A Week of Love Here at the CCM

Whew so last email from the CCM! Next week our P-day will consist of saying goodbyes and being shipped off to our missions. Since my mission is really close (30-60 min by bus) hopefully I will get settled and maybe get some time to email, but I´m not counting on it. So I know I have already expressed my feelings at being shipped off the the field so please forgive me if I repeat myself. People who have been through a CCM know that there really is not that much new stuff to talk about after week 3. Most of our district is chomping at the bit to get out and finally be a missionary. However I´m..... ready, but a I guess not so eager. Its funny though because I was praying for a desire to leave the CCM and yesterday the rules were really getting on my nerves. We were admittedly having a little complaining fest yesterday between companionships, and I had a light bulb that maybe I was feeling this way because ha ha the Lord was answering my prayers :) Maybe maybe not, but it made my laugh. Smiles all around though-- life is good.

This week was Valentines day which well, I´m sure you all already know about. The hermanas in my district decided to coordinate colors with our shirts and skirts and we all tried to wear wither pink or red. We were adorable and well celebrated the day of love as best as Hermanas can :) I just wanted to take a moment and express my gratefulness of the love that I know God has for me. When we teach our pretend investigators our first lessons are usually all about how God is our Father and how he loves us. Its really kinda strange to realize that people don´t know that God isn't some type of all powerful and fearful being, but someone that really does love us and really does want the best for us. So for those of you who read this and may not really be sure of the love of God, please please please take a minute to get on your knees and pray to know. I promise you that you will be able to feel God's love specifically for you in your life right now.

The hermanas dressing for Valentines Day

So the rest of this post is mostly going to be about fun little things about the CCM. An ode ya might say. My nickname (shhh keep it on the DL because were not suppose to have nicknames here or probably in the mission at all) is Hermana Powers. They say I have the "power"-- the power for what-- I am still trying to figure it out but its funny. One Hermana is Hermana Kingsford, and I call her Hermana King and since then Shes being Calling me Hermana Bow (like bow wow of a dog) so it kinda sounds like bow to the king when we greet each other.

Also, we found out that just about 99% of the missionaries in Peru, especially the Lima area, get fat fat fat. our teacher gained almost 40 pounds on her mission (at least I think it was 40, the whole language barrier makes it well difficult to say things with assurance). Our other teacher gained 25 so don't judge when you see me turning into a little gordita throughout these next 17 months. Its rude to not eat all the food you are given, and then when you do, they give you more, which your expected to eat. I know its a sign of love, and I´m ready to take on the burden of eating all the delicious food here in Peru. The bread is by far the stand out for me! The bread and sunsets in Peru are, manos down, the BEST EVER! We mostly have either chicken or beef with rice and then some veggies and fruit and rolls rolls rolls. I do a Shepard pie kinda thing and mix em all together and have a glorious feast. Also at the CCM, they feed you some mouth watering desserts and ice-cream. Italy´s ice cream is still the best, however mango and chocolate ice cream here in Peru is well.... bomb diggity.

Qué mas... the people who work here are also some of the nicest people ever. Most are members and think us missionaries are just the cutest/clueless. There is this one older gentleman who is in charge of us when we have our service cleaning days. He calls the rags he gives us chocolate and always tricks us into being excited because he has ¨chocolate¨ for us on our cleaning days. Hes a funny man.

We got North American roommates this time around, and while its nice to be able to speak English to them in the nights, I'm in Peru baby and wanna speak Spanish! That is one thing I'm excited about for next week--the beginning of total immersion in the language. Its gonna be rough, but I know I'm going to learn SOSOSOS much! you kinda hit a ceiling here at the CCM, there is only so much you can really learn before it feels all the same/you can really remember the difference between the imperfect or predicate, or if for doubts you use the past participle or the subjunctive conjugations. But don´t worry, we love our new hermanas and its so interesting to here everyone's stories of why they decided to come out, and what their reaction was when they found of they were going to Peru!

Can I just say that I love Peru? I know that I haven´t really experienced it to its fullest, but this past month (yup that right! a whole month down baby!) has been like a really warm hug from the country covered in mango ice cream. (sorry for so many mango ice cream references, we just scarfed down lunch and then rushed up here to get email done before being carted off to immigration to hopefully get our visas and it was just SOOO GOOD!)


Thanks to everyone for your prayers and thoughts! Keep up the good fight and see ya in 17 months!