Another observation about the Southern Hemisphere: I was puzzled why the sun was shining in the north window in our kitchen. Then I realized that shadows fall to the south in the Southern Hemisphere! Cool!

(I wrote this May 14, but didn’t get around to posting until this week). This week, I helped missionaries with rashes, menstrual problems, depression, diarrhea, sprained joints and fainting…among other things. I commented to Faye: “Well, this is why I’m here…to help these missionaries avoid illness and to get better as quickly as possible!” I know this type of work isn’t for most people, but I really enjoy it. It has been very rewarding.

For Family Home Evening,[i] we started memorizing “The Living Christ.”[ii] I believe with all my heart every word in that document. Someone asked me yesterday, “Do you believe everything your church teaches?” I thought for a few seconds and then answered, “Yes, I do.” What a comfort it is to know that this Church is led by a prophet who receives revelation from God![iii] We also had a nice discussion about why Mormons don’t drink beer, coffee and tea; why we don’t smoke. We talked about what a great gift and creation our bodies are and what a privilege it is to care for them as God has commanded us to do. He commented that our practices require a lot of sacrifice. I responded that, I guess it does to some extent, but, on the other hand, how liberating it is to not have to worry about succumbing to alcoholism or to the harmful effects of smoking.

Wednesday afternoon, the other area physician and I met with Elder Godoy[iv] to discuss the medical needs of the missionaries in the Area. We meet monthly; it’s nice to know that we have the support we need to provide the care these missionaries. He said he considers us to be part of the Area Staff! Cool!

The Area office building is on some very beautiful grounds that are very well-kept. There’s a little walking path that winds its way through the grounds. Faye and I had been talking about walking on it for several days. We decided to do that Thursday after lunch. As we were coming back toward the building, we saw Pres. John Boswell[v] just outside the property gate. We then heard someone crying very loudly, so we decided to walk to where he was. He had his phone to his ear and was calling me at that very moment! A lady who looked about 60+ had fallen and broken both the bones just above the wrist in her right arm! She was quite distraught. Pres. Boswell told her that I was a physician and she settled down somewhat. I stabilized the broken bones with my hand and forearm as I talked to her. There was some discussion about how to get her to the hospital. Someone was leaving the Area complex at that time, and they volunteered to take her to the hospital. Today, we asked a woman who was in that vehicle that day what the outcome was: it sounds like they aligned the broken bones and put her into a cast. Was it a coincidence that Faye and I were outside the building exactly when that lady needed us? I don’t think so. It was humbling to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands to bring a little comfort to one of His children.

Wednesday evening, we had dinner with another couple at Don Tito’s, which is probably my favorite Lima restaurant so far. Amazing food!

Thursday afternoon, we had our weekly call with the representative from Aetna who helps the Church manage the financial aspect of healthcare for the missionaries in our Area. She is a good Christian who is very helpful.

Thursday evening, Faye went shopping while I went for a walk to a nearby huaca (kind of like a pyramid, but made from adobe bricks)[vi]. Their ingenuity is amazing!

Friday evening, we got together with some other senior missionaries and played a simplified version of the dice game Bunco. It was fun to visit with some very good people.

Saturday morning, we went to Miraflores, a nice, historic part of Lima. We walked around Kennedy Park[vii] there, then met a very nice Peruvian friend of my brother, Young. While he treated us to lunch at Haiti Restaurant, he asked who the “chief” was over all the missionaries in Peru; we told him it was a man named Carlos Godoy, who is from Brazil. He then took us to a very nice mall called Larcomar,[viii] right on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As we walked around the mall, we just “happened” to bump into Elder Godoy! We introduced him and Elder Godoy to one another. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

Juan Yabar 1

Juan Yabar and me near Larcomar

We had a little treat there, then took a “combi” (small bus) back to Kennedy Park. Then we walked to an Indian Market, where Faye shopped, while our new friend and I visited before he had to get back home.

Carter & Faye on a “combi”

Not enough room to stand up straight on a “combi”!

Then Faye and I walked to Huaca Pucllana,[ix] about 6 blocks away. It’s amazing that a structure several thousand years old is right in the middle of modern-day Lima! We had a nice meal at a nearby restaurant called La Bodega de la Trattoria.

Huaca Pucllana with Lima buildings in background

We then took a cab ride home with a very nice driver. Since the next day (today) would be Mothers’ Day, I asked him if he was going to do something nice for his wife. He said he was a widower: his wife died 10 years ago from a blood clot to her lungs. We had already talked about Ashton’s death. He had some Mormon neighbors who had given him a copy of the Book of Mormon and he had read some of it. We talked about the potential for marriages to continue beyond the grave, rather than being “till death do us part.” I shared what a comfort it was for me to know that Ashton will be our son throughout the eternities.[x] I asked if he’d like to know more and he said yes; I will arrange for the missionaries to stop by.

That evening, Sister Moore[xi] from the Lima Mission Training Center asked me to check on some sick missionaries. I’m glad to be so close so I can try to help these missionaries get well quickly.

We had some nice talks on various topics in Sacrament Meeting today. Sunday School lesson was on Temples.[xii] The teacher also gave a nice tribute to his mother: she would sometimes eat very little (or nothing at all) so her family could eat as much as they wanted. Priesthood lesson was on Pres. Hinckley’s teachings on Testimonies.[xiii] In the afternoon, Faye and I taught a class (in English) about “The 10 Commandments of Missionary Health.” I thought it went well. There were only two elders in the group: one has relatives from Tucson; Faye went to Eastern Arizona College with someone with the same last name…probably from the same family! The other elder is from New Zealand and knows one of Ashton’s missionary companions when they served together in Fiji! Small world!

This afternoon, we had a nice dinner and visit with President and Sister Boswell and their daughter in their home. It was so great to get caught up with their wonderful family! What great folks they are! They will finish their mission in July and head home to the US.

Written by Carter

[i] https://www.lds.org/topics/family-home-evening/purpose?lang=eng&old=true

[ii] http://jesuschrist.lds.org/testimonies-of-him/articles/the-living-christ-the-testimony-of-the-apostles-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints?lang=eng&_r=1

[iii] https://www.lds.org/topics/prophets?lang=eng

[iv] https://www.lds.org/church/leader/carlos-a-godoy?lang=eng

[v] http://ashtonslegacy.com/it-was-great-to-be-with-venezolanos-again/

[vi] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huaca

[vii] https://www.google.com.pe/search?q=kennedy+park+lima+map&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa

=X&ved=0ahUKEwjPnMGU2fDTAhWEJiYKHeiHB-oQsAQIPg&biw=1360&bih=638

[viii] https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294316-d596436-Reviews-Shopping_Center_Larcomar_Centro_Comercial_Larcomar-Lima_Lima_Region.html

[ix] https://www.google.com.pe/search?q=huaca+pucllana&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwikj4Pn2_DTAhUBbiYKHQaTDOAQsAQIYg&biw=1360&bih=638

[x] https://www.lds.org/topics/families?lang=eng

[xi] https://www.lds.org/church/news/church-announces-eight-new-mtc-presidents-for-january-2016?lang=eng

[xii] https://www.lds.org/topics/temples?lang=eng

[xiii] https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley/chapter-9-the-precious-gift-of-testimony?lang=eng