Hola Familia!
It’s been a great week here in Abancay. It is surprisingly really
hard to get back into missionary work after not doing it while we
finished our room. But a new change just started and we are super
excited for it! Hermana Holland is the best and we have a great
friendship! Have I mentioned that she is a dancer? Yeah She’s pretty
great!
I have a lot of responses, and they are a little scattered so bare
with me. First, I loved the Smith and Edward stories! That store is
the Bomb!! I would like to take Shelby there, so Sophie you should
take Shelby! Shelby I know that you would love it.
Dad: No yellow underwear was given out or received, but an Elder
did dress up in all yellow on New Year’s Day because it represents
prosperity. That day he found 200 soles in the street… so I guess it
worked.
Grace: They celebrate all their holidays here with lots of
fireworks and huge all-day parties. It’s kind of dangerous for us
Gringas. News year eve my companion tried to wake me up at midnight.
I guess there was really cool fireworks all over the city, but I was
sound asleep.
Shelby: I got your package!! Thank you so much! It made me laugh
and I was inspired by your note! You are the best
I also received Christmas Cards from Mike and Melise and Spencer and
Morgan Ann! Thank you guys! I loved the pictures and felt lots of
love. I also got a Christmas card from the Stake Presidency, so Dad
will you let them know I say Gracias!
This week was really hard! We had a lot of appointments fall through
and sometimes felt like we spent the day just walking from one hill to
another, but we also had a lot of fun as always. Last P day we made
Oreo truffles for fun! They turned out really good besides one minor
detail. We bought the wrong dipping chocolate… It was so gross, but
Hermana Rene saved the day and decided we would roll them in powder
sugar. They looked a lot better that way, and they were so good! Her
kids loved them, but it was an expensive treat so we will see if we
make them again!
President/Elder Sandberg’s Birthday was this week. Hermana Rene is
the Relief Society President so she made him a cake and we just
happened to be home when they were going to surprise him. The
Sandberg’s were visiting Renes Brother who lives next door, but their
houses are connected, so Hermana Rene and we are carrying this huge
cake made out of jello. Very wobbly! Anyways, we are standing
outside this door and Hermana Rene just starts laughing, and I of
course couldn’t not laugh, but it was the hush laughing you know…
hahaha anyways, I don’t know what was funny but Hermana Rene just
cracked me up! She is a very serious person, but when she laughs,
which she does a lot with us, We just laugh and laugh!! J We have to
watch the clock at dinner or we would never get to bed! Also their
dog Shadow, the one that followed us, he bit a duck and now he is
being sent to the Chacra! This is like the farm! He thinks the ducks
are stuffed animals!
My favorite thing we did this week was an activity with the Mujeres
Jovenes, Young women!! It felt like home! But we taught them how to
make popcorn balls!! Crazy huh? It took me till I was in Peru to make
these, but it brought back a lot of memories of orange popcorn balls
and my Grandma Russell. They turned out really well, and it was a
tender mercy to reflect a little on Grandma Russell. It made me
excited for the work, because I know she is a great missionary now!
She really loved service and I hope I can channel that love! We also
taught them Ballet!! Hermana Holland loves ballet, and the girls were
so eager to learn! It was super fun to dance again! The young women
are really great here, and Yanth came and our investigator Carolina!
Pictures are included!
Alright now time for Ungoogleable facts about Peru! Or UFP:
1. It is custom, and this may be googleable, but Everyone says Hi
to everyone and also good bye! It’s custom to kiss on the cheek when
you meet someone. This morning Sebastian came down for breakfast and
didn’t say hi to us, so Rene made him go back upstairs and come back
down and greet everyone. Sebastian left and went all the way upstairs
and then came down and said BUENOS DIAS HERMANAS! It was hilarious but
I think it’s a really polite and cool part of the cultural. At church
you literally have to greet everyone! I like that too!
2. Did I mention along with the shower curtain there is no toilet
seat. Honestly after a week of not having one, I can honestly say you
don’t need one and also less to clean right??
3. Everyone here sweeps waters. You do not wipe it up, you sweep
It’s been a great week here in Abancay. It is surprisingly really
hard to get back into missionary work after not doing it while we
finished our room. But a new change just started and we are super
excited for it! Hermana Holland is the best and we have a great
friendship! Have I mentioned that she is a dancer? Yeah She’s pretty
great!
I have a lot of responses, and they are a little scattered so bare
with me. First, I loved the Smith and Edward stories! That store is
the Bomb!! I would like to take Shelby there, so Sophie you should
take Shelby! Shelby I know that you would love it.
Dad: No yellow underwear was given out or received, but an Elder
did dress up in all yellow on New Year’s Day because it represents
prosperity. That day he found 200 soles in the street… so I guess it
worked.
Grace: They celebrate all their holidays here with lots of
fireworks and huge all-day parties. It’s kind of dangerous for us
Gringas. News year eve my companion tried to wake me up at midnight.
I guess there was really cool fireworks all over the city, but I was
sound asleep.
Shelby: I got your package!! Thank you so much! It made me laugh
and I was inspired by your note! You are the best
I also received Christmas Cards from Mike and Melise and Spencer and
Morgan Ann! Thank you guys! I loved the pictures and felt lots of
love. I also got a Christmas card from the Stake Presidency, so Dad
will you let them know I say Gracias!
This week was really hard! We had a lot of appointments fall through
and sometimes felt like we spent the day just walking from one hill to
another, but we also had a lot of fun as always. Last P day we made
Oreo truffles for fun! They turned out really good besides one minor
detail. We bought the wrong dipping chocolate… It was so gross, but
Hermana Rene saved the day and decided we would roll them in powder
sugar. They looked a lot better that way, and they were so good! Her
kids loved them, but it was an expensive treat so we will see if we
make them again!
President/Elder Sandberg’s Birthday was this week. Hermana Rene is
the Relief Society President so she made him a cake and we just
happened to be home when they were going to surprise him. The
Sandberg’s were visiting Renes Brother who lives next door, but their
houses are connected, so Hermana Rene and we are carrying this huge
cake made out of jello. Very wobbly! Anyways, we are standing
outside this door and Hermana Rene just starts laughing, and I of
course couldn’t not laugh, but it was the hush laughing you know…
hahaha anyways, I don’t know what was funny but Hermana Rene just
cracked me up! She is a very serious person, but when she laughs,
which she does a lot with us, We just laugh and laugh!! J We have to
watch the clock at dinner or we would never get to bed! Also their
dog Shadow, the one that followed us, he bit a duck and now he is
being sent to the Chacra! This is like the farm! He thinks the ducks
are stuffed animals!
My favorite thing we did this week was an activity with the Mujeres
Jovenes, Young women!! It felt like home! But we taught them how to
make popcorn balls!! Crazy huh? It took me till I was in Peru to make
these, but it brought back a lot of memories of orange popcorn balls
and my Grandma Russell. They turned out really well, and it was a
tender mercy to reflect a little on Grandma Russell. It made me
excited for the work, because I know she is a great missionary now!
She really loved service and I hope I can channel that love! We also
taught them Ballet!! Hermana Holland loves ballet, and the girls were
so eager to learn! It was super fun to dance again! The young women
are really great here, and Yanth came and our investigator Carolina!
Pictures are included!
Alright now time for Ungoogleable facts about Peru! Or UFP:
1. It is custom, and this may be googleable, but Everyone says Hi
to everyone and also good bye! It’s custom to kiss on the cheek when
you meet someone. This morning Sebastian came down for breakfast and
didn’t say hi to us, so Rene made him go back upstairs and come back
down and greet everyone. Sebastian left and went all the way upstairs
and then came down and said BUENOS DIAS HERMANAS! It was hilarious but
I think it’s a really polite and cool part of the cultural. At church
you literally have to greet everyone! I like that too!
2. Did I mention along with the shower curtain there is no toilet
seat. Honestly after a week of not having one, I can honestly say you
don’t need one and also less to clean right??
3. Everyone here sweeps waters. You do not wipe it up, you sweep
it out of your house and you spread it around. It’s
much faster!
4. And fourth, for some reason there are giant holes in the
ground, right in the middle of the sidewalk. You always have to look
down! A girl really messed up her knee falling into one. I don’t know
why they don’t feel them in. They literally have a unlimited supply
of cement here.
Well that’s all folks! I will for sure have some more for next time! I
love Abancay! We are literally in a tropical area! We were walking
through some fields the other day trying to find a house and we walked
past a avocado tree! Um.. Its heaven here! The best!
I hope everyone is reading their books of Mormon! I have really
loved it and have found the greatest gems just in the first 20 pages!
Hermana Holland and I are going to make a Nephi quote wall because he
says the best one liners!
I also found a scripture that I absolutely loved this week. In
Mosiah 4: 9-10, King Benjamin is just the coolest and I love this
scripture because it really demonstrates how faith is an action word.
And after we believe all these things we need to DO THEM! That is key,
faith without works is really really dead. J So this week I have been
working on showing my faith and going beyond just believing but doing.
I think that’s one of my favorite scriptures.
Well It’s true I have the best family! Thanks for your hilarious
stories and making me laugh! I am loving it out here so don’t worry
about me! And I promise with all the play this week we have been
working really hard. Missionary work is the best!
Con amor,
Hermana Russell
4. And fourth, for some reason there are giant holes in the
ground, right in the middle of the sidewalk. You always have to look
down! A girl really messed up her knee falling into one. I don’t know
why they don’t feel them in. They literally have a unlimited supply
of cement here.
Well that’s all folks! I will for sure have some more for next time! I
love Abancay! We are literally in a tropical area! We were walking
through some fields the other day trying to find a house and we walked
past a avocado tree! Um.. Its heaven here! The best!
I hope everyone is reading their books of Mormon! I have really
loved it and have found the greatest gems just in the first 20 pages!
Hermana Holland and I are going to make a Nephi quote wall because he
says the best one liners!
I also found a scripture that I absolutely loved this week. In
Mosiah 4: 9-10, King Benjamin is just the coolest and I love this
scripture because it really demonstrates how faith is an action word.
And after we believe all these things we need to DO THEM! That is key,
faith without works is really really dead. J So this week I have been
working on showing my faith and going beyond just believing but doing.
I think that’s one of my favorite scriptures.
Well It’s true I have the best family! Thanks for your hilarious
stories and making me laugh! I am loving it out here so don’t worry
about me! And I promise with all the play this week we have been
working really hard. Missionary work is the best!
Con amor,
Hermana Russell
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