Update from Abancay

Hola familia!!

How is everyone? It was a great week this week!

Responses, Strikes like the one we had don´t happen very often, but

sometimes the schools will go on strikes and the kids will have to

stay home.  We can still leave and work normal.  Usually abancay is

tranquilo during strikes but when other people from other towns come

over that’s when it gets crazy.

Carolina is doing great!  She has a lot of questions and she´s

starting her family History.  She has become like a sister to me.  I

feel like I have known her forever.  Recently we also rescued a girl

named Jeny.  She was inactive but now she is active.  She is amazing

and I love teaching her.  She´s working on gaining a testimony but I

know that she already has one.

Oh and Hannah, I am staying real happy and good. Life is seriously

wonderful! I live in Peru and get to visit tons of people every day.

My life´s the best, I love it (Nacho LIbre reference).

Spanish skills are definitely increasing.  Its becoming way more

natural to speak Spanish. Hermana campoverde is really patient and she

is so nice when she corrects me. She´s the best for correcting me!

Sometime it is hard for me to speak English and usually when I am

talking to the Sandbergs or other north Americans I just speak in

Spanish.  It´s easier for me and then I don´t have to translate for

my compi afterwards.  I love Spanish!

Oh and Mom I see all the pictures and I love them!! Keep them coming!!

 I have such a cute family!   Oh and

snakes, buenooo. We went on a hike last Pday and ended up walking past

a really venomous snake.  We didn´t see it till later but a member we

were with about went crazy.  I guess as a missionary you have a little

more protection.

Dad to answer your question about tribes in Peru, Hermana Rene tells

us a lot of stories about tribes like this.  They don´t wear any

clothes and they have never seen the out side world.  And apparently

if you get to close to their town they just shoot you with their bow

and arrow.  No one has apparently gone to the town and lived…. But

then I always wonder.. well how do they know this?

Well I don´t know if this is a ungoogable fact or not but this week I

found out that the head of rene´s grandma is in our house in a box.

Apparently it’s really common to rob graves here so people avoid this

problem by just keeping their grandma´s bones in their house….. I kind

of want to see it, but this week they are putting it back with the

body.  I so wish this was a worthy proselytizing activity…haha JK!

Well last P day was awesome!  We went up to this really really high

mountain and the view was gorgeous.  We drove up in a taxi with us

five (the Hermana LIders and their pension) and two older women who

only spoke Quechwa.   We were squished in this car and we listened to

this really really  quechewa sounding music on the way up.  It was a

once in a lifetime experience and the moment when I was like  ´My

family has to see this!!´   Anyways we went up to this giant mountain

took some pictures, and then Hermana Chipunavi got attacked by a goat.

  It was charging at her and the rest of us could not stop laughing!

Oh my it was hilarious!  Hermana Hunter has a video that is the best!

Then we walked down by foot and it took us about 2 hours!  WE were so

exhausted and a little late to District Meeting!  But it was worth it!

The view was amazing!

This week I also had Hermana Hunter has my companion for a day!  She

is such a great missionary and I learned so much from her! It was fun

to have English back for a day and we also had a really cool lesson

with a old investigator that we found in our area book.  We found her

and her boyfriend in her house and we just taught them a little about

the Gospel.  Kevin her boyfriend was so excited and had so many great

questions!  It was a really cool lesson and his enthusiasm made me

excited!  Anyways  I just love intercambios because you learn so much!

Hermana Campoverde continues to be awesome! I love her to death! She´s

hilarious loves the work.  One day this week we ate so much from some

reason and couldn´t eat dinner because we were so full.  WE decided to

do some yoga and it turned into a really hilarious time.  She´s the

best and we are already planning my trip to Ecuador.  Did I mention

she is a ballerina?  That´s what she is studying.  Recently we have

become obsessed with a bakery near the church.  We always stop by and

buy something different.   Then we walk back up to our house which

burns off all the calories….I just adore her!

This week was really good!  We continue to find new investigators and

we are trying to contact and talk to as many people as we can.  It can

be exhausting sometimes, especially when they family you just

contacted walks away and drops the cards you gave them….But it can be

so worth it to.   This week I studied a lot more about Grace and The

hermana leaders shared this thought with us about the Savior feeding

the five thousand.  There are a lot of ways to apply this miracle but

one of the ways I liked was that like the disciples we give ALL we

have and the Savior will multiply it and he will help us feed the five

thousand.  Grace is essential in missionary work.   I depend on the

Savior´s grace to help me strengthen my weaknesses and I pray that I

can be a tool in His hands.   I also read an article in the Liahona

about the difference between sins and weaknesses.   We don´t need to

repent for our weaknesses we need to humble ourselves and have Faith

that Christ will make up the difference when we fall short.   It´s

something you really learn on your mission because for me my

weaknesses are more apparent out here than ever.  And I need to rely

on His grace to help me do this work.

Well I just love you all!  Thanks for all the support!!.

Love, Hermana Russell