Hola !!!

Finally I got a thing to attach pictures!!! Sorry it took so long. I definitely have a lot more but these I would say sum up my experience so far....more or less haha. The last ones are in the field on my roof! The view that we have and where I live. My companion in the CCM was the only other norte americana hermana and my comp now is hermana sanchez.


Happy Turkey day this week!!! As I listen to the chickens outside my window in the morning, I will think of you all eating your turkey. I am grateful for each and every one of you in my life. :D

Ok! Weekly update here goes:

My spanish is coming along slowly but surely! I can understand probably about 96.7% of what people say so that is definitely helping. The trouble comes when it is my turn to speak. My vocabulary is quite tiny and it is very difficult to describe things when you only know so much hahaha. However, I can definitely tell that it is coming veryyyyyy slowly. Im praying super hard for the gift of tongues so that is definitely helping too! :)
Fun fact I think I have forgotten to mention is the DOGS. Oh my goodness. They are everywhere!!! Soooooooo many. Lying on the street...chasing you...barking nonstop...it is super funny. You have to be super aware and if they start running at you bend down and act like you are picking up a rock to throw at them. It totally works! The other day though...my companion and I were on our way to an appt and we were in an alley with dogs on each end. Hahaha it was funny. We got out of it safely though :)
I got sick from the food so that was fun! Funny thing is though...I ate hot dogs...cooked in my apt haha not even peruvian food! My stomach is super weak. Im all better now though. For now :)

For the first time ever, I get to wash some of my clothes by hand too! It is quite the experience, but definitely a good one! And super cheap too!

Training is coming along. My trainer, companion Hermana Sanchez is good. We are suuuper different and its making me look at things in new perspectives which is really good for me! But she really has such a good heart and cares for these people a lot. We have 5 investigators right now who are interested in learning about the church. We have one in particular who I wanted to talk about who is suuuuuuuper special. I just love him so much! His name is Percy. He is the son of a member who converted 7 years ago who is a cripple. They live in part of ´los cerros´ which is the hills in suuuuper humble circumstances. They are such a loving, devoted family and so humble. Percy is wonderful. He is about 25 or so. In our first lesson with him, we were talking about baptism and how it is important to follow the Savior and the spirit was super strong...so much so that he started crying! It was a super cool experience! The spirit really does touch and soften peoples hearts and it is the way that the Lord is able to communicate with us.

We also this week had a multi zone conference! President Douglas and his wife were there and we got training on how to better teach the Doctrine of Christ. If people truly understand the Doctrine - Faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the girft of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End, they will have the desire to change because the spirit will touch their hearts. I know that this is true because I have already seen it in my mission!

Last but not least I have a super cool promise from Pres Hinckley! If someone reads the Book of Mormon out loud, all the way through in a language that they want to learn, having FAITH, they will be able to speak and understand the language. How cool is that!! I challenge you all to do that...(especially in spanish so we can talk when I get home) haha :)

I love you all! I pray for you daily!

Con mucho amor siempre,
Hermana Ali :)