Pereceríamos inevitablemente

That's what the Gospel Doctrine teacher said when we walked into the classroom yesterday afternoon. She was talking about the fall of Adam and Eve and the effects of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. But it still stung just a little bit.

There is an inactive member of our ward whose last name is Cienfuegos. That means Hundred Fires.

ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES.

Hey I forgot to tell you! Elder Alarcón, an Area Seventy, is in our ward! His family is adorable. They invited us over for lunch yesterday before our random 2:00 church meetings and his wife made us lots of food. But like the good people they are they didn't just dump it all on a plate in front of us. They let us serve ourselves. THAT is what I call a tender mercy. Less so was the half hour they spent talking about how they met and giving us counsel on marriage. I mean, that was wonderful. They seriously are the sweetest people. 

BUT I AM A MISSIONARY. GIVE ME ANOTHER 10 MONTHS.

please.

So, Peruvians still struggle immensely with my name. This kid named "J" who we're trying to get back to church has called me Hermana Heinzer, Heizwieger, Hazberger, and definitively, Hansel. He is indeed interested in the German culture. He also listens to a lot of Black Sabbath and plays the drums and is extremely tall and talks super fast and snorts when he laughs. He is a joy!

Well, our ward here in Pro is the smallest ward I have ever attended. There were barely 80 people in sacrament meeting yesterday! Whew. But we have some truly good-to-the-core and actively involved leaders who really love their congregation and worry about them a lot. I look forward to strengthening this ward a lot.

I don't have a lot of time but I will tell you the quote of the week. The first counselor in the Bishopric, Hermano Mendoza, is this big black man and SUPER funny. In ward council yesterday we were talking about a less active sister and he stopped everyone talking and said OKAY you all are the bishop. I am Rosa. I am struggling with this and this and this. Tell me what I need to do.

We all sat and looked at him, thinking. 

"Come on! I am ROSA!" He perched ladylike in his chair and pouted his lips. Everyone was silent. After a solid 15 seconds, he stroked the skin of his arm and said, "Well, I'm just a little bit bronzed...

BUT I AM ROSA!"

Ahahaha I love Peruvians. I love Perú! I love my mission and I love the Lord.

Don't forget to pray and don't forget to laugh. 

All my love,

Hermana Hewitt