Hey there family!
So I am feeling really weird as I write this email. I know you all told me not to worry about it, but what you have all told me about the shooting really really surprised me, and I still have tears pouring non stop down my face. I just can´t really fathom the fact that that really happened. What´s more is that I knew Karl...he was my friend. I was his Link Leader. He bought my AP US History text book for $30 right before I left on my mission. Never in my life would I have imagined that this would happen. My heart goes out to you guys, that community. I don´t think I knew Claire, but regardless, that´s the most heartbreaking thing that I have heard in so long. I feel bad, I just ran out of this internet cafe bawling like a maniac, and my district leader from Honduras had no idea how to help me. I know this situation isn´t a funny at all, but I kind of laughed when I saw his face, probably thinking... "crap, that girl is white and doesn´t speak spanish, and she´s a girl." My life is still awesomely awkward.
All I can really think about to tell you at this point is one thing that happened this week. We had divisions for two days with some hermanas in a different area, and my companion Hna Phillips and I went to an area called Cieneguilla. It is probably the most beautiful area that I have seen in my almost 5 months out here. First of all, their area is HUGE. You have to take a bus for like 35 minutes to get from one end to the other. And it´s all mountains, hills, and GREEN trees. There´s not a whole lot of green in Lima. Just a lot of buildings, dirt, and empty windows. But not in Cieneguilla. When we were there, I felt like I was on a grand adventure. I loved being able to see green, flowers, and mountains again. It was amazing. The greatest part though was when we met the bishop. So Hna Phillips had served in this area for 5 months, so she knew everyone really well and had the area memorized almost. And the bishop just thought she was the best missionary in the world. Which she is amazing, but it was just so cool for me to see how much he appreciated what she had done for his ward. He is kind of a funny, awkward guy, but the love that he has for people is something that you can just feel. We had gone to his house, and we met his whole family, and you can just tell that this family is being raised with so much love. The kids are just happy, little balls of energy, and they are so friendly and just love to play. The bishop and his wife live in a humble house, but they are so happy and they love serving the Lord, and they´re not ashamed to talk about how much they love the church. I literally don´t know how to explain it, but I had been thinking of my first area a lot, and missing the people there, and when we had this division I missed it more. I just fell in love with Surco, what can I say. But meeting this bishop in some random part that I had never been in, I realized that that is exactly what this gospel is all about. Love. The love of God for His children, the love of Jesus Christ. Of course the missionaries, who teach this thing all the time, should feel that love. That´s the hope at least. That we feel love for the people we serve. And as I talked to this bishop, and could so easily feel and see the love that he has for this gospel, I felt it too. And I thought of the people I´m serving now in Monterrico, the less actives, the investigators, the members...I love them, too. I don´t really know what Im trying to say, but the love that I feel and teach about every day is something undeniable.
I think I thought to share that because of what happened at Arapahoe. There are so many people in the world who don´t feel that love, who don´t know the happiness that comes with believing in something greater than yourself. I am so thankful for the knowledge that I have of this love, and grateful that I not only feel it from my Heavenly Father, but from all of you as well. I love you, and I miss you. Take care of yourselves, and know that I am praying for you.
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