She said after you are baptized by water, you will be baptized by fire. The boys looked at each other in fear and astonishment, then looked at me. My companion just kept talking, but I started laughing. Their eyes were so wide.

Thanks for your love and support.
Sarah

Sorry family, I wrote a really nice letter, and it got deleted before I sent it, so here's a quick version.

We had zone conference with the new president. It was really good and I could converse fluently with the President. I was sick again during the week, and I got special care because the wife of the president was here. I got to go to a Peruvian doctor and take fecal samples to the clinic for three days. Today they are going to tell me what parasite I have.

I feel good, though, especially because we have a baptism and a wedding this week. We have seen miracles in the work, especially in how the gospel changes people, and how the Lord prepares people to accept the gospel. The family that is going to get married was unreceptive the first time we visited them. Now the father wants to change his life, wants to be a leader in the church, and wants to go to the temple. We are really happy, and we are in charge of the decorations for the wedding.

We contacted a man who listened to the charlas 25 years ago and told us that he feels like now is the time to accept the gospel. He makes guitars and mandolins and a little banjo type instrument native to Peru. I was thinking it would be nice to bring one home...

Thanks for your love and support.
Sarah

Dear family,
I'm glad everything went well in the youth conference. The refreshments are the most important part, so good job Mom. This week I have fully enjoyed living in a third world country. For p'day last week we ended up going to the casa de la perricholi, some sort of opera singer that grew up around here. It was really chinzty, but it was fun to go out of town. We traveled in a bus, which was the size of a minivan, with 26 people inside. Also this week we were without electricity for a few days and without water for a few days. Tell Brother Thompson that I have had the opportunity to walk through sewage water on more than one occasion. It was never very deep though. Our investigators that were progressing have stopped progressing for various reasons, and we are working on helping those that can stil be helped and looking for more. We had an activity in Amarilis that went really well. Every active family was in charge of delivering an invitation to an inactive family, and it worked really well. My companion and I spoke on putting the most important things first. I think I'm getting pretty good at speaking. One of the inactive families we have been working with is going to get married next week. Then, the dad will receive a calling, and we are working on helping them prepare for the temple. It's exciting to see them progress. Tomorrow we have zone conference with the new mission president. I'm excited to meet him and be trained. This week there was a national paro against the governemnt. Nobody went to work, no one opened their tiendas, and there was no traffic. In the morning all the workers from outside of town marched in and got together and marched around town chanting, el pueblo unido jamas será vencido. It was pretty tranquil here, but in other parts, especially in Lima, there are a lot of problems. I enjoyed it because I slept well without the noise from the traffic and everyone was in their house. Because it takes so long to load the pictures I don't have much time to write, and haven't read the other letetrs yet. Thanks for your love and support.
Love,
Sarah

Dear family,

Thanks for your letter. It sounds like everyone had a lot of fun at the reunion. I'm glad everything went well. I would like to go to Alaska sometime...Today I sent some real pictures home, so look for my letter. Today for our p'day we might hike up one of the cerros. If we do, I'll send some pictures of that.

Yesterday church was great. Two of our branches meet at the same time, and we usually just stop in at one to see who came, but yesterday we went to the whole sacrament meetting of that branch, and I taught part of the Relief Society lesson about visiting teaching. Home teaching and visiting teaching is lacking here, and because there are so many inactive members, it is really needed. Sometimes the members just need someone to tell them to go to church, and the missionaries can't visit all the inactives to invite to church again. We are going with the Relief Society two days this week to visit people.

In the little branch that meets later, we had a training meeting about missionary work, and the branch president brought empanadas for everyone. They were so good, especially because we had been fasting. In our barrios we had 5 investigators at church, and finally, a family! The family of the lady whose brother just left for the mission came, and it made me really happy. The problem is that they aren't married, but we talked to them yesterday about that, and I think the husband is willing to get married so his wife can be baptized. The husband is going to need more time to before he is ready to be baptized.

We haven't met the new president yet, but today we all received letters from him. He answered all our weekly letters personally. He wrote to me that he felt my sweet spirit when he read my letter. I hope that's a good thing.

About my cell phone, you can drop the contract if you want. When I get back, I want to look for a cheaper contract. And the phone is pretty old and beat up anyway, so I don't care about that. The only thing is that I think I might want some of the numbers in my phone.

Thanks for your love and support. I know that the church is true, and that I am here doing the Lord`s work and will.

Love,
Sarah

Dear family,

I´m going to write quickly so I can send pictures. The pictures are of me and my anticuchos, me and my llama friends, and the rama San Luis at the baptism of Celma.

Enjoy Alaska! I´m jealous that you all get to go. Also, I got a package from the Murrays. It was just a small package, but it cost 25 bucks to send. I'll be sure to write to them soon to thank them. I enjoyed the package from home so much. The skirt and the white shirt fit perfectly. The other one´s a little big, but maybe I´ll use it if I gain weight. I also enjopyed all the other stuff.

I got sicker during the week, and I had to call the ZL and he called the mission President´s wife. I was on some medicine to kill whatever was growing in my gut and I ate soup for two days, and now I´m better. The food in Peru is really hard on the NorthAmericans, and it´s not uncommon to have problems. But yeah, don´t worry about me, I´m fine. My pensionista is better than most of the others about food safety. We only drink water from Culligan type jugs, and we can´t ever eat strawberries, pork, lettuce, raw fish (ceviche) or anything off the streets. And by the way, there are alfajores, real ones'not packaged, and they are delicious.

We had the baptism of Celma yesterday, but the other joven didn´t get baptized. There is one guy, Guillermo, who goes to church every week with his daughter, and wants to get baptized, but he is separated from his wife and lives with another woman. A new divorce law is coming out in July, and he is planning on getting baptized in August. I´m excited because he is a stronger in the church than most of the members, and teh units are in desperate need of priesthood holders. Also, We are working with a family of menos activos so get them married, sealed, and the father receive the priesthood. They started reading the Book of Mormon and went to church yesterday. It made us so happy to see them with their two little kids in the church, and progressing towards the goals we set with them.

I know that the church is true, and I´m happy and healthy. Enjoy the reunion and send my saludo to the family. Love, Sarah

P.S. I think I still have my cut up t-shirts in a drawer somewhere for my t-shirt quilt...if you are bored. And I still got Carolyn´s letter.

Love, Sarah

Dear Family,
This week is cambios, but I am staying here with my companion. The time has flown by. I got the package! I haven't actually looked through everything because I just got it at zone conference. It was opened, so I hope all the candy is still there. Thanks so much Mom. I see that it involves clothing. I also got a letter from Janet, thanks Jan. I was going to download pictures because I have some really good ones, but my companion always uses the computer that accepts USB cords. Maybe next week. Or maybe I can actually print pictures today and send some home. I have the feeling that my scrapbook is going to be full of my boring letters. But I really do have good pictures of the baptisms, and with my friend the llama and the llamita.

This week was tough at the start. We didn't have any progressing investigators, but we worked hard. I have been a little sick with a cold and stomach problems, so that made it a little harder, but we were really blessed at the end of the week. We had 5 investigators at church, an improvement of 5 from last week, and 2 are going to be baptized this week because they already have asistencias at church. One of the others is Juan, a 20 year old. His girlfriend is a member, and he is interested in the church, but for the past month he couldn't attend church because of his work. He lost his job this past week and went to church yesterday, and now is progressing. The Lord moves in a mysterious way.

Since you mentioned about the food, we are going to have anticuchos for lunch today. They are cow heart kabobs, and I hear they are very good. Did I tell you about tokosh? It's a food special to Huanuco that is disgusting. I haven't tried it, but the smell makes me want to barf. Basically it involves letting potatoes rot in riverwater and then eating the gooey mess. I also have had passion fruit, and a fruit called guanàbana or something like that, and a fruit from the jungle that looks like a cherry tomato and grows in a pod.

This week we helped a nonmember wash, and I became more grateful for washing machines. We helped her wash by hand her kids' diapers. She had already done the dirtiest part, and I was still grossed out. This lady is 23 years old and has 5 kids. I think I am already too late to catch up, but maybe Janet could. She is from the jungle where they get married, (not really married though!) at 13 or 14.

Thanks for all your love and support, in words, thoughts, prayers, and packages.
Love,
Sarah

Dear family,
Thanks for your letters and support. I got the family newsletter, with the program from Casie's baptism and the stamps. Thanks for that. I also got Rachel's wedding announcement. My companion was impressed by it. I sent a letter to the Mickelsens and the Murrays this week.

We had two more baptisms this week of Julio and Aldaeir. They both went well except for that they both started an hour late. Everything here is always late, and it drives me crazy. I'm trying to get my companion to work on controlling the time of our citas so we are on time to the following ones, but it's hard. I took pictures at all the baptisms, and when we have a p day with our companions, I will have them printed. It's kind of expensive though, so if I can send them home, I'm going to try to do that.

After our three baptisms, we don't have any more investigators with a baptism date, so we are working hard on that. We contacted a woman, Medaly, whose brother just left for a mission, and we are teaching her and her husband (not married). I have high hopes for this family. They are very receptive because of the brother on the mission. We also got a reference today of a family with 4 kids and they are really married, so that's really exciting. We have about 5 people who want to get baptized but can't because they aren't married and for various reasons can't or won't get married.

I haven't started teaching English yet because no one came the first week, but the Elder that initiated the classes made some flyers and we announced it, so people should come this week. The piano lessons fell through, which is fine with me because the barrio that wanted me to do it only has a keyboard, and it's hard to play on anyway.

This past week I gave 5 or 6 talks in church and at various activities. I'm learning how to quickly put a talk together on any subject.

One of the branches we are in is having trouble getting people to church. In March they had 70 to 100 people attending, but now they only have 30 or so. We are trying to figure out how to help them more. We are going to plan an actividad because the activities bring a lot of people, but if any one has suggestions on what to do, let me know.

Oh, I wanted to tell you that my pensionista was going to make cui--guinea pig--yesterday, but the only cui avaiable was tough, so she didn't buy it. We did have a lovely dish of chicken gizzards, the colon I believe it was. They are impressed that I eat whatever they give me. Last week for pday we had hamburgers, and they were really good!

I love you all, and I know that the church is true.
Sarah
I haven't had more trouble with hives or swollen fingers. We did have fleas, but I think we took care of that.

Dear Family,
Thanks for your letters and support. Congratualtions to Casie! Make sure when she goes out to Utah she gets involved in the student ward. Congrats to Janet for graduating. She made it after years of having to tell her to do her homework every night.

This week I had my first baptism, Jeanpierre Loyola Isidro, a ten year old boy. It was great to see a someone accept the gospel and get baptized. He was really excited, and he bore his testimony at the end really well. I am happy for him. Sometimes I get a little discouraged that we teach so many kids and youth when the branches here need strong members and priesthood holders, but then I think of all the members that say that they were baptized when they were youth.

We had a good experience this week when we were looking for a reference. We asked a family that was outside where it was, and we talked to them and they accepted an appointment for later in the week. I was excited because I am always looking for families to teach. When we went, it turned out that the Dad is a member, and he has a strong testimony. He wouldn´t tell us why he stopped going, but he was really glad we came, and we are going to continue working with him and his wife who is not a member. They aren´t marreid though, which is always a prolem with families. Also we have two more baptisms this week, a 9 year old boy, the cousin of the Jeanpierre, and a 14 year old boy. They are both good kids.

The conference with president Lindstrom was great. Sister Lindstrom came too, and that made me happy. The new president didn´t end up coming. I learned a lot and have a lot to work on.
This week there was a temblor in Huanuco, and a 5 point temblor in Lima. The one here was small, and didn´t do anything. It was more fun than anything else.

This week I got the card with the stamps, and a letter from Sister Murray and a bunch of Dear elders from you, whuich I haven´t read yet. Thanks for your letters. I am going to try to send pictures, but I have a slow computer, so I hope you get them.
I love you lots,
Sarah

Dear family

Thanks for your letter Mom, and for the recipes from the Mickelsons. I am doing well here. We are going to have a baptism this week of a 10 year old boy. His Mom is a member, but some of his family is a little anti, so he didn't get baptized at 8 years old. He bore his testimony in church yesterday, and it made me really happy. After the sacrament, the branch president stood up and said that there was time for everyone to bear their testimonies. We left to visit another branch, so we didn't, but I think everyone did. The keyboard is terrible, so i hope you can read this letter. We've been teaching boy who is 13 years old. We left him 3 Nefi 11 to read, and the next cita, when we asked him about it he told us exactly what happens in the chapter. I am excited for him to get baptized. If he goes to church this week, he will be baptized June 13. The people here will agree to do anything, but it's hard to actually get them to do it, especially go to church. I am looking for families to convert, but it's hard.

My knee, stomach and hip are all fine, Mom. It took about 2 weeks to get used to the food, but everything's fine. For some reason, my hands have been a little swollen latley, and I have had hives a little. If it gets worse, I'll worry about it, but for now, it doesn't bother me. Usually in the morning we have a hot drink, bread, and sometimes an egg or meat. Lunch is the big meal, and we usually have some sort of chicken with rice and potatoes. For supper, we have pan and chicken, usually leftovers from lunch. I am not used to the lack of sugar, so I am always craving cookies, ice cream, and sweet stuff. During the day if we are hungry we eat mandarinas, which are good. Last week. I had an ice cream cone, and it was so good.

Today President Lindstrom is coming with the new mission president for a conferencia and for interviews. I'm excited for that. Also I am going to give piano lessons and English lessons once a week. I'm fine with it, but I'm not sure how to give piano lessons to a group of youth with only one keyboard. Next week I am giving a talk in church on hermanamiento.

Congratualtions to Casie! I'm excited for her. Have Janet make sure that when she goes out to Utah she gets involved with her student ward.

Today I am going to try to mail a little package home. We get mail from the office every week, so I should get your letter soon. Also, I'll send pictures when I can. This week we are at a different internet place, and I can't send them. I might be able to print pictures today, and when I do, I'll send some home. And when I get stamps.

It's been a little cooler than usual, but I've enjoyed it. The people here think it's freezing and they wear coats, but it only gets down to probably 60 degrees.

I love you lots.
Sarah

Dear Family,

Thanks for you letters and support. I have been learning more and getting used to Huanuco. I'm going to answer your questions first.

The rules about internet are really strict, which is good. There are internet places on every street, where you pay to use the computers, but we go as a zone to a specific one that is run by a member. The ZLs check to make sure we are only sending and receiving from our designated family member, and we have exactly 45 minutes.

In my area we have the ward Amarilis, the branch San Cristobal, and the branch San Luis. They are all really small, but the strong members are great. They have like 5 callings and they support the missionaries a lot. There are a lot of inactives, and about everyday when we contact, we run into inactive members. None of the units have a full presidency or bishopric. In San Luis, the smallest, there were only 3 priesthood holders to bless and pass the sacrament.
The living arrangements are like this: we have a bedroom in the house of the stake president, but it's separate from the kitchen, living room, and bedrooms of the rest of the house. We have a bathroom that has a toilet and a shower (you can sit on the toilet and take a shower at the same time). There is a faucet out side the bathroom. I feel like I'm living a camping trip. Sometimes there is no electricity, sometimes no water, and I'm constantly dirty because it's really dusty. It's pretty primitive. During the day we hike around the mountains trying to get to the houses. The pensionista (wife of the stake pres.) cooks for us and does our laundry (by hand). During the week we do it ourselves if we need something washed. I don't really think the clothes get very clean though. For Liz (I hope you read this), I appreciate the toilet seat covers, but the toilets hardly ever have seats. Yesterday we used the bathroom in the chapel, and there was no toilet seat, no toilet paper, and no water.

I'm not sure what the altitude here is, but it is high. I haven't had any trouble adjusting though. I'm not sure what way is north, so I don't know what part we live in. It`s almost all on the sides of the mountains though. Ours is the more humble part of Huanuco. I've been trying to figure out what people do for a living. Some people have normal type jobs, but for the most part, I think people sell things, fruit, vegetables, candy, internet, whatever. A member that accompanied us one day last week sells maca, the stuff I did my research on.

I'm glad to hear that everything is good at home. Keep me updated on Casie. I'm excited for her. Mom, Here are my requests for the package: stamps (we can write letters, and they take them to the US to mail them, but I don't have any US stamps), cookies and or candy, especially de peanut butter, and my favorite deodorant, secret platinum protection solid asian pear. Also, I would like a few recipes. Maybe, a couple kinds of easy cookies, a roll recipe, and brownies. The family we live with always asks about what I know how to cook, but I need a recipe for most thing. I miss eating sweet stuff, although we had really good mango yesterday.

This week the baptism we had fell through because it turns out the couple isn't married. Most people here aren't, and you have to be really specific and say, are you legally married or living together. The church has an agreement where couples can get married for less money and less time, so that helps. We have two people who want to get baptized but can't because they aren't married, and their spouses don't want to get married.

This week we got a good reference of a family who wants to be happier, and we also contacted a family that seemed really interested. We teach a lot of kids because the kids here and the parents are really interested in what church the kids go to. We are helping a youth and 2 boys get ready for baptism in June.

We are teaching a 19 year old boy, who is really smart and interested and knows the Bible really well. It's nice to teach him because he is really sincere, but he asks hard questions, that I can't answer in Spanish yet. His family are members, but he lives with his godfather.

Today for p day we are going fishing with the district. I'm not sure where, but I'm excited to see more than my area.

I love you all,
Sarah

Dear family,

I have a lot to write, but we get 45 minutes for internet. First, I can only receive email from Mom's email address, so to email me, just send it to Mom, and she can send it to me.

Wednesday we went to the mission office and home to get trained a little and have our entrevistas with the president. President and Sister Linstrom are great. He grew up in Ucon, Idaho, and one of their sons was in my freshman ward. We had lunch at their apartment, and it was good to eat real American food. I finally learned about my mission. About half the mission is in Lima, half in the provinces, including the mountain highlands, and the jungle. There are only 14 hermanas, and only 4, including the 2 of us who entered are NorthAmericans. Last month, the mission had 305 baptisms. I am sad because they closed the jungle area for hermanas, and I hear that it is gorgeous. The Lindstroms finish their mission in July.

In the afternoon, we got our assignments. My first area is the area of Huánuco. I stayed the night with some sisters in Lima, and the next morning, those of us going to the province left. It was almost a 12 hour bus ride to get here, and the road is high. The Andes are amazing. That night we arrived, and I met my companion, Hermana Espinoza. She is really nice, and about a foot shorter than me. Our pension is in the house of the stake president, and the wife is the pensionista. President Lindstrom said she is one of the best in the mission, but so far I haven't been too impressed.

Friday, we started working. The people here are very humble. Some of the houses only have a little bed, a table, and a chair or two, and some sort of animal running around. Before I left the CCM, I was thinking about how I missed hiking, but realmente, we have to hike to get to the houses here. I don't know how the antiguos do it. The area is pretty, but it hasn't rained in awhile, so it's really dusty. Mom, I can't tract in my brown shoes, but it's okay, because my black shoes are all brown now. The dogs here are terrible. Hermana Espinoza almost got bit last night, but the dog only got her clothes.

We have a baptism set for Saturday, but we need permission for it because the hermano has only attended sacrament meeting 2 times, and the requirement is 4. The past few days we had 3 really good first lessons from referrals, and I am excited to see how they are doing. The first day here, after the first lesson, we did a street contact, and the family had gone to a baptism that was last week. We have an appointment with them tomorrow. In these miracles I can really see the Lord's hand in the work.

We have 1 barrio and 2 ramas in our area, so yesterday, we had to go to all three to see which investigators went to church. I was called on to share my testimony in one, and the branch president asked me to teach the members a hymn in the smallest rama. The music here is terrible. Nobody knows how to play the piano, so they do without, and they change the notes of the songs. It was also really slow, and I almost started laughing because in one branch we sang Angels we Have Heard on High.

I am happy, and I love the work. I don't know my address here, but when I do, I'll send it. Huanuco is pretty far away from civilization, so I don't know how long it will take for mail. Thanks for the mail. When I got to the mission office, there was a stack of mail for me.

To Janet-Good job with the hat tricks! And I have something for your birthday, but I don't know when I'll be able to send it. So, be patient and know that I remember.

To Mom- I'm thinking of stuff I would like in the package. So far, I'm pretty interested in cookies and candy. I'll probably send some pictures next week. Do you think you could have some of the pictures I send printed at like Wal-mart or somewhere? About the family newsletter, you can just send it to the mission office. For Carolyn's letters, I don't know, but I'll think about it. Sorry about the typing errors, the keyboard is really loose.

Love,
Sarah