Dear family,
First, Mom, I got the package! But I haven't opened it yet because there are elders around who will ask for all the food. I also got the YSA newsletter. PS- Joanna, your hair was really good in the picture. And I got a letter from grandma. But I don't have any stamps left, so nobody should expect a letter back unless they send a stamp.
This week was difficult. We had two baptisms planned, but only one of the people got baptized. We didn't get in to teach too many lessons, but we did find an amazing investigator. A few weeks ago we were walking home, and we passed two women. We just said buenas noches and kept going, but after we passed them they started whispering, then they called us. They explained that their mother, 92 years old, was very sick in bed, and they asked us to visit her. So we went. They weren't lying (that isn't spelled right but I can't figure out how to spell it) when they said she was really sick. She was so emaciated that her body hardly made a bump under the blankets, and she wasn't eating or talking. It was kind of weird, and we didn't know what to do, so we sang a hymn and said a prayer and left. She was basically just suffering, so they wanted her to be out of that. We came back two days later and someone told us she had died and they were doing funeral stuff. We came back this week to try to teach one of them, but only a 19 year old kid was there. But he said he had been living in another part of Huancayo, and the missionaries had visited him. He had been going to the church there to play soccer Tuesday nights. But he lost contact when he moved to our area. So we started teaching him, and he is awesome. He accepted a baptismal date and said he would like to serve a mission. We just have to take care of him so that he can progress.
Nothing much really happened, well only strange bad stuff. Note for Janet: I got hit in the head with a board also. It was in a really bizarre string of events, and I really didn't know what had happened, but it didn't hit me hard. It was mostly just funny. We were in this weird house/shoe factory and the lady had given us a bottle of outdated soda, Crush, and a (1) dirty glass to drink it. All the sudden I felt something falling on me. Also the same day one of our investigators gave us a chunk of her dead sheep to eat. She told us it was fine to eat because the sheep didn't have any sign of sickness. She explained that it probably died because some fairy like creature took its soul. I still didn't want to eat it, especially after carrying in the hot sun in my hand all morning, so we gave it to the pensionista, and she ate it. I did try a new fruit, tumbo. The girl who got baptized gave it to us, and when we ate supper, we tried it. It was really sour, so we only ate a little, but then Hna Garner offered to buy me a bag of Doritos if I ate the whole thing. So I did. I won the chips, but I had stomach cramps all night.
Today is a holiday, so everyone is out of school/work, and when we work this evening they will probably be drunk already. Tomorrow is a transportation paro, so nobody will be able to get anywhere, so they canceled classes and work for a lot of people. They are doing this so that the government repeals a law that the busses can't drop people off in the middle of the street, they have to drop them off at the curb.
Um, not much else. I love you all.
Sarah
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Torre Torre
Skinning cui
District in PonchosDear Family,
I'm glad everyone is doing well. Things are still the same here. We had the zone conference and interviews, which is always good, plus it breaks up the routine. PDte Leyva said something in the conference that makes me think I am going to get transfered my last transfer. He said "Hna Scoresby, ya está para cambios. Está muy roja. Tenemos que mandarle donde no hace tanto sol para que se case rápido despues de la mision." I laughed, then realized what he said and said "qué?" They changed the format of the conferences so now instead of sitting in the chapel all day listening to people talk they have a workshop type part so you can get up and move around. PLus this conference was especially good because for lunch, two American elders were in charge and bought all the stuff for subs.
I'm glad everyone is doing well. Things are still the same here. We had the zone conference and interviews, which is always good, plus it breaks up the routine. PDte Leyva said something in the conference that makes me think I am going to get transfered my last transfer. He said "Hna Scoresby, ya está para cambios. Está muy roja. Tenemos que mandarle donde no hace tanto sol para que se case rápido despues de la mision." I laughed, then realized what he said and said "qué?" They changed the format of the conferences so now instead of sitting in the chapel all day listening to people talk they have a workshop type part so you can get up and move around. PLus this conference was especially good because for lunch, two American elders were in charge and bought all the stuff for subs.
We also had two baptisms this week, Yolanda and Karen. They always say baptisms are the best part of the mission, but I think they are the most stressful. The teenage girls were embarrased by the baptismal clothing, so they didn't want to come out of the bathroom, plus our ward missionary leader got mad at someone or something and left before the baptism started. But the girls were happy, and they got baptized. These girls have their own bodyguard, for reasons unknown to us. He follows them around with a gun strapped on his body. A few times I turned around and got scared because a guy was following us, but then I remember it is their bodyguard. Maybe you should a hire a bodyguard for me.
Last pday we went to la Laguna de Paca. Since I've been here for so long, I am doubling on the tourist sites. The elders planned badly, and we ended up walking 45 minutes back to the nearest town. There was a group of elders in front of us and a group of elders behind us. We stopped a minute at a store to buy cookies, and when we came out there weren't any elders, and we got lost in Jauja. After wandering around, my companion spotted a white person, and the elder told us to run to make the bus.
Um, what else? Not much. I got my information about going home, and it still said my end date was in September. I asked Pdte Leyva and he said to just correct it and send it back.
Thanks for your letters, Mom, Jan, and Sis. Mickelsen. And I'll look forward to the packages.
Oh, Happy Father's Day. How could I forget? Here it's just a reason for the men (and sometimes women) to drink. Our area actually smelled like beer. But we made it without any problem.
Thanks for your letters, Mom, Jan, and Sis. Mickelsen. And I'll look forward to the packages.
Oh, Happy Father's Day. How could I forget? Here it's just a reason for the men (and sometimes women) to drink. Our area actually smelled like beer. But we made it without any problem.
Thanks for your love and support,
Sarah Afton
Sarah Afton
Monday, June 15, 2009
Dear Family,
Even though nothing has happened, thanks for your letter (Mom). Everything is the same here. We were happy because our important investigators came to church, plus a 17 year old got permission to get baptized, plus we got a really good reference. It was a tough week because a lot of our appointments fell through, but after the trials come the blessings, or so they say. We have two baptisms scheduled for this week, Yolanda and Karen, two sisters. It's been fun teaching them.
For pday we went to torre torre, and it was pretty cool. I have some pictures, but I didn't bring my camera. But I'll send you them some time. We also ate at a seafood restaurant. Here they just throw in all sorts of critters and things, so we find things in our rice that we can't identify, but we just eat everything. The best was sucking something out of a shell. But they always give us leche de tigre, which is gross. It is raw fish juice, onion juice and lemon with chunks of fish and squid. Anyone who says they actually like it must be lying.
Tomorrow we have zone conference. So that will help liven things up and help us keep working hard.
So the members fed us lunch and supper yesterday, and they gave us so much food that we were in pain. But you have to eat it all or they get offended. So maybe I'll end up gaining weight at the end of my mission.
Hna Garner and I get along really well. We are a lot the same, which probably means we are both weird. But I'm hoping I can end with her.
Oh, I thought of something cool. It was Hna Clariza's mom's birthday, so they brought out the classic party food--cui. I've eaten it before, but it isn't that great. They are always bragging about how Peru exports cui because it's so healthy. Anyway, they brought the cuis live and butchered them there with us. And I was privileged to help peel the hair off. I was disgusted though because someone gave me a kiss with the cui and I got blood and cui juice all over my cheek. Hna Clariza offered us cui for breakfast the next morning, but I declined.
Mom, if you want to give me money for souvenirs, that would be fine :) You can just put it in my USbank account, and tell me how much. But what kind of souvenirs do you want? A cui? I have bought a few things, but I'll keep my eye out for good stuff. I don't want to bring home a bunch of stuff that no one wants. Everyone wants me to give them my clothes, so I'll have pleny of room, but I don't want to have to pay customs fees.
So you want to know about the weather? The rainy season ended, and now we are in ¨winter.¨ Because it is so high up, the sun is really strong, and I burn everywhere, even if I use sunblock. The worst is in my hair part. It hurts, then it peels so it looks gross. So when the sun is out it is burning hot, and when you walk in the shade or when the sun goes down, it is cold. They are always complaining about the cold, but I don't see why, because it isn't that cold. And then they blame whatever malady on the weather. By the way, I saw in a newspaper this morning that the swine flu made it to Junín. It will probably run rampantly since there is little to no hygiene.
That's about it. I love you lots,
Sarah
Even though nothing has happened, thanks for your letter (Mom). Everything is the same here. We were happy because our important investigators came to church, plus a 17 year old got permission to get baptized, plus we got a really good reference. It was a tough week because a lot of our appointments fell through, but after the trials come the blessings, or so they say. We have two baptisms scheduled for this week, Yolanda and Karen, two sisters. It's been fun teaching them.
For pday we went to torre torre, and it was pretty cool. I have some pictures, but I didn't bring my camera. But I'll send you them some time. We also ate at a seafood restaurant. Here they just throw in all sorts of critters and things, so we find things in our rice that we can't identify, but we just eat everything. The best was sucking something out of a shell. But they always give us leche de tigre, which is gross. It is raw fish juice, onion juice and lemon with chunks of fish and squid. Anyone who says they actually like it must be lying.
Tomorrow we have zone conference. So that will help liven things up and help us keep working hard.
So the members fed us lunch and supper yesterday, and they gave us so much food that we were in pain. But you have to eat it all or they get offended. So maybe I'll end up gaining weight at the end of my mission.
Hna Garner and I get along really well. We are a lot the same, which probably means we are both weird. But I'm hoping I can end with her.
Oh, I thought of something cool. It was Hna Clariza's mom's birthday, so they brought out the classic party food--cui. I've eaten it before, but it isn't that great. They are always bragging about how Peru exports cui because it's so healthy. Anyway, they brought the cuis live and butchered them there with us. And I was privileged to help peel the hair off. I was disgusted though because someone gave me a kiss with the cui and I got blood and cui juice all over my cheek. Hna Clariza offered us cui for breakfast the next morning, but I declined.
Mom, if you want to give me money for souvenirs, that would be fine :) You can just put it in my USbank account, and tell me how much. But what kind of souvenirs do you want? A cui? I have bought a few things, but I'll keep my eye out for good stuff. I don't want to bring home a bunch of stuff that no one wants. Everyone wants me to give them my clothes, so I'll have pleny of room, but I don't want to have to pay customs fees.
So you want to know about the weather? The rainy season ended, and now we are in ¨winter.¨ Because it is so high up, the sun is really strong, and I burn everywhere, even if I use sunblock. The worst is in my hair part. It hurts, then it peels so it looks gross. So when the sun is out it is burning hot, and when you walk in the shade or when the sun goes down, it is cold. They are always complaining about the cold, but I don't see why, because it isn't that cold. And then they blame whatever malady on the weather. By the way, I saw in a newspaper this morning that the swine flu made it to Junín. It will probably run rampantly since there is little to no hygiene.
That's about it. I love you lots,
Sarah
Monday, June 8, 2009
Dear Family,
I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well except Janet, who got hit on the head with a board. That made me laugh.
Everything is fine here. We got all better from our illness and we worked normally the whole week. The sun is super, super strong, and we are suffering strange things from that, well mostly my comp because she is less used to the sun. But my feet have gotten really bad lately, like when I was little. I think my body is just about ready to give in. But we keep working despite all that.
Hna Garner was horrified at the strange traditions at church yesterday. I think I have become immune to them, but I still remember my days in a normal ward. I still don't participate in the oath that they do every Sunday in RS-La caridad nunca deja de ser. You raise your right hand and repeat it three times and end in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. And they don't sing sacrament songs. Once for the sacrament, they sang, Before Thee Lord, I Bow My Head. We suggest they shouldn't do it, but old traditions die hard.
We are enjoying eating with the members Sundays. And they enjoy giving us food that they think we will like the most. Yesterday we enjoyed pizza and asado. Maybe I'll end up gaining weight at the end of my mission. A counselor in the bishopric invited us yesterday and was asking what we ate. He is learning English, so he was asking in English, and instead of asking if we liked meat, he asked if we wanted to eat flesh. I told him as long as it wasn't human flesh.
Not much else has happened. Today we are going to Torre Torre, which an elder described as a pequeño grand canyon. We made navajo tacos one day, and now that I know how to make the fry bread, I will make it in my apartment, because it was good.
Elder Zimmerman is a mission counselor. In a conference in Lima I met them. Elder Zimmerman was a chem professor at BYU, but I never took a class from him. Sister Zimmerman talked more to me because I was the only sister there who spoke English, and she didn't speak Spanish at that point. But I doubt I'll see them again.
Question-Are the bishop and stake president the same as when I left? They are doing my paperwork to come home, and I couldn't remember if the stake presidency had changed. And if by chance you are going to send me another package, I thought of a few suggestions. I get these cravings for weird things, so here are a few-Starbursts, oatmeal cream pies, cheddar cheese sun chips. I don't know if chips would send well, but they won't weigh a lot.
I love you all. Thanks for your love and support.
Sarah
I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well except Janet, who got hit on the head with a board. That made me laugh.
Everything is fine here. We got all better from our illness and we worked normally the whole week. The sun is super, super strong, and we are suffering strange things from that, well mostly my comp because she is less used to the sun. But my feet have gotten really bad lately, like when I was little. I think my body is just about ready to give in. But we keep working despite all that.
Hna Garner was horrified at the strange traditions at church yesterday. I think I have become immune to them, but I still remember my days in a normal ward. I still don't participate in the oath that they do every Sunday in RS-La caridad nunca deja de ser. You raise your right hand and repeat it three times and end in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. And they don't sing sacrament songs. Once for the sacrament, they sang, Before Thee Lord, I Bow My Head. We suggest they shouldn't do it, but old traditions die hard.
We are enjoying eating with the members Sundays. And they enjoy giving us food that they think we will like the most. Yesterday we enjoyed pizza and asado. Maybe I'll end up gaining weight at the end of my mission. A counselor in the bishopric invited us yesterday and was asking what we ate. He is learning English, so he was asking in English, and instead of asking if we liked meat, he asked if we wanted to eat flesh. I told him as long as it wasn't human flesh.
Not much else has happened. Today we are going to Torre Torre, which an elder described as a pequeño grand canyon. We made navajo tacos one day, and now that I know how to make the fry bread, I will make it in my apartment, because it was good.
Elder Zimmerman is a mission counselor. In a conference in Lima I met them. Elder Zimmerman was a chem professor at BYU, but I never took a class from him. Sister Zimmerman talked more to me because I was the only sister there who spoke English, and she didn't speak Spanish at that point. But I doubt I'll see them again.
Question-Are the bishop and stake president the same as when I left? They are doing my paperwork to come home, and I couldn't remember if the stake presidency had changed. And if by chance you are going to send me another package, I thought of a few suggestions. I get these cravings for weird things, so here are a few-Starbursts, oatmeal cream pies, cheddar cheese sun chips. I don't know if chips would send well, but they won't weigh a lot.
I love you all. Thanks for your love and support.
Sarah
Monday, June 1, 2009
Dear Family,
I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well. We had cambios, and Hna Garrison went to Begonias, my old area in Canto Grande. We were crazy trying to get her ready and trying to find members to stay with me wile my new companion was coming. My new companion is Hna Garner. She has about the same time in the mission as Hna Garrison. She is from Sanders Arizona. Her mom is Navajo indian, and they lived on the indian reservation there. Her dad teaches at an UNM branch in education. We've been working a lot on her Spanish, because she still doesn't speak that well. Other than that we have been working normally. Heydee got baptized, and I was upset because the ward did not do their part. Wen I got to church the font wasn't filled and there was nobody there, So I filled the font and tried to get thngs ready as best as I could. The bishop showed up but refused to help at all and just sat in the office. But she got baptized.
We found a really good new investigator this week. The missionaries before had been teaching her mom, and the girl was studying, so she didn't have much time to listen. But she finished her classes, and she was reading te pamphlets the missionaries had left, and she thought they were really interesting. She stopped me in the street one day (it was when I was without a companion), and asked for more pamphlets. But she couldn't go to church yesterday because she traveled to La Oroya.
The most exciting thing that happened this week is that Hna Garner and I both got really sick. I didn't know a person could feel that terrible and still be alive. I felt bad because I threw up all over the bathroom floor, and the member that rents us our room cleaned it up. I got to call the mission doctor and he said it was infectious diarrhea. Lovely. I think Pdte and Hna Leyva were a little worried it might be the swine flu because I had all the symptoms except for the nose/throat problems. My companion is doing a lot better, but I am still suffering some. I don't have anything in my system now, so I'm just dry heaving and having stomach cramps. Hna Clariza is worried because I lost more weight. But don't worry Mom, I'll get over it like I've gotten over all the other sicknesses in the mission.
Oh I forgot something funny. Last Sunday Hna Garrison and I were bored at night and so we played stud or dud, but with areas. We chose four areas, and we asked the questions and everything, and we read the cards. The decided that clubs would be how well you get along with you comp, diamonds would be how many transfers you would be there, hearts would be baptisms, and cloers would be how good the pension is. And how did it turn out? It turned out that I would stay here, and Hna Garrison would go to Begonias. Maybe I should give up my studies and go into card reading.
I love you all. Thanks for you love and support. And I sent a card to Janet.
Love,
Sarah
I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well. We had cambios, and Hna Garrison went to Begonias, my old area in Canto Grande. We were crazy trying to get her ready and trying to find members to stay with me wile my new companion was coming. My new companion is Hna Garner. She has about the same time in the mission as Hna Garrison. She is from Sanders Arizona. Her mom is Navajo indian, and they lived on the indian reservation there. Her dad teaches at an UNM branch in education. We've been working a lot on her Spanish, because she still doesn't speak that well. Other than that we have been working normally. Heydee got baptized, and I was upset because the ward did not do their part. Wen I got to church the font wasn't filled and there was nobody there, So I filled the font and tried to get thngs ready as best as I could. The bishop showed up but refused to help at all and just sat in the office. But she got baptized.
We found a really good new investigator this week. The missionaries before had been teaching her mom, and the girl was studying, so she didn't have much time to listen. But she finished her classes, and she was reading te pamphlets the missionaries had left, and she thought they were really interesting. She stopped me in the street one day (it was when I was without a companion), and asked for more pamphlets. But she couldn't go to church yesterday because she traveled to La Oroya.
The most exciting thing that happened this week is that Hna Garner and I both got really sick. I didn't know a person could feel that terrible and still be alive. I felt bad because I threw up all over the bathroom floor, and the member that rents us our room cleaned it up. I got to call the mission doctor and he said it was infectious diarrhea. Lovely. I think Pdte and Hna Leyva were a little worried it might be the swine flu because I had all the symptoms except for the nose/throat problems. My companion is doing a lot better, but I am still suffering some. I don't have anything in my system now, so I'm just dry heaving and having stomach cramps. Hna Clariza is worried because I lost more weight. But don't worry Mom, I'll get over it like I've gotten over all the other sicknesses in the mission.
Oh I forgot something funny. Last Sunday Hna Garrison and I were bored at night and so we played stud or dud, but with areas. We chose four areas, and we asked the questions and everything, and we read the cards. The decided that clubs would be how well you get along with you comp, diamonds would be how many transfers you would be there, hearts would be baptisms, and cloers would be how good the pension is. And how did it turn out? It turned out that I would stay here, and Hna Garrison would go to Begonias. Maybe I should give up my studies and go into card reading.
I love you all. Thanks for you love and support. And I sent a card to Janet.
Love,
Sarah
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