Training!

***This is Clair's email from last week.  We were on a cruise and didn't have internet, so it didn't get posted until now.  I was waiting to get today's email so I could post them together, but we didn't get an email today.  I guess that's because we get to talk to her on Thursday!

So, to answer your questions:  I dyed my hair because I ran out of my blonde shampoo ahhaha.  It's still blonde but darker blonde and I love it so much! It was quite the adventure. 

Christmas eve is the big party here. They stay up and eat a huge dinner at midnight and open gifts and then sleep all day the 25th. We have to be in our rooms at 9 at night but we can wake up whenever on Christmas day.  I'm assuming that's because no one will sleep with the parties and everything. So we have some families that have said they want us to stop by, we want to still have lessons, if possible but it´s hard.  And everyone drinks and that is dangerous for a gringa. WHAT TIME ARE WE GOING TO CALL ON CHRISTMAS DAY?  I am going to call you on Christmas eve to plan.

Almost all of the pictures I have taken I'm in that dress from Superstore. That dress is the best! I wish they had different patterns, it´s so great. I was lacking some clothes but Hermana Brito left me all her clothes so I have more now :) She left me her Jody dresses, so nice of her. So that's awesome as well!

I sent Auburn a letter, to the mission.  I hope she gets it soon. I sent like 10 letters last week from the post office. hahahaha. I also sent a little package with Sister Brito. She is going to take it to Leah, she's from Riverton and it has some gifts for the Tullis´s and some gifts for you guys.  I don´t know when you will get it though!

It´s crazy to think I've been gone for 5 1/2 months. I have officially been in my area for 4 months now and I love it. I just love the mission. Time flies when you are having fun but it flies even faster when you are serving the Lord. 

We got transfer calls right in the middle of Sister Brito´s goodbye party thing and...... 

I´M TRAINING!

I still don´t believe it. It´s completely crazy to me, but I am excited.  Also, Hermana Wood, that girl that you met in Waterton, she comes to Chiclayo tomorrow so I get to see her, maybe train her.-.... ahhh! 

Well I will talk to you guys in 10 days! I am super excited! I just hope we can figure it all out so it goes smoothly. 

All my love,

Hermana Pilling

I Dyed My Hair

YES I REALLY DID.  You probably won't believe me 'til I send pictures home, but I can't send photos on these darn computers... so ya. 

A run down of the week:

Monday was so so great.  We got so much done for p-day, I got my packages, we had good lessons and it was awesome!

Tuesday we taught an atheist. It's hard. It's like walking on egg shells, but I think next time we are going to use our authority and remember our purpose as representatives of Jesus Christ. It was a very good day as well.  Lots of lessons and contacts and smiles and laughs. 

Wednesday all our lessons were with less actives.  It's fun to work with less actives because you can be a little bold and say "you know this is true",  but it's hard because they're usually inactive for a reason, like stupid ward drama or they got prideful and that's a little difficult to fix.  But all things are possible. 

Thursday we had quite a few lessons as well... a couple good ones and a couple okay ones. We are teaching a girl whose dad owns a panaderia, like a bread store, and her little nephew who is 8 always comes home from school when we are about to finish and pray.  He has a big personality.  He is in LOVE with me. He peeks around the corner and sees that we are there and comes running in and going off about how we are beautiful and pretty and then the said, "with all due respect I want to tell you two that you are more beautiful than any other girls I have ever seen and I want to go out with someone like you.  Can I get a picture with you guys?"  And without even us saying anything he runs and throws himself on us and his mom snaps pictures.  Then he serenades us with a song about how he doesn't want the taste of candy or cookies or cake or carmel but the taste of my ilps.... yes this yougster is 8.  His name is Manuel. hahaha .Well|! I go red every time. hahaha

Friday we had our zone training and it was really good but really really hard for me to hear.. it made me discouraged.  The zone leaders shared the numbers of someone in our zone and if I were to compare.... which I obviously don't do... it would seem that we aren't doing anything all day.  And just all this other stuff.  It all built up and I just felt like I haven't done anything good for the ward and we work so so so so hard and people aren't there and it's so hot and we walk so much and the food is just so not satisfying for the taste buds... but what can you do? Sister Brito helped me out a lot and reminded me of my many talents and how much we have improved together and how I have improved as a missionary.  I felt better.  The rest of the day no one was home. We literally had 1 lesson.  That just topped off the day with a lovely fat juicy anchovie or something else gross. ugh. 

Saturday was hard. No one was home again. The weekends are very difficult.  Everyone has parties and there are lots of people drinking.  Me being blonde made it worse and we had quite a few encounters with drunks. 

Sunday was okay. It's a little more dangerous on Sunday and we have to be picky with where we go when our lessons fall. But we went to the Christmas devotional which was really good! Its all in spanish but the music is obviously in english. such a blessing. 

Okay Christmas.... 

December 25th is p-day and I can call you for 30 to 40 minutes. There isn't anywhere in my area with cameras and everyone says that skype downtown ins't worth it because everyone else is on the internet too. So it looks like we will have a 30 minute phone call.... I can call you before to set up a time, probably Christmas Eve.  At first I was really disappointed, especially because my comp is going to be with her family for Christmas and I won't even see you guys.  Also because so many other missionaries talk for a long time.  But I know that Heavenly Father will bless me and you guys. President is all about obedience.

I love you guys so much and I have to go now.  Pray for me to have patience and to be dilligent and for Liz and Piero to get married. 

Love and miss you all!

Hermana Pilling

Monkeys and Llamas

OKAY. 

First off, I am going to send my package for you guys to Leah because my companion is amazing and will take it to her. I don´t know when you guys will get it though. 

I got your Christmas package!  I also got one from Grams and one from Papa and Cody.

This week we worked on contacting A LOT of people and met some interesting ones.... we met a man who believes there is nothing after life.  You die and that´s all!  He´s catholic.... I don´t understand how every catholic believes something different.  We met an atheist.  She has investigated many churches but has come to the conclusion that no one needs God to be happy in this life. It was really sad. But she has ancestors from China, Arabia, Peru, and Spain.  Literally all over the world. So we talked to her about family history and we are going back to teach her! Wé´ll see if we can help her out. 

We met a 22 yr old total hippy, really in tune with his inner soul... he believes that Christ was a really awesome person full of love but nothing else. Just really great but a normal human being.  Wowzers!

The elders from the other ward that meet in our building told us there is a member in their ward who has seen us every week and she just really wanted to share her testimony with us.  So we went over and crossed lines (ahhhh!) and met her.  She hasn´t had any legs since she was 2 years old. She´s been a member for 5 years and is the most faithful member besides the bishop. She´s about 60 years old but has a joyful spirit of a.... younger person. She´s super super special and awesome.

On Saturdays and Sundays we eat with the members and it´s the worst.... they give us a very overly large amount of rice and usually fried fish. and beans. But, on Saturday we ate with our pensionista. It was her family´s turn to feed us and we ate.... CRISPY CHICKEN FROM MCDONALD´S! WAHOOOOOOO! Real human food. hahaha. It was delicious.

Hermana Brito had to do some things to finalize her papers with her visa so she can go home in 2 weeks and it made it really real that´s she´s leaving me. :( It´s sad! I don´t like killing companions!

Our district leader is totally awesome!!!!!! He´s pushing us and helping us trust in the Lord to do this work. It´s so great. I am just so happy to be a missionary and to be here in Peru. 

Okay, so now about the monkey and the llama.  The granddaughter of Hermana Lola who just got baptized was visiting her. She´s old though. Well... 45. That´s not old Mom and Dad. Sorry. She was having heart problems so she went and bought a monkey!  When they are babies they are the size of a finger... just like the cute pinterest pictures. And she kept it...under her shirt next to her chest and it just hung out.  She hasn´t had a single health issue! She named it and it has an identity card and his name is Martin Farfan and he has cologne and a towel and shampoo and is basically human and is a part of the family! She´s had him for 5 years and he´s now fully grown, about the size of a hand + a long tail. 

Today is pday and we went to the center to shop and there was a llama in the road! Just hanging out with his owner! He was all dressed up and everything!  His name was Antonio.... but we couldn´t take photos because... the owner was just weird. But ya!

That´s the life of a missionary for ya. It´s been awesomely great and not so awesomely hot but I am alive and smiling and doing well! 

I love you all!

hermana pilling