Wherein Lane Writes His Last Email Home

June 29th, 2026 

Alrighty there folks... here it is, my very last email as a missionary!

First off I want to say sorry to my mother Viki and to my future self for not keeping a better journal or writing consistant emails throughout my mission. I have indeed had some of the most amazing experiences here in Perú, and if not in this life, I hope to some day have a perfect rememberance of all things! This mission truly has been a great one.

Let's see here, some stuff that has happened recently is that our friend Angela got baptized on June 14th! It was such an amazing experienxe to be able to reach and help Angela prepare to make such an important covenant with God. Satan got in his fair share of jabs in this fight, but in the end God is good and Angela's desire stayed strong. This is also the first convert baptism the ward has had THIS YEAR!! I think the ward and us the missionaries as well as Angela and especially Jesus were all happy that day!! She is an amazing convert and already has been participating in activities, has friends, and really wants to go the the temple to be baptized for her mother!!

Then on the 20th out amazing little friend Kendall got baptized. She is family of some members here in the ward. She has a pretty rough home sittuation, but she had a STRONG desire to be baptized. Her family bore testimony in her baptism of Kendalls desire to be baptised and how she was always mentioning it to her family even when the misionaries weren't there. I am so excited that Kendall ill be able to grow up in the church with the companionship of the Holy Ghost!

Then on the 25th another friend Luciana got baptized. The Lord truly had his hand in this process. Luciana has been coming to church all year now and hasn't missed one sunday or activity for months. But her mom never wanted to give her permission because she wanted Luciana to be "prepared". We always invited Luciana to keep praying and always talking with her mom about it, and one day when visiting her her mom said she wanted to support Luciana in with her desire. It was amazing to see Luciana finally be baptized and confirmed.

The Savior has truly blessed Santiago and I know he will continue to do so. From no baptisms all year, to 3 in less than two weeks (and more people already on date[the kent rock]). I am truly grateful for my time here in Santiago.

Another blessing I had is that this last monday I got to travel to the ancient ciudad of Mchu Picchu!! Visiting one of the 7 wonders of the world, especially one that I have constantly heard and dreamed about for the last 2 years, was quite literally a dream come true! It is such a beautiful site and one feels quite mystical being there.

I also got to see the President of Peru, and Miss Perú Cusco on the same day.

On saturday we got transfer news and obviously i knew i was leaving, but also my companion is gettingtransfered and they are throwing in 2 new missionaries here in Santiago. I hope they take good care of the friends we left.

Also me and my comp got to give our testimonies and it was a good sacrament meeting. And then the membersfed us a lot after.

Also today was my last pday and we started the morning going tourist shopping and then going to a service project with the ward. Honestly couldnt have picked a better last Pday activity. I love service so much as a missionary and it was a good feeling to finish strong serving the members. It was just a lot of physical labor and the sun was hot, so i'm pretty tired. Also it was awesome because Angela (convert) came and participated and she already has a lot of friends in the ward.

Then with very little time left of Pday we snuck by Saqsaywaman (the Ican fortress). It was a good experience to finish strong with my companion and have fun together. And now we are heading to presidents house for my last interview as I am writing this.

Well, this has been a crazy last little while, I feel like everyone just keeps talking about how I am going home and how my mision is alredy over. My mom, friends, other missionaries, members, and everyone else just keeps reminding me that this wonderful time of my lif is coming to an end. I am not honestly super excited, but I know that its a part of the plan. I am petty sad about leaving these amazing people!! I ready do have a place in my peruvian heart for them!!! And I know that thanks to God's perfect plan I will be able to see my peruvian friends once again in the next life.(and on facebook)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 Spiritual section:

 One thing I especially had been struggling with while getting to the end of my mission is feeling like I didn't do enough. I wasn't nor could I've been a perfect missionary, and I did have had a few times where frankly I probaby didn't put forth my best self for the work. There have been times where dissobedience, laziness, pride, or others of my "non-christlike" attributes didn't make me to be the best instrument in God's work.

Then there was a point in my mission, where I had a change of heart. I'm not sure exactly what is was that brought about the change, a mix of motivation from other missionaries, my mission leaders, friends at home, my own desire to be a good person, and definitely the holy spirit of repentace, but now that I am nearing the end of my mission I have been able to see and I know God has brought about a great change in my heart and in my chracter.

I had been struggling to not feel as though I had "wasted" parts of my sacred time as a missionary, I tried reading countless pasages of repentance, and listening to talks and reading the scriptures, but what really helped me the most actually was reading a chapter of my grandpa Groberg's book that he precisely sent me when I needed it, in which he wrote about feeling similarly at the end of his mission. He recorded,

 "How could God be happy with me? How could I be happy with myself?"

But after a time of self reflection and revelation he continued, "Then, quietly, a soft covering of peace began to enter my heart [...] I was satisfied. While I know that much more will be required of all of us, I am confident one of the greatest feelings we can experience in this life is to know that God is pleased with our efforts. Nothing can compare to that [...] I also learned another great lesson. I knew I could have done better and was painfully aware of my faults. But a kind Father in Heaven al­lowed me to leave with good memories and a feeling of approbation for the things I had accomplished rather than a feeling of self-incrimination for the things I had not [...] I understood that as I dealt with others, especially family and friends, I needed to give much less criticism for failures and much more praise for accomplishments. It is God’s way. I knew that."

I know I could have been a better missionary. But thanks to the attonment of my Savior, I am also at peace with and so very grateful for the service I was able to acomplish on my mission. And I know this has just been the start of great things to come in a life of service to the Lord.

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Well thats all folks, thank so much for reading. Sorry it was kinda long. Really crazy that my last transfer here in Perú is done.

I get home the 1st of July, and my homecoming talk will be on the 12th of July here at 450 N 200 W in Ephraim. (The church south of Walmart). I have no idea what time my church is at tho... sorry. (Mom here - its at 9 am!)

If you want more details shoot me an email or better yet, ask my mom! I'm excited to see yall

Sincerely,

   Élder Bailey  

Wherein Lane Writes His Second-To-Last Email Home

 May 11, 2026

I say second to last because at the rate that I am going this will probably be my second to last email that I send. But anyways let's get right into it!!!

This week was super good we have been working super hard here in Santiago and we are starting to see more miracles little by little! The work here in Santiago has historically been pretty slow and hard, but we are just giving it our all and hoping to see the results! I know that if we are diligent and hard-working that the Lord can multiply our efforts

Not really a lot of exciting stuff happened this week I got pretty sick one day from eating at a pretty sketchy restaurant and so I'm never doing that again! Also randomly my cousin's Dan and Grace just showed up at church which was a fun surprise! And they gave me a box of Fruity Pebbles and chocolate covered cinnamon bears which were probably some of the first here in cusco! I thought it was funny to share the cinnamon bears with the members because they thought they were super spicy! Peruvians never have spicy food!

 Spiritual section:

 Mother's day was good and I got to call my mom and that was good!!! I was thinking of something nice to write for my mom, and I just wasthinking about some of her atributes and I just thought of moroni's words about Charity and I think they fit pretty well for my mom who is a personage of charity. --- I'll paraphrase him 

 And mom suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Wherefore, if ye love not mom, ye are nothing, for mom never faileth. Mom is the greatest of all! And mom shows the pure love of Christ!

Mom prays unto the Father with all the energy of heart, and she is filled with His love, which He hath bestowed upon Mom, who is a true follower of His Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

#comerejoice

Last week of the transfer!!! This Saturday I will know where I am spending the rest of my time here in Peru! I really am gonna miss it!!!

See yall later!!!

 - Élder Bailey  

Wherein Lane Moves Back to Cusco

 April 13, 2026

Hey I'm back after an entire transfer I think!!! 

Last time I wrote I think was starting my 3rd transfer in Puerto Maldonado with Elder Yarlaqué y Elder Kimball. Well now things have changed and I am here in Cusco!!

I know that a lot of super spiritual experiences and the most amazing miracles happend this last transfer in Puerto and I am super excited to one day have a perfect recollection of all things that happened in my life. I haven't written basically any journal entries in a LONG time, and I didnt even send one weekly email this whole transfer. But I did have an awesome transfer and learned so much and saw so many miracles. I did take at least a few pictures (check google fotos)

My new comp is Elder Peterson from Cedar City. We are in Santiago, Cusco. It is basically in the city but also on the outskirts like on the side of the hill, so we are walking up a lot of hills and stairs. It is a lot of finished buildings and paved roads, which is kinda new to me. But I know I'll love it here because Cusco is so lindo!! 

 Spiritual section:

 One of the things that I really loved about this general conference was Elder Bednar's talk and how perservering to the end is really our way of possesing the pure love of Christ! I know that the reason I am here and that the reason that in life we need to perserveer is because we truly love Christ!! I love Him and I love the people here in Perú with all my heart!! I am going to give it my all these last two transfers. I invite you all to really keep perseveering. Show Christ you love Him. I know that sometimes life is hard, but I also know that its not about hard hard you hit, its how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. Lets keep moving forward everyone. Love you all

#doesthejourneyseemlong

Sorry for not writing in a while everyone! Really crazy that another transfer here in Perú is done! On to my last 2 transfers probably here in Santiago!! Love y'all!!!

Baii everyone

 - Élder Bailey  

Wherein Lane Sees Miracles in the Work

 February 23, 2026

Hey there mom and everyone else who is maybe gonna read this. This has been a good week. Or 2 weeks, I don't remember when I sent my last email.

But basically we have just been working hard and seing miracles.

This last sunday, two sundays ago, Greysi and her mom Veronica got baptised. They are the absolute best!!! Basically Satan is a bum and is sending a lot of hard struggles to that family but I am proud to see that they are sticking it through. The spirit is helping them stay strong.

Then this sunday, Diego got baptised!! He is super awesome!! He is 14 and taller than me, which doesnt usually happen in Peru. But now he's my second 14 year old convert thats taller than me. (Shout out to pedro)

This pday we went fishing witht the district and an awesome family (erika, sonia, jhordi) they are cool. We went to the middle of the jungle and played in some clay mud quick sand and just messed around in the jungle jeje.

This week we also got transfers news. I am staying here to finish training in the jungle of Madre de Dios. I LOVE my area right now. I love the people. I love the members. And I love the work. Even though I am getting pretty tired here we are gonna keep working hard. Aside from staying here with Yarlaque, I will also be with a new companion Elder Kimball in a trio!! He is also new to the mission, so I will be basically training two new misionaries at the same!! We will se how that goes and i dont know how I feel about it.

I am trying to just work super hard now! I havent been super good at training this first transfer so I am gonna try and do a lot better this transfer with my 2 companions. I am happy though with the work that we are doing. We are being dilligent and obedient, and I think that we are giving it a lot of effort. But I know there is always more we can do.

 Spiritual section:

Lots of spiritual moments this week finding, helping, teaching, serving, loving, and baptising these last few weeks. I'm sorry that this is getting rushed at the end. But the mission is indeed spiritual and I am indeed growing a lot.

My challenge for myself this week is to be super duper humble. I find myself often being stubborn or like hold grudges amongst other flaws I have and its stuff I dont want to be or do when I come home. I'll let yall know how that goes in my next email. Keep me accountable.

#thedaydawnisbreaking

Good week this week! Really crazy how fast the mission is flying by, love y'all, see ya latersssaaaa

Until another Monday

 - Élder Bailey  

Wherein Lane Becomes a "Father"...

 Jan 19, 2026

I did tell my mom that I would try to write an email. So here's my attempt.

Basically, everything is going good here. The work has gotten a bit slower here which is kind of annoying, and I just really don't know what to change and I feel like I'm working good but just we arent seeing a lot of results.

Also, if y'all remember I got put as a trainer of a new guy! Basically, my only wish is that I could train a Latino. And my dreams came true.

My new companion's name is Elder Yarlaqué! He is basically super awesome and like all around the best.

He is from Chiclayo Perú, and we're already good buds. I'd say he's like a Peruvian version of me. Or rather, I'm the American version of him, because he's 5 years older than me. He's basically my older brother (even older than Seth), but I still get to claim that I am his father! Anyway, we get along, and well also I have realized that I have zero experience training. I hope I'll figure it out and be able to help him learn and be a good missionary and everything. So prayers for me and him.

 Spiritual section:

 Just have been working on trusting in the Lord. Really I am doing great here, and am super excited to be with this comp. But I (and all of us) just need to remember that this is the Lord's work. I have gotten comfortable just working all day long, but really it's not just about working working working, sino really trusting in the Lord and doing it for Him. I know that we can rely on Him in everything. Like training, or perserveering, or even with the draining heat of the sun. I honestly didnt even want to train, or stay here in the heat any longer, but I know it is the Lord's way of stretching me and helping me grow and be the best version of myself. Just trying to always keep Trusting in the Lord.

#sweetisthework

Good week this week! Super excited to tell yall next week how my first full week witj Elder Yarlaqué goes!! I know it will be good and we will see miracles.

Reach out if you get the chance.

Until some future date

 - Élder Bailey  

Wherein Lane Hits an All-Time Happiness level!

Dec. 22, 2025

 Hey I don't remember how long it's been since I wrote. This whole like having to call my family every week this general makes me not feel a big need to do so, but anyways I'll send yall a little something of how I've been doing.

Basically if y'all remember I'm here in the jungle of Puerto Maldonado, Perú. It's basically the most amazing place I've ever served in. There is 1 paved road in our sector. And aside from that it's all dirt and mud and dist and it's the most awesome thing ever. Also it's really really hot here, like consistently 35° and with the humidity and everything it's super sweaty and just the worst, and the super sweat and dirt everything, just means I'm always dirty and showers are a 2 a day thing. It also rains a lot here which is awesome because it's like a free shower from God, so we love and take advantage of being out working in the rain. Also random story, these is this homeless guy that was put like washing himself in this like big muddy puddle, so that was kinda sad, but we got him like some fresh cold water bottle.

The people here are so loving and open and just the most beautiful!! I love being here. And the kids are the cutest!! They just come up and give you hugs and it never gets old they are the best, and they got me laughing always. Basically I'm just at an all time happiness level here on my mission.

Oh and also since it's very hot here the people wear way less clothes, so we got to stay locked in and focused with the women. Also like something super sad is that there are a lot of struggling and single moms from super young age here. Like there was a girl who had a 2.5 year old baby, and we asked her how old she was and she said 16. So its like really sad the amount of <18 year old moms there are here.

But in general the people are super humble and willing to listen and learn here and it's has just been 3 weeks of solid 15 hour work days and it's just always go go go and I love it.

O ya and some little girl who lives in a dirt house like 30 minutes out of any main part of the city randomly said 6 7 when we walked by, so that spread pretty fast to all parts of the world.

Me and my companion get along really well, he is from Texas. And he's my second gringo companion which is a little bummer. But we work hard and probably speak too much English but anyways that's that.

Also the sky here is super pretty, but I can't manage to get a good looking picture, so just trust me that it's the most beautiful place.

Also we have 5 friends that got baptized, but I don't have time to write about them, so I'll tell yall next week. But they are: Fernanda, Brian, Nayely, Pedro, and Raúl 

 Spiritual section:

 Getting ready for Christmas here on the mission I was thinking about Jesus, as always, and how we need to be more like Him since we are celebrating his birth. And as missionaries there are 7 attributes of Christ we specifically focus on and I think we can all focus on them this Christmas season. They are faith in Jesus Christ, hope, charity and love, virtue, integrity, knowledge, and patience.

I want y'all to try and develop a little more those attributes this Christmas season. 

And let me know how it goes this Christmas week.

#imtryingtobelikejesus

Good week here in the jungle! Really crazy how fast the mission is flying by. Like its already my second Christmas on the mission. But I'm doing super good, so... bye love y'all

Also my Christmas wish is that y'all be like Jesus and invite someone who may not have the best Christmas this year. And also send me an email if you have time.

Merry Christmas 

 - Élder Bailey  

Wherein Lane Learns Importance of Daily Scripture Study

 Nov. 10, 2025

well, sorry, I have re written the start of this now 4 times the last four weeks that I never sent it, hopefully I can manage to send this out tho. I'll try to remeber what happened these last few weeks.

this last week was tranfers. I thought that I was going to go to a new area, but I get to stay here for 6 more weeks. My old companion Elder Cubillas got moved tho, and I got a new companion Elder Espinoza. He is from Peru, but from Junin, and he lives in the jungle which is cool, and he is a convert which is also cool! We do get along for the most part, so it's all good there.

asides from transfers the work is going good. The area is pretty slow right now, and we don't have a LOT of friends that are progressing, but we are finding some new people and I think that this is going to be a good transfer.

Maddy got baptized. She is Harolds sister if you remember about him. She only has 8 years old, but she was super ready and excited to be baptized. Their family gets stronger and stronger the more and more they come to church and what not.

Honestly I know that a lot more has happened and that there has been good, and bad, and funny, and hard experiences, but honestly I haven't been journaling either (sorry mom) so I dont really remember what's been happening.

really I don't know what else to say! I am doing good! I love this area a lot, and in general this mission. The people from Cusco are so awesome and have such a rich culture, and my quechua is coming along (super slowly). and all in all I am super ecited for these last like 8 or 9ish months.

 Spiritual section:

these last weeks I have been learing the importance of daily scripture study. I hadn't really been puting a lot of importance in my daily studies, but I have been trying to do it better these last couple of days, and I can see a difference. Basically I can feel the spirit more every day, which makes every other aspect of the day better. Also I have been able to teach better because I can share more personal scriptures with our friends and what not.

#readthebookofmormonandpray

Another transfer done!! man the mission goes by fast.

Sorry for the bad emails mom I'll see if I do better next pday

Until next pday (probably not)

 - Élder Bailey