I don´t Think I´m In Ollantay Anymore...

Week 30

January 6, 2014

Hey Guys!  So I'm definitely in a very new place!  Let´s start from the beginning.

Monday I said my last goodbyes.  Specifically to Luz Marina and Rajoo. That was basically the worst ever. And I cried.

And then Hermana Olivares and I traveled to Cusco together (she is staying in Ollanta but is going to train a new missionary again).  We stayed at the apartment of some other hermanas in Cusco. And I thought it would be cool to see Hermana Coffey, but I wouldn´t get to because I thought they were traveling the next day.  But then I saw Hermana Coffey!  I guess the traveling days changed for the holiday. Oh it was sohohoho awesome to get caught up! 

Then the next day I went to my new area, San Jeronimo. I met my new companion, Hermana Smedley. We are going to be great friends. She just finished being trained and is also 19. She went to BYU for a year and she´s going to go running with me!  Ohhh, I am so happy. I miss running so much.  But not for long. We actually haven´t been able to go running this week, though, because Hermana Smedley has been super sick. She has had to go to the hospital a couple times this week to see the mission doctor. A Peruvian hospital wasn't actually too scary, and I got to be the doctor´s assistant for a little bit! Obviously, we were put together as companions because of my extensive medical experience....haha.  But hopefully the doctor figures out what is wrong soon. 

And man. Here there is a ward! Not a branch! The difference is crazy! When I found out they actually do family history here I just wanted to cry tears of joy. And we have a ward mission leader! And we have a hipster bishop! Okay, maybe not exactly a hipster. But he´s a cool cat. They have to use a speaker in Relief Society Class. And they give us references! 

And my area is ginormous! We take buses everyday. Take the lion bus, but not the fox bus. and you can take the red bus, but not the star bus. And you take the batman bus if you want to visit Yolanda! You go to the street and wave down the right bus and then they have a person working at the door pushing (okay, not exactly) you onto the bus telling you subesubesubesube (get on get on get on) and then they have like an auctioneer voice calling off the stops and when it´s your stop you better let them know!  And then they let you off telling you bajabajabaja (get off get off get off) and you better have change, not bills!  So yeah. The bus seemed like a lot to take in but now it's just a fun daily adventure. 

San Jeronimo is also a lot different than Ollanta in the kind of people. In general I'm finding they are a little more educated (there is a college here, lots of young people) and a little more well off. Oh yeah. That reminds me. I took the hottest shower I've taken in a good long while. It was SO awesome. We live in a house, four of us hermanas. Three are gringas! Out of the three I have the most time in the mission! But when my companion and I are done binge-English speaking, we will speak more Spanish. Promise. Wow there is so much that is different I don't even know.  But I'll probably think of more stuff. And hopefully my companion will get better so we can teach more.  But I've already had some great lessons where I just felt the Spirit awesome!  There are some prepared people here!  Someone actually stopped US on the street to talk to us. It's kind of like missionary heaven. Once my companion gets better, I will have more to report next week!  Love you tons!