Week 9

Sorry I have no time!

I love you guys and it is getting better... I had funny stories! :( 

Week 8

Shelby's address

Av Jorge Basadre 592, Officina 604-A

Edificio Torre Azul, San Isidro

Lima 27

Peru

Email- shelby.quist@myldsmail.net

Buenas Dias!

Ok so I had been having a rough time...just homesick, which is so unlike me. But It was just me in my head everyday alone with no other opinions to settle my craziness. So when I got to talk to the Mission Pres for our 10 min interview I got some much needed perspective. He explained how I am a plane and I am taking off and its going to be rough at first, but once I start to take off it will be time to put away my landing gear ( which is you guys, all the good things I left at home) not becuase it is bad, but because to fly correctly, I can't have it.  So then (as I am crying hahah) he explains how my heart will feel empty and will not know where to find the love it needs.....( so true...) So I will need to fill it with my love for the Savior. And become so invested in the peoples lives here that I won't have room for sadness. I need to let the Savior in and let His atonement carry me. So yep, that's the goal for this week!

Rememeber when I asked for that trial?.....yeahhhhhhhh THIS IS IT. So I better buck up and use it as a time to prove myself to God. That I am willing to do whatever... for HIM:

So we found out someone was murdered in our building 2 months ago....cool cool. HA! Dont worry though mom its all good. I am actually in a really safe area. I love it here. Pretty tranquil. 

I got a pillow!!!!!!!! yeaaaaaaah doooooooguie ( cams voice) Thanks for the IPOD Cameron btw, its ammmmmazing to listen to my music.

So we are teaching a new investigator who has commited to be baptized on the 27! Its great! My teaching is slowly growing and my Spanish.... well its coming along...kinda haha. We eat at members houses on Sat and Sun for lunch and dinner. It is the worst. OK so the food is actually not that bad. It is the amount! Its for a 200 pound man! I cannot eat it all and I try so hard haha. I don't wanna get fat.....!

So one thing here is... breastfeeding. It's a pretty public and non priviate activity. ALL the time....like in lessons....the whole time.... ;D

I am glad Trek went well. Im glad its hot there for you guys cuz its freeeeezing here. Who was it that told me Peru was warm! HUH???? haha

Week 7

Hola!

This week = CRAZY! I love my comps and they are nice and we get along fine. Except I just stink at speaking to them. Its pretty rough haha. We share a common like in laughing at me.

Living conditions- welp I don't have a pillow and I don't know what i would have done without the sheets I brought- Something clean! The shower isn't cold so I should be thankful for that, but it definitely isn't warm and the worst part ( and gramps will appriciate this) is the lighting! No lamp covers or anythng just the worst blue green light ever. Itsin everyone's   houses and its bad.  I know that sounds stupid but Ii hate it haha. 

The food is pretty good here! We have a pentionista who cooks a meal a day for us and then we eat at members houses on Sat and Sunday for lunch and dinner. They feed us alot! So much rice its crazy.

Half the time I am like this is great, I am fine, I am happy, then the other half I am about to cry. I feel Bipolar. But as the week keeps going on it gets better and better. Each night when I say my prayers I am happy and that's good!

So the way these people live is crazy. Its just so....dirty and sad. But in a way it's not. They are happy and they are fine with it. I see these houses with no floor and no ceiling and nothing inside. But they are good with it. I think its not how your living, but who your with. That's why its hard for me because I miss you all so much.

So 2 scary things this week - I was told-not asked to sing a song in English at a baptism. And we can all imagine how that went. But its ok becuase the poeple here are all basically on the same level as me, so I fit in. Also, I have to give English lessons next week. We will see how that goes.

The area im in is pretty safe feeling. I never feel scared.

The scarest part is the dogs! SO MANY DOGS! Ugly ones too. But one time this dog was trying to attack me...well actually it wasn't at all, it was going for a dog behind me, but being so paraniod and new, I freaked and yelled loud at it in English and tried to hit it with my backpack. My comps were dying laughing. 

Sunday was the best! The Chapel is so nice and I love how the church is the same wherever you go! I felt like I was at home. The same spirt is there always. I bore my testimony and introduced myself in broken spanish, it was... greeeeeeeeat. Afterwords I got to kiss about 1000 women. They are big on the kissing( on the cheek) and physicall touch here. And we all know how good I am at that kind of stuff.:)

The members here are so helpful and we have a member with us almost everytime we teach! Its great! Also we got our first baptismal commitment last night! It makes everthing else worth it. Its a boy named Luis and he is my favorite! I really like the people here. They are so nice and loving.

I am truly being humbled and don't know how I feel about it haha. I am just trying to get to the point where God can fully work through me and I can forget about myself. I only cried once so far so that's good. I struggle. But never worry because I know why I am here and I know God is with me. I love this gospel so much and a see these people who don't have it in their lives and it just hurts me. They could be so much happier! This gospel  is happiness. This gospel is truth, who wouldn't want it? I don't think people really realize how important this work is. This is salvation we are talking about!

Love you all!

Hermana Quist

Week 6- In the field

 So....I am in the field!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in a city called Cañete ( go look it up) I really cannot even begin to describe what it is like here. First off- Dirty,  Second - Smelly, Third - CULTURE SHOCK! My mission president, who I LOVE! -He is so great and I am so lucky! -Told me that it was going to be a big culture shock the first week and I just need to survive haha which is a perfect word because our living conditions honestly are sketchy haha. I am healthy though and I hope it stays that way. I was walking through the streets today and i was just thinking what is this! Its crazy! People basically stare at me and whistle. But the hardest part is that i want to be friendly but i just am too shy and on top of that i cant say anything in spanish that isn't about Jesus Christ! Just smile and nod!  I have 2 new comps, so yes i am in a trio. Both are from Peru and one is 28 years old, but i already love her. Pero we don't talk much because I stink at Spanish. We just need some time. I might come home a little rough looking, so just be prepared. Not weight wise because i am just the same but i just don't have time to do all the little hygiene things i love to do.

 

I though things were hard at the MTC? Who did I think i was!? The MTC was like heaven. I haven't broken down yet, so thats good. But I am a little overwhelmed. Also sorry if i don't drop some vast mission knowlewge because right now all I am doing is enduring. Not forever! Just give me a week and I will be enduring with joy and becoming all knowledgeable and loving this. But give me a week. I won't say I'm sad though, so dont worry! And maybe endring is ok. Hardships are ok because if I ever want to even begin to understand the atonement I am going to have to in some small way feel what he felt. Why is this so hard? Becuase SALVATION IS NOT CHEAP!  Why would this be easy for us, when it was  NEVER easy for him?. There is this you tube video I want you guys to promise me you will look up. Maybe fore FHE with everyone or something. Promise?? Ok its called The Atoment in Missioanry work. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo0mOZ4S7GE)

 ANd it is awesome. I love my Savior so much and I know he is here with me. And with you all.

 

I had so many things I wanted to email you about. But now I cant think of any and my time is almost out. Tell everyone who emails me I'm sorry becuase I can't email back right away. Even though I want to and I love you all! Adam, Alex, Dad! I miss you guys so much! I am actually crying I love you so much right now.

 

I LOVE YOU! La Iglesia es verdad!