Charles and Megan Are Here, Woohoo!

Megan & Charles Arriving

                                                 

San Pedro Market

Beautiful Flowers

                                                                                                   

Plaza de Armas

Plaza de Armas

Incan Wall

Let sleeping dogs lie

Suri Alpaca

All dressed up

Deserted Plaza in a Downpour

The Invisible and Forgotten

We recovered from our trip to Sicuani and worked extra hard this week taking images so we would be free when our daughter Megan and her husband Charles arrive. Monday evening we had a fun pot-luck dinner with the other senior missionary couples at the mission home. The Sandburg’s were able to come from Abancay so there were 10 of us all together. We had great food and a wonderful evening laughing and sharing our mission adventures.

It’s back- to-school time here so the stores are full of shoppers getting ready for school to start next week. Julie was able to teach her English classes and Rich taught the first Pearl of Great Price Institute Class Thursday night. 

Rich had several mission interviews. One in particular stood out, “Spencer Telphenton Terrence Pena Aguirre.” He’s a great young man, but what a name! Julie had a haircut and although it’s wasn’t quite as frightening as it has been, she still misses her dear friend Paula. 

We were in contact as much as possible with Megan and Charles as they traveled on Friday. Happily, they arrived safe and sound in Cusco, early Saturday morning. It is wonderful to have them here and not just because they brought us all kinds of necessities and treats. What a thrill to have Sharpie markers, fabric softener sheets to help with the incredible static electricity, new ties, hats, licorice, spiced jelly beans and lots of other goodies. It was Christmas in March! 

We had a lovely Sabbath and Rich attended the mission presidency meeting in the afternoon and an evening meeting. 

Rich got a mail about a man who wants to change his name on the church records. It is not as simple as just capricious name change. He has two given names. When he was born, his father was from Bolivia and his mother named him. Then at two, he went to live with his father and his father registered him with a completely different set of names in Bolivia. His First name, Luis, is the same in both countries, but his second name, patronymic and matronymic names are all completely different… When Rich brought it up in the presidency meeting the secretary said, “Oh, there are a lot of cases like that...”

On a separate interview, Rich talked with a woman who had testified before a district court judge, under oath that she witnessed her brother’s attack by ten men. Well, she lied and she said, “I am so worried that I will go to jail.“ Rich told her, “Well, yeah, you might but until you get this sorted out you cannot join the church.” People do get themselves in messes.