Best Day of the Year: My Birthday

Hermana Ostler’s Update – August 19, 2013

  

Hey everyone!

This is going to be a short one. Just wanted to let everyone in list form, know how awesome August 19^th of 2013 is:

1. My birthday. 20 years babay! Totally balla status. 

2. Went to the big old city of Cusco today to hear an Apostle of God speak in person (Elder Quinton L. Cook). Remember Peter, James and John of Jesus’ time? We have men on the earth today who hold that same authority as they did thousands of years ago. It was way awesome and I am pretty sure my beautiful, red, shiny face will be on the cover of a church magazine because I WAS IN THE FRONT ROW!

3. Found out that I AM AN AUNT FOR THE FIRST TIME. I am so happy!!! Baby Jesper, my first niece. I love her so much, and I forgive my sister for not sending me a birthday email today... because let’s face it, I am definitely going to be overshadowed by this wonderful little baby. 

4. I found out that my pensionista (lady who cooks for us) thinks I eat like a pig because I mix the rice and sauce together. (??????) I don’t get it either. But the benefit of being a Gringa is that I can pretend like I don’t understand (even if I do)! 

5. THAT IS ALL. More stories, but I have no time and I am going to MACCHU PICHU tomorrow! Woooooohooooo! 

I love you all so much. Just know that I am happy and that most of that happiness is due to the fact that I know I am a daughter of God. That He has a plan for me, and that I always have a friend. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME. 

Love, hermana alex

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20 pictures to celebrate 20 years

Happy Birthday Alex!

Gorditas, Locas, Y Feas

Hermana Ostler’s Update – August 12, 2013

  

So I am still getting used to the directness of the Latino people. Calling someone fat or saying that their hair is ugly is completely normal. AND YES, Elder Rosado is always commenting on my crazy, curly hair. He thinks it is absolutely atrocious that it is so unruly. But hey, best friends forever??

The other day we were visiting El Verge (the orphanage), and they offered me a giant glass of what looked like the most amazing grape juice in the Universe. A dark purple hue, rich with volume, and straight to the very lip of the glass. I eagerly swallowed a river full…to be greeted by a VERY unfamiliar taste. Upon investigation, I found out it was juice from BLACK CORN. No sugar or flavor added. Just straight up black corn juice.

This last Saturday we had two baptisms! It was such a beautiful, beautiful moment in my life. Edith is a twenty year old and Juan is a nine year old who lives in El Verge. They came out of that water with the most amazing, angelic smiles. My heart was filled to the brim with love. They have started a new life, a new beginning -- a new start. It made me think what will it take for people to turn to their God, to have this kind of happiness?

For Edith, it took getting sick, losing her job, and not getting paid, to accept the comfort of Christ and His suffering for her. For little Juanito, it was the fact that he was beaten and abused, ran away, and living in an orphanage. He has the desires and faith of a child, and that is so perfectly sufficient to feel the love of God. For me, it took living in a personal spiritual darkness for a while before I truly turned my life to my Heavenly Father. What will it take for you to turn to that God who gives you life?

Food for thought. 

I love you all. I love Peru. I love these people so much that when they suffer, I weep. When they accept the Gospel in their lives, I am filled with a joy that is incomprehensible. 

Love, Hermana Alex

Bruce and Alex on their way to Church

My Old Peruvian Man

Hermana Ostler’s Update – August 5, 2013

The title seems a tad bit promiscuous, aye? Nah...

But there is a man in our branch who seems to have a little crush on me. He is probably a million and a quarter years old and loves to have these long, lingering handshakes with me. He says a lot of things in Spanish about buying chocolate for me and such, so I just act like I don’t understand and run away to the safety of my Mamacita, Hermana Masquez.

Anyways, the other day we ran into him in The Calle and he literally went in for the kiss. HE TRIED TO KISS ME ON THE LIPS! I didn’t know whether to be extremely freaked out or whether to laugh uncontrollably -- so I did a bit of both. Hahaha, poor old man was rejected. 

This of course happened 10 minutes after Hermana Masquez was proposed to by another man (also old as dirt). He even promised he would switch religions. So... super popular with the viejitos, I guess. There is hope for our future. 

The work here is coming right along. There is a spirit of urgency; people need the gospel and they need it now. That is just the truth of the matter. I have had the amazing opportunity to be the quiet one for the first time since my shy phase in middle school. But I have been speaking about half of the lessons and let me tell you, the love I feel for these people is overpowering. I sometimes can’t even form words because the love of our Heavenly Father for each of his children is overwhelming.

HE LOVES YOU. He knows when your heart is pained, when you feel alone, and he also knows when you feel overflowing joy. That love is something that should motivate all of us to be better. To not settle for mediocrity. To rise up to our titles as CHILDREN OF GOD. 

I continue to be in a constant cycle of being sick/recuperation. This last bout was due to the fact that we cleaned the most foul store in the entire world for service. RATS. I am telling you, there were baby rats. Hahaha. But the thing that pushed my stomach to the edge was the old peach juice and crackers we ate afterwards…Nasty! But hey, I have lost about 8 pounds and look great. And I have never gotten too sick for candy, so you have to know that all is well. 

Speaking of which, I AM CRAVING A McCHICKEN FROM McDONALDS LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE. And maybe some ketchup that doesn’t taste like liquefied baby spiders? Yep, it’s a real flavor, my friends. 

But have I mentioned that I love Peru???? It is the best place in the entire world. My favorite people in the world are the children at La Verge, an orphanage in Huayabamba, where almost all the children are members of the Church. There is no better path for success, in my opinion, than being a diligent follower of Christ. So what joy fills my heart when I see that these children are on their way out of pain and misery! The light of Christ in them is contagious. 

NOTE: I am tall here. No joke. I am taller than men and it feels so good! Also, everyone calls me the Gringita Loca...I wonder why???

SEND ME LETTERS AND I WILL DO THE SAME. 

HERMANA OSTLER

Av La Cultura 2417

Frente a la Urb Santa Ursula

Capilla Mormona

Cusco, Peru

Hermana Ostler holding a cuy.