Lane & LeAnn Mission Blog

Peru- July 31, 2022

July 31, 2022

¡Felices Fiestas Patrias! (Happy Independence Day!)

Peru celebrates their Independence on July 28^th and 29^th and we loved seeing the festive red and white banners decorating the streets and windows. There were fireworks and concerts and other displays of celebration. But the best part for us was the drastic reduction in traffic! We were able to drive to the other side of our mission in record time 35 minutes compared to the usual 1 hour. I suppose this bonus negates the loud concerts that blasted past 4:00am!

This week we received 2 new elders – one from Panama and one from the US. They are both nearing the end of their missions and squeaked in just under the 6 month cut-off. They will be great assets to our mission.

We also visited several of the missionaries’ apartments with Sister Manly this week. We love doing this. Ironically, the first house we visited on Thursday happened to be the very first house we visited with Sister Packard back in September 2021. (See pics for more details of our week.)

We love these truths from The Living Christ – The Testimony of the Apostles:

“[Jesus] ‘went about doing good’ (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come…”

“…He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.”

¡Que tengan una semana fantástica! (Have a fantastic week!)

Love,

Lane & LeAnn

Our 2 new elders with the Manlys.

It was good to get out of the office a couple of days this week to go see some missionaries out in the field and visit missionary apartments with Sister Manly. It was a fun journey and somewhat of a an unplanned surprise when we realized that the first apartment we visited at the far end of the south-east side of our mission was the exact same house that Lane's sister Corinne took us to visit the very first day we arrived in Lima nearly a year ago!

This is the first house we visited. Looks a little rough from the street view, but is actually quite decent once you get inside the fenced area.

Front view from inside the fenced area. Missionaries live on the top floor.

These two keep a very tidy apartment, even with all the Lima dust. Their floor literally gleamed! (Elder M loves his Texas flag!)

An interesting aspect about toilets and landlords here is that many don't provide toilet seats. Their perspective is that toilet seats are personal items, so they don't provide them. And, actually, many people don't seem to use them at all.

Another missionary apartment we visited was on the fourth floor of this building, with a stair case that did not give any confidence of being safe and sturdy. But at least this one was a little better than some of the tight-fitted spiral staircases we've seen.

These two elders are both very artistic, and showed us some amazing artwork they had created.

And they had also put together a very creative collage of images on their wall.

Managing the descent down the fun staircase.

The missionaries live on the second floor of this building. Unfortunately, one of the missionaries that just arrived from the States less than a month ago already sprained his ankle extremely badly (playing sports, of course!). He and his companion are now stuck inside for some time. Not good. But missionaries playing sports seems to be a consistent source of debilitating injuries.

The apartment of these missionaries is tucked away down a gated alley.

(Note: the red car is not the missionaries' car. Our missionaries don't have cars or bikes ... they walk or take public transportation.)

Someone in this complex has an amazing green thumb ... we walked past many potted plants along the walkway.

A back window view from their apartment. It's weird to see the actual rock that lies under the dirt facade.

The elder in the red sweater returns home in August. And the missionary in gray arrived recently from the US.

Next stop ... the sister missionaries who live on the 3rd floor of this building.

These sisters did some significant cleaning after the last transfer, as this apartment wasn't left in the greatest shape. But they've got things under control now.

Waving good-bye from their window.

These elders live on the ground floor.

These elders are awesome and we love their awesome whiteboard planning! The elder on the left was one of our office trainers when we arrived in Peru, and the elder on the right was the elder studying pre-med who gave his prior companion (who'd been bit by a dog) his rabies shots.

We continue to purchase apartment supplies as we prepare to open more apartments for the stream of missionaries that have been coming. Lane will usually purchase large items like refrigerators, mattresses, and desks, at the respective store, and then hire one of the local guys on the spot that are waiting out in front of the stores to transport the goods to our bodega (storage unit).

Just a little perspective of driving to one of the "Home Depot" type of stores to purchase items for apartments.

This area is near where we occasionally attend church at the Chinchasuyo ward. It is always amazing to see how the people build their homes up on the hills.

Next to our apartment we saw some of the school youth practicing a dance for their July 28 Peru independence day celebration.

On P-day we visited Kennedy Park in Lima (named after John F. Kennedy). Fun to see lots of local artists and vendors.

These vendors were selling the more traditional Peruvian souvenir-type goods.

LeAnn was starting to panic as we haven't seen American peanut butter in the stores for months. Back in January we thought we'd stocked up enough to last us through our mission, but we were down to a half jar. LeAnn almost started singing the Hallelujah Chorus when she found this at the grocery store on Friday.

Lane has a fascination with zampoñas and was excited to find this bigger set at the Inka Market on Saturday ... now just to get them home safely!

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Peru- July 24, 2022

July 24, 2022

We saw the sun and blue sky today and it felt glorious! Here in Lima we are in the “dead of winter” which still seems so strange to us. It’s not that the temperature is so unbearably cold (57° - 66° F), but because none of the buildings/apartments have central heat it just feels chilly all day… and there’s no easy way to warm up. Even the office elders often keep their jackets/coats on while they work. Lane is the only person who seems to appreciate this weather. He’s often out running around buying missionary supplies which means a lot of walking, loading, and unloading.

This past week was our actual “Transfer” week and we received 8 new missionaries – 5 Peruvians and 3 Americans. The travel here in South America is opening up more and we are hoping to be able to send our “temporary” missionaries (Peruvian missionaries who were originally called to other countries but couldn’t travel due to closed borders and Covid restrictions) to their originally-assigned missions.

Love this thought:

“Some mistakenly receive the message that repentance and change are unnecessary. God’s message is that they are essential. But doesn’t God love us despite our shortcomings? Of course! He loves us perfectly. I love my grandchildren, imperfections and all, but that does not mean I don’t want them to improve and become all they can become. God loves us as we are, but He also loves us too much to leave us this way. Growing up unto the Lord is what mortality is all about. Change is what Christ’s Atonement is all about. Not only can Christ resurrect, cleanse, console, and heal us, but through it all, He can transform us to become more like Him.” (Bradley R. Wilcox)

¡Que tengan una semana fantástica! (Have a fantastic week!)

Love,

Lane & LeAnn

It's been a long-standing tradition to take the missionaries who have finished their missions to the Faro de la Marina (the lighthouse) and to see the ocean. This transfer we only had 1 missionary leaving. The Manly's invited us to tag along.

We also enjoyed seeing the beautiful ocean from the Lima cliffs, although the consistently hazy, low-hanging clouds around Lima rarely allow for a good, clear view.

She chose TGI Fridays as the place for dinner!

The departing sister shared her testimony with all the missionaries on a Zoom call.

Our departing sister (Sister M ... wearing pink) showed us this picture that she had in a little photo album...it was recently taken at a mission event. The sister on the right (Sister L) was her Young Women's leader back in their hometown (They're about 6 years different in age.). When Sister M found out that her former YW leader was putting in her papers to serve a mission, Sister M prayed and prayed that Sister L would also be called to the Peru Lima North Mission ... and she was! Sister L arrived in our mission last August. With over 400 missions in the church that Sister L could have been called to, it was an answer to Sister M's prayers that she was called here!

Our new arrivals with President and Sister Manly. Can you pick out the 3 Americans?

Sister C (on the left) is in great hands with Sister L!

Working out taxi rides for the new missionaries and their companions.

The office, like all the missionary apartments, has no heating. So it stays quite chilly in the office throughout the day in the winter time, and this office elder's solution is to wrap up in the traditional Peruvian outer clothing.

This senior fellow is always at his "spot" on the sidewalk playing recorded traditional music through a loud speaker, and singing along with it using his microphone, and seeking any donations he can get. When I passed by this day he happen to be taking a little snooze in between all the hard work.

A puppeteer with his skeleton puppet entertaining those of us waiting at a stoplight. He was blasting "You Ain't Nothin' but a Hound Dog" from a boombox.

And then there's this again ... one of the "Pop-Up" rooms blocking our entire street last night. Thankfully it was a quiet party ... we didn't hear any loud music or other noise ... and it was gone this morning.

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Peru- July 17, 2022

July 17, 2022

We received 6 American missionaries this past week! They’ve been serving their missions in Reno, NV; Boise, ID; Salem, OR; Scottsdale, AZ; Layton, UT; and SLC, UT. All 6 of them flew down on the same flight, which arrived in Lima at 5:15am. On Monday night, we’d set up 6 air mattresses in the “sala” (or conference room) so they were able to catch about 2 hours of sleep before we started the paperwork process – scanning ID’s, taking passport photos and fingerprints for their migrations document, verifying contact information, etc. They also have a brief interview with President and Sister Manly. Then the Assistants and the Manlys conduct an orientation and training meeting with them.

The words that have been showing up multiple times in my personal journal are: busy, crazy, and crazy busy … and that’s how it’s been. In the evenings we’ve been running to the stores to buy housing supplies – pillows, pan sets, utensils, mirrors, etc. (and actually, Lane has had to do a lot of purchasing of large supplies – desks, bookcases, mattresses, etc. – during the day.)

Of course, we have to have something unexpected crop up on Saturday night, namely, finding out that one of our missionaries who is returning home didn’t get his Covid booster vaccine (which is required for his flight on Tuesday). So, we ended up scheduling a Covid test and arranging travel for him to get to the test. It’s all part of the fun. Thank heavens for online scheduling and WhatsApp messaging!

Today we attended the Chinchaysuyo ward which is fairly near our apartment. LeAnn’s fears were realized when she was called upon to read aloud 7 verses from the Old Testament (in Spanish) in Sunday School and then give the opening prayer at the baptism which followed sacrament meeting. Even though we’ve been here 10+ months, we’re not proselyting missionaries and therefore aren’t out speaking with people … meaning … LeAnn’s Spanish is rough. But she did it and lived!

We love this scripture which was shared at the baptism:

“Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.” (2 Nephi 9:50-51)

¡Que tengan una semana fantástica! (Have a fantastic week!)

Love,

Lane & LeAnn

Six air mattresses prepared in our conference room to let the newly arriving missionaries rest for an hour or so before all the fun begins.

2 of our new Americanos heading out to meet their companions.

And 2 more ...

And 2 more!

President and Sister Manly already forging out driving on the wild, lawless roads of Lima!

With all the new missionaries coming, we've had to find and open many new apartments for the missionaries to live in. Lane bought six mattresses from the store down the road called "Mundo Muebles" (World Furniture). He was expecting a small truck to deliver the mattresses, but instead, they all arrived on top of a small car. Well, five were tied on top, and one was placed inside (this pic was taken after 2 mattresses had already been unloaded).

The school right next door to our apartment held some anniversary celebrations this week. Bands playing, speakers, and kids singing and chanting.

They also crafted what seemed to be the school emblem out on the road, using some kind of loose material like flower petals or something.

Then they carried something and danced on the crafted emblem.

Night celebrations at the school.

Preparation for celebrations at the school.

Daytime celebrations at the school.

We attended a ward in the area where two of our office elders teach. The sister teaching Sunday School did a great job, although we definitely don't understand everything. The Spanish often still sounds like mumbo jumbo. Although face masks are still required in public buildings, we haven't seen as many people using face shields lately. So this was a little surprising to see her teaching with a face shield. Lane felt like he needed to cut a hole in the shield so he could hear her speak. As another surprise, during the lesson the instructor came to the back of the room where we were hiding and asked LeAnn to read seven long verses from the Old Testament out loud! She did great! Although who knows whether anyone understands our Gringo Spanish.