SURPRISE! Back in Iquitos!

hey, everyone! let me take you back six group e-mails ago to when i got transferred to tarapoto. on that transfer, i missed my flight (not my fault, remember) and got to stay a night in iquitos with hermana snyder (my long lost bff) and a sweet sister named hermana velasquez. we worked in their area (clavero ward) for a full day while i was there.

fast-forward to the present: i've been transferred AGAIN. to what ward? clavero! i joined hermana velasquez as hermana snyder's replacement! SURPRISE! velasquez is the best; she has 15 months in the mission and is super fun! already love her!

me and my new comp in our sweet little room :)

iquitos is just like i left it - hot, sooo humid (i felt like a newbie stepping off the plane and suffocating, haha), lots of BIG cockroaches in the street, insane quick rainstorms, and another surprise: i have bed bugs and 20 new bites - most of them from new year's night. what a way to bring in the new year! but, i'm happy to be back here. i even got to see some members from my ward in iquitos (where i served for seven months of my mission), which was SUCH a sweet reunion! remember rocio and samuel? rocio was baptized right before i left iquitos, and now her husband has been baptized, too! :) #COMPLETEFAMILY 

in other miraculous news: one day this week, breakfast was two eggs (period). and, lunch was super small, as well. but, while we were out doing the lord's work, a lady said "SISTERS!" and gave us a bag of sweet bread (which we actually ended up giving away, haha). later we were in the market, and a member gave us an entire papaya. then, that night, other members gave us a big bowl of the most delicious chicken i've had in 17 months. heavenly father ALWAYS knows when i'm hungry and helps me out!

LOVE THIS WORK!! we are working hard and keeping spirits up! love you all!

hermana wood

More from this week's message to Hermana Wood's dad:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! can't even believe that i got transferred! wow!

this is a "pilato." peruvians blow them up for new years!
we found one that said "donald trump," haha.

it's funny, now that i'm in my last five weeks, rather than feeling "trunky," i just want to be as obedient as i can be and work as hard as is humanly possible! i'm so aware that things are ending, and i want to make the best use of my time! especially after hearing how so many hard-working sisters finished their missions being disobedient and not caring. i want to finish strong! LOVE YOU!

More from this week's message to Hermana Wood's mom:

hey, mom!! how are you?? i bet you're super busy with classes and starting the semester again! we have been crazy here, as well, with TRANSFERS. couldn't even believe everything that happened!

and, guess what? i finally got to make that trip to lima! yay! we got pizza and donuts (from THE dunkin donuts), and i almost got a mcflurry but that would've been pushing it, because i also ate cinnamon sticks and a german chocolate dessert pizza. whew. :) also, i got to see vazquez and elder fiame and some others! and, we met some missionaries from trujillo who were passing through, and it was great! plus, a group of gringos fell into step with us and said "hey, guys! are you going home or are these transfers??" haha, so weird.

guess who took a trip to LIMA before going to iquitos?

THIS GIRL. :)

i'm happy with the transfer! my comp is great and chill, and we are both willing to work hard, which is such a relief! i know sisters who didn't finish strong, even after having good missions. so i'm very blessed to have a comp who wants to be obedient! :) have a great week! LOVE YOU, momma!!!