Mass Immigrations And A Break-in
We can’t believe we’re at the end of April! We travel stateside, with permission, on May 8th and return on May 19th for family needs. We have extended our mission until June of 2025 for any who have not heard.
We have been busy with medical appointments, payments, and last week, in three trips, Rich took twenty-two missionaries to Migraciones to pick up their Carnés de Extranjeria. (The card that gives them permission to live here in Perú.)
The Zone Conferences this week were powerful. What a blessing and privilege to be taught by the President of the South America Northwest Area, Elder Jorge Zeballos and his wife Hermana Carmen Zeballos. Also, President and Hermana Plumb. How we love them and our missionaries. We are truly grateful to be here.
After one of our days of conference, Rich got a panicked call from our other senior missionary. He was alone in the office when a very drugged-up/psychotic guy with a dog came in. He broke three locks in a rampage to find a girl who he said was locked in the basement. He claimed he had been told she was there. He kept saying he could hear her.
He did not harm anyone. He was someone who spoke Spanish but English was his first language. He looked and sounded like someone from East L.A. He had a dog with him who was remarkably well behaved through it all. That is not always a given since a lot of dogs here bite our missionaries. It was pretty tense. We had the physical facilities guys come in and put everything back together the next day.
We have no basement in our building. We learned that the locks were not all that safe. He was not a particularly astute burglar and had no trouble getting through our defenses. We also learned that none of us had a clue how to call the police. We do now…
We helped with a sister who has a catheter for dialysis and it cannot get wet. We found the means to protect it and provided it to the sisters. She was baptized on Friday night and it went well. We went to see her confirmed on Sunday.
We received an invitation to teach with two of our young Hermanas. It was a special and very spiritual teaching opportunity. Furthermore, to hear the two of them who are the only members in their families and who have left everything for this service was especially moving. We know so many who have so much but can't see their way clear to serve a mission.
Rich held five baptismal interviews and we have been able to attend some of those baptisms. What a blessing for us to witness some of the changes in these people. We have felt the Spirit so strongly during these baptisms. It is one of the great privileges of our time here.
In one case a sister named Nataly, who Rich interviewed, has been wanting to be baptized for four years. Various circumstances always deterred her. She first decided to be baptized when Covid hit and shut everything down and they could not hold any meetings. She moved twice but always sought out the missionaries. Her testimony is powerful and she bore hers Saturday night. She said the water was cold but she felt like she was on fire, her skin was hot and burning, her heart was pounding. She is so grateful that she’s finally baptized. We felt the Spirit from the beginning to end of the service. What a powerful evening!
Comments
Post a Comment