Hello family and friends!
The highlights of this week included Christmas! It was very different celebrating Christmas in the mission and in the selva to boot. These were my festivities:
1. Directing the missionary choir of Christmas carols in 3 Plazas de Armas with the 3 zones in Iquitos. Elder Crum dressed up in a Papa Noel (Santa Claus) costume and after singing we contacted the public and sought references. We mostly sang hymns but included a traditional “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” complete with hand actions (but not as cool as the THS Robed Choir performs it. I was tempted to teach everyone “Betelehemu” but decided it would be nearly impossible with the time limitations).
2. The stake president took us out to eat at a polleria to eat chicken and French fries. My companion, Hna. Barrios, wasn’t feeling too well and so she gave her food to one of the elders who has a good appetite. He cleaned the plate and returned the empty plate to her and said, “Wow! Presidente! Look! Hna. Barrios eats so quickly!” The rest of us were still eating and the whole table looks at skinny Hna. Barrios. The stake president asked her if she wanted more, because they could order another plate. He honestly thought that she had eaten everything so quickly. The elder said, “Hna. Barrios needs more pop!” (if it isn’t the national brand of Inca Kola, then it is not a meal worth remembering) and filled up 2 glasses, knowing fully well that the Hna. Barrios wouldn’t drink it. It was amusing.
3. Here, everyone celebrates at midnight on Christmas Eve. At midnight it is traditional to have a Christmas dinner with all the family, open gifts, and shoot off firecrackers. Our Latin companions in the zone jokingly said, “What’s up with the Americans? They want to go to bed early on the 24th and celebrate on the 25th. That’s strange!” We Americans were thinking, “Why are they celebrating so early? Christmas isn’t the 24th; it’s the 25th!” It’s important to remember that there are different ways of doing things and different ways of thinking and that is okay! I’m just grateful being here in the sun and torrential rain and not having to shovel sidewalks, scrape ice off cars, etc.
4. Andrea, a girl of nine years, was baptized on Christmas day. Her parents (her mom is a less-active member but her uncle is in the Bishopric) attended and it was the most organized baptismal service I have attended in Peru (and we only had to bring the baptismal clothing).
5. I called my family and talked with half the family for about 5 minutes apiece. (How I wanted it to be more, but I loved hearing each of your voices. Thanks for brightening up my life. It was the highlight of my Christmas.)
6. We joined the Relief Society twice this week, visiting less-active members and singing Christmas carols to them. I made Christmas cards from cute Nativity wrapping paper, and I taught people how to make paper snowflakes.
Other than that, it's been a little difficult adjusting to the climate and we are in a new area looking for people to teach (pretty much starting from scratch), and adjusting to a new rhythm of the mission (it is much faster paced in the mission) and so there is no time to be trunky!
I love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love, Hna. Christensen
