Lima National Archive !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bus Stop
Alan Lopez And Bob
Going the the Archives

Waiting for the Bus
"1" Hour ride
Both ways

We were excited to finally go to the Lima National Archives. Alan Lopez has been assigned to go with us every day. We decided to go on the bus. If we take a bus it is about $5 a day. A taxi would be about $25 a day. It is only 10 miles but in the Lima traffic it takes about an hour. Alan is a great young adult who has been imaging records since last summer. He is very protective of us and we really appreciate him. Is is also helping me with my Spanish. I have about a 20 word vocabulary. That is more than I had when I got here. He gives me three new words a day and helps with grammar.

We leave for the bus at 6:30 AM and get home at 6 PM. (Just has hard as the job I just left. Thought a mission might be easier. No such luck.)

Lima Justice Building
Archives in the Basement

How do I begin to describe the basement of an archive. I knew it would be bad but imagine 10 times worse. It is dirty, dusty and old. Heaven help us if there is an earthquake. It is fifty yards to the stairs and it would be dark and lots of falling books and shelves. When we are taking pictures we have to wear a mask. That is great because I get claustrophobic. It can only get better from here.

A Football Field of Records

Keep the dusty from your Lungs

The church has a man named David Triudo that over sees the imaging program in five countries in Northwest South America. He and Bob get along very well. He has been filming for the Church for a long time. He has been in these archives for the last eight years by himself. He has had some very spiritual experiences finding both his spouse and his relatives in the archives. Peruvian records are certificates kept on a whole page for each person. David says there are about 20 million records in this archive and it should take another 20 years to complete the project. David used micro-film for many years and digital camera are a gift from God. David is a perfectionist and knows his job. I hope we can live up to his expectations.

Moving from the classroom at the MTC is a little different than the real thing. The classroom misses out on the the dirt, dust, mole, the smell, etc. The first day I was there I had to leave at 3 PM because it was to much for me. But I must say that knowing there are 20 million anxious spirits praying for there names to be indexed or attached to a historical record makes the mission all worth while. The very presents in the archive gives a feeling of something old and beautiful about to be found on a record that will identify each spirit. Some day a relative or the church exaction program will submit the names to the temple so these spirits can be sealed  to their love ones. I need to keep this in mind when working there.

We are the first missionaries working in this library. Bob and David have decided that 3 days a week will be enough for me and Bob will be five. Today was are second day. About 2 PM I thought I smelled paint thinner. I was right. They mop the floors with it and there is no place for the fumes to go. Cher, told me that is common in Peru because it keeps the bugs away. Please pray for me that I can keep an eternal perspective when I am at the Archives.

Working with the Camera's

I will save riding on the bus through the streets of Lima for another day.