Christmas

Well Christmas has come and gone but it was a blast while it was here.

December 22: we had a multizone pday (aka, 100 missionaries at the same chapel trying to claim court space to play soccer, volleyball and capture the flag all at the same time) It was super fun :)

December 23: we had a ward activity and everybody sang Christmas songs and ate fruit cake and turkey. They asked my companion and I to sing as well so we sang Oh Come all ye Faithful in spanish and english.`

December 24: Christmas Eve. In the morning we went over to a members house and helped them set up and decorate their Christmas tree. There and three sisters and their mom in this family and it was very special to spend time with them. We weren't able to visit to many people but all the missionaries in Huanuco got together, wrapped copies of the Book of Mormon and then went to the Plaza and sang Christmas songs and handed them out to people walking by that were interested. It was a very special experience. We also got up at midnight for 10 minutes to watch the fireworks. 

December 25: Christmas!!! In the morning we opened presents between the two of us (well, four of us, our neighbors were there too). We were able to eat lunch with some members and then we skyped our families! It was so nice to see my family and talk to them for the first time in almost 8 months. I could not have asked for a better Christmas present.

Also, this week we held a turtle.

I love the people here. They have become part of my family. I truly know that this is the work of God. I know He loves us and that is why He sent His Son. I am so grateful for the greatest gift ever given. I know that Christ lives.

I love you all!!!!

Love; Hermana White

Also, packages are getting through now

Also, next time I write... I'll be 20

When You Look In The Mirror

When you look in the mirror

what comes into view,

When you stare at the wall

and you looks at you?

A blemish? a spot?

wrinkles? and age line?

When you looks at you

ah the imperfections you'll find

You pull out your make up

and try to erase

and cover up the things

you don't like on your face

But you are so much more

than a few creams and liners

look through God's eyes

and you'll see something finer

When you see a wrinkle

He sees a laugh

a sign you've had joy

and smiled in the past

When you see a freckle

He sees the sun

A time when you've ran outside

and played with someone

When you see a scratch

He sees an adventure

A memory that, in your mind

you should treasure

When we see imperfections

He sees our lives

There's so much more to see 

When we look through His eyes

So when you look in the mirror

and you looks at you

try to see yourself

from God's point of view

Pre-Christmas Week

This week has been an incredible pre-Christmas week. First of all, let me just tell you all that I love Christmas. It is never quiet in our room, there is always someone singing a Christmas song and it's just the best. 

Anyway, this week we did divisions with the Hermana Leaders. I was able to spend the day in my area with Hermana Cushcagua from Columbia. She actually came with me into the mission so it was fun to work with her and see how far we've both come.

Me and Hermana Goyzueta

The 19th was Hermana Goyzueta's birthday (the Hermana's live right next to us so it's four of us instead of just two). Hermana Petersen and I rushed out of the house in the morning and hid so that we could throw eggs at her. We all succesfully got covered in yoke. That same night we had a Christmas/birthday party with our pensions family. Our pension made a ton of food and we did a gift exchange with them. It's so fun to still have a family to celebrate Christmas with.

Yesterday we did not have P-Day because we had a multizone meeting for Christmas. There were five zones there. We all started out in the chapel and President and Hermana Hendersen talked to us about Christmas. They really focused in on the atonement and how Christ suffered for our sins but also our pains and sufferings. A group of us missionaries sang "What child is this" in spanish. It was definitely a fantastic way to spiritually welcome in the Christmas season. We then all went into the cultural hall and did a white elepahant gift exchange with everyone (I got toothpaste!) and each zone did a skit. Ours was pretty cool. It was called Huancayalipsis and it was about the last 7 transfers and the end of the mission Peru, Huancayo. President Hendersen surprised us all with a flu shot... yay. It was a blast.

I am so excited for Christmas and to see everyone on Friday!!!! I love you all and I am so glad that you made it to Utah safely.

See you soon

Hermana White

Also, Happy Birthday Abby!!!!!

Trip To The Mountains

Hey everyone! I'm writing a little late because we hiked a mountain this morning. There's a cross in Huanuco up on a mountain and our zone got up early this morning and hiked it.... it was a blast, definitely worth losing a precious hour of sleep and getting up at 5:30.

Last monday we went and bought and assembled our fake Christmas tree. It's like 85 degrees outside all the time so it doesn't feel like Christmas outside.... but in our room it's a different story. We make paper snowflakes all the time... we've also taught some our less actives how to make snowflakes as we talked to them about Christmas and individual worth.

We've had some very spiritual experiences this week. Our district leader set a goal with us that we would find 1 new investigator every day. We've been really pushing ourselves hard this week and there was one day when we were walking and we passed the house of a less active. Her mom who is not a member was outside and normally we would say hi and just pass because she hasn't really wanted anything in the past but we felt that we should go say hi. We talked to her as well as the person she was talking to. Her friend, Guillerma, talked to us about how she had some things in the past that she wanted to forget and we told her how she could find peace in this life... she started crying. It was very special for us to show this woman how we could help her. We visited her one other time this week and we're really excited to work more with her. 

Other highlights of the week: a drunk man kissed my hand, my companion pet a sheep....That's all I can think of.

I love you all! I hope you're all getting in the Christmas spirit (12 days of Christmas starts today... unless you're Irish, they start the 12 days of Christmas on Christmas)

I can't wait to talk to you!!!!!

Love, Hermana White

Hermana Petersen and I are... staying together!!!!

Hermana Petersen and I are... staying together!!!! Six more weeks! I haven't had a companion two transfers in a row since my own trainer and we are stoked! 

This week we have been trying to get in the Christmas spirit. Christmas is very different here and so making it feel like Christmas, even in our room, is a bit difficult. We have decorated our room with snowflakes and we found a stocking in a pile of boxes that we finally cleaned out the other day. Also we taught our recent convert Leoncia and her family how to make paper snowflakes.... it had never occured to me that some people had never heard of a paper snowflake before

This is my first time staying in an area for longer than two transfers and I can really see how the people in the ward and the area start to become a part of your family. You just love them so much.

Yesterday we got to watch the first part of the Christmas devotional (we have to be in our room at nine and due to time differences the devotional started at 8 here) but what we heard was good. I absolutely love Christmas music, it's one of the things that touches me the most this time of year and the music in the devotional was beautiful :) Never underestimate the MoTab.

Other than this we've just been working. We don't have very many progressing investigators right now but we're really working on finding people.

I love you all! I hope your Christmas season has been off to a great start :)

Love,

Hermana White