Mary's Latest email: #20

Hey Family, 

Hope all is well in the states and in russia! This week the trainers and District and Zone Leaders all traveled to cusco, myself included. It was really great, I love going to cusco. It was a little rough, becuase we have a lot of things we need to improve on, but there were some interesting things that were announced. First, background info, When President was here with the assistents, we were eating dinner with them and the Zone Leaders, and just making conversation I mentioned how Rachel was a traveling sister at the end of her mission. He also asked us to sing a song and told us he´d buy us ice cream if we sang, so of course i sang and thought nothing of it, and ate my icecream with as much joy as a 3 year old little girl. Here are the effects of a seemingly innocent dinner with President. president apparently loved the idea of traveling sisters and announced this conference that he is going to call two sister assistants to the president to travel and work with the sisters of the Mission. So Rachel, you have officially influenced the Mission of Peru Cusco. NIce work. He also had me sing the closing song to the conference as a solo and announced that i would be singing in a musical recital in cusco on the 17th. so... I have go back to cusco on the 15th, and we are going to get everything ready. Yep. I dont know how that happened, but it just did. Awesome.

I got your package for my birthday!!! Thanks for the peanut butter, and tissues. I cought a cold in cusco, and gave it to my comp, so it was perfect timing! I also got Mariela´s package. I got a letter from her saying she was sad i didnt get it, but I got it! i loved her package, we made the mashed potatoes in the pension, and it rocked. I love her. I also just got a letter from Meaghan Reese, and Mackenzie pedersen... I love them! I am soooo grateful for all of the letters from friends and family, a letter can turn your whole week around and put a smile on your face when everything else is going wrong. I love it out here, I love the mission. right now we are having a hard time because all of our investigators have to get married! We are trying to find others as well but its hard. Everybody smokes, or has their pareja, but that is what we are here for, right? The Gospel of Jesus Christ litterally changes the way people live their lives, and it is such a blessing to be able to help people change. its not easy, and takes time, and requires patience, which i completely lack by the way, but in the end i know it will be worth it if we can bring that family to the gospel, and the joy that comes with making eternal covenants.

I love you all, I miss you all my dear family, and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to serve here in Peru, in Puerto Maldonado.

Hermana Swartz