Hello everyone! I hope these last couple weeks have been great! They've been great for me! I'm still here in my first area, Ilo. my companions name is Hermana Alais and she's from Mar del Plata, Argentina. She's awesome!! We work really well together. Everyone in the mission says that the missionaries from America and from Argentina get along really well! And it's true! We're working really hard to strengthen the members of our ward. In the mission as a whole, we're working with the members on their family history. Luckily I was able to work on my own family history and figure out FamilySearch.com before my mission. It has been a blessing because I have been able to help the members here with their family history and help them send names to the temple!

On another note, I ate some pretty crazy foods this week. One thing I've learned on my mission is if you don't know exactly what you're eating, don't ask until after you're finished with your food. This week I ate chicken stomach.. and cow intestines. Not in the same occasion but still it was interesting to say the least. I'm sure there will be many more crazy food opportunities in my mission haha. I will keep you all updated on that!

My companion and I had a crazy experience yesterday! We had people contact us. Usually it's the other way around haha as missionaries we are always walking up to random people and talking to them about the church. But these two ladies came up to us, because we look foreign, and asked us where we are from! Turns out she married an American and they live here in Ilo, in our area! We are going to have lunch with them soon. Super nice people! Oh and they also wanted pictures with us because she said we looked like dolls haha.

I just want to express to you all how much I am loving the mission (: it's not easy. But the best things in life are never easy. I've learned so much in my almost 7 months of being a missionary! I know I will never regret my decision to serve this mission. I want to testify to you all that I know that the work I'm doing here in Peru is truly the work of the Lord. I know that The Book of Mormon is true and contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the same church that Christ established when he was here on the earth. I want to share a scripture with you in The Book of Mormon, in Moroni 10:3-5...

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall recieve these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

And when ye shall recieve these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ya may know the truth of all things"

I know that every single one of you can come to the truthfulness of this gospel if you simply ask God with a sincere heart. And by the power of the Holy Ghost, you will know.

I hope you all have a great week! Until next time!

Cuídense mucho

Hermana Celardo