Unexpected Change.........a little early

Changes are scheduled for next Wednesday (July 29th), however we received this unexpected news from Elder Rich last week. We waited to post it until today, at his request. He returned to Lima Thursday evening.

"I have some news to tell you. I know where I will go to finish my mission! I know the area, I know the zone and I know where I will be sleeping. My time here in Pucallpa is not going to last long…… Here in about a week or so, I will be moved from Pucallpa and be put in as the new Assistant in the Mission Peru Lima North. My companion will be Elder Santiago. More than a year ago we were in the same zone (in Tarapoto) and we told each other that we were going to be companions one day, and look how it turned out!?"
"I'm very grateful for this call and position. It will come with more challenges and new experiences. What a great blessing."

More info received in Monday's email:

"Well, on Thursday night, (July 23rd), I will be going in (to Lima) to be trained by Elder Nemelka (one of the current AP's, who will be going home on July 29th). I will be present for the good bye meeting for all those who are going home on Friday. I will get to see Elder Vasquez before he goes home. (Landon served with E. Vasquez in Pucallpa during February and March)."



Of course we had many questions, which he tried to answer:

"During every change (every 6 weeks), an Assistant travels to all of the zones in the mission with Presidente Perez, and gives trainings. Also, receives all the (baptism, contacts, etc) numbers of the mission every week and sends them to Salt Lake to Church headquarters. It's alot of work, but we have our own area to work in, and I'm very happy for that. Elder Santiago and I will be able to help alot of people and be Assistants at the same time. It's truly a great opportunity and I'm very grateful."

"I will get to know Iquitos (a part of the Jungle only reached by plane and boat - Landon has not served in this area previously) and also Moyobamba (jungle near Tarapoto) and all of the mission - every zone !!!! I will go back to TARAPOTO!!!!!!!!!!! (Landon previously served here March-August 2008) We travel to Barranca (about a 5-6 hour trip up the coast from Lima), in a car with Presidente - he drives :)"