Dearest Family,

 

I hope you had an especially lovely weekend with Alison`s wedding.  Congratulations Kristin on your upcoming wedding.  I received the letter you wrote me today.

 

This week was terrific.  We experienced several miracles and had lots of fun in an event called Inti Raymi.  Inti Raymi is a festival that the Incas celebrated every year to worship the sun.  Cusco has an reenactment every year of this festival.  President Calderon gave us permission this week to take our preparation day on Friday to watch the event in Cusco.  The festival includes many dancers that are dressed natively and includes actors such as the chief Inca.  The festival takes place in three places, such as the Plaza of Armas and Saqsawayman.  We watched the event in all three places.  The photo I`ve attached shows Hermana San Francisco and I in Saqsawayman.  Saqsawayman is a huge temple complex which the Incas built.  It includes huge stones the are all cut to fit perfectly together.  It is really quite magnificent.

 

One of our miracles of the week relates to our day at the Inti Raymi festival.  After returning to Urubamba, we realized that we forgot our cell phone in the taxi.  This put us in an instant panic because cell phones are usually stolen instantly.  We just received the cell phone from President Calderon on Sunday practically brand new.  Hna. San Francisco and I ran to the terminal but the car had returned to Cusco for the night.  We called it and called it, and nobody answered.  On Friday night, we prayed our little hearts out.  On Saturday morning, we went to the terminal at 5am because we knew the we had to intercept the taxi as fast as possible.  Through the tender mercies of God, one taxi driver helped us to find the taxi we`d riden in because we didn`t see our taxi when it pulled in the terminal.  Once at our taxi, the driver told us that he`d just cleaned the van and didn`t find a phone.  We were heartbroken, but we called our phone and miraculously it started ringing within the car.  It had fallen way underneath the seats.  I can`t give all the details adequately to explain how many tender mercies we experienced in this event, but it was definitely a miracle.  Maybe this experience seems simple to you, but it was very special to us.  I know that God looks after us in every need that we have.  He helps us when we are doing His will.

  

I`d love to receive a few letters from you!

 

 

All my love,

 

Hermana Blunck II

Dearest Family,

I am with a new companion now!  Her name is Hermana San Francisco, but don`t be confused.  My companion is not from the U.S. =D.  She is from Chile.  I think it`s the most beautiful thing that I am having the opportunity to have companions from many different countries while in the mission.  President Calderon came to visit our zone right before the change meeting and named three different hermanas that could be my new companion.  When I heard Hna. San Francisco`s name, I got my hopes up that she would be the one.  We got to know each other a little bit while I was serving in Cusco.  It turns out the she was the one.  Hna. San Francisco just completed six months in the mission.  Speaking of time in the mission, I completed nine months in the mission this past week.  Can you believe it?!  I honestly cannot believe it. 

Quite honestly, I was nervous to begin this new change, but I`m getting over the nervousness.  Hna. San Francisco and I work well together.  We hadn`t practiced together, but during our very first lesson we were able to blend our teaching together.  My goal with Hna. Francisco is to have very open communication.    I told her right away exactly how I was feeling and I think Hna. Francisco appreciated it.  All of my life, one of my weaknesses has been speaking honestly with people who are not family members.  I believe that the mission is finally helping me to improve my communication. 

Hna. Francisco and I are trying to begin working with less active members.  I feel really excited about this.  We are also trying to plan our lessons with a purpose.  Of course, we are striving to do lots of contacting.  I pray that with these efforts, God will open the windows of heaven.   

Please send my greetings to all the extended family members.  I do receive their letters, so encourage them to keep sending them.  I try to write them as often as I can.   

  

 All my love,

Hermana Blunck II