Escalators

Hola familia!

   THis week has been an amazing week!   First off I have to say

congrats to Sophie!  I knew that you would make it and I know you will

be a great addition to the student body!  Maybe you don´t want to be

my roommate but prepare for lots of time spent together!

Well I realized that I am getting less and less creative with my

letters and for that I am sorry.  I am trying to think of some really

good things to tell you.  And I thought of something really funny.

Sometimes we spend quite a bit of time in the airport, picking or

dropping off Hermanas.  Not only from the mission but future hermanas

and Hermanas that are returning.   You have to understand that even

though Cusco is very developed there are still people from the “campo”

like they still live in little houses without running water and things

like that.  There are actually quite a bit of little towns outside of

cusco that are like pueblos.  Anyways once in a while at the airport I

have the great pleasure of witnessing people´s first encounter with

modern technology.    My favorite piece of technology is the

escalator.   The airport has one escalator that only takes you up

stairs and as you imagine it can confuse many people.  Think “Elf” but

with a mix of peru.  My favorite experience that I have had so far is

when I really elderly Peruvian lady,  they are called Panais

(quechwa), approached the escalator.  She took one step on, then

turned around and sat down.  She rode the whole way up sitting down.

When she got close to the top she turned around and with all the

energy in her tiny little body (she had to be like 4 feet  tall)  she

jumped the gap at the top.  When I saw this I could hardly contain my

laughter.  Ah man.  If you ever want to people watch I am convinced

that the Airport in Peru Cusco is the perfect place.

And something spiritual J  about four weeks ago we found a less active

in the ward directory and I felt like we needed to look for her.  We

have been looking every day since.  We always knocked on her door and

always during different times but we never found her. It was a little

frustrating.  Her sister told us that she had an accident and she was

recovering.  Last August she was in a car crash and was seriously

injured.  She has lots of pins in her legs and now after 6 months is

just starting to walk again.  We always found her sister and not her.

One night her sister suggested that we write down our number and she

will give it to Jenny to have her call us.   I was a little hesitant

because this usually means that its over.  They won´t ever call you

and when you stop by they will have the excuse that she will call you.

Anyway I had no choice but to hand our number over and we left.

About ten minutes later I receive a call from Jenny and she said we

could visit with her the next day. The next morning we went and we had

a wonderful visit with her.   Wow, the spirit was so strong and she

shared her testimony and desire to come back to Church.  She talked

about how she had been converted and the missionaries and why she

left.  I truly believe that we were supposed to find her and it was

supposed to be 4 weeks later.  The whole time that we were talking and

teaching her, I felt the strong impression that God loved Jenny and

that the only reason we found her is because God allowed us to find

her.    It is a very sacred thing to feel as if you were the Lords

Hands.  And that’s how I felt.  We left that appointment and I was

walking on cloud nine.  I felt so much love for her and my testimony

was strengthened.  I know that God loves us.   Even when we remove

ourselves from his presence, when we stop reading or praying, or when

we fail to keep all our covenants, He is still with us.   And as we

draw closer to Him, He allows us to feel this love for His children.

He allows us to see miracles and be his hands.  It is an amazing

thing.  I know that He is a God of Miracles and that these miracles

have not nor will ever cease.   I love you guys so much.  Thanks for

the support and the love.  It means the world.  I honestly don´t miss

home at all and I wish I had another 6 months. J  But I know that the

Lord will continue to use me in this great work.  J

Love you guys with all my heart and more than tongue can tell,

Hermana Russell

The Peru Cusco Missionaries