Week 55 Week 1 in Talara-The Holy Land August 29, 2016

Good old Talara at 6 am after our morning hike...by hike I mean stroll through the park for Utahns

Week 1 In Talara- The Holy Land

My very first morning in Talara we woke up at 5 am to go running on the beach. I am now 100% Pro Pavement. I may even start a movement. We ran by several petrified dead dogs and 1 giant bloated sea lion. Next time you find yourself running on the beach watch out for ocean-kill.

Tender Mercies of Talara - It's COLD
Well, either it's really cold or I've just been here too long... The only time we bake in heat is at midday and early afternoon. Other than that there is a nice cool ocean breeze that feels like mother natures A/C and I am soooo grateful!

Each day here has mostly consisted of me trying to memorize the names of streets, members, investigators, their houses, etc. Transfers are always an adjustment. We live in a Harry Potter closet but I'm not complaining because we are teaching a Colombian family of 5 in their one room home that is even smaller. Last night we came home to find that we have no water! Our neighbors said that it will be about a week before we will have water again... the last time I went a week without a shower was on Kilimanjaro. And thanks but no thanks I don't want to go back to that, especially after knowing what my hair is capable of... this may be a small bump in this week's road.

Hermana Martinez is great and she even speaks English!
Hermana Martinez plays the piano each week at church. Yesterday we walked into church 2 minutes late and she walked straight up to the piano and began to play a prelude until the meeting started. The first counselor motioned to me and asked if I would direct the hymns so I said yes. As I went and sat on the stand while Hna Martinez played a prelude I immediately noticed something was not right. Everyone was looking at us like "what on earth is wrong with the hermanas." Little did we know that THE MEETING HAD ALREADY STARTED. It was hilarious! It took everything in me to keep a straight face while directing the first hymn. Great first day in my new branch (;

On Saturday my comp and I did a special musical number for a baptism. We sang Nearer My God To Thee on the ukulele and it was so fun!

Max was baptized! (the elder's investigator)

The other day we were walking down a street when a little homeless-looking girl ran up to us and told us that she has a Book of Mormon that she reads every single night before going to bed. Pleasantly surprised, we went back to her home the next night. Upon entering their house I was in complete shock, I could not believe their living conditions. It was a shack and absolutely disgusting. It smelled like something was fermenting and there was clutter everywhere. 15 people live inside that tiny, nasty home! We sat down with the little girl Nicol and her adult-sister Lucero. Nicol was wearing tattered, filthy clothing and her hair looked like she had taken scissors to it herself. But she had the cutest little smile and smiley eyes. Her older sisters were all extremely overweight and it seemed like they had just stopped caring. Clothes were merely something to cover skin and there is no point in washing them if they will just get dirty again. Shoes were optional and hair unkempt turned into mats. They told us that their mom used to take them to our church when they were young but around 6 years ago she left home and never returned. As we sat and taught them tears streamed down Lucero's face. Just by looking in her eyes you could see that there was a lot of hurt inside of her. We helped her pray for the first time in years. I am amazed at how truly blessed I have been in my life. Sometimes I can't help but wonder why? Why do differences in circumstance vary so greatly? I don't know. But I do know that to whom much is given much is expected!

I miss you all so much!
Shout out to Pam for sending me 6 months of letters!

Con mucho amor
Hermana Ingram

Mayday, mayday!! Dean Ingram, we need some serious help on the grill...

Elder Obrien playing some catch...it's therapeutic for the Elders (:

"Hold up the puppy so I can take a picture of him" Luisaac, "Okay but I don't want to be in the picture"....oops