We are in Chimbote!

First one down and all is well!

The first zone we were with was Chimbote Peru.

We Love them all..

What's not to love.

Each of these Elders has a great story behind them.

Many are the only members in their family.

Some are from tiny little towns.

One has had a brain tumor removed,  some have overcome amazing odds...

Some were lost and now they are found, some have had near death experiences.... etc... 

They are so capable and talented.

The mission gives them tools that will be beneficial for life.

Especially learning to follow the spirit and knowing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Please just ask yourself one question...

What is the purpose of being here on this earth?

Is it really just to make a living so that you can eat and sleep comfortably?

Is is to find things that give you immediate pleasure.

There is so much more...

Don't miss the real purpose of life.

You have to find out who you really are

and find out what you are to learn and do while you are here.

I love to listen to these missionaries teach

about the answers to life's questions.

Listen to some missionaries.

It is amazing.

Elder Russell                                                 Elder Castro

 Elder Young                                                     Elder Sanchez

Elder Del Aguila                                                  Elder Davila

 Elder Mendoza                                            Elder Fajardo

Zone Leaders:  Elder Arena                                              Elder Lopez

 Elder Sandiford                                                          Elder Nelson

Elder Whitelock                                                           Elder Jaramillo

 Elder Vilchez                                                               Elder Vera

Our Local Elder                                                      Elder Leyva

Tomorrow we are with Chimbote Sur Zone...

Can't wait!

Casa Grande is Awesome!

Thank you Casa Grande Zone

for spending time with us today in the office.

Casa Grande Zone includes

Hermanas:  Langi, Herrera, Montes, Sheridan

Elders:  Balas, Berroterán, Bingham, Contreras, Cortez, Lorenzo,

Mamani, May, Munson, Ortellado, Sandoval, Velastegui, Velez, and Zarian.

Below are the Zone Leaders Elder Munson and Elder Berroterán.

 Morning and afternoon Preach my Gospel Search

Get your hands up...

Girls Rule...

Actually Pizza Rules.

It's Elder Andersen's Birthday today.

We hope your day was fantastic.

We feel lucky to have you a part of our team.

What team is that...

Go Team Turk?

no

Go Team Misión Perú Trujillo!

He's a Keeper!

Thank you Elder Andersen for all your

dedication and hard work.

We Love You!

Sneak Peek...

We had a practice yesterday for our Christmas Program.

We will perform two nights in the Plaza.

Half the missionaries one night

and the other half on the other.

(December 20 and 22)

Hermana Petherbridge is singing "O Holy Night"

with her back up group

Il Divo.

Here is a little sneak peek...

Plaza de Armas - 7:00 pm

You won't want to miss the Missionary Choir!

The Ruins of Chavin...

There is a place East of Huaraz called Chavin.

It takes a couple of hours to get to

on the most rugged road ever.

The President decided to take advantage of 

the drive while I was back in Trujillo.

Great move Presidente!

Elder Vera and Elder Andersen

were his trusty sidekicks.

They were thrilled.

Chavin is at about 15,000 ft

above sea level.

This is the highest tunnel in the Western Hemisphere.

They thought this looked like it belonged in Lord of the Rings

The ruins of the Temple of Chavin de huantar date back to 1500 years BC.
Pretty impressive.
Look across this green courtyard and you will see the top of the temple
at the base of the mountain.
Most of it is underground still not excavated.

A closer look at the temple behind Elder Andersen.

To avoid the temple from being flooded and destroyed during the rainy season, the Chavín people created an incredible drainage system. Several canals built under the temple acted as drainage. The Chavín people also showed advanced acoustic understanding. During the rainy season, water rushed through the canals and created a roaring sound. The temple appeared to be roaring like a Jaguar, a sacred animal to these people.  The temple was built of white granite and black limestone, neither of which is found near the Chavín site. This meant that leaders organized many workers to bring the special materials from far away rather than use the local materials and rock.

Here they go down below

These heads are found throughout Chavin de Huantar and are one of the most well-known images associated with the Chavin civilization. Tenon heads are massive stone carvings of fanged jaguar heads which project from the tops of the walls.  There were about 115 and they were all different.

On the way out...

They saw that they were having some celebration in the town of Chavin.

These girls were dressed and ready to perform.

This is looking down at the city of Huaraz.

What you don't see in this picture are the snowcapped mountains

surrounding this beautiful place.

Our Mountain People.... The Huaraz Zone

We love the Huaraz Zone.

It makes me sad that I missed being with them

But they will be here in Trujillo soon.

Look at them...  Beautiful!

The man at the bottom of this photo is the waiter who had just

served them.  He brought his camera out to take a picture

because he loved these missionaries so much.

While the President was interviewing...

the Assistants were fantastic and did the same thing

with the missionaries that I would do if I was there.

See the hands up for Speed Search in Preach My Gospel?

Zone Leaders are Elder Farnsworth and Elder Romero in the bottom left corner.

The Missionaries in the Huaraz Zone are:

Arriola, Canaan, Cornelio, Coronel, Farnsworth, Fuentealba, Leon, McVey,

Mecham, Mendoza, Mieles Mikesell, Perez, Reyes, Richards, & Zapata

We Love and Pray for each one of them.

Black Friday... What's That?

Today is called Black Friday at home.

It is known for being the craziest, most hectic day of the year.

Here in Peru on the other hand, I am experiencing

the most calm, quiet day ever.

It's the kind of day that you always dream of and want

and then when you have it, you about go nuts.

It's like your speeding car just came to a complete stop.

When you travel at high speeds for long amounts of time

it is really hard to go at a slow speed again.

I am at the mission home with Hermana Apaza.

She is sleeping and resting after her surgery.

The President and the Assistants get home later tonight.

Breathe.... Relax.... Read some more!

Every Thanksgiving, since I have been married, I have received flowers

from my husband,

And yesterday wasn't any different.

He is the most thoughtful man on the planet.

He never forgets!

Even when his agenda is packed to the brim.

Here is a photo of our Chinese Thanksgiving yesterday.

It was Chinese food with Christmas decorations on Thanksgiving...

WOW!

I was in good company though.

They all look very content, no?

Look at my convalescent home...  They will be out in no time.

Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is around the corner.

What am I doing....

Get Going, we don't have time to stop and think!

A Very Different Thanksgiving!

This is a very different Thanksgiving for all of us.

My children and grandchildren are eating turkey and dressing

with my family in Arizona.

The President, his Assistants and the Huaraz Zone

are eating papa a la huancaina, Roast beef and Mashed potatoes

in Huaraz, Perú

I am eating Chinese food with those recuperating and the office Elders

in Trujillo, Perú.

This is the first time in my almost fifty years that 

I have not been with a family member on Thanksgiving.  

Even when I was studying abroad in Israel for 6 months,

I had my brother Joe with me. 

 But all is well.

I just got off skype with the missionaries in Huaraz 

and was able to give them my talk.

I will be checking in with them later.

Life is as good as it can get for me.

I know that I am a daughter of God

I have a beautiful family that I was born into.

The greatest parents ever.

I have my own Family. 

The most unbelievable Husband ever

My children are wonderful 

and of course ...

the grandchildren are off the charts in every way!

The Gospel is the Center of our World

and Jesus Christ made it all possible.

We love Him and Honor Him.

And We thank our Heavenly Father for Everything...   Always.

To Go or Not to Go... That Was the Question!

President and the Assistants went to Huaraz today.

It snowed a little on the drive up.

 Always a beautiful drive ... but remember you wind back and forth

 around those

switchbacks for hours.

I hate to miss the trip.... 

I really hate to miss my missionaries.

But we have had a few emergencies happening here.

I will have Hermana Apaza at my house for 

the next few days.  

She had her gallbladder removed this morning.

Everything went perfect.

We will have Thanksgiving at the mission home

with Chinese Food.

I will have a few of the recuperating ones with me.

(Herniated back, appendix, gallbladder)

And some of the office staff.

Should be great. 

Huaraz, I love you.  We are trying to skype so that I can

talk with all of you tomorrow.

I am thankful for devoted missionaries.

The Hokey Pokey?

Hands up...

Here is a sample of one of our questions that we would use in our

Speed Search in "Preach My Gospel"

The Holy Ghost does not dwell in unclean tabernacles.

What you choose to think and do when you are alone and 

you believe no one is watching is a strong measure of your What?

They cannot call out the answer, they have to show it in the book.

The first with their hand up

and can show us the right page and 

give us the answer gets a prize.

The Hermanas of Laureles Zone are Spectacular.

They are smart, clean, bright, courageous, happy and selfless.

 I Love that they want to be here.... and are giving it their all.

We don't want to just put in time.

We want to be the best we can be.

We are at such a great place with our missionaries.

You can't help but be happy around them.

Their joy is contagious.

And if any of you are worried about Elder Merkley
who just had his appendix out,

Don't be.... He is spelling his name with the refreshments.

He is in the office recuperating just fine.

Missions are crazy hard work...

But if you aren't happy while you are serving,

then you are doing it wrong!

D & C 123:17

 17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us ^acheerfully ^bdo all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the ^csalvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

Missionaries of the Laureles Zone

Aguilar, Armstrong, Bell, Cermeno, Cook, Dickerson, Eddings, Galleguillos,

Gudiel, Huaman, Hurley, Iler, Jimenez, Llatance, Meza, Montes,

Oliveros, Retamal, Sanchez, Sandstrom, Wilkinson, and Yat

Zone Leaders:  Elders Yat and Retamal

pictured in the bottom left corner