Prayer and an Apollada

My family's car accident in Germany.
It's a miracle no one died.

So I was sad to learn that my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousin were involved in a car accident while visiting in Germany last week. Wow, I'm so glad that everyone is ok! My parents sent me some of the pictures, and it's truly a miracle that no one died. God must have been right there with them to keep them safe. I pray every day that God will keep my family safe while I'm here in Peru serving, and it is a testimony to me that I know God answers my prayers. I am so grateful to have my family and I can't wait to see them again, especially all my grandparents who are having lots of time in the hospital these past few weeks. I wish I was there to give all my grandparents a huge hug. I'm so glad that I can still see all of them in a few months.

Hermana Pinto is feeling a lot better this week. We were able to get out of the apartment more this week. We were able to find new less actives and one new investigator, and we're going to keep pushing for even more new investigators this week. Fortunatly, we have 3 Family Home Evenings planned tonight, so we're starting off good. Today, we're going to start practicing for the musical number for our Mission Conference in a few weeks! I GET TO PLAY THE VIOLIN! I'm really excited to play today -- ha ha. I hope that I can still play a little because it's been so long. I am excited, but super nervous to play in front of so many people, but I'll do my very best and try to share my testimony with each note.

A bucket of chicken parts

This week, we did the most disgusting service of my life...we helped to clean chickens for an apollada!

Hermana Chang preparing the chickens for the apollada

So here in Peru, when someone is having financial troubles because of medical bills or something like that, sometimes they'll do an apollada. It's where the family makes a ton of chicken and food and sells it, and people buy it from them or can donate more money if they want. The Chang family has been having financial problems because their oldest son, A., was recently in a really bad car accident and his infant son might have a tumor in his chest. So, when we learned that Hermana Chang was going to do an apollada, we offered to help her. Little did I realize how gross it would be! She went to the market in the morning right after they killed and defeathered the chickens, and they cut them in four and gave them to her.  There were twenty-two chickens cut into four parts each! So, our job was to finish taking off the feathers and also take off some of the fat and the rest of the intestines. Oh, I thought I was gonna die! They told me that I could just be in charge of taking off the rest of the feathers because I was struggling with the insides...yuk! So, I helped take off the rest of the feathers. It was a great time and a service project I'll never forget!

Glad to serve, but oh my yuk it was gross!