Caraz Dulzura- Back Home To Peru

Talk about super. extremely. delayed. blog posts. I went to Peru this summer! It was one of those weeks where my dad was working, my mom had left me to go to Utah, and Jessica and the babies were in Kennewick. So I turned to my baby brother Bruce and asked him if he wanted to skip LAX practice and go to Peru for the week. Casual. (Important note: I can only do this because my Dad is an airline pilot, my bank account will prove that to you.) 

I mainly wanted to go down and see my bestest and favoritest and most beautifulest Peruvian. JUANAIRIS TE QUIERO DEMASIADO. We were companions in Cusco for four and a half months and it was by far the most hilarious and magical time of my mission. We didn't have a single baptism during those cold months but I had never been happier. She taught me to be kind and sincere and did I mention how much we laughed? Life was golden. 

That's why I had to go down south and see her. WHAT A WEEK. Now for a picture overload. 

Laguna de Parón. This alpine lake is honestly the most gorgeous place I have ever been to. That is not even an exageration. That's the natural color of the water! 

We flew to Caraz from Lima and my heart swelled back to it's Peruvian size. It's like my whole soul expands to fit the entire country in a giant hug. That makes no sense but it's all I could imagine as we flew over the Andes. Fun Fact: When Bruce saw this plane he got a little nervous and asked, "are we flying in that thing?" 

This picture captures our celebrity moment. We were walking through the Yungay ruins and were stopped by these teenagers as they took about 200 pictures of us. You can tell by my mega-watt smile that I was soaking it up. As a middle schooler I always longed to be famous and this was my moment of glory! Another round of pictures for all! 

Did I mention that I am in love with this woman? 

Bruce was the best travel buddy. He couldn't speak a lick of Spanish and yet he had this smile plastered on his face the entire time. And did I mention that Peruvian ladies dig Bruce Man? 

This was at the ruins of Yungay. It was a village that was completely buried by a major landslide. All of the children had gone to a circus outside the town limits and were saved. Not much is left besides some crumpled buildings and this one-walled church. Does anyone notice my artistry of including a lone child in the photo? National Geographic are you looking at this?  

We spent an entire night dancing our hearts out in the living room to wayno, salsa, and cumbia. The whole family was dying of laughter from my dance moves. Somewhere in Peru there are a million videos of me dancing like a local. 

They say you can still hear the trapped souls of Yungay below the earth. I like to think that they're all safe with their Savior in heaven. 

We went to the Falls of Honkopampa with the young single adults. Why can't I be this popular in America? 

Bruce and Javier became the best of friends, despite the major language barrier. 

Javi wanted to take us to see "the sights" in Caraz. The only touristy thing they have in their town is a tiny little museum that boasts the TINIEST MUMMY IN THE WORLD. It's so small! How long is one supposed to look at it? I mean, it's the SMALLEST in the WORLD so it deserves some respect. Is 30 seconds enough?

Caraz! I forgot how much I loved roaming the streets of Peruvian villages. I have a feeling I may find myself moving back to Peru eventually... 

JAVI! Mi amor! This boy is crazy. He speaks about as fast as a squirrel on speed and goes out of his way to trip on things that aren't even in his path. 

Is it just me or does my body look completely broken here? It's like when Harry gets attacked by the Ossio Dispersimus spell and loses all the bones in his body. That Peruvian lady behind me totally did it. 

We ended up going to Paron on the lake's independence day from money-sucking gringos! There was a big celebration with bands and cheap food and some men trying to take a raft around the lake against a killer headwind. The banks were covered in food and flowers as a gift to... the lake Gods? I missed the part where they actually said what this was all for....

Can some Gringo go down and marry this woman and bring her back here to be my next door neighbor? Please?

I love Juana for many reasons. One of the big ones is that she slaughtered some of her own cuy to make me my favorite meal! Guinea Pig is delicious and don't bash it unless you've tasted it. 

His tiny little hand! Bruce had no idea what to eat. He repeatedly would whisper, "where's the meat on this thing?" 

Some of my favorite moments from the trip were walking the streets with Bruce and telling him about my mission and the Peruvian culture. We would stop to buy little treats like Beso de Mozas and Inka Cola at almost every corner. They're the type of moments where you want to bottle them up and save them forever and ever.

Canyon del Pato. What a sketchy place. They're a series of long, one-way tunnels that wind through a canyon with 500 foot walls jutting up on either side of you. We begged Ivan to take us in his moto taxi and I wish you could hear our screams at the moment I took this grainy picture. A one way tunnel with no lights! Where were the city planners on that one? 

Adaluz took us to get shaved ice that comes directly from the glacier. I was all gung-ho until I saw this guy dish up my ice with his long black fingernails. Just part of the experience, I suppose. 

Let's just take a moment to appreciate that swim pools in Peru have ropes that go across every five feet because no one knows how to swim. 

Due to some poor planning on my part and some severe disorganization on the part of Peruvian airports we had to take a nine hour bus ride to Lima. It's not a true South American experience without the nasty buses and only having 2 soles to share a soda. 

Words really can't capture how grateful I am for the opportunity to be reunited with my best friend. Having international friends is hard but the reunions are so sweet. 

And JUANA! Dear, sweet, kind Juana. I think it's safe to say I stole her heart and she stole mine. She couldn't resist my charming gringa-turned-latina ways. And her cuy! It's to die for. 

We spent hours chugging along in this moto taxi screaming Enrique Iglesias songs at the top of our lungs. 

Te amo Peru! 

Hermana Llacsa came and picked us up at the bus station in Lima. Guys, I am so terrified of that city. It gives me ulcers just being in it for a couple of hours. Luckily we got to the airport safely (thanks Llacsa!) and devoured some pizza. 

Welcome to America. 

First time on first class baby! If I was rich I would never ride with those coach peasants again. 

Back in Oregon! 

If you made it to this point in the post then I applaud you. This may not be witty or entertaining but I also don't get paid to blog (probably because I don't post pictures of my outfits or have perfect babies) so I will not apologize. Long live Peru! Hopefully I will be hightailing it there again veerrrrryyyy soooon. 

My Salvation Happened In Peru

Hermana Ostler’s Update – November 25, 2014

How do you start an email like this one? How do you try to explain your love for a country, people, culture, language, church, gospel, God, and Savior that you have come to know and care about for so long and with so much energy? How do you really explain what it means to you to be a representative of Jesus Christ every single day? To live to make others feel happy and learn the path of true joy? How do you do it? 

The truth is, you can’t. I can’t explain to you how much I love my mission. It is what I live and breathe. And then you realize that those beautiful days of little moments of heavenly bliss are coming to an end, that a new life is coming your way and you can’t stop it, you just have to learn to embrace it. 

I love Peru. It is where I came to love God, to want to do His will always. It’s where I learned what a true disciple of Christ is, and it is where I realized how far away I am from being one, and it is where I learned that it will take me a lifetime to walk the discipleship road. 

I love the people I have come to know and love. They are my brothers and sisters, they are the people I was called to help. I love them with all that I have. It makes me so happy to know that many of them have come a little bit closer to God by hearing His words through me. I will never stop loving them because it was when I gave them my whole attention and forgot myself that I came to really know who I was. I love the way they talk, the way they feel so deeply, and the way they recognize the Spirit. I want to be like these people in so many ways. I came to change them and they changed me. 

I love my companions. ALL OF THEM. They taught me so much. Hermanas Hansen, Masquez, Warner, Luque, Sanchez, Tamariz, and Valverde. What amazingly beautiful and marvelous people I have had the chance to teach, laugh, and learn with. 

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why did I “kick against the pricks” for so long? Why is it that I couldn’t understand that obedience brings freedom? How is it that I thought that being “different” from my parents was only being the same as everyone else in the world? 

I am free. I am free because I came to know that Christ lives, that He loves me. That he loved me so much that he suffered for every single idiotic and cruel thing I have done in my life. How many drops of blood did He shed for me? How many tears fell from that perfect man’s face thanks to my own rebellious habits? I will never know, but one thing I DO know. 

That He lives. He lives and loves us. He is a real person. I do not represent an elaborate fable that has been passed down and distorted over the years. I represent The Son of God. I testify that of His church and gospel every day, and though doing so, I have come to know that it really is true. His word is what I live by, and I hope I can live and die living and worshiping the God I love. 

My mission has not been perfect. Far from it. I have not done what I should have done many times. I have cried and cried over my weaknesses and I have begged God to make me strong so that I could bring His children to Him. I know He lives and I will be eternally grateful for this beautiful year and a half I have had to serve him with all my heart. 

I love you all. 

Hermana Alex

You Can Call Me, "Ask Amy"

Hermana Ostler’s Update – November 18, 2014

We went to Quillabamba this week. I worked with two brand new sisters and let me tell you, they were not expecting a work visit like this one. Me fighting with a pit bull with my water bottle, running for my life screaming, losing my name tag and walking around with Hermana Frame’s name tag for a week, and a drunk man trying to steal my water bottle... But we had so much fun and I learned so much from them. I love being with new missionaries because they are so wise and full of energy and teach me so much. Some of the advice I gave, just call me Amy now and get me a newspaper column. But really, all of it are things that are helping me to become the best missionary I can be, because we ALWAYS have time. 

• Pick your battles verrrryyyy wisely. If you can live with an annoying habit, do it. It is so not worth it to nitpick. 
• Decide that every companion will be your best friend. No exceptions. They are all lovable.
• Do not go a single day or moment without doing something that makes you laugh and is just a tad bit mischievous. 
• Take all your love for your mom, your moto, your boyfriend, your dog, and give it to the people. All those things will be waiting for you. LOVE THE PEOPLE. They should be your very air, the reason you live. 
• Give God everything. Do not hold back anything. Love Him and talk with Him always. My favorite part of the day is when I can communicate all that I feel. He is there. He exists. And we can feel His love. 
• EXERCISE every morning. Just do it. There is no need to roll off the plane like greased up popcorn chicken. 
• Every so called “bump in the road” can be transformed into a super rad jump that you can fly off and enjoy. Perspective and attitude is everything. 
• Read The Book of Mormon in your mission language every day. Read that book. Love it. Help others to love it. 
• Decide to love the food, the people, the culture, the area, the language.
• The way to get over your fear to share the gospel or contact...is to do it. Do it and you will see miracles. We are God’s messengers. If we do not share what we know, no one will ever find the truth. 
• Lose your weaknesses but don’t lose your personality. 
• Obedience brings happiness. Don’t try to find out for yourself by being DISobedient. Just stick with the rules. 
• Be your own convert every day. 
• Don’t forget to pray. 
• Learn how to fast BEFORE the mission. Fasting is hard, but it brings strength. And my typical 8 hour fast I did before does NOT count. Its 24 hours, people. If Christ could do it for 40 days, we can do it for one. 
• Never wait for a reason to love people. If you wait, you will lose precious time with that amazing child of God. If people don’t like them, make sure that YOU do. If they are different, accept them and learn. Do not wait to love. The opportunity will never come if we stall. 

I also woke up this week with a hickey on my lip. FROM A SPIDER: Bad news bears. But I did get to look like a very ugly version of Angelina Jolie that day, so hey, it’s all good. 

Yesterday we spent all day contacting. It happens sometimes. But I loved it. I get so much joy to talk to people about why I am here, why I want to share this message with them. It’s even fun when we get rejected. I always tell my companion that it’s my preparation for post-mission dating life. The best part of it all was that we were able to meet Herbert. We were waiting outside a house, but our appointment wasn’t there. Herbert walked past and it looked like he wanted to talk to us so we said hello.....and I have no time but I will finish the story next week! 

I love you all!

Hermana ALEX

Nightmares Up The Waheezy

Hermana Ostler’s Update – November 11, 2014

It seems like something that happens to everyone at this time of the mission...but the daily nightmares are upon me. A couple examples:

-- It’s the day to go home. Everyone is excited to go home and see their families, boyfriends, skis...everyone but me. I literally try escaping from the airport and President Harbertson has to kick me into the plane and scream GO HOME. I cry the whole way home. As we get off the plane everyone starts to see their families and boyfriends and skis and start to hug and cry and scream. In this moment I realize that I AM excited to see my family, very non-existent boyfriend and skis....and then.....NO ONE COMES TO PICK ME UP FROM THE AIRPORT. 

-- Going home pregnant. 

--  And the mother of them all. We are traveling in a bus and I stand up to go to the bathroom. I look in the mirror and give a sassy smile to the glass, only to realize that my front tooth is loose. Don’t panic, I say, I am going home to my dentist, Dr. Burton, he will help me. I sit down in the seat, and ALL of my teeth start to fall out. ALL OF THEM. I start putting them in my pockets, don’t panic. I am going home to Dr. Burton, he will fix them. And then they start turning to dust! NOOOOO. Then I get home, I am standing on the porch and knock on the door, my mother sticks her head out of her bathroom window... Alex! Welcome Home! AND SHE DOESNT HAVE TEETH EITHER. 

Interpretations of the dreams are warmly welcome. 

I am a clothes scavenger. Always have been. That’s why I can always be found in Provo’s DI on a weekly basis. God loves me so much that he has put me in the main apartment for the sisters in the mission. We always have abandoned clothes here. My favorites for this change? Pilgrim shoes and an oversized black turtleneck. Fashion with Hermana Ostler in Cusco. 

Peru is killing me. The taxi man told me to put my seatbelt on when we traveling to Valle. And I got OFFENDED. What am I going to do in the states??

This week Jefferson was baptized. He of course had pínk eye and his baptism was complete chaos...we are talking about the parrot family, mind you. But how beautiful it was to see that little boy make such a sacred covenant with God. He came up out of the water with the biggest smile on his face and he later told us that it was the most beautiful day ever. Better than the baptism was seeing the gradual change in the life of this family. To see a single and very poor mother fight to have her children in the church, to give them a better life. To see them make the decision to pay tithing even though they make about 20 dollars a week, to witness their desire to go to the temple one day. That was the best part for me. 

We went and visited the sisters in Valle this week. Hermana Solar and I went to visit a family that they had contacted the day before. His name was Americo with his wife and baby. They live in a greasy little shack where they fix car tires. We spoke of The Restoration, of the love that God has for us, for the truth that he invites us to search for. The spirit filled that little shack with such power. Americo told us that he had never heard such a story, that it made him want to find an answer, that he wanted to know if there really existed divine truth. God invites us to search for that which we lack. He beckons to us, hoping that we will take a step toward His out stretched hand, to receive all that He has. 

Valle trips also mean walking in fields of choclo and picking off prickly pears from cactus’ and hearing donkeys braying and rivers gurgling...it’s so beautiful. And prickly pears are the best! So so so so so delicious! Hermana Tuione was so kind and threw one on my leg when she thought she saw a yellow spider so I ended up walking around with prickles in my leg the whole day. 

Giovanni is a recent convert from earlier this year. He has recently gone inactive because he does not have a testimony of The Book of Mormon. He relies on reason more than faith. We had a lesson where we shared our testimonies of this sacred book. Hermana Condie went, than Hermana Valverde. He then turned to me and asked, “And you? How do YOU know?” I had to sit and ponder for a moment, I could say a lot of things that are typical to this question, I could rely on others people’s words, I could say it quickly to end the lesson on time. But I felt that I should wait. How did I know? The infinite and everlasting love of God filled me so quietly, so softly, but with a surety. I know the Book of Mormon is true because thanks to it, I know God lives. I am a doubter. I am a person full of my own ideas and opinions. But thanks to that Book I know that God lives, that He knows me, He knows I am a doubter, He knows I lack faith, and yet He still has a plan for me. He wants me to be happy, he wants me to feel sure in a world that is always telling us to change. I love that book because I know that this life is something more than a few moments randomly stitched together.  It’s not anything more than that. Don’t give up. If you read it the first time and feel nothing, read it again. If you hate going to church, keep going. Plead with God to know if it’s true and He will answer you. I wanted so badly to feel a love that comes from someone who never changed, never changes, and never will change. And it took me years, a lot of falling down, and reading that book that helped me know my divine purpose as a daughter of God. 

That is my testimony. It may be small and weak and obscure. But it is what I stand for every day. It is how I keep walking into the darkness, knowing that the light always unfolds before us when we walk by faith. 

I love you all! 

Hermana Alex

Jefferson's baptism

Baby Miracles in Quillabamba

Hermana Ostler’s Update – October 20, 2014

This week we were in Quillabamba the entire week. I have come to the conclusion that I WILL have my own house there. A jungle paradise with swimming pools on every corner and exotic flowers and parks and fruit markets and chakras full of fresh mango, pineapple, and cocoa. I need to go there to live one day. 

This week I worked with Hermana Tamariz, Hermana Irvine, and Hermana Routson. They ALL happen to be going home tomorrow. What a weird experience to be with people who are ending the mission experience so soon. But it really was an amazing week because I could see the diligence of these wonderful sisters to work until the very end. God blessed us will miracles, as a little thank you to these dedicated servants of the Lord. 

As we were walking through one of the exotic parks we saw a couple sitting down on a bench, enjoying the shade. I remembered the invitation from President Harbertson to talk to every family we see in the street. We went up and began to speak to them and the father told us that he was an inactive member who got baptized in Lima. We told him that we had received a prompting to come and speak to them and that was maybe a sign from God that he wanted him to return to him. He told us that he felt God was telling him something. How easy it would have been to pass that couple, look the other way, pretend that we had not seen them... how easy it would be! But luckily we had been obedient before, and all the rejection in the world did not deter us from at least trying. 

We also had a lesson with a less active man Isidrio. He used to be branch president but now is living with someone and has left his wife. I of course do not know the man. But when we arrived at his house we began teaching of the Atonement and repentance. As I finished speaking he told me that he had had a dream about me the night before, where I came and told him the same exact things. He even told me, “your little pony tail was the same too!” He told us that he takes it as a sign that he needs to change his life. God is just so aware of his children. We forget it so often. 

I do not have a change. Last transfer in Cusco. 

Hermana Alex

The Breath Bubble

Hermana Ostler’s Update – July 14, 2014

I AM OFFICIALLY FULL ON LEGAL-FIED! 

And in the process of getting legalified, I went to Lima, the biggest scum ball of a city. Have you ever been camping and wake up in the morning and the tent is full of those little raindrops? Have you ever shaken the tent to have a little rain shower of what you thought was “fresh morning dew” fall onto your face? Well, I hope that the second part didn’t happen because we ALL know that the fresh morning dew is really just condensed morning breath. That my friends, is Lima. You literally CANNOT see the sky. Ever. It’s just a giant grey cloud that engulfs millions upon millions of people. The breath of all those people is just trapped over the city and never escapes. As we were flying out we finally escaped the Breath Bubble to find that at about 10,000 feet, there are blue skies over Lima. DISGUSTING.

But Lima was actually not that bad. We ate cinnamon rolls and Papa John’s Pizza and got yelled at by the Migrations workers (that Vicki is a fireball). We also met up with a ton of Sisters from Piura. I thought that all my stories were completely normal for Peru missions, but from their screaming exclamations I came to know that I just have really bad luck and it has nothing to do with the country. They were dying of laughter, the absurd poop stories, cockroaches, cups of pee in the face... they just could not believe it. 

I also met a sweet sister this week. Hermana Cardon. After one day we became best friends. She asked me to be her roommate for heaven’s sake! I hope I find her one day, I forgot to creepily ask her for her email. The mission is perfect for picking up friends. Hermana Cardon said that I could say “pudding” and she would laugh. I said “pudding”. And she did indeed laugh. So fun. 

Lima means meeting a lot of BYU students. One extremely large Elder (6 FOOT 9 INCHES) asked me who my friends were Freshman year. WHO ASKS THAT? I embarrassingly could not remember, probably because I spent all my time roofing Grandma’s house and third wheeling with my sister and brother in law and climbing with Ellis Island. But in my panic I started MAKING UP NAMES. John. Tyler. Amy. Loann. “Oh you don’t know them? Weird...” 

He totally knew I was lying and left with the knowledge that I am just the biggest loser ever to walk BYU campus. 

Lima also means getting attacked when you are waiting outside a government building in a car. We were parked there waiting for our Taxi Man when about three men walk up to the car and start screaming about how we are parked outside the lines. We should have acted like we didn’t know Spanish, but started to yell back as well. They were trying to get in the car so they could move it, but excuse me that goes against EVERYTHING I ever learned in elementary school. Strong words were exchanged and in the end I couldn’t lie to them and tell them that the keys weren’t there. So they got in, moved the car two feet and left, but only after shaking the car around and asking us why we didn’t trust them. I about died of laughter. Peru is just so awesome. 

The best part of my trip was going to the temple. I love that place. If any little doubt comes to my mind about the church, I think of all my experiences in the temple and it is impossible to doubt anymore. I feel the love of God so strongly there. I know that that is everyone’s purpose in this life, to get to the temple and to make covenants with God. I know that God loves me and is proud of me, even though I am about as imperfect as they come. I know that the Priesthood is the power of God on earth and that by that power we all may become perfected in Christ and return Home again. 

This week I have had spiritual growing pains. I am changing. It hurts. But it is happening. Sometimes we have to feel a little pain in order to become better. I feel that my heart is transforming, that I am shaking the scales that cover my eyes and heart. I know that we can all change for the better. Thanks to Christ we can do that. 

AND: We had a concilio of leaders this week. The quote of the day goes to my precious Hermana Thompson. 

Me: Being with Elders makes me doubt marriage. 

Hna Thompson: Being with Elders makes me doubt the human race. 

And with that I say farewell. I love you all! 

Hermana Alex

The Temple

So Many BLONDES

This is an apple covered in the sugar they use to make cotton candy. This is my face when I found out that the apple was half rotten inside. Peru style. 

Family History Conference