Sourcing a New Prosthetic Leg, Thanksgiving, New Missionaries, and a Few Dog Bites...

Last Sunday we attended three different wards with six pairs of missionaries. We are doing that to get acquainted with the assigned missionaries and the members in each ward. Wards are geographically oriented units with a bishop over each. Missionaries are from everywhere from Rockland, Idaho to Tarapoto, Perú. 

We’ve had some trouble figuring out our phones. We have both a Verizon number and a Peruvian number.  In the end think we may have figured it all out… We’ll see how the next bill looks. We also had some challenges with the internet but it is the fastest service we have ever had.

Two young sister missionaries have been helping us learn how to work the insurance system to get appointments for missionaries with health challenges. They are really sharp and one of them is a Peruvian so she hears all of the subtle vagaries of the language on the phone. It is tricky in Lima because they talk so fast here. We are getting the hang of it and made some appointments and paid a big bill for one of the treatments.

One of our missionaries had to have his appendix removed this week and had to be hospitalized. We got to visit him. The church takes care of its missionaries for sure. The hospital is first class in any part of the world.

Two others are having wisdom teeth removed. Mercifully, they are companions and can take care of one another. One had his out this week, and his companion will have his out next week.

We have been thrilled to find that all of the food restrictions other than eating in street vendor stalls, have been eliminated. This has allowed us to eat Ceviche and there are no prohibitions of pork, strawberries and lettuce. We are tickled about that.

We attended the Chorillos District Council. We are attending different districts each week to meet all of the missionaries. That is an exciting thing. As ever, we are impressed with young men and women of such dedication and commitment. What remarkable people they are.

We did more apartment inspections and though hard, they help the elders to understand that they can clean up and live better. Recall that most of them are still in their teens when they come out. These apartments have a tendency to accumulate unnecessary stuff and that invites things like termites and cockroaches. Hence, the need for inspections!

Another couple, the Jacobsens, will join us in April. We are excited to have them coming. We went to check out their apartment and it is pretty nice! We think they will be happy they came.

On Sunday we went with some of our new favorite missionaries to the wards they are assigned to. We met a host of wonderful people. We are loving our experiences and are so happy to be here.

Next week, we will receive a group of 13 new missionaries. They are new to the Limatambo mission. Most have served elsewhere while they have waited for visas… We are excited for them and sad to see some of our very new missionary friends return home. It is amazing how fast we come to love and appreciate these remarkable young people! 

The Inspection Crew: Hermanas Cruz, Wilkes, Elders Moreno and Jorgensen

Rimac apartment of Elders Jones and Pacoma

Checking out the local gelateria…pretty tasty avocado gelato

So happy Ceviche is no longer on the "naughty list!"

Papa loves his tacu tacu with picante de mariscos!!!

Our beloved Hermana Wilke's last Sunday as a missionary...

Our health trainers, Hermanas Perez and Thomas!