Before they left, the Chipmans had their last zone conferences. Tim and I also arranged for the missionaries to attend the temple. We had a busy week with 3 zone conferences and then the temple afterwards. I also prepared the rewards for the latino missionaries who completed their English homework - 3 batches of brownies. I cut them pretty big and we have a very small oven. We hand them out during lunch after zone conference. We also hand out certificates to those who graduate to the next level and we also recognized 3 missionaries who qualified for BYU Pathways. We hold two zone conferences in Arequipa: Tuesday - 3 zones; Wednesday - 2 zones and the service missionaries. These are the missionaries who go to the temple. We take close to 30 missionaries each time.
La Costa Zone (We attended with them, but we took the photo)
Pichu Pichu and Zamacola Zones
Umacollo Zone (We are hiding in the middle)
Misti Zone - we were driving to Tacna, so we didn't accompany this zone.
During one of these trips to the temple we ran into Sister Russell. She served her mission in the Denver Colorado Mission while I was housing coordinator. What a small world. She is married now and her husband had been assigned to serve in the Arequipa mission, but never made it because of Covid. She was assigned Argentina and also didn't get to go. So they took a trip to South America to check out the countries they never got to see.
Then on Thursday we drove to Tacna with the Chipmans for the 3rd zone conference on Friday - 2 zones and the service missionaries who live there. It is a 5 hour drive by car and for the missionaries a 7 hour drive by bus. During all of this President Chipman was holding his last interviews with the all the missionaries.
Zone conference for Pichu Pichu, Zamacola and La Costa Zones
Zone Conference for the Umacollo and Misti Zones and the service missionaries
Zone Conference for the Tacna and Ilo Zones and more service missionaries
Elder Verastagui was the first missionary we got to know. He is from Lima and speaks very good English. He was working in the office when we arrived and finished his mission the week after this photo was taken.
The birthdays from the first zone conference
It's edited from 2 minutes to 50 sec so it would upload
After taking the group photo, the missionaries sang "We'll Bring the World His Truth" for the Chipmans (Tim's idea) at all 3 conferences to mark it being their last conferences.
On my birthday, the day after zone conference in Tacna, we had time to kill while President finished up his interviews. Tim and I went to the breakfast buffet at the hotel and just as we were finishing up, the wait staff brought out a chocolate cake and sang happy birthday in English and Spanish. I first accused Tim of letting them know which he denied. Then I asked Lisa and she hadn't said anything. We think they got my birthday off my ID when we checked in. The cake was yummy and you can't beat chocolate cake for breakfast on your birthday.
We then took an after breakfast stroll through Tacna and took some photos to remember it by. It was a beautiful morning.
Of course, every city here has a main plaza and a cathedral or church in the plaza. There's also usually a police station and government building.
After our walk Tim and I went to the spa at the hotel for a couples massage which was super relaxing. Then we packed up, checked out and picked up President at the church for the 5 hour drive home. He had finished up his interviews. This is the landscaping we experience to and from Tacna. We documented it to show where I celebrated my birthday.
Our plan was to stop at a restaurant in Moquegua on the way home because they apparently have hamburgers to die for and it would be our last chance to try them. They, however, were closed. Not sure why on a Saturday afternoon. So we relied on car snacks until we returned to Arequipa and the four of us had dinner at our favorite restaurant. After dinner they brought me this:
I indulged twice for my birthday (with some help), but I am now back on my anti-inflammatory diet.
The following week we said goodbye to the missionaries who had finished their mission.
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Hermana Alverez
Elder Merkley and Perez
Elder Torres
Elders Sanchez and Verastagi
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And then we welcomed the new missionaries. This is where they learn who their companions are and where they will be serving in the mission:
And then off they go. These missionaries are headed to the bus station for a 5 to 7 hour trip depending on their destination. Those staying in town take taxis.
Here is a photo of Tim at a district council. The districts meet once a week to plan and teach each other. I tried going at the beginning of our mission, but it's all in Spanish and I can get more done if I stay home and work.
On Father's Day weekend, we took one more trip to Chivay (Colca Canyon) with the Chipmans. It is very beautiful and we will all miss it.
We went up to the top of a viewpoint:
We took some photos at sunset:
When we came down, there was a celebration happening in the plaza of the village down below. We were invited to join the dancing:
The next day we found a hike that led to old remains:
We then did more exploring and came across this village we hadn't seen before. It's located on a fault line and this church was in bad shape:
We then returned to Arequipa. About a year ago I took a photo of Tim and I attending a lesson with the missionaries. I showed this photo to Hermana Chipman and she was inspired to take the photo to a painter and have an oil painting made. The Chipmans ultimately donated the painting to the mission and it is now hanging in the mission office. A couple of weeks ago, during the weekly Zoom devotional, the Chipmans presented the painting to the mission and had Tim and I tell the story behind the painting. I wrote it down, so Tim could translate easier. Here it is:
"This is how we remember it. Elder Layton can correct us if needed. A year ago this month, Elder Bertoch and I made arrangements to meet Elder Layton and Elder Hunsaker to join them in their lessons that night. They were currently assigned to Daniel AC, so we asked Papau to drive us there to meet them. We had trouble locating the Elders, so we called them and they had gotten hung up a a lesson. So Papau took us to them. Their lesson was at a pizza restaurant, so they joined us in the care with a large pizza their friends and given them. Papau then dropped us off at the bottom of some stairs that lead to their next appointment. We followed the Elders up the stairs carrying a pizza. At the top of the stairs we continued up a steep road. We eventually turned right onto an even steeper dirt path.
Near the top of the path we knocked on a door that was to our left. The kids in the photo all came outside. Some were recently baptized, but the boy in the painting was being taught. If I remember correctly, they were cousins. Elder Hunsaker bagan the lesson. It was very dark, so Elder Bertoch used the flashlight on his phone. I was suddenly struck by the humble situation. By small and simple things . . .
I normally don't take photos of lessons as I don't want to distract from the sacred nature of what is being taught. But in this instance I felt it was work the risk to capture the setting. I took the picture quickly and hopefully without being noticed, and unfortunately I wasn't able to get Elder Layton in the picture. He was standing to the side waiting for his turn to participate and the steep hill make it a little hard to get my footing. Elder Bertoch also participated in the lesson and I what I could in English. Elder Layton can give an update on the family, but I do know the boy was baptized. After the lesson ended, the Elders shared their pizza with everyone. It was a really special night."
Elder Hunsaker has since gone home, but Elder Layton was able to share at the devotional what he remembered about that evening. This is the dirt path we walked up to get to their home:
This is the photo I took. The girls on the left are sisters and were recently baptized and we are teaching their cousin:
The missionary is Elder Hunsaker
This is the painting that is now hanging in the mission office. They used a similar photo taken at another time to add Elder Zamudio.
Then, the next day, we heard from Elder Yorgeson and Elder Acabal who are now serving in the Daniel AC area, and the 9 year old brother of the twin sisters was planning to get baptized the following Sunday (which did happen). Here is that same house in the daytime a year later.
As the Chipmans were preparing to leave, we arranged for a lunch with Papito's family (the mission driver, medical liaison and arranger of bus transportation). Unfortunately we failed to get a photo. We also invited the housing coordinator, Judy, and her husband, Deni, to lunch at the Zone Leader conference in order to thank them:
They are on the right next to President Chipman
We then had dinner with the mission presidency:
The Caseres, the Sheelys, the Chipmans and us.
We didn't see much of the Chipmans after that. We had a final office meeting with them, but otherwise, just tried to stay out of their way so they could get ready for the Elliott's arrival. On Thursday we met the Chipmans and Elliotts at the mission office. We were introduced to the Elliotts and said our goodbyes to the Chipmans. It's been quite the adventure and we are very grateful we've had this opportunity.
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