WEEK 77: Lambayeque

March 23, 2020

Yesterday we heard officially that we're all going home, that all missionaries from foreign countries are going to serve in their own country. I still don't know if it's registered in my head that I'm going to leave Peru, I feel something so deeply sad, that it can't really be expressed. This really feels like my home, and I wasn't ready to hear something like that. I love this place, the people, the language and the food, and I really don't know what to feel about leaving this country that God called me to serve in. We also heard rumors that every missionary from North America that has more than 18 months in the mission would get released, but luckily my group is the last group that is still gonna serve in their country. Those missionaries that got to the mission a month before me are going home to get released. I was even more sad that maybe my mission would end, but now I'm pretty sure I will serve in the states. 

I think of all the experiences I've had here, and I realize how much God was helping us, because we are really nothing alone. I know that I was called to serve the people in this country. I love Peru and love my Savior and everything that he's taught me here. 

March 24, 2020

Today we had a conference call with the whole mission, President and Sister Balderrama were talking about how things are going to play out, and they announced that everyone in my group is going home to get released. My mission is going to end when I get home. I already figured that it was going to happen, so I was preparing myself mentally and everything. But it was something crazy to have it confirmed that I would get released. I have a lot of mixed emotions that you really can't explain. The only thing to do now is start planning for my life, what I'm going to do when I get home, what I'm going to study. I'm just really grateful for all that God has let me do in these 18 months. I only completed a sister's mission, but I'm actually really grateful for everything he's given me. There's not really a lot of words to describe what's happening, but we will follow with faith in Christ.

March 28, 2020

Yesterday I called Teresa de Jesus, one Hermana that I baptized in Remigio Silva, and she was sad because the church was closed for the coronavirus, but she still called me "Viejo" and it was so good to talk to her. Also, Katherine hasn't been going to church in a really long time, and she finally answered her phone, and we had a really good lesson with her. We talked a lot about enduring to the end, and she was just embarrassed to come back to church after not visiting for a long time. But we just told her that the only thing we felt for her was love, and that she could repent in any moment and always come back. We've been calling a ton of people, and our pension brought us Monopoly, so we are going to start a mega-game of Monopoly. but everything's good, we are just trying to do the work.