Nettles and Daisies

HOME STRETCH! TWO MORE WEEKS!

2011-06-27T16:59:00.000-07:00

We had a really great baptismal service Saturday for Ricardo, a chemical engineer. He will be traveling to Louisiana for a 1 month training course and I searched in Mormon.org for the ward there. He is excited to keep learning in the church. What helps the most is that he was a reference from a family in the church, and so he already has a lot of help. My prediction is starting to be a reality. The key to missionary work in the area California is through members. And I´m thinking, since California is more like the US than any of my other areas, its the same thing back home...wow. Now I feel bad for never helping the missionaries out back home.

I am doing great in California. We are working hard. When I got here there wasn't really any investigators and the area was kind of dead, but through diligent work we have a good pool of investigators and many lessons each week. We were able to help our investigator Ricardo prepare for baptism last week and we are planning for another baptismal service for 51 year woman named Hilda. Because I think now I´m so used to the schedule, the days pass by so fast. And in two weeks you come.

This week I need to take my anti-parasite pills to clean out my stomach for my return to the USA. (Don't worry. I´m in good health. Every missionary has to use them).

Wow. There is so much I will have to share with you all when you all come! Yes, I am really excited to see you all again!!!!!! And I've told a few members that you all are coming and everyone is excited!

Send my greetings to everyone!!!!!!

California here I come!

2011-06-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am liking California a lot. California is an upper class area of Trujillo. This area I love because here I really have to put into action every single thing I've learned about being a good missionary for the whole part of my mission. This area is kind of like the United States. And the ward is also more organized in other areas. And like the US people either want to listen or don't. There is more don't than do, so member references are key. I had a work visit here 2 transfers ago and I came out with a two page list of ideas for the sisters to improve the relationship with the ward. And now I´m happy to be here to use the plans I had made 2 transfers ago. It was for a reason.

Right now we are searching everyday for people. And we have received a few really great references. It's not like other areas where everyone wants to listen and there´s a big list of investigators. We only have 3 regular investigators right now, a medical student, an industrial engineer, and a house servant. But those who do listen have serious desires to listen. I like that.

We went to visit a North American family the other day that recently moved to Peru. Their young children seemed really frustrated right now because they don't know the language and don't have many friends here in Peru. In the U.S. the kids were used to having their yard and running around barefoot. Here no one has yards and because they live in an apartment building with the upperclass people, culturally t's inappropriate to leave barefoot or run around. "People here are mean," the kids told me. Culturally and because of the language, it's a hard change.

Oh, I have recieved a couple of requests. When you come could you bring some Yu-gi-oh cards for the son of the pensionista (here they sell them for like s./100)? And could you bring some root beer flavoring for my companion? (She had made it before in her house with some flavoring an Elder had brought and she liked it a lot).

Strengthen Thy Stakes

2011-05-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

News Flash! One year ago, Hermana Bakaitis was transferred to Huaraz, 10,000 feet up in the Andes. She wrote:

"Right now Huaraz is a really special place to be because they´re working to become a stake. I visited the branch for the first time Sunday and it´s the biggest branch I've ever seen. It's bigger than my ward in Nuevo Chimbote, I think. The reason that Huaraz is only a district with branches is because it doesn´t have enough active priesthood holders to progress up to the next level, so right now we are really focusing on teaching families and working with less active members."

http://nettlesanddaisies.blogspot.com/2010/05/way-up-high-in-andes.html

Faithful Hermana Bakaitis worked for 9 months in Huaraz. Bringing new people in the Fold, and helping to rekindle the fire in less-active members. Months and months of rain and wet feet. No indoor heat in the wintertime. Cold showers. Hiking miles of dirt trails to bring the Gospel message into people's homes.

Well, today I read this on the Trujillo Mission blog:

"Happenings in Huaraz: all the paper work has been submitted

and now they are waiting for Salt Lake to look at all the statistics to make sure they are ready to become a Stake."

http://terryandjanetturk.blogspot.com/2011/05/happenings-in-huaraz.html

Tears streamed down my face when I read this. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is filling the earth! His Priesthood power is restored to the earth. "...Break forth into singing, and cry aloud...Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen they cords, and strengthen thy stakes..." (Isaiah 54:1-2). In this scripture the Lord is comparing his church to a large tent. As the tent gets bigger, more stakes are added so the tent remains strong and shelter can be provided for all.

Being a Stake means that church members in the Huaraz area will be led by local Priesthood leaders. They will run the church programs themselves.

And what was Rachael's reaction to his great news? Here's what she writes today.

"Thanks for the update on Huaraz. I'm here with Sister Quixchan at my side, who worked with me for two transfers in Huaraz. We are happy to see that Huaraz is improving. There are a lot of great members that are really waiting for the blessings of being a stake. In the mountainous areas of Peru there are a lot of towns that don't have the gospel yet, and perhaps when Huaraz is strong the gospel can start to expand there."

The tent will continue to expand!

Visit!

2011-05-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

We are doing well. Our convert, Enrique, got ordained to the the Priesthood this Sunday and all is well. I don't know how the missionaries back home feel, but after 17 months in the mission I´m worried about every recent convert I know. I can see now how easy it is for someone to turn less active, even after careful lessons and fellowship from the ward. Please help the missionaries out. This is the thing that worries me the most in my mission.

If everyone had contact and invitations from the members, the branch would grow a ton, I promise. From my visits with less active members, about half come back the next Sunday after we invite them. If the members would continue to visit I´m pretty sure many they would stay for good.

I know now the great importance of coming to church. I don't think I really ever analyzed it much before, but now that I think about it, personally it was the number one thing that built my testimony. So, search the congregation and talk to people you don't know. Visit people that you don't even know in their houses. Bring cookies or something. Because our quality of life really gets bad when we neglect coming the church. As a missionary, seeing lots of cases, I can testify to that.

The most organized and beautiful baptism ever

2011-05-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

This week we were able to witness the baptism of one of our investigators. This was the most organized and beautiful baptism I've seen in my whole time, just because we planned it out well. We organized a meeting with the ward mission leader, us, and the investigator where we set the details, planned the program and filled out invitations (the great idea of my companion). We were able to leave invitations for Enrique, our investigator, to give to his family and friends, and had enough for us to give to investigators and members. We were sure to invite the ward leaders first. We gave assignments to different members for things like talks, refreshments, decorations, etc. We even organized a plan as to what we would do if we go to fill the font and no water comes out. The Ward Mission Leader thought it was silly, but I've seen this problem here in church buildings before. After a lot of time in the mission I have learned a lot of leadership skills and one of these is to always have a plan B, or more if needed. We planned where we would go to baptize in the ocean...just in case (luckily we didn´t have to use this plan). In the end everything turned out beautiful and Enrique was baptized Saturday and confirmed Sunday. I'm happy to see our that our investigator was participating in the mission prep class and Doctrine and Covenants classes in the Trujillo institute even before his baptism and is recieving a lot of help from the members.

Still, it bothered my companion and I that members congratulated us like we gained something from baptizing... But this isn´t just a problem here. I´ve seen this everywhere.

Well, hope you are all well.

Foosball Tournament

2011-04-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

Hermanas Quixchan and Bakaitis in a missionary Foosball Tournament

I dont know if you could see the photos, but there was a change in the transfer. Now I'm with Sister Quixchan again in Salaverry. This transfer is going well. The problem is that we both have really strong characters, but in different ways. I think both of us how learned a lot now.

She returns to Guatemala the same date that I end. Its really great being together because we both are so motivated now. After 16 months in the mission we both have experience and we both have some great goals for the area Salaverry. What I would really like is see Salaverry ready to split into 2 wards. Is it possible? It should be. Salaverry is interesting because there are many members who have had years and years in the church. Many endowed members who have had many leadership positions, but many families have inactivated. Still, there is a strong base of active members. Well, were going to work hard this month. President Turk told me that probably we will only be together one transfer, because in two transfers we both go home together. Well see what happens.

Picture Day! Yes!

2011-04-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

I am really thankful for the leadership opportunities I have had here in the mission. Although I have a tons still to work on personally, as for my personality, my confidence, and my diligence, I think that the mission has helped me more than any other experience in my life. I hope to learn more the next 3 months and to come back a little more refined. At least a little.

Sister Ortiz and me in front of the chapel

The scenery of my area. Its all sand.
Everywhere.

The Elders in my District

Our Trio: Hermana Ortiz, Hermana Acoste and me

Our new bathroom electrical work. I dont have a picture of how it was before, but just imagine wires of every color hanging in the area from every direction.
Here's how Hermana Bakaitis described the wiring in a previous post:

The shower head has a special electrical hot water heater with the two current wires coming out the side of an electrical outlet cover in the other room. They run up the ceiling, through a window (that looks like it was broken with a hammer to make a hole for the wires to run) and hang in mid air as they cross the bathroom to a switch box. Then they connect with the shower head with electrical tape and a grounding wire runs from the shower head out a window where it just hangs there. I always keep the switch box off because I'd rather shower with cold water than electrocute myself.

Frustration + success

2011-03-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

We are doing well here. Yes, I was feeling a bit frustrated last week. There seemed like a wall blocking everything we were working for. And then to top everything off, our ward mission leader, after we taught a lesson with him and his assistant, gave us a list of everything we have to do to improve our teaching, complete with assignments in "Preach My Gospel" to read.

Well, we were feeling really bad. But, I dont know, last night we were thinking about our successes. For example, Sunday we were able help a young woman return to church after more than a year without going. We invited her to help us pick up investigators to come to church and she was really excited to help us and come to church again.

Also, Friday I started my first English Class. Only three students came. I taught some basics, like good morning, good afternoon, and good evening. I also taught them how to pray in English. They were all really excited and motivated to learn.

Electrician Missionaries needed in Peru!

2011-03-29T18:18:00.000-07:00

Today I spent the morning of P-day painting. Sister Turk, the mission president´s wife, came to inspect our room and left shrieking that it was a disaster. So we painted it, changed the outlet covers, and cleaned it all up.

We still have to get someone to come in to fix the shower. It looks a little dangerous. The shower head has a special electrical hot water heater with the two current wires coming out the side of an outlet cover in the other room. They run up the ceiling, through a window (that looks like it was broken with a hammer to make a hole for the wires to run), hangs in mid air as it crosses the bathroom to a switch box. Then the it connects with the showerhead with electical tape and a grounding wire runs from the shower head out a window where it just hangs there. I always keep the switch box off because I'd rather shower with cold water than electrocute myself. But we should get it fixed.

Evacuation of Salaverry!

2011-03-15T06:08:00.000-07:00

It's so sad what happened there in Japan. The TV was showing pictures of it all day and everyone was talking about it. The people here were really afraid of a Tsunami hitting. The whole town evacuated. Some went to Moche, Alta Moche, or Trujillo, but the majority climbed the big sand dunes which are set in the back of the
town.

Sand dunes in Salaverry

In the end, the Tsunami did hit, but it just came in 1 meter high covering the entire beach. It took away some beach houses, but the city was just fine. President Turk had told us to just stay put and teach like normal, but how could we when the whole town was running around like chickens with their heads cut off?

While we were walking around watching everyone packing up, we remembered one less active member who could hardly walk. We went to visit her. She was really scared. She couldn´t climb the sand dunes, and her two young sons refused to evacuate without her. We told her that the chapel in Moche was open for people to evacuate to. We called the Zone leaders and asked permission to help this sister leave to Moche and they said it was OK. So we left to the town center in a moto taxi with this sister to find a car.

When people are scared we can see how they really are. Every time we called a taxi and it stopped for us, it filled up with people before this sister, who hardly can walk, could get it. The taxi driver just wants money, and didn't say anything either. People, young people who can climb a sand dune and run for their life if they needed too, didn´t pay any attention to the senior citizens and physically disabled people who couldn't push their way into a car. It's ugly, the selfishness of people. In the end we did find a car and got to Moche. Our plan was to just return to our area. We thought that perhaps we could help more people evacuate, and then at 9 return to our room like normal (because we were told not to evacuate by our leaders). But then President Turk called us and told us to stay put. They came to pick us up and we slept in a hotel in Trujillo. But I would have rathered sleep up on top of the sand dunes with the people of Salaverry.

Rachael and Hermana Ortiz's evacuation was mentioned in her mission president's blog as well:

http://terryandjanetturk.blogspot.com/2011/03/salaverry-port-city.html

One big happy family

2011-03-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

Things are going fine here. Remember Janet? (see Feb 23 post http://nettlesanddaisies.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-should-anyone-serve-mission.html) I think I told a story about her coming to church for the first time in a while. Well, we were able to share with the Relief Society president a little about her situation (a physically disabled single mother) and they were able to plan a fundraising lunch to help her. She was really surprised by the visits from the Relief Society and their plans to help her. She didn't even know the rest of the ward knew she lived here. I really like to see the disposition the members have to help each other. There's an overabundance of less active members. But I hope that little by little the situation here in Peru will change through the love and work of the active organizations in the wards.

About the temple ordinances... In the end we're all just one big family. I've seen this a lot here in the mission. If one thinks about missionary work like they are helping each and every investigator be sealed in the temple as their own long lost cousin (because, literally we are all related), the work just gets so much better.

Lima, Peru Temple

President Turk gave the us permission to run on the beach in the morning. Salaverry is more of a port than a beach, so there's no one there anyways. I haven't been so close to the ocean in a really long time. I was so excited to go running again. I had to pull my companions out of bed at 5:30, but they were happy they left in the end. I don't know why I always have a ton of energy. I have to do something with it or I get stressed out.

Full Time Missionaries and Ward Members work together!

2011-03-01T10:32:00.000-08:00

We´ve been fine. Our numbers of baptismal dates and church attendence have been low lately, but we´re working well and I feel we are doing our part to help others come to Christ. As I learn and mature here I have become stronger in my conviction that there really is no reason a missionary should worry or be stressed out, as long as they´re putting in all of their effort.

This week we were able to get a lot of lessons in. We have been looking for more members to acompany us in the lessons too. This is a great experience for the members and we have seen how members have been able to help reach out to the investigators. It´s especially important to work with the ward leaders. When I first came to Salaverry there wasn´t a whole lot of communication with the bishopric and the person called ward mission leader wasn´t even here. He´s in the mission field. But we have been able to get to work to coordinate more with the bishopric. I have seen the great blessings as the bishop and their counselors now have more confidence in us, the full time missionaries of the ward.
Today we took some pictures of our area. I would have sent them to you, but right now my battery is dead. I´ll send them next week. I promise!

Why should anyone serve a mission?

2011-02-23T07:12:00.000-08:00

Things here are going well. There are many great people who are really progressing. Right now we have to organize ourselves a little better to know in what direction to concentrate our efforts. I´ve found I´ve learned so much here in the mission. I know the scripture like never before. I understand the doctrine like I really never understood. I´ve learned to love and be selfless, which I think I never was so good at before. I´ve learned to be more organized. I´ve learned to study. I´ve learned a lot more about myself and I feel more confident. But still I get stressed out real easily. This I want to leave behind. Oh, well. We all have faults and no one´s perfect.

Oh, Sunday we were so happy to see a less active member, Mary, attend the church for the first time after 20 years. We always saw her outside on her porch. We always invited her to church, but she never seemed too excited. We invited her two sons too, but they told us they couldn´t because their mom didn´t let them. Well, we felt Saturday night to call her on the phone and invite her. "Well, yeah," she said. We were surprised because it was never that easy to invite her. And, sure enough, the next day she came to church. It was interesting. My companion and I were in the bathroom, when we recognized that in the chapel they were just ending the sacrament hymn, so we left running to the chapel, when from the corner of my eye I thought I saw Mary in the street walking away from the chapel. I really don't know how I reconized her in the split second it took us to run by the door leading to the street. "Sister Ortiz, Mary´s here!" We turned around and called to her and her sons. Well, she just felt that morning she had to come to church, but just as she was at the front door she felt embarrased, and turned to walk the other direction. She almost didn't enter, but since we called out to her, she turned around and entered the church. Afterwards she was really happy she had come. She had forgotten so much, but felt ready to start learning again.

Transfer to Salaverry

2011-02-01T12:07:00.000-08:00

Rachael was transferred to Salaverry last week. She's gone from being in the Andes during the wet season to being on the beach during the summer. She has two companions--Hermana Ortiz from Nicaragua and Hermana Acoste who is from Chimbote, Peru serving a mini-mission.

Salaverry is a lot warmer climate. I forgot how it is here. Here one would be crazy to use sweaters or rain boots. Half of my area is beach, where there are houses, which are sort of huts out of straw, plastic tarps and cardboard, built there on the sand. My first few days my feet were miserable because the only clothing I had was thick tights, well closed leather shoes and rubber shoes. Imagine walking in sand in the heat all day with this. My feet were very swollen by the end of every day. But I asked permission to go into Trujillo today to buy new shoes. In Trujillo there are a ton of really cheap, good, false shoes, but the problem is that no one had them in my size (because I have big feet). I ended up buying expensive, authentic shoes instead.

Some final pictures from Huaraz

2011-02-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

Henostroza Family with Hermanas Bakaitis and Lazo. What does the cart in the corner have in it?

Hermana Bakaitis, Morales Family, Celide Macedo (Relief Society President) and Hermana Lazo. I love the fence for their backyard.

Mama Ortiz, pensionista. Good cooking!

Every mission is interesting

2011-01-10T17:29:00.000-08:00

It continues to rain, but I ended up buying my plastic shoes like the women who work in the farm fields use. And they work pretty well.

The truth is that every mission is interesting. I´ve enjojed reading the cards I´ve been getting from Erin who´s in mission Eugene, Oregon. Oregon isn´t really an exotic place, but she´s having some great experiences there. Really any mission is interesting because you're entering in all types of houses and listening to all types of stories. It's not like lounging around the house all day with your family where you're listening to the same old, same old all day. And it seems like sometimes those people who really need to listen to the missionaries are the most interesting...

We´ve started teaching a really great family that live way up on the other side of the mountain in the middle of a pine forest. It´s so beautiful up there. The father is a member but his wife and daughter aren´t members. They invited our zone to visit to hike in their land for p-day. I think we´ll visit next monday.

2011-01-07T16:30:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas

2011-01-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas Program in the Plaza - Trujillo

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T20:13:00.000-08:00

The mission president said that for newyears eve we had to be in our room by 6 in the afternoon. So, we came home early. My companion and I went to sleep early. We set the alarm clock for 11:40, but when it went off neither of us wanted to wake up. Then at 12:00 I heard a ton of fireworks outside and woke up. We ate 12 grapes, which is the tradition here. Then we went up on the roof of the house with the Villanueva family, which also lives in our house and lit sparklers. And that´s all.

Today my companion and I left to hike around in our area. We have been starting to teach a family that lives up on the other side of the mountain ridge, just outside of El Pinar. Inside El Pinar is the community of factory houses for the people that work in the gold mine, but outside of El Pinar it's very beautiful. It´s full of farms and really old houses. We hiked around there. We discovered a really old cemetary and walked around inside. We want to get to know this area to teach more here. It's a lot calmer because it's all dirt trails in between woods and farms and so cars don't pass like the part of my area that is closer to the city center.

I found a flute that plays for the side like my flute at home and so I bought it and am practicing hymns to play...no say when.

We are really teaching an interesting bunch of people now, but it's great to see their desires to come to church and participate in the activities. In the church Sunday the branch president announced that in the afternoon members would be getting together to visit some of the less active members. Two of our investigators that were visiting church this Sunday showed up too. I was a little worried about how they would participate, especcially since one of our investigators has a lot of doubts over some of the basic doctrine. But I couldn´t turn them away. They accompanied the members to visit and it turned out fine.

Mission Huaraz Peru

2010-12-15T18:19:00.000-08:00

Wow. Yep, it´s certainly much colder there than here. Please send my greetings to the branch and family. I'm sure that you´re all getting ready for Christmas too, right?

This weekend we were all inside the house all day because of some protesting, but things appear to be normal now. Don´t worry. My area was pretty calm. But as the for the city center...

Earlier this week we had some great lessons. It´s great to see people that understand the message and we have been able to see our investigators with a thirst to learn. I love this. We didn´t have any baptisms this month and a half, but I have been able to see investigators with more of a thirst to learn than ever before.

And, yep, I´m still here in Huaraz. We don´t have any changes in my companionship. I´m happy I´ll get another 6 weeks with Hermana. Lazo. I´ve loved to see her progression. We have a lot of faith in the progression of those that we are teaching at this time. So, I will complete 9 months in Huaraz after this next cambio. It looks like I will be serving Mission Huaraz Peru. But I love Huaraz and I wouldn´t mind staying here a little while more. I want to see this place change over to be a Stake! And little by little we have been able to activate a few more families. We really have to work hard!

Everyday I´m trying to get better at studying in the mornings. We have to study for 3 hours every morning and I´m learning a lot about study skills. I´ll admit that when I started my mission I was always sleeping during my studies. Not because I wanted to, it was because I never was used to sitting in one spot and studying.

Christmas Devotional

2010-12-08T05:40:00.000-08:00

I just cut my hair. But it´s not shorter. I got it layered that´s all. I had wanted to do it earlier, but finally got around to it. For 5 soles. 3 soles is the cheapest haircut (about 1 dolar).

There´s a dinosour bone museum here and Hermana Lazo and I were so excited with our plans to visit today, but when we passed by it was closed. Every Monday. Oh well.

Yesterday we had the opportunity to see the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional. This was so beautiful. Have you seen it? We invited two investigators. Our one investigator liked it so much that he pulled out a notebook from his pocket and started taking notes. We had to leave after it ended, but he stayed put to listen to the choir sing afterwards.

We have been able to find some really great people this week. Investigators that are really receptive to the spirit and that understand the message that we are sharing. And area changes are just around the corner. I hope that I can pass Christmas here. But we´ll see.

President Turk was here with a member of the 70. They talked about how we can better our scripture study. It was great. Also, he was able to interview one of our investigators. He won't be able to be baptised for a while, but the interview was able to help him. Some times the repentence process takes a while.

Preach my Gospel

2010-11-30T17:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, all is well here. The mission president has put a lot of emphasis in contacting people in the street and we have been able to see lots of results from this. I don´t know why we have had a hard time lately finding people who are ready to progress, but all I know is that what´s most important is that we are teaching and serving others like the Lord would. But I´m excited for the great people that we have been able to come across. Every time I think about our investigators I feel happy. They become like good friends and it´s such a joy to see people who are struggling with difficulties that are able to overcome these things. But it´s also different being a missionary. Eventually we have to change areas and just have faith that our investigators are progressing still with the other missionaries.

I´m also still really enjoying training. I have been able to learn a lot about relying on Preach My Gospel [Teaching manual for missionary work]. There it says how missionary work should be. There´s still a lot I don't know and I´m always reading and thinking, "Oops, I´m still not doing that." But learning is a process that everyone is in.

Today we are going to eat Pizza for dinner with our zone. I haven´t had pizza in a little while.

Wow, the time is passing quickly! I can't believe that soon I will complete a full year as a missionary.

Thanksgiving came and passed without event. I was all excited to help the family that we live with decorate their Christmas tree today, but then our district leader told us that we are going to use internet a lot earlier than usual. So, sadly, I won't be able to help.

I´m really glad to hear that everyone in Michigan is well. I really miss the bunch up there a lot. Nothing here can take the place of family.

Street Contacts and New Backpacks

2010-11-22T20:11:00.000-08:00

President Turk has put a lot of emphasis on contacting people in the street. The problem is that when we contact and later look for their address, they´re either never at home or the direction doesn´t exist. One of these cases was a university student that we had contacted several weeks ago. We had passed by his house several times, but he was never home. But last night we were walking in that area and we saw that the light was turned on. We knocked and he was home. We were able to have a really great lesson. I like teaching university students because they seem to understand better. We found out that he was searching for the truth and he was really interested in praying and finding out for himself if this is true. He had been thinking of leaving his house that night to visit his uncles, but because of the rain didn´t. Thanks to the rain we were able to find someone who really did want to listen to our message.

Yes, I finally broke down and bought a new backpack and rain coat, plus a few more blouses because I lost some weight.

New Branch Missionaries

2010-11-18T06:06:00.000-08:00

I am so excited that we finally have branch missionaries now. The branch president asked us into a meeting because he was concerned for the new converts. Very few are active. I was so excited he asked for our opinions. We organized a training meeting for all the newly called branch missionaries teaching them specifically their objective as missionaries, how to teach, how to invite others to keep compromisos (promises), and then afterwards we orgainized practive opportunities. It was really great to see the excitement that these new branch missionaries have to fulfill their calling. They really enjoyed the practice sessions. The branch president helped by buying folders for every companionship of branch missionaries. We copied all the registros of the recent converts and explained how to fill the registros. I am really happy for this new program that we´ve planned. It makes me sad to see so many members who have been baptised but never returned after their confirmation. Missionaries in areas like this have to be really careful that they are following the teachings in Preach My Gospel. There are tons of baptisms here, but that doesn´t mean that everyone will be ready to endure to the end. I am glad that finally we have branch missionaries to help us.

Note; Branch missionaries are local LDS members who volunteer their time to fellowship and teach recently baptized members and those who are investigating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Today we went to see a lagoon called Llaca. Here there was actually chunks of ice in the water!

Yep, it´s raining here. I got a little sick because I was walking around in the rain without tights, umbrella, sweater, nothing. I guess I learned my lesson. I´m not all that strong. Also my backpack is completly falling apart. I´m tied it up with a manta, a traditional cloth that people use to carry their babies, but everyone just thinks it's funny and it's hard to get anything out of my backpack. I think I need to buy a new one. I don't like buying stuff because when I see others who don't have much I dont like to look all rich and stuff, but I think I need to break down and use my money from home.

4th companion in Huaraz

2010-11-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

My new companion is Sister Lazo from Lima. She´s great and we´re getting along well. This time I´m more comfortable with training. The first time that I had to train I was really nervous because I don´t know a lot and really am not the best missionary. I´m obedient, but I could really improve in the language and my form to teach, but I know that God sent me this assignment for a purpose and Sister Parque and I really were able to see many miracles. I´m excited for this opportunity to work with Sister Lazo now.

Changes are coming!

2010-11-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

Yep, I got your Christmas package today. Thanks so much! My companion was really excited to see that there were things in there for her. We put up the decorations and listened to the CD and ate some of the popcorn, but we´re planning on waiting for Christmas to open up the wrapped gifts.

But this Saturday a miracle happened. Beth was baptised. And since then I can see a glow in her face that I haven´t seen in a long time.

Yes, we learned about the area changes this morning. My companion, Sister Parque, will leave tomorrow to the Area California, which is in Trujillo. I had the opportunity to tract there a little when I was in Trujillo for the conference and I know it will be a good area for her, but I will miss her. Sister Parque is a really good companion. I will stay here in Huaraz and will train a new missionary again. I am excited to get to know my new companion. Sister Chipana who is also here in Huaraz with me will train a new missionary too!

Again, thank you very much for the package. One thing, I am have trouble finding good tights here. It´s really cold and they only sell pantyhose that aren´t too warm and tear easily. Could you, by chance, send some good tights here. Remember I had some that were wool and ribbed that I think I bought at Von Maur? But the problem is that they´re in storage in Utah. If you can´t find more or can´t send more, don´t worry about it. I thought I might just ask.

Well hope all is well, Hermana Rachael Bakaitis

Parental Consent

2010-10-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

This weekend we planned two baptisms. One of those baptisms is of a granddaughter of a sister I visit teach. I found her registro in our area book, but the missionaries hadn't taught her in a very long time. Her grandmother told us that her father, who is less active in the church, is very "duro de corozon" [hard of heart] and wouldn't give permission, and that is why the missionaries had stopped teaching. Well, we went on over and started teaching. We taught the doctrine of the restoration, plan of salvation, and gospel of Jesus Christ to this 10 year old girl. We gave her short reading assignments and invited her to pray. I believe that if our missionary lesson manual, "Preach My Gospel" says to do it this way, it applies to everyone 8 years and up. She accepted the invitation to be baptized.

Finally we found her father at home. We asked if we could talk with him right there. He had a little time, so he invited us in. In the living room we were there with the mother and the father and I just explained clearly why we were there and that we respected the decisions of the parents. Their daughter wanted to be baptized, but we just needed permission. I don't believe in stuff like telling the parents that the sins of their daughter will fall on their head or anything. I think parents don't give permission out of love, because they want to make sure the decision is of their children, and not the missionaries. Easy. "Sure," her parents said and signed the form. They said that they had had a previous experience where missionaries were pressuring their daughter and hadn't really taught much. As a loving parent I wouldn't give permission either. I think that sometimes as missionaries we worry too much because of the numbers and stuff, but I've found that it's better to not worry and work diligently and do everything out of the inspiration of the spirit.

Read the Book of Mormon just like a novel!

2010-10-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

Book of Mormon
Yeah, for the Peruvian elections, we weren´t allowed to leave the room, only to eat and nothing else. Sometimes elections here can get a little crazy. The elections were on Sunday, and because it´s a law that everyone has to vote (or they have to pay s./ 180) there weren´t any meetings in the church [public meetings are prohibited on election day]. President Turk gave us the challenge to start reading the Book of Mormon. We need to finish by Christmas. So, we read all day. I´ve never had the experience to read so much of the Book of Mormon in one sitting. One whole day to read is kind of rare for the mission. I was able to see the whole story of the Book of Mormon. During my mission my studies usually are focused on several verses, because when we teach we don´t read several chapters in one sitting, but only a few verses to teach a point. But this time I was able to see the Book of Mormon from a different perspective, and this was good!

Note: To obtain a free copy of the Book of Mormon, follow this link: http://www.mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon/

Mountain Hike

For P-day we went to Churup, a lagoon up in the mountains. We had to hike for some time to get up there. Some of the sisters aren´t very used to hiking in the mountains, but I used every principle that Dad taught me to help me keep going when running, to help encourage the sisters, and after several hours and ibuprofens, everyone made it to the lagoon. The lagoon in Churup was very beautiful and I don´t think we have lagoons so blue in the United States.

Everything is going great here. Hermana Parque is a powerful missionary and I really enjoy learning from her. Keep me and the investigators in your prayers. We´re always praying for you guys.

New Companion

2010-09-29T04:35:00.000-07:00

My new companion is Sister Parque. She´s really great. She´s from Lima. I have had the opportunity to learn a lot from her. Because she´s fresh from the MTC she can remember a lot of the basic principles in teaching that sometimes I forget.

I have been seeing miracles by simply doing the things that we should do as missionaries. For example, we should visit the less active members, but sometimes I spend a lot of time in the same houses of the same members that I know aren´t progressing, and won't search for everyone. We decided that we needed to start visiting the people that we DON'T know,. And just as we stopped by the house of a member we didn't know, the sister of the member was entering the house. The member wasn´t home, but I asked if we could share a message with her. "Yeah, come on in." Quickly we learned that she had listened to the missionaries before when her brother was listening to them, but she was studying and didn't have much time for the visits, but she had wanted to be baptized then. We taught her, and then gave to invitation for baptism. She excitedly accepted.

Change is coming

2010-09-22T09:46:00.000-07:00

Mom, I got your package today. Thanks for the nice cards. I haven´t opened the present yet, but I think I know what is inside.

We learned about the changes of companions today. I´m staying in Huaraz still. Yay! Really, I love my area. But Sister Quixchan will go to Chimbote. I will be a trainer and a new sister will be my companion. I don´t know yet who she will be. There will be three new sisters coming into the mission. One from Bolivia, one from Lima, and one from the United States.

As for Christmas presents, what I would like is CDs of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Oh, and my shoes are falling apart, but you don´t have to send shoes. I can buy them here.

Missionary Optimism

2010-09-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

It´s starting to get into the rainy season. And it´s cold. But I´m used to it. Luckily we have warm showers, but the water heater doesn´t work too well. But that's ok. A cold shower is only a couple minutes long

Weather Report

2010-08-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

It´s still cold here. We had a lot of rain yesterday. For me I don´t think the cold is all that bad, but the Latinos here from the coast think it´s freezing. Everyone has colds, but thanks to my body that is accustomed to the freezing cold winters of Illinois, I´ve been pretty healthy. I need to thank Dad for those days when the temperature is 0 F and Wind chill of -10 F and he´s like "Let´s go running!" And for my friend Kathy at BYU who always wanted to run uphill into Rock Canyon in the snow. When I show people that photo that I have of Chelsea and Aaron with the giant snowman everyone is shocked. We can see snow in the Nevados here, beautiful and white with the blue sky, but here in Huaraz we don´t have snow.

Invite. Don't obligate!

2010-08-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

I now can do the 42 pushups I needed to have to max for my PFA (Physical Fitness Assessment for the US Air Force). Wow, the blessings of the mission can manifest in many ways. :-)

In the mission I have a goal to teach effectively, with the Spirit. What makes me scared sometimes is when we visit less active members who have no testimony. "Why were you baptized?" At times they can't remember. No, I don´t want this. Missionaries have to be really careful not to obligate. Really, we´re here to INVITE others to come unto Christ. INVITE. Not Force, because that it impossible.

I had my first "visita de trabajo*" Wednesday. It went well. I really liked the opportunity to serve and help the other sister complete her goals. And this day I learned many things from her too.

Well, all is well.

*Visita de trabajo. As Zone coordinator for the Sisters, Rachael goes on 24 hour visits to all of the Sisters in the Zone. She trains them to be more effective missionaries, and sends progress reports to the mission president.

New leadership responsibility

2010-08-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

Oh, guess what, I just recieved a card from Abby (my friend in England). She's going to have a baby in December. Wow, how time flies! Also, this week I recieved a letter from Erin who is right now serving her mission in Oregon, and a letter from Momo, who is starting school in the fall at Loyola in Chicago. It's always good to hear updates from others. It's great, also, to hear from other friends in their missions. Everyone has their different experiences. My mission, I imagine, is really different than Oregon, but reading Erin's cards, I can see that we experience the same joy and are learning some of the same life lessons. And, of course, we are working under the same God, with the same Spirit, and baptizing with the same authority.

Yep, I'm still with Sister Quixchan. I'm happy because we still have a lot of work to complete here and I still have a lot to learn from her. Many times, I'm learning, is that the unity in a companionship doesn't mean that the two have to be exactly alike and best buddies. Also, you can have a lot of love for a person but not be the same type of person.

Also, I've been assigned as coordinator for the sisters in this Zone, kind of like sister-zone leader. I'm excited for the assignment and have been planning a lot of things to help fortify the sisters here in Huaraz and Caraz. Part of my responsiblity is to do "visitas de trabaja," where I work with another sister for 24 hours and then send a report to the office on the progression of the sister.

Guinea pigs for supper

2010-08-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

Rachael was invited to attend a leadership training meeting last week...

Gracias por la foto. Ah, the first thing I thought to write was in Spanish. What is happening to me!!! Yeah, the conference was great. Basicly we talked about all the things that are in Preach My Gospel, but it was great to hear it again. Repitition is the best. I was reminded of things that I have to work on that I wasn´t really thinking about before. The conference, I learned, was for all the Zone and District Leaders and future trainers of new missionaries. So, it´s possible that I could be training a new sister in the future, but I have no idea when.

There aren´t any wild animals here. Only lots of dogs, cats, and rats in the streets. In houses people have lots of guinea pigs (to eat!), chickens, ducks, and rabbits. Higher up in our area I´ve also seen pigs...but nothing wild.

I´m learning a lot from my companion here. Today we have a ´reunion de cambios´, so we´ll find out who will change areas/zones. I really hope that my companion doesn´t change. Well, we´ll see.

We just started teaching a family of 8. There´re all receptive, but so far we´ve only been able to bring the children to the church. This family has 5 boys, and 1 baby girl. The 5 boys really liked the primary and the classes for the young men, but after church my companion and I are always chasing them around the church to round up the boys to bring them back home. This Sunday for some reason they all had soap in their hair when we found them outside waiting for us.

I love you all.

Another great week

2010-08-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

I leave tomorrow night for the 10 hour trip to Trujillo. I don´t know why, but I have to go for a special leadership training that will take place Wednesday and Thursday. I´ll be traveling down with the zone leaders and district leaders.

Yesterday my companion and I were in a taxi with three investigators trying to get to the church as fast as possible and out the window we saw 18 year-old Brian in his whole suit and tie running to the church too. He was baptized two weeks ago. He went out with the Elders for two days to see how the whole mission experience is. I cant wait to see where he´ll get called on a mission in a year.

This week we had Hermana. Zavaleta as our companion. She´s 16 and is accompaning us for a project for personal progress. It´s been great having this opportunity to teach how a mission is and it's been great to see how she´s been able to share those joys too.

Ancient Prophets in America

2010-07-27T20:07:00.000-07:00

Things here are fine. At times difficult, but I´m really getting comfortable here. Right now we're visiting with a man who doesn´t believe in Jesus Christ, but the traditions of those Incas (as read in history books). At first he wouldn't really listen to us, but as we started talking about the history that we know of ancient inhabitants of the Americas (I know some about the Navajos and Hermana Quixchan knows about the Mayas in Guatemala) and how the book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets of those native to this continent, he started to listen a little.

To learn more about the Book of Mormon and ancient prophets in America, follow this link:

http://www.mormon.org/book-of-mormon/

Wearing bells to a baptism

2010-07-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

I really like how Hermana Quixchan teaches. She is really direct and sometimes those lessons where we Teach pure doctrine, Invite, Promise, Testify and Verify--and pass through these direct and to the point--sometimes these are the most powerful. A lot of missionaries teach good lessons, but will go on for an hour or more becuase they can´t talk to the point. The problem is that sometimes this causes the lesson, and the spirit, to be kind of watered down. We have a goal to teach all the lessons before baptism--because all are important for the member to really be converted to the church and not just stunned by us amazing missionaries, or something like that :-)

Saturday Brian was baptized. Directly before he was dancing in a competition. The service was about to start, so we went searching for him. We knew the competition was in the Plaza and so we went there. We found something like 500 dancers. It looked impossible. We began walking through the crowd searching. Everyone had different costumes. Independence Day for Peru is coming up and so this competition was for all the different dances of Peru. Finally we ran into his mom and sister. They didn´t even know he was going to get baptized. He never told them...so we invited them and they were all supportive. But, anyways, we had to wait until he was done with the competition, and then after we all went to the church building. The costume is really flamboyant and has bells on the legs. We went running into the chapel, and entered just as they were finishing with another baptismal service. Brian went on tiptoes to the bathroom to change into his baptismal clothes (because the bells on his costume made a lot of noise when he walked). After Brian's service his mom was crying. She was so touched to see her son baptized. We´ve started teaching her and she came to church Sunday too. Now she has a baptismal date set in two weeks and wants us to come and teach all of her family.

People here think that everyone in the US are members of the Mormon church and that we sell CTR rings in every store. And people think that every missionary is from Utah. I don't know why. I think I am the only North American missionary in my zone that is from East of the Mississippi though. Also, many Peruvian missionaries here think that EFY is a music group (because of the CDs) and that Enya is Mo-pop music. When I explained that the words of her songs really don´t mean much, they were shocked.

Glossary of Terms:
CTR--"Choose the Right." This is a motto that young children learn in Sunday School class. We give them rings with a shield emblem and the letters CTR. (In Spanish, it is HLJ, "Haz Lo Justo.")

EFY--"Especially for Youth." This is a summer-camp type program for teens It is put on the the LDS Church Education System.

Mo-pop--Mormon pop rock

2010-07-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

Landscape between Caraz and Huaraz

Rachael as witness in a wedding

The Sister Missionaries in Rachael's zone

How the Children spend their time:

2010-07-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

About the children here: All the schools here have uniforms. That´s one thing different. I am always helping kids in the branch with their English homework. It looks like to me that the majority of the classes here work with a notebook system. The students do all their homework in a notebook for that subject, for example English, and turn their notebook in every week to be graded, and then it´s returned. It don´t think that this is anything new. Some of my teachers in the U.S. did this too, but it´s really popular here. Here it´s also popular to decorate your notebooks and and cover them with a laminate so they look nice. I think I´ll remember this when I get back to my university because I always destroy my notebooks.

What else? Kids here like to watch TV (Disney Channel is very popular here), play outside, play video and computer games, play soccer and volleyball, skateboard, and dance. The schools here have after school dance classes, and also band (like in the U.S.). The dances here are different though. Huayno is really popular here in the mountains, but in Chimbote people liked to dance a lot of Salsa.

As for chores: People buy their bread daily here, so this is one chore I´ve seen children do--go to buy bread. A lot of people (not everyone though) wash their clothes by hand and I´ve seen children have the responsiblity to wash the socks. Clean the room, mop the floor--most of the chores are pretty normal. Here, though, the biggest chore that the children have is their homework. Children have more school during the day than in the US, and I think more homework too. Some children even have to go to school on Saturday.

I was really nervous when Hermana Ruiz left because she knew the area really well and I always was just following. The day after she left I came down with a really high fever, and I think it was initiated by my nervousness, but now I feel more segure. And I can find my way around pretty well. Hna. Quixchan is great and I´m learning a lot from her. Physically, my area, I believe, is probably the hardest out of all of the areas for the sisters. It´s all up hill. Thanks to my friend Kathy, (roommate at BYU) I´m accustomed to running uphill (and with Hna. Ruiz it seemed like we were always running to make appointments).

Potato farming, paved streets and fireworks

2010-06-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

Hey!

Well, Hermana Ruiz is going to leave for Casa Grande, but I´m staying in this area. My new companion will be Hermana Quixchan, from Guatemala. Remember I wrote about teaching in Caraz with her. We get along great, so it should be okay. I´m a little nervous because now I will have to direct the whole area.

The other day we ended up helping our investigator, Maria, in her chacra (small farm). We had to clear an area to plant a field of potatoes. We spent hours with pick axes hacking at the ground.

And we finally made it up to El Pinar, the private community way up in the mountains. There´s a less active member who lives up there. We called him up and made an appointment to meet him. We had to take a taxi to get up there and we had to all show our IDs to enter. Inside it looks like a subdivision in Central Illinois. All the houses are the same. The streets are paved and there are no loose dogs in the streets. Inside of this community is a swimming pool, tennis courts, a gym, golf courses, and a club house. Carl, the member we visited, was very cordial and we spent most of the time talking about his travels around the world. And earlier this day we were in Jilmanca Jilco, one of the poorest communities in our area. We were like "What? Where are we now?"

Oh, I thought you might like to hear about the fireworks here, because I know how pasionate my family is about explosives. Anyway, there´s a shop up in Jilmanca Jilca that sells fireworks. Fireworks are very popular here, but I've found that a lot of them aren´t very pretty. They´re just loud and explode. I think it might be because a lot of them are hand made. You all know, fireworks are easy to make, but to make them look pretty, I imagine that some of those chemicals are hard to find.

What can you buy for $7.00?

2010-06-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

Mom's note: Rachael's bank statement last month showed four ATM withdrawals for $7.07 each. I wrote her and asked how much $7.07 is in Peruvian currency and what one could buy with it. She responded:

As for $7, it´s 20 soles. For 20 soles I can buy a ticket on a tour bus for 4 hours and buy lunch too. Or, I can make 40 phone calls. Or I can buy 40 candybars. Or I can buy a nice Peruvian sweater. Or I can send 3 letters to the United States. Or I can buy a shampoo with a little left over (shampoo is a little expensive here).

And how's the weather Rachael? It´s getting a little cold. Actually it´s really cold. We wear wool pants under our skirts and tall, thick, wool socks with a pair of black stockings over so it looks OK. I wear two sweaters and a scarf. I just bought a good pair of "medias elephantes" ("elephant socks", because they´re so thick) from the wife of one of the church members here.

Families are central to the plan of God

2010-06-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

Hermana Ruiz and I went up into an area called Jilmanca Jilco the other day. It´s part of our area, but it´s a bit far so we don´t visit it often. We didn´t end up finding the family we had searched for but we made some great contacts. Up there we saw an old lady struggling to carry a bag of cabbages. We wanted to help her, but she couldn´t understand what we were saying "¿Podemos ayudarle?" She spoke Quechua. I think I´m going to buy a book somewhere to learn Quechua. It´s supposed to be easy to learn because it doesn´t have conjugations.

Right now we have a big focus in teaching families. It makes sense. Families are central to the plan of God, right? If not, I think He would just create us solo. But that´s not the way it is. And it's important to teach people as families. I have first hand have witnessed many miracles here with families--and have witnessed how the gospel really has strengthened families.

And how are things going with Ben driving? In Peru it's not as common for people to have driver's licenses like in the U.S. A lot of people use the taxis. And the roads are crazy because those taxistas, I think, make up their own rules. :)

Rachael

"Things are going great here"

2010-06-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

Things are going great here. On Saturday two families were baptized. And on Friday a mother of a family that were all members excepting her was baptized. And those families are really powerful. Like future leaders in the church. One of the families was married Friday, and I was one of the witnesses.

Friday was crazy. We had to organize the whole baptism, run to the city center to get my legal documents verified so I could be witness, and then be there for the baptism and wedding, which were at about the same time. But it was a good day. Then the next day was another the baptism. In both cases the families were in some ways miracles. And Sunday they were all confirmed during church. It really was a beautiful week, but also very busy.

I just spent 15 min trying to get my camera to download on this computer, and I´m going to give up now. I´d like to sent some pictures, but the computer in this particular computer cafe is just too slow. Sorry.

Yesterday I talked to a couple of tourists visiting from Utah. I was shocked how difficult it was to speak English with them. I think it´s easier to write English than to speak it right now.

"Some kind of extra joy"

2010-05-31T18:18:00.000-07:00

Hey!

Nope, I haven't seen any alpacas or llamas.

And Daniel is OK now. We stopped by his house to make dinner for him one night. I was so happy that this was the very first Peruvian meal I've ever cooked, and it was really delicious. But, pretty much it was just mashed potatoes and sauteed onions with canned tuna, so it was simple, but it was delicious.

Saturday I ended up traveling to Caraz. One of the sisters in Caraz had to have minor surgery, so she was in Trujillo and her companion was with us in Huaraz. The sister from Caraz, Hermana Quixchan, had to return to Caraz for a baptism, so I went with her. My companion, Hermana Ruiz, was a with sister in the branch for the day.

Here's some good news: Two families are going to be baptized Saturday. Over the course of two weeks, I can see a distinct difference in these families. It's a light that I can't clearly describe. Before they were good families, normal. But now there's some kind of extra joy. There's some kind of difference that I can see, and I didn't quite understand when I was younger because I couldn't see it. But now I can see the comparative, the joy the gospel can bring to a family.

Oh, and I get to be a witness for a wedding this Friday!!!!! I'm making brownies for the wedding.

Way up high in the Andes

2010-05-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

I changed areas Friday. Right now I'm in Huaraz. Huaraz is freezing cold, and here they don´t have indoor heating. First I traveled two hours by bus to Trujillo and from there I traveled 10.5 hours by bus to Huaraz. Huaraz is up in the mountains and it´s BEAUTIFUL. I'm getting plenty of exercise because the roads are pretty close to vertical! Our area is really large. The city central is down in a valley, but our area is up in the mountains above the city. The farther up one goes it's more and more farm land. And then on the other side of the ridge is a special private comunity that looks like it could be in Italy. That´s part of our area too...but we need to get permission to enter...(We have a goal to enter someday.)

We are teaching a family right now that in order to get to their house we have to climb rocks and walk through corn fields. But I love it. Right now Huaraz is a really special place to be because they´re working to become a stake*. I visited the branch* for the first time Sunday and it´s the biggest branch I´ve ever seen. It's bigger than my ward in Nuevo Chimbote, I think. The reason that Huaraz is only a district* with branches is because it doesn´t have enough active priesthood holders* to progress up to the next level, so right now we are really focusing on teaching families and working with less active members. I´m excited because in my time here we´ve begun teaching two families who want to be baptized. Sunday we had to work really hard to get the dad in one of our families to come to the church, because he had other things to do that day. But in the end we all went together to a different branch at a different time. He is really excited to have himself and his family be part of the church. He is also excited to start family home evenings in his house. The parents in the other family that we are teaching have to get married first before they can be baptized, but from the help of a member that is a judge, it should be easy. And guess what--I might get to be one of the witnesses!

But I do feel like I have big shoes to fill. Hermana Palamino, the sister who served in with my companion, Hermana Ruiz, before me, was a really powerful missionary. A lot of people really miss her. Sunday we talked with one of her recent converts, 89 year old Daniel, and he began to cry. I guess he doesn´t speak much Spanish, but Hermana. Palamino could speak Quechua (an indigenous Andean language) with him and taught him in Quechua. I am an amatuer at Spanish and don´t know anything in Quechua. Anyways, he wasn´t too happy with me for "taking Hermana Palamino´s place"...

Huaraz is interesting. A lot of people wear native dress, but also there are a lot of foreign tourists in the city central. Also, in the center there is a lot of people with dreadlocks. I guess hippies like the mountains.

Priesthood=All male members of the Church who are worthy and prepared may receive the priesthood to help lead the Church and serve Heavenly Father’s children. A man with the priesthood might serve by leading congregations of the Church, performing the ordinances of the Church (such as baptism), and blessing those who are sick.

For more information on the Priesthood and its history, follow this link: http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/the-restoration-of-truth/the-restoration-of-the-priesthood

*Stake and District=A stake is a group of congregations, generally about three thousand to five thousand members in five to ten congregations. Where there are not enough members to form stakes, districts are formed.

*Ward and Branch =A ward is a local congregation of about three hundred to eight hundred members. Branches are formed when there are not enough members or not enough priesthood leadership to form a ward.

Great pics!

2010-05-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

Me and our friend Pepe who lives right outside our room. He's the pet of the family we live with.

Our zone on top of a cerro. We ended up walking an hour to get here and hitched a ride in the back of a truck for the last 5 miles. The zone leaders thought it was only a 30 min walk--but no. It was fun, but Hermana Chipana was having some trouble with her asthma that day.

The delicious food of Mamá Fausta, our pensionista.

The view out of our window in the area Gedeon

Hermana Chipana and me.

New Area

2010-05-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

Yep, we´ve got area changes. Hermana Chipana and I are in area Nuevo Chimbote now, moved from area Gedéon 2. But it´s not really much of a change since area Gedéon 2 borders Nuevo Chimbote and shares the same chapel. We miss the people in our old area. We are really worried about how they will take the transition of missionaries. Some Elders are now serving in Gedéon 2 instead of us Sisters.

Our new ward is a bit smaller--I think only 80 people--but the Mission Leader of the ward is awesome. He has a lot of energy to work and has been helping us a lot. The area log of the Elders before of was ... horrible ... they hadn´t written anything! So, we pretty much have to start from scratch. Well, not exactly. We have a ton of registers for the investigators, but we have no idea how they have been progressing. And Sunday we met four investigators at church that weren't even in the log book.

Mama Fausta is our new pensionista. She´s great, and is a member too. It´s more convenient than our last area, because our room is in the same house we eat at. We miss Mama Chiva though, but we´ll see her at the chapel since the Gedéon Ward and Nuevo Chimbote Ward are in the same building.

Hermana Chipana and I are working on our pushups in the mornings. I need to increase mine for ROTC, and Herman Chipana needs to increase hers because she is a firefighter and needs to pass a physical exam after her mission to go back to firefighting.

Oh, yeah, I´m sooo excited about calling home on Sunday! For Mother´s Day!!!

Spiritual Conversion

2010-04-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

Family Home Evening with some friends*.

"Me with the wonder waterbottle filter we all get in the mission. They´re always telling us to drink more water."

The City of Chimbote from afar.

"Welcome to Chimbote, Capital of fishing and steel."

My friends in the ROTC might think it´s funny that my companion, Hermana Chipana, somehow started calling me Hermana Bacardi. Actually, it was an investigator who got my name wrong, and I just started laughing because that was my callsign, and Raquel, the investigator, and Hermana Chipana have called me Hermana Bacardi ever since. I like that better than Hermana Gringa, which is what other investigators call me.

The 15 year-old young man we have been teaching changed his mind about getting baptized last week. But he´s a good kid, and we´re still visiting with him. I don´t know what will happen actually. Yeah, it made me think that I have to be careful as a missionary that I´m not baptizing people just because they think it will be cool and all their friends are in the church. There´s the social conversion and the spiritual conversion, and BOTH are important.

*Family Home Evening: An evening set aside weekly for family activities, discussions, and instruction. Church leaders do not schedule meetings or activities on Monday nights so that families can be free to be together.

No time today!

2010-04-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I just don't have too much time to write today. I have to search for a song for a musical number, but it´s always great to hear updates from you all. Thanks!

And don't feel bad about North American high school kids complaining about early morning seminary. The kids here get to have seminary at 5:00 in the evening.

I hope all is well at home! I love you all!

"Do you remember that house?"

2010-04-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome experience this week. I was walking with Hermana Chipana and all of the sudden she told me to stop. So, I stopped, wondering why she was so abrupt. "Do you remember that house?" she asked me, pointing to the house right in front of us. Yeah, I remembered it. A couple weeks ago we were searching for addresses on some reference cards. I remember we knocked and no one answered at this house, but there was a really cute puppy inside the gate. We were joking around and taught the first lesson to the puppy...yes sometimes we joke that we should have a section in our contact log for dogs ... Anyways, we couldn't actually remember who lived here.

We had another teaching appointment to go to, but we decided to ring the doorbell...and this time someone was home. A woman answered the door and after we explained we were missionaries, she said, "Come in. My mother´s a member and is here right now." We came in and found the whole family together. Her mother was a very active member, but no one else was. We began teaching and less than five minutes into the lesson the grandson, Robert, 15, asked how he could get baptized. His mother was really excited about this. We began to explain more about church programs for the youth and Roger was expecially excited about seminary*. Then, he asked us if he could serve a mission too.

He is really excited for his baptism. He has several friends in the church, and I think that´s one reason he really wanted to come, and I think it's interesting that we just had the feeling to stop at this house one more time--the house of someone who already wanted to be part of the church and just didnt really know how.

I´m going to get the lenses in my glasses replaced today. Here in Peru it's really cheap, To get a brand new pair of prescription lenses, frames and all, is the equivalent of $40 in U.S currency.

Thats all for now.

*Seminary programs provide weekday religious instruction for youth who attend public, private, or home schools.

Used bed sheets, an old sewing machine and a good sound system = MIRACLE

2010-04-05T18:46:00.000-07:00

I recieved your Easter package today! Thank you very much! Everyone in my zone was happy to share the Girl Scout cookies. The North American Elders were especially excited. Hermana Chipana told me she had seen people selling these cookies in movies, and so was happy to try them too.

I went shopping for mission-approved DVDs today. Its only 2.50 soles for a DVD. That´s the equivalent of less than $1.00 in the U.S. It's because the DVDs are all illegal copies. Books too at the book store are often photo copies bound together nice.

On Friday we had a miracle. We missionaries had this idea of a church movie projected in the Plaza Mayor (see photo at left), the main plaza in this area, on Good Friday. A bunch of things just happened, and we were able to realize this dream. Hours before, we were searching frantically for a screen to use to project the movie "The Testaments.*" We found a member with a really ancient sewing machine and we sewed together a bunch of missionaries' bed sheets. And the Stake President, who is kind of well off, had good sound equipment, and the bishop had a projector. We got all the youth together in our ward and gave them reference cards and we all separated and rounded people up Friday night to watch the movie. And there was a ton of people. In the square is a big Catholic Church and a lot of people were there for the procession, and appreciated watching a movie about Jesus. We got 130 referrals that night for our zone. One man in particular was really interested and attended all the sessions of General Conference the next day.

Right now this area is a little tough. At first I was just blown away by how many people were interested in listening, but now it seemed like many aren´t progressing. Still, it´s great that people want to listen and I am really praying for many people at this time.

*This 65-minute epic film depicts events from the life and ministry of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. The story culminates with a portrayal of the resurrected Savior's visit to the ancient Americas as seen through the eyes of a fictional family. If you would like to view the trailer or to purchase the DVD, follow this link:http://www.ldscatalog.com/TestamentsDVD

General Conference Challenge

2010-03-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

For sure I´ll be at all the sessions of general conference*. In our ward we´re really encouraging all the families to attend all sessions of conference together. That means for many talking to the schools and getting permission to skip a day. A lot of kids have school on Saturday. I know. I have the upmost respect for those who can handle school on Saturdays. Anyways, I would really encourage everyone who reads this to try to do this too--to attend all sessions as a family. I know it's hard for the younger ones, but if you all attend you are showing how important conference is and you can discuss the talks after. Personally, once I started to actually pay attention in conference (I admit, I was horrible at this for a long time...) I started to learn some marvelous things. I have had some of my most greatest learning moments in conference sessions.

*Every six months at General Conference, the modern day prophet and apostles and other Latter-day Saint church authorities speak to the worldwide church, giving them counsel and teaching about living the Gospel in the our modern world. Upcoming sessions will be 10am and 2pm Mountain Time on April 3rd and 4th. It is broadcast from Salt Lake City around the globe via satellite and internet. You can watch general conference via the internet by following this link: www.lds.org

Weird Saturday:

Saturday was a really wierd day. First, I don´t know how but I walked into a pane of glass and shattered it. Don´t worry. I was laughing hysterically. I just cut my hand a little. Then, that night we ran into Baptist missionaries from Minnesota and Southern Illinois. They were great and we talked to them for a bit, but it was kind of weird to talk to people from home after all this time.

But that´s not the weird part. Here it is...

Then, while walking home, we saw this weird light in the sky. Honestly, I think it was an airplane, but my companion is convinced it was a UFO. Right after this we visited a member of our ward, Jorge, and my companion excitedly told about our story. Jorge just calmly said, "Oh yeah, we see them all the time. Especially before earthquakes." And, guess what: Within a half hour we had an earthquake! Sorry, I´m of little faith in many aspects of my life and am not convinced we saw an alien, but the weird thing for me is that everyone my companion told about this (because, "This is the first UFO I´ve seen in my life," she told me, and was really excited and wanted to tell everyone) believed us. Many told us that UFOs regularly pass over Chimbote. I am not sure what to think about this, but it´s a really interesting story.

And thanks for the prayers of everyone. I really need them some days. This work is great, but really it is a great responsibility too.

*Note: The GDACS reports that on 3/27/2010 at 8:08 pm Central Daylight Time an earthquake of magnitude 5.4 and depth 66.1km struck a moderately populated area in the Ancash Province (population: 1 million) in Peru. GDACS estimates the likelihood for need of international humanitarian intervention to be low (Green alert). The earthquake was 136km from the city of Chimbote.

Photos finally!

2010-03-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

At the mission home.

Hermanas Bakaitis and Chipana with some young women.

Teaching a very interested investigator.

The "new math" of Spanish translation

2010-03-16T03:54:00.000-07:00

Here´s something interesting: The Spanish Bible says that 3/4 of the hosts of heaven followed Satan, but the English says 1/3 (See Revelation 12:3, also Doctrine and Covenants 29:36). Way different, right? One suggests a majority went with Satan, and the other suggests that a majority went with Jesus. My companion and I were arguing about this, and then we looked it up and were shocked that we were both right in a way. What it is, is that in English it says ¨third part of heaven¨ but if you directly translate that into Spanish, you have ¨tercera parte¨. In Spanish that means 3/? part, and, since it doesn´t say third part of what, it is safe to assume, in the Spanish language, that the ? is a 4. Interesting, right? We looked it up in the book "Jesus the Christ" (by James Talmage) too, and it has the same faulty translation. I believe that English version is right, though.

The weather here is hot and dry, always. We see lots of rain clouds, but they´re always heading for Huaraz.

We´re having a little trouble getting some of our investigators to progress. They LOVE hearing and talking to us, and we enjoy learning from them too, but when we ask if they´ve read anything we left with them, it´s always "I didn´t have time." But we have one investigator who's really eager to learn. We started teaching her, and then on the second visit she straight out asked US when she could get baptized.

As missionaries we are in a way psychologists. Really. People feel safe to share ALL of their problems with us and we are carrying a heavy load. Really, it´s hard at times. Mom, Dad, the world has so many PROBLEMS. But I´m here to serve and sometimes that´s the greatest service, just to listen.

Tickle attacks!

2010-03-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

I'm in the city of Chimbote. Chimbote is a coastal city, big into fishing and Ceviche [a citrus-marinated seafood], which we`re not allowed to eat [mission rule to protect missionaries' health]. And our neighbors like to listen to Salsa music really, really loud all night. I guess next door lives a single guy who likes to party. We should reference him to the Elders ;-). We live in an upstairs room in the house of the Mormon Bishop for the time being and we pension [eat and wash up] at another church member's house. This is a new area, so not a lot is set up for us. We`re trying to look for a permanent place to stay.

Another fact about Peru: It's difficult (expensive) to get married and divorced. I've worked with some women who want to be baptized, but they live with the father of their child, and they can't be baptized until they marry him or he moves out. And then sometimes they can't get a divorce from their first husband in order to marry the guy they currently live with.

Alice [name changed], who is actually in the Elders' area, but we have been working with her, was baptized last Saturday. It was really a beautiful service. Her sister Mia helps teach with us a lot, and her other sister is a member, but it surprised us one day when Mia told us that Alice wanted to be baptized too. We showed up to visit her with the Elders in her area and after teaching a bit there was a knock at the door and it happened to be two more elders. So we all just taught--6 missionaries and Alice. Her little brother went running out to the street where her mom sells cakes and rice pudding and was like "there`s 6 missionaries in the house!!" Her mom came in and was really happy to see us all.

The family of the bishop is great. He has three little kids and downstairs live his mother and father in law. Every time we walk through the house we get attacked by tickling by his kids. haha. Really, they area a great family.

Mi companiona Hermana Chipàna and I played the piano last Sunday in sacrament meeting...I didn't want to, but they had no one else to play. I was surprised that I didn't do all that bad.

I´m glad our new pensionista doesn't feed us like the Lima MTC. I didn't like the food at the MTC. Maybe because I kept getting sick. But the food here is delicious and we get reasonable portions. And it's not a rule we have to finish everything. Here people don't throw as much food away though, because they all have dogs!!

Send me Disney!

2010-03-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

Rachael's mom and dad received this communication on March 1st. The writing was a bit cryptic, so I paraphrased some passages.

Hey! I´ll send more details by snail mail, I think. I took a long time trying to write to the Mission President in Spanish, so I'm almost out of e-mail time [She gets 30 minutes per week]

We can listen to stuff like Enya or Disney music. So, it would be great to get some copies of CDs! You really don't have to, but we were talking about how we would like to listen to music but need to buy stuff first. My companiona likes...I´m not sure what she´ll like actually. But she´s great!

There´s a lot of stuff in the U.S.that we dont have here in Peru.

All the flags are half staff for the Peruvians who died because of the Chilean earthquake, but I´m O.K. No problems in Trujillo.

Oh, and we already have a baptism lined up for Saturday. This is an 18 year-old who had been investigating before but was never at home. His register was about a year old, but decided to try to visit him again. So, that's exciting. We also have two new women we're teaching. Mary [names have been changed] owns a store, so we just always teach her at her store. We invited Sally to church Sunday, but when we went to pick her up she was in pajamas.

Just arrived in Trujillo

2010-02-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

We received this communication from Hermana Bakaitis around 10:30am this morning:

I just arrived in Trujillo.   The flight and everything went fine. I don´t have time to type much now, but I will write more on Pday*, which is Monday.

Trujillo is about 300 miles north of Lima.  No doubt she spent most of today at the mission home, getting some orientation.  Then she'll head out to her assigned area.

*PDay: One day of the week, known as Preparation Day or P-Day, is set aside for missionaries to do necessary chores like cleaning, shopping, laundry, and writing letters. Missionaries can also exercise or see sights of interest within their assigned area. They are still expected to follow rules regarding acceptable missionary conduct.

A whole family

2010-02-17T17:15:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from an e-mail to Mom.  She's seems really upbeat this week!  She has one more week of training in Lima, then she boards a bus for Trujillo and will receive her first field assignment.  If you would like a copy of the Book of Mormon, follow this link:  http://www.mormon.org/

I bought a nice bag.  It can be a shoulder bag or back pack and has a nice waist buckle thing so I don't hurt my back.  And the weather here is perfect.  For some reason everyone says it's hot, but I love it.


I just sewed up a shirt and a tie last night for the Elders.  For some reason they seem to feel thats it's better preparation for the mission field to practice how to defend themselves in a knife fight, than to learn to sew.  The Elders are planning on glueing razor blades to the back of their tags for protection if needed... And practicing in case of knife fights in the streets...I think the Elders are being facetious!

We went out proselyting again on Saturday.  While we were at one member's house we also had the opportunity to teach her son and his wife.  Their baby was there too, so it was a whole family.  It was a really cool experience to teach a whole family together.  Families are really important in the Gospel, and I think it's best to teach them together, but this is the first time I´ve been there while husband, wife and child are all at home.  The husband has been inactive in the church for a long time and I don't think his wife is a member.  We invited them to church and gave them a copy of the book of Mormon with some scriptures marked.  He shared with us his feelings at his own baptism.  It was a beautiful lesson.  We hope to go back and teach them, but I don't think they live in our area.  So, we got their address so some other missionaries can continue.

Watch out for that bus!

2010-02-10T19:55:00.000-08:00

Here's what she writes to her parents this week:

It's hot here.  I got rid of all my long sleeve shirts.

I´m starting to get along great with the Elders in my district.  Two were in the army before coming on a mission, and since I was in the ROTC I kind of know where they're coming from. There is one other North American Sister here.  She is also from Illinois, around Rockford.  She doesn´t know Spanish well, so I´ve had a great opportunity to help translate for her.  Translation is great practice.

The North Americans are in one class and the Latinos are in another, since the Latinos don't need to learn Spanish.  Except, there´s one Elder whose native language is Quechua (an indigenous language).  I feel sorry for him because he´s just thrown in with the Spanish speakers.

The Latinos only stay here three weeks and the North Americans stay six weeks.  So, all the Latinos that arrived with me have gone, including my companion Hermana Rojas.  My new companion is Hermana Calle, also a Peruvian.  We get along fine, but I have to have a little more patience now.  Both of my last two companions had served mini-missions and knew everyhing about teaching.  Hermana Calle is brand new.  I have to help guide her how to teach a lesson, but I don't know how to explain myself in Spanish too much.  Our practice lessons haven't been very good, but I think in three weeks they´ll be better.

One thing that is really bugging me is that the Latinos don't expect me to know what they´re talking about.  They repeat the same question a million times.  If I say "I don´t know," they think I mean "I don't understand," not that I really don't know the answer to the question.  And then they try to talk to me in English, but it just makes it more confusing.

And when we´re going through the city, the other missionaries think that I don't know how to cross the street.  But I lived in Chicago.  I know how to not get hit by a bus!

Proselitsmo

2010-02-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

On January 27th Rachael wrote, "On Saturday we went out for what they call ´proselitsmo´.  We met up at a church building and went out with some of the members to visit some less actives (menos activos).  ("Less Actives" is a term used to refer to members who attend church seldom or never.)  A lot of people weren´t home, but we ended up vistiting two less actives and one investigator..."

In Rachael's e-mail to her parents she gave lots of details about the above mentioned visits.  But she was nervous about having it posted on a blog.  She states:

"This is personal stuff about personal people!"

So, I will attempt to give just one highlight here.

"One really cool thing--  For all these people I have trouble catching and understanding everything they say.  It's hard to talk because I don't want to be off topic.  On one of my visits to a woman I just felt inspired to share a certain story from my life.  I didn't even know if it was on topic.  Afterwards my Peruvian missionary companion said it was the perfect thing to say.  That just shows how the Holy Ghost guides us..."  On Feb 3rd Rachael reported that this woman went to church the next day with her mother, and they both stayed the whole three hours!

In search of Aunt Lucy

2010-01-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

Paddington Bear is from Darkest Peru, you know! He is pictured here with his Aunt Lucy who lives in Peru.

Rachael continues to thrive on her mission. One advantage to being in the Lima, Peru Missionary Training Center is that the new missionaries get to go out into the city and visit with church members and investigators while they are still in training. She did some of that this past Saturday, and said it was a great experience. She's also learning the local dialect and customs. That's all for this week.

In Peru

2010-01-20T16:59:00.000-08:00

1. Don´t send packages to the Lima Missionary Training Center (MTC). I have to pay a large tax fee to pick them up. Padded envelopes are OK though.

2. Don´t send anything to the Lima MTC after Feb 10th, because I won't get it in time.

3. The MTC here has 40 missionaries, 10 Sisters and 30 Elders. There are 13 North Americans here, only 2 North American sisters. One of us will be serving in Mexico, 39 of us will be serving in Peru; I'm the only one going to the Trujillo area.

4. Three of the Elders in my district are going to the Lima North area, which I´m a little bit jealous of because that´s mostly the jungle.--Yes, the church sends missionaries into the jungle.

5. My Spanish is coming along so fast here. Since my companion is Peruvian, I really don't have a choice but to talk in Spanish always. Some of the Elders are struggling a lot though. It's hard, for sure, but I have been able to figure out how to explain a lot of things. During the Devotional on Tuesday I decided to not use the translation headphones because I have found them really annoying. I was suprised that I understood about 80% of the talk.

6. Today we went to the Lima Temple. It's pretty small--a mini temple. Then we stopped at the supermarket for me to buy some shampoo. Lima is a big city. Like Chicago, except more buses and less modern.

7. Things sure are different here. Like at meal times we are told that we have to finish all our food. I´ve actually had some stomache problems here. I don't have a lot of choice on food and I have to eat it all. It's good though. I saw one of the sisters wrap a quiche in a napkin to save for later. She explained to me that there are a lot of people who are hungry and it would be ungrateful to throw anything away. In America everyone is always so worried about becoming fat, so we just throw so much away.

8. Also, here people hug and greet a lot. Sisters always greet with a hug and a kiss.

9. I really respect the faithfulness of many of the people here. Most of the LDS church members are new to the church, like my companion. They don't know as much of the deep doctrine, but they have really strong testimonies of the Jesus Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Departure to Peru

2010-01-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

Rachael called home from the Salt Lake City airport this morning. She's on her way to Lima. She sounded great. Very upbeat, and very excited about how scriptures are just popping into her head at the right moments. She shared the following scripture with me:

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

The First Discussion

2010-01-05T18:17:00.000-08:00

Rachael's Mom and Dad received this communication from Rachael yesterday. For more information on the Restoration and The First Vision, please visit this website: http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/the-restoration-of-truth/the-restoration-of-the-gospel

Things are going good. The other Sisters in my district are Sister B., who is going to Spokane, Washington, and Sister S.and Sister H, who will serve at the Oakland, CA Temple Visitor's Center. All of us will be speaking Spanish. I leave for Peru on the 13th. I'm traveling by myself for some reason. I haven't met anyone here going to my mission.

We have been practicing teaching the first discussion a lot. The first discussion covers --Heavenly Father loves us--He blesses families--Dispensations--Christ's time on earth--The Great Apostasy--The Restoration--The Book of Mormon--You can pray to know these things are true. I really like teaching this lesson and the spirit confirms it is true each time.

I never pondered as much as I have here the importance of having prophets on the earth in the latter days. All throughout the Bible the church set up a certain way--with prophets and apostles. You can see it throughout the Old Testament, and when Jesus came--He called apostles. If God is truly loving, he would not leave us without this special guidance, in the dark wondering what is true. And the spirit feels so strong and peaceful when I testify this in my lessons. My favorite part is explaining the restoration--how there was a need of a restoration, not a reformation. The pieces were too separated and lost. I especially love talking about the First Vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith. We're trying to memorize that in Spanish right now.

Christmas in the MTC

2009-12-29T18:10:00.000-08:00

Rachael's mom received the following communication today. The Hermana will be leaving for the Lima, Peru Missionary Training Center on Jan 13th.

The Elders (male missionaries) here crack me up. I guess they formed this big pile in their residence halls of all the Christmas treats they received. They challenged us Sisters that they could bring us any candy we wanted. We named some obscure fancy chocolates, and some random candies and surprisingly they had exactly what we ordered. We are not at a lack for food here. Everyone sends treats because they think we are, but we have way too much. Remember, we get all we can eat three meals a day.

I'm doing the same as for weight, but I talked to an Elder who's been here about 5 weeks and gained 30 pounds. We have to be careful. We get 50 minutes of work-out a day. Plus, for some reason the sisters get an extra 30 if we come in at 6:00 am. I'm glad that my companion wants to come in for that too. We would go crazy if it wasn't for the work-out time--at least sometimes I think. We have a track (10 laps per mile), a big gym--except the Elders ALWAYS take over the basketball court. ALWAYS. Sisters can't play with Elders and there are so many more Elders here.

Thanks so much for the Christmas presents. I got the notice for the package, but by the time I had a chance to stop by the post office it was closed. That was Christmas Eve. Then, early (6:30am) Christmas morning I got a call to go to the front desk "ASAP". I thought I was in trouble and I was barely awake. I got dressed and made my companion hurry up (mission rules say we don't go anywhere without a companion). We got to the desk and they just wanted to give me the package...but I'm glad I got it for Christmas morning.

The four of us in my room made a Christmas tree out of suitcases covered with a green sheet. We made a paper angel for the top. We put out presents under the tree. We also left our nylons out for "Santa."

Here's why it is important to remember your missionary purpose here at the MTC: Missionaries (mostly Elders) get cabin fever. I heard of a district of Elders who started worshiping a Twinkie. I also heard of a missionary who started speaking Spanish in a Mario voice. He never stopped...I heard some Elders saying "Your Mama" jokes in Spanish the other day. The funny thing is that they were using the Usted form...

My first week

2009-12-22T14:35:00.000-08:00

Rachael's mom received the following communication today. For more information about the Provo Missionary Training Center, follow this link: http://www.mtc.byu.edu/themtc.htm

I have been very busy here at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. The first few days we were given a full schedule. Now, however, we are starting to get free time for personal and companion study. So, I am still busy (no naps allowed) but I feel better about getting to choose the focus of my study. My companion is from Tuba City, in the Navajo Rez. We are a unique companionship. Usually companions go to the same place, but she's going to Spokane Washington, and I'm going to Peru. Actually, I haven't met anyone here going to my misson. She hasn't either. We are starting to find that we work very well as a team. Yes, we are very different people, but we complement each other well as a companionship.

The language is coming along well, surprisingly. Words just pop into my head randomly, and I have no idea how. The other day I was able to tell someone how to say penguin in Spanish. The word just came to me. I can now pray and say testimony in Spanish. Yesterday some more experienced Elders ask my companion and I if they could practice teaching the first discussion to us in Spanish. Surprisingly we both understood the whole thing. Also, we were able to answer questions they asked us in Spanish like "What do you think about the priesthood?" or "What would it mean to you if Joseph Smith was a true prophet?" So, wow, I don't know how this is happening. I was speaking with a native speaker here at the MTC in Spanish. He was surprised I have only been here a few days. He said it was a miricle. It's "el don de languas"--the gift of tongues.

We have been watching some video clips of real interviews and life stories of random people in New York. These people are not LDS. Actually, the videos were made by a group of people who aren't LDS. The MTC just uses them. We talk about these people. We try to think about where these people are on their spiritual journey and how we can invite them to Christ. We really focus here on learning to have charity towards people. Our purpose here is to invite people to Christ and help them gain fath, repentence, baptism, and endurance to the end. We are inviting them because we love them, at least that is what we should be doing. It doesn't matter how many baptisms we get. It doesn't matter. It matters if we are able to love the people of the world as Christ would and if we are able to give them the oppurtunity to learn of Christ and follow him. There are people out there ready and searching, but don't know how.

Anyways, we were watching one of those videos. It was about a guy who was a former alcoholic trying to change his life around. We were all working in our companionships working on lesson plans. I don't exactly know why it was that time, but everyone was on a roll. The spirit was so strong. No, it wasn't the heart racing feeling. We all felt really peacful as we were planning scriptures for him that really show God's love. We were so excited to testify--even though it was just a video and we would never actually teach this particular person.

2009-12-12T21:37:00.001-08:00

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves—giving of the riches of the heart and mind—and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store.

"Of course, among the greatest of gifts is the gift of love....

"Some, like Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens's A Christmas Carol, have a hard time loving anyone, even themselves, because of their selfishness. Love seeks to give rather than to get. Charity towards and compassion for others is a way to overcome too much self-love" (James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No Presents," Ensign, Dec 2001, 2–6).

I'm leaving soon

2009-12-11T21:12:00.000-08:00

In case your wondering where I'll be at, I'll be traveling around in this yellow area.

Do you need a shrubbery?

2009-12-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

Today I walked pass the "Shrub Research Lab." Yes. I didn't know anyone actually cared about shrubs. I didn't know they needed research or labs. I walk up to the glass door and peaked in. There was a shelf of glass jars and inside of them were different type of shrub samples. I guess who ever collected those samples (from people's yards?) thought it was important. I guess this discovery could be very important. Next time I try to look for the Holy Grail and run into the Knights That Say Ni, I'll know where to go!

Mary and Jesus

2009-12-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

This one has always been my favorite painting of Mary and Jesus. I wish I had a print of it.

"Part of the purpose for telling the story of Christmas is to remind us that Christmas doesn't come from a store. Indeed, however delightful we feel about it, even as children, each year it 'means a little bit more.' And no matter how many times we read the biblical account of that evening in Bethlehem, we always come away with a thought—or two—we haven’t had before....

"I, like you, need to remember the very plain scene, even the poverty, of a night devoid of tinsel or wrapping or goods of this world. Only when we see that sacred, unadorned child of our devotion—the Babe of Bethlehem—will we know why... the giving of gifts is so appropriate" (Jeffrey R. Holland, "Without Ribbons and Bows," New Era, Dec 1994, 4).

And I'm still angry about this

2009-11-30T20:00:00.001-08:00

)!)*)#*@&(#%(@#(%#@*)%#)%#@*$)#@$)#@$#@)%#$@(%$@(%&#@)%#@)$(#@)$(#@)%^&#$@)%#$@)%*)#@$*@))(_

A Big Knot in My Stomache

2009-11-30T19:54:00.000-08:00

Why was I so stupid to sign an apartment contract for fall and winter, when I knew I'd only be here one semester. This one thing could stop me from going.

And the bad thing is that I can't repent and pick up from here. What's done's been done.

All is well except for that. And that's one big that. I feel so stupid about this everyday. Arg!

So much that I find I start to hate my apartment just because it's the one thing that could prevent me from going on my mission. I hate it so much I feel like I want to punch out its walls whenever I come inside...and truly it's really a nice apartment (with a STUPID contract!) I wish I could just scream for a really long time and then find out it is just a really bad dream. There is no such thing as a place that only has contracts for eight months at a time. I only wish.

!!!!!!!!**!*&#&#*((@)#)#$)(*)@*@)*)*#@*)@$&)**))#@*)$#)@*)*$)*$)*)@*)#@)%&)%)#@&)(%@(&%

Governments from A to Z

2009-11-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

Autocracy, Anarchy, Aparteid, Athoritarianism, Aristocracy
Bureaucracy
Communist, Capitalist, Czar, Chiefdom, Colonialist, Confederacy, Consociationalism, Consensus government
Democracy, Despotism, Dictatorship, Diarchy
Empire, Enlightened Absolutism, Elective monarchy
Federalist, Fascism, Feudalism, Family
Governorship
Hegemony
Imperialism, Islamic, Isocracy
Judges
Kingship
League, Libertarianism
Monarchy, Military rule, Mobocracy, Minarchism
Neo-Fascism, Neo-communism, Neo-Socialism, Neo-Nazism, Nazism,
Oligarchy
Parliamentary, Puppet, Protectorate, Pharaohship, Proletariat, Principality, Plutocracy, Popular monarchy, Police state
Queenship
Republic, Regime, Revolutionary
Socialist, Senate, Stratocracy, Self-proclaimed monarchy
Tribalism, Theocracy, Totalitarianism, Tribunal, Timocracy, Tyranny
Utilitarianism, Utopian
Virtual government
Warlord rule, Westminster system
Xenocracy
Yankeedom
Zion Society

My Scammer Friend

2009-11-24T13:16:00.000-08:00

I have been recently stressing over trying to sell my apartment contract. I put a nice post on Craig's List. I got a prompt reply from a nice girl asking for more information. My heart skipped a beat. I might finally sell this thing! I sent her some details on the contract, apartment, and a description of the roommates...but after sending I thought for a second. Something seemed weird. Her grammar just seemed weird. She said she was from Finland...but it was just too weird. I decided to Google her. Yep, she was a common scammer. I'm not stupid and I would have been able to figure it out with out the hundreds of testimonials on-line, but it was funny to read them. Really, does this person even get money out of this? I guess there has to be some stupid in the world.
Here is something I loved though: http://roomwithascrew.blogspot.com/
Here a girl decides to actually try to scam with the scammer. And this is the same exact scammer I'm dealing with too, so it's especially amusing. Read it. What do you think? Should I try?

Really, it would be fun...but I better not mess with it.

As far as I know, neither one of my eyes have been blinded by the Big Scary Laser

2009-11-14T21:39:00.000-08:00

I love physics because we have crazy, mad scientist professors and an underground lab with deadly lasers.

This week one of those crazy professors, who is awesome and once lent me two dollars and ten cents so I could buy lunch, took me and some other students to go see the (drumroll***) TOP SECRET UNDERGROUND LAB. Well, it's not really top secret, but it is underground and it is a lab. And it does look like Dexter's Lab. Down two big hallways there are rows of doors with signs on them like "Radioactive" or "Caution: Big Scary Laser." We stopped in a lot of rooms. Each on was full of flashy instruments covered in buttons, little lights, and, of course, tin foil. Stuff I'd love to know how to work. Finally we stop in the Big Scary Laser Room. Half of the room is covered with a black curtain. On the other half there is some crazy contraption in the middle partially blocked off by another black curtain. Pretty much my mad scientist professor just points at stuff and explains, and then we leave--but on the way out we meet one of the research assistants.

"Did you go in the laser room!" Obviously very concerned. I don't think we were supposed to, but we have a mad scientist professor...

"Yes!" Prof responds enthusiastically. "Very, very interesting!"

A look of dread crosses the research assistants face.
"Did they touch anything! Did they go behind the black curtain! Does everyone still have their eyes!"

"As far as I know, I think so!" Responds Prof, and jauntily leads the class on to the next room.

Man, I love physics.

Observations on my run

2009-11-07T19:12:00.000-08:00

Today I got in a good three mile run. Finally. I actually exercise less now that I'm in the military. Is that possible?

Today, on my run:

I decide to go south. There are some gorgeous homes here I never knew about. I decided that when I grow-up (as if that will ever happen) I would like to live in a beautiful brick house. Yes. Brick is best.

I pass a couple on bicycles with a baby trailer on back. They look tough with biker bandanas tied around their skulls and shabby emo dress. I'm sure they are a happy mommy and daddy though.

I pass an empty pregnancy test wrapper on the side walk. It must have got away from the garbage truck. I wonder what the result of that test was for the woman who bought and threw the wrapper away. I wonder if she really wanted a YES or was praying that it would say NO.

I pass two ten year old boys throwing stones up on top a flat roof. They throw it up, trying to be as strong as a ten year old boy can, then run back, out into the street, to see how far it got.

I pass a brother and sister, about the same age of those boys. They're kicking a soccer ball back and forth in the front yard. The little girl apparently has discovered the world of fashion. She's wearing a pair of low heals. I bet her mom bought them for--after she begged for a long time--as church shoes, but she obviously loves them and wears them all the time, even when playing soccer.

I pass a couple of ladies talking in a parking lot. One thinks I look like someone she knows and waves.

I pass a mother pushing her baby in a swing. She's friendly, and, even though she knows she's never seen me in her life, she says "hi" as I run by. The toddler likes her mom's idea so she says hi too. I agree with the baby, and so say "hi" back.

Free fruit

2009-11-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

Why do I bother to buy fruit at the supper market? I can get it for free. If someone's grape vine or apple tree or pear tree extends over to the side walk, then it's public property. Right? And most of the time that fruit just spoils anyways.

In Between

2009-10-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

I haven't bothered to hang any of my posters yet. Nor unpack most of my boxes. I haven't even bothered to put anything but a fitted sheet and a quilt on my bed. I feel like I'm one of those people who live in a motel because they know they're not going to be there long.
I don't have a pot to cook with nor matching forks or spoons. I don't have a quiet place to sleep or a clear table to serve dinner off of. When I iron my clothes, I clear a couple feet to work with on my desk. I spend about eight hours a day here to sleep. No, this isn't my home, I wouldn't even consider it my apartment. It's just where I'm staying.
Less than two more months. I can handle two lonely months.

But, actually, I'm glad I'm here. I have been able to do things and have had things happen to me that would never have happened if I was in the MTC already. I am so thankful for these things. And I'll be homeless for the next year and a half, so what does a couple more months added on hurt? Just be happy, just be happy.

But when I get back, I'm finding a HOME--or at least a place to LIVE.

Environment

2009-10-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

I like school, but sometimes I miss the dingy streets of Chicago with its Street Wise Newspaper sellers and too many Starbucks shops. Sometimes I want to go back to Purple Mountain where it was just me, two friends, and one other lonesome hiker on the trail. I'd like to hike back to that sheep trail down in Canyon De Chelly and smell the juniper and sage brush. Or, I'd like to go back to the streets of London, south of the Thames River, and wander alone in the early morning wondering if the men leaving the pubs had families and where those people in their well tailored suits were so eager to get to. I want to go back to visit that Navajo grandmother that just liked me to come and talk and always offered me milk because she remembered I don't drink coffee. Or I'd like to climb back into the bed of that pickup truck zooming down the highway in Yellowstone glad someone was nice enough to pick up hitchhikers. I'd like to ride to the middle of nowhere in Central Illinois and watch the fireflies rise from the corn at dusk. I want to fly Air India and watch Bollywood. I want to stop back at that lonesome bus stop in Rexburg, Idaho and get a free water bottles. I want to go back to the mountains in Logan at 1 am in the morning. I want to go somewhere I can eat real fry bread, blue corn mush, and mutton stew made from the sheep we just butchered. I want to go to a park an test launch a rocket with my brother. Or go to my yard and move cement slabs with my dad. I want to be somewhere with apple trees and a garden. I want to go back to the corn field and irrigate. I want to go to my cousins' house and clean. I want to...

But I am where I am, doing what I'm doing, and I'll miss that someday too.

Oblivious

2009-10-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

Every morning I come home from my first class and notice my bed's made. "Money (that's my roomie's name), did you make that?" "No," she replies, "it just naturally ended up like that when you woke up." I believed her for a while, but now I'm starting to doubt.

Ok, here's another one

2009-10-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

It feels good to write. That's why we keep blogs, right? I don't know why I bother to, but I'll continue typing away.

Right now I'm listening to mandolin music while thinking about the best technique to do a push-up. I know it's all strength, but I'd like to believe that I can really max on my PFA tomorrow and that it's all just mental.

The other day I was minding my own business reading about quantum physics on a grassy area on campus. There were two girls sitting behind me complaining about a roommate. Why don't they just tell that roommate why she's bothering them? And, really, does it matter too much that their roommate wears short skirts? Why do they care? Why do people care about stuff like this?--Or do I just care too little. Maybe that's it.

I like to wear my hair slicked back military style. I both like it and hate it. It's gross the next day, but it feels so good to have everything in place and accounted for. I don't know why. But if I didn't have to I would wear it in the regular messy style. It only feels good when I know it's like that because I'm representing the U.S. Air Force.

Sometimes I have a feeling that something big and exciting is going to happen, but then nothing happens and I realize that I'm just a big idealist. That brings me back down from that pedestal and I then become too much of a realist.

That was a good waste of time. Now time to shower, brush my teeth, read my scriptures, write in my journal, set my PT clothes out for tomorrow, get my uniform prepped, and then maybe sleep (if I have time).

On hold

2009-10-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

Yeah, this thing is going to be put on hold for a while. Maybe for several years.

update

2009-10-03T22:44:00.000-07:00

Does anyone even read this? Mom? I don't blame you if you've stopped, because I've sort of stopped. Here's a list of some things on my mind.

1. Isn't it crazy how we get inspiration to talk to people, get back in touch, at just the right time?

2. Microgravity Aircraft

3. I really wish I could speak Cantonese or Mandarin sometimes.

4. What does life have in store for me? It's leading me quickly through exciting paths! I'm struggling to keep up sometimes.

5. How the heck am I supposed to be flight commander?

6. Certain people

7. It's sometimes good that I can't read minds, but sometimes I wish I could just get a hint.

8. Escape and Invade on Friday!!!!

9. General Conference was awesome. The apostles are truly inspired. They said just what I needed to hear. Crazy.

10. My roommates can really make me laugh sometimes. :-)

Have you forgotten?

2009-09-12T12:25:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I participated in the 24 hour guard--September 11th vigil. I took two separate half-hour shifts to guard the flag. I know that few of my readers have much experience with standing at attention, or parade rest for that matter, so I'll explain the experience:

When at attention or parade rest it is important that you are completely focused. Your eyes are locked. You don't talk unless called on. Your face is neutral. Your feet are planted. There are no windows between your sides and arms. You cannot move unless ordered to. It can be uncomfortable after a while since we're so used to always shifting our weight and moving around.

During my experience on Friday, I learned, however, that standing guard--standing in a parade rest position for half an hour--can be a lot like yoga. When I eased my mind into a meditation type state, and found strength in the position without feeling restless, I could instead focus on my thoughts. As I was standing to remember those who lost their lives in these attacks, my mind was able to focus and ponder on these things in a way that I have never had the peace to do before.

Several people yesterday came up to me, noticing the half mast flag and the uniformed men and women at guard, and asked, ignorantly, "Who died?" I could not answer them or even give them recognition that I have heard, but inside I was very sad. I had spent this time on guard pondering, remembering, and mourning those many, many people who were lost in these attacks. I had been thinking about what these events meant for our country and affects they had on us. I had been thinking about what these things meant for me and what I specifically felt about these events and my feelings for the country I live in. It made me sad that many others woke up this morning and did not even take a second to recognize any of this.

The Cadet's Blog

2009-09-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

I know I have mentioned to some my interest in being a part of the United State's Armed Forces. It was a desire that was in the back of my mind for a long time, but had always talked myself out of it for one reason or another. I was actually told by several people that I knew well that "it's not for you", "there's other ways more suitable for you to serve your country", and "I could never imagine you in the military". That stuff really did effect me and disable my ability to burst through the stereotypes and try something that interested me. Because I was afraid of further rejection and afraid that if I did try and fail I would be proofing these commenters right, I put these dreams away and was careful to let on that I had such thoughts.

Last year I decided that I had to somehow--I wasn't sure how--look into this interest more.

My New Year's revolution was to get better at push-ups, sit-ups, and running to prepare myself, though I wasn't sure exactly what I would do. I got my roommate to do push-ups and sit-up with me everyday, but didn't tell her the real reason I was setting this goal. I was just doing it to get in better shape was all I said.

Then, I had a surprise semester at BYU! I wasn't planning on coming back this semester because of the mission, but two weeks before school started I realized I had time to get another semester in. I decided that this semester was good to try something new before I leave for Peru.

S0...I joined the Air Force ROTC here, and love it! I really like the attitude of respect, professionalism, and confidence that is found in everything. It's purpose is to train us to serve this country which I love and to be able to push our limits to be the best we can be. Also there's a lot of really great, friendly, dedicated people that I really like working with.

Also, for so long I feel like so many people look at me like I was somehow a lesser person. Everyone looks at me as a "nice, quiet girl". I am the submissive type personality which means that often if there is something I can do myself, even if it is difficult, I like to do it myself--I just don't see the point of having other people do things for me when I can do it myself, I don't get angry very much because I don't see the point of the emotion, and I am willing to go out of my way to help others. These attributes are translated by others as weak somehow and definitely lacking leadership. I don't see the logic behind it, but people never really think about stereotypes. Anyways, the point I am making is that I love how when I am in class, leadership lab, or PT I am treated like one of the others, a future leader. I am treated with respect even though I have the lowest rank, and the same expectations are given to me as every other member in my detachment.

I didn't tell many people that I was doing this because I wanted to find out if I liked it or not first, but here I am writing about it. I haven't been in the ROTC that long yet, but I love it.

I'm a Neglectful Poster

2009-08-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry. This blog turns to mush during the summer. I guess it's targeted to my mom and FoPo friends, and since I see lots of them, I don't really write. For other friends--I'll be starting school soon and then hopefully resuming regular reports. Let's see what's in store for this next semester! I have some new adventures planned!

I love airplanes

2009-08-04T19:33:00.000-07:00

The other day I went to the aerospace museum with my brothers. I don't know why, but I love airplanes.

Surprising Myself

2009-08-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been telling people that I'm going to be majoring in physics.

"What's your major?" people will ask when I first meet them.

"Physics," I answer. Easy as that.

"Whoa," people will answer, taken aback. (I don't exactly know why.) I am taken aback when I answer that way too, though. I mean, I am currently, officially and ENGLISH major. To say physics is a complete lie. Plus, even thinking about the possibility of enjoying something math based more than literature and writing is incomprehensible in the minds of many fellow (officially) English majors. Also, I've already put two years of English majorship behind me, the only college science class I've taken is Physical Science 100, and, although I did well, I am sure I was not the top student. I took physics and calculus in high school and did very well, but, again, others were a lot better than me. Plus I wont even be back to school until 2011. So I'm just plain crazy to think of telling people anything different than the truth.

I know. What's my problem? The truth is, though, I, kind of, right now, would love to start studying physics. I really started English because I wanted to teach, and being in high school and not having a large view of the world, I decided that I would be most capable of teaching English. I could explain it a little better. I would confuse my classmates when I trying to explain math problems. Plus, I really liked analyzing anything and literature was the only analytical based class in high school. I liked to read too. I imagined teaching in some inter-city school and changing the world. Now, it's not like I decided I would hate teaching or anything. I still think I would like to teach someday, but I'm beginning to discover more of the world that is out there. I would probably hate my choice if I decided to major in English teaching, get my degree, start teaching, and thats my life. It's sad, isn't it? I guess I'm way too restless and I want to continue learning stuff all the time and going new places, and I starting to learn, and feel, that that path would not be right for me. Ok, so if I don't go into teaching, I really don't want and English major. There is no careers in that field that really interest me. What else am I interested in? I like solving puzzles. I LOVE research. I don't want something social science based (I was saw that side in my field study, and decided that it is not me). I want something truly challenging.
Meanwhile, for the last two years I have been desperately missing math. Last year I bought a calculus book and have been solving the challenge problems for fun in my spare time. Last year I really started to hit the books, after learning some cool stuff in physical science, and have been expanding my mind, particularly, in the field of quantum theory. I just got hooked by this stuff. I loved seeing how the world works in such an orderly way. I loved the class in high school too, but unfortunately I took in during my senior year. I was pushed to decide my major by the end of my junior year and by the time I was a senior I had pushed all possibility of changing out of my head.
Anyways, I've been recently entertaining the idea of switching to physics. I love the subject. Also I think it will open more doors for me. If I go to graduate school I can easily switch to several different fields of physical science, computer science, or engineering. With an English major the graduates programs that I would be eligible for hold little interest to me (except maybe education).
Still, I'm crazy. My biggest fear is that I will change again and say, "What on EARTH was I thinking?" Oh, well. I have to tell people something now, don't I, and it doesn't really matter what--until 2011.

Preview

2009-07-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a clip from my brother's movie. (I tried to add video, but the computer is too slow. Use your imagination.) Excited?

I am now immune to Hepatitis A

2009-06-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

Mission papers: a long process. It doesn't look so long on the application checklist, but---when you have your examination and their out of TB tests so you have to go back later when you're back from vacation and when you get tested you come out positive so you have to get x-rayed to make sure you're not dieing and then once you get home you realize they forgot to include your urine test on the forms and you live far away from the doctor's so you have to wait until next time you can get there and you also realize you have not been immunized for Hepatitis A yet and so you have to call the insurance to see if they'd cover it but they will only cover if your planing on traveling out of the country but you don't know if your traveling out of the country and then even when this all works out the bishop for some reason never received the dentists form so you have to contact the dentist who happens to be all the way out in Utah to figure out what's going on all the while your mother is getting tired of you asking little questions like what year were you born or what mission did Grandpa go to and your little brother is trying to talk to you about the movie he is filming with his toy army men and you can't concentrate on everything at the same time.

Some great music discovered

2009-06-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been on a bluegrass/folk music kick. I'm not sure why, but I've been craving it recently. Maybe the country's growing on me...but I really don't care much for the stuff that is popular out here, so I don't know. Maybe it's because I've been learning banjo. I don't know.

The Gangster's Word

2009-06-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

Sitting in the train, looking out the window, I was trying to read all the graffiti on the warehouses and train cars that we passed by. You know graffiti, it's all a jumble. I had no idea what they say. Sometimes the words looked even like some other language, like Russian or something. It was that indecipherable. Then all the sudden a word--one word written in graffiti style--caught my eye. "Globalization". It was just that one word I caught. The train was going to fast I couldn't read what else was written with it. What was that gangster trying to tell us about globalization? I guess I'll never know. But this gave me something to think about for a little bit of my travel. Globalization. Globalization. What do I have to learn about globalization?

Watch :-)

2009-06-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbk980jV7Ao

A day at church

2009-05-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

Today at church I started talking to a young mother. She had just moved into the ward after living with both her family and her husbands family who live far away. She was telling me how much she loved living in a place where no one knew her--she could be her own self with no previous stereotypes. I was thinking about what new places mean to me. I love being around people I know well because I think it can take a long time for someone to see the true ME (which is too sad a reality...), but this woman has a point too. Labels are sticky. Not even Goo Gone can get them off. I tend to attract labels, however, wherever I go, so I don't know how much a new place can clean me.

No, I think the best thing about new places is that they teach me not to label...or at least to rub a little less adhesive glue to the ones I subconsciously place everywhere I go. Darn! I need to get better at being less judgemental. This post is rubbing this into my conscious.

Anyways, I don't really know where I'm going with this post. I guess I had some ideas, but vocalizing them is a little harder than I thought. Maybe you get a glimpse of what I'm thinking?

I miss the five

2009-05-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

I'm visiting relatives this weekend. So that means lots of sugary foods I usually don't have, TV, and Red Dwarf RP games. Oh, I could just imagine how it would be if my roommates and I sat around a table at college and played RP, maybe not Red Dwarf, but Dungeon and Dragons. It's really a funny thought, and I'm glad it will never happen.

New Obsession

2009-05-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't written in a while. I have been thinking about backpacking non-stop and have no room in my mind for much else at the moment.

Is this post too "Emo"?

2009-05-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

This morning I was hoping to do some running and this evening do some camping. I woke up this morning, however, to a beautiful rain. It makes it so dark here that I slept in until 8:15, and I was alone in the house. This rain brings a certain feeling in me--I can't describe it. It's good--I think--I like the rain. It's beautiful in its dark way, but I also feel a little lonely. I woke up and realized everyone's already left me. It's not a bad lonely--I think--if that's possible. It's like those lonely evenings when I got home late from work, and it was all dark in my apartment, and I realized all of my roommates were on dates, or with family, or with friends--just like the weekend before--and the one before that too. I felt hopeless because I knew that I just wasn't meant for dates--maybe because the world's really like Twilight and relationships are all based on smell and I just have the wrong aroma--but I also liked having the evening time in the silent loneliness. I turned on some music and sat and read about quantum theory and was happy.

Celebrities

2009-05-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

We don't realize how many celebrities we run into day to day. When I say 'celebrity', I mean someone who has cause to be celebrated. I have been starting to realize that, in general, I underestimate most people. I just sweep most people I pass everyday into a corner of my mind labeled "just Normal people", without any recognition of their unique accomplishments and how they might amaze me if I just go to know them. No, I think subconsciously I like thinking about how great my own accomplishments are too much. But, as I said, I'm starting to realize PEOPLE ARE AMAZING. Here are some examples:

I keep on finding out about the interesting, and unexpected, things some of my old classmates are doing now. From participants in prestigious internships, to tattoo artists, to professional poker players, to mothers and fathers...these are things I would probably either never succeed at, or could never imagine undertaking now. I wish all these people good luck for the future.

I was at the grocery store and the bagger was very proud to tell his fellow co-worker that he got two golds and a silver at the regional Special Olympics track meet and will now be competing at the state competition. Good luck and congratulations Mr. Bagger Guy!! That's quite an accomplishment!

Saturday I participated in the stake emergency preparedness fair. I was amazed with the organization of the fair. Every subject that you could even think of--from cooking with legumes to raising rabbits for food--from aqua farms to raising cows for raw milk--from HAM radio to MREs--believe me, EVERYTHING was covered and well organized. I was amazed how many people were so talented in my church. Yes, that lady I've never talked to in Relief Society is a pro at adding food storage items into her recipes. That other lady makes her own dish washing soap. He breeds and butchers his own rabbits and he raises chickens for eggs. (So on and so on).

But, anyways, my brother needs to get on to feed his Facebook addiction, so I wont elaborate further. But I'll just end on this note: I think people are AMAZING. I really need to open my eyes--pay attention!--to the people I see daily and recognize their wonderful, individual worth.

Back

2009-05-04T12:04:00.001-07:00

I know, I haven't posted in a while. Well, now I'm not really posting for my mom anymore, but I must still remember that I still have some wonderful friends who read this from time to time and like updates. So here are my top updates:

1. I took the train home. Beautiful scenery. I won't be back in school until 2011. Many of you will probably be graduated and starting careers, and I'll be still a student, but I really don't mind. A mission is worth it for me! What is a year and a half in the long run?

2. Well, that was really my most exciting thing in the last few weeks. Now I'm at home trying to keep busy. Today I took a door off its hinges and set it up on some saw horses to repair it. I've been spending my last hour trying to get all the hardware off. Why do people ever paint over the screws? Don't they ever think of the girl fifty years in the future who will want to repair it?