The President's on the Move!

The President taught with these gentlemen this afternoon.

Elder Araneda from Chile and Elder Meza from California.

I don't want to always paint a bed of roses when the

President is out teaching.

He experiences people not showing up for appointments

or some door rejections too.

But as you move forward without letting the failure

get to you... there is always someone right 

around the corner praying for you 

to come and give them

Guidance and Truth.

It was that way today.

A few appointments failed.

So they visited the Bishop in the area

and his wife who is also our missionaries pensionista.

Then on their way back they went by a referral that the Elders

 had touched base with a few weeks ago

but had not been able to catch at home.

She opened the door and invited them in.

She said that she was sorry but her husband wasn't home.

So they set an appointment for Friday.

But right as they were leaving the husband arrived.

They said that they would like to come and teach them on Friday

and he said no.... let's do it now.

They had a beautiful lesson.

The spirit bore witness to this couple.

They loved everything about it

and wanted more.

They will have another lesson Friday.

This couple has three beautiful children also.

They were on the way home and a man flagged

President Turk on the street and

said that he wanted to know when church started.  

President thought he must be a member already

but no, he just wanted to know more

about the mormons.

The Elders made an appointment

to teach him and then they are picking him up

on Sunday for Church.

There are always people being prepared to 

be taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Then the magic and miracle of the Gospel

transforms people.  Even their countenances change

as they begin to live the principles of the Gospel.

The Gospel is freeing and empowering.

Thank you Elder Araneda and Elder Meza

My Little Peeps...

Here is my beautiful niece Meg, holding my granddaughter 

"Precious Penny"

Oh, how I need to hold her!

Meg keep her small for me.  

All of my grandchildren are doing fantastic.

But they are growing way too fast.

Here's little Walker Watts already swimming.

Thank you to Hali and Molly for being such

sweet and patient mothers.

This time with little ones passes so fast.

You think it will never end, but trust me,

it is gone in an instant.

Just love every second you get to sit and cuddle

and love these babies.

There is nothing better.

I love that Hali and Molly are already reading scriptures with 

their two year olds. And Tillman and Griffin are giving

little stories in Family Home Evening.

 Griffin Turk Watts and Tillman David Turk

Parker and T-man

This is the time to create these sacred patterns in their lives.

Tillman and Griffin already look forward to scripture time

 and FHE with their families.

I am so thankful that these mothers get to stay home

and raise these little ones.

It is the most important and gratifying job on the earth!

I love little T-man and Penny Girl

and Fiffy and Gawker

(Tillman and Penny Turk)

(Griffin and Walker Watts)

Sweet .... Free Shoe Shine!

The East Zone was creative today.

They went to the plaza in their area and started

shining peoples shoes for free.

They had a great time, learned some new techniques

for their own shoes 

and they met many new investigators.

I accidentally put the pictures of the Hermanas in this collage.

They were working with the Laureles Zone

in another area

getting some more great contacts.

Great Job East Zone!

Let the Holiday Begin...

 Tomorrow Peru celebrates the "Santa Rosa De Lima" Holiday.

Saint Rose was from Lima and she was the first American Saint Ever.

It's a big deal.

They started celebrating tonight with a glow in the dark parade.

Little children all the way up to adults carry fun characters on poles

that have candles inside so they glow.

This parade went right by our house.

They ended up at the big park around the corner

and they will party with loud music there all night.  Yippee!

 I am a North American Mormon Girl

so I don't really understand all about the Saints...

But when they carry the statues of the Saints

or The Virgin Mother Mary through the streets,

they walk with

 these loud bands playing very sad music

and they shoot off the loudest

cannon like fireworks ever...

... the kind that knock you off your feet.

Every time they shoot them off

I feel like I am in Mary Poppins saying...

"places everyone"

as we hold the household together.

I read all about Santa Rosa.

It's a sad story really.

She used to put pepper and lye on her face

to burn it and scar it so that she would not be desirable.

She was very lonely.

But of course she did a lot of good too.

Most of the little children in the parade carrying poles...

end up being carried by their fathers or mothers.

Our missionaries are all going out on the holiday

to raise their voice.

We love holidays... our missionaries can contact so many more

 people at home

or out in the streets for festivities.

So thank you Santa Rosa... You are a great help for the 

Gospel of Jesus Christ.

You really are a Saint.

Field Trip...

You all know how I love my Huacos (walk-os)

These little pottery figurines that represent

families, hobbies, ancestors etc...

They are found in all the ruins here and now

I love to collect the replicas.

Elder Andersen called and said that he has a huaco factory in his area.

So today on preparation day, Elder Andersen and His companion Elder Vera

went and surprised Elder Jones and his companion Elder Valdivia

and we picked them up for his birthday and went to the factory.

Elder Jones took on the owner in a little horn blowing competition...

Our birthday boy got smoked.

This guy could blow the horn forever.

 Obviously the looser had to wear the pink hat!

But Elder Jones you still look great.

This man is quite the artist.  He actually makes artifacts exactly like his grandfathers

and their grandfathers and their grandfathers.

He makes and paints these pots using the exact materials and techniques

as hundreds of years ago.

Here are a couple of pictures of the pot in the process.

We arranged to come back with some of the elders to make our own

huacos.  He is going to have a little class for us.

This place is down the street from the Huaca del sol and the Huaca de La Luna

which are the great ruins here in Trujillo

of ancient Temples built by the Moche people.

This is Alicia's family homestead.

Alicia is the woman that works here in the mission home with us.

She would still live here but she had to move

because of her son's health. It is too humid here.

So she moved to Esperanza.

 Her brother-in-law works with leather.

He makes anything and everything with leather.

He also makes beautiful scripture covers for the Missionaries.

So today Elder Jones was checking out the covers.

We had a great afternoon.

Seems like old times. 

Thanks Elders for letting me tag along.

We will be making Huacos together soon too.

Can't wait!

Roses, Roses, and more Roses!

Happy Anniversary to Us...

Look at these beautiful Roses that came to my House Today.

Twenty- Nine Glorious Roses for Twenty-Nine Glorious Years of Marriage.

We spent a fun day together running around

and then ended up at a few baptisms.

This was one of them.

A young mother was baptized by Elder Perez.

Elder Perez and Elder Retamal taught her the Gospel.

Here is the rest of her family.

We love going to baptisms.

And here is our self portrait from the ugly angle of the camera

as you hold it yourself.

But who cares.  We have been together for a long time.

And thank goodness we have a whole lot of time to go.

The longer we are together the shorter Eternity seems.

We have a blast together.

Some have asked us how it is working together

24 hours a day and 7 days a week?

And we say that we wouldn't have it any other way.

Terry is so supportive and my best friend.

It is so nice to be able to have someone respect you

as much as you respect him.

I asked Terry to give me some answers to this phrase

 "We go together like...."

He answered this way

WE GO TOGETHER LIKE:

Meat and Potatoes

Black and White

 Peanut butter and Chocolate

 Scooby and Shaggy

 Cheese Crisps and El Charro Sauce

 Adam and Eve

 Mama T and Papa T

But right now we go together like:

El Presidente Y Hermana 

We Love Each Other and this Assignment.

I Love You the Most President Turk...

Thank you, Thank you for loving me Always!

Love your Esposa,

Hermana Turk

I swear I just did a post for our anniversary...
scary how fast time is flying.

President's Favorite Days...

President Turk's favorite days by far are going out to work

with his missionaries.

Today he was with Elder Farfan and Elder Huauya 

in the Mochica Area.

 They had some great teaching opportunities and set a baptismal date.

President Turk took this picture of the Elders above...

but they wanted one with the President.

So they tried to set the camera up on the self timer.

Oh wait not ready...

Nice tie... but not ready

What is this pose... 

Wow... what is going on?

Here we go.  A picture all together. Nice!

 

President went teaching with the Hermanas last week before

Sister Palomino went home too.

They had some great experiences also.

President is trying to teach with all of his missionaries

We just need a few more Presidents to go around

or a few more hours in the day.

You are all fantastic!

Keep up the great work.

Entering the Mission...

Every time we get a new batch of missionaries,

President Turk and I gear up 

to receive a few desperate phone calls.

Some are about illness.

Some are over worthiness

Some are asking questions

and 

Some are just complete homesick.

In every group there is a very important adjustment time

that each of our missionaries go through.

I don't care how well they are prepared...

there is the need to 

question and to be humbled.

It is all part of this wonderful experience

that we call

The Best Two Years.

And part of those two years is the difficult beginning.

This is when they really have to dig down deep

to know why they are here

and who they really are.

They also find out that Heavenly Father

is their Father

and that He loves them.

I have heard a few simply say...

This isn't what I thought"

"I don't think I can do this... it's too hard"

But we talk to them... Calm them down and

Explain that they need to give it some time.

 President Turk then gives them a Priesthood Blessing.

After a little time passes things start to get better.

Language barriers start to diminish.

Knowledge starts to increase...

and teaching and helping people become their focus.

Pretty soon a beautiful pattern develops that is 

above and beyond anything they have ever experienced.

It is the joy and excitement of helping others

find the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Peoples lives begin to have meaning and guidance and answers.

Lifelong relationships grow and develop.

Some of our Star missionaries have told me stories of when they arrived.

One said he was just on the verge of leaving the MTC.

The language was more than he could handle.

It wasn't coming to him at all. He was definitely going home.

His group had a scheduled visit to the Lima Temple

While he was in the Celestial Room he had an overwhelming 

feeling that his Grandfather, who had passed away,

was sitting right next to him.

He didn't see him.  He didn't hear him.

But he knew that he was there and his strength

and support was felt.

This Elder had a renewed hope.

He knew that his grandfather expected more.

He hung in there.

Today he cries just thinking that if he would have left the mission

at that time,  he would have missed the greatest

 experiences and blessings that he has ever received.

Not to mention all the wonderful people that he

has been able to help.

And he has helped many.

If you even help ONE person.... if helps generations of people.

Missions are hard... they are glorious, they are exhilarating,

they are exhausting, but they are always WORTH IT!

They are a great pattern for your life.

The mission is really two great years of a solid foundation

to make the rest of your

  life the best years ever.

Hang in there... the Best is yet to Come!

Earthquakes... Very Strange to Me!

As I was reading the news about the earthquake that rattled 

the East Coast in the States...

I was upstairs on my laptop.

All of a sudden, there was a big rumbling under my feet

I held still for a minute

and then realized that yes, this was definitely

a TrEmOr

Lucy was yelling for Ali and I came running out to

see if they felt it...

Bowls were bouncing in the kitchen

and then the phone rang.

It was President Turk saying that they all felt it 

at the office. They were on the

phone with the missionaries in Casma 

and they were also feeling it.

Lucy and Ali said that they usually don't feel the tremors

inside the mission home.

President Turk said that it was 7.0 on the richter scale

It was centered east of us in the Jungle.
There was no damage or death reported.

They have many tremors here in Peru.

I guess I better get used to them.

This is a whole new ballgame for me

I get very excited during the tremors.

No big deal to the Peruvians.

The Fun Has Arrived... 22 Nuevos!

 You know our routine...

We pile the new ones back in the blue bus in the morning

and head to the temple grounds,

Our Favorite Spot.

They have had interviews with the President

and have received their orientation and training

in the office.

Exciting group... 6 Sisters,  8 Peruvians, 6 North Americans, 3 Chilenos,
2 Bolivians, 1 Argentine,
1 Ecuadorian, 1 Paraguayo  and a partridge in a pear tree.

We are all excited about the privilege of being here in this mission

during the time of the building of the Temple.

They will be inviting others to Come Unto Christ

through baptism and then

by making and receiving covenants

in the Holy Temple of God.

After orientation we went to the Mission Home for Lunch...

and then a few games with Hermana Turk.

You can tell that sweet Elder Oyarzun is new in the mission 

because he is taking pictures of me...

Don't do it!

Look at the Hermanas!  We love them.  We are expecting many more

too in the upcoming groups.

The Hermanas know how to teach and how to listen.

This is critical in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The afternoon is filled with training for their trainers, testimony meeting for the new missionaries 

and then they are introduced to their trainers and assigned to their areas.

Then they are off!

and here they are with their new companions and areas.

Let me introduce you!

Hermana Bell is from Ogden, Ut and is being trained by Hermana Montes

she is assigned to Casa Grande.

Hermana Cevallos is from Ecuador and is being trained by Hermana Oliveros

She is assigned to Laureles.

 Hermana Cornelio is from Lima and is being trained by Hermana Ortiz

She is assigned to Huaraz.

Hermana Mori is from Lima and is being trained by by Hermana Sanchez

She is assigned to Laureles.

 Hermana Galleguillos is from Chile and is being trained by Hermana Herrera

She is assigned to El Bosque

Hermana Jimenez is from Peru and is being trained by Hermana Mendoza

She is assigned to Huaraz

 Elder Behotas is from Argentina and is being trained by Elder Cermano

He is assigned to Porvenir

Elder Caballero is from Paraguay and is being trained by Elder Elmer

He is assigned to Esperanza

 Elder Contreras is from Lima and is being trained by Elder Villena

He is assigned to Casa Grande

Elder Espinoza is from Peru and is being trained by Elder Castro

He is assigned to Chimbote

 Elder Hoyos is from Lima and is being trained by Elder Merida

He is assigned to Huarmey

Elder Garcia is from Chile and is being trained by Elder Fajardo

He is assigned to Esperanza

 Elder Lorenzo from Peru is being trained by Elder Mendieta

He is assigned to Casa Grande

Elder Mano from Bolivia is being trained by Elder Rodriguez

He is assigned to Viru

 Elder Mecham from Morgan Ut is being trained by Elder Olivares

He is assigned to Huanchaco

Elder Mendoza from Bolivia is being trained by Elder Aburto

He is assigned to Chimbote

 Elder Oyarzun from Chile is being trained by Elder Mendoza

He is assigned to Esperanza

Elder Pugmire from Preston ID is being trained by Elder Qualls

He is assigned to Primavera

 Elder Northcott from Manila UT is being trained by Elder Huntington

He is assigned to Viru

Elder Quispe from Lima is being trianed by Elder Castro

He is assigned to Primavera

Elder Iler from Enoch, UT is being trained by Elder Batz

He is assigned to Laureles

Elder Kellogg from Clovis, CA is being trained by Elder Merkley

He is assigned to Chimbote Sur

Fantastic Group...

WE LOVE THEM ALREADY!