Headed South for Zone Conference...

I've said it before and I'll say it again,

Pasto is complicated!

We left on Wednesday, May 29

and traveled via Bogota and arrived in Pasto on time....so far so good!

Our taxi driver was waiting for us, the luggage all arrived and things were shaping up to be a good trip.

UNTIL...we arrived at this reception desk at the hotel we ALWAYS stay at... 

 Where they informed us that we did NOT have reservations and they had NO ROOM.

A quick call to our secretary confirmed that yes we did have a reservation and that they had put it down for the 12-13 of June...too bad, still NO ROOM

(seems like I remember a certain story where there was NO ROOM in the Inn)

They called around to a few hotels for us and finally got us rooms at the Hotel Galerias.

 We can do change...on a mission you learn all about change...

Pasto and Ipiales Zone Conference

Thursday, May 30, 2013

This is the Mariluz Chapel where we hold zone conferences...it is the Stake Center in Pasto.

It really has a beautiful view!

Pasto Zone

 Front:  Sisters Quispe, Ordonez, Vargas, Princes, Olivers, Sisters Taica and Avila

Back: Elders Malca, Alfonso, Payne, Somoza, Zambrano (ZL), Whitney, Edwards (ZL), Jara, Separovic, Mina, P. Ramos, Encarnacion, Guevarra, Cunya, Arista, and Aguilera

Ipiales Zone

 Front: Elder Rivadeneira (ZL), Princes, Olivers, Elder Welling (ZL)

Back:  Elders Rodas, Chumacerro, Rojas, H. Sanchez, Cain, Morgan, Camacho, Stevenson, Rowley, Laws, Canevaro, Bello

Sisters!

Quispe, Ordonez, Prince, Vargas, Oliver, Avila, Taica

Congratulations!  Captain Moroni Pins for

Elder Camacho and Elder Rojas

TRAINING!

LUNCH TIME!

FYI...every zone conference lunch is different.

Our Zone leaders are in charge of choosing the menu, ordering, and making sure everyone gets fed.  Our Zone Leaders are amazing!!

CELEBRATE...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

 Happy Birthday Elders Rodas, Laws, and Welling...Zona Ipiales!

 Happy Birthday Hermana Avila, Elder Whitney and Elder Mina...Zona Pasto!

And then things got complicated...

The following day after checking in at the airport for our flight to Cali,

we were soon notified that our flight was cancelled and the airport closed.

Weather conditions...fog!

Knowing that we had a Zone Conference the following morning and a Stake Conference to speak at the following night, staying in Pasto and hoping the weather would change the following day was NOT an option.

SO...

We headed to Cali in a taxi.  

Yes, 8 hours of curvy mountain roads that are in a bad state of repair with a lot of falling rock...

The adventure will not soon be forgotten

Here is a peek at our LONG ride home!

The first back seat crew...pretty good attitudes at this point!

Our driver and Elder Oliver in the front...here we go!

 and then it started to rain, and rain, and rain for the next 7+ hours...

curvy roads and falling rock...but the country really is beautiful!

feeling safe with the protection from the soldiers on the road!

(hoping they won't stop us!)

Where we stopped for lunch...

Sancocho, buffalo (that tasted like pork...hmmm..) and patacones

smoked tilapia...yes with the eyes, tail, fins, bones, etc.

Crossing the state border from Narino into Cauca.

Hours and hours of sitting, but we made it home safe and sound.

Check that off the list!  

I am thinking that for next transfers we will send the missionaries by plane...

...if we can find the budget for that!