The Miracle of the Pouch Run

There is a Senior Missionary couple in their mission, Elder and Sister Thompson.  This good couple usually runs “the pouch”.  The pouch is communication delivered to each Zone Leader throughout the entire mission.  They usually go together but Sister Thompson wasn’t feeling well, so the mission president asked Riley to accompany Elder Thompson.  He felt like he had been on a grand adventure!  They drove all over the mission.  Elder Lott was the navigator and Elder Thompson the driver.  As they got close to each Zone Leader’s apartment, Elder Lott would notify them of their arrival time and then run their pouch into them.

Just as they were finishing their pouch delivery, they received a call from the mission president notifying them Peru was closing their boarders and they needed to get one elder home before that happened.  They had three hours to find this elder, pack his bags, get him to the airport and on a flight to Peru.  This elder only spoke Spanish.  They were able to pick him up, get him to the airport and on the plane.  It was a miracle! AND, this was all done in Spanish. Elder Lott was thrilled that he could understand and speak with all of them and even be the intrepretaor.  Several Zone Leaders told him how good he was doing with the language for only being in Chile 5 weeks.  “The Lord was for sure with me.  I could feel Him.  I could talk and understand and it was awesome!”

He loved seeing his whole mission.  He talked about how tall the buildings were and the big beautiful parks.  Not necessarily gorgeous landscape pictures but really pretty “big city” scenes.  He also said there were A LOT of wild dogs—everywhere!  And, he said you can definitely see the pollution.

His missionary phone :)

The details from this visit:

• The arrival of Coronavirus in Chile has stopped the riots.
• Elder Moon is still recovering from his knee infection but they have been doing some work in the office and getting out a little.
• The stores have no supplies but the missionaries are okay because they stocked up early in February.
• They can no longer contact.  They can only teach people they know or have received a specific reference to contact them.
•  Their investigator has decided to wait until after Coronavirus passes before continuing discussions.
• Boarders are closing all around them. Chile is closing their boarders on Wednesday.
• The good members are still feeding the missionaries. Thank you!
• Elder Lott is so grateful for his guitar and has been granted access to a special missionary collection of hymns for the guitar in his mission.
•  Elder Lott shared his conviction that he knows he is where he should be.
• He is doing some in-depth highlighting of different areas as he reads the Book of Mormon.  He is highlighting characteristics of Christ, promises and warnings.
•  He reminded us that the scriptures teach us how prophets built a relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and become a pattern for us to learn how to build our own relationships.
• He continues to lose weight because he doesn’t eat when he’s bored.  He’s developing self-control and choosing to go do something besides eating.  (That may be a really good habit if they can’t purchase food.)
•  He couldn’t believe everything happening at home.  Chile seems to be a little behind the US in fighting Coronavirus.
• Their missionaries are singing “Happy Birthday” once while lathering their hands and again while rinsing them.

Love that smile!

He closed sharing this scripture as one of the promises he was studying-- Enos 1:27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.

He encouraged us to look for promises in the Book of Mormon and then make sure we are doing our part to earn the reward. 

Love this missionary!  I was all prepared to encourage and lift Elder Lott, but instead he encouraged and lifted me!  He is doing great!