Mission Presidents Training

A few surprises when we arrived in Utah. Our dear friends the Walkers and their kids surprised us. I saw them at the bottom of the escalator and almost took a dive. Thanks for coming Walkers, we love you.

Then we arrived in our Hotel and a beautiful box with a ribbon was on the table. We thought, oh how sweet, Mission presidents get a treat. We opened it and WOW, it was our PURPLE MAN! Thank you Tim and Audrey.

We got to go with our kids and grandkids and some of the cousins to dinner one night.

The setting apart was really special because my parents came and my sisters, Beth and Julie and spouses, my children and grandchildren and a few nephews. Elder D. Todd Christofferson set us apart. It was beautiful. Elder Uceda is from Peru and will be in our Area Presidency.

These are a few of our missionaries that will join us after they go to the Lima MTC for another six weeks. They are so darling. I cried in the elevator after I left them... It's going to be a long 3 years of goodbyes.

This week we were taught by all of the twelve apostles and the first presidency. Tomorrow we have sacrament meeting with the prophet. It has been a glorious week. We leave on monday for Peru. We have training in Lima for a couple of days and then we are off to Trujillo!

Family Vacation on Coronado June 2010

Pinch Me Now!

PINCH ME!... Is this for real? We are off to Trujillo Peru in less than two weeks. How did we get here you ask? I am not sure either but this is how we received the call. The first of December Terry got a call from Elder Quentin L. Cook's office. They asked if we could come to a video conference center in Tempe and talk to him. So off we went. Elder Cook asked many questions and then told us that he was not extending a calling. He called this an exploratory interview. Well, Terry has had a few of these interviews from the brethren from time to time when he was a stake president from general authorities or visiting apostles but never with me. This was a little different. But after the interview we had to try to forget about it and go on or go crazy thinking about it. About a week later we received a call from President Uchtdorf's office wanting us to come to a video conference center in downtown Phoenix. Now we knew this was going to be a little more serious. Our son Parker, worked in the building right next door to where we were supposed to be, so we told him to meet us there. He wasn't sure why but he had ideas. We were connected with President Uchtdorf on the big screen and our son was watching and listening to the whole thing through a large glass wall. He was taking pictures with his phone. President Uchtdorf spent about 45 minutes with us. He said some very powerful things that we will never forget and then extended to us the call to serve as Mission President and companion. We did not know where we were going to serve but thought maybe Argentina. Terry served in Argentina in his youth. When Terry read our mission call...(see video) it was a little surprising. No, actually we were shocked. But now we are thrilled. We can't wait to serve with the 200 missionaries in Trujillo. Here we go!