4. Email
This was a good week in many respects, because I got out of the office and didn't take a single angry phone call from . . . anyone. It was beautiful - and I'm not just talking about the lack of phone calls, but the drive to Jaén and Chachapoyas was amazing. I got some good pics that I'm sending home. We left Tuesday in the morning for Jaén and arrived in the afternoon. During the afternoon, President Solis had interviews with the missionaries. It was cool to be there, especially because a bunch of my buddies are there right now, including Elder Borup, who I thought I wouldn't see again before he went home. We also had the zone conference that evening and Elder Calderon and I were sent to buy some things for it. Kinda an interesting thing happened on that little errand. We bought some things, got into a moto taxi and told him to take us to the LDS chapel just around the corner. It was the first time either of us had been to Jaén, so we didn't really know our way around. The moto turned onto the main street that I recognized, but going the opposite direction. I told the driver he passed it, but he just saying: it's okay, it's okay." So I thought maybe he'd do the whole circle around thing, take the long way for the bigger fare, and all that. I figured we would eventually arrive, argue a bit, and he would drive off without getting his 50 extra cents – ya know, another normal day on the streets of Peru. So he kept driving, never turned, and got into a real shady looking area, very dark, and then Elder Calderon began yelling: "Stop! Stop the moto!" Then he gets out and says, "You're a liar! Quit being stupid!" That's pretty much the equivalent of what he said anyway, in Spanish. The moto guy said: "The church is right there down the hill" (pointing to a shack with no lights on). So Elder Calderon yelled at him again, told him to go away, and we didn't pay him anything. And then me, being the skilled navigator I am, was in charge of directing us back through the dark Jaén roads to the church on foot. We made it, fortunately. So we were pretty much about to get jumped big time. Good thing Elder Calderon caught on quick, because we both had a lot of money on us – at least a few hundred soles. Dang. I was that close to finally having my first mugging experience. (Does that count as a mugging? I think it should qualify, seriously.)
The conference was cool and then we slept that night and left in the morning for Chachapyas (popularly known as "ChaCha"). It is an awesome drive - very green, and along side a river the whole time, with amazingly large, beautiful mountains. We took lots of pictures, which I am passing along. Chacha is a way cool town, too. Up in the mountains, small, lots of hills, and more like Colonial style. There are lots of stores and places have wooden floors (not at all common in this country) and other awesome things. At any rate, I'm jealous that I didn't get to stay and work there. It would be so awesome to serve there one day. The drive back was…long, and we arrived at the office at 2:00 a.m. and passed out. It was a cool trip, and we may be going there again soon, before President Solis finishes his mission. That would be nice.
All was not perfect on the trip, and I could use some help. Please say like 50 very humble meaningful prayers that we will be able to find the president's camera. Spread that around the world. Urgent, please! We have to find it. I guess I should explain. We came back from Chachapoyas, and it was an all afternoon drive, and we got back late, as I mentioned. Now, when we started the drive, I was holding the camera, and asked Elder Larsen to put it in the glove box, but he didn't want to. So I kept it in the cup holder next to me. No problem. It was there all night. I was sleeping, so when we got back we all went to bed because we were too tired to unload. When I woke up the next morning, I started to unload the car. There have been about 10 guys here from the morning to the afternoon working on the house - so I started to unload and tried not to get in the way. I got in the side door of the car and I remember thinking "I need to get the president's camera..." I looked and saw that it was still in the cup holder, and kept taking out suit cases. At that moment, another missionary said that someone was calling for me. So, I put down what I was doing to go answer the phone. Maybe 15 minutes later after talking to people, I went back downstairs to continue unloading. At the same time, the usual guy that cleans the cars showed up. So I backed the car into the street for him to wash, and then unloaded everything else so he could clean. The combi was a mess, lots of bags, trash and stuff, so I just gathered up everything I could, handed some stuff to another elder, then walked inside after seeing that nothing was left in the combi. I threw away trash and the rest of the stuff I set on a table. Afterward I started getting ready for the day. Probably about two hours later, Elder Larsen asked me for the camera, and my head suddenly exploded. I had absolutely no recollection of what happened to it. I remember, as I said before, thinking that I needed to get it and seeing it in the cup holder. After that, I don't remember doing anything with the camera. So that consumed the day for me. I searched absolutely everywhere. The car, took items out of the trash one by one on four occasions, every corner, under every bed, tore apart every suitcase of every elder, every drawer, box, pocket, went to the bus station and got onto a moving bus to ask another missionary who left in the midst of it all...everywhere. From about 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. I was panic stricken. And I went to bed...feeling incredibly bad about it.
I don't think I've ever been more frustrated my whole life. I looked absolutely everywhere but to no avail. I remember taking everything else out of the car, but for whatever reason, whether I took it out or someone else took it out, I cannot remember the camera coming out of the car. We talked with president about it last night and came up with possible answers – that it accidentally got misplaced and its here somewhere (I don't believe it, I LOOKED EVERYWHERE), that a missionary took it, whether by mistake or on purpose, or that one of the workers took it. They have been questioned, all deny any knowledge of it. These guys seem pretty straight though because we were gone for two days and they painted every room and had every opportunity to steal, and we came back to rooms actually more organized.
So it's pretty sad. In the end, it is my responsibility. I was the one that started taking stuff out of the car. I had the impression to take it earlier, and ignored it. I allowed myself to let my guard down, leave it unattended, and feel I let President down. (There is a good lesson in there about not only listening to the spirit, but acting upon it.) So I figure that in between the time of me removing things from the car, going to answer the phone, and then returning – that someone could have taken it. I don't remember seeing it the second time - that or I was just extremely careless, put it somewhere without realizing it and forgot, or put it somewhere and gave someone the perfect chance to snatch it. Either way, I feel absolutely terrible and the last two days were probably some of most depressing ever. I prayed, pleaded, begged, on at least 50 different occasions on my knees that we would be able to find it, but…we can't. And I don't think I have ever felt worse. (I would be frustrated enough at losing my own camera, but the president's camera? Really bad.)
Other than that, it's been fairly normal missionary office work. I've been trying to get all the money problems fixed, but it's like playing Wack a Mole. There is no end. Oh well. Um, trying to think if there is anything else left to mention. I think that's about it. Oh, right. Happy 17th birthday Jordan! And have fun with all your volleyball tourneys. I am definitely jealous. (And thanks for sending the volleyball pics, Dad. It's almost like being there.) I sent off a package last week to you guys too, mostly for Jordan's birthday. But there is one on the way. I also sent off a two month old letter to Brad and Whitney. Just got lazy and never sent it. Haha, but it's coming. Alright, well, I guess that's about it. One thing I continue to experience and have come to know without a doubt: life is full of challenges and setbacks. It doesn't matter who we are, where we are or even how faithful we have been, our faith is constantly being tested. We have blessed times when everything seems to be going right, which are usually followed by times of trial. I sometimes wish we didn't have to experience the hard times and challenges, but realize that without them growth would be impossible - it would never occur. The key is to bounce back, to stay focused on the Savior, and remember that He experienced the worst of mankind (through no fault of His own), and therefore knows all we are feeling in times of trouble and sorrow. So, regardless of what happens in our lives, the one thing we can all rely on is the knowledge that our Savior lives, that He atoned for our sins, and has established the fullness of His gospel on the earth, found within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If we remain faithful, we will be as the wise stewards in the Parable of the Talents, who heard the Master's words: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." (Matt. 25:14-30.) Enduring challenges, being faithful to the end, is the key to success and happiness. So, remember that the gospel is true, and endure well. Know it. Embrace it. Love it. Live it.
Elder Make Someone Else Happy Today Royal
Posts
