"I am a Quinn. I can do hard things."

February 23, 2009 - "We had interviews with President Perez this morning. I love interviews with him because he boosts me up. He thanked me for being animated and anxious to perform the work.
This thing about Steven coming home is really sad. It is the hardest thing in the world to leave home. I have struggled with the emotions of wanting to come home a lot of times, but have continued through the tears and the trials. I know if I were not a missionary, ordained and
pre-ordained of God, I could not be here. I am witnessing things I never dreamed I would see. I know with all my heart that Heavenly Father is carrying me in His arms through this mission and will continue to do so. I put my faith in Him everyday as I leave to face the world of Peru. I leave everyday in the strength of the Lord, knowing that He is watching over and protecting not only me, but you guys as well. The mission is hard, but it is possible. President Jeffrey R. Holland told us in the Provo MTC, that it is better to be homesick than to go home. He also told us, "Don't you dare go home for yourself." Strong words and I am obeying them. There is nothing that can hold me back. I miss you guys like crazy, but I always remember the fact that
Families Are Eternal. This thought keeps me going...that after two years of being without my awesome family, I will get to live with them for eternity.
I am a Quinn. I can do hard things."

Ok! Enough with the animal innards!

February 16, 2009 - Now it's beef heart. Colyn says he has to eat this weird stuff because he eats with the church members at lunch and he does not want to offend them. So he chokes down whatever comes on his plate. He is such a good kid! Obviously, the Spirit is there and I know helping him to cope with the taste of the food. Colyn has moved from Naranjal, and is in a greener part of Lima. Church is only 4 minutes away now. "I met Tuesday night with the family that I baptized, the familia de la Cruz, and I cried so hard because I was leaving them. Really, they are a part of our family now. I got so close to them in the short time I had to get to know them. They gave me a sweet note and gift. They are going to be my friends forever and I know they will do great things in the Church."

Chicken Feet and Cow Stomach - Will Peruvians eat anything?

February 9, 2009 - Well this week it was Cow Stomach. Colyn is either really brave or he is really starving. For him to eat chicken feet last week and cow stomach this week - my boy is definetely stepping out of his comfort zone. He says the cow stomach tasted ok, it was the texture that was hard to get use to. He is moving to a new area in Lima this week. His new companion will be, Elder Quiroga.
"I gave a talk in church yesterday on 'Experimenting a Change of Heart.' It went really well and I had an interesting experience. I was about half way through my talk and I was suddenly back at my Farewell, and I felt the presence of you guys. You were there watching and listening to my talk. It was a really tender moment."

Did you know that there is meat on a chicken's foot?

February 2, 2009 - "I ate a chicken foot this week. It was in my soup and I originally thought it was just a normal piece of chicken, but when I put it on my spoon I found out what it really was...I can know testify that there is a little bit of meat on a chicken foot. (It wasn't that bad...to be honest...)I can also testify that a cold shower is survivable. (Our new house doesn't have warm water.) Oh, the life of Nacho Libre...This is the life I am living, where if a rat, or a cockroach runs across the floor...no big deal. No one gets up and screams, and no one gets up to kill it."
Colyn says that it takes him 1 hour to get to church. While going to church yesterday, he and his companion were shot at by kids with water guns. He says they didn't get too wet, but it did frustrate him a little. Then while riding a bus, a group of kids threw water balloons at the bus and a lot of poeple got soaked. He and his companion got a few drops on them. He says he misses his Dad being there to run after these kids and teach them what's right. He says no one ran after them, everyone just acted like nothing had happened. Colyn moved this week and that was an adventure in itself. They had to organize everything themselves. Getting a truck and such. He says as they were driving along with the back of the truck piled high with their furniture, driving down bumpy, dusty, unpaved roads, he was stressed that they would lose everything. Nothing was tied down because no tie downs were available, so prayers were answered on this trip because they and their belongings arrived safely. He is living with the bishop and he says the living conditions are much better and the house is much nicer.