Hola mi familia!
Oh my gosh it was so good to hear from you guys. Just so you know, I am completely over my sickness. *Note from Mom (Heather was sick with a high fever and was on an antibiotic the week before she left for Peru). Thank you so much for all the prayers and fasting. The Lord truly blessed me. Peru is beautiful! we got to the ccm at about 2:30 am on Wednesday morning. I was completely exhausted. There was a huge group of us that came in (about 25 of us all together). Wednesday morning we got up and got to see what the ccm actually looks like. It is very small. There are about 3 main buildings that make up the whole ccm. One for dorms and classrooms, the administration building, and the cafeteria. There are only about 200 missionaries here all together. Because of that, I pretty much know all the North American missionaries by now. All the hermanas who have been here for a few weeks are SO nice and friendly. They have really helped me with the transition. the North Americans make up about 40 percent of the missionaries and the rest are Latinos. The Latino sisters are so nice as well. It's hard beause of the language barrier, but they try so hard to talk to us, and we try our best to talk back. We usually sit with them for a meal or two during the day.
the Spanish is hard, I will admit. We have one teacher and his name is hermano B. he is super nice and a great teacher, but he talks in Spanish the whole class. We have about 5 or a little more hours of class time each day and the whole thing consists of him speaking to us in Spanish trying to teach us about the gospel as well as teaching us Spanish. It's like being in school, but trying to learn algebra in a different language. There are 11 of us in my district (5 sisters and 6 elders). I dorm with the other 4 sisters. They are all really nice and funny. I will admit, their personalities are a little different than mine, but they are very sweet and we are all great friends. Spanish is hard, but I realize I know more from my high school years than I realized. the gospel vocab is coming as well. I can already pray as well as bear my testimony. It does get a little frustrating at times because I feel like I can't express my testimony yet in Spanish, but I have to remember I have only been here for a week.
So each day we are up at 6:30 and then have breakfast around 7:15. We have class from 8:30 until noon, then lunch, personal study, additional grammar study on the computer for our spanish, and then physical activity time. It is really nice to have time to exercise each day, it helps me stay calm. All the latinos play soccer. There is a really nice field here and they try to get me to play, but becuse of my knee I don't dare. I usually run with my companion and stretch and do a little work out. We eat a ton of rice and chicken. Like really, for every meal, but there are also really good vegetables and fruit. look up what a granadilla is. They are funny looking yet really delicious. the Latino sisters taught us how to eat them. After physical activity we have more classes, then dinner, then class again. The days seem really long, but I am learning a lot. Like I said, all the hermanas here are super nice. It's such a tender mercy to feel like I have sisters here away from home.
I will admit, I have been REALLY homesick. The first day I was ok, but after than I got really bad. The older hermanas kept telling me that it would get better with time. It has gotten a little better, so I hope it will only continue. Sunday was probably the hardest day for me. I am ususally fine during the day, it is just at night when we have more down time, or when I'm getting ready for bed that it gets really bad. Dad or Spencer…any advice in dealing with homesickness? The girls in my dorm probably think I'm crazy because I cry all the time, either from being sad, or from being happy and feeling the spirit so strongly. Don't worry mom...even though it has been the hardest week ever, there have also been some really amazing moments. I have realized how much I really need to rely on the strength of the Lord to be able to do this work. I cant do this alone, and I know I am not alone. It has only been a week but I have already learned so much about this gospel and what it means to be a disciple of Christ.
We have already started teaching one of our fake investigators. His name is Mario. The first lesson was kinda rough because hermana Beatty and I speak very limited spanish, but i could feel the spirit. Hermana Beatty has pretty good spanish (she speaks it better than me). She is super patient with me though and is a good companion. We are very different when it comes to personality, but we work well together. She doesnt cry, so when I am practically crying daily it probably freaks her out, but she just gives me a hug and knows I will stop soon. Haha mom I blame you for making me such an emotional person.
We went to the Temple today. What an amazing experience. It was truly what I needed. It was also fun to see some of the city outside of the ccm. The temple is very small, but beautiful. I will try to send some pictures. I am already falling in love with this country and the people here. The Latino missionaries are so loving and I cant wait to get out into the field and meet the people I have been called to teach.
Mom I wear the necklace you gave me every single day. I have received a lot of compliments on it. It is really nice to feel like I have a bit of you guys with me here in Peru. I also found the letters you guys wrote me. Thank you so much. I am blessed with an amazing family. I hope you guys realize how much I love you. haha just ask hermana Beatty how much I cry and you would understand.
I have very limited time to write today, but i hope next week I will have more time to tell you about every day life here in the ccm. The weather here it hot hot. It was crazy coming from winter to summer. I hope I get a little bit of a tan though.
I hope you guys know I have a testimony of the gospel. Jesus Christ is the perfect example for us and loves us so much. Even though this week has been so hard for me, I have felt His love constantly. He is very aware of me and what I am going through.
I love you guys!
Hermana Vernon
P.S. The Latino sisters are obsessed with the fact that I am a dancer. They have me show them my feet all the time.
My clothes all fit well and my shoes are comfortable. Mom, we did a great job shopping.Will you send my email to grandma and grandpa? i didn't have time to write them.
We cant take pictures in the ccm so they have to be on our p days. That is why I can't really send you some of where I am staying.
I love you, I love you, I love you
