Meetings in Huancayo

On Sunday, we traveled to Huancayo (two hours south of Tarma) for two meetings. The first meeting (held at a chapel in downtown Huancayo) was for recent converts and was conducted by an impressive young man who had only been a member for one month. The prayers, music conducting, and first two talks (on faith and baptism) were also done by recent converts. Scott spoke on enduring to the end by studying the Book of Mormon and preparing to make temple covenants. The final speaker was President Travesaño of the Huancayo Stake, a charming, charismatic leader.

The second meeting was held at the Huancayo Stake Center (about 2 miles from the first building):


This meeting was for bishoprics and ward mission leaders of the Huancayo Stake. About 100 people attended. First we watched segments of a DVD from "Preach My Gospel," then Scott provided training on the responsibilities of mission leaders and how to create a ward mission plan.

We were impressed by the wonderful members and leaders of the Huancayo Stake. We also enjoyed the drive to Huancayo. As usual, Scott took lots of pictures from the car window. This picture shows the nicely paved (but curvy) highway leading from Tarma up through the mountains to the farm valleys:


Within 45 minutes, we were driving through the barren altiplano:


There are many people living in these vast grasslands, but the only evidence of them from the road are the many sheep herds that graze on the sides of the mountains:


In one particularly barren area, we spotted this man, who had gathered twigs ("leña") for firewood, loaded them onto his donkeys, and was taking them back to his home:


Further on, we passed farm houses along the sides of the road:


Many of these homes had political ads painted on them. This one proclaimed that, with Alan (current Peru President Alan García), Peru will advance forward, provide opportunities for all, and overcome illiteracy ("analfabetismo"):


We love living, traveling, and doing missionary work in the Central Highlands of Peru!