Week in Review - June 12, 2016 - June 18, 2016

This last week I had told you that I would be going to La Merced (Jungle) and Huanuco, as part of the going away multi-zones for our Mission President Henderson and his wife.  Well, it was an adventure!  A few shining hours of fun in the jungle (Quite literally) and the rest traveling, planning, fixing problems, etc... Hope the pictures do justice...

On Monday we left from Huancayo to La Merced, a journey of about 5 hours, and then got to La Merced and had our quick P-Day to a local set of Waterfalls that I know from a while back... That is on the map below....

The multi-zone went well in La Merced, We ate at a place called Miraflores (Look at the flowers) of which I included pictures.  Ate at a few other places, including Oxen, a restuarante that is owned by British people and they will even speak to you in English! Really Good Food and Milkshakes.  That evening when we got to La Merced we celebrated my birthday, surprise in El Refugio.  Birthday Cake, nice dinner, etc... 

The following day, we traveled from La Merced to Huanuco, one of the worst traveling routes EVER.  About 6 hours and you just don't want to repeat it if you can.  That is shown below.  If you zoom out you can see that trip visibly from the Space Station.  Yes, it was a large travel.  

We get to Huanuco!  All in all things went well over there, I wont lie.  I don't miss Huanuco. But, it was a nice nostalgic moment to be there.  Multi-Zone went well, and very little to report outside of that.  I worked on some immigrations on the way, did some flights, etc... Pretty Productive.  

Also, worthy of mention - our taxi driver that takes us everywhere and takes us to Huatapayllana is getting baptized this week, but required a Special interview from President Henderson for some past issues. Well, just to we know who schedules those special interviews, and when he can do it... So when he was with us in Huanuco, he had his special Interview, and passed!  we are planning the baptism for this evening (Saturday) if all goes well.  He is the husband of our Pensions daughter who is a member, and now they will all be members.  Yea! 

The following day, we returned back to Huancayo.  Home sweet home.  All is well!  the office renovations are FINISHED!  They finished while we were gone (But they stole my chair, I'm still fighting that one) but all is well.  Transfers start today (Saturday) and we will be running on battery power until after the new president comes in on the following week.  Woah.  FYI, I will write, but it might be at odd hours/days based on change in Mission Presidency.  

All in all, we are tired, but keep on pushing on. 

Love you all!

Elder Holmes

Secretario Personal

Misión Perú HUancayo

 

Week in Review - June 5, 2016 - June 11, 2016

So, in the United States the voting process is finished within 24 hours of it starting.  The winner is chosen, and life moves on.  Not here!

It took 5 days, helicoptering votes in, and just watching the votes trickle in little by little. Woah, so for this being the second round, it was extremely close.  Below it says - General Resume of Presidential Elections - 2016

PPK Won: 50.124%
Keiko Lost: 49.876%

IS this a good thing?  Only time will tell.  For the moment it means nothing for us, but on July 28th when they Inaugurate the new President PPK, it might be a bit fun outside.  Other than that, I don't think many things will change.  

We decided which mountain peak we would climb based off of the 3-D rendered images on Google, to see if it was good or not.  So we went!

Changos Bajo.  Took a taxi ride for about 20 minutes to get there (it was a pueblito pretty far out) met at the base of the mountain, and begun the steep climb.  There was no path, we simply climbed to the top of the mountain, (loaded with Cactus and Very Sticky Plants that don't show up in Google Maps) and just made it to the top of the mountain.  Very beautiful view from Jauja (Airport City near Huancayo) to Huancavelica Valley Entrance.  

The rest of the week was filled with planning for the next wave of transfers, Bus Tickets, Plane Tickets, early releases, newbies, etc.... Ugh.  The Office Renovation will pick up speed again when the second shipment of supplies arrive, but until then we are waiting on about 80% completion.  

FYI:  Next week starting on Monday, we will be taking our real P-DAY, but I am doing internet today.  Reason being, is that for the Last Set of Multi-Zones we will be touring the mission with President Henderson, and taking care of a few things in the cities we pass along the way, making sure everything goes over smoothly.  So, this next Monday we will be leaving bright and early to La Merced (Jungle) to get things started over there for the Multi-Zones on Tuesday.  Then on Wednesday we will be on our way to Huanuco for the other corner of the mission, another 7 hours away for another chunk of the mission and their Multi-Zones.  

Slowly but surely things are coming together.  I will hopefully be able to send pictures of our InterMisison Adventures this next Saturday, just know that it will be crazy that day, because the day we get back, we have to begin with the transfers of those who leave the mission, and those who come in. 

Love you all!
-Elder Holmes

Week in Review - May 29, 2016 - June 4, 2016

In these last few weeks we have tried to hit different peaks that are found here in the Huancayo Valley.  So, this last Saturday we went to one of the local peaks we had climbed before, but decided to go even a bit further based on suggestion from President Henderson and his wifes suggestion to keep going until you find Huatapayllana (They went a week before and had done the same)  - So we did. 

Along the way we found a Porta-Potty, An old mine, many fields, air shafts (For the mine) evidence of copper, a lot of sun, Huatapayllana at the top, a cholita hat, and of course you know you haven’t gotten to the top until you have passed the last cholita (see picture) then you are getting pretty close.  

 

This last week they have also been working on our office some more, which includes the de-installation of old Carpet and intense cleaning below (see dirt pile A1).  Interesting story on the carpet.  So, we were supposed to have the carpet installed eons ago by a Lima Company that would have to travel about 8 hours to get to our office and do the work.  Well, on their way up the lovely caraterra central they got into a terrible accident, and the head carpet guy as part of the accident lost a few fingers.  Darn.  FM comes over and gives me the news (they knew I wouldn’t take it well, my desk being outside at the moment for them relocating me so that we could remove all the carpet) and told me.  I won’t lie when I thought he was joking.  I figured they were just messing with me being that I hadn’t had a desk for 3 weeks, and just another little thing would be funny or something. Nope.  But, I found out that if I had bought them a large cake, they would get it installed themselves.  They looked up on YouTube how to do it, and off to work!  We began installation the next day.  I will have installation photos for next week.  

 *It is important to note that I really did need my computer for that day that you see all of our office outside in the church property, and I was like that all day, until the nighttime came. 

We are currently teaching another investigator that is a PF (Part member family) that has a baptismal date for the middle of June.  That will be an interesting one to coordinate, seeing that it falls on a transfer, and the end of a mission president, and the change of a new one.  Ugh.  I wont lie, the calendar from this next Tuesday until I finish my mission is 100% full.  

Speaking of that too, it really doesn’t feel like I have been here for almost two years, I just know that I have a whole lot left to do, and I have no room in my schedule to be trunky, maybe that’s a good thing.  It only really hits me when I am working on Schooling and Working stuff.. Then, my gut does a flip.  But that could also be because I just ate something filled with oil.  

Elections are this Sunday, so as Peruvian Law dictates, all chapels are closed as to allow everyone the ability to vote (as that is a requirement that all vote here) and that there is nothing that will inhibit them to go and make their vote.  This Sunday is the second round, and it will be determined that evening who is the winner of the 2016 Peruvian Elections.  My personal opinion is the following:

Keiko is the people person.  She knows what they want, she even puts on the cholita outfit and goes around.  People really like that.  When you get to the pueblo factor, they are all voting for her.  No, it doesn't really matter to them anymore that her father was also the president who crashed the Peruvian economy and scandaled, and is now extradited from the nation, put in jail.  That doesn't affect anyone anymore…

PPK is the business person.  Worked for the World Bank (Bank that gives nations loans), studied in the States, (as did Keiko) looks like a Gringo, but is Peruvian, and has good plans to stabilize Peruvian Economy.  But, because he doesn't put on the cholita outfit, and visit pueblos and give mushy gushy woman factor politics, it might not be enough for him to win.  

Well that’s it for this week!   Hope you guys are having a great week and that your political campaigns aren't filled with cholita dressed Future Presidents, or Streets filled with Fair Selling Goodie People on the day of elections.  

-Élder Holmes
Misión Perú Huancayo