I learned this week that Valentine’s Day
does exist in Peru. It’s certainly not the same nor as big as it is in the
States, but it does exist. A couple of the photos that I sent this week are
of the ward party that we had here. The Elders Quorum had an activity for
all the couples in the ward. They shared wedding photos, ate, and sang
karaoke. We didn’t stay for long because they started at like 8:30 and our
curfew is 9:00, but it sounds like everyone had fun.

We didn’t have a lot of success this week. At least not success based on
the numbers. I know that the number of lessons we teach each week isn’t the
only measure of success, but I think it’s at least one measurement to
consider. We worked all week trying to find and teach people, but they
weren’t home or didn’t have time.

We’re not discouraged, though. We did our part and helped where we could.
We also did a couple services this week, and one of the new members that I
baptized a couple months back received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday. So
I can see that we are still advancing the work of the Lord and helping the
ward here in Hunter, Arequipa, even though we didn’t teach as many lessons
as normal.

Also, I have another bus story/lesson/learning experience. Saturday,
Valentine’s Day, like I said, we weren’t having much success. It was
raining a bit, our appointments had fallen through, and due to the rain
we’ve been having, there was a ton of traffic. We needed to take a bus to
one of our other appointments, though. We walked along the traffic hoping
to find the bus stopped so we could get on and go to our appointment. There
wasn’t a bus, so we just kept walking along the bus route waiting for one
to pass us.

Finally, one came by. As it passed, we waved at it, whistled, and ran after
it. (I had learned my lesson and now run after the bus that passes if we
need to take it.) It didn’t stop. We kept running, but it turned the corner
and was well out of reach. I was a little disappointed. But as my companion
and I were talking about what to do, a taxi pulled up with some members in
it. They asked us where the Church was. We gave them directions and then
they took off. I didn’t think much of it.

We were walking and got a call from some other Elders. They told us that
our chapel was locked and that members were waiting outside. I had
forgotten that another ward was having a baptism in our chapel (they meet
in a house that doesn’t have a baptismal font). Luckily, because we hadn’t
made it on the bus, we were close to our chapel, were able to walk over to
it, and open it up for the members from the other ward. So we missed the
bus. But this time it was part of the Lord’s plan. If we had gotten on it,
we wouldn’t have been able to give directions to those members, nor would
we have been able to open the chapel for the baptism, at least not as
quickly as we did.

The Lord has a plan for everything, and things always work out the way He
wants. It’s our job to figure out what He wants and then decide how we can
do it.

I hope everyone has a good week! We’re going to continue working hard here!
The Lord lives, and He love us!

-Elder Kehoe