As a Sister in Zion: Week 8 Letter

Okay. I’ll try and answer as many questions as I can but I don’t have a lot of time.

So this week, was of course, really, really hard. I’m not going to lie, I’m having a really difficult time here. I can’t understand anyone. I’m barely able to understand my companion when she speaks and she’s a gringo, like me. If I can barely understand her, how in the world am in going to start to understand the people here? I honestly feel like I’m not a missionary here. All I do is follow my companion to lessons and just sit there and try to understand what the heck is going on. My companion is really, really helpful and it’s been a blessing that she speaks English, but I’m struggling really hard. I’m praying and praying and studying and studying and I guess that’s really all I can do for now. I’m trying to be patient in my learning and growth, but man this has got to be the hardest thing I’ve had to endure. I know Heavenly Father is shaping me to become the daughter he needs me to be, but it’s really hard to stay focused on the end goal when you feel like there is no end in sight. I want to think about when I can finally get on the plane to go home in a year and a couple of months, but I can’t afford to lose focus, otherwise I will lose blessings I know I can receive if I stay in tune with my purpose. So all I focus on is getting through another week. And hopefully before I know it, I will have reached my 6 month mark.

So yeah, that’s my soap box and I’m stepping off it. Sorry for the little rant, but I feels good to at least type it to you guys.

First off, I cannot thank you guys enough for all of your emails. They make me cry, but I couldn’t have asked for a better family and group of friends to support me.

Let’s just say the 4th was super weird. And I hated it. My comp and I sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic in Spanish during study time and we both wore red, white, and blue all day (I’ll send pics later) but other than that, we didn’t really do anything. We couldn’t really when we had to focus on our investigators. But I kept thinking about how much I miss summer time in Indiana. I wanted to be at the parade with you all and I really wanted to see some fireworks, but sadly, we saw nada. But that’s okay. I just have to endure one more missed 4th and I’ll be home before I know it.

So when my comp and I have to travel into Merida (which is every week) we have to get up at like 3 in the morning (which we did today and I’m exhausted which is probably why I’m crying so much) to catch a 4:45 bus to Merida which is like an hr and a half. We mostly sleep. But when we get there, we just walk the streets to the church building where we have our mtg. Today was pretty good at the mtg bc when we got there we found out there were like 3 other zones coming as well and I just prayed and prayed Hermana Kite would be in one of them and guess what, she was!!! We stuck together almost the whole time and got to catch up on these past 2 weeks. She’s struggle hard as well, but it was seriously so good to see her. Sometimes just thinking of her and hoping that we can be companions later in the mission is what keeps me going at times.

The food here is... okay. There hasn’t been anything here that has just completely blown me away. I honestly think I might just be accustomed to Americanized Mexican food bc I can say that I’d much prefer the Mexican food up there. But the food fills me up and yes, we do get fed every day. I don’t know how it is in the other areas, but in this area, the bishop’s mom is in charge of the calendar and she never fails to make sure we have someone every single day. I’m always so grateful when I get fed bc it’s obvious these people have next to nothing and here they have 2 more mouths to feed so everyday I pray that heavenly father blesses the people of the ward for their sacrifice.

I hope you are staying safe in Mexico City Dad and that would be way cool if you came to Izamal, but that’s okay. I don’t think I would let you leave if you came to visit. And if you did come, I don’t think I would be able to stay. I would have to go with you. So it’s a good thing you can’t come visit me.

Now some of moms questions: please tell Brother Taylor I’m terribly sorry and that I’m thinking of him and praying for him. Sister Taylor will be missed a lot but she’s with her Heavenly Father now helping to continue to build the kingdom of god, of that I know for sure.

I just got done being able to chat with Richard for a little bit back and forth and that was a huge blessing bc I really needed to hear from him.

Okay, I really do have to go now. This email is obnoxiously long, I’m sorry. Next week, I need to make it really short bc now I don’t have any time to email anyone else. So I’m sorry if you emailed me, and I didn’t get to respond! I’ll try again next week.

I love you all and miss you tons. I’m praying this week is a little bit better.

Hermana Perryman

We had this little kitten following us around in the st. and it was so little and so sad he broke my little heart. I carried it around with me for a bit, but then had to let it go. It was the cutest thing ever!

I saw Hermana Kite this morning at a big Zone Conference!! I died of happiness when I saw her. I've missed her so much and its good to know that she's struggling as much as I am and that I'm not the only one.