Elder Jeffery's Home Comming

Visiting Puerto Maldonado

We said good bye with tears in our eyes to our awesome driver Joel. Took a plane to peurto Maldonado. where it is hot everywhere. We are lucky our hotel has AC. we visited one family that Elder Jeffery would eat with much of his time in Puerto.  The mother is amazing she not only feeds the missionaries each night, she also works as a secretary in the day and on the side makes beautiful cakes. Her husband is the Branch President. We gave her some things to help her with her cake business which was a small token of appreciation. She made Elder Jeffery's favorite dish, arroz Chaufa. The word got out that Elder Jeffery was in town and friends started showing up all over town. We were invited to a members home and once again were served Elder Jeffery's favorite dish. This member was so kind busy as a bee but took time out to teach me how to make this dish.

Stuffed we headed to the market to pick up a birthday present for a member then to the church for a baptism. The baptism did not happen but this did not stop anyone from having a good time, playing basketball, soccer and dancing all in an outdoor basketball court. 

The neext morning we went to church smiling and nodding Anna practicing her active listening skills.  

After church we visited more friends in clouding an investigator with pet monkeys that we got to hold. Also a members family that has a bunch of sons and a daughter who have all served missions. While we were at there home they showed us there hobby of chicken fighting.  Before ending our journey Elder Jeffery and Paul were able to squeeze in a final soccer game with the Elders. 

Sad to leave but excited for Elder Jeffery's future we boarded a plane for the long journey home. 

Bocangel Family

Dad and Monkey

Elder Niaupari

Puerto Hotel view

Mora Family

arroz Chaufa

Soccer with the Elders

Soccer with the Elders

President Mora 

Puerto Bridge

Elder's Apartment

Machu Picchu

Path to Huana Picchu

Anna and Paul on path to Huana Picchu

Look at this amazing view!

The Guard House

Waiting for the sunrise at the Guard House

After the sunrise

Path to Huana Picchu

Machu Picchu

Guinea Pig here I come!!!! Ready or not!!!

Anna wondering what she is getting ready to eat

Anna, Paul and Desmond with the special guinea pig

Our day began very early 4:00am we stood in line for an hour then boarded a bus and then went on the scariest ride of my life. Up this narrow road with sheer drop offs and sharp corners where you would think the driver would slow down but no. We followed hundreds of people up to an inka guard house where we watched the sun rise over Machu Picchu. We then saw the inka homes in the city of Machu Picchu. These homes are 70% still intact and they were not built on top of by the spaniards which makes this the most important inka city. We then were able to hike Huana Picchu. This was many step up and down. The beauty was not able to put in wards or pictures. The fun part was seeing people's reaction when seeing Elder Jeffery's name tag. They were so excited to see a missionary in such a wonderful place. The hike was a bit scary but no one fell off the mountain. 

We definitely did not have enough time but we saw a lot. 

After much needed rest on the bus and train back to Cusco, we were treated to a full meal of potatoes, rice, chicken and wait for it... cuy (guinea pig).

Visit to Calca

Today our new friend Joel Silva offered to be our driver for the day. We were so blessed to have him with us for the day. We visited Elder Jeffery's pension who has a humble restaurant. She welcomed us in and served us lunch. I watched in amazement as she ran from the small humble kitchen to the out door eating area helping everyone. Her restaurant was surrounded by her humble home. We spent the day driving around the city visiting many members and investigators. The one family we will never forget lived in the most humble home we had yet to see.  As we sat on small stools in the dirt admiring the view of the mountains around, finally understanding why they build there homes with this roofless living area. As always the mother and children were busy in the small kitchen.We not knowing what they preparing. We went in to say our final good byes to find they had killed a family chicken and the 17 year old was prepairing it for us to eat. There style of living I would compare to camping and not like camping at the camp grounds realy roughing it. 

Aimachoque Family

Befor we left calca in search of more people to visit we stopped at the chapel it was cool  to see where Elder Jeffery whent to church. Spoke and served.

 Brother Leonidus Quispe

 Damian at his shop in Calca

While visiting Calca we got to see a traditional paradade 

 Quispe Yapo family's home

 the metal shop with Roger and Elvis

The Tovar Family

City Tour

Look at the beautiful colors of yarn and the plants and roots they came from!

Indigenous Woman showing the different colors of yarn.  

Indigenous Woman with cute child

Indigenous Woman Sewing

Indigenous Woman cleaning wool before dying it

Parasites that live on the cactus that were used to make red dye

Woman demonstrating the cactus that parasites live on 

Seeds and roots that were used to dye the yarn traditionally

Indigenous woman demonstrating how the yarn was dyed.  

Look at all the beautiful yarns that were dyed using plants and roots.

Anna, Paul and Desmon at Salt Terris

Anna and Desmond at the All You Can Eat Buffet

House full of Guinea Pigs

We went on a city tour of Cusco. Gezell our tore guide took us to see some beautiful seanory from the top of Cusco. We could see the beautiful architecture of the pre inkas. We visited a place where inka women showed us how they used the plants and even live paricites from cacti to clean and color alpaca and sheep wool. We then went to a saldonado a salt Terris and saw how the inkas as well as the people today collect salt from the salt water that flows out of mountain. 

We stopped for lunch at an all you can eat Peruvian buffet and were able to try some authentic food such as alpaca, Kenna soup and the best avocado dip and chips I've ever had. 

Next stop was the oldest inka village where we saw the narrow streets and the walls where you could see how the Spaniards built their buildings right on top of the inkas. We were also able visit an original inka home and talk to the lady of the house who lives there with her husband and 2 children not to forget the herd of guinea pigs just roaming free. In the stone hut in this inka village, we saw a mountain the inkas carved to look like a man with a beard. We all can't help but wonder if this important man could be Lehi. 

Exhausted, we boarded a train for Machu Picchu. We arrived late in the dark and were greeted by our tour guide and were taken to our hotel.