AY AY AY CANTA NO LLORES 2-24-14

Hello again! Still here, in Perú, being a missionary, making mistakes, occasionally conquering the bands of death through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. No big deal.

I don't really know why people like to touch my face so much. I think my mother is sending my companion and the children and elderly ward members of Perú subliminal messages to flick my Who nose and pinch my chubby face. (I most certainly am NOT… although I do love her "Who nose" I think of it more as a marshmallow nose and prefer to squish, not flick, it!)

IT'S EXHAUSTING THANKS MOM MISS YOU TOO (Smooch!)

We went to the hospital...

again <3

pobrecita Hermana Jaramillo has a throat infection. But she's getting better with the help of Marvelous Modern Medicine.

Anybody have any ideas for what I can teach the young single adults in our ward how to cook? I have forgotten what American food is. All I can remember is my mother's salmon, fruit salad, and steamed broccoli. Oh I'm gonna cry. (These are the tender mercies of motherhood!)

There is a very large, overintelligent Spaniard in our ward. He is whiter than me and speaks gorgeous Spanish. He is also really happy and was once a very well known athlete. He met his adorable wife through internet and they are married and sealed in the temple. I like meeting rare people. 

Speaking of which, we contacted a lovely mother and son in the street the other day. They were searching for an ostrich or a dinosaur or something behind a huge fence. The mommy asked us what we do for a living. We talked to her about the gospel. What's the difference between your church and others? SO GLAD YOU ASKED we have the priesthood power of God which blesses families through the ordenances and principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Huh interesting. And so what does your church have to offer me?

She literally asked that.

SO GLAD YOU ASKED! The answer to your question is....

SALVATION.

My companion almost burst laughing when I told our new friend that we have her salvation. But I'm not one to lie, nor deny the truth. So we might as well be honest.

Also, I think there are tiny shrieking rats which live in the ceiling of our chapel. Potentially could be the ceiling fans. But probably they're shrieking rats.

EE EE EE EE

(Yes, I realize she said "shrieking rats" not "singing rats", but anyone who knows me knows that I have a REAL ISSUE with mice & rats - particularly shrieking ones, so I choose to add a pic of a SINGING rat and since I'm in charge of the blog for the time being, I'm going to exercise my pejorative!) 

Oh hey Hermana Moody just told me that they might also be baby pigeons dying. But that is grotesque.

We're not certain.

I love you all. If you feel charitable, I am in the dormant season where I don't bite the heads off people who send me letters.

Hermana Hewitt

Ahaha oh yeah! So I'm sorry I have been such a loser and haven't included a quote of the week for like half my mission now. Probably because I don't speak much English anymore and it's hard to make funny things in Spanish, funny in English.

But we were expecting a less active family to come to church yesterday, and they didn't. We went to their house in the afternoon to see what had happened and their 7-year-old son was playing outside. We asked what was up, and he told us that his parents (padres) had taken a long time in getting ready for church but NOT TO WORRY, they would be on their way soon! Hating to burst his bubble, we explained that church had already ended and that there were no more meetings until next Sunday. He looked at us, mouth wide open, astounded, and then threw his arms up in the air and yelled, "AY, MI PADRE!"

And then ran up the stairs to start screaming at his dad to come outside and explain himself to the sister missionaries.

He is one of the valiant.

A Missionary's Guide to Valentine's Day 2-17-14

Somebody go and look up the song "Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran. It just barely popped into my head and I am SAD that I can't listen to it. 

however

This week we celebrated Valentine's Day with a BAPTISM! My dear friend "A.A." is now a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is one of the strongest Saints here in Perú. I am awed by his faith and his commitment to righteousness. When I get a better computer I will send pictures! He isn't smiling because he's a big stinker but he really is so so SO great.

On Friday (Valentines Day) we made it to all of our appointments and I looked up at the sky as we walked one street past Atahualpa and felt a lot of love. At one point I tried in earnest to be trunky and depressed that I didn't have a man to hug, but that failed pretty fast. I am in love with the mission and no one can tell me I'm too young or unwise in the world! 

I know the truth!

Anyway. 

I enjoyed thoroughly the small and simple things this week.

The breeze that travels all the way from the ocean to sweep into our window around 2:00 every night to relieve the humidity. 

The perfect stillness that comes at 6:30 every morning as I say my prayers.

The stunning acoustic guitar music that our landlord's grandson plays between 7:30 and 11 every day as we study.

The encounters we have with happy little kids playing around the church when we leave the house in the afternoon. 

The joy which washes over me when someone is put in our path who needed to hear our message, sitting on a bench in that corner of the park at 4:00 on a lazy Tuesday.

The immaculately colorful sunset that comes earlier each evening to remind me that fall is on its way and Heavenly Father still loves His children.

The full moon that illuminates our pathway even on cloudier nights as we make it to that one last appointment.

The silly and serious talks I have with my companion, planning and getting ready at 9:30, as I get to know her and become more inspired by her life with each passing day.

The immense peace as I say my nighttime prayers at 10:15 that always comes, as promised, with obedience to the commandments and mission rules and counsel given by the Holy Ghost. 

And, at 10:30 as I fall asleep, that last little note of a lingering voice which tells me tomorrow is a bright new day full of opportunities to enjoy my life and thank my Father in Heaven for giving me such beautiful things.

If you're feeling lonely, go outside and look at the world and say thank you to the One who loves you enough to give you everything you need to be exquisitely happy. I promise that you will feel His love, and it will overcome you if you let it.

Thank you for laughing with me and letting me romanticize the atmosphere.

I love you!

Hermana Hewitt

NOT. ONE. TACO. 2-10-14

 Hermana Hewitt y Elder Salazar

Did you know that not one taco in Mexico contains beans? NOT ONE TACO. My companion is absolutely firm in telling all of the many curious members and investigators who ask about the food there that NI UN TACO LLEVA FRIJOLES.

Just so you know.

She has also been practicing English and is doing great! Although she still calls our district leader, Elder Schenk, Elder Shake. And subsequently we're all tempted to shimmy. 

I love our ward here! They are so close and friendly. There are a few funny little disputes between neighbors, which I enjoy greatly from the outside view, but other than that it's a big old family. Mormons crack me up.

Hermana Hewitt and Ward Member

DARN IT WHY DO WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO SPANISH DONNA SUMMER

So, there are two wards who attend in the same building. Hermana Moody and her companion are in San Germana and I am with Hermana Jaramillo in Trébol. Everybody and their pet Totto think that Hermana Moody and I are the same person.....

Barbie!

and/or

BARNEY

Annnyway

We had a really stellar training with President and the Assistants on Wednesday. President has an excellent way of teaching us about ancient European history and tying it back in to the Plan of Salvation. MY MIND EXPLODES EVERY TIME HE TALKS. 

We also had interviews with him, which were equally fulfilling. I'm a happy camper this week, just so y'all know.

Except for there is this little girl in the ward who follows us around everywhere and makes a very large effort to run her fingers through our endless locks of hair. Especially when we have put a little bit of extra care into our hairdos on Sunday. That's kind of a downer.

BUT HEY WE ENDURE TO THE END

Especially when the power goes out in our entire area until 1 in the morning. Gotta love Perú. 

We're busy contacting and teaching families and changing the face of Trébol! I love it so much here. It's very, very, very different, but overflowing with opportunities to learn and grow. 

Trebol Skyline

If you're looking for a good time,

SERVE A MISSION

I love you!

Hermana Hewitt

We keep rollin rollin rollin on the river 2-2-14

I know everyone (including me) was dying to hear where Lex was transferred and how she is doing so I won't delay for a moment her posting this week!  I just got her email 7 minutes ago!  :-)

Saludos a todos del Trébol, Lima, Perú!

Hey kids, hermana Hewitt received her first area transfer in the mission!

sheeshfinallyshehadwhatlikesevenmonthsonthemissionimeancomeon

You heard me right. On Monday Hermana Jaramillo and I received word that we both would be leaving Puente Piedra. Crazy, right? It's rather rare that Presidente takes both companions out of an area at the same time. But, obediently, we packed up our things, I spent the whole night cleaning our house, and on Tuesday we went to the stake center in Las Palmeras with a gigantic group of other missionaries - almost half the mission - to find out where we'd go and with whom.

I was crossing my fingers for something far out of the city, like Huaraz or Barranca or Paris or something cool like that. SO SELFISH, I KNOW. But the faraway zones were announced and we waited and waited and WAITED and finally came the zone bordering the Lima Central Mission: El Trébol. Before I knew it, my face popped up on the screen with none other than the face of...Hermana Jaramillo! CRAZY, RIGHT?

i know.

i was shaky.

everybodywaslikewaitreally?

After all the other transfers had been announced, AP Elder Chacon announced that they were going to ask for three more testimonies. Naturally, they invited two awesome elders and the awestruck Hermana Hewitt to share their feelings with the group.

I don't remember all I said, but I opened my mouth and it was filled. Lately I have been focusing really hard on speaking and acting by the power of the Holy Ghost, and I was blessed in that moment to say things that I know someone else needed to hear. For me, I needed to be reminded that Heavenly Father has a plan and a reason for everything.

President approached my companion and I as everyone was exchanging information and keys and cell phones. He told us that Trébol has been on the bottom of the charts for about a year; that the ward is discouraged and the baptisms are few and the missionaries have unfortunately been disobedient. He let us know that he put us there because he needed missionaries who would change the culture of the zone and the area, who would animate the members and strengthen the missionaries. Our responsibility is so great, but we feel extraordinarily humbled and privileged to be given it. 

So since we got here, we decided to be more obedient and to start contacting like there's no tomorrow. Woof, it has been HARD! Our very first day, a nice fella greeted us as misioneras all friendly-like and then ended up yelling at us, pointing his finger in my companion's face and telling us flat-out that the Book of Mormon is not true and that everything we believe is a lie. 

Que gozo es poder saber

But we did contact a familia de oro yesterday night! They are wonderful. As those of you who know me more or less have figured out, I am okay with dancing and singing and wearing sequins in the street. In a similar fashion, I asked them if we could say a prayer with them right there. My companion looked at me like a crazy person, but they were all for it! And the Spirit was so strong.

SO

STRONG.

Guess what. They don't live in our area. But those elders had better baptize this family! 

Let's see, what more.

Well, Hermana Moody is in my district. She came here last transfer to train her companion, Hermana Cardozo, and they are still here together. She is pretty sure she'll die here. And her other daughter, Hermana Bendixen, is in our district too! It's crazy. Three daughters and a granddaughter, all with our beloved Hermana Moody.

One day perhaps I'll reach that unreachable star

I recognize the jungle accent now. It is SWEET.

There are a lot of older folks here. We are planning to baptize one this week. He is pretty much my grandpa. And also another investigator is like my other grandpa. I gotta say, I missed my grandpas this week. 

We are in the heart of Lima. We went from the lower-middle class outskirts to the upper-middle class suburbs. Brand new trials, brand new opportunities.

Scrunchies are still a big thing in Perú.

My companion was drugged the other day. We decided not to mess with that business.

The ward council here is phenomenal! The ward is muuuch smaller, but the leaders are outstanding and I am thrilled to work with them. Our bishop kind of looks like Mowgli. He works really hard and loves the members and has such a strong testimony of the Plan of Salvation.k

So, here's to new beginnings, new members, and stronger Saints.

EVER ONWARD

Hermana Hewitt

P.S. To everyone: If you feel like congratulating me for completing seven months on the mission, I won't send you hate mail. I love you and so does your Heavenly Father!