This is a Work of Miracles

A few months ago, I participated in teaching a young man named Francisco. His girlfriend is a member of the church and referred him to the missionaries. He had spoken to missionaries of another faith on many occassions and in the beginning, he was trying to convince the Mormon missionaries of their error in believing in their faith. When the missionaries taught him, he always had lots of questions based on his beliefs in this other religion. Over time he began to believe some of the things the missionaries were teaching him, but still had doubts and questions and was unwilling to pray about what the missionaries were teaching him or to read the Book of Mormon. The Elders teaching him were the Assistants to the President and were out of town for two weeks in a row while they helped to carry out 4 Zone Conferences. They had not seen Francisco for three weeks. The Sunday they were back, Francisco walked up to them at church and said, "I want to be baptized." The Elders were shocked and did not understand what had happened! What made the difference? He had attended the Trujillo Temple Open House the day before and was touched by the Spirit in the Temple. I had the opportunity to witness the baptism of Francisco earlier this month, June 6, 2015.




                                                    Francisco! He had a special tunic made
                                                     so he could be like Jesus when he was
                                                     baptized.

All the missionaries in our area.

We are seeing many miracles in the work because of the Open House of the Trujillo Temple. It was held from May 8 to May 30, 2015. They had more than 90,000 visitors and 3,000 refrences.  We were not able to attend the Open House since it is not in our mission! The Temple will be dedicated on June 21, 2015. All of the Saints in the Chiclayo Area are extremely excited about the dedication of this temple. Instead of a 12 hour bus ride to Lima, they will be 3 hours from the Trujillo Temple. We feel that it will make a huge difference in the strength of the Saints in this area to be able to attend the temple on a more regular basis.

The other day, two sister missionaries told me about a woman that they are teaching. Her husband, Guillermo, was baptized last month and his wife had not been very interested in the church. She reluctantly started listening to the sisters. She has had a recurring dream for several years, where she wakes up in a strange place and other people inform her that she is in a graveyard. She is always confused and cannot understand why she is in a graveyard. Then she has always seen a huge lighted building in the distance. This dream has haunted her a little bit, unable to understand what it was about. Then she attended the Temple Open House with her husband. When they got to the temple, she realized that the Trujillo Temple is built right next to a large graveyard and she recognized this as the place in her dream. She exclaimed to her husband, "Guillermo, this is my dream! This is what I saw in my dream! We are supposed to be here!" She felt the Spirit very strongly and especially loved being in the Celestial Room. She has now accepted June 27, 2015 as a date for baptism.

The family that was baptized in March was struggling and having to work on Sunday and felt that they could not attend church any more. The sister missionaries were very worried about them and afraid that their fragile new testimonies were going to be tested. Then they went to the Temple Open House. When they came home, their whole attitude had changed and they were at peace and told the missionaries, "We will do or sacrifice whatever we need to in order to keep attending church. We want to be able to go the temple." This has always been my experience in attending the temple. Things can seem so confusing and hard to know what to do at times, but then when I attend the temple and everything becomes so clear again. I remember the covenants I have made and my priorities are always put right back in order. What a blessing it is to have temples on the face of the earth and to have the ordinances restored in this day.

Recently, I was told about a Peruvian woman who worked in the Lima Temple and one day when she took a taxi there, she asked the driver if he had come there much. He said he had dropped off many people at the temple. She then asked him how he felt when he came there. He said that he always felt peace. She then asked him if he would like to know why he felt that way and if he would like to meet with the missionaries. He said, "yes". He was taught and baptized. About 11 years have passed and he has served as a bishop and now as a stake president . . . only because a sister was willing to open her mouth one time and because the driver felt the spirit of the temple.




                                           This is a cute little monkey we always see on our
                                            drive to Jaen. They wanted a picture of me with
                                            him because I always watch for him. I'm not standing
                                            too close because he was really scared and crying.

Recently, I have marvelled at the miracles that my husband and I have witnessed in the mission field. I have been so humbled to see how we have been blessed with the gift of tongues in the last year. I cannot even describe how difficult the last year has been for me as far as speaking Spanish has been. There have been many times when I have been extremely discouraged and just felt that it was impossible for me to ever have a decent ability to speak in Spanish. I have spent many moments on my knees in prayer pleading for the Lord's help and for the strength to keep trying. I know that my husband has done the same. We have been humbled to the depths of humility trying to be effective in our speaking and teaching in a foreign language. It has not been an easy thing to do.

Many times as we have prayed, we have both received the same impression: work harder, try harder. I know now, looking back, that the more effort I have put into learning, the more greatly the Lord has compensated my efforts and blessed me with the ability to speak. The hardest part has been being patient and waiting for the miracle to happen. At one point, I realized that this was going to take a lot longer than I had hoped and knew that it would probably be at least a year before I could speak and understand comfortably. I compared myself to a newborn child. Babies do not talk to a lot of people and they sleep a lot. My life is the same at times. I am at a great disadvantage in learning Spanish because I do not talk and listen to people every day, all day in Spanish like the missionaries do. I decided that if a baby can understand a language after a year and begin to speak some sentences after two years, that maybe it would take that long for me!




                                           Nine ready to go home! Five Zone Leaders and a
                                            Sister Training Leader in the Group.

We have always been blessed with the guidance to know what to do; what topics to speak about and address in our meetings and what changes to make in the mission. It is just amazing how often things change in the mission field. Transfers are done every six weeks. We have missionaries go home and arrive every six weeks. Then there are always other changes that need to be made. Our last transfer was on June 1 and 2. Nine missionaries returned home on the June 1 and we received 13 new missionaries on the June 2. This transfer was a little more tough for some of the missionaries because it meant that some will be put in the other mission. We had one sweet elder from Lima who wept for ten minutes and just told us how grateful he was for all we had done for him.


                                                   Saying goodbye at Cambios (Changes)
                                                    I am standing on a stair. She's really
                                                    taller than me! Off to the Trujillo North
                                                    Mission.

The next day, Wednesday, one of the new elders had to return home. This always causes a ripple effect that leads to a number of new changes. My husband left the house on Thursday morning for an appointment and appeared that the weight of the world was on his shoulders not knowing how to make these changes. When he came home for lunch that day, he was as light as a feather. One phone call that morning and some new information had made all the changes perfectly clear to him that had to be made. Because of this change, the elder from Lima and a few others came back to our mission. I have seen this process with my husband happen time and time again. The Lord always lets him know what needs to be done. It is such a miracle that any mission president is able to do all of this!

Then there was the miracle of my migraine medication! I was almost out and I depend on it a lot. I tried for three weeks to get a doctor I had seen in February to fill the prescription for me. But this office was not cooperating at all. I had it all arranged with our friends the Sutphins, that the medication would be shipped to them (nobody ships to Peru) and they would bring it to me when they came on their visit to Peru. The timing had seemed perfect, but now I was running out of time and did not know what to do. This was so important to my health and my ability to function in the mission. I could not understand why it seemed that the Lord was not helping me with this. I thought I had prayed with faith. One morning it seemed impossible that the prescription I needed would ever get filled, when I had  thought. In the back of my mind, I remembered an LDS doctor I had seen in Wyoming, who told us before we left on our mission that if we ever had any problem with any medication, to just call his office and he would take care of it. So we made the call. The next day the presciption was filled and the following day it arrived on the doorstep of our friends (the Sutphins), two days before they were leaving to come to Peru. I thought I would have to go a week without the medication, but it was only two days. The timing of everything was such a miracle. I know that the Lord answered our
prayers.



                                           Touring the sugar cane factory with the Sutphins:
                                                                        My Heros!

The greatest blessing that has come to me because of the temple is, of course, my eternal marriage and family. We were able to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary in the mission field. It was a great opportunity to share with our missionaries the feelings and blessings we have because of our marriage. We have definitely experienced a lot of things in 34 years and 23 moves. We could not have done any of it without each other. Every time I attend the temple, the one thing that brings more joy to me than any other is to know that I will be my husband's queen for all eternity. He has always treated me as such. I know that he will be my faithful friend forever. The greatest miracle of all time is the atonement and I know it is only because of my Savior Jesus Christ that I can be with my husband and posterity forever.



                                                           34 years and still in love!

At the windy beach after hiking in 

the heat.

Our anniversary was a little different in Peru . . .We had a Stake Conference the night of our anniversary, so we had dinner the night before at "the best restaurant" in Chiclayo. I really wanted shrimp but they did not have it that night for some reason. The waiter talked me into getting something else that he said was really good. I was not even sure what it was. When they brought our meal, they brought me a platter one and a half feet long with a huge lobster on it, the whole thing. His little eyes were staring at me! They had removed the meat from the shell, so no problem. I could do this! It was not very good, being full of gristle and a bit bitter. I tried to douse it in the sauce they gave me, but that did not help much! I think I had three bites and then I hid the rest of it under the tail. I was too embarrassed to say anything about it to the waiter. It was not good and it cost 171 soles or 63 dollars. I can't believe we paid that for something I did not like!



                                              The doomed lobster. He died for nothing!

                                         
                                                           34th Anniversary Dinner.

On Saturday, we went to an archeological site called, "Piramides de Tucume". They are brick piramids that are eroded. They are not like the piramids in Egypt or Mexico. These were piramids that they actually lived in and worshipped in. The built them up high to be more near to the Gods. It was actually a very nice place. It had a nice museum, landscaping, a garden and a nice trail. We had an enjoyable morning walking and exploring. It was just really hot, so we pooped out after a few hours. We did not go on the full hike up the mountain. We are waiting for cooler weather and when someone in our family comes to visit before we do that. Then it was amazing that we went from one extreme to another in the weather. We went to a beach we had never been to called Eten Puerta. It has an actual working port with a huge pier that we only saw from the distance. It was windy and extremely cold, so we did not stay long. But it was nice, so we will go there again sometime. Maybe when someone in our family comes to visit. I keep saying that to give my family a hint!



                                           Some "interesting" religious traditions in Peru.

One of the Piramids in the distance.

We just finished a six week tour of Stake Conferences. We spoke for six weekends in a row at two sessions of Stake Conference. My husband also speaks in Priesthood meeting. It always makes the weekend a little hectic and I sometimes don't feel very good in the evenings, but the Lord always sustains us. No matter how bad I am feeling physically, when we go to do the work, I always feel fine and know that I am strengthened by the power of the atonement. I am always overwhelmed by the spirit I feel there; the spirit of love from the Saints, the spirit of dedication and sacrifice and the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ. On Sunday, as I looked into the faces of the Peruvian Saints, I felt such joy and happiness to know that the gospel is true and that it truly is the way to happiness in this life and eternal joy and salvation in the life to come. I love to bear my testimony of the gospel and of our Savior Jesus Christ. I feel such gratitude in my heart for all he has given us. We are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times. We are such a blessed people.

The Lord's Tender Mercies

This is the first weekend we have been home in four weeks. It has been an eventful month. The first weekend in May, we were in Lima for a Conference of all Mission Presidents in the South America Northwest Area, including Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. It is always a great experience to be taught by the Area Presidency. We stayed at the Westin Hotel in Lima and were treated to a lot of delicious food. There was a lot of talk about how we can bless the lives of the missionaries, but in my mind I was thinking what a blessing the missionaries are to me. They inspire me to work harder and to be more dedicated. Many missionaries tell me that they pray for us every day. What a tender blessing to us! This really touches my heart. When I am discouraged, they always make me feel better. They have given me so much encouragement in learning Spanish. They always tell me how well I am doing. It means so much to me. I love these choice young people.

One of the biggest blessings of going to Lima was that they let us go a day early so that we could attend the temple. It had been six months since Mark had been and two and a half months for me, so we were very happy to go. When we first arrived there, they gave us two blue cards that said we had an appointment for the 2:30 pm session. We went to eat a quick lunch, then returned to the temple. Not knowing that the blue card was really important, Mark left with both of them. When I got to the new name booth, the woman asked me for my "tarjeta", which means card. I had no idea what she was talking about and asked if I needed my recommend. In frustration, she finally left to get a worker that spoke English.

While she was gone, I remembered the blue card, and explained to another woman there that I did not have the card, it was with my husband. Next, the English speaking woman came and I explained to her that I did not have the card. Apparently, you are not supposed to be allowed to go on the session without it. The Lima temple is extremely small and there was a big demand that day because it was a holiday. So I needed that card! At this time, another worker came (this is four now) and they explained to her that I did not have my card, it was with my husband. She asked for his name and was just about to leave to retrieve it, when another worker appeared who was the Veil Coordinator (that's a very important position in the temple). She heard my story and said, "It's fine, just let her go. They already have the card by now!"

So I made it through the booth and arrived at the session. By the time I got to the session, though, I was feeling a little discouraged and depressed to be, once again, the stupid person that did not understand Spanish. It's an experience I have had many times here in Peru. But then the session started and the Lord blessd me with an incredible tender mercy. I could understood every word of the session as clearly as if it was being spoken in English and I mean every word. Usually it takes great effort for me to understand native speakers. But not this day. I was blessed with a doubly sweet experience in the temple that day and was able to relax and feel uplifted and inspired, especially because I was blessed with the gift to understand a foreign tongue.

In Lima, we took the opportunity to visit a fountain park. They claim it is the largest fountain park in the world and it was pretty amazing. There are all different types of fountains, all lighted up and four or five splash pads where kids and adults were having a lot of fun getting wet. The main attraction was a row of fountains where there was a show with lights of all colors, lasers and music, traditional and modern. It was very well done and very entertaining. We also had some wonderful frozen yogurt and were treated to hot off the griddle crepes with orange sauce and ice cream. They were delicious! The best part of the trip was rubbing shoulders with such wonderful people and trading "war" stories. We got to spend several hours with the Marlers who will be taking over part of our mission on July 1st. Jenner Brown, nephew of Julie and Tucker, is one of their assistants. They are wonderful people and we feel very assured that we can trust them with our missionaries!

              My husband was so excited to take a selfie!
              


                                            The fountains in Lima were so pretty at night!

The next week we were in Cajamarca for four days for interviews, Multi-Zone Conference, Pensionista Training and Stake Conference. It was an intense four days. I had some great experiences in interviews. I can actually carry on a conversation with the Latino missionaries now and I was feeling like all my efforts to learn Spanish have really been worth it. My favorite question in interviews now is "What have you learned recently in the scriptures?" The missionaries and I have had some very spiritual experiences as we have shared insights and feelings about the scriptures. Most missionaries learn to love the words of Christ when they are serving a mission. That alone will be a great blessing to them throughout their lives. It was our first run through of our Zone Conference and everything went very well. Our emphasis was on using the scriptures in their teaching, working with members and the doctrine of the Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob 5.

                                            Pensionista in Cajamarca. She and her family

                                           own and operate a bakery. Those are two wood 

                                           burning ovens behind us where all the bread is

                                           baked. It is delicious and never burned! The shelves

                                           to the left are always filled with bread every day

                                           of the week, except for the Sabbath.

This is the only modern convenience in the bakery:

Not Elder Lalli, but the huge bread mixer! He is holding

a cake that the pensionista made for us. It was absolutely

amazing! We ate it in the car with our bare hands.

The day of the Cajamarca Stake Conference was Mother's Day. I was showered with special notes and little gifts from the missionaries. They were so sweet! This trip was a little bittersweet for us because it was the last time we will ever be in Cajamrca which means the last time that we will see the majority of these missionaries. Two areas in our mission, Cajamarca and Guadalupe, will become part of the Trujillo North Mission on July 1st. After Conference they gathered around us, lingered and we took pictures with each missionary. Then they followed us out to our car. I will never forget the sight of those sweet missionaries waving goodbye and watching us as we drove out of sight. It really touched (and broke) my heart. They are such wonderful young people that we have had the priviledge of knowing.




                                        Mother's Day gift from my sweet thoughtful husband
                                         waiting for me when we got home from Cajamarca!

The following week we had a Multi-Zone Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, then on Thursday we headed to Jaen. The group in Jaen is only one zone and 18 missionaries, so it is a little bit smaller, but the Spirit was just as strong. We were able to go to some lessons with four of the missionaries. The sisters I was with taught the gospel very well and taught naturally as a companionship. They used the scriptures and answered questions. I was very pleased with their lesson and got to bear my testimony of Joseph Smith and the living prophet. We did more interviews, trained the Pensionistas and spoke in Stake Conference. At one moment when we were training the Pensionistas, as I stood in the front, for a moment I had the thought, "What in the world are you doing? You are training Pensionistas and talking in Spanish!" Ten months before, I had no idea what a Pensionista was or how to speak Spanish. It is amazing how the Lord is able to work with our weaknesses and use us as instruments in His work.

                                              The big event: Zone Conference! 1 of 4!

We had an experience in Jaen that reminded us that the Lord is always watching over us in this work. On the way home from the evening session of Stake Conference, our brakes went out completely! Luckily we were close to our hotel. We were supposed to drive home the next day after the second session of Stake Conference, but knew that would be impossible without getting our brakes fixed. We had visions of being stranded in Jaen for days. There are hardly any cars in Jaen. so just finding someone to fix the car was a challenge. Thanks to connections in the church, we found a bishop who knew a good mechanic.

                                         
                                            The miracle car with new mattresses for
                                                      missionaries on the top.
           

There is always something that needs to be

fixed when we visit apartments.

The greatest miracle was that the mechanic was able to find the parts to fix the car and by the time Conference started we were ready to go! We have waited for car parts for a month in Chiclayo, which is much larger than Jaen! How this happened, we do not know, but know that the Lord cares for His servants. Our brakes could have gone out when we were on a windy road next to a ledge. This reminds me of a scripture in 1 Nephi 17:3, where Nephi says:"And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them." We certainly felt that means had been provided for us to accomplish what we were commanded.

 Youth in Cajamarca practicing for the cultural celebration

 June 20, 2015. Night before the Trujillo Temple Dedication.

We were touched to see them working so hard to

prepare to dance for a prophet.

We have felt the need to emphasize using the scriptures more effectively in our teaching in the mission. One of my new favorite scriptures is D&C 11:21. This is a well known and oft quoted scripture, especially in missionary work. The Lord says. " Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men." I feel the first part of this scripture gets emphasized a lot. Of course it is important to obtain a knowledge of the scriptures before you can teach them. But the part that I was really impressed with is the last part. The power to convince men and change their hearts comes from the Spirit and the word. It's not the Spirit alone or the word alone, but both used together. Missionaries know they cannot teach without the Spirit, but sometimes fail to understand or forget the power of the scriptures combined with the Spirit.

We challenged the missionaries to search the scriptures more diligently and to learn the scripture mastery verses. They are really key scriptures in missionary work and answer a lot of questions and concerns that investigators can have. I really have a testimony that this is true, because I have been in lessons where a spirit of doubt has been changed to one of belief almost instantly when scriptures have been shared combined with testimony. There is power in the scriptures! They change the hearts of men! At times, I think we are afraid that those we teach, investigators or even our own children, will not understand the words of the scriptures. That is why it is our job to teach them what they mean. I believe they can understand anything that the Lord impresses upon their hearts. Remember the experience of Joseph Smith, an unlearned boy, but when he searched the scriptures his heart was touched and changed forever.






                                                      A beautiful garden in Cajamarca.

My husband taught the allegory of the olive tree and reminded the missionaries that this is about them. They are working with the Lord and His prophet to lay up fruit against the season. How exciting it is to know that we are fulfilling prophecy in our day. We are part of the allegory! We will have joy with the Lord in the fruit of His vineyard. What an exciting time to be involved in missionary work. Every member is a missionary! I have talked with many missionaries about the prophecies of Nephi in 2 Nephi about the last days and the gathering of Israel and how exciting it is that we are actually helping to fulfill this prophecy. This has always given me a desire to serve a mission and I am thankful that the Lord has answered this prayer.

Farming in the Andes.

This past week we had a visit from our friends the Sutphins from Rock Springs, Wyoming. Bro. Sutphin was our bishop when we first moved to Wyoming and Mark and I had the opportunity to be their hometeachers for the year that we lived there. When they found out about our call to Peru, they said they would come visit us and they kept the promise! We had some interesting experiences with them. One of the most interesting was a tour of a sugar factory. We saw how tons of sugar cane is brought from the fields, washed and ground down, over and over again, about five times. Finally the cane juice is separated from the by-products. The sugar is made from the juice. The by-products are ground down and burned to power the whole plant. It was pretty amazing and we were covered in soot after we went out in the yard! At times, when the wind is blowing the right direction, we actually get little pieces of black soot on our window sill, from the plant 60 miles from our house!

We also took them to the Pimentel Beach, where we watched fishermen in their little reed boats, fight the waves and go out to check their nets. They got about one or two fish from each one. It looked like a very hard way to earn a living to me. We went to the Mercado Modelo and walked for miles and found some great souvenirs and gifts. Also saw some very interesting sights (like cow guts and chicken feet, my favorite!) Mark took them to the nicest newest park in Chiclayo that is lined with statues of ancient Gods of the native people. We shared some fun meals and good conversation. They tried some Peruvian dishes like ceviche and goat. Friday they left for Trujillo and were able to get into the Open House of the Trujillo Temple which will be dedicated on July 21, 2015.

This apartment literally had the sink

in the shower. No wasted space.

That could save you

a lot of time. 

Recently I have been studying about the Spirit in Preach my Gospel. I have thought a lot about the revelation that we receive to help us in this calling. Like President Monson always says, "When you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to the Lord's help." I believe there are also other reasons why we are able to get so much help and inspiration. First, I believe it is because of all the prayers that are offered in our behalf. We have our entire large family praying for us, all 206 missionaries in our mission, and all the members and temples of the church praying for us! We can feel the support of those prayers! Another reason is because the Lord loves the missionaries so much and is so concerned about their welfare. He is relying on us to help them in the areas where they need help and to make sure that their physical needs are met. It has been such a blessing to feel the love and concern of the Lord for His servants. They truly have been called to labor with Him for this last time!

Some of our missionaries live in such luxury. We visited

Elders Oswald and Anderson in La Cria, Pomalca and

were surprised to find them living such a lavish lifestyle!

Most of our missionaries live in one room apartments,

but these Elders have a house all to themselves. Here are 

some of it's features:

Sitting Room with plush furniture.

Custom built tin roof.

Their own private gym!

Private garbage burning area. No messy garbage removal.

Custom made ping-pong table.

If ye are Prepared, ye shall not Fear.

Last week we had "changes". We sent home 5 missionaries on Monday and welcomed 7 new missionaries on Tuesday morning at 8:00 am. This was a smaller group and it is nice because it can be a little more personal. Then at 11:00 am, other transfers and change of companions was revealed to about 100 missionaries. It is pretty crazy. The first couple of times that Mark and I did this, it was pretty hard and we got a little stressed out. But eventually, we figured out what we were doing and it got a lot better. We have learned now to relax and enjoy the process.





                                                A fine group going home: Zone Leaders and
                                                                Sister Training Leaders
                                       



When the new missionaries arrive on Tuesday morning, we have a fun tradition. The first thing we do is take them to the beach! It is the only time on their mission they can go there. The beach is off limits to missionaries. The beach is about 15 minutes from Chiclayo and is in a small town called Pimentel. We take the missionaries down on the beach and have them make a boat out o fa pice of thin paper. Then my husband tells them a story about Fernandez Cortez. In the 1500's he came from Spain to conquer Mexico. Many before him had tried and failed. But this time was different. After getting settled on the land, Cortez commanded his men to burn all the boats. For these men, the decision was either to conquer or die because they were never returning to Spain.



                                               An excited new group at Pimentel Beach

After telling this intriguing story, my husband commands all the missionaries to burn their boats! They are each given a lighter and literally burn their boats. My husband explains that there is no going back and we are all Peruvian now. It is a powerful moment for some. But if nothing else it is really fun! Who knew that a mission could be that fun!

My husband always makes the Assistants get a trash barrel full of water to throw the burning boats in. After getting soaking wet a couple of times, they got smart and started asking people on the beach to fill it up for them. It has been a good thing, as some have been curious about what we are doing and we have been able to make a few contacts!




                                          Those are two huge headless fish hanging from the
                                           trunk of the car. There were two on top also. No
                                           wrap or cover. This was a definite Peruvian
                                                                  moment for us!

The past week has been pretty memorable for us. On Saturday, April 18, 2015, Mark had the priviledge of baptizing a man that he had the opportunity to interview. It was a great occasion. His wife has been a member for a year and three months. She bore a beautiful testimony at the baptism. They also have a six year old son. These to me, are always the best baptisms, that unite a family in the gospel. It is such a beautiful thing for the whole family to be members and to start preparing to go to the temple. This is what missionary work is all about.



                                         
                                              Baptism of Antonino Maldonado Mendeza

On the following Saturday, April 25, 2015, we had the priviledge to witness the baptism of Jose, Lisbeth, Joseline and Daniella. What a wonderful occasion. The Spirit was so strong and there were so many members there to support them. I had the opportunity to play the piano and the hermanas who taught them, sang a duet of "When I am Baptized" and "He Sent His Son". There have been a few times in my fifty three years when I have felt the Spirit so strongly helping me to play each note on the piano perfectly, but this was one of those times. Through music, a beautiful spirit was brought to the baptism. After the baptism all four, individually, bore their testimonies and it was unforgettable, the spirit we all felt. These are true converts to the gospel. They bore their testimonies of the Book of Mormon, of Joseph Smith, of the restoration of the gospel and of Jesus Christ. It was absolutely a perfect day.





                                             The Baptism: Hermana Thruston, Daniella,
                                            Lisbeth, Jose, Joseline and Hermana Hebdon

The morning of the baptism, Jose and Lisbeth were married, after 17 years of living together! It was pretty exciting. After the baptism we were invited to a celebration in honor of them and their marriage. It was our first official "fiesta" that we have attended in Peru and it was pretty fun. Their were decorarions, music and tons of food, including a wedding cake! They kept bringing plates of food around and we were expected to take some. A few times I tried to decline, but Jose got a little upset with me! We had crackers with a cream cheese mixture, potato balls with mustard, wontons with ham in them, little pastry shells with chicken salad and little chocolates with marshmellow in them. Thank goodness, it was nothing too unusual for us. Those were the h'doeuvres. Next we had the main course, greasy fried chicken (a staple in the Peruvian diet), a really good tamale, very moist, but only one bite of chicken in it and a beet and potato salad, which was actually really good. We also had maracuya juice, which is passion fruit and it was very good. I really liked it. I know Eric and Brian really liked that when they were here!

The Newlywed Couple 

Before we left, Jose thanked us profusely for all we had done for them, which really wasn't that much, but I was impressed with his humility and gratitude. He walked us to our car, to make sure we were safe and said that he hoped all of God's choicest blessings would be upon us. That is a touching thing that Peruvians say to family and friends that they love a lot. We had kind of tried to get out of going, but knew that we needed to fellowship these good people. I was really glad that we went. It was a wonderful experience to be with the saints of that ward and feel of their love and their spirit.

Last week was actually a very eventful week for us. We had a Stake Conference the weekend of April 18-19, Changes on Monday and Tuesday, a visit from President Uceda of the Area Presidency, and a Young Women "Standards Night" that we were asked to speak at. I spoke or bore my testimony about seven times this past week. President Uceda met with us for three hours and listened to every thing going on in our mission, listened to our concerns and gave us some very good counsel. It was so nice to talk to him. He is so positive and so kind and he speaks excellent English. He has been a member of the church from the very beginning of the church in Peru and he is very aware of the challenges that are here. He has an incredible amount of experience, wisdom and insight. We will be going on a mission tour with him in August or September.



                                                      A memorable Stake Conference

                                           



The Standard's Night was an interesting experience because we were prepared to talk about modesty and dating and there was only one Young Woman who came. They invited all the women in the ward, so we had a group of about 25 more "mature" women. They were very gracious and polite listening to information about dating and eternal marriage. The idea was to try to get a lot of less active Young Women to to come, but they didn't! We did have the sister missionaries there who invited us, so there were three Young Women who hopefully benefitted from it.





                                            The Young Women and sister missionaries of
                                                the Los Andes Ward in La Victoria Stake

This coming Thursday we will have the opportunity to travel to Lima for a conference for three days. Mostly, we are excited to attend the temple. It has been six months for Mark since he has been able to attend and only 2 1/2 for me, but we are used to going more than that and we miss it. We will be having a new temple dedicated in Trujillo on June 21, same day as the Payson Temple, but it is not in our mission so I don't know if we will be able to attend it. Trujillo is about two and a half hours from Chiclayo.

We have now experienced three earthquakes since we have been in Peru, one in Lima and two while we were in our apartment in Chiclayo. The last one was just Sunday. We are always on the seventh floor of the building and it is a little disconcerting. We can't just run out in the street and I am not jumping from the window as Brian suggested. The buildings here are built the same as those in Nepal, mostly bricks and no steel or support. Pretty much everything would just crumble. We decided after the one on Sunday that we should put together an emergency kit, in case we have to leave fast. It is amazing how much better I feel now that we are more prepared. It is a good feeling to know that we are spiritually prepared, also, for whatever may come. I know the gospel is true and that because of the atonement of Jesus Christ we will live again. I know that I will be with my husband and my family for eternity in the presence of our Heavenly Father and His Son. I have had a strong testimony and faith in our Father's plan for my whole life. The Holy Ghost has born witness to me on too many occassions, that these things are true, to ever be able to doubt.

A Whole New World

I have always wanted to write about the Mercado Modelo (Central Market). Shopping in Peru can be quite a different experience than in the United States. The market is in the center of Chiclayo. From what I understand, every city in Peru has a similar market. There are many goods and services that can only be found in the market. For instance, I decided to sew a skirt and the only place to buy material or thread was at the market. It was the only place we could get ribbon for Christmas. The market is rows and rows of booths with goods and services. In Peru, they have a different mentality about shopping. Services and goods are grouped together. If you want to buy a cell phone, you can go to a sort of cell phone mall with 20 cell phone stores all together. I guess that way you don't have to walk or drive allover the place to compare products or prices. The market is the same. If you want tennis shoes, there are about twenty booths with tennis shoes all lined up in a row. Services are arranged the same. When I went to buy fabric, I passed at least 20 taylors, sewing machines all set up and plugged in, with people busily cutting material and sewing. It's really amazing because they are virtually outside. I think it is convenient to pick out material and then hire someone right there to sew the article of clothing that you want. There are also dozens of shoe making and repair shops.



                                                    They are driving like this! No wasted
                                                                 space ever in Peru!

Other products you can buy at the market: wood products, souvenirs, any type of clothing (shirts, skirts, socks, underwear, bras, all kinds of shoes, flip flops, etc.), toys, party decorations, wrapping paper, jewelry, watches, fresh flowers, dried flowers, craft making products, all kinds of foods; birthday cakes, grains, fruits, vegetables and fresh meat. The meat is not packaged or refrigerated. It is all just sitting out on counters, like many places in Europe. The meat market and smells a bit.  You can find anything there. Chicken feet, chicken guts, cow intestines and utters, hearts, fish, shrimp, octopus, lobster, squid, pork, pork head, beef, tongue, chicken and more. I  try to avoid it, but it seems to be right in the center of everything. You can also get smoothies, pastries, Peruvian dishes, empanadas and drinks. The market is very interesting, very hot, and stuffy, but it is something you need to experience when you are in Peru. It is like a maze and very hard to find your way around. There are no signs or directions.




                                             It's a pig's head and I am not sure what else!

When Eric and Brian came for Christmas, we went to do some shopping at the market. A popular item for kids here in Peru is a crude type of wooden top. After watching two boys ages 4 and 6 play with their tops and throw them down expertly on the pavement, Eric and Brian decided that they wanted to buy one. So we found our way to the wooden products and they both bought a top. The fun part was when they tried to use them and found out it was not as easy as it looked. All of the Peruvians loved watching the Gringos trying to get the tops to work. The top has a string wrapped around it that has to be placed correctly and unwound properly in the way it is thrown down in order to get the top to work. Several men came by and offered tips and advice about how to work the tops. It was pretty funny. I think my boys are still trying to figure out how to work them!

Last week I had an interesting experience with an hermana in the mission. She called me because she had a cold sore on her lip and wondered what she could do to help it get better. I suggested a cream that she could buy at a Pharmacy. So she went to buy the cream and the person attending her told her that she needed two other medications. She bought the medicines and then called me to make sure they were okay. I had never heard of them before, so I told her I would do some research to see what they were. I looked around and felt a little uncomfortable with them. I called Dr. Bart, our area medical advisor and asked him what he thought about the medications. He said they were not appropriate for a cold sore. So they sold her two medications that would not help her in any way. Pharmacies are a little different here. So are the laws regulating them. I advised her that she probably should not take them!

I had the opportunity to help teach Jose and Liseth and their two daughters, Daniela and Joseline. The lesson was on the creation and the Word of Wisdom. What a great thing to teach! The whole family has a baptismal date now for April 25th. The plan is that Jose and Liseth will be married on April 25th. In Peru, in order to help more couples get married, they have group weddings that are much less expensive and less paper work. They are called "Matrimonio Masivos", (massive marriages.) So they will be married in one of these ceremonies and then be baptized the same day. So far, they are doing very well, attending church every week and all the many activities of the church. Last Sunday, I saw the girls and it was the first time I had seen them in dresses. They looked so nice. It has been so amazing to watch them progress. There has especially been a great change in Liseth. In the first lesson, she did not participate at all and acted as if she was not very interested. But that has totally changed. She is very engaged and participates in all the discussions now.

The lesson on the Word of Wisdom went very well. That day as I was studying and preparing, I felt strongly impressed to share the experience of my brother Bobby with throat cancer. He was diagnosed with it when he was only 39 years old, which is highly unusual. Basically, I shared that he was healed and his life spared from a horrible cancer and brutal treatment that included painful radiation, chemotherapy and a tube in his stomach for nutrition. He was unable to eat for aobut two months. Every time I read the last verse of the Word of Wisdom, D&C 89:21, I think of him. It says: "And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them." Bobby has lived the Word of Wisdom all his life and was totally worthy of that blessing. I bore my testimony that the promises and blessings of the Word of Wisdom are true and we all felt the Spirit and were very touched by the truth of this scripture. Liseth said, "It really shows that God exists, doesn't it?" Sharing past experiences in Spanish is difficult for me and something I am working on, but the Lord truly blessed me with the gift of tongues and they understood the meaning of the experience through the Spirit.



                                                          A fine group going home!

The water causes some challenges for our missionaries. They get mosquitos bites and they get infected. One hermana has had terrible infected bites and then she fell on her knee and had a terrible huge scratch and that got infected too. Stomach infections and parasites cause problems also, even though the pensionistas use only bottled water. At the beginning of the month, two missionaries went to do service and were very hot and thirsty. They had not brought water with them and they were offered water that they knew was probably not filtered. One missionary declined drinking the water, but the other missionary drank it and thought he would be okay. He got violently ill; diarrhea, throwing up massive amounts and a temperature of 106 degrees. When I found out, I sent him immediately to the hospital. He ended up being admitted for one night where they had to keep his temperature down and keep him hydrated with an IV and medication. He was doing better the next day, but I don't think either of those missionaries will ever drink unfiltered water again!

Parasites cause problems like stomach aches, nausea and diarrhea. Some missionaries have stomach issues for their whole mission, but they refuse to give up! Other issues: There have been dozens of ingrown toenails. Usually they are infected by the time the missionaries give in to getting treatment. We have dealt with lice and fleas on many occassions and dog bites too. It is amazing to see the sacrifices missionaries make and their dedication to the work. They just keep on going no matter what.


                                               The sweet fruit of sacrifice and diligence!

Yesterday we interviewed two missionaries who are serving in a very small town, of about 6,000 people and the whole town is without running water. The water main to the pueblito broke. A big truck with a tank comes with water about once a week and the water is rationed. The missionaries only get two buckets of water every two days in order to bathe and flush the toilet. And they say it looks and smells terrible! After their interview's, we brought them to our home to take a shower and have a bowl of fruit loops with cold milk. That is a real treat for our missionaries! I think they felt a little revived and rejuvenated. They were hoping the water would be fixed when they returned to their apartment. Everyone please keep your fingers crossed!


                                                          Gorgeous views of Chota!

Last week was challenging for me. It was extremely busy and I also got sick. We had our Leadership Council on Tuesday which is an all day meeting. Mark had three meetings with stake Presidents that night, then for the next three days we had interviews with 28 missionaries a day. In the midst of all of this, I had another bout with diarrhea and severe migraine headaches. Then, also, Wednesday night, while Mark was at another meeting, our water filter in our bathroom broke, so in the midst of everything else, with very little time, Mark was trying to fix the water. One night it flooded our bathroom. We kind of felt like everything was against us. At the end of the week we were exhausted and Mark had to leave to go out of town for two days. He went to a small branch named "Chota" to call a new Branch President. As we talked when he returned home, I told him the good thing about last week is that this coming week has to be better!

  

President at work - every six weeks!

The Board. Where all change happens.

                                             

There are so many things I have learned to be thankful for that I totally took for granted in the past. Some of these include: clean water, windows with screens, insulated windows, carpet, beautiful floors, painted walls, comfortable furniture, air conditioning, heating, nice fabric stores, backyards and front yards, (the kids here play in the streets), paved roads and clean streets. There are so many foods I am grateful for: Any kind of lettuce, baby spinach, fresh milk, creamy yogurt, cheddar cheese, whole wheat bread, croutons, canned soup, sour cream, cottage cheese, lemons, to name just a few. On Easter I realized how thankful I am for white eggs. I love the beautiful colors of dyed Easter eggs, but there is only one kind of egg here: brown. You cannot color a brown egg! Eggs come in one size and one quantity: 15. I am thankful for holidays, special days, decorations and all the fun traditions we have in the United States.





                                                 Homemade ladder. He was way up there.

Easter was pretty special for us because we did get to focus more on the true meaning of the day. Everyday, the week before Easter, we had the opportunity to read about the events in the Savior's life and follow His course to Gethsemane and Golgotha. Our beautiful Easter Book, made by our sweet sister-in-law Eileen, made it easier to visualize all the events. What a week it was for the Savior! I tried to imagine what it was like for Him to know for so long ahead of time the ordeal that He would go through. There are many things in life that I dread doing, but nothing in comparison to what he was going to experience. It is the first Easter that neither Mark or I had one piece of Easter candy, but amazingly, we still felt the same joy of the triumph of His Resurrection. What a blessing to have the Spirit of Peace from Conference fill our home. We have so much to be thankful for and it is all made better through the Atonement and the Grace of Jesus Christ.