C-c-c-c-c-cambios!

Yes, its true, this week was cambios (transfers).  I finished training Hermana Sassetti and right afterwards she was called to be a trainer!  Im really proud of her and I know she will do great with the people we had in Salamanca and she and her traniee will find many more!  I miss Salamanca a lot: the ward, the zone, our investigators, and especially the Valladares family!  But I know that transfers are inspired and it was my time to go...

Im very excited to report that Im now in the Zone Chaclacayo, in the Chaclacayo ward!  Its so awesome here!  In our whole mission there are 10 zones and only 2 of them, Chaclacayo and Chosica, are located outside of the actual city part of Lima.  Chaclacayo is a big change because its more country and peaceful than crazy Lima.  There is sun and rain here (neither exist in Lima) and lots of MOSQUITOS!  Im very grateful that the night before I went to the MTC Sadie went out and bought me more Off! deep woods because Im just getting eaten here... but its all part of the experience I guess!  My companion and I always say that they only send the strong sisters to Chaclacayo.  And speaking of her, my companion is Hermana Thiel from IDAHO (Idaho Falls)!  Yeah thats right, I finally have an American companion.  She just recently finished her training here and her trainer finished her mission when I came.  They opened up the area so we as Hermanas are still pretty new here. Its nice to not be traning again and enjoy being with a companion with some experience, even though she has the same time in the mission as Hermana Sassetti).  We have a lot of investigators and we have been finding as well.  The ward loves us right now because they havent had sisters here in a long time.  There is a lot to do here and Im just super excited!  Hermana Thiel (pronounced like the color teal) and I get along well and work well together so itll be great.  I seriously have barely spoken English these past few months so its been interesting talking in English a bit in our room and stuff.  She is still learning Spanish but speaks fluidly so Im trying to help her to continue to improve and I try not to speak English a whole lot. We share the ward with the zone leaders and they are also gringos and its pretty cool!

I got the Christmas package by the way and I love it all! The chocolate had kinda melted but I put it all in our pensionistas fridge and its all good now!  We have the tree and the advent calendar in our room and I look forward to opening up everything else on Christmas!  

But yeah, everything is really good here.  One night it rained a ton and our room flooded a bit but other than that its all peachy.  I just love Chaclacayo already!  Today Im writing late because my comp had a doctors appt and we got to go to Surco, the rich part of our mission where the clinic is.  Afterwards we ate McDonalds and bought AMAZING gelato.  For that hour I felt like I was in the US!  We came back to Chaclacayo and had a fun afternoon with the zone playing football (american) and mafia in a park.  We have a really great, fun zone!

I was really sad to hear about Scoutys passing.... not gonna lie I shed some tears reading about it and Im pretty sure right now my companion thinks Im trunky or something haha.  But whats important is that shes not in pain anymore and I know she really is in a better place.  She was a great pet for our family all these years and will be greatly missed!  That dog will always have a special place in my heart :)

Love you all and Im glad to hear that youre having happy holidays! Remember why we have them and that Christ is the "reason for the season" Because of Him, we truly have reason to rejoice and throw parties every day! :)

Hasta la próxima,

Hermana Bledsoe