Life in Office

Hey folks,

First things are first. I am horribly sorry for not wishing you a happy birthday, Dad. Really though, I was in the thick of a bunch of movement because that Monday I arrived in San Isidro, the really rich part of Lima. Tuesday the new missionaries arrived, so I was booked until 10pm. I was so tired I couldn't remember even the small things. It was quite lame.

Other than that, life is good in the office. It's not so bad as everyone else makes it to be. Imprisoned and all that. We really hardly ever go out to proselyte, except on weekends. Even then, it's not that effective at all. It's nothing like being out in the field, because in the field, you're worried about your investigators. Here you're worried about everything else, and you kind of get rusty on your preaching skills. It's normal when you're in the office from 8am to 9pm. Us office elders planned to make rotations on leaving early during the week to proselyte. Us office elders are myself, my companion Elder Granados (who is from Chimbote), Elder Schofield from CA, and Elder Almonacid from Chile.

So now that we are in the money side of Peru, the preaching is like the USA. People don't see a need for the gospel as much now that they have dough in their pockets. We're gonna have to work through the members, which is ironic since we're almost never there in our area proselyting, and the members know that. I get all kinds of phonecalls, actually. From the MTC, the church missionary department, and other missions. I'm waiting for a phonecall from the General Offices of the church. Just so you know, President Manning has some crazy ties with the First Presidency. I think it's for all mission presidents. Here's an example; we had a missionary become very ill to the point where he was hospitalized for a couple of weeks. President Manning called the First Presidency, and the whole Quroum of the Twelve Apostles, and the First Presidency prayed for the missionary in the temple. He's alright now and doing perfectly fine. I'm sure anyone who would have those men praying for you would feel secure. Another fun fact, President Manning interviewed a man for baptism who shot someone and left him for dead, and doesn't know if he is alive or dead. This baptism requires the approval of the First Presidency. It just amazes me how many people are living on the earth today without the light in their eyes and don't know where to turn for peace.

Anyway, I got to help Elder Souza with his package. I got my third package. Office phone number is the same: 222-4445. Our schedule is basically being cooped up inside all day managing the mission. Can you imagine a mission of 217 missionaries being ran by 4 twenty year-old kids? Didn't think so. My companion and I contacted a Jewish lady, so that was cool. She was interested, but didn't accept a folleto or Book of Mormon because she's real faithful to her ancestors and their faith. If I were just two seconds quicker, I would have given her a family history pamphlet or tell her how the Book of Mormon talks about the tribe of Joseph. But we'll have to wait another day.

Well my time is up and I gotta run. Don't get freaked if my letters come late, because I have almost no time now for anything, believe it or not. Love you both and wish the best. Say hi to all my family, and work on that family history! Please!

Elder Emiliano León