Lindstroms in Lima: Leaving is so Hard to Do!

A Week of Trainings

We started off the week with new missionaries coming to the mission. It is a fun moment to welcome them with cheers and high fives. Then we stayed for their training. We had a lot of down time when President and Sister Amato were interviewing each new missionary. The missionaries decided that we would play a game called "Signs". It involves a lot of slapping your thighs and clapping. Each person chooses a "sign" which is some kind of hand movement, like crossed arms, peace sign, hang loose sign, etc. Then the leader begins. He does his sign and then does the sign of someone else. That person must receive his sign (he does his sign) and then do the sign of a another person. All this while clapping in rhythm and the clapping keeps getting faster. It was a lot of fun for all.

The next training was for the new English Specialists in each zone. We are starting a new English learning program and the specialists are the ones that will be teaching it each week. I am over the program. The missionaries are really excited about it and were excited to be in the training.

English Specialist Training

The final training of the week was for missionaries three transfers out from going home. It is the new self reliance training for the missionaries. This first training involved the missionaries taking a vocational interest test. Many of them do not know what they want to do when they get home. This is to give them ideas where their interests lie. It will also help them decide if they need a college education or vocational training. Thor is in charge of the program with the help of President Amato and Miguel Serrano.

Missionaries taking vocational interest test

Elder Lindstrom with the missionaries at the training

Something Musical

The Mayoragzo Stake put on a special musical night. They had a line up of piano numbers and one classical guitarist. There were many beautiful numbers played. One young man played two selections, one was from Japan and the other from South Korea. They were both really impressive. One of our missionaries, Hermana Lindquist played an arrangement of "If You Could Hie to Kolob". She did a great job. The highlight of the night was a nine year old boy. He started playing the piano one year ago. He doesn't read music yet. He plays by ear. He was truly amazing and played some great songs with great enthusiasm.

The Classical Guitarist

All the musicians

We had four sister missionaries to our house after the music night. We had made cookies for the first time in Peru and wanted to share them. It was fun to have them over. The young missionaries always have questions for us. Some of them are: What do you do for p-day? (preparation day) What is your schedule like? Do you cook?

Something Spiritual

Our friend, Sister Lilly Rosario left for home this past week. She is a single senior missionary in her early 40's. She is a convert of just four years. She has done an amazing job here in Peru. She learned Spanish, she got the EnglishConnect program going, she has been involved with the Pathways program, and many other things. She is a very talented and dedicated woman.

When Sister Rosario got to the airport on Monday night, she thought she would be home in Durango, Colorado the next day. She didn't realize that the Lord had other plans for her!

That night there were also eight young missionaries going home. The plane had mechanical difficulties and couldn't take off. The missionaries were all delivered to a hotel in the early morning hours. Sister Rosario was the only one with a phone. She began making calls to mission presidents and families.

The next day she took them all to the zoo! Then that night is was back to the airport for the second attempt to go home. It didn't work, they couldn't get the plane door to close. So back to the hotel they all went. More phone calls and parents getting a little frantic.

Sister Rosario with the missionaries at the zoo

The next afternoon Sister Rosario took all the missionaries to the Lima Temple! Then it was back to the airport. The plane actually left that night. There were more delays and those going to Utah didn't get in until Thursday night! What an adventure!

Sister Rosario with the missionaries at the Temple

What a blessing Sister Rosario was to those young missionaries. She was in the right place at the right time. The Lord knew that those missionaries would need someone to look out for them and it was Sister Rosario.

Hopefully we are in the right place at the right time to look out for those that the Lord would have us watch over.