This is Peru...

Ah this week was super great! We went up our little cero.... Great pic huh? so yeah this is my area. Well half of it. It's not really as big as it looks. We go all the way until the freeway in this pic and then we have a whole other part that isn't pictured- I am really learning to love it here.

 Well since we obviously haven't had any baptisms you can guess that our biggest problem has really been finding people who will PROGRESS! Man why is that so hard? I don't know. But We are getting down to business. Basically we had some really awesome lessons this week and have two people who have committed to baptism. (one is Orlando-AGAIN. If he doesn't get baptized this time though it is chao chico.) But yeah this week was so great I am still on cloud nine from the package... It's the new clothes.

 This week we had a super cool lesson with one of our investigators, Fernando. He is 17 and we have been working with him the whole time I've been here- He is awesome and wants to go on a misison buuuut we are working first on getting him to be ready to be baptized. Anyways he had some problems with his dad this week and was telling us about the situation- Well that morning in my idioma sutdy I had been reading in 1 nephi 16 where it talks about Nephi's bow breaking-. (this is awkward I can't actually remember if its 16 or 17 but you get the idea) Well it was cool we read this part together and talked about Nehpi and lehi´s realationship and how even though Lehi had murmured against the Lord Nephi still went to him and asked him to pray about what they should do. Basically we just talked about how important it is to be humble and to look to our parents for guidence and that they love us even though sometimes they have a hard time showing it- I don't know it just was super cool and I felt the spirit so strong. This work is aweomse and I love being a part of it!

 Also mom, Nicol and Totti and I had a great time with the halloween crafts! Thanks! Okay well imma a gonna wrap this up and upload more pics! Also yeah mom don't worry I am in touch with my homegirl Tia. Basically she's got some crazy stories and everytime we email I am a lot more grateful for my apartment here. But she is safe, but dang, she just said how scary everything was and that they do a lot of service more than anything else. She also said that she's showering out of a bucket- Well that gave me a good laugh. Also KJ met Elder Lever. They're brothers. Cute right? Oh and a boy in our ward got his mission call. To the Uruguay Montevideo mission. I told him he's pretty lucky because I am still pretty jealous from all the pics I've seen from Zach.

 ok. yeah

con amor,

Hermana Degn

 

Pictures of my area, My comp Hermana Rodriguez and my sink where I wash my hair!

 

GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!!

Okay basically halloween is pretty lame here, the day after is the real holiday I guess. But we had a ward party that night (stayed out until 930!!) haha It was fun, but not really that big of a deal i think. We didn't see much celebrations. }

 

Anyways this week really flew by, ha, we are trying to work more with the members but I think they should all watch Nacho Libre. Because everyone should be more like Nacho. He was so concerned for his friend's salvation that he baptized him himself. That's the kind of energy we need. haha, but actually the members here are great. They really do want to get involved. Sometimes the "how" is just really hard.

This week were cambiars. Still in Trebol! Which is good because I have a lot of work ahead of me here. And I am glad that both Hna Rodriguez and I are here for another six weeks. We're going to start tearing it up, just wait-

Also highlight last week I score my first goal playing futbol! Yes! FISTPUMP!!!

The work is going good! Have an awesome week!

love,

hermana degn

Isn't my dog cute?!

Well first off this is my official apology for this letter because this week just went by really fast and I don't really remember very much.

 So the spanish... good news is I basically understand the majority of everything- It's a big step, thank you Holy Ghost. Bad news is I realize that saying si to everything has gotten me into a bit of trouble. But thats why I have a companion who understands spanish and can correct me after I say that yeah in Utah we believe in fantasmas.... Psych. we really don't actually-

 

Learn something new everyday right? This week we did a lot of service! Yay! Love it! Also sometimes I forget that I am living in a third world country. and that lasts for like ten minutes because then we go and nail cardboard together to make walls for someone to help an hermana have a warmer house. There are definitely a lot of humbling moments here. Also I realize that Hna Rod and I are getting the shaft with our apartment. We moved some elders-.... out of a apartment that was already 3x the size of ours. As in one of the rooms was bigger than our whole apartment. Which is one room. But I mean they have a kitchen! And a sink inside their apartment!! Such Luxury! And we moved them into an apartment thats even bigger! With two bathrooms! Who even needs two bathrooms anyways? we have a shower curtain!

 
But we really recieved a lot of blessings. Like the uncle of one of our investigators read SIX chapters of the book of mormon and asked us all these questions about it. SIX! and we hadn't even been teaching him! Tender mercy of the lord right there. We are having a family home evening with them tonight which will be good. I am super pumped to see how it goes.

 We are back in business though this week so we'll be working hard. Cause we need to find some people to teach. Also looking at this picture reminds me how I regret bringing so much stuff with the color run on it. because how do you explain that in spanish? I dont know. But now Elder Perez and Riquelme are under the impression that I was a professional runner. Spoiler alert, I wasn't and now there is all this pressure on me to be in shape when we play futbol today. Curse spanish- One day I'll be able to stay out of these sticky situations that I find myself in. Like this week apparently I also told one elder that after the mission we date. Hey I didn't know what he was saying, my go-to answer is just always a smile and si. Well people have started taking advantage of that. I also have learned that prestome not sure on spelling there, but I agreed to give someone my camera, my scriptures, my eyes, my dinner.... the list goes on. Finally I figured out what it meant when everyone started trying to eat my food. You can imagine how that went down, you've seen kung fu panda. Aint't no one gonna take my fried banana.

 Also Sunday was the primary program. Ah Just a few fun differences being-- the dog trying to participate and the other kids trying to play the piano with the elder who was playing. Ah solid entertainment.... Girls I'm sure yours was great too! Wish I could have seen it!

 So yeah, with much love,

Hermana degn

 

 

 

72 days as a Missionary!

Well I think congragulations are in order. Thursday will be my 72nd day as a missionary!  I'm proud. It's the little things ya know? Speaking of the phrase "ya know" I adopted that into my everyday vocab here, sabe. I laugh every time because I sound like Johnny Depp in Pirates, 'Savvy'. My comp never gets it... obvi. But I think I am hilarious. This past week we celebrated the bithday of Elder Perez. It was vastly entertaining. We threw eggs and him, slammed his face in the cake.... Man quite the party- Ha it was hilarious- Also the cake......delish- Yet another reason why my wardrobe is rapidly shrinking- (sidenote I did expand it a little this week, I've started ironing with my hair straightner- It kinda works. The only problem is that now my orange shirt is about seven different shades. and still wrinkly) Back to the party. It was a surprise and super funny and our pensionista family is just the best. They are all so so awesome. So here is a picture of me, hna R, Elder Perez and Elder Riquelme. Also there's a picture of Elder Perez and Hna Lucy and her kids. So you can see who I spend the majority of my time with. We are a little family here. I love it.

 In other news last week we purchased a shower curtain. Man let me just tell you that the quality of my shower has drastically improved. Who knew that could make such a difference. Well it does. It is held up with tape so I kinda just feel like I am back in college.

 This week we got the clear to start working more. We are still on a bit of a modified sched. but it is much better! And after this week we should get the clear from the doctor to go back to normal------ fingers crossed!

 
We had a zone conference which was really awesome and I had my first interview with President Archibald which was nice. I really like him. He has challenged us to get one baptism a week. Yeah. So this week we are going to find people ready to get baptized! And we are dropping all of our currents investigators because they won't get baptized. So we've got work to do. Also yeah maybe I say all... well really we only have one. and we're letting him go. So I will update more on that next week.

 Also Hna Archibald came out and did splits with us. Yeah talk about the most nerve wracking afternoon of my life! I just kept praying that people would be home and we wouldn't get lost and that they would understand me. Well, it worked out okay. She is awesome and I really love her, and we found some new people to teach as well as taught a really awesome lesson. So all's well that end's well. Even though I about had a heart attack I was so stressed during the whole thing.

 So back to business. I´m doing good! We are working more every day which is a big blessing because I am almost finished with Jesus the Christ. But hey, I've really learned a lot and during our ZC I sounded pretty smart when I threw out a few references. Until no one understood what I was actually saying ha- poco a poco. Also this week my hair miraculously was really straight for some reason (at least in the front) and Hna Cisneros asked me if I had straightened it- Well my response was "like i've got time on my hands". So when all else fails I just quote "That Thing You Do" and call it a day.

 Very good. -TB Player

 With a lot of love and affection and a tiny bit of exasperation (nah, kidding)

 Hermana Degn

 

When I first left the CCM my mission President took us to a beach (alas, this beach is not in my area!) and we watched them raise the Peruvian flag which was very cool.  He then talked to us about Cortez and his story of burning the boats so his men could not retreat.  He then talked to us about not retreating and going full on into the mission work.  It was so great and I am so happy to be serving in this area.  Here are a few pics of that day...

Two months down!!

Not that I'm counting down it just kinda blows my mind that I've been on my mission for two months. Sometimes the days drag on but then P-day comes and its like wow what even happened this week. I don't know. So updates on Hermana Rodriguez. We went back to the doctor and the good news is she doesn't need surgery. The bad news is that we are still on a bit of a modified schedule and can't do a lot of contacting because we aren't supposed to walk very far and all the jaxx for another two weeks so her knee can get better. Well its a bit maddening but its fine because after the trip to the hospital we went to the best burrito place ever. I had a burritto that was better than cafe rio and chipotle combined. Straight up it was soooo good. and huge. and I drank it with this bomb limade so that was awesome- And it was this cool hipster scene plus it even had a nice bathroom. (as in there was a toilet seat and toilet paper, so bascially on a bathroom scale of 7-eleven to barnes&noble it was a marriott, straight up) But to help you grasp just how good this burritto was the hospital is in the Lima Noth mission and it is in the Lima Sur mission and we still went there to eat-.And boy is it worth it. Also that drive! Turns out there is part of Lima that is pretty! It's right on the coast and there are some amazing waves! It was a great fieldtrip.Even though my seat in our car wasn't really connected to anything nor wear their seatbelts. Good news Lima is pretty, other news is I found out a way of driving that makes me sicker than just driving in the mountains.

 Well this week we also did exchanges. (I don't really know what there called to be honest) but I went with Hna. Banbroum, one of the sister leaders, to her area El Olividar.(sp?? no se) It was awesome! For reals like a vacation! She is from California so we got to speak english and we taught a bunch of lessons and I learned so much! It was awesome! One cool spiritual experience was when we taught a woman named Liset- We just talked to her on the street for a minute and then she invited us in. It was really cool teaching her because I felt like the spanish was pretty clear so that she could understand my testimony. It was a pretty cool feeling. We taught her about Joseph Smith which I love doing because it always brings the strongest spirit! Well Olividar is a nicer area than where I am but I hope I don't go there permanently any time soon because they don't have a pensionista AND they have to do their own laundry! Ah, it just sounds awful. This week we've had a change to our schedule and have a new rule that we aren't supposed to leave for breakfast. Well unforunately breakfast has taken a bit of a hit. No more fresh jiuces, avacados, fresh bread, eggs..excetera ect. I can't imagaine what would happen if we didn't have Hermana Lucy for our other meals. (actually I know what would happen. we would starve, but I would be skinny again sooooo, nah, not worth it) Because for reals I could proabably write a whole email just about food alone! It is SOOOOO good here. granted there is a lot of rice. but I don't really mind it. Also you will all be happy to know that I have gotten over my food touching. Like way over that- I am turning into a not so picky eater. Straight up . I've already eaten octupus. with tenticales on it. and I LIKED IT. Plus we eat this fish sometimes and the head is still attatched, and I eat it- and not just eat I have a new talent where I pick the bones clean. Its digusting. I put meat in my mouth and spit out the bones. I should put that on my dating resume when I get home because I find it impressive.

 So basically we are on a modified schedule until hermana R's leg gets better. or for two weeks. AHH! But todo bien, I am learning the art of patience....slowly. Ha see what I did there? But everything is going good. Life is good! We have some good appointments lined up for this week which I am really looking forward to! Thanks for the emails! I love you guys soooo much!

 all my love,

Hermana Degn

p.s. for family night tonight will you guys all write letters to hna rodriguez and mail them tomorrow!!! Please plese please! You guys can practice your spanish and a little english, but it would be awesome if she got mail too! A lot of it!

 

 

 

 

 

TREBOL!!!

That´s my first area and its the bomb. I mean yes it does kind of look like one went off here, but I think that adds to the overall charm of the place haha-

Well, what I week, I don't even really know where to start. My comp is great!! Her name is Hermana Rodriguez and she is from Argentina. She is 22 and has been a member of the church for two years which is pretty cool. She is so awesome! She speaks about zero english though which makes for some very interesting days and nights. But its good. I´m learning spanish slowly but surely. This week was seriously so awesome! I am so pumped to be out in the field! Hna. Rodriguez and I are really lucky and we live right next to the chapel. Also our apartment or more accurately our room has really nice wood floors and electricty- and if we plug in our shower for longer than 30 minutes there is hot water! Not very much but its something. We are very lucky!! I am learning so much here and am trying to work really hard. This week a lot of things definitely went way over my head. Ha I never know anything. But I´m excited for this week with a little bit more experience under my belt and a better idea of everything. Right now I kinda feel like a lost puppy dog and I just follow Hna Rodriguez around. The people here though are so awesome! I love it!

Dad, you´ll love this but for our meals we eat at Hna. Lucy´s house- She is our 'mom' here and makes all our meals. She is the best! She also has three adorable kids. But Hna. Rodriguez and I eat all our meals there with two other elders and it is a party! I understand very little of all the jokes and funny things said but it is still probably my favorite time of the day! Hands down- During lunch on my second day here I was just thinking that this is the way to live in any country. There was some spanish music on in the background and we were eating ceviche (which is delicious by the way) and I was just loving my life. And then we went to work, don´t worry- That part is good too! We taught a few lessons this week that went really well. (I think) And did a lot of street contacting which is where my true talent is. Everyone is totally up to listen to me beause I am from the US, obvi. So that's nice.

So Yeah, I am doing great. Everyday I understand more and more. Which is nice, although one night we were teaching in a house and in the other room their kids were listening to the soundtrack of Teen Beach Movie. So that was fun. I was singing those lyrics all night. Also the food. The food here is soooo good!!! really love it.

One really funny thing heppened. I was showing a picture of our family to a little boy here, Diego, and he asked why Abby and I were the only white ones. So yeah that was pretty funny- sorry Abs

Con todo mi corazon,

Hermana degn