Hola de Hermana, 27/2/12

Hola mi familia!

Hola mi familia fantastica!  Right now I'm totally exhausted.  Two hermanas planned an excursion to a lake that sits on top of an inactive volcano, Chicabal near San Martin, and we did a LOT of hiking.  But it was absolutely gorgeous, and to be outside, away from cement in fresh frisk air was WONDERFUL.  I felt so much peace there.  And it was beaufitful.  It was completely cloudless, and then in 15 minutes clouds and fog rolled in SO FAST, and then towards the end in five minutes the fog cleared.  Brethtakingly beautiful.  It was also the first time I've worn pants and sneakers since the CCM service projects, and I LOVED it.  We went with six other hermanas and I was grateful for the opportunity to chat with them, learn from them, and do something different.  

This week there was a carnival in the central park, and we had lots of fun working around it.  On Martes the people had fun chucking hollowed and dried eggs at each other, called cascarones, which are filled with confetti.  We stayed clear of the park because a veces less respectable people chuck bags of flour or raw eggs...  and neither of us got plastered .  :)  But for part of the carnival, wednesday and thursday, a street near our house was occupied by people selling their cows and calves, with the animals lined up along the streets EXACTLY like the livestock barns at the county and state fair.  I LOVED it.  There were calves with at least partial heritages of Holstein, Jerseys, but unlike in utah, some calves with brahma heritage, with the floppy low hanging ears.  LOVED it.  Smells of the barn and sounds of bauwling calves...  I also enjoyed how they were fed dried cornstalks instead of hay.

We're working hard.  And so is Satan.  But I'm grateful to know that Jesus Christ PARTOOK and FINISHED the Atonement, and that through Him we can do all things.  I testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the World, that He has established His church on the earth again today as in times of old, and that He has called a profet, Thomas S. Monson, to lead and guide His church.  And the Book of Mormon is the evidence of this glorious and thrilling message.  We are preparing for the return of our King.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  

I LOVE YOU TONS!

--Hermana Ivy [-]

PS Totally weirded out to realize the day after the 21st I've finished five whole months.