Week #6

 We started off this week by flying to Lima, with the purpose of getting our "carnets" or Resident ID card.  Like most things involving governments (ours or theirs), nothing goes as expected, and despite 2 days of shuffling between offices and waiting, when we expected to get our cards we were told:  "OK, you can leave now".  This is actually the norm for this process, and if we are lucky, it will only take one more trip to Lima for them to actually hand us the cards, hopefully in about a month.

I should mention though, that if we ever get ambushed in the Amazon, and my head goes floating down the river and is found, that it can be identified by my dental records - or if my headless body is found, it can be identified by my body scars - all thanks to INTERPOL.  We are actually going to the Amazon basin next week, to visit leaders and members in Puerto Maldonado, and we will be taking a river trip, so if you don't hear any more .  .  .

Leaving that note, the highlight of our trip to Lima was a visit to the Lima temple, and a session in Spanish, seeing all the young people there, meeting the wonderful people who work there so selflessly to help us, and seeing "our" elders who have finished their mission, and are routed through Lima on their way home, and their last experience in the mission is going to the temple!  What a great way to cap off the mission experience!

 Here are two fine missionaries, ready to change their status to "returned".  Elders Munoz and Tandazo are both from Ecuador (that's now in our bucket of places to visit).  We worked with them since we arrived in Cusco, and were so happy to give them one last big hug before they go home to meet their families and continue their lives, much enriched by their service.

 A view from our Lima hotel.  It was nice, but facing the street it was NOISY, until way late.  Lima is big, 8+million people, and way spread out.  The weather was warm, and the air dense and heavy (at sea level), a big change from what we have gotten used to.  Now if we could only bag that sea-level air back to Cusco.

 After returning from 3 days in Lima, we had meetings with the Historia Familia leaders in the Inti Raymi and Cusco stakes, along with the mission HF leader, Bro. Meneses (on the left).  Some great events are planned, and we'll be involved in the presentations and follow-up.  We so much admire the testimonies, dedication and faithfulness of the local leaders.

 We were invited to a Young Women (mujeres joven) meeting to present our Historia Familia program.  There were 11 YW, ages 12-17 here, along with 3 adult leaders.  Hna. Ortiz leads the presentation, with Hna. J ready to speak next, and Elder Olsen ready to help with translation.  We took photos, made lots of prints (everybody wanted one of the group photo).  Some of these young women are really dedicated, and have gathered lots of stories and information about their grandparents and beyond.

 On Sunday, we attended the Cusco Ward, in a chapel we had not been to before.  The people were wonderful, and we made lots of appointments with families.  Yes, it really is that steep, I'm standing on the street below the chapel.  It seems like nothing in Cusco is flat.  The day was so nice that Hna. J wanted to walk down the hill, before we got a taxi home.  The sun is bright at hot when it shines, as it did today.

 Toward the bottom of the hill, Bro Meneses caught up with us on his motorcycle.  This is his primary transportation instead of a car, he goes all over Cusco on it, with his wife and son.

 Well, another day, another adventure.  Here's Hna. J during our last power outage, this one went all night so she's working at her desk by flashlight.  Of course our heat was off as well, but the night wasn't cold and we were fine.

Here's a "street view" of our apartment, thanks to Google maps.  There is a security door, flanked by 2 garage doors.  Our apt is on the 3rd floor, on the right, split by the vertical exterior bricks.  The more we get around the city, the more we think our apartment has the best location.  We get taxis right outside the door, just by sticking our hand out, and since we are right next door to the Mall (literally), we get dropped off easily.  We usually take 2 - 3 round trips by taxi each day, in addition to walking.  Every week I go to the bank and change a 100 sol bill for twenty 5 sol coins, which are used just for taxis.  So our local transport costs about $30 - 35 per week, which we gladly pay to avoid having to drive and park in this crazy city.