THIS IS THE MISSION PEOPLE

Look Mom - I know how to hand wash clothes!!

  Hey Guys! 

How is everyone doing? I hope well. I am doing fabulous! Our recent convert Carola has a son named Luca. He is 8 years old. With all that has happened in his life he resents God a little. But poco a poco he is changing. We are teaching him and he has a baptismal date for the next week! It is a miracle. He is probably the hardest boy ever and we really have to be creative to teach him. I love teaching kids So we are hoping for 2 baptisms Feb 14 Stephy and Luca. Mom you asked me if I am teaching. Yes I am teaching a billion people there is no time or space to write about everyone one of them. The Peruvians let ya right in! But then they tell you they are Catholic and aren't gonna change. I always say "We will see about that." We found a new family. A rock awesome family. The first time we contacted them the husband asked us where and when is our church and then told us his family will go to church the next day. And they did! The last 30 minutes they showed up at church! I was so happy. Weird the things that make me happy in life. 

We don't have enough time or days to find all the references we have our schedule is always jam packed and as you can imagine we return each night darn tired. But that is the best part. Having your shoes filled with sand every night when you get back. Your neck sunburned. Your hair frizzy because of the sweat. THIS IS THE MISSION PEOPLE. And I couldn't be happier to be here! 

Oh and guess what we reactivated someone this week! The son of my pencionista. To reactivate someone it is a process of at least a month usually longer. We have been working with him since I got here. 

We also through a surprise birthday party our last p-day for Hermana Carola our recent convert! She had never had a party and was quite touched. I don't have pics....but it was a fiesta! We didn't do anything against the rules don't worry. I just ate my cake and pizza. 

Well not everything is jolly in the mission. Like yesterday when we got to church and only 30 people showed up......ouch. That kind of hurt. There were people visiting from the stake and they pretty much told us missionaries that we don't work. Because in their ward the missionaries work harder, there aren't enough seats for everyone in her ward. She called us fat. Hahahahahahaha. It's okay. Someone has got to say it! But WE DO WORK. We work hard.This Sister doesn't know, so I forgive her. We just laughed it off. 

This time of the year it is summer break. The ninos here go crazy with their water balloons and water guns. We have to watch out. It is called "carnivals" and all the kids through water balloons. I was riding calmy in the bumpy moto when a little nino ran up behind me and their water all down my back. "Que Rico!" It was delicious. If I can't swim I can get water thrown down my back. 

Yesterday was my comps birthday! Our pencionista had us over for dinner like always. For a delicious tomale, chicken, popcorn, cookies, and cake.MMMmmmm. 

I tried to be a good comp and make my sister a banner for her bday. I woke up early and attempted to blow up these balloons in the bathroom. Hna Justiniano totally heard me and I dropped the banner a billion times and tried to tape the balloons. 

We also had room inspections.Man I really don't like them. We were up all night trying to clean our room for the President. They are too hard on us. We must have cleaned well because they gave us candy. 

Well I love my life. I love you all. And miss you all. I pray for you daily!!!!!!!!!! 

xoxo Hermana Stringham

PS We made No Bake Cookies today. But it was a fail. The oatmeal here is all flakey. But for Peru it was pretty delicious I guess. 

We hiked a hill today at 6 am. I pulled my comp out of her bed.....poor girl-

"It's like these people have never seen a white girl!"

Hello Everyone!

This last week it was all on me...Hermana Guachalla is gone. She is the sweetest comp I have ever had and we cried. Well she cried. I never can get the tears out in the moments most needed. She taught me so much--how to work with members better and how to love every person. Anyway our area is pretty BIG! So I was kind of scared for her to leave. But with my prayers and your prayers I have been able to find my way around Chulucanas just fine! 

My comp I figures her name out phew! Hermana Justiniano. She has her Black Belt and knows how to box. So I don't mess with her ;) She speaks a Bolivian vocabulary which I don't understand. Lots of the times I just nod my head and say hmmhmm. She likes to laugh and eat so we get along. Speaking of eating Chulucanas and my pencionista are giving me the chubs. But two days this past week we went running! And man were my legs were sore. I haven't had a comp since my training (8 months ago) that would run with me, so I am very happy that Hna Justiniano will go running with me! 

Yesterday I gave a talk in our small branch about temples. I shared each experience I have had in the temple. When Marianna was sealed when I was 5, doing baptisms for the first time when I was 12, and receiving my endowment when I was 19. I really felt God put words into my mouth and the gift of tongues. Later we taught singing time in primary! I loved it and I am jealous that mom gets to teach primary every week. So much better than Relief Society. 

We are teaching a 9 year old. Her name is Stephy. She has a baptismal date for Feb 14! Her parents are less actives so we are reactivating them as we teach her. She is the smartest little girl and always keeps her compromisos! 

Today we went shopping in the Market. You guys know what the markets are like in Cambodia right? Yeah well it is the same. Smells like fishy yucky stuff, trash everywhere, people hustling, motos passing by, and people yelling to me "nina bonita!!" STARES. and more STARES. My comp said to me "It's like these people have never seen a white girl." When people hollar at me my comp gives them the death glare. Hahaha at least I know I am protected. 

I know the God answers my prayers. I am so grateful to be in Chulucanas. I have feel in love with this small quaint city, and I know my time is not wasted! I love you all and hope you have the best week! 

Hermana Stringham

Disgusting Hairy Chicken

I recieved letters today! Hurray!! Thank you Jermans, Longsons, and John and Jan Stringham. I LOVED your christmas cards, I cannot believe how big and beautiful the Jerman family is! Julia is 12???WHAT. My mind was blown today. Anyway thank you all for thinking of me. 

Transfers were today I am still in Chulucanas, but with a different comp. Her name is Hermana Joliiiii.......... ahhhhh awkard I forgot her last name! it's a hard one and I can't ask her right now because I feel dumb asking her her name. I will have to get back to yall next week on the name after I study some more. I have only been with her for a few hours, but she is from Bolivia and is 19 years old! I am excited to work with her! She just finished her training so kind of a newby still--the best. 

This week wow I don't know what but Hermana Guachalla and I have the worst luck. 

First. Hermana Guachalla one night pulls out a cell phone that wasn't ours. I asked WHAT IS THAT? She looked at me and said OH NO. I forgot I had the zone leaders cell phone. We placed it on the table almost afraid to touch it. It was the ZONE LEADERS cell phone. They are an hour and a half a way. What do we do now??? Haha it kept buzzing everyone from the mission president's wife to members were calling their phone. We didn't answer a single call. The next day finally we returned it and felt a little better. 

Second. I attempted to clean the dirty bathroom. I placed my hand on the sink and plunk it fell down! It's my strength I suppose, but yeah we had to call the owners today. I hope it will be okay.  

Third, This marriage deal with our investigador is a headache. We are only missing ONE paper, but if we don't find it they can't be married. I now understand why no one is married here! It's quite the hassle. But please pray that we will find it. 

Fourth, My horror of chicken here. Man I have eaten so many chicken with their hair still on it! It's like they kill the chicken then give it to me. I am disgusted with chicken, but ya got to eat it ;) 

One of our investigadores came to church yesterday her name is Stefani. We want to invite her to be baptized this week. Carola our recent convert is on fire! She is now the first counselor of the Primary. She is so excited to start her calling and be a visiting teacher I love it! We are working a ton with the members here in our branch. They are few. But I love Chulucanas! MInus the heat. It's got to be past the boiling point in Chulucanas. 

I love you all. Keep me in your prayers. You are always in mine! Have the best wintery week! 

xoxo Hermana Stringham 

I Could Breathe for a Minute........

Happy 2015 WORLD!!!

We spent New Years Eve well different this year. Our pencionista invited us to dinner. We ate fried chicken, fries, paneton, and hot chocolate. A delicious mix. New Years is probably bigger than Christmas here. The people go wild. They have human sized dummys and they burn them. For what purpose I don't know....They also get their suit cases and put the heaviest things they can in them. Then they make a lap around the block and make a wish to travel somewhere I think. Something weird like that. Of course they blow a bunch of fireworks too, drink and dance the night away. 

We made a human sized dummy of an Elder who just returned to his house and then burned it. Hna Guachalla and I stayed up until 1 am in our lovely apartment. We lit a few fireworks, and made 12 wishes (One m&n for each wish). We couldn't find grapes, but we always have chocolate ;) We also made a toast to 2015 with AGUA. I don't think I've ever made a toast with water but it was exciting. We had a good night. 

 Quickly this last week.........

We had intercambios (sleepover). I stayed in our area. Got ourselves lost of course. I spent the day with Hermana Ciseneros she is from Ecuador. We had a great time and I learned a lot from her. 

We went to a Mango Farm today with a few members and the Elders! I was in heaven. I felt like I was back at Vinhagen.  I forgot all of my stress. I could breath for a minute. We played with water balloons, climbed mango trees, played with a slack line, ate chicken and a load of rice. It was a dream.

I ate a mango for breakfast and dinner almost everyday. They are sooo good.

Purple Mangos!! Mmmmmm

We prayed for a baptism goal. We do this every month. We start with a prayer and end with a number. I've done this with every companion. Most of the time we think of different numbers, and question well who has the spirit today? haha. But with Hna Guachalla for the month of December and January we have come up with the same numbers! It's amazing how the spirit works. 

My USB has a virus and I lost a lot of pictures of my first area......kind of really sad.What should I do to back up my pictures so this won't happen again??

God is putting litterally placing people in our way it's amazing. On Saturday we went to a members house and found someone who lost her son two years ago. We got in a little arguement about how some churches can't dance, but at the end of it all this sister was crying and wants to come to church. Yesterday the same thing happened. We were in a family home evening, when two random people walked in. Turns out this guy prayed that this year he would find good people to help him. I can't even explain my lessons with you guys, but I definitely know that God prepares people. The spirit is so evitable(is that a word?) anyway I know when I feel the spirit when we are teaching and when I don't. It's amazing. 

I love you all sooo much!!!! 

I loved the banner the ward sent me THANK YOU!!!!

xoxo Hermana Stringham

We had another wedding last week!