Week in Review - November 23, 2015 - November 28, 2015

[This past week, Elder Holmes was short on time for his weekly email. So he answered some questions we had asked prior. Enjoy! I realized as I was putting up this weeks blog, it is nearly all about food. lol But if you know our Elder Holmes, nothing more to expect and it is Thanksgiving week too.]

In your new area, do you have any pensions (cooks)?

I have 2 pensions.  One for the breakfast and dinner, and another one close to the office for the lunches.

Are your pensions good cooks?

The ones I have now?  The lunch one is pretty good... and the dinner one does really good... It's still a hard change to not eat so much here for the breakfast... here the tradition is.

What is your meal schedule for the day?

Small Breakfast 7:30 AM
LARGE LUNCH 1 PM
Little Dinner... 8 PM

Why so late for your dinner?

That is how it is throughout the whole mission.  Its an Area rule set by the church... for safety and stuff...

It's better.. Because technically we still have to work until 9 PM.... So... The best place to be is at the pension, then out in the streets contacting, or in a lesson...

Do you see any Llama's while on your mission?

Llama's, yes.. many We asked this question because we haven't seen one picture of a Llama and so we requested a Llama selfie... we shall see.

How was your Thanksgiving Dinner? [Elder Holmes, his companion and the other office Elder's were invited to eat at the Mission Home with Sis. Henderson as cook.]

Thanksgiving was a full blown dinner, with Pecan and pumpkin pie and everything.  It was beyond delicious.  There are pictures, but I need to get a few copies of them first...It was wonderful...  But there was sweet potatoes, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, potatoes, stuffing, homemade bread, BBQ turkey, fruit salad (with strawberries) [They usually aren't allowed to eat strawberries on their mission unless they know where they came from.] the works.... It was a very fulfilling Thanksgiving dinner.... [We also heard that Elder Holmes had KP duty and peeled potatoes.]

What is your computer situation like at the Mission Office?

We do all of our internet from the Misison Office... I have my own computer...

Where is the Mission Office located based on the location of the Mission home?


The mission Office from the Presidents Home is about 8 minutes by car... our house, which is the mission mansion [This is where Elder Holmes lives now.} is about 5 minutes from our office.

Do you finally have a microwave in your room?

We do have microwaves in both the mission mansion, and the office.  Its great!

Do you want us to send you microwave popcorn next time?

Well, I can actually buy microwave popcorn here... with more time in Peru it is becoming WAY easier to find things that usually the people here don't even think exist..... You just gotta look....

Did you feel the 7.5 earthquake near the border of Peru and Brazil?

Yes, I did... it shook my water... I only noticed it because I was at my desk...

but it was really really small over here... it's like 30 hours away by bus... its kinda far...

Did you get any packages yet?

I got the two by the way... and It is taking all of my energy to not open them early... I really really want to!!!! [We had sent Elder Holmes his Christmas Packages 8 weeks before Christmas, as that is how long it took last year. But it only took 4 weeks this time. I asked him to promise that he wouldn't open them until Christmas. (Last year he opened them early!) So now he has to stare at them until then. lol]

Well now I have to go... I have to go and place the orders for all the food for the new missionaries coming in a a few days, and all the missionaries that are coming in as well.. Burger King, Popeye's, China Wok, Pizza Hut... it will be good...