Peru Iquitos Mission

Hey everybody!

So this week was good.  I didn’t get to write yesterday because we had interviews with President Blunck and Hermana Blunck came around to all of the rooms to make sure we weren’t just living in our own filth.  We aren’t, so we only had to clean for about an hour that morning to perfect it.  Haha but yeah, nothing all that new in the interviews because I already know I’m staying in the mission Iquitos.  Oh and the offices are under construction here in Iquitos.  AKA they’re remodeling one of the giant chapels here that recently had wards combine and move to another location so we could have the offices there. The offices will be up and running here in Iquitos in 2 weeks, or about 3 months before the mission officially opens so that they can get everything up and running.  So it looks like I won’t be going back to Lima for anything ever again, unless I have to do more paperwork there.  The only bummer with this is that I have a bunch of stuff that says Misión Perú Lima Norte…what am I supposed to do with that? Does that mean I get to say I served 2 missions? Haha [YES is what I say!]

So I was really stressing out this weekend because we have this family set to get married this week and baptized this weekend, however, on Saturday night the Zone leaders called to tell us that the people in Lima that needed to go and get the birth certificate of the dad couldn’t find it where we thought it was so they were going to look yesterday morning and if it wasn’t there then we had no idea what to do or where to look.  I really hate it when things are just taken out of my hands and I don’t have any control over the way things happen but sometimes you just have to wait, pray, and hope.  [Hmmm.  Control freak?  Might sound familiar… must get it from his dad]  So for all of you, I’m sure you’ve felt that at one point or another in your life so just remember that patience is a virtue.  Wait, pray and hope.  We got a call last night telling us that it is on its way and should be here today or tomorrow so we’re good to go.

We have this older investigator named H* who is awesome but a bit spacey at times.  We can be talking about the priesthood, baptism or anything and he has a completely unrelated story that he just has to tell us.  He has one that is his favorite that I’ve heard 3 times in one lesson.  Here’s an abbreviated version:

“I was walking with my friend, and she asked me how I know that God exists.  So I stopped and paused to think and told her first of all-- that flower.  There is the existence of God.  Second, when the sun goes down and the stars come out.  There is the existence of God.  Third, when the sun rises in the morning.  All of those things point to the existence of God.” 

He says it much better than that and with a lot of emotion and every time he starts that story I can’t help but crack a huge smile.  He also changes his proof every time but those are the three most common.  The guy is awesome though.  And while I tell the story in a joking manner, he is very right and it is very profound, I just don’t think he needs to tell it as often as he does. 

I love you guys and I hope you have a great week!!!

Elder Peacock

P.S. We asked him about the new Church policy reported HERE which says that missionaries can now email people other than family, to which he replied:

“yeah, I don't know how real this is. Prez told us about 2 weeks ago we can only email family.”

So I guess the new policy has not made it to Peru yet…

And, I miss getting pictures of Elder Peacock.  Maybe we’ll get back to normal next week.  Mother’s Day (and the promised phonecall) is right around the corner though!