Changes

We had another group leave the mission field this week.  It was a big one.  24 total.  We had the largest number of missionaries that we have worked with and gotten to know in this group.  Out of the 24 total, we personally know 10 of them.  We knew all but one of the sisters.  The first sister on the left was new to us, but left to right after her is Hnas. Woodbury (who helped us get the English classes off the ground in Puno and wants to get involved with Daily Dose back home in Sandy, UT), Hansen (from Arizona), Ruiz (from Lima) and Illacsa (from Lima).  Hna. Illacsa was one of the first missionaries we met when we arrived.  She was serving in the Ttio ward that we moved into when we first got here.  She and her companion were the first ones to visit us and ask us what we would be doing and how they could help us.  Such a sweetie.

The elders that we knew and worked with are:  Front row to the right of Elder Rhoades: Elder Rosales & then Elder Yallico.  Second row l-r: Elder Tandazo from Ecuador in the grey suit, Elder Sarmiengo from Paraguay.  He was working in the office for awhile and speaks very good English.  Elder Villchez from Santiago, Chile.  He was very shy and Elder Rhoades would always tell him what a handsome guy he was whenever we saw him to try to build up his self-esteem.  Back row first one on the right:  Elder Munoz.  He was from Ecuador and what an amazing piano player.  Couldn't read a note of music, all from ear, yet he knew how to transpose and embellish any hymn or song you could think of.  His family is in the entertainment business in Ecuador.  He has been serving in Cusco ever since we got here back at the end of June.

This group got a new version of the self-reliance training.  We updated our presentation to incorporate the new material.  This was also the first group we presented without Carlos Hale.  Javier presented his material, but it just wasn't the same.  Carlos is very dynamic and entertaining to listen to.  Javier is quiet, serious and just doesn't have the commanding presence that Carlos has.  Our presentation was a bit rough as well.  We went last and so we were short changed a bit on time and of course had way more information than we had time for.  Hopefully, this new presentation will get better each time we give it, just like our other presentation has.

With the changes at the end of February some of the sectors were closed or rearranged as we didn't have as many missionaries coming in as going out.  The two zones here in Cusco, have now turned into four - Cusco, Inti Raymi, Tahuantinsuyo & Los Incas.  This has turned our Tuesday/Thursday English classes with the missionaries into a very large group as I believe both Cusco & Tahuantinsuyo zone is attending that class.  We have 30+ missionaries and probably about half of them are gringos.  We are trying to put them to work helping us teach these classes.  As this week's lesson was Ordering in a Restaurant, we role-played that very thing.

 We assigned the gringo missionaries to be the waiters/waitresses and had the Latin missionaries sit at tables and order off of an actual menu from Chili's.

 Hna. Rhoades was the restaurant manager.

 We put many of the gringo elders to work in the kitchen.  They had to make quick drawings of the ordered items for the waiters/waitresses to take out to them.

Here are the cooks working hard to draw up the food.  It seemed to be a fun activity for them.

The changes have made the Inti Raymi English lessons quite small.  We now have only about 10 attending those classes.  Wish we could move some from the large group over to the smaller group.

Here's a group photo of our Inti Raymi zone English class before the changes took place.  We knew we were going to lose a number of the missionaries. Three went home and Elder Webb in the back on the left was transferred to Puerto Maldonado.

We continue to be busy in the center.  Dave took some photos of us hard at work there.

 Looking into the area of our center where we have six laptops available for people to use.

 The bottom photo shows me at work in the main office and the top photo shows me asking our former volunteer, Zoila, to be a facilitator for one of our self-reliance groups and to the right is a current volunteer, Victor.  He is handicapped and walks with a walker, but he likes to come in and help us do phone calls.

One of our English students, Jaime Reyes (the son of the bishop of Ttio ward) got his mission call this week and invited us to be present when he opened it.  So after our English class on Friday night we headed over to the chapel where they held the event.

 Jaime is the one in the suit.  His brother, Jeremiah, sits next to him.  They are both very quiet and shy.

 Jaime opening his letter and reading off where he will be serving.  He is going to Colombia, Bogota mission and reports May 20, 2015 to the MTC in Colombia.

Below, Dave caught the reaction of his mom as he read his call.

 Here is a photo of all the youth who were there to support him as he opened his call.  Below is a photo of all our English students who were there. L-R: Jeremiah Reyes, Jaime Reyes, Nefi and Adril Garcia
                                

Look what is hanging up in the Tullumayo chapel where the institute is held.

Can you see our names?  Well at least Dave's name.  I'm only an "esposa".  We have become institute teachers as well.  It starts next week, the first week in March.  We have been gathering up Book of Mormons in English from the mission office and preparing the first lesson.  We have no idea how many students we will have.  One of the requirements for the BYU-Idaho Pathway program to be offered in Cusco is for there to be a senior missionary couple that can head it up as well as a Book of Mormon class being held in English.  Well, we now are complying with those two requirements.  We are trying to find out what else we need.  This is a great program that allows anyone from around the world who is proficient enough in English to be able to study over the internet from BYU-Idaho for a very reduced price - only $325 per semester.  That is one of the reasons why the Latin missionaries are encouraged to study English during their mission so they can have this opportunity to get a good education at a doable price for them.

The church really is doing a lot of things to try to lift the members around the world out of poverty and have a better standard of living.  I just love being a member of Christ's true church that not only wants to help us prosper and progress spiritually but temporally as well.  This church is true and is lead by living prophets!!  What a blessing to be members and have this help in our lives.

Spiritual Thought for the Week: "The Savior focuses on the individual and the family.  His love and tender attention to the individual have taught me that He recognizes the great worth of each of Heavenly Father's children and that it is essential for us to ensure that each individual is ministered to and strengthened by the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The love of Jesus Christ must be our guide if we are to become aware of the needs of those we can help in some way.  The teachings of the Lord, Jesus Christ, show us the way.  We have the special opportunity to be instruments in His hands.  That is our personal ministry as true disciples of Jesus Christ."   Elder Hugo E Martinez, "Our Personal Ministries"  October 2015 General Conference.