Sunshine in Lima

Something Amazing

We started the week at Self Reliance Training in the Church Office building in Salt Lake City, Utah. We were in a group with four other great couples: The Hilton's (from our MTC district) heading to Taiwan, the Evans' heading to Tahiti, the Sheffield's heading to Little Rock, Arkansas and the Ormsby's heading to Vanuatu Port Vila (they were told the best snorkeling gear to get!). We had a great two days learning (not enough) about Self Reliance, the Pathways program, a little about English Connect and How to Thrive as a Missionary Couple (they don't want us to kill each other, since we never get a new companion!). Some of our trainers were Elder and Sister Bohman and Dwayne Saviano.

The Something Amazing happened on the second day.  We went down to lunch at the cafeteria and low and below there was our nephew, Elder Taylor Keeley!  What a surprise.  He is serving in the Family History department and it is his last week. It was so fun to see him for a few minutes.

Wednesday, June 19th was the day that we left the Salt Lake International airport for Lima, Peru via a layover in Atlanta Georgia. Thanks for the picture and the early morning ride to the airport,  Mari!

 This is our apartment at 193 Calle Montevideo in La Molina.  We live on the second floor, so you can see our windows just above the cars.  Katie and Mark would be happy to know that we have old lady curtains in our apartment! It is really nice--2 bedrooms, a study, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, and a large living/dining area. No central heating and the building is made of cement and it is winter here! The only place to get really warm is the shower.

 These beautiful flowers greeted us as we came into our apartment. They are a gift from the OyM group. They are the ones that set up and take care of the apartments.
A big Thank you our mentor couple, Elder Brian and Hermana Pam Ames! They have been wonderful to take us to places we need to go, shopping, and just helping us settle in.

Something Funny

This is my something funny picture.  We went to the market and found these chickens hanging up!

The something funny that happened is that we walked to the grocery store and got an Uber to bring us home. There are several streets with the name of Montivideo. We went to the wrong one first. It was in a different section of Lima. We had quite the ride and saw lots of new things.

Something Spiritual 

 Today, Sunday, June 23 we took a walk because the SUN was shining! It doesn't happen here in the winter very much. We went to a park and found a group of youth doing a HEFY(Humanitarian Especially for Youth) program. They are here helping to build a school in another part of the city. Today they were enjoying the sun and writing notes to their parents. They had been to church earlier in the day. It was a lot of fun to visit with them.

Seeing the sun and blue skies reminded me that we all need to focus on the "Son" especially when it is gray and dreary.  When we remember Him we can feel of His warmth and His Love.  It is always there for us. I have this written twice in the margin of my scriptures--the prescription for darkness in us is always light. I love President Hinckley's favorite scripture found in D&C 50:24:
"That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter until the perfect day."

You can actually see mountains! and blue skies! and feel the warmth of the sun!