Double Dragon and Cusco Life

Hermana Ostler’s Update – May 12, 2014

Right before coming to Cusco I was hit with a bad dose of the Double Dragon. I woke up at three in the morning with a terrible pain in my belly. I army crawled to the bathroom and started to puke for a couple hours. Normal right? NO. BECAUSE WHILE I WAS THROWING UP, I POOPED MY PANTS. I will not go into more detail... but there it is. I pooped my pants and I am twenty years old. 

Sister Training Leader Life is HECTIC. It means picking up people there, dropping them off here, paying for this, going to that meeting, going to this house, waking up at three in the morning to go to the airport... It is so so so so so hectic. It also means leaving the house with makeup on ONE EYE because with all these things in my head, I kind of lose my mind. But it’s cool. One eyed makeup is totally hot and in style right now. 

Cusco is a big city. A big city with old cathedrals on every corner and about a million cars. CARS. I am used to MOTOS. Cars can kill! Crossing the streets is a big hullabaloo for me. The other day this man had to accompany me across an intersection because every time I tried to cross, I ran back to the other side screaming. A MAN IN A WHEELCHAIR CROSSED and I couldn’t do it. Full on panic mode. 

Cusco also means buses. There is always way too much pressure to get off those things. Everyone screaming, “BAJA BAJA” and there is no time to stop and pick daisies or anything. The other day we were trying to get off the bus, (me screaming BAJA for about 3 blocks before they stopped) and it was so so so so so crazy. They can cram people onto those things. Well, I was trying to escape and as I was pulling my money out I tripped on someone’s foot and WOOOSH. All my money just flew. And that is how I lost all my money on a bus in Cusco. 

I love you all. I love my compy, Hermana Tamariz. We are way too comfortable together after only a week. We have so much fun together! I love you! 

Hermana Alex

Leaving Puerto

Beautiful Puerto

My Ruizita. I love her so much and miss her like crazy. We are going to be neighbors in the Celestial Kingdom. 

I got to see my convert, Yovalid, in Cusco, at CHURCH! Her daughter got way sick and had to come here for an operation. She told me that she has almost finished reading the Book of Mormon. I walked around with a goofy grin on my face for the whole day. 

This man is named Jesus. He doesn't speak Spanish, only Quechua. He was the most beautiful little old man. All of his family died and his sheep too and he is completely alone. He had the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. We gave him a pamphlet and he lovingly put it into his little bag on his back, promising to visit because his dentist (HOW DOES HE HAVE A DENTIST IF HE HAS NO TEETH?) lives close to the chapel. I literally could not stop weeping while talking to him. My heart was so full of love for someone that I didn't even know. I love moments like this.

The Easter Egg House - also known as, the Mission Home.  

This is my Mission President and his wife, Hermana Harbertson and my new companion, Hermana Tamariz. I was feeling extremely inadequate for my new calling and was talking to Hna Harbertson. She told me that the world needs more strong pioneer women. Women who roll with the punches, who laugh at the hard moments, and just keep going on with hope and faith every day. She told me that I was one of those pioneer women. Completely untrue but I am now going to do my best to live up to it. 

My old buddies from the MTC are now mamas! It was so great to be the shorty again and share some uncontrollable laughing sessions. Love them.