Lindstroms in Lima: The Little Virus that Changed the World

A Week of Changes

The week started very normal for all of us here in Peru.

Last Sunday Thor had the opportunity to talk in church. There was only time for him to bear his testimony. After we had a lunch invitation. We went to the lovely home of the Zuniga family. They are in our barrio (ward) in Cieneguilla. What a delightful few hours we spend with them and the sister missionaries (Hermanas Segundo and Luna). We found out that they have two sons that are both serving missions. The oldest daughter, Mari, has also served. The two girls, Mari and Gabby, and the parents shared some funny stories about their family.

We had an emergency meeting on Friday, March 6th about getting a 2 week food supply for each companionship in the mission. On Monday at our normal office meeting we finalized plans and saw an example of the food they are suppose to buy. (It had to be food that was ready to eat or could be cooked in a microwave. None of them have stoves.)

That evening we had our monthly pot luck Family Home Evening for the senior missionaries at the area offices. We had lots of good food. Then we had a lesson on different leadership styles. We were placed in groups, according to our style. We had to build a free standing balloon tower!

Balloon tower at family home evening

Tuesday was a trip to the Temple. Always so nice and peaceful there. After we had to go to the mission office for Thor to make a video on the two week supply and how they are suppose to take care of it and not open it (it's in a large bag) until they are told that they can.

Wednesday I did a training for the English Specialist in the mission. We are starting on Book 2 of English Connect. To promote more unity in the mission, we had some changes with the English homework that we went through. They received new binders and lesson plans. Added bonus, they told me funny stories about mission life and confessed what they hadn't done in the English lessons (but were suppose to). This is also the day that the church announced changes to General Conference, MTC, and large gatherings.

Elder Allen at the English Specialist Training

Thursday was the announcement that all church meetings throughout the world would be temporarily suspended for the near future. We still planned on having our Pathway students come. They are not a large group. That night just before Pathways was to start we got notification that Pathways was cancelled for the night. We met briefly with our group, many were already there and for some it takes over an hour to get there. We sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" and had a prayer. We will be meeting with them online for the remainder of the semester.

Lima Peru Temple

The trainings for the missionaries that Thor had planned for Friday were cancelled. Friday morning we decided to go to the Temple again. We came home and had lunch. We did our taxes. And then another announcement that the Temples throughout the world would be closing except for living ordinances. We walked over to the Temple once again and did some sealing ordinances. It was a great Temple day!

Pi Day

March 14th is pi day (3.14). We invited our upstairs neighbors down for pie and a game of Five Crowns. We had a lot of fun! It was good to relax for a few hours.

Hermana and Elder Pratt our Five Crown buddies

Sunday in Cieneguilla

This morning we traveled to Cieneguilla to meet with our friends for their worship service.

The Sacrament table all ready in the Guevara home

We arrived and then shortly thereafter the bishop and elders quorom president arrived. A prayer was said and then Brother Guevara was ordained a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood. Bishop Palacios and Brother Zuniga then administered the sacrament and gave it to the seven people in attendance. Bishop and Brother Zuniga left and then we had a testimony from Brother Guevara and a brief lesson from Come Follow Me.

The Guevara Family

It is pretty amazing to think what a blessing that home worship service can be. Children can hear the testimonies of their parents often. They can bear their own testimonies. They can see the priesthood in action by their fathers and older brothers. It was very special for us to be in this humble home and worship and think about our Savior with them.