#47

So funny story. I walk into ward Council on Saturday (at 6:30 in the morning I might add. That is why I look like.... well that.) and we had a ward council with Obispo Dueñas. All was normal and then we ended. After we ended, Obispo Dueñas asked us if we could stay for a moment, so we did because we are at the bishop's service obviously. He looks at me and says "hermana Rust, where are you from?" I told him Las Vegas. He looks at me again and says "I knew it. the resemblance is definitely there. Do you know Brandon Rust?" and boy did that take me by surprise. AHah but it turns out that Obispo Dueñas served in Piura with Brandon and that they were never companions but in the same district and that Brandon always said with his lips sticking out "Yo soy de Las Vegas" and yeah. So now this guy is my bishop. Small world! That's me and him.

 This is a picture of Brandon and Elder Duenas from the Peru, Piura Mission - 2004

Well first things first mother, I am not a zone leader. Haha because that would be apostasy. I am an Hermana Leader. And now that I know what that actually is, I can explain a little bit more. Zone leaders are in charge of all the missionaries in the zone. Duh. Simple enough. Now what I do is that I am in charge of 5 companionships of sisters that aren't particularly in my zone. And I'm basically just at their beck and call. (Or is that beckon call? I don't know.) So 2 of the companionships live in my zone, the other 3 are in different parts of the mission. For example, Hermana Baker and Hermana Lozano. They are also Hermana Leaders, but in Abancay. But we are their hermana Leaders. And then there are 2 more companionships in Puerto, which is like 10 hours away from Cusco. And Abancay is 5. So one time every transfer, we go on divisions with these sisters to see how they are, train them, and help them with what they need. They either travel to Cusco, or we travel to where ever they are. So that's my main role. To just help the sisters who are under my watch. Also I finally get to participate in CONCILIO! Hahah I haven't done it yet, but I've always wanted to because its a reunion between all the zone leaders, the Hermana leaders, the assistants, and President Harbertson. And what I imagine they do is that they discuss the needs of the mission and put together a game plan. Concilio in all lasts like,,, well what I've heard 6 hours. So that should be fun. I have just always wanted to go because it seems like a great opportunity to learn. And now I'm in Cusco so I don't even have to travel to Cusco to have the meetings. It's cool.

So yeah that's basically what I do in a nut shell. And I haven't actually done any of it yet because I've only had the assignment for 6 days. But this week is when we start visiting the sisters so we'll see how it goes. I don't know my area AT ALL still because like I said, 6 days, so I'm a little nervous for that because on Friday we will be doing divisions with the Hermanas from Tullumayo in our ward and I have to learn the sector like... yesterday.. So yeah. Little nervous. 

So yeah I'm a sister Leader in Ttio. And they have an even extra special assignment to pick up and drop off all the sisters that travel to and from Cusco in the terminal. And because it takes +8 hours to travel from anywhere in our mission, there are usually a lot of sisters staying in our house. Which is really fun, but sometimes a headache. My first official act as Hermana Leader in Ttio was to drop off Hermana Seaton (by the way she was in Andahuaylas with me but got transferred to Puno. Little jealous. I want to go back to Puno) at the terminal so she could catch her bus. Well I have no idea how to get to the terminal right? Because never served in Cusco. So I told the taxista to take us to the terminal, but when they see gringa, they automatically think "Well she's a gringa, she doesn't know what terminal means. So I'll take her to the airport instead." and it's like NO!! I know what a terminal is and I know that it is not the same thing as an aeropuerto and I don't want to go to the aeropuerto, I want to go to the TERMINAL! But Yeah he didn't get that so he took us to the airport and when we arrived, I very kindly... almost shouted at him that I told him to take us to the terminal terrestre. Not the airport. To which he responded with a blank look in his eyes "oh... you didn't say airport?" No sir I did not. Can you please take us to the terminal terrestre? And I'm still only going to pay you 5 soles. Thank you.

So he took us to the terminal right when Hermana Seaton's bus was leaving and everyone was freaking out "Where's Hermana Rust with Hermana Seaton??" And my Companion didn't know where I was either because I was without a cell phone and it was just a mess. But after all was said and done, Hermana Seaton boarded her bus and went on her way in the luxury that Tranzsela offers. Tranzsela is a reaaaallly nice bus... impresa.. I don't know how to say impresa. But yeah. That was my first day as Hermana Leader and it freaked me out. But since then, it's been tranquilo and all should be mas o menos normal from this day out. Until the next transfers that is.

Another thing that I do is that I have to help plan the Zone Conferences. We meet with the Elders (fun fact, Elder Pearce who was my Zone leader in Puno for 4 transfers is here in the zone Cusco with me. So zone leader once again.) and we plan and discuss what we should do for an activity that has to last 2 hours. I'm not... creative in this department so I drew a blank, but me and my companion have discussed a little bit and now we have a cool idea and we hope that everyone else thinks it's cool and not super lame. The conference is this Wednesday so we're kinda past the point of no return. I'll let you know how that goes next week. 

Honestly, I've always thought it would be cool to be an Hermana Leader. Not because of like power or anything, because we really don't have any, but because it would be a different kind of mission. I love getting to know the other Hermanas and seeing how I can help them, being like their older sister even if they are 3 or 4 years older than me. And now I get to do that. But it's also been really... stressful these past couple days. And I know that it's going to be a big responsibility. And sometimes (All the time...) I feel like i just really am not cut out for it. And I want to be cut out for it, i want to do well, but there's that little voice in the back of my mind that tells me I'm going to fail like I almost did with Hermana Seaton and the bus. But I know that I shouldn't listen because I've only had this assignment for a week. But I don't know. It's hard. Some advice from annnnnyone in the whole world that would like to comment would be very welcome on my part. And I don't know, Cusco just feels weird to me. It's HUGE! And a city. Like suuuper modern. Way more modern than Moapa. And I guess I just got used to little country side towns like Talavera. But I guess theres always a getting used to where you are process. And I know that at the end of it all, I'm going to love Cusco and the ward I'm in, (It's called los Alamos) and the people that are here. Just patience I guess. And we all know how much I love patience. Hahah Well this is my life now. And I'm going to love it one way or another!

I guess I should talk about my companion a little bit. Her name is Hna Borja. She's from Quito Ecuador. She's reaaaally short, has 20 years, and really likes alarms. We seriously have alarms for everything. She has a pink clock that lights up and she really likes to push the button that makes it light up. Haha she's cute. We're getting to know each other still so a little bit tense, but I think everything will work out in the end. 

 So yeah that was my week and I love you and please pray for me. I've got a lot of vices that are going to make this calling a little hard for me if I don't get rid of them now. So that's what i need. Love you and miss you and hey I'll talk to you soon! 

Hermana Rust