#43

First of all, didn't get to watch the Women's Conference session. And that bummed me out biiiig time because I LOVE Women's Conference, but it's not that huge of a thing here so.. our district president kind of forgot about it so when I got to the chapel, there was nothing and.. yeah it was sad. Because we also had two investigators with us to see it but alas, there was nothing. But I just downloaded it onto my flash drive and I'm gonna have a great time tonight listening to it. I hope. And I hope that the general conference is enough of a big thing here so that the President doesn't forget that either.... I think I'll be good though. I'm pretty sure I'll see it. I just can't believe that it's already almost April! Because, Like I just watched October Conference! Gahhhh passes so fast. 

 

Well this week I ate some bad Choclo (That is corn on the cob.) and got reaaaalllly sick Tuesday night. Natalie once termed it as "Double dragon fire" and you can ask her what that means but that's what I was going through. My stomach hurrrrttt soooo bad and I couldn't sleep and then all day Wednesday I was confined to bed because I basically had nothing in my body and it was awful. And to be in my room all day stresses me out. I hate being sick for that reason because I can't leave and work. And then I feel even worse while I'm already sick because I feel like I'm not fulfilling my duty as a missionary and I hate that feeling and then I think it makes me even more sick. It's an awful cycle. But this week I learned a lot about patience. I didn't go out Wednesday or Thursday. And Thursday our Hermana Capacitadoras came to do divisions with us and that made me feel bad too because, even in divisions, I couldn't leave. But Something they asked us to study for our training was about patience. So Thursday morning while I was dying in my bed, I read about patience. I remember it said something like patience is the power to accept the things we can't control. And in my mind, I thought, Patience is accepting our imperfections. And I reflected on that a little bit. Like my body isn't perfect. I know one day it will be, but it's not right now. And I have to accept that. And I thought about the other imperfections that I have that sometimes just drive me crazy. Like how I can't roll my r's in Spanish and because of that some people can't understand me, but I can't control that. Or how sometimes our appointments fall through. Can't control that. There are soooo many things that I can't control, but I allow myself to get all worked up about them anyways. And where does that get me? Stressed out and sick in bed. We neeeeed to have patience with ourselves and in our situations because if we don't, it can be physically and spiritually debilitating. And that's when Satan takes the upper hand. When we feel like these things that we can't control are controlling us. So that's what I learned this week. Patience has aaaaallllways been my fight. I remember when I was little, dad was always talking to me about patience. And it's something that I am still working at. It's one of my many imperfections. And I have to patient with that too. So it's a cycle. A good cycle. A cycle we need. 

  

And also in these past days, I learned about compassion. It's hard for me when I can't leave the house. Whether it be for my own health, or that of my companion. Like when my comp is sick, gosh I try sooo hard to be understanding, but in the back of my mind it's like "No! I want to leave! I feel fine! I need to work!" And it also stresses me out. And sometimes I lose my patience with her and the fact that her health isn't perfect either. It's something that I really don't like about myself, like getting angry if she doesn't feel well. But my comp gave me a great example of charity and compassion. One morning I was awake and just staring at the ceiling and my comp was at her desk studying and she got up to go to the bathroom or something and usually when we slide our chairs, it makes a horrible scratching sound and it's just really loud and terrible. But I watched as she soooo carefully stood up, picked up her chair, then set it down oh so gently as to not make a single sound because she thought that I was sleeping. Then she literally walked on her tip toes to the door, opened it the slowest she could (it seriously lasted like 40 seconds) and then closed it without making a single sound. Just for me. Her whole process of getting up, opening the door and closing it, was prolonged by like 2 minutes just too make sure that she didn't wake me up. Even though I was already awake. Obviously she didn't know,but it really just touched me. And then that whole day, she did whatever she could to help me. My appreciation for her and her patience with me and my situation was magnified ten fold and in those moments, it was really like I was with the Savior. In the scriptures, it talks about having his image engraven in your countenance or something like that, but that really happened with her. Hermana Conde is such an example to me and I honestly love her with all my heart. She has given me a new resolve to be more patient and more Christ like.

 

As for the rest of the week, it was good. We found some new people to teach, we've been having a lot of success in that lately, and it makes me feel like my time is worthwhile. What else could I want? 

Well I've got to go now but I'm going to attach a few pictures. 

Hermana Rust

PS I'm all healed now. Not sick anymore. But seriously, that choclo did a number on me. Hooooorrrrrible! 

*Viewer's Discretion advised*

Two p-days ago, we killed, peeled, and ate cuyes. Or guinea pigs. It was really gross and really sad and guinea pig isn't even that good but I'm in Peru so I have to eat it and so I did. 

This is them already dead and already pealed. 

And that's cute little us atop  Llantuyhuanca. Talavera is BEAUTIFUL! 

#42

 I've been thinking about it, and I think that I  would like to teach a class when I get home from the mission. To help me stay in touch with my studies because I know me and how easy it would be for me to fall out of my studies. So something to help motivate me. I would like that I lot I think, Teaching youth. 

The branch is still hanging in there, we're doing what we can. We've had a lot of little miracles this week, like finding new investigators that are golden (That's never happened to me before.) and less actives. It was a fulfilling week. Really full. And I like that. I hate empty weeks. They stress me out. Gosh I sure do hope I have this same mentality when I come home. Like staying busy. But yeah not going to think about that now.

Alberto is still listening to us and is still the cutest grandpa ever. There has been a festival this past weekend called Pukllay and it's apparently the biggest thing to hit Andahuaylas since indoor plumbing (Although lots of people don't have that either...) But like people come from all corners of Latin America to the small town of Andahuaylas to dance. And I didn't see ANY of it! Because I live NOT in Andahuaylas. And I know that I'm not here to see an international dance festival, but hey it'd be pretty cool. And it was just outside my grasp. 10 minutes outside me grasp. But yeah it's come and passed and then supposedly there's going to be a HUGE strike here, like dangerous, today. But nothing has happened. so that's good I guess.

I don't send pictures because I don't take pictures because my camera has malogrado. I'm not sure how to say that in English. It's... not working? I think. But I've taken a few pictures on the camera of my comp and we'll see if she'll let me borrow her camera really quick to send pictures... but if not, yeah I'll try again next week! 

Also, I hate to say this, but I could really use some new shoes. Like stylish mountain climbing shoes... if that exists. Because those black ones already have wholes in the bottoms. And I've gone looking for shoes here, but there are none because my shoe size here is 42 and they have up until 39. that's like a size 7. so That would be greatly appreciated!

 

 I love everyone! Hope all is well! send my loooove!

Hermana Rust

 

 That first picture is my zone/district. That's all of us. We are a zone and District. I have given us the name "Distrona". And it sounds like a lightning bolt should strike everytime that you say it if you ask me. 

And this is from a p-day a couple weeks ago. We were going to play soccer, but Hermana Seaton and Harris brought water balloons and we had a water war instead. Elder Escalante won. 

#41 Transfers....

Well today are Cambios. And I'm staying here in Talavera!! Ha biiig shock. But I'm happy. Before, I kind of wanted a transfer.. I wasn't seeing the progress that I wanted here so I thought it might be better to transfer to a different place. But now that I know that I'm staying, I'm happy....

Because that means that I will be able to keep teaching the CUTEST OLD MAN EVER! His name is Alberto, he's 82 years old, and we found him looking for less active members. We knocked on his shop's door and asked for some girl whose name I do not remember, he said he didn't know her, we told him that we were missionaries here to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, he told us to come right on in because he loves Jesus, we told him we'd come by another day because we didn't have a woman to accompany us, he said he's be waiting for us the next Tuesday. He's so cute. He laughs at all his own jokes like Kelby Robinson does and told us about how his wife passed away and that when she was alive, she used to beat her kids with a wooden spoon, but it's ok because they deserved it. He was also a little afraid of his wife. Hahah in a cute way. And he told us that all his kids call him everyday, but he lives in Talavera alone making suits and the likes the Bible and he wants to know exactly what is Eternal life and how to obtain it.

We went with an Hermana in our ward, Hermana Fortunata, she's a whole other story of middle aged cuteness, and she invited him to the church. He said, and I'm taking some liberties with this "Honey, I wake up at 6:00 every morning. Come on over and we'll go together." And that's exactly what they did. I think Alberto might have eyes for Fortunata, but she's only 56 so I'm not sure how'd that work out... But when she picked him up. she did so in style! In her best jacket skirt combo, all blue and lace-y. She looked good. I'm taking more liberties, but he's just the cutest old man! He came in a suit that I'm sure he made himself and stayed for Sacrament Meeting.

 In the middle of the meeting, his phone went off and I think it scared him a little and he looks at us and asks "What do I do? Shall I turn it off?" all the while Hermano Juan is bearing his testimony, and annoyed that his testimony got interrupted by the movistar ring tone. And those of you who have been to Peru and have heard the movistar ringtone know that it's not something easy to ignore. But yeah Alberto pulled out his phone, very slowly, almost painfully slow, looked at the name, and told us "Mejor si lo contesto" or, "Yeah better if I answer." Well He's 82 people. So he doesn't hear that well. Nor can he hear when he talks. So he's yelling into his phone while Hermano Juan is still at the pulpit trying to testify of.. well really I don't know what because I was to busy trying to fight back laughter from this crazy incident that we were having with our new investigator. Luckily the call was quick and he hung up and went back to reading the Book of Mormon that Fortunata had given him. I feel like he's Brother Huntington. Version Perú. And that makes me happy.

Well that's really all I wanted to share with you all today. I hope you enjoyed the story, it was 99.9% true and it kind of made my week. 

Old men will always be the cutest. Or the creepiest. Remember that kids. 

Love you all and hope you have a greaaaat week! 

Hermana Rust

#40

I've learned some things. I kind of just keep learning the same things over and over again. Waiting for them to stick in my heart I guess. I've learned that to enjoy life, do everything. Everything that you have the opportunity to do.

My little paradise is... becoming a little bit more Paradisaical . Before it stressed me out because the work here is flat lined and I didn't know what to do, but poco a poco I'm figuring stuff out about myself and about what I am capable of. Truth is, Talavera needs a miracle. There's talk about closing the branch because there is a ton of members, but they are all less active. We have an apartment as our chapel right now, but to keep it, we have to have a steady attendance of 50 ish people every week. And since I've been here, that has happened once. Yesterday. But I feel like a miracle is slowly unfolding. We've been finding less actives steadily these past couple weeks and it's what our President has told us to do, focus on the less actives, and we're working with them to get them active again. But to me, I don't know...  that's even harder than baptizing. But it's what the branch needs. Transfers are next week and I am praaaaaying that Presidente is going to put another companionship of missionaries here to work with us because really, we need help. We're the only ones here. But who knows. Maybe God has something else in store for Talavera. We'll see. 

Well I don't really have much to report. I'm doing fine. I'm kinda hoping for a transfer, but at the same time I want to help Talavera. It's just hard when there is so much to do and I don't know where to start. I've been praying for something like a road map to fall from the heavens, and I'm still waiting. It'll come. 

My comp is doing well. We're still figuring each other out. I feel like I need to help her to remember why she's here and we had a comp inventory where we talked about all the things that keep us from remembering who we are and why we are here as missionaries. It lasted a good 2 hours. But it was very much needed and I think it helped. I just want her to be happy with the quality of mission she has and I too want that. So we're going to keep remembering who we are and get rid of all the pride we have in our hearts. 

 Love  you all!

Hermana Rust

 The CCM crew together again! This is from the conference we had last week. I don't know if you remember Elder Vance, but he was in my district in the CCM and us three are the only north Americans in our group. So it was fun to be together again. 

My whole mission!! First one to find me gets a "Bien Hecho!" 

#39 Patchwork Quilted Mountains.

The past 72 hours, I was in a car for about 20 of them. And in those 20 hours, I had a lot of time to just look at the overall beauty of the highlands of Peru. And one thing I noticed, Particularly in Apurimac where I am currently serving, is that the mountains look like patchwork quilts. They are absolutely gorgeous. And its because it's farm land. they have their lots of corn and alfalfa and potatoes, which up close might not be that cool, but from a far off, on the main highway, it looks like God has been stitching and patching away at the earth for hundreds and hundreds of years. It's my new favorite thing like... ever. And sadly I don't have a picture. But I'm going to be traveling again tomorrow so I'll take a picture then! 

And now the big question "Why are you traveling so much?" Well if my last letter had gotten to you, you would have learned that this past Saturday was our WHOLE MISSION CONFERENCE in CUSCO with ELDER HOLLAND! So that's why I've been traveling. And now we are going to devote my time to being very specific about the details that took place. 

Ready mom?

So Cusco from Talavera is 8 hours. So Friday in the early evening, 5:00, we jumped on a combi, which is just a van, and took it to Abancay, 3 hours away, where we stayed the night, And when I say the night I mean we stayed for 5 hours and then left again to go to Cusco. We woke up at 12:30 to make ourselves pretty despite the 5 hour bus ride that awaited us at 3:00. And then we bused it all the way to Cusco. We were scheduled to get there at 8:00 in the morning. Perfect to eat breakfast and to take pictures with other missionaries and catch up with people. The only problem is that we didn't get there at 8:00. Because our bus driver pulled over for 45 minutes to sleep, so we got there late. And I was freaking out because guess what, I had to sing a special musical number with 4 other missionaries with whom I had never practiced before because I was out in the middle of no where in Talavera. But I'm actually very grateful that the bus driver pulled over because that's better than us dying. 

So we got there at 9. And I had a frantic Hermana Frame calling me because we needed to practice! But it ended up being ok and we got to run through the song a couple times. I also got to see Hermana McMahon again before she dies!! Ahh that was the best! Oh and the song was Fuente de Mis Bendiciones or Come thou Fount. But yeah I was reunited with my Hija and she's doing well. Gave me some good and bad news regarding Puno, but there's nothing I can do about it so I'm just going to keep moving on. It was a good time. Saw some missionaries that I hadn't seen since I first got to the mission and it was just fun! And then we went in for the conference. I was sitting in the first row, right in front of where Elder Holland would be sitting! I pick my seats well. And then he came in. And it was really cool. I have been in the same room as him before, but never up close. He's older in person. But boy was he... emotional? I don't know how to say it. Like enthusiastic? Something like that. Energenic! Thats what I wanted. He shook everyone of our hands and asked us our names and where we were from. I told him Overton Nevada and he says "Oh Overton! Very good. Thank you for coming." and then continued. So that was cool.And then, we sang. I was so nervous! I had spent the whole week before memorizing the words and the harmony which was actually really hard because I didn't have a piano at my disposal to even play the part for me so I just had to figure it our and then memorize the words in Spanish and I think my comp was getting really tired of my song. But it went well. I think it definitely could have been better, but Elder Mann, Elder Andromedas, Hermana McMahon and Hna Miceli all sing like angels so I was able to ride on their wings a little bit. But it was still a huge honor and super cool.

 And then he gave a great talk. It was very Elder Holland. He told us he loved us, but then burned the heck out of us. I have never been so happy to be burned before. He said a lot of things that he has said in previous missionary addresses but things that totally apply to every missionary and that I think was all needed to hear it from him personally. To feel the urgency of his mission more than anything. I'll just share a couple of things he shared. He talked about us being committed. Forever. This is a very common topic of his. He told us that he loves the mission so much and the missionaries so much that if a missionary decides that after, or even during his or her mission, that they don't want to live like this anymore, he can't stand it. He gets angry. He said that we can never go back from what we have experienced in the mission. And if we do, shame on us and shame on him. We are COMMITTED FOREVER! This is real life. Capital R capital L. He told us that we don't have the right to abuse our image as missionaries. That's something that stood in my mind for a while. He told us that we are symbols as well as servants. He told us that we are God's investigators. He said that the road to salvation always goes through Gethsemane. He told us that if we don't give him our life during this time and forever, we won't be happy. Not really. And then he said a poem that I really liked. It was something like "He told us to come to the edge. No we said. We'll fall. Come to the edge he said. Again, No we said. We will fall. COME TO THE EDGE. So we came to the edge. He pushed us. And we flew." How interesting is that? I don't know if he has ever shared that before. But I really liked it. He said that the edge doesn't mean we fall. Sometimes we never fly because we never go to the edge of miracles. The edge means up, flight, glory. And when we go to the edge, we stay forever. Incredible. To hear the words of a real living day prophet. Face to face. I will never forget. So those were his thoughts and they caused me to think. A lot. 

And now I'm here in Talavera again. But tomorrow I'm headed to Abancay AGAIN to do divisions with the Hermana Capacitadoras. So I'll be with Hermana Baker tomorrow! Yay! Well that took about all my time. I'm sorry you didn't get my letter until just barely. But I hope this one gets there. And just remember. You can't ever go back. You are committed. If we choose to stay, it's forever. Feel the urgency. To keep going. To honor our temple covenants. To stay on the road to salvation and pass through Gethsemane. it was never Easy for Christ. So who thought it should be easy for us. But we're in it. Forever. Now and forever.

Love you all! Talk to you next week!

Hermana Rust 

#38 Feb 15, 2016

 I was asked to give a talk in the branch about service and callings. I listened to a talk that one of the other Hermana's gave me from Pres Uchtdorf  about being Genuine. It's from the Priesthood session of conference last April and it is sooooo goood!

 But in there he talks about us being genuine in our spirituality. About not showcasing our testimony, even if it is very strong or if you are trying to appear better than you are. He then poses the question "why are you here? why do you serve in the Church?" And he says that we can respond with a number of things. That we are obligated. That we do it to please others. I've added some of my own superficial responses. We are here because we want recognition. We are here to make a name for ourselves.

Right before I read this talk, a less active young man asked me in on of our appointments why I was here in the mission. It was a question I have received many times throughout my mission and I have always responded the same, in a way that I thought was a good answer. I would tell them that I had never thought of going on a mission. That I didn't even want to, but that the lord promised me certain blessings, specifically in my Patriarchal Blessing, if I went of the mission. And so that's why I went. I explain a little more when I tell them and then tell them that I have received the blessings that I expected, but in different ways than I expected. To me this answer was, well cool! And after I would explain, everyone would be impressed and think "Wow what a cool story Hermana Rust has". And that made me happy. So that was the game plan in this same appointment. So I said all that to this kid, and when I ended, I expected the same response. Well that's not what I got. He looked at me and said "It's interesting. Very few of the the missionaries that I asked respond that they are here because they love God." Well if that isn't a slap to the face, I don't know what is. And that's what it felt like. A slap to my spiritual face. I felt foolish. I felt... phony. Here I was, trying to impress with the things I had experience, that somehow I was better than others because I had this great promise, which it is a great promise, I'm not discrediting that, but that I was somehow the "chosen one". But is that why I am obedient? Is that why I serve? Is that a good enough reason. President Uchtdorf tells us that no, these reasons are superficial. That If we have other alternatives, like to impress or to get gain or to receive a specific title, then it's not the reason that we should be serving. We serve because we love God and desire with all our hearts to serve him. And at the end of it all, not to receive any kind of glory. That's why and how we serve. And that's something I've always struggled with. I'm competitive. I want the title of "trainer" or "Hermana Leader". I've wanted to come back from my mission with great stories of physical and spiritual showiness that I can brag to who ever would listen. And I'm a touch disgusted with myself that for a while, that was my motive. To impress my investigators with my vast knowledge of the scriptures. Or the spiritual experiences that I've had to show... I don't even know what. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to help. I'm here to serve. I'm here to teach. And I'm here to learn. I'm here because I love God. Nothing else matters.

 Oh humility. It'll get ya. It's gotten me. I've been cut down to humility and it stings. I don't like it. But I'm grateful for it. I need to be cut down so I can grow taller and stronger. Yeah this is what I have been learning. It's been a topic on my mind a lot lately. And I'm finally learning. Ok I'm going to get off my soap box now! 

This is a weird fruit Sapote. Shortly after I took this picture and cut into it, 4 little worms crawled out. So I can't tell you how it tastes because that would mean I would have eaten worm and I'm not about that life. 

#37 Momma makes the best fried chicken, Wranglers makes the best blue jeans.

So this week I promised you more info about my companion and overall area. So here goes.

My companion is called Hermana Conde. She is from Lima. She is.... Candice Horito. Like she randomly, not all the time, but randomly looks JUST like Candice and she talks JUST LIKE CANDICE! So needless to say, I'm loving her. She's got a couple transfers less in the mission that I do, but she's super cute and she knows the area well for only being here two weeks before I got here. So she's new in Talavera too. And she's just kinda a goof ball. Our Pensionista's first husband was a Japanese man, and our pensionista told us that the way he punished his children was with his fingers all close together and then he would pierce them with his hand and yell "Castigo!". Well Hna Conde just thinks that is hilarious so now she does it to me. All the time. "Castigo!" Also in this respect she reminds me of Candice. But I already love her and we are already great friends and she likes the Best Two Years soundtrack, so we listen to that a lot, but hey I like it. Thus my subject line. We go through alllll of Talavera singing that one line. It's the best! The best two years!!!

So yeah she's my comp and I will send pictures. 

Now about my pensionista. Oh she is a hoot. Her name is Senobia and she's just a fire cracker. We live in her house, which is the cutest little thing ever. And she cooks for us breakfast lunch and dinner. She looooooves to talk! And I like to listen to her. She always says "Imaginate!" Which means "Imagine it!" allllwaaaays. And then she'll stop in the middle of a story to tell us to eat more. But I don't know why she tells me to eat more because immediately after she says that, she tells me that yes, I have lost a ton of weight, but I'm still fat and need to lose 5 kilos more to be skinny. But then she keeps feeding me all the same! So I'm getting mixed signals so Imma gonna just keep eating. She cooks some of the best Peruvian food I've had in my mission, although once she did give us cow lungs and I just couldn't do it. But besides that, all satisfying and edible! 

And now about Andahuaylas. It's gorgeous  here! Absolutely beautiful. When I got off the bus in Cusco  on my way here, I ran into one of my old Zone Leaders and he asked where I was going and I told him Andahuaylas. Well he was born here (In the mission) and he just said "Oh hermana, you are going to the promised land" and now I see why. It's a little town tucked into the mountains and the mountains are just green and full of trees and plants. I just want to go hiking everyday! And with my sector, that's basically what we do. We have a mountain in our sector called Llantuyhuanca where half of the leaders in our ward live so we have to go up there at least once a week and its about an hour hike to the last leader's house on the very top. So hiking is a regular occurrence. It's weird I went from concrete jungle to... actual jungle. I have more bug bites on my legs in this moment than I've had in my entire life, I hope none of them are lethal, and I seem to acquire more everyday. Whooop for scratched and scared legs! Show's I'm actually doing something I guess. And well I'll show fotos of what I can't describe. Because It's just too pretty. 

And now to end. I want to share with you the words that my President shared with me. Last week I expressed to both you and him that I was feeling a little lost in the new branch. A little without hope. It's like I wanted to work and do stuff, but I had noooo idea how. So I expressed to him my doubts. And what he said just really lifted my spirits. I'm just gonna copy and paste

"So… encouragement is what I can provide… You not only can do it, you will do it! The Lord never sent you here to fail. Now, success and failure are very subjective terms, however, this is not your work. It is the Lord's. He's in charge. Every day. In every area of this mission. Therefore, place your faith where it appropriately belongs - in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You need to literally lay it all on the altar and tell the Lord that you can't do this without His help. Once He knows that He will then use you as He wishes to accomplish that which He wants done. I'm certain you are very familiar with the scripture in Ether 12:27. It talks about our weaknesses becoming strengths. However, what many miss in this scripture is that our weaknesses become strengths because of our faith in the Lord and then what HE can do for us. Let me just emphasize a few words in this scripture and I think you'll get the idea: "… for if they humble themselves before ME and have faith in ME then will I make weak things become strong unto them." We can't do it on our own. We never could and we never will. But with our faith firmly placed in the Lord, being humble, willing and teachable, He will make our weaknesses into strengths.

Hermana Rust - you are not alone - never - and especially in the work of the Almighty. As they say in Peru: "sí, se puede"!"

And I realize how true his words are. I especially love how he says It's not my work. It's the Lords. I get so stuck in my own head, thinking about what it is that I can do, what it is that I should do, that I completely forget to ask, "What can HE DO through me?" It's his. Completely his. His work, His Glory. SO trust in the Lord God and lean not unto they own understanding. It's simple really. And when we realize that, it's amazing how much more we can do. So yeah! I am in uncharted territory. I have little knowledge of what it is that I need to do here, but He knows all!! So I'm not alone. There is hope. And yes I can! These words apply to everyone. Everyday, we experience something new, something that maybe we don't know how to manage. But who knows and is soooo willing to help us? Our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. So here goes nothing!

I hope everyone is great, I love to get pictures so keep em coming! Mom thanks for sharing your thoughts and I'll think about BYU. It's honestly the furthest thing from my mind but I realize it's coming up quicker than I expected. So yeah I'll keep ya updated. Love you all and thank you for Prayers! 

Hermana Rust 

That's my comp. She's cute. Last Monday we made the cookies that the young women sent me from the ward. Problem was that we didn't have a oven so we just put them in the microwave... the results are to come.

Results: Giant snickerdoodle bricks. We still ate them all!

This is Nathan. He's 2 and likes the way my arm hair feels. He would hold onto my arm and just rub his face on it.  Probably the only guy in my whole life that will ever find that appealing. 

I was reunited with my dear Hermana Baker! I love her to pieces!

That's Hna Senobia 

One of the hikes we take. 

This is the road we take up the mountain. That's Aracely. She's twelve and comes with us up the mountain because her mom wants her to lose weight lol. 

This is normal. To have a herd of cows on one of the main boulevards 

I picked some pears! The do it with this net thing. I still don't get how it works.

This is the view from a less actives house after a half hour hike. Incredible right?