Week 1 in Arequipa

I hope you all had a great week! Week 1 in Arequipa is in the books. Whoa what a week. Okay, first, my companion, Hermana Alais. She is the best. It is difficult at times because we can't always understand each other, but she has so much patience and such an amazing testimony. I scored big time with her. She has really light features, so people think that she's the gringa and I'm the native until we start speaking haha. We get along so well and I just love her. 

OK Spanish, yeah. The people speak so FAST and it is so hard to understand, but each day gets a little better. We are serving in Alto Selva Alegre, which like I said, is an area we are opening. It has been tough starting from scratch, but we are working real hard. We have knocked so many doors and it feels like the whole area is catholic, but we have found a few investigators and have a man named Haime on date to be baptized. We are trying to work with the ward to get referrals and help from them. The ward leaders are great. The weather here is lots colder than Lima! It has rained just about every afternoon. It is really chilly in the afternoon and at night. We don't have any heat in our cuarto, so we asked for lots of blankets from the zone leaders so that we don't freeze at nights haha. 

Oh funny story- a couple of days ago, we were out contacting in the pouring rain & we were crossing one of the busiest streets in our area. One of the cars in the middle of this uphill road was stuck. Hermana Alais suggested we run out in the middle of this busy road and push the car. I thought she was joking, but no. Next thing I knew there are these 2 little Hermanas slipping and pushing with all of our might this car up the hill! ha I was honestly sore from it the next day. The people here are real loving and touchy. You greet everyone with a hug and kissy thing on the cheek & all the men with a handshake. 

Our pencionista lives just a few blocks away from us and we eat all 3 meals with her. She cooks different food everyday and its been really random food that I've never seen before, but she's a good cook and super nice. Yesterday was fast & testimony meeting & I was able to bear a testimony in Spanish! Me and Spanish aren't exactly best friends right now, but really working on that relationship, and like I said it gets a little better each day. It's tough not being able to express myself in lessons because I don't have the words, but I've felt the Savior's hand so many times this week guiding me along. Thank you all so much for the prayers, love and support. They mean more than you know! Love you all so much,

D&C 4

Hermana Wood