Hermana Ostler’s
Update – October 14, 2013
If anyone knows me even a tiny
bit, they will be aware of the fact that I love to eat. It’s this kind of
passion that is extremely obsessive and I can be deadly to be around if I haven’t
consumed some kind of something within 45 minutes after the first pangs of
hunger. I call it “hangry,” and it is ugly.
So when we did a 24 hour fast
without food or water this Sunday I was expecting it to be hard. But I
wasn’t expecting to get to know the feeling, “Thireath.” Or Thirst Death! Ummmm… I guess it is hard to not drink water when
it’s over 100 degrees outside and humid on top of that? What a new and grand
discovery. AND EVERYONE OFFERED US SODA OR JUICE OR REALLY REALLY COLD WATER. In every house. I turned down FRUIT
PUNCH!! The utter blasphemy of it all. I actually snuck water into the bathroom
and drank an entire bottle in the shower so that my compy wouldn’t know. I
STOOPED THAT LOW! But yeah. I survived... but my fast was horrible and I have
yet to develop a strong testimony of this principle. Poco a Poco... as all our
investigators say about quitting drinking or not sleeping around. Hahaha.
What else? Oh YEAH! I live in
Puerto Maldonado and it is the bomb. It’s really hot. I mean... really hot. Mom
and Dad, I may be using your credit card to buy shorter skirts because it’s
just unbearable to even wear clothes - especially if these clothes are long black
skirts. But I love it here! It is so cool - just like the Jungle Book. But I
haven’t seen a monkey yet. I ask everyone I meet, “Where are the monkeys?” And
they are like, why are you screaming in my face about monkeys? But I REALLY want
to see one. With faith, perhaps---
Also... did I mention that I
LOVE the people here? The moment I got here I just started making best friends
with everyone. I mean, horrible men sometimes yell terrible things at me, but
it’s just because they think my pasty white skin is super sexy. I mean, how on
earth could you be attracted to a sweaty white girl who has liquid eyeliner
melting all over her face? The mysteries of this life.
But yes, the people here are so
amazing. I have so many best friends here. It is one of the most beautiful
moments to meet someone and realize that we were friends before this life. When
people used to talk about that I would always roll my eyes. Like, please- I do
not believe that you were best friends with this random stranger from Walmart.
BUT NO. IT’S SO TRUE! There are times when I meet someone and I automatically
have this huge love for them. Their life is somehow extremely connected with
mine. I can tell some people right away how much I love them and it’s not weird
because they feel the same way. I am here for a reason. I am preaching the
gospel to my friends. Its soooooooo cool.
The other day we were walking
down this very muddy street when I saw a tiny little puppy. Naturally, I
stopped to squeal uncontrollably and sit in the mud to play with this dirty
animal. The owner walks out of her house, sees us, and runs over. HERMANAS! She
was so, so, so excited to see us. We found out that she is a less active member
who stopped going to church because her beloved son died earlier this year. We
started talking to her and she told us that the night before she had a dream
about the sister missionaries coming to see her. She woke up with peace in her
heart for the first time since her son died. She then had been looking at pictures
of her son and saw one of him with a gringa. As she was looking, she heard my
squeals and came out and saw us. I saw that photo and it WAS ME! Not really,
but this gringa was the spittin’ image of me. I don’t know, this
just seemed to fill her with so much consolation.
I know that God lives. I know
that He knows His children. He knows that they have heartbreaking lives and He
is ready to offer them His love. I am His messenger, called to spread His plan
of happiness. I know this with all my heart.
Love, THE SWEATY HERMANA ALEX
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| Pre-Mission Alex |
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