A Walking Popsicle

What a week!  Last Tuesday night I arrived here in Comitan.  After an 8 hour bus ride I was excited to arrive!  I met my companion and we took a taxi to the apartment where we live.  We then carried my luggage (half the house with the kitchen sink) up 4 flights of stairs to our room.  The next morning we went out to proselyte.  It is quite an adjustment coming from Cacahoatan to Comitan. When I first got my mission call, I read "Mexico" and thought to myself, "o.k., tropical, hot and humid," which is what I packed for.  In Cacahoatan that is the case, the temperature all day everyday is up in the high 90's.  However, Comitan is the exact opposite.  I have been a walking Popsicle since I got here!

The entire city here is one big hill.  There isn't any flat ground, it is either straight up or straight down.  There are several investigators we have that we literally have to hike to get to their houses. I've had so many sore muscles in my legs that I didn't even know existed.  My body is quite confused with the weather change.  Because I was in an area where it was 96 degrees outside Christmas day my mind didn't fully capture the fact that it was Christmas.  But now that I am in an area where it is cold it feels like Christmas season.  I'm patiently waiting for the Christmas carolers to come knocking at our door:)

My companion's name is Hermana Gruerrero.  She is from Ecuador and has 10 months in the mission.  She's a great missionary and we work well together.  In the short time we have been companions I have already learned a lot from her.

The apartment we live in is gigantic compared to our house in Cacahoatan.  It has 5 bedrooms and a bathroom.  It does not however have any hot water.  But because it is so cold in the mornings we can't shower with the cold water or we will get hypothermia.  So each morning we fill up a bucket of water and put a hot metal rod in it to heat the water.  Once it is hot we put the bucket into the shower and that is what we use to shower with.  It's quite the experience, it makes me feel like I am camping.:)

The best part of the week was yesterday when we had the privilege of seeing a little girl named Vicky who we have been teaching be baptized.  It was such a beautiful experience!  Her mother is a member but has been inactive for quite some time now.  The missionaries found her and helped her to re-activate in the church.  After Vicky's baptism yesterday her mother said she felt something so beautiful inside that she hasn't felt for such a long time, she felt the spirit.
After her baptism Vicky bore her testimony and shared her experience and how she felt.  Though it was so simple her words touched the hearts of all who were there.  I'm so grateful I was able to be there.  My testimony was strengthened immensely.

Love, Hermana Peine