Week 71 The willy-ba-jillies December 19, 2016

Hermana Susanna asked me, "Hermana Ingram! Why don't you like papaya?!" So I took my shoe off and said "smell my foot and then I will tell you why" (papaya smells like stinky feet) but instead of smelling she proceeded to pop all of my toes...

Merry Christmas Family!

An update on the Hernandez fam: July and Jesus are now planning to be married in mid-January. They had originally wanted Hna Sepulveda and I to be the witnesses at their wedding but recently informed me, "Hermana Ingram we don't want you to be a witness anymore, we want you to be the madrina (godmother)" My reaction was, "Oh gosh wow! Thank you! What a privilege, I've always wanted to be a madrina!" In my mind I was thinking., "Wait, what does a madrina do anyways??" As were walking away from their house I asked Hermana Signs, "What does a madrina do?"
"I think it means if they die you have to take care of their kids."
"Wait what?! No! I can't take care of the kids!"
"Well lets just hope they don't die then."
"No I think it just means I get added to their will."
(we were laughing during this conversation)
So we head over to hna Susanna's house, "Hey Hermana Susanna! guess what?! I'm the madrina for July and Jesus!"
"Really! aahh hermanita how awesome!" (I was grinning from ear to ear) Then I ask her, "Wait Hermana Susanna what does a madrina do?"
"They buy the cake."
My grin started to fade.. wait what? the cake? I just have to buy them things??
Everyone was laughing so hard. Might I add that the cake will cost me 50 soles and that's a weeks worth of groceries.... I've been demoted. (:

When the Relief Society women give you big sloppily kisses with lipstick on...

Last night we walked up the creepy alley way to drop off our laundry. As we were walking back the dark figure of man appeared from the other side. Our steps forward became more and more hesitant. He noticed and said "hermanas pasen no mas (come on through)" I asked Hermana Signs, "Who is that guy?"
"I don't know but he gives me the willy-ba-jillies"
"I don't know what those are but Ive got them too!"
So we ran away giggling like little girls from the creepy dark man in the alley.... close call haha.

A snap from Sullana, motos!

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care"
Each day as a missionary I try to keep this quote in mind. As we relentlessly try to find those few who will actually listen to us and our message I remember that they won't care about how much I know until they know how much I care. It continues to amaze me how much Heavenly Father blesses us to love those we teach. He shows us who they are, His children. Before my mission I might have seen someone outside my car window out on the street and judged them by their appearance. Well a mission forces me out of my car, onto the street, chasing that same person down and starting a conversation with them, visiting them in their home/shack and trying to teach them according to their needs. And you know what happens after all is said and done? You LOVE them. No I'm not kidding! Its the most peculiar yet amazing thing. We are all equal, we are all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. We all have our own problems and trials and weaknesses and sins. As Holland has said before "We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin." As missionaries we try our very best to help others win that same race against sin. Its a battle we care in helping them win.

Con mucho amor,
Hermana Ingram

Found a cute little fake Christmas tree