Family…the Volk's Arrive!!!

Elliot and Aiden came out of the airport ready to give a few hugs to Grandpa and Grandma.  After 24 hours in airports and on planes they were ready for a few activities.  This was the first time our daughter, Jenny and our son-in-law Conor came to visit…yeah, it is going to be a great week.

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First on the list is meeting the office Elders.  

Elder Brown greeting Aiden and Elliot

…and here, Elder Heward welcomes everyone to Peru.

 Jenny and Conor came out with all the bags… thank goodness for small airports.

 We were with the grandkids for 10 minutes before mom and dad came out!

We're all together again!  

First activity of the day, breakfast and a birthday party for Elliot. 

 Piano concert by Elder Haacke, he is already Elliot's favorite missionary, because he play basketball.

He has already promised to have play a game with her.

Birthday girl with her "waffle" birthday cake.

a little too much excitement, and not enough
sleep…excellent snuggle time with Grandma.

 After nap time we all went to they Trujillo Temple.  The Casós' had arranged for a special English tour for our family.  Thanks to all that made that possible.

So glad that Jenny, Conor, Aiden and Elliot got her to go to the temple open house with us. 

Daddy and daughter in the reception area.

 A walk in colonial Trujillo, Plaza de Armas.

The Volk family, in a colonial courtyard.

It was a great day, so nice to be together,
and we ended the day with swimming in Grandma's jacuzzi.

Leadership Council - the first of some lasts

 Elder Winterton sang for us one last time, he goes home in June.  

As President Marler said during the meeting, we will miss him and the beautiful voice he shares. 

A training by Elder Brown and Elder Haacke, our last council meeting with him as our Assistant,

Elder Brown also goes home in June.

Some missionaries will be in the new mission before we have our next Leadership Council,

and there will be others that will arrive from the Chiclayo Mission.

 President Marler shared a spiritual message at his last Council of his 2nd year as a mission president.

 Sister Guevara goes home in July, and spent some time just visiting with good friends 

and getting lots of hugs! (w/sister Tulumba, Bravo and Assef)

 Elder Singh, Elder Rereba, Elder Winterton and Elder Andia.

Spaghetti from the Gingo Loco Restaurant in Trujillo

And one of the waitresses of the hour, Sister Angell.

Everyone enjoy lunch before running off to have pictures taken and to play futbol.

Sister Perez and Sister Carrera

 Elder Garcia, Elder Cano, Elder Benitez, Elder Mendoza, 

Elder Cruz and Elder Singh.

 The Leadership Council,                                                                  photography by President Marler.

 A few smiles and hugs!

 Sister Guevara and Sister Cossio.

 Sister Guevara and Sister Marler.

 Our darling sister trainer leaders. Sister Bravo, Sister Tulumba, sister Perez, Sister Reynolds,

Sister Hidalgo (back), Sister Assef, Sister Carrera and Sister Rejala.

and let the game begin….

 Watch out Elder's, Sister Rejala has played professional futbol!

 Now Elder McClelland makes quite a fashion statement with those socks, while Elder Garcia and

Elder Gonzales dig in a play hard!

 Waiting on the sidelines.

 Elder Winterton will go home with a few less brain cells.

 Elder Heward and Elder Claros face off.

 I really hope Elder Bates is the goalie since he is running with the ball in his hands. 

Or perhaps he is getting ready for next football season at college!

Elder Bates also goes home in June.

Sister Hidalgo and Elder Garcia, did they get the goal?

¿Qué paso a los panqueques del Presidente Marler?

A noche, nosotros fuimos al templo con la presidencia de Presidente Marler.

Presidente Olivera, y Presidente Mendez y su esposa, Maribel.

Fue una noche perfecta, encontrar muchas personas en el templo, 

y

muchas misioneras.

como, Hermana Guevara, Hermana Hansen y Hermana Degracia.

y Hermana Bravo, Hermana Rejala, Hermana Tulumba y Hermana Assef
Las invité para desayuno, y ellas vinieron a las 8:00 a.m.
Fue un gran desayuno con panqueques por Hermana Marler.
El Presidente Marler necesita ir al templo, entonces, Hermana Marler, como
una buena esposa, salvó unas para su espos

Y las hermanas se laván las platas, o quizas Hermana Rejala los rompió.
y cuando el Presidente devueltas, buscó los panqueques…¿dónde están?

 el "selfie" captura la respueta!

Les amo esta misioneraa tantísimo!

I usually write in English, but I knew these sisters would want to read this entry…so here it is in English:  Last night we went to the temple with President Marler's presidency.

It was a perfect night and we found many missionaries.

Like Sister Guevara, Sister Hansen and Sister Degracia.

and Sister Bravo, Sister Rejala, Sister Tulumba and Sister Assef.

I invited them for breakfast, with pancakes by Sister Marler. like a good wife, I saved

some for my husband who had to go to the temple. 

The Sisters washed the dishes, or maybe broke them, and when president returned home, he looked for the pancakes.  Where were they?

The Selfie captured the answer!

Teaching Testimonies, thanks to the Orange Glen Ward Young Women in Escondido California

Last year, I had the privilege of hearing Sister Oaks and Sister Clayton 

in a seminar for Mission President's wives.  

They shared the importance of helping our new member of the Church learn to share their testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We were each given a white glove with pictures to help our new members remember the important truths that we can share as a part of our testimony.

As part of a training, I, Sister Marler wanted to give a glove to each missionary,

so they too, could teach these principles.

One call to my daughter, Becky, and the Young Women of the 

Orange Glen Ward in Escondido California went to work making testimony gloves.

These can also be used to teach the "Plan of Salvation" and other lessons.

The Trujillo Peru Mission thanks the Orange Glen Ward 

for they love and support!

A testimony is a declaration of our believes,

Below, you can read a brief part of my testimony:

I know my Heavenly Father lives, He loves me, and He is literally the Father of my Soul.

I know Jesus Christ lives, He is the resurrected Christ, He died and atoned for my sins, 

my shortcomings, my challenges, and makes up the difference in my life for all my shortcomings.

Jesus is my Redeemer, my Savior, and I am so grateful for the sacrifice He made on my behalf.

Just as there were Prophets in ancient times as recorded in the Holy Bible,

we have a Prophets on the earth today to lead and guide us.

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, called of God to re-establish 

the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. 

 He translated the Book of Mormon, by the power of God, 

that we may have this other testament of Jesus Christ to guide us.  

The Book of Mormon, is second witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Holy Bible being the first.

  I know this is Christ's Church, that it is the same Church that he establish, 

when He, Himself was upon the earth.

I know that Thomas S. Monson, is God's called prophet on the earth today, 

He is a guide to help us return to Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

I share this with you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Learning to Make Peruvian Food

I have had a goal to learn to make Peruvian food while I was here on my mission, 

but I am usually busy with the missionaries, writing talks or keeping up with the blog,

that I haven't had time.

I decided that after living here for two years, it was time.

I invited in the other "older sisters" 

and Alicia spent the day teaching us to cook.

Lomo Saltado.

Aji de Gallina

and

Maracuyá juice

From left: Sister Marler, Sister Alicia, Sister Fackrell, Elder Fackrell, Elder Smith,
Sister Smith, Sister Vaughan, Sister Angell.

We had a wonderful day together, then served

the dinner to our husbands.

What a fun time, 

something to take home and remember this day over and over again!