Terry and Janet

Terry and Janet

Friday, December 31, 2010

So Long, Farewell...

My children are back on the airplane heading home.
Oh ouch, this one really hurt sending them away.
These babies are so fun. Will they remember us?
The in-laws were so kind to make this trek especially during the holidays.
I can't thank them enough. We had a fantastic two weeks together.
I will never be able to top this Christmas in Trujillo, Peru.
Happy New Year Everyone!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Guest Post: Landon Robert Watts

I cannot completely refute the previous story about my soccer playing days, but let it be known that there was some embellishment from the original story that was told.


You may be wondering why I started my post off with a picture of a bunch of dirt. Well, I decided I couldn’t compete with the other guest posts so I didn’t even try. Nonetheless, I believe I can speak for all of the guest bloggers when I say that this might be one of the most important places we saw during our trip. This is a very special picture to all of us, but especially to Janet and Terry. This is the exact site where the people of Trujillo will be blessed with a temple of their own very soon. Griff is marking the spot with the walking stick he found on the grounds. (Mama T thinks he and Tillman will be called back as missionaries to Trujillo now)



We had a lot of fun being back with Mama and Papa T, however we did not forget the real reason we came to Peru. It meant a lot to me personally to be able to bring my son to their mission and be surrounded by missionaries. I only wish he was a little bit older to be able to truly remember what a great experience it was. Pictures, videos and stories will have to do (until next trip).


We were able to spend a lot of time getting to know some of the missionaries, through the Christmas conferences, the performances in the Plaza das Armas, and going on splits with some of the missionaries. Parker and I both had very good experiences teaching with the missionaries (and yes, we both are now speaking perfectly fluent Spanish) and wish we could stay a few more weeks to be at some baptisms. Thank you Elders and Sisters; for your examples, for your testimonies, for your hard work, and for the Spirit that we felt while we were around you. We will try and bring that same Spirit back to our own home.




Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Guest Blogger: Hali Nye Turk

One of the very first things President told us when we arrived was that the boys would be playing in a soccer game against the office elders on Christmas Day. We quickly started to think about different elders we needed to add to the Turk team. We were nervous that our non soccer players would need some extra help on the field. Christmas Day came and we still hadn't recruited any players, so we decided to mix up the teams. Parker was on the team with the American elders, and Landon was on the team with the Latinos. It ended up being a very close match. The score was tied 8-8 at the very end, and the boys decided they would end the game after the next goal was scored. It was then that we realized our Latinos were holding back a little bit because Elder Garcia quickly juked Parker and scored very easily. Overall, we had a really GREAT time.



Elder Garcia and Elder Hunsaker. We LOVE ALL these elders.
Nice Block Parker!
Here is our favorite spectator!


What happens in Peru...
Gets PUBLISHED on the BLOG!

While we were discussing our strategies for the big soccer match, Landon let us in on a well kept secret from his past. He told us that while he was on his mission in Brazil, he used to play soccer all the time. He said that the Latinos would fight over who got him on their team because they loved to set him up to score all the goals. He LOVED to score on the Brazilians because it would make them so MAD that an American would score on them.

After Landon told us this story, we sat in a shocked silence for a few seconds before we busted up laughing. Landon is not the type of person to go around bragging about his skills. Actually, he is the exact opposite of that person. I quickly dubbed him the "Golden Toe". As the days went by and the soccer game quickly approached, we wondered if "Golden Toe" would hold up to his name.


Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Guest Post: Parker Dean Turk

Those of you who know me well know that if I could have any one job in the world it would be a food critic. I´m the type of guy who if the TV isn´t tuned into Sportscenter or a football game then it´s definitely on the Food Network to catch up on some Iron Chef or Bobby Flay´s Throwdown. That being said, you can imagine how excited I was to come down to Peru and try out all that the Peruvian cuisine had to offer. My wife, however, was slightly more nervous for this same adventure. (Traveling with an 18 month old across the globe is adventurous enough to not want to worry about what crazy food he´ll be eating.)

Let me just say that we have all been pleasantly surprised. The food has been awesome! I know for a fact that we haven’t exactly eaten the same food that the missionaries are eating every meal (2 trips to Papa Johns and one to Pizza Hut), but the traditional Peruvian dishes that I have tried have all been excellent.


(My personal favorite: Lomo Saltado. A stir fry of tender beef served with rice)

As you can see… My experience with La Comida Peruana has been a good one …. EXCEPT:

The Peruvian Death Pepper!

The other day my mom sent me to the little grocery store around the corner to get a few bell peppers for a pasta salad that she was making for all of the guests. I managed to drive around the corner without getting into a wreck (a feat unto itself) and ran into the store to find that all of the produce had been well picked over. I found 5 or 6 red and green peppers that looked just like a bell pepper only much smaller. (The potatoes we had eaten were much smaller than the ones in the States so why should I expect any big bell peppers to be left there on Christmas Eve.) I took them to the check out stand to pay, and the lady went off in super fast Spanish. I feel like I understand Spanish fairly well, and so I definitely understood that she was telling me that these peppers were pretty spicy. I also know that when I was in Brazil they used to think that bell peppers were spicy, so I just shrugged her off and said that these were what I wanted. Bad idea! I got back to the house and started to cut and clean the peppers. I had taken all the seeds out and washed the inside before my eyes started to water. Then I thought, ¨maybe I should try this to see how spicy it really is.¨ I chopped a few pieces and nibbled on one. That´s when it started to set in. My lips started to burn, my mouth started to burn, my eyes were already burning. It wouldn´t stop. Everything that I had touched from the moment I laid a finger on the pepper was burning. My arms were burning and the little cracks in my hands and knuckles were on fire. I started guzzling milk and pouring it on my hands and in my mouth. I went through 2.5 liters of milk before it ever even settled down. My lips swelled up and turned red.

(Molly caught some of my pain on camera.)

Driving in Peru is fun, not scary. Haircuts in Peru are funny, not scary. Peruvian Death Peppers are scary and they hurt!

I have loved my time here in Peru. The mission is full of love and great people. I'm glad my parents could be a small part of something so important!


Monday, December 27, 2010

Guest Post: Molly, Take 2


Parker, Landon and President Turk all needed haircuts. So Monday morning we walked to the infamous David Wong's (where Mama T had her hair colored in those long white strips). David told the men that he didn't use an electric razor because his hands are the machine.
(Edward Scissor Hand)

I don't know if it is my empathy for my mother or because I was having issues with the length of my hair, but I got talked into letting "the machine" give me a Peruvian Doo.
How can you turn down a 8 dollar haircut?

Before & After Shots
To which I am extremely grateful!
Thank you David Wong
I have made the most of my Peruvian experience.

Guest Post: Molly Turk Watts, Take 1

One of our goals while here in Peru was to take our Griff to meet the 3 Alpacas
that Janet named Griffy, Tillman and Isaac (See the old post here).

Not only had the Alpacas grown bigger, but one of them even
turned into a female and gave birth!

The newest Alpaca has been named Walker in honor of our
soon to be born son.



Peru has exceeded my expectations in every way. The history, the culture, but especially the people have made this trip unforgettable. I can definitely see how my mother has fallen in love with Peru so quickly,
because I have fallen in love too!

A Quick Insert... Muchas Gracias!

Thank you, Thank you, to all of you who sent
Packages, Gifts, Pictures, Cards, CDs, Letters, Food, Treats
& Prayers. Unbelievable!

We are feeling the Love...

Happy Holidays &
Muchas, Muchas Gracias

With Love,
The Turks


~PS~
My children are each going to take a day to blog...
Molly - Monday
Parker - Tuesday
Hali - Wednesday
Landon- Thursday

Flying kites at the playa (beach)




We went to the beach and found a whole lot of sand...
and sun!

We flew kites ... and ate ice cream.
It is always perfect weather here.
Landon, Molly and Griff
Parker, Hali and Tillman
Papa T and Griff

Making a whole lot of fun Memories.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Christmas Morning...

Christmas morning was so much fun!
How great to have two little wonders opening all their presents.
When in Peru... Dress like the Peruvians!
Thank you Martha Giraldez for the great Peruvian beanies.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas Eve

We just had a glorious Christmas Eve. We had a night of
Dancing, Dining, Desserts, Fun & Friends.
We had the office Elders along with our family and the Giraldez family.
Hali, Molly and I made delicious scalloped carrots, twice baked potatoes, roasted chicken breasts, Lomo Fino (beef) watermelon, cantaloupe, pasta salad, rolls, cucumber-tomato salad and hot fudge sauce and whipped cream on a ice cream cake.
Martha Giraldez arranged for these National Champion dancers to come to our home and perform the Regional Dance called the Marinera.

They were unbelievable!
They have huge Marinera Festivals here in Trujillo.
Horses also perform this dance.
We hope to take the kids to a performance by the horses also.
After the dancing and Eating, we went in and had a beautiful program
and shared traditions and Christmas memories.
It's one o'clock in the morning and the fireworks and firecrackers are still going strong. They start them at midnight here in Trujillo. They tell us they will last all night. That's fine, if they don't wake up my babies.
Merry Christmas Everyone.

Christmas Program in the Plaza

Here is just a short preview of the show we did in the Plaza. It was fantastic. The Missionary Choir was wonderful, the children were great, the donkey, of course, was a donkey and wouldn't leave the stage, the special numbers were awesome, the crowd was huge, the slides and video added a lot, and of course we all felt the great spirit of Christmas which comes from our Savior.



Papa Noel ended the show with some candy for the children...
Perfect Christmas Night.

Santa...

You knew this was going to happen!

Christmas Devotional

Monday and Wednesday mornings we had a Christmas Devotional for our Missionaries. We introduced our family. Our children bore their testimonies, Parker and Molly sang "The Prayer" and all of us sang
"I know He Lives"
President Turk and I can't get enough of these two.
They helped Papa T give his talk.
We then ate lunch and had the afternoon to prepare and practice for
the Christmas Program at the Plaza.

The grandsons are somewhere in the middle of this group.


Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Life Doesn't Get Any Better!

Papa T and Tillman
Landon, Griff & Molly
Hali, Parker & Tillman
Griffadeedoodahday & T -Man

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

I know, I am running behind.... Much fun to come!

Dear family and friends.... I am so sorry. I am behind in my posts. but Life is beautiful and busy right now. It is 1:00 am and we have another grand day tomorrow. But I wanted to put on a few photos of the kids when they landed. I will catch up after tomorrow.
It was so sweet of the kids to sacrifice and come to Peru.
They have been troopers.
It is hard enough for an adult to get here but with the
babies and all the baby stuff
that has to travel with them now, it is a huge task.
Look closely and you can barely see Molly and Griff behind all of the
baby necessities in the picture above.
This isn't even the luggage. Her husband is getting the suitcases.
Here we are getting reacquainted with Griff. Finally Mama T and Papa T
aren't just pictures in the computer.
Oh the joy of touching the babies.
My children thought that I had hired a big marching band and a ton of
yellow balloons for them but it was for some political person
on the plane with them.
I should have let them think that. I wished I would have thought of it.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

THEY MADE IT...

It is quite the journey to get to Trujillo Peru... but everyone is happy to be here... the flight was way better than expected... the little boys were fantastic. Mama T (me) is happier than ever.... There were Tears of Joy for everyone.

Pictures to come... We have got to go to bed.

We have our big day tomorrow. We have been practicing our songs tonight and getting last minute talks, gifts, videos, etc.. for the Devotional in the am and the Program in the pm

GOOD LUCK TO US

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Never in the History of all Mankind...



Never in the history of all mankind has a Christmas been anticipated
like this one is for me.
It tops all and any... even over all the children in the world.
Am I making myself clear here...
My children are on an airplane right this minute bringing
our grandchildren to Peru to see Papa T and Mama T.
The cribs are up and made, the diapers and all baby
paraphernalia is purchased.
The guest rooms are ready.
The grass is mowed. The presents are wrapped.
The garland is on the banister.
The tables are set with Santa.

The missionary Christmas program is ready to go...
(They are still working on my donkey and alpaca.)
Our first program is Monday Night and the second is Wednesday.
Ready or not, here we go...
This will be the best Christmas Ever!




Friday, December 17, 2010

Myles and Kat ... Together Forever!

Congratulations Myles & Kat!
I have been a little weepy. Our nephew Myles Turk was married today.
Myles is like our son. President Turk's brother, Randy, passed away several years ago
and we have loved being a little more involved in Myles life. And now he has
found darling Kat... We love her too. It was hard not to be there
but we are thrilled that it was to the right person,
at the right time, in the right place.
This is the Temple in Mesa, Az. where they were sealed
for time and all eternity.
Our home is about 10 minutes away from this temple. We love it.


A little message to Myles and Kat... from the streets of Trujillo