Called to Serve: Peruvian Style: Happy Birthday in the Jungle :)

Hola Familia!

Wow yesterday was such a good day! It was so interesting to have a birthday in the mission but I really enjoyed it. I woke up yesterday and opened the package that my family sent me and I was so happy to see the cards and the pictures and gifts that they had sent me. I could really feel their love. My companion and I serve in a branch with two other elders and they showed up at my house in the morning with a huge plate of homemade pancakes and frosting. I seriously was so happy! This is the first time that I have eaten pancakes in almost a year and I was so happy that they had woken up early to make them for me. We went to church and didn’t have anyone there which was kind of a bummer but it’s okay. The senior missionary couple was there to wish me happy birthday and the whole branch was congratulating me. Hermana Martha, my recent convert, came with us to teach some lessons that night and then we went back to her house to teach a lesson and at the end, she made us cheese and crackers and chocolate milk. She lives with her daughter Karen and I seriously love these two women with all of my heart. We were laughing and talking sitting in their little shed/kitchen in the back. When we came home we put twenty candles in the pancakes and lit them all. It was quite a site to see. Wow I am getting old. I wasn’t with my family yesterday but I was absolutely surrounded by people who love me and I really felt at home. It was one of the best birthdays ever! Last week we went to an old castle in the jungle and it was so fun!! We were running around taking pictures pretending to be princesses and gargoyles. The castle was beautiful and we had such a good day! Thank you for all of your birthday wishes and thoughts. I really appreciate them. I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Allphin