Sister Emma Rose Barker (2023-2025)

^^our pensionista (my cute peru mom who makes me dinner) is getting married, and her fiancé is allergic to dogs and cats and so she got rid of her fatty pit bull and cat. I miss them. Also, as of this week we aren't allowed to have meals with members anymore:((( because too many weak stomached Gringos are ill. So that is mega sad but they are allowed to feed us "snacks" so don't worry I've still been munching some delish comida. I'm convinced God makes time make no sense for missionaries..because I swear last pday was yesterday and also at the same time a million years ago. What day is it even? Send help please I wrote that the date was 2023 on the board in English class :[] There were some epic moments this week and also v hard ones. We're teaching a new friend named Marian and she just RADIATES with joy. She's been going to institute with her friend and just started meeting with us this week. She has so many questions and truly wants to know God. I...

I had to pay to go to the bathroom today. It made me miss road trips for some reason-I really enjoy rest stops because they are FREE. Well here we are one week in! My Spanish is...it's Spanish. (Hopefully) I had some moments this week that were huge confidence boosters and others that wrecked it so fast. Yesterday we had almuerzo (lunch...BTW my mother forwards my email out so she's the one who puts the translations in for all you people too lazy to use translate:) and the dad was QUIZZING me on my life and basically asking why I don't have my life perfectly planned out. I was like, "Uh PROLLY CUZ I'M 19." HE couldn't understand my Spanish at all.But to be fair I couldn't understand him either. So me and him need to work on our communication. This city already feels a little like home, especially at the dusk time. It's so pretty and perfect temperature. One night this week we went to Plaza de la Bandera to wait for a lesson and they had a little pa...

I'm writing this email in my casa en PERU!!! LOCO. I still can't really believe I'm here haha!  I don't have much to say, but we have a great ffa program lined up. *name that film* But seriously my mind is un poco fried and so it's difícil to even remember what happened since a week ago I was in Ohio.  But to start I need to tell you how gringo i feel. I want to speak Spanish so BAD with the ward and especially my cutie compañera hma Bautista. Ella es de la Republica Dominicana!!!! My heart!!! She's so fun and cool and walks into traffic like it's nothing. And I am oblivious to traffic, am a head taller than everyone, and stand around like a dunce when someone asks me a question. I totally understand what people are saying until they ask me something simple like where are you from and all of a sudden I have yogurt for brains (which you drink here BTW. I've been doing that forever tho since I always forgot spoons for my lunch) Hence the first reason I dis...

Hello from the Peru Arequipa Mission. I wanted to let you know that all of our missionaries arrived safely this afternoon. They are busy meeting President and Sister Chipman, along with the office staff and the Assistants. I'm sure if they haven't reach out to you yet, they will sometime today or tomorrow. But know that they have arrived and we are so happy to have them here in our mission. Thank you for sharing them with us! May you be blessed as your missionary serves in the Peru Arequipa Mission.

This week was a tornado. Figuratively and literally. We had un tornado. I think. I say I think because the alarms I guess went off but we were sleeping. But in the morning the roof of the complex next door was gone and there were several trees contorted in strange shapes. So probably it was a tornado unless the neighbors by their own brute force moved their trampoline in the middle of the road. Which would be fun, de hecho, to just saltar during your drive home. Petitioning local governments to mandate trampoline rest stops in all roads.  Ohio I guess is probably throwing a tantrum because it's gonna miss me so much jajaja. (La verdad es I'm gonna throw a mini tantrum...I've grown to love this place and it's people:) but I'll be on a plane on Thursday to continúe the work...just on thr other side of the equator :))  We had a full week with lots of little miracles, friends coming to church and learning and growing so much.  I had a full octopus for dinner last week a...