This week we had our first honest taxi driver. Most of our travel is either by bus or by walking. We live about 30 minutes from our area when we are walking. We have a few people where we use a taxi to go see them. Taxis are cheap. On average we spent $2-$3 per taxi ride. Some of the rides can take up to 30 minutes. We are not sure how they make any money. We always end up giving a tip because we just can’t figure out the economics. Anyway, the drivers are nice. We try to talk to them and let them know we are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We usually preface our conversation with something like, “Estamos aprendiendo español. Claro” (Clearly we are learning Spanish). The typical answer is “Really you have a perfect accent and I can understand everything” Today I got in a taxi and gave him my typical “Clearly I am learning Spanish” and his response was “Yes, clearly” He got a 5-star review from me. 


Speaking of buses, last week I mentioned how the private buses went on strike. Most of these buses are Sprinter van-sized vehicles with sliding doors. A person hangs halfway out the sliding door and yells to the people on the side of the road where the bus is going. It will stop whenever someone wants a ride. It also stops wherever someone wants to get off, anywhere on the route. We have not tried to take one until this week. It cost 1 sole (about 25 cents). We took one this week and now we’re hooked. For 25 cents we can go from the farthest point in our area to about 3 minutes from our apartment. I’m not sure they will let us back on though. I wanted to talk and I got the idea that you are supposed to just sit in silence. Well, they got to hear my awful Spanish. 


We met a 13-year-old boy on the street this week as we were walking to a new member's house.  He ran up to us and identified us as the missionaries like those who talked to him and his family. We asked him if he was a member he said he was. After he told us he was 13 years old we asked him if he held the priesthood. He didn’t seem to know what that meant. As his friend came up to see who he was talking to he said these are the people from God that come to your house and teach you about Jesus. We are assuming he is not a member but I asked him to show me where he lives so we can go and teach him and his family more about Christ. We will return. Claro!


This week when we went to a baptism we noticed a middle-aged man dressed in a very nice suit and was sitting by himself. We found out that he is not a member and was there because he took a tour of the chapel from the missionaries earlier in the week and had many questions about baptism when they showed him the baptismal font. They told him that there was going to be a baptism and they invited him to come and see it. He came! Who does that? We talked to him a long time and invited him to come to church the next day and we would sit with him. He came and he already had “Gospel Library” downloaded on his phone. He had some questions about the need for a church so Hermana Borup showed him how to find Elder Rendlund’s talk from General Conference, “This is My Gospel”-”This is My Church”. It will be out of character if he doesn’t read it. We look forward to spending time with our new friend.


We continue to love the work, claro! Inviting others to come to Christ is really fun. It also helps us desire to be closer to Christ ourselves. We feel His power and love every day. We feel His direction and know He is watching over our family and friends. There’s nothing like being a Missionary!


Until next time,.

Your friends,


Hermana Y Elder Borup


Payet Ward Chapel

typical night street shot

I took a medical exam to get a driver's license 

Great old VW truck

In our Ward at night, just waiting for the Missionaries to come.

Still waiting

Lomo Saltado $2.50

This came with the meal

Just some apartments in La Victoria, Lima

Inca Kola the real national drink 


My people.

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