July 1st, 2013. Last one!!!!

Family, This is the last letter of i dont even know how many. I actually tried what destin said, about how he thought about it like it was a another transfer, but your brain knows better. Mom and Dad, thank you for sacrificing so much to send Destin and <i on missions at the same time. And also to everyone else, i know other people helped out, i am so grateful to them. Its strange to think its all coming to an end, well, actually i thought that back in may too, but this time its real hahaha. I just wanted to say thanks and dont worry, i have too much to do to waste a minute of the time i have been given. I havent even thought about packing haha. 

Our new mission president got here, and its been awesome to be able to get to know him. His wife wants mom to know that she loves me and all the missionaries and says thanks to you guys for supporting me. <president said something today in the councel that i liked. Life with out this year and a half or 2 years, would be missing out on half of your life. i really liked that. I feel like i will be able to be a much better member, and person all around from all the things i have learned. They say a missionary learns in 2 years what a member learns in 20, and i really think thats true. 

I love you all so much, thank you for everything, i plan on using all the time i have left to share the gospel and change people lives. i know that after they take off the badge, you still share the gospel, but its different. Anyway, i love you all tons. I love peru so much, and i want you all to know that this has been the best year and a half of my life. not for the cool places, not for the language, but for the friendships i will take with me, the memories i will never forget, and the relationship i have developed with Christ and my Heavenly Father. 

Gracias por ustedes que están aquí en peru, sepan que les quiero mucho, y les llevo en mi corazón. Gracias por su amor y sus enseñanzas. 

Hermana Swartz

June 23, 2013

Hey family!  Man, the gospel is the beeesssstttt!!!! its hard, for sure. but holy cow life is so much better with the gospel!!!! i didnt really get the gospel before the mission i dont think. They should put missionaries in our ward. Did you guys hear about the awesome training meeting from president monson yesterday!!!!??? so awesome. man it rocked. 

Daddy , thanks for your letters, they always help me put stuff in perspective. i love you super a lot. Momma, i love you tooo! thanks for looking into stuff for school for lme, i am really excited to get back to that.  i love you both a lot.

This week, we went to quillabamba and also los alamos, and it was awesome. i loved being in quillabamba and got to see a lot of people i love, and got to talk to people that should be going to church that arent. in our sector in san jeronimo... there isnt a lot going on, we really havent been here to work, but the sisters and elders that we share the sector are doing great! so that makes me feel better. However, sonia, a lady less active who is a returned missionary, her husband left her 3 months ago and she has a 3 month old baby and a 3 year old baby boy and her husband went to lima, also rm, she came to church yesterday! the ward has been trying to activate her, and she wouldnt talk to anyone, but i got here with my comp and we knocked the door, and told her we would like to come in, with huge smiles on our faces... she actually tried to shut the door, but my comp put her foot in the door hahahaha!!! yes. so we just went in, and she is so incredible. i am positive she is one of the reasons why i am still on the mission. 

Basically life is great, i have had a really awesome experience with fasting, i wont go into details, but i will say my testimony has increased, it really does make the difference, not just on a mission, but for life in general. The gospel is the best. I love the mission, but i am stoked to see you all again! i love my family and i am soooo blessed to have you guys with me forever. i dont have uncle wilbers email, but please forward him my email... he writes me every week!!! he wants to know how i am but i dont have much time to write. tell him i love him!

i gotta get going, we are going to the inti-raimy festival today!!!! its supposed to awesome, ill let you know next week  how it went, thats if we have time to write next week... next week we have the leaders counsel on monday because the new mission president comes in! how awesome. i am sure theyll give us time.... just not sure when. 

Mom... last thing. the toilets swirl clockwise!!! hahaha. we are going to have to come to peru together. its awesome. 

love you all! gotta run! talk to you soon!

Hermana Swartz

June 17th, 2013

Dear Daddy, HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!!! i love you so much dad. you have been a wonderful dad, and always taught us with so much patience and love, but never afraid to tell us when we need to improve. thank you for your letter, i am so grateful for you dad. you are one of my best friends, in a lot of ways i am like mom, which rocks, but in a lot of ways, my personality has reflected you. Thank you for your love and support, and example. you and mom are the best parents in the world for me. Heavenly father couldnt have done a better job in picking parents for me.

Rach, love the pics! They are so cute. maddie reminds me of me when i was little. 

Destin, you saw Kevin!!!!??? yay, i love him! I dont know him, but it doesnt matter, i have prayed for him so much, i feel like i know him. Please tell him i wish him well and will be writing him another letter soon. 

Mark is married! tell him congrats. kid is like a brother to me. cant wait to meet his wife! 

This week has been good, but really exhausting. we visited the sisters in ttio, cusco on wednesday, actaully i went to ttio with caicedo and her comp came to our sector to work. It was soooo cool to be where i started and work, and be able to show caicedo who is opening the sector, who i trained a year ago in puerto, around and introduce her to members. i learned a lot.

Then friday night i got food poisoning and was throwing up in the morning on saturday, but we had our flights booked for puerto maldonado to do a surprise visist saturday at noon. so, we went. i was sick and exhausted, but there was too much to do, and it wasnt like i could miss the flight! it was awesome, you always learn so much with different people. and in the morning before our flight back to cusco, we went to church in puerto and keila and julio were there, and raquel and members that i love. I was the witness for their weddings and so that makes me their madrina is what they told me yesterday!!! they all came to the airport to see us off, it was a great experience. Its hard to keep seeing these people and having to say goodbye over and over again, its equally as hard everytime.

Well, thats it for now. Life is good. Something i was thinking about, we need to BE where we are, be happy where we are and be grateful where we are, but always work to be in a better place spiritually, physically, and emotionally, ect. o sea, live with the decisions we make and not regret, but learn from them. thats my thought for this week.

Love you tons family, i hope you are all doing well, see you soon!!!

Hermana Swartz

June 10th, 2013

Hey family! Destin, satan is definitly a jerk. i know what you mean. Mom and dad, not sure when my flight is.. but if i am not mistaken,  i leavefriday the 5th from peru and will get there saturday in the afternoon on the 6th. they havent bought my flight tickets yet so i dont actually know the details. Dad, super happy with you for following my wise advice. good. i looooove the pics. a little jealous actually, its freezing where i am at. i am cold. Rach, i cant wait to hang out with your kids!!!! 

Here is what is happening, my comp and i are in san jeronimo, cusco, in president calderons ward. we live with hna martinez, my bff here on the mish, and hna black, a new sister from provo who got here this week. We had the change meeting on tuesday, everyone was surprised i wasnt going home haha. then, wednesday, we had a reunion with all the sisters in the mission and talked about dress code and hair and make up, it rocked! there are about 40 sisters on the mission at this point. Then thursday we had the reunion of leaders of the mission, its no longer just for the zone leaders, but them and the 4 sister missionary leaders. so then friday, we got to start working. my comp and i have half the mission, and the other companionship has the other half. we have to visit every companionship this month, we made our own travel plans and have to talk to President today or tomorrow to get it all approved. We will be traveling just the two of us, and possibly sometimes with president. But, we still have our sector and have to have good numbers and have a goal of two baptisms this month. 

umm, what else, my pensionista is awesome. she is really.... strict, but cool. she is teaching me how to eat correctly hahha, i might come home with ulcers, but with better manners. so thats the good part hahaha.

carmen our convert from puno was in the sacrament meeting yesterday and brought her boyfriend who lives in our new sector who is  not a member!!! we were soooo excited to see her here in cusco! my companion and i gave talks yesterday, in front of President and Elder Hooker, who is a 70 of area, so a little nerve wracking, but i really enjoy giving talks so it was good. 

You know, I am really happy where i am at. i keep thinking because i extended i have a lot of time left, but then my companion reminds me i only have about three and a half weeks left. I forget i dont have much time, there is so much to do now! I feel like i have a long time left. I am excited to see how this last month plays out.

I love you all soooo much, thanks for your letters and love, ill see you sooon.

ps do grandma and grandpa know a jan and lee lyon? Elder lyon is my Zone Leader and told me that his grandparents know grandpa and grandma Rowe, which, wouldnt surprise me at all considering they have connections everywhere.

 Mission Home

 Leaders conference

 Cuzco

 Terminal at transfers

 Mary and her comp

 Some of the hermanas

 A family they are teaching( ?)

 All the sisters in the mission

At transfers

June 2nd, 2013

TIFFANY IS ENGAGED!!!!?????What!!!!! Noooooo!!!!!! but really, i am excited for her, just sad to see all my best friends getting married and moving to the next stage, marriage, kids.... so crazy. Am i really old enough that the majority of my best friends are married with children? so crazy.

Daddy, what are you doing at home!? Get in your car and drive to where mom is and take a few days off!!!! this vacation was planned over a year ago!!!  If i were home i would force you to relax and go on vacation. Those are memories you cant get back. money is over rated. I will be super upset with you if you dont go. Apart from peru, there is nowhere i would rather be than with on the beach with the family!!!! You have to live the experience FOR me!!!!!! once again. Get in your car, TODAY, and make it happen. I love you lots. you wont regret it. 

Momma, how awesome! the pictures actually did come through! Daddy is going to head up later today i am sure. <i love washington and oregon, i am a big fan. I hope you enjoy every minute!!!! and i will definitely pray for Jaden. poor thing. Life is just sad sometimes. But, thats why we have the atonement. 

Destin, I hope youre doing well in russia still. My mission president gave his last words here in puno too, and its obvious why they are mission presidents. lots of wisdom. one thing my mission president said was that preach my gospel is the key to success in life in general. how to make and reach goals, how to plan, how to extend compromisos eficaz? how do you say that in english again.. efficient invitations i think? also christ like attributes... very awesome. its true. everyone should read preach my gospel hahaha. 

Milagros, Muchisimas gracias por escribirme por mis cumpleaños! no puedo creer que tanto tiempo ha pasado tampoco! asi que mi hermana le dijo de que me quedo! Bacan jaja. que chevere que ustedes hablan! Deben ser amigas. De hecho, se acuerda, le dije una vez que usted me hace recordar bastante de mi hermana mayor. ya pues, le quiero mucho, y espero que ustedes esten super bien. esta haciendo un friaso aca en puno, pero ya voy a tener mi cambio, me voy hoy en la noche! Cuidese mucho, saludos a su esposo, todavia cuento a los demas los chistes que siempre nos contaba jajaja. hasta luego amiga, le quiero mucho!!!!

Welp, thats all for today, i have to go pack my bags because i am headed to cusco tonight with my companion, we both have a change!!!! This has been one of the best places i have been, actually they are all special, but i have really come to love puno. i hope one day i can come back with family and visit these amazing people. 

Love, hna Swartz

May 27th, 2013

Hey family!!!! 

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! I had a great birthday, i am now 23!! holy lanta. we had an awesome week too, wednesday we had interviews with president, then thursday the zone conference, friday the wedding, saturday the baptisms and yesterday my birthday. full total.... saturday, only norma was going to get baptized.... she is sooo incredible. Her husband too, miguel, but didnt want to be baptized yet. while we were there, and norma was all changed for the ordinance, my comp said to the elders "go give him the baptismal clothes and tell him to get changed to be baptized and lets see what he does!!!!" so the elders cornered miguel with the bishop, and gave him the clothes and talked to him... i dont know what they said, but he went and changed for his baptism!! then he had his interview, and got baptized with his wife! norma ran to him and threw her arms around him and kissed him and was jumping up and down like a little girl, it was a miracle. really a beautiful experience. I love seeing families change together, it makes everything better. 

Yesterday my pensionista made pancakes for breakfast!!!  so that rocked. we worked super hard all day in lessons and looking for new investigators because during the week we really didnt have any time, and we had some good lessons. Then in the night, some of the members and our converts threw me a surprise birthday party, it was awesome. I LOVE puno. i love it. I will be really sad to leave, these members are so special. well, actually everywhere i have been has been so special. Norma told us last night she feels like she knew us before this life and thats why she accepted the message so easily. she told us she was waiting for us to find her. I love being a missionary after weeks like this!!!! It was a great birthday. 

Very cool clay is home, man has it really been two years? weird. Tell him hi. and Raquel when you see her! 

Also, i am now allowed to write people back individually via email! so someone needs an answer, i can. the only thing is that there still isnt much time to respond. i still love letters and dear elder, para que sepan (Just so you know). :D

Welp. i love you all very very much! 

here are some pictures of the wedding and my birthday... for the food after the wedding ceremony, the family spread a blanket on the ground and put a bunch of potatoes and chuño and fish.... so that was interesting. you can also see how people dress, the traditional peruvian women. aka panai. 

May 19th, 2013

Hey family! Welp, this week we have interviews with president Calderon, and our investigators are getting married friday, and baptized saturday! very cool. i am tired. Weddings are no small event. 

 Destin, very cool to hear about what happened last week with your investigator!!!! I felt like i was reading a book with a twist at the end!!! looks like we are going to be getting home with in a week of eachother! cant wait to be wierd rms together. Definitely on board for the homecomings to be on the same day, that would be sick. i would LOVE THAT. wooot!!!!

Welp, it was definitely not part of my plans to stay any longer than what i had set for my date. a few months i had the option to pick my date to return. i prayed and said "lord, if you want me to stay, i will, but let me know. If president himself calls me, i will stay, but if not, i would like to go home to be with my family."

and a week and a half before my departure date, president called me haha. Sometimes i feel like there are several doors to choose from, which one i should enter. When i ask the Lord what i should do, he tells me i can pick, so i do. and then the door shuts in my face, and he says, "ooh, not that door... its okay, try again. you can do it!" so i do... and then its shuts again, in my face... and then the lord says "welp, let me just help you. you clearly need my help." and thats how i often recieve guidence from the Lord. hahaha. I guess the important part is that he wants me to learn to make decisions, but i know that if i choose the wrong one, he will always close the door before i can start down that path hahahah. 

Welp i have news youre all going to love, the system only lets me stay until the 5th of July, so now i will be home the 6th? i think? somthing like that. That just happened 30 seconds ago. Man i hope thats the last time my departure date changes. my emotions are so confused with how to feel with it changing every... i dont know, a lot. But i am excited to be able to do everything possible before i come home to do what Heavenly Father wants me to do. Love you all tons and tons!

MILAGROS!!!! como se intero que me quedo mas tiempo!!? Bueno la verdad, nadie sabe aun, todos piensan que me voy al final de este cambio, entonces todavia no diga a nadie! jaja. pero tengo algo para usted, pero estoy esperando para darle en persona si es que puedo. Sepa que le quiero mucho mucho mucho, y le extraño bastante. Porfavor , no diga a nadie aun que me quedo un rato mas aqui, es un secreto todavia, se van a interar en la reunion de cambios ;D Les quiero mucho!!!! 

Besos, Hna Swartz

May 13th, 2013

Hey family! Wow it was actually way better than i thought to talk over skype to you all! Dad, you broke the glass in the table? hahaha. awesome. the good news is i dont think it'll be that hard to replace. So cute the pictures of Boston and Maddie, and the new baby!!!! and David and Amber, your son is soooo cute! It was good to see Brent and Josh, and linda and John, and Mariela, and everyone!!! its crazy to see how much has changed, but yet the house looks exactly the same. but with bushes in front jjaja. mom, you are soo cool. i didnt know you could play destin's bass! thats sick.

Funny story time. So i was pretty stressed out and had a head ache for like, two days straight. and my pensionista did something i have never heard of, so she was rubbing my head, and i was loving it, but then, out of nowhere, she grabs my hair, and pulls it so hard, it makes a suction sound as the scalp separates from the bone... apparently its supposed to help with stress... i started crying because i was so surprised, have you guys heard of that before?.. they have some interesting remedies, they arent too big on medicine here lol. My pensionista is so cool. she is one of the pensionistas in the mission... actually, all my pensionistas have been awesome. 

Welp... still working hard. I was talking to a returned missionary not long ago and mentioned i had a few weeks left, and she said, "ah entonces le falta mucho." o sea, she said ah you still have a lot left. I thought about that. Really i think there is not much time, but there is a LOT to do. activities to plan, people to activate, and investigators to baptize. Basically invite people to christ. haha, two days ago we knocked a door and a lady came out, said she was catholic, and if we came back she would "punish" us. what? really? that was a first, we just laughed about it because she was clearly elderly. i have learned to laugh at things i probably wouldnt have laughed at a year and a half ago. All we can do is invite, and do our best to represent Christ so people can feel his love through us, but at the end of the day, they have to take the decision and act on that. no one can live the gospel for you.

ps. Here are my flight plans.

love you all tons. 

Hermana Swartz

***Basically, so you all know, her flight plans show that she leaves Peru May 28th in the evening, flies to Atlanta, and then arrives in Salt Lake August 29th around lunch time. :) SO EXCITED!!!

May 6th, 2013

Daddy, I am in puno with lake titikaka, there really isnt fall here, its just cold all year. but we are going into the dry, cold season. its nothing compared to russia i am sure, but man its still cold here! especially because there is no hot water and no indoor heating. youre just cold all the time. During the day, it still gets hot because we are at such a high altitude, the sun just burns you, but at night, holy lanta. its cold. and all the buildings are of cement, so its like sleeping in a giant refrigerator haha. 

Momma, i did get your package, thank you! also, there is a western union in my sector, thank you!!! I am soooo excited!!! right now there is a sick ferria and they are selling everything super cheap!!!! Holla. oh and mom and dad, ANNIVERSARY!!!! i dont know how many years you have together, but its a lot. i love you both, and i am grateful to have you for parents. 

Destin i love your pictures!!! its so cool to see you are still alive. i know you are, but after such a long time, it helps to see pictures to remind me. i cant wait to see all your pictures of your  mission, that will be awesome.  

Rachel, how cute are your kids? so adorable! man boston is huge! and maddie too, they look 100 percent like the adams family haha. David, your kid is cute too, just you never send me pictures!!!! 

Welp we have another baptism scheduled for this week, Miguel. He is sooooo awesome! he is 12, and he is Yennys little brother, yenny who got baptized last week. WE had a lesson with him last week, and he told us he had a dream jesus told him to be baptized on his birthday next year in march..... hmmm. that was hard to know how to react to that. so we prayed all week, and we had a lesson with him yesterday after church, and we were all prepared to teach him why he shouldnt wait, and when we started, i asked when he felt god wanted him to be baptized, and he responded "saturday." we sat for a sec in silence, and i said "...which saturday...?" and miguel responded "this saturday. i want to be baptized this saturday, and then recieve the preisthood." We sat in shock, and just sat in silence looking at this kid, thinking... "wait....what?" hahah he was soooooo set on getting baptized in a year!!! so we are getting everything ready for this saturday. Very cool. Things are going well in this sector, i really love puno! the people here rock. very set in their ways, but when they change, they change forever. 

Welp i love you guys tons and tons. hope everything is going well for you all, and that you all have a good week. Ill talk to you soon for mothers day!!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AGAIN!!!  LOVE.

LOVE, Hermana Swartz.

April 29th, 2013

Hey familly!!!!

WE had 3 baptisms on saturday!!! so awesome. Carmen, her son rodrigo, and Yenny!!! all three were miracle baptisms. Man, it is such a good feeling watching the people you love be baptized, and see the difference in their lives. And today is my comps birthday, she is 20 years old today! there is a tradition to break eggs on their head, and shove their face in the cake... but my comp is a fire cracker, so she sought revenge on us all, the whole zone, and we all have cake in our ears and hair now. hahaha. 

If i am not mistaken, today is tiffs birthday, tell her happy birthday! 

Rach, I think maddie and i are going to be bffs. straight up. 

Momma, the money... uh, banco continental esta bien pues. maybe if you could send me in half dollars and half soles? or in dollars and i can change it here. Whatever works.  and bushes!!! wow how awesome!

Daddy, thanks for the letter. it sounds like you have a ton of work to do with cars, the good part is that i know you are able to fix them. 

Welp, i am sure we will make something work with the rooms. I am not too worried about it. 

My papers just got here, i should have my flight information soon, but i dont know when. 

Welp,  i think thats all for today. We had a super awesome week, i love this sector! Puno is awesome. kind of cold, but hey. what can you do.  I love you all tons, hope you guys have an awesome week1

Hna luz! Quiero decirle que le extaño mucho, gracias por siempre ser mi amiga! oro por usted y por freddi y orianna.

presidente Chiang!!! Wow no puedo creer que tanto tiempo ha pasado! Katia se va a Ecuador!!!! wow que BACAN!!!! porfi, digale que le quiero mucho, y mando felicitaciones!!!! Saludos a su hermosa esposa e hija alexita. les quiero muchooooo!

Romi!!! Queiro decirte gracias por todo lo que me enseñaste. realmente, me diste lo que necesitaba para tener una mision exitosa. Te quiero mucho mucho, te voy a encontrar en face en algunas semanas!!!!!!

April 14th, 2013

Hey family! Rachel! I love the video of Boston and Maddie, i cant wait to see them!!! I wonder if this little girl will look like chris again or if shell look like you a little haha.

 

Mom, if you are wanting souvenirs, there is some really cool stuff here, i am in a tourist place and there is tons! so let me know if someone wants something, and ill bring it. also, a member saw you on you tube!!! hha haha you should do a guitar lesson in spanish, there are a lot of people here that would watch i think

 

My mission president got called as a 70, i am not sure if you guys caught that. but how awesome is that!? I just saw a picture of president calderon from the conference in utah, with all the returned missionaries from this mission!!!! it was awesome, but super wierd haha.

 

Well we are working really hard, we have had some really awesome experiences! I love it, time is going by super quick. i want to say thanks for the people who still write to me, Uncle Wilber wins the prize though. he has written me every week for the past... i dont even know how long, but i love getting his letters!!!! <please tell him even though i cant write back, i miss him and love and appreciate him very much, as i do all the people who have sent letters. Thanks sooo much. they really help on a rough day. Tell stephanie rhodes congrats on getting married, Dani and tiffany happy birthday this month, Mariela that i love her, Jill thanks for the letter, Broderick, Marcos, sister Arnold, and so many more. Thank you all, I feel so blessed to have people like you in my life.

 

Ahora la parte en español para ustedes aca en <peru!! Hna Luz, y freddi, Romanette, presidente chiang y mila, les amo muchooooo! <puno es lo maximo aun que tenga frio, pero no importa. La verdad, se que Dios nos pone en los lugares donde el nos necesita. Se que El les puso en mi vida por una razon, porque pude aprender muchas cosas de ustedes. Sepan que siempre tendran un lugar en mi corazon, y siempre seran mis amigasos :D Les quiero muchismo!!!!!

 

 

con amor, Hermana Swartz!

April 7th, 2013

Hey family! Welp I have to say that reading rachels letter about boston and maddie had me laughing so hard, i was crying! Give boston a big hug for me on his accomplishment haha. I cant wait to see maddie, she sounds like a blast!!! Mom, and Dad, i am sorry about your plants. Actually last night i dreamed about home. i wasnt in the dream, but i just saw our house but in my dream there were soooooo many plants and everything was super green haha. 

Well this conference was incredible. Its sad because i know it is the last one i will get to hear as a missionary, and conference as a missionary is awesome to say the least. There were so many parts i loved, but I think i really what i have been focusing on is that we as members live the law of consecration. In this life, everything we have is from the <lord, and so many times we are unwilling to sacrifice what we love for what the lord has asked of us. Everthing, our time, money, talents, children, homes, how much of what we have do we dedicate to God? Sincerely? I think true conversion comes from being willing to make those sacrifices, and know that whatever we sacrifice we will be compensated times 100, but whatever we give to God, we should it willingly, and with gratitude, which requires a change of heart. A person who has not had a change of heart could make those sacrifices, but wouldnt be capable of understanding why they need to do it. Its all for <love. If we understand that, it doesnt matter what happens, we will have the perspective and comprehension to be able to face any situation, or make what ever sacrifice. 

Little brother, Still working hard :D We have so much to do, slacking off just isnt an option. sometimes i feel like i waste some of my time, but not intentionally. Its never intentional, but i do make so many mistakes, but I just hope that even with my imperfections that i can still help all the people the <lord needs me to help. 

Well, i love you all so much, and i love our family. I have so blessed to have a family that gives me so much support and love, even when i am not around. I hope you all know how much your love, letters, and prayers lift me daily and help me do what sometimes i feel is impossible. 

Love you all, 

Hermana Swartz

post data! <presidente chiang! soñe con usted y con mila y alexa anoche! les extraño mucho, y espero que esten bien y cuidando a los de la rama, ustedes son una familia muy especial. les quiero mucho

These are the pictures that were attached to last weeks email...I forgot to post them. 

April 1st, 2013

Hey family! This week was really interesting. I am thinking it might be better to do a semester at uvu and take care of the mess i left behind before i transfer. The only problem with giving you my address is that its possible it never gets here. 

Welp this week, we had permission from the area to get on facebook and give our testimony! so thats what i did! but i felt really wierd about it. Then also Elder Ryan and Hermana Martinez and I were on tv this week. Just for Puno, a local station. We sang Sigueme, and gave our testimonies and a lot of people saw us! So that was cool. other than that this week was super hard, This week should be the best week for us and its one of the hardest. SEMANA SANTA. full of apostacy. Everyone walks up the side of mountain at 3 am to represent the walk christ did when he carried the cross up Calvary's hill, and then they all get rip roaring drunk and come down at like 10 am. I sent a picture of one of the few lessons we had, really special. 

Presidente chiang y mila!!! que lindos esas fotos!!!! Estoy enviando fotos, espero que les gusten. Que Bacan que Jose Luis es presidente de Rama!!!!!! porfa que mande saludos! Que raro que ya estoy terminando la mision. paso demasiado rapido. Pero la cosa mas importante es que puedo usar el tiempo que me falta para hacer todo lo posible para ayudar a los demas. pero lo bueno es que cuando termino, voy a poder llamarles!!!! mejor jajaja. Les extrano mucho!!!! hasta siguiente semana!!!!

Hermana Swartz

March 25th, 2013

Hey family. its been a good week. we worked hard, have a baptismal date for this friday, because of conference and all. Her name is lourdes, she is like 70 ish, and she is such a fire a cracker! we get along to say the least. she came to church yesterday with her big sun glasses, all her bracelets, and her walker. she is a diva. i love her. 

Mom and Dad, i forgot to tell you, i would love to be able to access the money in my account, but i dont have a card. i dont know if you sent one, the one i have is expired. and as far as school goes, i still dont know if i should go to uvu for a semester or not, incase i need to make up those classes so they dont stay on my record. Whatever is best. let me know.

Welp, i am glad you all had a good week! I love it here in puno, it rocks. there are so many good people who really understand the gospel, and it helps so much. I love you all!!!!! xoxoxoxo

ps, my shoes rock. they are the TANKS of shoes if that makes sense., i dont think they could be destroyed if i tried. also, Rach i am super excited to find out if its a girl or a boy!!!!!

Hermana Swartz

March 18th, 2013

Hey family! I have some good news, the shoes showed up this week! I was dying, but finally they got here. Thank you so much for the shoes, they are like walking on pillows. Tell Broderick he is so awesome. I should be okay as far as shoes go until i finish... I hope he kept the reciept...

Bueno, this week I got here to Manco capac with my comp, hermana parraga. she is from lima, she is 19 and she is awesome, i love her. We have been lost a few times because we have no clue where we are, but we have had some cool experiences. we found a family of 5, the parents are married, and the dad is in the military. we are hoping to challenge them to baptism this week. The ward has really missed having missionaries, every organization gave us a list of references, and wants us to visit them! Rach, sorry about the slang. Snaking means apostacy basically. But i love it here! It is soooo nice to be a ward, where there is ward council and they actually come! I havent had that since i was in cusco over a year ago, just starting the mission, and i didnt appreciate it. i remember feeling like ward council was the longest meeting in the whole world and wanted to die. now its my favorite thing ever hahaah. funny how things change. 

oh and our new pencionista... she LOVES  to feed us. I told her i just wanted mate for dinner, and she begs us to eat her food. "un poquito poquitito" and  promises us just a little, but then puts a plate full of food. haha but she is a sweet heart. and a good cook. i finally dropped weight, but i have no clue how to keep it off with the new pencionista. 30 min of excersice cant fight deep fried rice and cheese.

Mom and dad, sorry my mission president hasnt contacted you at all, he has other talents. I dont think they have bought the tickets yet, but i will let you know when they do. Its weird how fast time has gone by.

 

ROMANETTE! Hola loca! MEZA, SANCHEZ, PRESIDENTE CHIANG, HERMANA LUZ!! que tal! Estoy aca en Manco capac, BELLAVISTA PUNO abriendo sector y capacitando! hace un friaso aca, pero es lo maximo. El barrio es muy bueno y tiene muchas referencias para nosotras. Gracias por escribirme, espero que ustedes esten bien es sus casas!!!! Meza, claro que no he olvidado de ustedes! jajaja. No se olvide de usar el conocimiento que ha logrado en la mision, como conseguir buenas referencias y saber si van a progresar. si no, DEJELAS! jaja. Bueno me falta 2 meses para terminar, pero hay tantas cosas para hacer aca en este sector que no pienso mucho en el tiempo. Ademas, mi compañera es nuevita entonces eso tambien me ayuda jaja. Espero que ustedes esten bien, les quiero mucho! presidente Chiang, porfavor si puede dar un abrazo a su hijita y a <mila, les extrañno un monton! Tambien Hermana Luz, le quiero muuccchooo! Espero que las hermanas se esten comportando bien alli en quillabamba.

 

Hermana Swartz

March 11th, 2013

dear family. so much to tell you! first off, i love those pictures you sent. awesome. man they are so grown up! haha wow time goes by so fast.

 

i am coming home the 28th of may. that is my arrival date. mom, are you able to sign me up for classes for fall? is there something i need to do? i havent heard anything in respect to school in a bit. let me know if i need to do something.

 

also, there are changes today. i have been in puno 2 weeks in huascar, i got here late because of the mud slide coming from quillabamba. but guess what! i have a change ;( sad. i love this sector. it has truly been one of my favorites. i am going to the next one over, manco capac, to open sector. there havent been missionaries there in six months and they had to close the sector because apparently there was a missionary snaking hard. anyway, so i am going there, and i am training again. i am excited and nervous, because i know that training at 15 months is going to be very different from when i trained at 3 and 6. 12 months of the 12 week program!!! ahahaha. so funny. i have to go to cusco tonight to pick up the newbie.

 

anyway, i love you all soooo much, rach, happy birthday the 27th of feb, mom happy birthday the 9th, bastion, the 4th and destin the 15!!! so many birthdays! i love you all tons. the good part is that at least tiff is around to be with you on your birthdays!

 

oh i got jills letter! tell her i love her, and i am going to buy the purple dress. is the wedding going to be in utah, or california?

 

i really liiked destins letter, about finding light. i have been focusing a lot on being converted. a true convert, about changing our nature. its a life long process, and i lack so much! i really want to develope true charity and patience. i completely lack both. but the scriptures say that if we desire it, we have to pray for it, then act. and we can develope the attributes we desire. welp, i love you all tons!  

 

 

hermana luz!!! gracias por escribirme!!!! le extraño un monton! hace un friaso aca, pero es chevere todavia. me gusta puno. voy a capacitar ahora, y abrir sector en manco capac. hermana, les quiero mucho mucho, se que el señor queria que pudieramos conocernos, y que nos conocimos antes de esta vida. siempre sere su amigasa.

 

hermana swartz

March 3rd, 2013

Hey family, I am doing well here in peru. I talked to my mission president and he told me i could make the decision i thought was best, if i want to come home a week earlier or a week later, what ever i want to do. To be honest i am still deciding, but this week i am leaning more towards coming home the week earlier. I love being on the mission, i love it so much and we have had such a great week. I have to decide by tomorrow though, so i will have to let you know in the next letter what it is i have decided to do.

We had a great experience last night, Hna martinez and i were walking and she felt we should knock a door, which to be honest, we dont do much. so we we are walking and see a door open. we contact them and ask if we can sing a song for them and leave. she was hesitant, said she was busy, but we pressured her abit and said it would be fast. we go inside and there is a cake, and her 3 daughters, it was obviously her birthday, she was wearing a princess dress. so we told her happy birthday, and sang i know my redeemer lives. after the song, the mom said, please dont go! please stay, i wasnt expecting you to actually be able to sing. please stay to sing happy birthday to my daughter. so we waited, and the whole family shows up! about 15 people and they told us they just had a death in the family, and we began to talk about the plan of salvation. the invited us back and want to go to church, the whole family!  i love it soooo mcuh, it was an awesome experience.

 

welp, ill let you know next letter what i decide to do. love you all, send tiff my love!

 

presidente chiang!

Wow me quede impresionada con su carta en ingles! usted la escribio, o su esposa? jaja. Bueno gracias por escribirme, la verdad estoy muy feliz aca en puno! estamos enseñando a muchas familias, y me ecanta el barrio. Se que usted es un gran apollo alla en puerto, y hay muchos que necesitan su forteleza. mande saludos a su esposa y su hermosa hija. les amo muuuuchooo!!!!

 

con amor, hermana Swartz

Feb. 25th, 2012

Hey family! ahh, everyone has written me about tiff. Thats so awesome, I cant believe how fast time has gone by, it seems like yesterday We were packing her stuff up to leave. so weird. she looks exactly the same from what i can tell. i love her. 

Welp I am in puno. I love it here! its cold. it was hailing today, my comp is hna martinez and we have sung non stop! We sing to everyone. I met one of our investigators with fecha, she was wasted. She was yelling profanities, and stumbling. and thats when martinez told me she was our investigators. Awesome. hahaha. everyone is drunk in february because of candelaria here in puno. a huge catholic party. awesome.

ummm. Welp not much to report other than that. life is good, I love love love my new sector. I love it! Also, i have been thinking a lot, and i talked to president, and i asked if i could stay a week longer so that you guys can go on your trip. I hope you enjoy it!!!!! Take pictures. Love you tons and tons! 

Hermana Swartz

Feb, 18th, 2013

Hey mama, Welp. I have a change today. I am leaving Quillabamba afer 4 changes, and after a year of my mission in the selva. Word on the street is that i am headed to Puno, huascar.... the sector with the highest altitude for the sisters, way higher than cusco. Its cold, it snows, there is no indoor heating, and fish and chuño is a typical meal. Awesome, i am stoked!!! haha no really, i am excited. Bring it on. Also because Martinez, my friend who i did all the concerts with, is going to be my companion! Also, the sector, is the side of a mountain. and very little oxygen. BACAN. 

So that was our week. Oh!!!! man i almost forgot! Mitzi got baptized!!!! She is awesome. Her mom and brother are members, and she got baptized saturday! We also had tons of people come to church yesterday! We had Marleni and her daughter Vanessa who will baptized the 23rd of february, and also Gladys and her son Kelvin, and we put a baptismal date for march 3rd! Its a bummer I wont be here. but Muñoz is going to send me pictures. It doesnt matter if i am here to see it or not, the important thing is that they get baptized. 

Welp, I am off to go say goodbye to the people. I love you tons!!!!! Make sure to tell kassie and tiffany to write me on dear elder when you talk to them! also jill and dani if you talk to them. I dont hear anything from them! Ni chimba! Manankancho!!!!! 


Presidente Chiang. me gusta esa respuesta jaja. Eh me voy a puno!!!!! Donde hace frio y voy a morir alli!!!! Asu machina. Bueno, les quiero mucho mucho mucho!!! Porfa mande saludos a raquel, americo, keila y julio. un favorcito, ¿podria preguntarles si ellos tienen correo electronico? Me gustaria escuchar de ellos, o communicarme mediante internet. Ustedes son lo maximo, gracias por ser mi familia en puerto maldonado. Les amo!!!!

Hermana Swartz.

Feb. 10th, 2013

Hey family! Holy cow I can go to utah state!? That really is actually a surprise to me after i blew off those last two classes. I have no desire whatsoever to go to BYU Idaho, or UVU or UofU. to be honest I am not sure where the desire to go there came from. I think mostly because i ruled out all the other options, and felt good about the only one that was left haha.  Awesome. Let me know what i need to do, how much the cost is, if i need to take out a loan and how. Is making up the two classes i dropped something i can only do at UVU so that it doesnt stay on my record? what would be the smartest approach? If i need to make up the classes and then transfer, i can do that too. Whatever it takes.

And mom, wow that sounds soooo fun to come home a week early, but I really would like to stay until my last day. This is a time i will never get back, and I wouldnt feel right about trading it for a vacation. Even though its super tempting. considering i would leave on my birthday. but, I want to stay until my last day.

Rachel- and chris... send pictures. that sounds soooo awesome. David, youre such a good brother. :) Destin, keep working hard.

i have letters for you and a disk that <i am sending with a sister that is going home this transfer, she lives in highland! her name is Heather <lindsey.

 

Well, this week, we had sooom many awesome lessons!!! Also we are in Carnavales. Things are crazy!!!! Everyone in the whole country goes crazy with waterballoons and water guns. Sundays are the worst and its for all of February. Yesterday, outside our room, a group of 7 boys surrounded a girl and drenched her in car oil and tinted water, and plastered her with mud! on almost all the roof tops are groups of people that peg the people on the ground and dump buckets of water on them. Then there are the trucks that go around with 30 people in the back with water balloons and buckets and peg people in the streets. Even the old women were on the roof tops nailing the young people on the streets laughing! i have never, never in my life been so nervous just to walk down the street. <oh and then there are the groups of boys that have black paint and walk  around grabbing people getting paint all over them. Its insane. this sunday is supposed to be worse. Even the police get hit, no one escapes carnavales. you literally cant walk 10 steps with out getting hit.

 

but we had some really good lessons as i was saying, all is well, we are just working hard, and trying to get people married. Its a process. Welp. love you all tons and tons. Talk to you in a week!!!!

 

Presidente Chiang! Eh yo tambien soy su otra misionera favorita, ¿no? :D Gracias por las fotos, no puedo creer cuanto ha crecido Alexa! sus flequillos son bacan tambien!!! y si, es verdad, mis zapatos son recontra feos, pero segun mi familia, me han mandado otros!!! solo tengo que aguantar hasta que lleguen. Todo esta bien aca en quillabamba, estamos trabajando durazo, ayudando a otras familias poder casarse. Mande saludos a americo y raquel, keila y julio, y marta y jose, y todos! Extraño puerto bastante, espero que un dia pueda volver a verles. Les amo, y les extraño.

 

Romanett!!! eh que tal la chamba? como esta? todo bien en chile? Cuente me que esta pasando! espero que todo le vaya bien alli, le quiero mucho! No hay mucho para contarle, todavia estoy aca en quillabamba, pero supongo que tendre un cambio este mes. vamos a ver. Cuidese mucho!!!! 

 

 

Feb. 3rd, 2013

So this week we had a really good experience. We were in the street walking and a man calls out "hermanitas!" I assumed it was a drunk and didnt listen at first. But he called us again, and we turned around to see a man with his pareja.. not wife, but more than girlfriend, and their son with his girlfriend who is pregnant. They told us they wanted us to go to their home and teach them. My mouth dropped open. Its a family of 7, 6 of them have to get married and one is only 9 years old. But they told us they need a change in their life, They are looking for something more and that they want to be baptized! So we are working with them, we are going to put the dates for the weddings in March... if all goes well there are 4 couples that will be married and baptized in march. Its a lot of work, and i more than likely wont be here to see them married or baptized, but i am going to everything i can to make sure everything is lined up before i go. This week we have truly seen the hand of the <lord in this work. We have been sooooo tired, my feet hurt, my legs itch, and most people just dont get it, they dont get the importance of this message. And its probably because a lot of the time we dont teach well, or because of our weaknesses, people dont progress, but its was cool to see that even though we do everything possible and its not enough, the <lord has all power and can help us out if its His will and if we do our part. But i really feel like many of times when people progress, it has nothing to do with us. Its all The lord taking care of business, and we just cant keep up with all the blessings he gives us. But we do our best. 

Also, i have come to realize i lack faith. so many times the lord asks us to leap, or to make sacrifices, and we arent willing to make them. example... the faith of someone who quits there job to go to church on sunday because he has sufficient faith in the lord to know the lord will provide. So many of us cling to our safety net because we lack faith to let go and believe that the Lord will catch us. That is something i would like to work on. 

Anyway I love you all soooo much. I know tiff gets home this month, dont know when. Give her a big hug for me. She is a maquina. 
Love,,

Hermana Swartz.

Jan. 27th, 2013

Hey family! wow so much is happening! okay I just have a few questions. Rachel... i dont know if you had told us earlier, but you are pregnant? Is that right? Hwo long! And Katie is pregnant too!? And she broke her knee cap?? holy cow, thats awful! I love her. And amber got a concussion!? holy cow, that is crazy! But everyone i know is still alive, right? DAddy, keep working hard in your classes, get caught up asap! its the worst being behind. 

Rachel- Also, I sliced my hand open, mom should have the pic in her email. I fell on a rock on new years eve and had to go to the hospital. Ill give you the details when i get back, but for now, ill just say i am sooooo grateful for the hospitals in the states. Also, the what now? They dont want to stand by their warantee? I may be a missionary but i will pitch a fit if they dont stand by that. Thats not cool. How you gonna send a sister to peru and not stand by the shoe warrantee. Thats definitely why i bought the shoes. 

Also... I am actually thinking I want to know about going to utah state in the fall. i am not even sure if i can, i have a class i have to make up, could you look into that mom? Maybe if you could talk to the counselor, that would be awesome. 

Well, everything is good here in quillabamba. I am 99 percent sure i have a change coming up because i am on my 4th change here. we are working a lot with a family here, they are the family quillilli. They have two kids, and the dad is a member but lives with his girlfriend. she wants to get baptized and so do their two kids. Hey i just ran out of time.

love you all!!!! wish i had more time, but theres not! love you!!!!

Jan. 21st, 2013

Hey family! mom... holy cow. My mouth is watering from the pictures of your cakes!!!! so good! Hey when i get home, I want some of that and probably cofee cake. that would be a good plan i feel like. And all your grandchildren are blonde with blue eyes! How weird, but they are all so big and adorable!!! Have i really been gone that long? 
Daddy, i am super glad your classes are going well, keep working hard and youll do great. Do you feel like your perspective has changed since you were in the university before? I bet its more fun now.  love you daddy. 
Rach!!! Thanks for you letter. so do you guys even work, or do you just take trips and play all the time? I dont even remember what its like to sleep, so make sure and take some naps for me while you are on the beach, yeah? Also, Chris, i understand. putting in contacts is a traumatic experience. 
David, its good to hear from you so often. Keep working hard, love you tons.
Destin, Its about 34 degrees celcius here, not sure what it is in faregnheit either, and i dont remember how to spell that either lol. But its cookin here, not as much as puerto, but its still hot. Hope all is well in Russia. <love you little brother. 
Let me know when tiff gets home. I know its coming up here. 
Welp, Here in peru things are good, Andres and Omar got baptized saturday!!! so that was awesome! We are stoked about that. They are so awesome! We are teaching some really cool people right now, its awesome. Its so interesting because when we are so tired and we keep going, thats when the lord has blessed us the most. I feel like i have changed so much since i first came on the mission, and yet, i am still me. :) Its just interesting.   I love you guys tons and tons. I hope everything is going well there in utah. If there is snow, send me a picture! i havent seen snow in so long.... maybe if i look at a picture of it, it will be like a little bit of ac here in quillabamba. 

here are the pictures of my shoes. They are pretty much hashed, both pairs. not sure if they can send me a replacement, or what, but let me know what they say! Thanks! 

Hermana Swartz