Book of Mormon Stories and Wonderful Encounters
We will start with our high points. We have very dear friend here whom we have known for better than fifteen years. Back in the day, Rich gave his little daughter a priesthood blessing and she got better.
Before we came, Rich recommended him to help the mission president with a number of needs. His name is José Luís. In one of our meetings he served as a sort of guinea pig for the elders to do a practice session. It got him to thinking and then to reading the Book of Mormon. One day, he was driving the president and said, I think I want to join the church. I know the Book of Mormon is true. What an exciting thing!
Some weeks back the president charged the missionaries to leave Books of Mormon with two people per day. We did not think it an unreasonable request and so, we started carrying a couple with us each time we take an Uber. We just start conversing with the drivers and the topic of religion and who we are always comes up. We usually leave them with a Book of Mormon and some more information. Some ask to have the missionaries visit them
One of the drivers we left a book with is named Leonardo. While we were talking, he kept saying, "You did not get into my car by accident." We told him that he was right. He dropped us off and we did not think we would see him again. However, he kept running into situations that involved the church, a drop off near a church, or a pick up and he started reading the book. Later, he met a man near his house who told him about the missionaries. He met with them and told them that he had received a Book from an old bald gringo with a much more beautiful wife than you would think... You can guess where this is going.
The elders told us about him. We got to participate with them teaching him and last night Rich was honored to baptize him. It sounds like one of those General Conference stories. We went to church with him where he was confirmed today.
We definitely let ourselves get behind the eight ball on this blog. Three weeks have gone by and we feel like too much has happened to even begin catching up.
However, here goes. Just after our last blog we had a group of missionaries come in. Just to put this into perspective, These missionaries arrived from: the Sao Paolo Brazil Missionary Training Center MTC, The Mexico City (DF) MTC, The Peru, Lima MTC and a group of missionaries who have been working in The United States in various missions while awaiting their visas. Some who arrived to us, are waiting for mission visas in Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico. Indeed, one group is made up of Peruvians who went to the MTC in Mexico, came back to Peru to await visas to Mexico, Cuernavaca and two are going out to Colombia. The visa waiting has resulted in a huge pea and shell game. On the day they arrived, Rich made two runs to the airport to pick up three different groups who came in from different directions.
We are happy to have them. We put them to work and they are generally great with the idea of serving while they wait.
We have had cause to frequent parts of Lima, we have never seen before. Some of these qualify among the sketchiest parts of the world we have been in and that opens a lot of imagination space. We went right down into the ghetto part of central Lima to a chapel we have driven past but never been in for a baptism. It was a wonderful experience.
Most lately we went to a chapel out in the boondocks at night to meet two missionaries who have had some health struggles and check in on them. On our way, our Uber broke down. We had to call for another, got complained about by the driver who abandoned us and got a guy who was super interested in what we are doing here. A lot of drivers ask what in the world we are doing here going to these dicey places. We oblige them and usually leave them a Book of Mormon to boot.
We took the elders who have had some struggles to dinner. We found a less sketchy place to eat while they told us about a recent armed assault where the bandits took their phone and wallet. We had a great visit with them. They were pretty up beat and love what they are doing despite a few challenges.
The missionaries have had a bunch of health issues. The weather has turned misty here and so there are a colds and flu going around. We have had several appointments for foot problems from ankle sprains to ingrown toenails. Somebody pointed out that these are all elders, go figure. We have lots of stomach ailments and intestinal discomfort. Sometimes we find out they have tried to "Tough it out," until they are really sick, they are all so young. We are grateful to be here where we can put our best foot forward and help them do the things they have been called to do.
We don't get to teach with them near as much as we would like, but we love being with them We love our mission and feel truly blessed to be here.
Are your missionaries eating meals wirh a pensionista? That was the system while we were there and it cut down stomach ailments.
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