I try not to think about where the food has been.

Hello Family! 
Wow, thank you for the wonderful email. I got teary-eyed reading it today. It is a little lonely here in Peru right now, but I am pushing through each day. So first about my area. The ward is pretty strong … maybe 90 members? Haha, they figured out very quickly I can't speak Spanish so it's funny because they will try to speak to me in English also; sometimes that is more confusing than their Spanish. I will be honest, the Spanish is super frustrating.  I see myself improving, but it is very slow. I am learning the importance of patience and hard work. We walk everywhere. Everywhere. Up and down hills, to the chapel and back (which is like 10 minutes from our area) and house to house. Luckily I am not having problems with my knee so that's really good. However, my stomach has been really upset this past week. It is because I truly believe a good 70 percent of what I am eating is not sanitary. Hermana G loves the street food here, so sometimes I just nod my head and try not to think about where the food has been. This week I ate cow foot and also the stomach of the chicken. However, I know it is normal to be sick your first few weeks so I am trying to push through. 

This week we had a training meeting with most the missionaries in the mission. Elder Godoy and his wife taught. It was super good, and I was actually suprised with how much I could understand. He talked about the importance of teaching people, not lessons. Family is very important to people here in Peru. Often families will live with their cousins and grandparents. Each area of houses is like a little family community. I think this is where the initiative to focus on families came from. Plus it is easier for someone to stay active when they have the family support. I also saw Elder Johnson my friend from high school! He promised me that if he could learn Spanish, I could learn it 2 times faster than him. I am not sure I believe him but it was really fun to see a familiar face. 

So we taught a lesson this week to a man named A. He is a recent convert who has some problems with the word of wisdom. He was crying super hard and I couldnt quite understand everything, but from what I got he had broken the word of wisdom the night before. He wasn't really in a state where we could teach him, so Hermana G decided it was best for us just to sing to him. That's one thing I really like about Hermana G -- she loves music. So she and I sang probably 7 or 8 hymns to help him relax. I felt the spirit so strongly. Honestly, that is what is helping me push through these very hard first few weeks. I can't deny the Spirit that I feel. Even though I don't undertand what's going on, the Spirit is testifying to me of the truth. I know with time I will understand the language and I am very excited for that day. Haha very very excited!

So Hermana G is great! We are very different and sometimes I feel like she is my mom, but she also is very patient. She's not a touchy lovey person, but she teaches with love. The people in the ward really like her. I'm learning a lot from her and how much she loves the people. 

Fun fact: There are dogs everywhere here. Literally everywhere. I havent had a problem yet with them chasing us, but they sure are ugly. Haha it makes me miss Starszy. Show him a picture of me so he doesn't forget who I am. 

We also taught a lesson this week to a boy named E. He is Buddhist. He has many many questions. It makes me realize that maybe I have taken the gospel for granted a little in my life. I have this knowledge that other people don't have. It's really cool to be able to watch people learn and have their questions answered. Also he speaks English. So yeah, that's really really nice. 

I'm sorry I never answer all your questions! I really appreciate each one of you taking the time to keep me updated on what's going on. I miss you guys a ton but I am also growing to love Peru. I am also learning how to be brave. The lord is always with us; even when we don't realize it, he is right there with us every step of the way. 

Mom sorry about the pictures last week. long story short: my computer wasn't working last week and the only way they would send is if they were super small. So I am going to see if this week it works better. 

Thank you for your prayers. I feel your support and love. I really am blessed with the best. 

All my love, 

Hermana Vernon 

Service project. We carried bricks for 4 hours up a long long stairway to a women's home.

Hermana Vernon and Hermana G.

After the service project.

My first week in the mission field

Family!

Oh boy have I got soo many things to tell you. First of all, thank you for the wonderful emails! I am sitting in a little store in Independencia Peru, very thankful for the opportunity to read English.

I am serving in an area called Independencia. It is like something out of a book. It is a town right outside the main city. It is a very humble place and honestly whenever I walk out of my apartment door I still can't believe where I am. My trainers name is Hermana G. She is from Bolivia and guess what... she is 28 years old. I kinda feel like I'm preaching the gospel with a superviser instead of a companion, but saying that, she is wonderful! She knows so much and when she teaches the Spirit is so strong. She speaks a little English. Not very much though, and she really wants to learn though so she is greateful for the chance we have to teach each other different languages. So after we were assigned our trainers they sent us off with our trainers to find our aparments. My apartment is on the third floor of a building. It is very small, and exactly what you think an apartment would be like in Peru. We only have working water in the morning until about noon so after our showers we fill up buckets of water to flush the toilet the rest of the day. There is no AC so the fan in our apartment has quickly become my absolute best friend. 

We don't have someone who cooks our food. We do breakfast in our apartment in the morning and this is usually some fruit or a smoothie or some oatmeal and we eat lunch with a member. They serve us soooo much food and you have to eat it all or they get offended. So I am sitting in these tiny houses, eating a huge plate of hot chicken and rice, wondering how I am not going to die but I know they give us so much food because they love us. The members are so caring and so nice. It is truly amazing. I am having no problem growing to love the people here. 

So the people build their houses up the mountains so I am climbling hills and stairs to get to every house. I am hoping this will help me not gain weight with all the food I am eating. Some of the people we teach live in very poor conditions. All I can say is family is, we are VERY blessed with what we have. Some of the homes here have their living room, kitchen, and bedrooms all in the same room. 

I will be honest, this week has been really hard (mostly because the language). I feel like I can't talk to anyone! I understand quite a bit though, but talking is a different story. However, Hermana G is trying to give me more opportunities to talk during the lessons. I know I just need to have patience with myself. I talked to one of the gringo elders in my district on the second day here during our district meeting and he said the first two weeks are the hardest, then after that you start to understand what is going on and understand the lessons. In my district there are about 12 of us (4 hermanas). I am the only gringo hermana. There are two other gringos but they are elders and have been out for 8 months. Yet they are really nice and it has been nice to have someone to talk to in English. There is also a couple serving in our district and the wife is so sweet. whenever she sees me she gives me a hug and tells me to keep pushing through. 

I did have one really cool experience last night. We were teaching a family the importance of family home evening and they asked me to talk about my family. In my VERY broken Spanish I shared the scripture in 2 Nephi 26:25 that mom loves. I talked about how my parents have built our home on the principles of the gospel. When our family is built on these principles, it is easier to feel the love of our Savier and also the love for one another. I shared a picture of us, and they all thought is was so precious. The mom of the family literally hugged the picture. So even though this has been the hardest week of my life (literally), I keep being reminded daily why I am here. I am here because I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know the gopsel blesses families and I can't wait to be able to actually speak Spanish and share this message with the people here in Peru. Our mission focuses a lot on families and I love that. President Juchau also talked about families in my setting apart blessing. 

New things I have done  this week:

ate a chicken foot

ate a cow heart

got whistled at by Peruvian men on the street

showered in cold water

attempted to preach the gospel in Spanish

Mom I want to let you know my shoes are great and so are my clothes. Overall, we packed very well. It is super hot here and I come home sweaty and dirty every day. However, none the less, I am happy. I am trying to find joy in the little things. When I get down I think of you guys or my friends (all serving missions). I know all is possible through our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Ok so we have 3 INVESTIGATORS WITH BAPTISM DATES. I ask you guys to pray for E, E, and D, I wish I had more time to write about each of their circumstances, but I will as the weeks go on. They all have dates for the following week. The work here in Peru is crazy. We are teacing all the time. I am so grateful for this and love my area. 

I love you all and I feel your prayers. I am sending some pictures so you can see a little what my area is like. Pictures don't do it justice though. haha its just something you kinda have to experience. 

All my love, 

Hermana Vernon 

My trainer

She made it! March 10, 2015

Hermana Vernon with President and Sister Erickson

Hermana Vernon and the new missionaries to the Lima North Mission

Letter from March 4, 2015

Hey family!

Wow, what a great email this week! Thanks for keeping me updated on everything thats going on at home. I am jealous you are getting snow! haha it definitely wont be doing that here anytime soon. The days are still super hot. My watch tan line continues to get darker. I am getting used to the humidity though! I haven't had to use lotion or chap stick since I got here, so that is nice. Dad, I can't believe you bought a car and Emma I am excited for you to get to drive the sequoia to school. I love that car, plus it could probably drive to the school by itself!

So yes, I am down to my last week here at the CCM. It is sooo bittersweet. I have reallly grown to love this place. It has taken me about 5 weeks, but I have learned so much and grown as a person and a missionary. We leave for our missions next Tuesday. That means I wont be writing you next Wednesday. I dont know if my mission president will have me send a quick email at all next week, or you may just have to wait until the next Monday. I am not sure, but p-days will be on Monday after this week. I cant believe I will be in the field! We saw more Lima Norte missionaries at the temple today. It makes me so excited to join them. I love the Lima temple. I hope we get to go some day as a family.

Ok so stories for this week!

Because the Latinos are only here for two weeks, there is a "welcome to the mtc" kick off this week. During this kick off they have some missionaries do a demonstration of a first lesson. Well guess what? Hermana Beatty and I were chosen to teach! That means we would have to teach about a 20 min lesson in front of about 50 new Latino missionaries. I about peed myself when they asked us if we would demonstrate but of course we said yes and I am so glad we did. It was such an amazing experience. They had us do it in the auditorium up on the stage. That means we got head mics and everything. i can testify that the gift of tongues is real. The spirit really did guide our words, and also I was able to think of scriptures to share. I didn't know where they were in an English BOM let alone the BOM in Spanish, so I know it was only through the Spirit that was possible. If we do all we can do be obedient and try our best, the Lord will always help us.

So on friday, hermana beatty and i got to go to the dentist! One of her fillings broke so we got to go on a little fieldtrip outside the CCM! haha.  Any chance we get to leave the CCM is like a miracle because we feel like we are stuck in a prison some days. But the dentist was very nice and actually did a great job. He is a member and speaks English.  It still wasn't quite up to American standards (his work office) but for being in Peru, they really do find us the best treatment here. That is one thing i have loved about the CCM, they really do strive to take the best care of us.

So because the Latinos are only here for two weeks, the ones that are leaving with us are finally here. We met a hermana who is going to Lima Norte! She is from Argentina and is super nice. Talking to the Latina sisters really helps my spanish. They are so patient and loving, and I just pray I have a trainer who is patient with me. haha.

I don't know if I told you this already, but on Saturday I get to go out teaching with the missionaries here in Lima South mission! They will assign me with a sister missionary and I will leave and teach with her for about 5 hours on saturday. I am so nervous, but really excited to have my first experience really teaching people. I have learned over these past 5 weeks that I am not here to teach lessons, but to teach people. My teacher Hermano Bejar stressed that point a lot. Because if we try to only focus on the lessons, the Spirit can't tell us what to teach the people. We have to be constantly praying and studying so that we can be an instrument for what the Spirit wants to teach our investigators.

We had a fireside last night and my district got to sing. We sang the "Army of Helaman" in Spanish. it was so beautiful. I already love that song, and being able to sing it in Spanish was very powerful. Also the other day when we had some free time I sat down and played the piano. Because we have a lot of piano players in our district I haven't really had the chance to play much.  So when people heard me playing they were very shocked. haha.  So word is out that I play piano. Mom would you mind adding to the package you send me that arrangement of "If You Could Hie to Kolob" that I love?

During the temple today I really felt the prayers you guys have been saying for me.  It was a very cool experience. I look back at how scared and nervous I was my first week here and I know the only way I have been able to overcome my homesickness is through your support and prayers, and a lot of hard work.

During my first week here, one of the hermanas who has already left gave me a quote. I would like to share it with you:

"At times there appears to be no light at the tunnels end-no dawn to break the nights darkness...if you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our heavenly father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but he will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face.

 

I love you guys!

Hermana Vernon

CCM District

Lima Peru Temple