Elder Cook visits Lima

We went to Lima this week for the world wide missionary training, a visit with Elder Cook, to help with a Capilla Abierta (open house at a chapel) and a few other things that needed to be done while we were  in Lima. All of the missionaries from our mission and from Lima Central mission got to attend this meeting with Elder Cook.  So we got to see some of the missionaries who had served in Nasca and Marcona since we arrived.

Sister Billette is now in Lima.

Sister Onate is in Lima.

Elder Larracilla is in Lima

Elder Lucero is now companions with elder Larracilla.

Elder Gutierrez is in Lima.

Sister Herrera and Sister Mayberry were very happy to meet again. They are definitely kindred spirits.  

Sisters Herrera, Mayberry and Luna.

Elder Olhaiser was one of our zone leaders in Nasca when we arrived.  It was so good to see him again  

Sister Ybanez will be going home to Argentina soon. 

We took an afternoon bus tour to see the sights of Miraflores. 

A little Italian dinner with the Airds. 

Here we were helping with an open house.  Elder Record who is the secretary to the Area presidency is running things and the sister missionaries are teaching of Christ in the background. 

 We went to the mission office for the world wide training and to get some of the supplies we will need to run the open chapel program in the stakes and districts in the south part of the mission. 

At our feet are the banners that will be displayed at the open chapels.  They are a little heavy and there are 9 of them so president got a couple young missionaries to help carry them out to the car.  We spent most of our free time from then on in hardware stores, big and small and every other kind of store that might have something to put these banners in so we could put them on the bus to Nasca.  They are a little fragile and they will be doing a lot of traveling with us.  When we got to the bus the young man loading the luggage asked if they were fragile and then took great care in putting them in the bus where they wouldn't be damaged on the long ride home. Prayers were answered! 

At the Capilla Abierta in Lima with Hermana Record.

Elder Record at the Capilla Abierta in Lima. He is the Executive Secretary for the Area Presidency.

Inspections in Ica

We love watching the street sweepers when we go out bright and early.  Every morning they are out there on the main roads sweeping the roads and even mopping the sidewalks throughout the downtown area. 

We were gathered at the bus stop as Mirella left on her mission.  We got her sent off but she had some glitches in her travel and passport arrangements in Lima.  She missed her plane but she stayed with her aunt and made it to Columbia the next morning.

Just a few of the ward young women and Hna Fernandina with Mirella at the bus terminal.  We will miss her but she has hopes to come to Gringolandia to see us someday.

  They are having an object lesson about not having the Spirit in a companionship is like having a door between you and it blocks the ability to work well together.

We traveled to Ica for interviews with President McGinn.  While we were waiting, we went on room inspections with Hna McGinn and the office elders Grantham and Mesa.  

Hna Linares has been having some leg pain and is trying to get down the stairs - wouldn't you know - they live on the third floor!

Elder Mesa finishing up some paperwork with Elder Stevens who was not feeling really great that day - poor guy! 

No points here.  After room inspections, the office elders were still in critic mode and poor Hna McGinn's van didn't stand a chance after the dirt roads it had been on.

Curt picks some interesting trails for walking.  There is a donkey under all of those corn stalks. 

Floors are not always level.  We got another rain yesterday and water ran into the kitchen and down the hall into our bedroom.

We got to skype this week and see these beautiful, active girls show us how they do burpees!

We got kisses too (or at least grandpa did).  

It Rains In Nasca

The river has been running due to the rains in the mountains.  One night as we were crossing the bridge the sides of the river and the bridge were packed with people waiting for the water to come down.  It doesn't flow this much very often. Some years they go without any real measurable rain here in Nasca but this year it has rained.  People had to go out and buy plastic to go over their roofs or their things to keep the rain off.  We know how heavy the rains are at night by the amount of water on our kitchen floor in the morning. The laundry room doesn't have a roof and the water goes under the door into the house.

Pres. Galagarza and Curt moving some equipment out of the family history center.

I'm late with posting this information but our district Elders this transfer consists of Maydana (Bolivia), Fernandez (Argentina), Peterson (AZ), Anstead (UT).   

Before they caught their bus back to Marcona, we sent off the mission bag after district meeting and took these Elders out to lunch.

Picture is Curt and I, Hermana Serveleon and her companion for the next couple of days, Daniella and Hermano Zamudio.  He had come to Peru for a visit from Utah and was able be there as Mirella was set apart Sunday by Pres. Tejada.  He was one of the missionaries here when she was first joining the church.

Some of the Nasquenian young women.

The Ventura family and the Elders had a great family home evening.  Afterwards we circled around for a game showing how well we knew our scriptures.

It got a little competitive (Elder Mayberry) and there was much laughter, and maybe some shouting, and a bit of complaining and or gloating.

Everyone had a good time and we are grateful we can spend time with these good people. 

Summertime - time to cut off some of this hair!

Grape Harvest Time

Curt is offering candy to motivate us during English class. We were having a competition my Spanish vs. their English.

Danara and her dad Edgar visiting a bit after class is over. 

The bus line we use Cruz de Sur has some construction going on at their Nasca station.  We watched them as we waited for our bus that was coming from Tacna and would take us to Lima. 

The bus had been stopped by Customs and was running quite late.  After they picked us up, they made a stop at this little roadside market for anyone needing a quick snack to tide them over until we got to Lima.  

Reading some of the menu at La Lucha. A yummy little sandwich shop in Mira Flores across the street from Kennedy Park. I love eating out when we go to Lima! We went to a Capilla Abierta training.  We've been asked to help the stakes and districts in the southern part of the mission offer open houses in their various chapels. We are looking forward to getting started.

Three Kings Day finishes up the Christmas holidays for us here in Peru.  As you can see, the bus terminal is packed with holiday travelers. 

Mirella and Damaris are printing out Mirella's plane and bus tickets. 

Sunday I had a couple of moments that weren't so great.  While in the shower, there was a loud pop with flames.  The electrical wires had melted through and shorted out. No more hot water.  Later that day, Curt left his smart phone in a taxi. Uugh!  Curt was able to replace the water heater on Monday morning but the phone is gone. His phone took really clear pictures and we'll miss it!

Our new shower is so much nicer!  There is plenty of water and it is actually warm. I am so blessed that I married such a capable man!

The grapes are ripe so we spent some of our p-day this week picking and cleaning up the grapes. The birds and bees were going to finish them off before we got them done if we waited any more.

We don't have a ladder so Curt just had to climb around on the walls. Sometimes if he couldn't reach well, he'd clip them and I'd catch them from below. Sometimes I think he just chose the juiciest, messiest ones for me to try and catch.

After cleaning up our mess we took bags of grapes around to our friends and neighbors. Hopefully now our front porch won't have quite as much sticky on it.

Finished up our Monday helping Mirella complete her family history booklet to take on her mission with her.