llamas... not as cute as you think they are

Last monday our zone went to an are called Mayopampa to play sports and minute to win it games.... etc. Well, turns out that in this area there are llamas that are NOT fenced in. We were all thinking it was pretty cool until the llamas came over to our stuff wanting to get into it. I thought: "hey, good time to take a selfie with a llama".... 

llama selfie

then the llama attacked me. It jumped up on its hind legs and basically angry chest bumped me. 

Hiding from the llama

At another moment in time my companion tried to pull it by the rope it had around it's neck and it ran after her and almost trampled her. It was a journal worthy p-day.

rescued by my companion

Tuesday we had leaders council and all the zone leaders and sister leaders from the mission came to Huancayo. The assistants spoke to us about focusing on Christ because he really is the center of our message. President and Sister Henderson spoke to us about teaching by the power of the Holy Ghost. Then.... we ate pizza!

Thursday we had a zone meeting and the zone leaders asked my companion and I to teach the zone about what the assistants taught (focusing on Christ). It was a little nerve racking because the assistants are in our zone but it turned out super great. I've really learned that when you don't know what to say... just share your testimony. Talk about what you know.

Saturday we helped with the baptism of a family in our ward. Their son is eight so it's not a baptism we can count for the mission but the dad is less active and we've been working with their family so when they asked us if we would be there we said yes. It was a very beautiful baptism. What touched me the most was that right after Antoni was baptized he changed and the first thing he did was run out and hug his mom. (insert tears here).

Sunday President and Sister Henderson came to our ward. They actually live in our ward boundaries but if they were normal members they'd be considered inactive due to the fact that they travel to the different wards in the mission all the time. Sister Henderson went with us to relief society and she told us that all the leaders might have to travel to Huanuco to meet with Elder Godoy of the Seventy this Friday. Huanuco!!!! I'm so excited.

I love you all!!!!

Congratulations to the Schmelz family. They look so happy in the pictures that you send and I love telling people here about the families lives that are being blessed. Please remember that being a friend is the best way to share the gospel.

Love, Hermana White

Also, to answer Libby's question I have eaten chicken feet and guinnea pig and they are both delicious.

Emergency Transfers...

This week started out right... with mexican food. Last monday we had a pday de hermanas. In one of the wards here there's a sister from Mexico so we asked if she could teach us how to make enchiladas. She didn't teach us enchiladas but we did learn how to make tortillas (cornflour and water..... if you wanted to know) and she made something with the name of chilakiles (or something like that). Basically it was fried tortillas, peppers and cheese. It was delicious. Then all of the sisters in Huancayo got together to play sports. We're not allowed to play soccer with the elders so it was just about the only time that us sisters could get together and kick a ball.

Thursday we did divisions again with a different companionship of sisters from the ward Nuevo Horizonte. We invited them to our area and we split up for a couple hours and then got back together to do a family night with a family in our ward. It's really amazing what you can learn from every single sister.

Saturday morning literally 30 seconds after waking up we got a call from the zone leaders saying that the sisters in Nuevo Horizonte had emergency cambios and we had to go to the terminal to send Hermana Coltrin off to Pedro Puelles. This worried me a little because Pedro Puelles was my old area so they had to be having transfers as well. Turns out Hermana Petersen was coming to Huancayo! I had done divisions with the sister that was going to Pedro Puelles just two days earlier and I really felt that she was needed there.

Sunday we had stake conference. La Libertad (another of my old areas) is in our stake so I was able to say hi to so many people. I love these people here so much and it's so amazing to see them change and progress and grow.

I love you all!!!!!

Love, Hermana White

This Week Literally Flew By

This week literally flew by. I feel like I never left internet last week.

For pday last week we did a zone pday. We ate lunch together and then played volleyball for like 2 hours. It was a blast, especially because this is my first zone in which no one's area is far away so we can all join in. I did, however, forget that we are a little closer to the sun her than in Huanuco... and I've been in a constant state of sunburn since... well, basically since I got here. I should really stop being stubborn and put some sunscreen on.

This week we've been working super hard. We've found so many new investigators. It's been such a blessing. We also planned a sister meeting, which we had on thursday. We're over five companionships of sisters and we planned a meeting (no elders allowed) where we talked about our divine nature and roles as sisters and set goals to work with the members and teach people on the spot as we're contacting. We then did some practices but we made them a little more fun. We wrote down names of characters and a necessity (like Peter Pan with an adiction to drugs.... he thinks he can fly or Cinderella, she doesn't feel like she has a purpose in life). We then had some of the sisters play the characters and some of the sisters contact them, find out their necessity and then teach them something about the gospel. If you really listen, everything relates to the gospel. It was a very beautiful meeting and fun at the same time.

Friday we did divisions. I was able to go out with Hermana Godfrey, she came with Hermana Petersen into the mission and was actually her companion in the CCM. She had a rough time in training but she always has a smile on her face. It's amazing what you can learn from other missionaries.

I love you all so much!!!!

Love, Hermana White

Huancayo

Last Monday I got a call from President Henderson during internet asking me to serve as a sister trainer leader in Huancayo. So before we found out transfers I already knew where I was going. I just had to wait two days to find out who was coming to be with Hermana Petersen. I'm fairly certain that I was more nervous than she was to find out. Hermana Martiniano from Uruguay went to Pedro Puelles and Wednesday I travelled to Huancayo.

Thursday was a day full of blessings. My area I'm in is neighboring La Libertad, the area I was in before. I'm actually in the same stake as before. We passed by the chapel in our area and there was a youth activity. I believe it was some sort of EFY... and one of my converts was there! Abelardo. He ran to the fence to say hi and I literally jumped up and down. He says he's doing great, he's still active and he said the youth program has helped him a lot. Later in the day we were trying to contact a reference and we couldn't find the street so we knocked on a door. We tried to contact the man that answered but he said he already knew about the church and that his son Jorge was a member in La Libertad.... Jorge is a convert of mine as well! He's completely active as well! It was so amazing to see and hear about these people that I love so much.

Sunday I was able to meet the new ward and there are so many amazing people here in this area. A lot of people help us with references and we're trying to have a family home evening every night to work even more with the ward.

I love you all, I truly know that God loves us and He watches over us and personally blesses us.

I'll let you know more about the life here in San Carlos next week.

Love

Hermana White

Happy Birthday Mom

To be sung to the chorus of Taylor Swift's 22

Oh I can't see you

but you're turning 42

everything will be alright, you

still have so much to do

Oh, you can't see me

but I know you want to

Just know I'm dancing cuz you're

42 ooooooo

Christmas Again

I just want to start out by saying thank you for the package that you sent. My comp and I got our Christmas packages on the same day so we had Christmas again and opened them.... it was almost more fun than opening them on Christmas. Thank you so much. I loved reading your testimonies and I about died when I opened the envelope with the Christmas stories. My favorite one is the one about the boy who plays the innkeeper in a town pageant and tells Joseph and Mary that they can have his room instead of sending them away. It's just always touched my heart and I read it outloud to my companion. When I read it I heard my moms voice instead of mine. God knows us and loves us and knows how to comfort us during hard times. I testify of that. I loved the simple, heart-felt testimonies that everyone sent.

This week was a normal proselyting week. The only big news is still the negritos dancing in the street... Peruvian traditions are fantastic. Actually speaking of Negritos. The elders, us and our ward mission leader had mission correlation on saturday and when we came out there was a group of negritos dancing outside of the chapel. There was one part of the song where some of the people dressed up went and took some of the people watching and danced with them. The elders jokingly told us we should leave the gated chapel and go out because everyone wants to take a gringa out to dance... we stayed inside and waited until everyone was distracted and then we ran to our next appointment.

I'll just share some spiritual moments with you all.

Sunday was the last sunday of Jimena, a missionary going to Argentina. The relief society was planning a farewell for her and when Jimena left to go talk to the bishop we practed a song. In english it's called "In the Hallow of thy Hand" and it talks about a mom sending her child off to the mission and asking God to protect them. It was very special to listen and watch everyone in the relief society singing and crying.

We also had a lesson with a new investigator and she told us she didn't feel worthy to pray. We said a prayer with her right then and there. We kneeled down with her and it was very special to hear her plead with our Heavenly Father for forgiveness. We can only hope that she realized that the gospel really can help her.

I love you all and pray for you daily.

All the changes in the ward and with the people I know are insane....It'll be a different world when I go back.

Love,

Herman White

PS

President just called me and I'll be serving as a sister leader this next cambio with Hermana Quelca from Bolivia in Huancayo.

Eggs

Happy New Year!!!

The highlights of this week have come from Peruvian traditions.

First: the negritos

Huanuco used to have slaves and (if I get the story right) every year they would make them dance. Now there is no slavery but people still dress up in elaborate "negrito" costumes and dance in the streets. My compnaion has probably thought that I have an obsession because I run to the window every time I hear the Negrito music. I don't have too many good photos but you should all look up the Negritos of Huanuco. I love these Peruvian traditions.

Second; eggs on your birthday

On your birthday people smash eggs on your head. Let me tell you about my birthday. In the morning my comp and I were exercising (sorry, can't spell any more) and our neighbors (also sisters) knocked on our door. I answered it, saw a camera, knew what was coming, dodged the first egg and then backed myself into a corner.... pictures to come. We then had a district meeting later during the day. There are two districts from our zone that meet in the same building and we all get together after district meetings. This time they all surprised me with a cake. They're pretty great :) Everybody then left and my companion and I were the last to leave the room. We were about to leave when we saw the other missionaries still outside... waiting. I refused to leave the building so they came in..... more egg pictures to come. 

Everybody that we went to visit wished me happy birthday and gave me hugs. Beatriz bought me another cake. I love these people here they are so amazing and so generous. Yes they throw eggs at you but that's ok. It's how they show their love. My favorite part of the day was when Naysha, a 17 year old less active that we are working with prayed for my companion and I by name. I love them so much.

I love you all so much and I hope you had a fantastic holiday season!!!! 

Love, Hermana White