6.1 Just a small town giiiiirl

Livin in an arequipa wooooorld. (Bro its so big. Like what) I miss tacna I feel like a very small pez in a very grande mar. But HEYYYY here I am, missing my Tacnanians but also livin it up up here.  I promise the words in this email aren't a lot its just the flicks. 

Where to start. First of all HIII im a mom (when you get a brand new baby missionary as a comp they say you're a mom lol). Hermana de Hoyos is so cute and not Latina. She's from Alabama and it's been fun to get to watch her begin to open up. It's weird because I literally feel like I just got out of training idk. It's been absolutely wild to have to train a mew missionary at the same time as figuring out where the heck we are and who are the members and where everyone lives and if we're even still in our area. I do a little snoopy happy dance every time I figure out where we are without looking at the map (I guess I'm not as bad at directions as I thought)

Happiest part of transfers is I got to see the love of my life hermana Barnard and we got to be in her area together for the night it was. So. Fun. Praying one day President will get the memo and make us comps. We had yum ice cream, knocked and walked and talked and got to catch up after 6 months. #barnyimissyou#friedrice

Speaking of things I miss. Stanley. Holy moly it was such a blessing to get to be companions again. Last transfer was literally as we called it "the dream transfer". I'm not kidding guys me and Hermana stanley were a power duo. Heart hurts to not see her but itsokaaaay

Also did you know sharks could write essays? Cuz I sure didn't, especially ones they had written on their phones before hand. 

shout out to elder musgrave and shout out to my bag being prepared with a tampon. 

It was so unreal to have to say goodbye to the people I love and adore. They're my family and it hurt so bad to have to say goodbye but I know they're being taken care of. I can't wait for when Marco gets baptized "mas adelante". And ugh I just care so so much about them and I can't.  Erikkaaaa mi amor es en este foto conmigo.

I just feel like being a missionary in this ward was like a happy dream land. Every day i would wake up and just be happy to get to hang out with my favorite people and talk about my favoritist person who is jesus. 

We had the most fun noche de hogar my last night. An insane mix of new converts, members, and 3 friends who are learning. Im not kidding parachico is a powerhouse right now. UGH. I really felt like I was just part of this big happy family in parachico. So selfless and just happy to love and serve. 

in my house now we have literally out pension as neighbors which is so nice. We eat just lunch there, with her husband and 3 kids ashley amulek y jacob. Its rhe best, feels like a family. We have the most INCREDIBLE view of Misti. whenever and wherever we walk. It makes me so very joyous to see. 

Pov this is my view from my desk. I was studying not just daydreaming I promise. 

There's a recent convert here and she's literally one of my favorite people on planet earth. She's like a Latina dolly Parton and she's 70 years old and she calls me "mi amor" and thinks we're the cutest things ever. Love her rosalia4life 

We knocked for ever this week. And people just started showing up. I have a strong testimony that God puts people in our paths if we SHOW him we want it. It doesn't matter how badly we want it unless we TRY (even if the act of trying doesn't give us the results we want) we will see miracles. 

I love my savior. Been thinking about how Christ when he came to earth and how He didn't know who he was. He passed through the veil too, but He had to learn just like us, who He could become. He would become the Savior of the World. And we have a potencial infinito también. He loves us so incredible much that he was an example. 

And He continúes to love us, giving us profets to help and guide us. I love rereading president Nelson's talk "pensar en la manera Celestial", I quoted it today in my Lil talk that our bishop asked us to share (he's so sp good btw) but one part I love is when prez nelson (whos gonna turn 100 soon) said "I have learned that Heavenly Father’s plan for us is fabulous, that what we do in this life really matters, and that the Savior’s Atonement is what makes our Father’s plan possible." 

It really MATTERS. the choices we make now help us to learn and love and grow and become more like Christ. 

Thanks for your prayers. Keep em coming, its the most tired I've been on my mission, training and opening an area is something that I def don't think I'm capable of but I guess God sees something lol. 

I love you all so very muchly

Hermana Barker del ESTADO Washington