A long time ago I posted about how I was fascinated with all
these dogs that live on the roofs here in Peru.
Most of the homes are not finished on the top floor
so they use it for the laundry room
and a place for their dogs to roam.
There are very few people with back yards.
There are plenty of dogs on the roofs but there are packs of dogs
still on every road. They are everywhere.
And Elder Llatance will testify of this.
President Turk and I and the Assistants went to Salaverry
the other day to pick up Hermana Legg to take her to the airport.
The Assistants jumped out of the car to grab her suitcases.
Hermana Legg was saying her sad goodbyes.
She was leaving for good so she was teary.
She climbed into the car and the Elders threw her suitcases in the back.
President Turk was on the phone in the drivers seat.
I was in the front passenger seat.
Elder Llatance jumped in the back of the van and
Elder Andersen followed him in the middle.
I was talking to Hermana Legg about all of the areas she
had served in her mission. She said that she didn't get to serve in Chimbote.
"Oh, you never got to smell the stinky fish factories"... I said.
It is the smell of money as they call it.
But really stinky money if you ask me.
I usually put heavy perfume on my
wrist and when we drive by that area of
town I hold my wrist to my nose.
Right as we were talking about the bad smells of Chimbote
There was an overwhelming smell that was making me nauseous.
It was bad. I was about to throw up.
I quickly rolled down the window.
I turned around to see what was going on
and Elder Llatance was in the back with a look of panic on his face.
He had stepped in some of those great dog droppings
and didn't know it and now had brought it into the van with us.
Now... I was dry heaving from the odor.
Hermana Legg was still weeping in the middle.
President was talking on the phone oblivious to what was happening.
Elder Llatance had taken off his shoe and was hopping out of the car.
Elder Andersen was grabbing the baby wipes in the car
and some rubbing alcohol to try to clean it up.
Elder Llatance found some barrels of water
that they were using to mix cement.
He started the cleanup of his stinky shoe.
Sweet Elder Andersen was making the smell worse in the car
by scrubbing the carpet.
So he was hopping in and out looking for a garbage can
to take out the stinky wipes that he was using.
They did the best that they could.
And then we had the long drive from Salaverry to the Mission Home
to try not to be bothered by it.
Sister Legg was laughing AND crying by this time.
After the whole ordeal...
Elder Llatance said that when he saw my face
turn around
to see what the bad smell was...
he was dying because he had just discovered
that he was the one that
brought it in off the street.
This was bound to happen sooner or later.
They do not have any ordinances of doggy pooper scoopers here.
We are all good and fine now.
The van has been scrubbed and is back in good standings with me.
People of Peru... let's keep all the dogs on the roof.
They are happy and we are happy.
I don't know of one missionary that leaves the mission with
the same love for dogs that they may have had before serving.
