The Lima Peru LDS Temple Mission: Sundays in Lima

Favorite recent and insightful quote I have read recently:

Favorite quote I have recently read: "The word temple comes from the Latin templum, which signifies an extended open space that has been marked out for the observation of the sky. In what manner is such a space marked out? According to Dr. Hugh Nibley, the word templum, "designates a building specifically designed for interpreting signs in the heavens--a sort of observatory where one gets one's bearings on the universe." The root "tem-" in Greek and Latin denotes a "cutting" or intersection of two lines at right angles, the point where the "cardo" and "decumanus" cross, hence where the four regions come together." Matthew Brown - "The Gate of Heaven"

Monday, December 13, 2010

Sundays in Lima

Our normal Sunday is to sleep in relatively late, (8:00-8:30 AM), compared to the 5:00 AM all week long on the early schedule for the temple. We either get picked up in the temple van by the president and travel to the ward building here in Lima, or if the president is speaking at a stake conference somewhere we catch a bus on Javier Prado Avenue. The bus costs us one Sole or about 35 cents for both of us. Busses are not the easiest way to travel given the starts and stops and usually we stand. They are also well known for those plying their trade as pickpockets. Lots of bumping and folks squeezing by getting on and off.

Following the block we return to our apartment and catch up on the news and email. We have an hour before RuthAnn's piano (keyboard) students start arriving and I begin Sunday dinner. Often we have something in the large pot on top of the stove, usually a chicken, but sometimes a beef roast. Peru is a country of noted excellence in many ways. The food is unsurpassed anywhere in South America. Anyone who likes Yukon Gold potatoes would love even more the pappas amarillo or the Peruvian yellow potatoes. We also enjoy sweet potatoes that I boil, then whip, and melt more butter on than RA knows. I add a little brown sugar too. Her comment was I take a very good healthy yellow vegetable dish and then make it less so with the butter and brown sugar. Usually there isn't much remaining for lunch the following week.

Micky and Mica came over yesterday along with Renzo and Melissa. In addition to our stove top chicken, potatoes, carrots, and rice we were treated to arroz con pato and a wonderful cheesecake desert. The pato is duck by the way and was from a local restaurant. Following dinner the dishes are either washed and soaked in a bleach solution, (RA's choice), or washed and dipped in boiling water, my choice. I prefer the non chemical sterilization as my hands don't smell like bleach all day.