heeeeelllllllllllloooooooooooooo

MONDAY: We have just about the sweetest owners. They’re hard core Catholics, but they love us. So they invited us for lunch and she taught us how to make arroz con pollo. (Side note: arroz con pollo is VERY different from pollo con arroz). It was a lovely afternoon.

TUESDAY: We found A.! And it was a miracle! All of our prayers were answered! And she still wanted to be baptized! Ahh! We were so happy.

One thing I love is listening to new investigators pray. I feel like often times we fall into a rhythm of prayer. We say things out of habit without even really thinking. But these investigators pray like Heavenly Father is right there with them. I can’t describe it, but it’s beautiful. I love how I’m always learning so much from the investigators.

WEDNESDAY: So my memory is starting to fade. I’m sorry I can’t remember anything any more.

We met with this less active man and his nonmember wife. He loves to have the missionaries visit because he tries to read the scriptures but says he doesn’t understand them. So he writes questions in a notebook, which he couldn’t find. (He’s in his 70’s or so?). So we just started reading in Moses.

Yeah, I haven’t even read Moses in English. So that was fun. J

But at the end he gave a prayer, he was worried because he said he wasn’t very good at it. And in the first three words he starts crying. It was a beautiful prayer. It’s amazing what happens when you just speak from your heart.

Then we met J. Wow. He’s about 50, lives alone with his two parakeets. He wanted us to help him open his heart so he could get closer to God. He was so excited. Ugh. I wish you all could have seen it. Moments like that make it all worth it.

My testimony of prayer has been strengthened so much. For some reason, I still find this mission life hard. So pretty much every spare moment is spent on my knees. And Heavenly Father lifts me up in miraculous ways, like J.

Also in zone meeting, I wasn’t the newest, so that feels good! I’m making progress folks! Also we found a dead pigeon in our stair well. Talk about exciting!

THURSDAY: It’s amazing how many people wear t-shirts in English. And funny how few of them make sense. Like “Be happy. It is always feel pretty!” I love it. Perhaps I’ll keep a journal of them.

Today I ate lamb and cried all the while. If animals will be resurrected, that’s gonna be pretty awkward. . .

FRIDAY: Noteworthy events. Had a lesson with J. He is so incredible. We taught the plan of salvation. When we asked if he had questions at the end, he said no, but when I learn something so life changing, I just want to share it with my family. Insert my face emoji here. He is like a dream come true for a missionary. Although of course his family lives outside our zone. Insert corresponding emoji here * Do people still even use emojiis? How long have I been gone? Anyways, you’re welcome elders.

Also, I’ve become a Rubik’s cube missionary. I had to buy one to deal with some stress that comes for some reason. . . . So, if I get hit by a car, you’ll know why. Feel free to take bets on how long it’ll take me to get bored and give up. I give it a week.

We had a FHE/birthday celebration for Hermana Barrera. And I didn’t even want to eat the birthday cake! Do you believe it?

SATURDAY: Finally, the day you and I have all been waiting for! Drum roll please! A. FUE BAUTIZADO! Yahoo!

Wow! They always say your first baptism is special, but there just aren’t words. During the first talk when she’s bawling. And the hugs before she went into the water, watching her come out of the water. HER TESTIMONY she just kept saying how happy she felt, how grateful she is and how she knows that she’s been forgiven and just it was so beautiful. I wish you could have all been there to experience it with me.

In other exciting news! A boy named his parakeet Hermana Anderson. I do feel quite honored. Yes.

And we got to listen to the General Women’s meeting. But like everything else in this town seems to be, it was in Spanish. Spanish President Uchtdorf does not have a German accent, if you were wondering.

SUNDAY: All of the days are really starting to blur together.

I know there is something I want to remember, but I can’t. Perhaps if you ask me in 18.

I never thought that I would to go out to eat at a restaurant on a Sunday, let alone as a missionary. I’m not really sure how I found myself in that situation, or why everyone thinks it’s okay. It still counts even if you pay for it the day before. Ugh. Yeah not okay. I won’t tell you it happened twice that day.

Then we went to this house and everyone was asking me if I had tried Ajinomen. And I was like, no? Oh you have to try it, it’s tan rico, blah blah blah, I was like all right, sure, perhaps one day. But no, of course, 15 minutes later, here comes a ginormous bowl of Ajinomen. Do you know what Ajinomen is? Ramen freaking noodles. Literally. I wish I had known. To all my poor college student friends, lime is quite good with your ramen. #lessonslearnedinLima.

This week in numbers:

Number of inappropriate phone calls answered during church meetings: 14.

Number of machu pichus of rice consumed: 11

Record number of dinners eaten in one day. 5—I KID YOU NOT.

Number of kilos gained: at least 7.

Number of hairs lost: 532.

Number of times tripping in the street: 36.

Number of days of happiness: 7!

IT’S been a great week!

Full of miracles. Our prayers have been answered in incredible ways and with every trial my testimony is strengthened and my conversion made sure.

The gospel is true folks, AND I LOVE IT! I wish I could share it with everyone, but San Miguel will suffice for now! I love you all and Jesus loves you more.

I miss you.

Love, Hermana Anderson

Oh! And also, I answered the phone and someone thought it was Hna Roca. Take that Spanish! I guess my Hola is real authentic.