Okay picture this. This family reached out to a member in our ward because they're convinced an evil spirit lives in their house and also maybe their daughter has one too? So we're sitting on this cute family's couch and everything is normal and she's sharing how no one lives on the floor above them and sometimes they hear noises. So then we move along with the lesson, we're talking about the power of prayer and how we can find peace and all of a sudden she goes "ESCUCHE. do you hear that?" Qnd from up above there's all this clatter. Like someone walking around, a chair scraping the ground, a bed creaking...my heart def skipped a few beats bcuz um WHAT. it felt like haunted mansion or something...BUT GHOSTS ARENT REAL!...right??? People in Peru have so much lore. We were talking with our pensionistas daughter (who is basically our Peru bestie) and she was telling us all about duendes (elves. That Rob you. And have been known to steal children. And she's seen one.) So I'm really not sure at this point what I believe...but if I don't send an email next week it's because a duende stole me. Or maybe the upstairs ghost.)
All haunts aside, had a fuego week. It was HARD believe me, literally every day is a lucha trying to stay positive abt my Spanish (especially when dumb teenage boys tell me they can't understand a word I'm saying (rip)) but being gringa is literally who I am so I'm trying to just struggle through it and appreciate the learning. But I am quite impatient and would prefer to be completely fluent asap so if anyone knows of a Spanish-fluency pill I can take...hmu.
Allison got baptized. When I tell you it's a miracle...it's a miracle. A few months ago, this girl was on the brink of suicide. And now, she's our wards newest member, preparing to go to the temple, and teaching her daughters the importance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her cute 9yr old yesterday goes "We can never ever miss church!" And allison asked her, "well what happens if we have stuff we have to do?" And Vale goes "I don't care! I'll call the missionaries and they'll take me!" Wise wise thought Vale, and she's so right. If it's been a while since your last time at church, I invite you to go this week:) and if you don't have a congregation or a church family to call your own, call up a missionary and they'll be there to sit next to you:)) I promise.
Aside from the baptism and ghosts nothing too crazy went down. We've been grinding the finding and teaching and hit all our goals this week (except for getting new members to church...but that's just cuz Mafer was sick and the little kids who are baptized recently don't have parents supporting them. So basically I think we're good to say all of our goals were hit.
MARIAN DECIDED SHE WANTS TO GET BAPPTIZEDDDD may 18. Legit walked out of the chapel on Sunday and she goes si. 18 de Mayo. And I snoopy happy danced like nobody's business.
We had picarron last night, it's basically fried dough circles with maple syrup. I'm not kidding when I say it's literally impossible to eat healthy here. I don't know what I'm going to do to stop this carb madness buuuut for now I'm just gonna be content that my face is a circle and remember that I'm eating delicious foods and i could have the trial of eating fish skins or something gnarly like that.
Had some normal person moments this week..we played volleyball with the ward and also JAS (young single adults) had a BBQ at our pension so we got to go bcuz um we have to eat there and also had a chat with Martin. He's so wishy washy about baptism but he's literally just a miembro seco at this point. Con fe, may 9 is his day.
Knocked a bunch of doors this week. One day we walked the very border of our area and heard one of the colegios practicing...gave vibes of the good ol days, running cross country out on the CV fields while band is jamming.
Anyways. Good week. Miss you all. But Jesus is pretty awesome, and that's why I'm still here:) got the chance this week to share my WHY this week..why I'm in Peru, not partying it up at school, or hanging out with my family or traveling or dating boys. Why I'm in Peru missing henrys birthday, and Toby's track meet, and not being able to celebrate maxs win as asb prez. And these things are important and i love them. But when Mercedes(ghost girl) asked I didn't even have to think to be honest. "I'm here because the gospel has changed my life. My family is built on this principles of love and the knowledge that we're going to be together forever. So we live that way. We live like a family that's eternal. And I love Jesus. He's my best friend and I want others to know that He's their best friend too."
So like my leadership teacher Donley always says, whats your why? Cuz mine is Him.
Have a bonita semana. Much love from this ghosthunting, duendeconquering hermana,
xoxo hermana barker
Flicks: baptism, más baptism, jorge our security guard KING I literally love him he cam to church on Sunday on his little pink moped...icon. a beautiful mural, volleyball, some crafty art I made for allison, FHE when we made Venezolana arepas, MARIAN and found put she and hermana pilar are cousins ha!, a mega family home evening with the entire Herrera clan from like 6 wards, me cheffing up some burgers and pouting cuz I was sick of spanizh, the grind actively knocking doors lol
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