Guinea Pigs and Fire Jugglers

Hola Familia!!!! 

I’ve decided converting someone is like a football game. A football team does best on their home field. Just like the Spirit. If we can get an investigator to come to church, they are on the Spirits home field. Therefore, the Spirit will be able to "play" better and have the higher advantage. NOW before you can wonder who I heard that from I must stop you and let you sit down... 

I thought of it... myself. 

Yup I’m a big kid now. I can think of analogies.

Ok so I didn’t mention last week but I got to leave the CCM last Saturday for about 5 hours and go to the Lima East Mission and do some proselyting. It was Asombroso!!!! Me and Hermana Clarke got to go on a split with Hermana Barsallo and sit in on a lesson with a lady name Maria and she has diabetes, a broken arm, and can’t see real well. When we first were walking up she was outside waiting for us. And she greeted us and then had us wait outside for a minute.  Then we stepped into a hole in the ground and walked through a plywood door into her living room and she had shelfs everywhere, there were bottles of vodka in one corner and a basket of rotting carrots on the ground and cages of guinea pigs in another corner (which were there being fattened so they could be eaten, sorry Clarisa) It was literally a hole in the ground. BUT sitting across from me on a rickety table was a huge 82" (or bigger) LG HD flat screen tv! These people really have their priorities straightened out. But anyways the lección with Maria was so asombroso!!! I had the hardest time following the lección but I got part of it! And the Spirit was so strong. Hermana Barsallo had set the mood so that the Spirit could enter into Maria’s house and testify to her of the truth!  Fue Asombroso!!!!! 

Also I saw the Peruvian version of Home Depot. It’s a lot prettier and honestly reminds me of the shopping store in that Disney short film where Goofy goes to buy a bigger better TV. It’s awesome. Also when your stopped on a street at a light or something.  A guy will come out into the middle of the street and juggle fire. Hahaha I’m not scared of Peru at all.................................... 

I have 12 days left in my bubble at the CCM and I am terrified to go out into the world. I mean last night me and Hermana Clarke were walking back to our classroom for district meeting and on the way we heard two very close and very distinguished gun shots! yup not scared.........................

Anyways everything here has been pretty good. I did throw up once, but after email time today I’m going and having a talk with Hermana Moore to see what we can do. But other than that the only problem has been my blood sugar has been lower it’s not like pass out low but it’s been low enough it’s hard to wake up in the morning and it hard to just work. BUT Hermana Moore is a low blood sugar expert and that is another thing we are going to talk about in our little meeting. Also Mom and Dad to help you feel better my whole entire district knows what to do if my blood sugar does get too low and bad things happen! I mean Monday night I was super tired and it was the end of the day so I laid my head down on my desk during district planning and I started falling asleep. Well, one of the Elders is always asking how my blood sugar is doing because he thinks he’s a doctor but he has taught me a few tricks to check my blood sugar without having to go see the MTC doctor and it has been great because when I did go once the doctor backed up what he said and told me to use those tricks to my advantage. Anyways I’m laying down with my head on the desk and this Elder asked me a question and I didn’t respond so then he asked if I was ok * note I’m half asleep and not paying attention to this Elder, he talks A LOT) and apparently my eyelids started twitching and he freaked! The next thing I heard was " NO NO SHES NOT! SHE SEIZING!!!!!!!!!!!" hahahahahahahahaha And I just said no I’m not!!!! and I sat up. but in between the time of him saying seizing and me saying no the whole entire room (my district) was up on their feet and my companion was halfway across the room to go get help and sugar. So I really think I’m safe. I mean my whole district had a heart attack.

Ok so every morning we like walk through puddles but It never rains. Ever! It’s really humid, they lay towels down on the ground all the time. it’s like a thing here. Also bassoon in Spanish is bajón. I was very happy to find that in my dictionario. Also I ate fish, and it wasn’t gross. Also everyone here loves sublimes! like a lot! it’s kind of an ice-cream bar and I’m really tempted to try one. but I think I’ll wait till after I talk with Hermana Moore. We also had a 10-minute conversation with our teacher one morning trying to explain frosting to her. it was soooooooo exciting. 

Thanks for getting that package sent mom! They really will help! Also I found out Monday that my night teacher is 23 and 2nd counselor in his bishopric!!!!!!! AND HE IS A FULL TIME STUDENT!!!!!!! that is a little crazy. 

Also dad I found the perfect word in Spanish for you if you ever come to Peru. It’s Papel higiénico which means Toilet paper. 

Anyways I hope you all have a good week!!!!! Tell Hiro and Simba Hi for me and cuddle with Bagheera for me! 

Also, little side note out there to my dearest cousin Kirsten. You know how you love dogs???? Do not come to Peru, my heart breaks a little every time I go outside the walls because there is a stray dog on every corner! I mean they are everywhere it is really sad!!!!!!!!

Anyways

Love you all!!!

Hermana McNamara

(Cassie was able to let me know she was online, and we were able to “email chat” about a few things.  Her closing remarks were priceless so I decided to share them here)

I only have 2 minutes left to type but I am super happy here. Everyday I know this fight is worth it! Every time!!! OK I have minute! Love you lots!!!!1 (there is a timer in the corner that counts down and it is literally super stressful!!!!!) 

Love you!!! email you next week!!!!!!

Tell Dad I hope he feels better!!!!!!

(** Side note from Kim:   Before I get a lot of emails worried about her health, Cassie had a period of time when she had some issues with low sugars in High School.  They seemed to be related to stress and locking her knees when she would perform with the band.  She has not had a single episode in almost 2 years.   In our chat she was able to tell me that they are thinking her low sugar episodes are stress related and the changes in food etc.  It sounds like they are on top of helping her figure it out.  She seems to have considerable (and justified) anxiety about learning the language and leaving the CCM.   I think once she gets to her mission, gets settled and starts fixing food for herself and builds some confidence in herself, she will be just fine.  Thank You for continued prayers on her behalf!  We Love You All!!!)

Puddles...

WE GOT NEW DRINK MACHINES!!!!!!!!

Hola Familia!!!! 

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

So is anyone going to send me a picture and a name for this bird that Matthew bought? I am quite curious. 

Okay so this last week has been an event.  So when I wrote last weeks email I had cried in President Moore’s office for 45 minutes. And then walked around campus with my companion still crying. Then I read moms second email and cried some more. So if any of the email from last week didn’t make sense I’m sorry I couldn’t really see the screen. BUT I am much better now. I will be honest Wednesday was a really rough day. We went to the temple and I was super nervous because I didn’t know how I was going to feel and react. But it was the most amazing spirit. Heavenly Father heard my prayers!

Through the whole session it felt like grandpa was sitting next me. And when I first saw the veil it was like clear as day I could hear grandpa saying " see you later alligator" and I broke down crying.   Then sitting in the Celestial Room I was thinking about heaven and wondering how far it really was and then the song by Janice Kapp Perry " Where is Heaven" popped in my head. It was amazing! 

Wednesday night after the temple was really hard and I ended up going and asking President Moore if I could talk to Elder Raeside. He is in my Branch Presidency and he works with the missionaries with psychiatric help and so I just wanted to talk it out and get some tips so I could get out of my head. I was tired of not being able to focus and I am not here to be stuck in my head. I’m here to serve others and I couldn’t do that. So Elder Raeside came over Thursday and helped me and by Thursday night I was back to kicking butt!!! God sends blessings every day. I am happy and progressing in Española! Also can I say I would not have made it through this last week if not or my awesome companion! She is the best! I said she can give me a chunk since she had to deal with me. If she actually does it I’ll send a picture otherwise I’ll have to explain when I get home or at Christmas when we skype. It would take too long to type. 

So this week really hasn’t been that eventful. Our comador got new drink machines that was probably the most exciting part. Also all the Avanzados left Monday from the CCM for the mission field! Which means my zone is now the Avanzados and all the nueve Americanos that came in last night are the principiantes! It’s been great, me and Hermana Clarke woke up at 2 am today to meet all of them when they came into the CCM and one of the girls that came in was at the Payson temple when I cleaned it! ha funny. Hermana Mujica brought us Americano candy and it was so good! yummm. Please send candy!!! haha Mom on the package you are sending my if you put pictures of the Virgin Mary on the package like over seams and all that jazz the mail people won’t cut it open because they don’t believe in cutting her. haha I thought it was funny but it’s actually true! I’m hoping the package will get here in time! 

Sunday night devotional was so freaking amazing! We watched an Elder Holland Devotional and oh my goodness. There’s a few things he said that I really like: -

If you find someone that you want to pray more, study the scriptures more, change their habits, and you don’t want how they use to be. That means God wants you to do all that. - Don’t let the people down that think your perfect- The apostoles expect us to grab our socks and pull them up to our armpits - The torch has been passed to me. - The apostoles expect a lot from us and their not sorry for it.

Also I found out at this devotional that one of the elders in my zone, his older brother served in San Antonio Texas. Matthew do you know an Elder Hector Vegara???? -yay and that’s been the extent of my week there really isn’t much to write about, the days are getting pretty repetitive around here. I mean, I’m excited for a new drink machine. 

 Oh wait actually there’s more. So my night teacher Hermano Quispitupac was trying to say hill and he just said " hell no??" ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh we laughed so hard we could not calm down it was just too funny! Also young men groups come every Saturday and they walk by our classroom and wave at us. Honestly I feel like an animal at the zoo in a cage. Because it’s like we´re a tiger or something " oh my gosh Americanos!!! He yo!!" haha but this last Saturday Elder Denler said " Mi hijitos!!!" which translates to My Children!!!! So he called a bunch of 12 year olds his children. Hermana Mujica was laughing so hard it was super funny. 

So this morning  I was playing 4ordained and I told the Hermana’s in my room how to spell it and Hermana Moeaki who I thought was asleep just randomly " are there 4 of them???" "Yes" "WOW" hahaha made my day. Oh nice thing about Pday is we can take naps. I haven’t taken one because I’m doing really well with the sleep schedule and I don’t want to screw it over. I haven’t thrown up since the last email so that’s an accomplishment. I have had major migraines though and lots of stomach aches. But it’s getting better! 

MATTHEW! How is Chic fil A???? And seriously what kind bird did you get?!?!!? Pictures!!!! 

Mom next week my email time is going to change to 8:45 am instead of 11:45 just an FYI. 

Also a shout out to everyone who sent me an email thanks so much!!!!! I don’t have time to reply but I've taken a picture so I can write out my replies to you this week and get that to you next Wednesday!  Los siento!!! 

Anyway the gospel is true!!!

Love you all! 

Love Hermana McNamara

**Side note from Kim:  Cassie says their email system really isn't connected to the internet like real email, so she has to write out her letters in advance and then just type them in. (Not sure why or how that works, but is the reason her letters seem disconnected, and also why it is hard time-wise for her to respond)  It is also why I am sending out her group emails.  She is able to read everyone's emails just fine so keep writing! :-)  Once she is in the mission-field in 3 more weeks, they will come from her directly and she will be back to normal internet.  Thanks to everyone for supporting her!!  

                             I am assuming this is the CCM President & his wife.  She didn't explain, and I can't read their tags. LOL .

Hermana McNamara with Hermana Clarke outside the Lima Peru Temple

Cassie outside the Lima Temple, very dark - the first 3 times I looked at it, I thought she was a statue. LOL

Hermana McNamara & Hermana Clarke

When the going gets tough, I get tougher. 06-15-2016

I’m really sorry about grandpa. President Moore did tell me before I got to email. I’m doing ok. I’m a little sad, but I’ll be ok.   President Moore gave me a blessing and it was really comforting. 

Ok so I still love it here, but this last week has been really, really hard. I’ve had the most spiritual experiences but it seems like every time I have a spiritual experience it only gets harder. I’m trying so hard to be positive but at the moment it’s not the easiest. I could use as many prayers. My stomach has felt much better this week but it’s still adjusting. I’ve only thrown up once since last Wednesday but shhhhh my companion doesn’t know, it was in the middle of the night and I was able to sneak out and back in without waking any of the Hermana’s in my room up. I’m really being careful what I eat. I haven’t had any dairy since the first day down here so I don’t know why I’m throwing up.  Mom I’m taking all of my vitamins except the powder. I’m not allowed to take it into the comador and it’s really gross in water. Bleh. But I am taking the pills and I promise that I will do the powder when I get out into the mission field. Also witching hour without American chocolate is very hard. Peru chocolate is so weird.  If you don’t know what the witching hour is go back to 8th grade health.      

So now you might be guessing why my week has been so hard? Well let me tell you.... I can’t speak Spanish.  And by that I mean I need to explain. Like I said everyone in my district has had some kind of Spanish. My district is improving at very fast rates. I am not. Yesterday while my class went on to learn something new I was put off to the side to go over one thing for 45 minutes. It was not fun. I was studying stuff that I should have retained the first day, but I didn’t. My Morning teacher didn’t even know I had no Spanish before the CCM until Monday. But it’s frustrating because I can’t teach the lessons I can’t do anything that they can do. I feel like such a burden to my companion because she is top in the district and I am bottom. She helps me but I can’t retain it at all. Every day the last week I’ve just wanted to go home. 

But everyday something or someone reminds me why I’m here. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. There hasn’t been someone here to hold my hair while I throw up. There hasn’t been someone to just randomly give me a hug. American chocolate has not been easily accessed. I haven’t had my little sister to tell me she understands and that it’s going to be ok. I haven’t had my two older brothers reminding me I got his and I’m way better than this stupid language. I haven’t had my Mom to talk everything out with. I haven’t had my Dad there just take a look at my face a give me a big ole bear hug.

BUT

I have had my companion who keeps motivating me to be better. I have the Hermana’s in my room that make me laugh so hard my cramps multiply x10. I have an amazing CCM President and wife that keep reminding me I can do this. I’ve got an awesome branch president that treats me like a granddaughter and really cares about how I’m doing. I have awesome training sisters that give me random hugs and help me when they can. I also have the great companionship of the Holy Ghost that helps me through everything. I also have the love of my older brother Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father that are rooting me on. I’m really thankful for the opportunity to be here and I keep reminding myself what president Hiskey said. “That God wouldn’t have sent me here if He didn't know I could do it.” My branch president was really impressed Sunday when I told him that I’m surviving on faith and positivity. But that is the best that I can do at the moment and I’m doing my best for padre celestial and for my future investigators 110% 

Ok so now about this week. I got a random bloody nose that was pretty weird. I haven’t had one since I was like 9. I also got kicked in the face and a soccer ball to the face ( these were not before or on the same day as my bloody nose) I hit my head on my cabinet in my dorm and have a nice bruise haha I’m gonna live I promise. Oh one more. I had a really bad sugar crash, that was hard. But I made it through on fruit snacks. Which are all gone.  The meals here don’t have a lot of protein just a lot of carbs. And we all know how I react to high carbs.... 

Also Elder Rasband came last Thursday and it was so amazing!!!!

One thing that I liked that he said is “We are at WAR with the adversary, fighting for the souls that still need to come unto Christ”- so amazing! So then we had our usual classes and then teaching lessons. We have 2 new investigators now instead of one. I've been struggling with the lessons but its fine. Sundays here are amazing. I’ll tell you about President Moore's lesson next week. My eyes are hurting from staring at the screen but it probably doesn’t help that I’ve been crying all morning. 

The gospels true! I love it with all my heart! Oh and the Lima temple is gorgeous I’ll try to take a picture
today when I’m there, and send it next week! 

Love you all so much!

Love
Hermana McNamara