Hermana Hannah Ingram: Week 73 Feliz Año Nuevo!! January 2, 2017

My awesome comp, Hermana Signs, and me.

Feliz Año Nuevo!!

I really enjoy participating in the pretty bizarre New Years traditions that Peruvians have. Some of these traditions consist of:

-decorating with and wearing yellow. It's a lucky color!
-eating 12 grapes while sitting under a table. (I have no idea as to why...)
-walking around the block at midnight with a suitcase. (for a new year full of travel!)
-setting out a table with bags of food (or money) depending on what you hope to receive throughout the year.
-Burning giant homemade dolls! (again, I have no idea why...)
-fireworks!! (all of the ones that are illegal in the states)
-getting drunk off your butts and partying until sun up (ok this one I do not participate in..)

Burning muñecos at midnight!

The New Year in Peru is like World War 3!! Bombs were dropping.... well it feels like it when every Peruvian buys massive fireworks and takes them apart, combines the chemicals, and makes a mega firework! In the morning it looked like a battle ground with the remains of the burnt life size dolls everywhere. I got attacked by a ferocious Peruvian dog and may have accidentally thrown Hermana Signs between me and the animal..... oops! She almost hit it with her Book of Mormon and kept yelling "Pasa!" (what Peruvians say to the dogs to make them go away) but asked in her panic "Is that even the right word?! It's not working!!" I had tears streaming down my face it was hilarious.

Feliz Anño Nuevo! (wearing yellow for luck)

Messing around with the zone leaders, (mine says "The angel in the family") (:

Cha-cha-changes!! From the time I arrived in August of 2015 to today, January 2017 the Mission Peru, Piura has gotten an entire extreme mission makeover! Its AMAZING! I feel blessed to be a part of it! Well, this leadership counsel we were informed of a new schedule. This is a huge deal because us missionaries live day to day and hour to hour by set plans. 6:30 to 7:00 exercise, 7-8 get ready, 8-9 personal study, 9-10 companionship study, 10-1 proselite, 1-2 lunch, 2-3 language study, 3-6 proselite, 6-8 look for new investigators 8-9 proselite, 9-10 go home and plan, 10:30 go to bed. Now repeat that for approximately 515 days..... I have become so dependent on this schedule (as have other missionaries) that when I found out it was going to change, I was shocked! So because of the Latin culture (sleep all day, stay up all night) we now sleep in an hour later, 7:30, and go home an hour later, (10pm) General Authorities have also observed that after missionaries live on such a rigid schedule for so long they return home and no longer manage their time very wisely. So we now choose how we plan our days and better learn how to manage our time. We still have the same responsibilities but we plan out everything. I have to admit that in the past couple of days there have been moments where Hermana Signs and I have looked at each other and thought, "Oh no what do we do now?" haha (: we are adjusting....

Some reactions to the new schedule change

We wake up when?

This week was my very last zone meeting. My stomach did a few flips when the zone leaders announced, "We will now hear Hermana Ingram's final testimony." AAAAHHHH final?! What is this? I hate lasts and ends and ultimos and fines. They are too sad!

Group pic of all of the leaders from leadership council that came from my group! How fun to have come to the mission with all of these amazing missionaries!

This week is July and Jesus wedding fundraiser! If we can't get enough support from the members I might have to buy the whole zone lunch or something because I'm not leaving this mission until they are baptized!!! (: Thanks dad for your support! (; Also the Godparents luncheon is this Sunday. Apparently the godfather as been asking to meet me... my comp is getting the biggest kick out of it all. A "lucheon" sounds somewhat classy but I imagine it will be me sitting across the table from a fat, 50 year old Peruvian (the godfather, El Padrino) and stuffing my face until I roll out the door. Wish me luck and wear yellow in my favor!

Con mucho amor,
Hermana Ingram