Hair Cut, Kelly Clarkson – A Messenger from God, and Happiness.

March 17, 2014

Hair Cut, Kelly Clarkson – A Messenger from God, and Happiness.

On the 6th day God created man, and saw it was good. On the 53rd day of the 2014th year God created Marshmallow Crispy Oreos and the Heavens (and Elder Grow rejoiced!!!!) Seriously Kodi, thank you for finding those!  They were amazing!

Well :) so I got transferred, that wasn’t a shock. I took time and said goodbye to everyone. Alina Yurusi, the Stake President, Zavaleta and my Pinchanista and their family. It was really great to see everyone and sad to say goodbye. When the bus saw me off there were a total of 5 different families with gifts ranging from exercising pants (I wonder if I really am that fat) and little stuffed frogs and sweaters. We got on the bus for the 10 hour trip across the Andes, which was brutal. I left in a rush so I still had my heavy rain coat on.  When I started to get a fever so I struggled taking it off.  We all had problems breathing because there was just too much air! It was soooooooooo HOT!!   It’s a desert. Coming into Lima was brutal. I hadn’t shaved that morning or the day on the bus so when we got their middle of the day Martes, I went with Elder Custer to get a shave. There was a sign that said Gratis, which is free. We walked in and Custer, in his broken Spanish asked for a shave.  That’s what they did.  They took a buzzer to my skull.... I thought the situation was so funny I wasn’t too mad but when we made it to changes the President couldn’t help but laugh.

So they sent me north which is weird.  They normally don’t do that but the President said he felt like I should come to changes to accompany a Hermana who was heading back north. So I’m not in Lima after all. I’m still in the coast and it’s so hot!  I’m in Baranca or a little area called Patavillca. It’s all a desert but farms too. My companion is Elder Sanchez.  He’s here from Trujillo. He has a little over 15 months here in the mission. He’s great!  He’s a really really great!! He’s funny and we get along great. He loves music and sometimes listens to salsa but it doesn’t bother me too much. He’s awesome really. He’s a little laid back and rules aren’t super important but…. Yeah we get along wonderfully and he loves to work!  The area is all very poor and small, a little Kansas like town. It’s Babylonia as far as sin goes. Theirs night clubs and a bar and NO ONE IS MARRIED! When I say that it’s not like a little bit of a truth, NO ONE is married. It’s just not important to them.  That’s the problem we have here. It’s SO SO SO SO SO hot!! I can’t even begin to describe it!  I take a cold shower in the morning, afternoon and night. I’m dying. My companion thinks it’s funny.

One of my spiritual experiences is, God still knows me. For example, I sat down my second day here, not being able to walk any further and the offices called and said they had sent me a package.  They had opened it because it was so big but they didn’t find any candy, only microwave food.  When it came I opened it and was so happy!  Microwave food, and CANDY! Man! That salsa! I was so happy! The problem this time, with the heat, I lost my self-control with the candy!  I figured I’d slow down but I burned though it in almost 1 week. I saved the Oreos until today. I opened them..... They were some of the best things I’ve ever had in my entire life! So good! I’m in love. Afterwards the problems came back.  I can’t take the heat so I said a prayer.  Walking out of the apartment I stepped over a drunk with a radio, when the song came on...

“You know the bed feels warmer sleeping here alone.  You know I dream in color and do the things I want”…. I paused, did a double take, and then came the words… “

“WHAT DOESNT KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER” Elder Grow wigged! :) Anyway, I learned two things that Kelly Clarkson is an Angel, a Messenger from God :) and that God answers prayers in mysterious ways.  The heat didn’t seem too bad after that. We get along my companion and me.  The area is great, a lot of really really poor farmers, but I’m loving it. All of my lessons in Spanish about faith, repentance, and baptism have taken on new farming references. I’m in seventh heaven! I sit, study, eat and sweat next to our little desk fan, (my companion hasn’t seen a second of it) and then the members here love me! The girls a little too much (everyone here, even members live a little bit of a different life, very immodestly dressed.  I don’t even think clothes exist here for some people) but we only have a little branch with a little over 40 to 60 people. In the town square there is a Catholic Church that did a musical play on the life of Christ the other day to the music of Hairspray and Chicago….Yeah, I’m loving it!

My companion is great and we should get along just find and have a lot of success!

Love,
Elder Grow