Luau, Peruvian Style

President Davila, all dressed up for the Estaca Laurales Luau

 Elder Rittscher, Sister Gutierrez and Sister Neilsen.

 A.J. and Riley posing as Hawaiian performers. 

 Alexis and his beautiful niece.

 Lovely Hawaiian Dancers and beautiful fruit displays.

 I think you are supposed to walk on a slack-line solo…

thanks for the help Elder Perks and Elder Buehner.

 Sister Alicia enjoying the Luau.

 A sweet daddy daughter dance to the Hawaiian Music.

 Sister Nuñez and Sister Herrera.

Hawaiian Dancers??  Sister Hidalgo, Sister Roach, Sister Bravo, Sister Gonzalez and Sister Balderon.

Sister Tulumba with Sister Marler in back. 

Elder Talbot,  Elder Becerra, Elder Lino enjoying the entertainment.

Elder Higuera and Elder Rodriguez with Ward Members. 

Saturday Afternoon Baptism

It was a great day for many families today, many were wed and then

were baptized.  

The goal of the Church of Jesus Christ is to bring families unto Jesus Christ.

Baptism in the Laureles Ward,
Missionaries pictured" Sister Afoa, Sister Smith, Elder Cano, Elder Leavitt, Elder Jorquerra and Elder Oyarzo.

This lovely family has set the goal to be sealed in the temple in one year.

The Marler Family sang a song for the baptism, 

"I am a Child of God", part in English and part in Spanish. 

Arnie, Sister Marler, Kim, President Marler

AJ and Riley...

Sister Coleman and Sister Ascencio also provided a beautiful musical number.

The Graff Family Arrives in Trujillo

We are so excited to have our daughter's family here.  

Let me introduce Kim, her husband, Arnie and our beautiful grandchildren, A.J. and Riley.  

 Coming off the plane, we were so excited.  I love that you can look out the window and watch your family arrive!

 AJ and Riley ran right out to see us, thank goodness for small airports.

 A big hug from her Dad, safe in Daddy's arms at last.

 Extended family greeted Kim and her family as well.

Thanks for coming, Sister Vaughan.

 Arnie was happy to be here and off the plane.  

18 hours with small children is pretty amazing and we appreciate the sacrifice.  

Our traditional "welcome to Peru" photo.

So excited to have the Graff's here for the next week.

Welcome Elder Barrios

 So happy to welcome back Elder Barrios to the Trujillo Mission.

Elder Leavitt gets the first hug!

 Everyone was sure all smiles as the reunited. 

 Elders Brown, Haacke, Cano, Pulsipher, Barrios, President and Sister Marler

Elder Barrios with his new companion, Elder Puslipher.

Interviews in Trujillo and Casa Grande

A few photos taken during the interviews in Trujillo and Casa Grande.

Elder Obregon, Elder Romero, Elder Mallea, Elder Walker and Elder Benally

Elder Diaz and Elder Ludueña with Elder Haacke and Elder Brown.

 
Hermana Rejala and Hermana Rodriguez playing with the camera.

 Elder Benally in Estaca Este.

 See how great Elder Walther looks when he smiles!  

 Elder Connelly, Elder Cheal, Elder Allen, Elder Walther, Elder Coca, Elder Cabezas, Hermana Marler, Hermana Mason, Hermana Pineda, Hermana Vaughan and Hermana Angell 

outside the capilla in Casa Grande. 

 Elder Quispe and Elder Johnson

Elder Perez heads for Honduras

Elder Perez was transferred to finish his mission in Honduras,

we sure don't like the glitches in the Visa process. 

We will miss you Elder Perez!

Oh! We love the mountains.

The our leadership team, Elder Brown, Elder Haacke, Elder Cano and Elder Leaveitt, headed to the mountains to teach, train and enjoy the wonderful people of 

Otusco and Huamachuco.  

They were joined by Presidente Olivera de Chimbote, 

President Marler's new counselor.

 Before teaching, Elder Copa, Elder Solorzano, Elder Price, and  Elder Caldwell, pause for a photo op in the beautiful Andes…look at that blue, blue sky. 

 In Huamachuco, Elder Duque, Elder Rareba, Elder Herrera, Elder Brown, Elder Leavitt, Elder Haacke, Elder Cowley and Elder Cano had a wonderful district training.  

 And after, a walk along the river banks.

and a visit to the Andes wouldn't be complete with out a few minutes to run with the Alpacas.

Not by Coincidence- Elder Oyarzo

I have never believed in coincidences.  I believe that there is a great plan, and our Heavenly Father, lets us help in that plan.  When we listen to the Spirit and act upon those promptings, the Lord can place us where He wants us to be.  So we can do what He would like us to do to, and thus accomplish His work.

I know that we lived together as brothers and sisters with our Heavenly Father before this earth life

, and that some of us made promises to do great things together.  One of those things is coming together across the miles to bring others to Christ.  Here is one of those stories.

 On the left is Elder Oyarzo. He was 11 years old when he was playing out in front of his home in Chillan Chile.  Two North American Missionaries came by and spoke with him.  Elder Oyarzo wanted to learn English, so these two missionaries would come by, and practice English with him.

 Missionaries come and go, and after 6 years, different missionaries knocked on the door of his family.  They were invited in, because the Oyarzo family remembered the kind missionaries who had helped their son learn a little English.

(in fact Elder Oyarzo is gifted in languages and now speaks English and Portuguese, and Spanish)

The family joined the Church and are wonderful members of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Now another 11 years have passed and Elder Oyarzo was called to the Trujillo Peru Mission.

Elder Oyarzo was with his companion, Elder Jorquera on Tuesday, in Sister Marler's office and the two Chileans were sharing with her the location of their homes.

Sister Marler mentioned that her son-in-law served in the Concepcion Chile Mission, Elder Oyarzo's home mission, she mentioned his name, Scott Jackson.

Elder Oyarzo lit up, Elder Oyarzo loved the missionaries who taught him English, and even remembered their names, Elder Jackson and Elder Bemis.

Sister Marler sent off an email to Scott, asking if he had served in Chillan Nuble with an Elder Bemis, he sent back these two pictures.  

Elder Bemis and Elder Jackson in Chillan Nuble, Chile.

There are not too many times when the veil is thin enough to recognize someone from the pre-existence (that time before we came to earth and lived with Heavenly Father).

But when they come, they are sacred, special and a gift from our Heavenly Father, 

that binds our hearts one to another. 

I can't help but wonder, what was the relationship between Elder Jackson and Elder Bemis, Elder Oyarzo and his family, and President and Sister Marler before we came to earth.  

How close were we, and were our friendships bound us?

…and most importantly, what do we have yet to do together?

A Little Shopping in Trujillo

For those who know me, you know I am not a real shopper, except for garage sales and thrift shops. 

But yesterday we needed a little fruit, and a few items in Mayorista, 

So Sister Angell, Sister Vaughan and I headed for Hermalinda and Mayorista 

accompanied by our favorite body guard, Elder Leavitt.

 I needed some yarn to finish an afghan for my daughter Stefany…I helped the store keeper put the yarn on the twisting thing to make a skein of yarn.  1 kilo of Alpaca for only 5 Peruvian Soles.

 Here are the office sisters in our new Mayorista skirts…lovely aren't we.

 We saw some cute little puppies...

 and a cage of parakeets.

We also needed a lot of fruit.  Sister Vaughan and Sister Angell loved Hermalinda

the open air market of a woman's dreams!