They Made It!

Little synopsis of the day...

After traveling to LA yesterday afternoon at 5

They flew through the night to Lima...

Then Lima to Trujillo...

They landed here in Trujillo today at 3.

Long trip for adults... way too long for  the littles.

But the children were excellent.

And they made it.

We got them home, fed, bathed, open gifts like christmas,

and took a stroll in the park before bedtime.

They will catch up on their sleep tonight...

and then bring on the fun.

Little Penny let me cover  her in lipstick kisses.

I think their is a photo of me 

wiping them off.

Tillman fell asleep on Papa T's head

while Papa was carrying him on his shoulders.

    

This was an exciting day!

Elder Reyes and Elder Pimentel

 Another missionary outing with the President today.

Elder Reyes is from Guatemala and

Elder Pimentel is from Bolivia.

They taught several great lessons this afternoon.

But one of my favorite stories from today

was when they went to teach their pensionsta.

Their pensionista is a non-member 

which is very strange... because these women are not paid

to prepare and feed these missionaries every day.

It is a church calling.

The Elders pay for the food but not for the

time and effort and sacrifice 

of the pensionista.

She has been attending church regularly for a while now

and her eleven year old son 

has been baptized.

But she has not been able to be baptized yet...

...because she is not legally married.

She is working on it with all her heart.

It's not easy to convince a partner that this 

is important and imperative 

when this is how it has been done here for generations.  

Marriage is a hassle and it costs money to most Peruvians.

But the father has said that they can be married.

Now they are patiently waiting on pins and needles.

Thank you sweet sister for feeding these missionaries.

You are receiving blessings already!

And the missionaries say that she is the best cook

they have ever had in the mission.

Mission Prep...

President Turk and the Assistants Elder Vera and Elder Mecham

 were invited to be the guest lecturers at 

Missionary Prep class at the Institute 

in downtown Trujillo last night.

There were between 80 and 90 young men and women there.

It's a great time to shed some light on 

what we really expect from our new missionaries 

and what are the most important things

they can be doing to prepare

for their missions.

They also get them to start practicing. This is huge.

You have got to be comfortable talking

to others about the

Greatest message on Earth!

And this is the key...

You really must know that this is the greatest message

and that it is a privilege and blessing to share it with others.

Get excited about it!

Pray that you can feel our Savior's love for YOU.

This is the greatest motivation that you can have.

The Eyes Have it!

Every year a group of Eye Doctors come from the United States

to Peru to do free eye exams and give away free glasses.

And every year they ask our missionaries to come and translate

and help them in their clinics.

This has turned out to be a great experience for us and for them.

Our American missionaries have the privilege

of watching people that do not have any money for eye care,

put on glasses for the first time and see things they have been

missing for years.

There are all different reactions from these people.

They squeal with excitement.

They grin from ear to ear.

They start to cry

or they hug our missionaries.

This work is priceless.

Helping someone to see everything the world has to offer

is the greatest gift ever.

This organization is amazing.

We are so happy to be a little part of such a great blessing.

Look at this darling girl... she loved her new glasses.

The lines are very long with people in need.

The organization comes to the Trujillo area for a full week.

They move every day to different locations here.

Our missionaries each volunteer for different times

in different areas on different days.

The gift of sight is a beautiful thing!

Thanks to everyone who helped.

Unusual Blog Post...

Here is a sneak peek at some of the things that I don't 

usually blog about 

during a week in the mission.

*One Missionary diagnosed with Tuberculosis

has been in isolation for over two weeks and is not contagious any more

but is still finishing his treatment... 

All those near him were tested and cleared. Yippee!

*Three men jumped a companionship

but chose the wrong ones to mess with ... everyone is okay

No punches thrown... Congratulations!

*One Missionary had to return home to take care of

some unfinished business... Sad but important!

*One of our missionaries lost his dear grandmother

this week.  This news is always hard to receive.  We are so sorry.

*Emergency changes this week include a little disobedience

and an arguing companionship and a friendly admirer.  Really?

*There were a few moving into different apartments and

some finding new pensionistas.  Constantly.

*We had a financial audit in the office this week...

Elder Cook passed with flying colors... We knew he would. 

*There was knee surgery and therapy, constipation, enemas, headaches,

diarrhea,  jammed finger,  X-rays, blood tests, stomach cramps and flu,

cyst removed under an eye, stitches removed from appendix surgery, 

medicine delivered, medicine taken, clinic visits... etc, etc, etc.

*The only hair stylist I trust now got into a physical fight with a friend

and his hand is swollen and has a lot of stitches.

He is recovering for 10 days to two weeks.

I really needed a haircut before my kids came. Darn!

*Special calls to Salt Lake to our In Field Representative (IFR)

dealing with sensitive issues.

*Local Mini Missionaries filling in for those coming and going with sickness

and emergencies and going home... We appreciate the Minis.

All of this and a whole lot more....

It's all good and part of the experience that we call...

The Sweetest Days We Will Know!

Update on Elder Mario Castro

Elder Mario Castro has had quite the

unique mission experience.

He is from Guatemala.

He was called to serve in Trujillo

here with us.

Ten years ago his mother had filed papers to 

immigrate to the United States 

to be with family there.

After Elder Castro had been serving here for a while

the paperwork came and they were going to 

have the opportunity to go to the US

but only if they went all together.

So Salt Lake sent him home to Guatemala

to serve there in his local mission

so that he could finish all the paperwork

and get ready to move to the US.

The plan was after they moved to the States

he would be reassigned to a mission in the States.

It was difficult to let him go.

We absolutely loved him and knew that he would

be a great leader for this mission.

But we understood and said goodbye.

This is the amazing part of this story.

The paperwork never panned out.

His family could never leave to the United States.

He is still serving in the Guatemalan mission

which is where he is from.

He has been serving there for over a year.

We could have had him here with us this whole time...

Arghhhh!

There are always reasons for these changes.

He is the Assistant to the President in Guatemala.

His two years came to an end

and the President asked him to please extend 

for another month for some big transitions going on.

He of course accepted but got permission to go 

say goodbye to his brother who was leaving 

on his mission to Nicaragua.  

He saw his family... said goodbye to his brother

and now he is back in the mission for another month.

Good for you Elder Castro.

We are so proud of you.  

Thank you for keeping in touch with us.

You will always be our missionary first.

We Love You!

Another First...

President Turk and I 

spoke at a fireside last night in Lima

and we didn't have to leave our home

and I didn't have to wear my shoes.

We did it via Skype from President's home office

to a Stake group of young men and women preparing for missions.

Elder Diego Albines was one of our missionaries before the 

division of our mission.

He was one of my Cajamarca Cowboys that was 

split off from us.

He finished his mission with President Risso

in Chiclayo.

Now he is home and involved in this class for 

young men and women getting ready for their missions.

He is so sweet and called and asked what we thought

about connecting via Skype to this group

and we were happy to do whatever we could 

for Elder Albines.

We Love Him.

It was difficult to let any of our missionaries go to the other mission

but especially Elder Albines.

He was a great leader and fantastic missionary.

Thank you Elder Albines...  I loved this opportunity to testify

with out my shoes on.  ahhhhhhhhh!

Countdown to Penny!

5 more days until...

PENNY!

Pretty Penny

Penny's from Heaven (my version)

Shiny new Penny

Penny Pincher

A Penny for your thoughts

A Penny saved is a penny earned

What is a Penny worth?

Find a Penny pick her up...

All day long I'll have good luck!

WE LOVE OUR PENNY!

I know there are a thousand more Penny sayings

but this is all I can think of right now

It's late.

Children Learn what they Live...

When we are sitting on the stand each week in different Stake Conferences

my eyes wander to the children.

I love to watch them. They are so entertaining and beautiful.  

My heart is happy when I see wonderful parents taking care of these little ones.

Parents have a huge responsibility to keep their children

safe, happy and healthy.

They have to make sure that they are 

physically, emotionally and spiritually safe and sound.

Doctrine and Convenants 68 says...

25 And again, inasmuch as ^aparents have children in Zion, or in any of her ^bstakes which are organized, that ^cteach them not to understand the ^ddoctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when ^eeight years old, the ^fsin be upon the heads of the parents.

With 220 missionaries from all parts of the world...

It is amazing all the different backgrounds that we have.

Some are recent converts and the only members in the family, some come

from split homes with a single parent, Some are from blended families with

step parents and siblings...

Yours - mine and ours, Some from less active families,  some are 

raised by grandparents, and others by Aunts and Uncles.

Some come from wealth others from poverty.

And on top of all these circumstances they have all been raised 

with different parenting skills and methods.

I am sure that you are familiar with this poem...

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, 

they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with security, 

they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

We can see these different traits in our missionaries.
We have more empathy and understanding in dealing with each one
when we know their backgrounds.
But the most beautiful thing we encounter is watching
each missionary overcome weaknesses and start to fill in the gaps
as they live and teach and understand the Gospel
line upon line... precept upon precept.

When we teach our children the Gospel of Jesus Christ
all the hiccups and mistakes and pain
can be made whole and understandable
through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.
The Gospel is the answer and the cure
for all of our human frailties and weaknesses.

 Oh how I love these missionaries
and especially my Savior!

I'M SO EXCITED... I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT!

We are having a special Birthday Party here in Perú.

It is for my grand daughter Penny Turk.

She is turning "One" on the 7th of July

And she is coming to Trujillo to Celebrate.

This will be the first time that the President and I will be

able to see her, hold her, kiss her...

She is going to be smothered.

She also invited a few other guests to come with her.

Her brother Tillman is invited of course, and is coming.

He was here a year and a half ago.

Now he is three and we can't wait to 

make some more memories with him here in Perú.

Penny also invited her parents...

Parker and Hali.

We are thankful that they would jump in 

and make the trek to Trujillo with two little ones.

This is not easy... but it will be worth it... I promise!

And you're not going to believe this...

My nephew Myles Turk and his wife Kat are also invited and coming.

We are thrilled.  We cannot contain our excitement...

You are going to hear a lot more about this 

Glorious Event!

We missed Kat and Myles wedding so we will have a beautiful

renewal of the vows ceremony here too...  I'm kidding!

We will have a special Dinner or something though.

They will all be in Trujillo in a week.

Just hurry and get here all of you!

Zippadeedodahday

How does that translate?

Every Member a Missionary!

Elder Richards and Elder Cook

had a great afternoon with President Turk.

Look at these beautiful children.

The little boys are so darling

and the eight month old baby girl is a 

cute little chunk.

  The father of this family is on the high council.

This woman's sister was there and her sister is a non member.

They taught her a lesson.  

President Turk had to hold this baby and take a picture for me.

He knew I would go crazy.  This baby is a chunky monkey.

I love her.

They also taught a lesson to a good friend of this family below.

This man is a counselor in the Bishopric.

Their friend has never had the lessons

and it was time.

This woman loved what she heard and is starting to read the 

Book of Mormon.

This young man below is dating this darling member.

He has been taking the lessons 

and Elder Richards invited him to be baptized on the 

7th of July

and he agreed and everyone is thrilled.

They taught three great lessons this afternoon all from referrals 

from these members.

And this, brothers and sisters, is the best way to share the Gospel...

 through members inviting their 

friends and family to listen to the 

Greatest Message on Earth...

The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thank you to all the members who helped today...

Remember

Every Member A Missionary!