A Visit to Viru, Peru

Last weekend we visited Viru.  President had meetings on Saturday and Sister Marler joined him on Sunday in Nuevo Chau

 Young Women in Viru

 Elder and Sister Smith teaching Primary, what a great Primary Choir

 Elder McClellan with a branch member

 Some of the Branch Leadership

 Branch Council meeting…the Obra de Salvation is in full swing in Viru

 Saying good-bye to some of our new friends

Bye, see you next week at our baptism…that's right this lovely family will be baptized next Saturday, and we wouldn't want to miss it

Feliz Cumpleaños Elder Zavaleta

The office Elders and Assistants work really hard to keep the mission running smoothly  

One side benefit of the assignment is having a birthday dinner with the Elders in the Mission home  

This party was especially nice as Elder Zavaleta's mom sent a few birthday "glasses" and a special hat for the birthday boy

Elder Zavaleta, we hope you had a very Happy Birthday

the kitchen may be small, but everyone helps with the dishes! 

I am one lucky mission mom

Elder Leavitt, Elder Tirado, Elder Antuña, Elder Winterton and Elder Angamarca

Elder Winterton providing after dinner music

A White Night in Esperanza

Elder Andia, Elder Claros, Elder Palacio and Elder Vera had a lovely "White Night"
Congratulations to all who entered the waters of baptism
Baptism is a covenant (2 way promise) with our Heavenly Father.  We promise Him to follow the commandments, To always remember Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for us.  He promises us to always have His Spirit with us.
In Mosiah Chapter 18 in the Book of Mormon we learn about the baptismal covenant and our commitments to follow the Savior and uplift our fellow man.

Sister Cia Bates: guest blogger

Brother and Sister Bates have three sons serving missions in South America. One, Elder Drew Bates, is here in the Trujillo Peru Mission. I asked her to share her thoughts on having three sons serving missions for the Lord and the blessings of being a Missionary Mom.  

Elder David Bates, Elder Bailey Bates, Elder Drew Bates

When my husband and I started our sweet little family 20 years ago, it was often met with wonder and confusion from the outside world, but we both felt complete peace and assurance from our Heavenly Father that each and everyone one of these little ones had a very important mission to fulfill without delay. With 5 children in 6 years we got to experience many things annually--"What a cute Kindergarten graduation...again!" "Your 5th grade program sounds awesome! You don't remember the lyrics? Let me help, I know them by heart!" Baptisms, Priesthood Ordinations, Eagle Scouts, High School Graduations,...But through all that, never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that I would be sending three missionaries off to South America all in the span of twelve short months.

Even from the time they were toddlers, we would make predictions using their ages and thought that maybe, possibly, we could have three missionaries out at the same time, briefly, but our predictions are nowhere near to the reality of three of our sons all serving together in South America for a year....

Our eldest, Elder David Bates, was attending BYU at the time the age change was announced. He chose to continue with his original plans to complete the semester at BYU during which he turned 19. David was called to serve in the Colombia Bogota North Mission from June 2013 to June 2015 and entered the Provo MTC on June 19th, 2013.

His younger brother Drew, 11 months his junior, was called to serve in the Peru Trujillo Mission. Elder Drew Bates entered the Lima Peru CCM 14 days after his brother on July 3rd, 2013 and will be serving from July 2013 to July 2015.

On February 20th, Elder David Bates & Elder Drew Bates' little brother, Bailey,  received his call to serve in the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission. He reported to the Provo MTC July 2nd and will serve from July 2014 to July 2016. 

Elder Bailey Bates reporting to the MTC

When David and Drew's little brother Bailey bore his testimony recently about what it has been like preparing for his mission, he said that he has learned that true service revolves around two principles: obedience and sacrifice. He said that he is prepared to accept his call, be obedient and make whatever sacrifices he needs to make to serve the Lord. I think he said it better than I ever could. Missions are about obedience and sacrifice. My three sons have chosen to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the truest and purest way they know how--by being worthy and obeying the Prophet's call to serve a mission. They are willing to sacrifice whatever they are asked to in order to share His message of love and salvation. How can I not do the same? They are my heart and my soul, which, for now, is scattered around different parts of South America. But how can I do anything but rejoice? I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. I know that He loves each and every one of us individually and that He atoned for our sins so that we might find peace and happiness in this life and in the life to come. I know that the adversary strives to thwart that peace and happiness, but that we have the power of God on our side, and that righteousness does and will continue to prevail.

We experience so many blessings and miracles in our lives, individually and as a family as our children serve the Lord. One of those that I'd like to share, and is particularly close to my heart, is that my missionaries may be in a foreign country, but they have never forgotten their mother. I feel the power of their prayers every day. They always write their mommy first, no matter how full their e-mail box is. I get special letters and packages in the mail that they have to spend their birthday money to send. Before they left on their missions, they took the time to record messages for all of us for the special occasions they would miss, so on my birthday and anniversary, I get to put in a USB drive and see their beautiful faces and hear their messages of love. Just last week Drew sent home a package from Trujillo with a couple that were travelling to Utah for a visit. The presents were nice, but the lady said that Drew had told her that "You'll recognize my mother because she has the most beautiful eyes in the world." That was more than a message, that was a gift I will treasure forever. The week before last, David wrote this message to all mothers in his general e-mail that he sends out: "The thought this week goes out to all the mothers out there. I read Alma 57:19-21 and immediately thought of missionary work...I would not be out here if it weren't for the things that my mother has taught me from the crib on, if it weren't for her believing in me and never giving up, and I'd be very surprised if every missionary in the field couldn't say the same. Mothers are not just important, they're essential, and their role as teachers and nurturers is what moves this work forward. That should never be underestimated, and I don't think it can be overestimated. So I just wanted to say thanks." Their testimonies and their love help to sustain me.

The gospel is true, I believe in miracles, and if I follow the example of my sons and am obedient and sacrifice in service to my family and Heavenly Father, I know that all will be well, with me and with those I love. 

The 5 Bates…beautiful family

Out visiting with Hermana Grow and Hermana Christensen…this sister lives next door to the new Trujillo Temple, and what a view.  

 Here is the temple grounds…with the Pacific Ocean in the background...

 The Beautiful Trujillo Temple under construction

Photography by Elder Zavaleta

Mission Leadership Council…July 2014

The Mission Leadership Council meets every month

the council is made up of all the Sister Trainer Leaders and Zone Leaders

 Sister Calle, our mission nurse, taught us how to care for our backs and necks.  We need to keep health and fit to be great missionaries who walk miles and miles each day.

 President Marler and the Assistants provided training on various subjects

 Sister Marler taught about the Saviors love and how we can emulate him 

and be better friends to all we meet

 Sister Evans and Sister Allred played a beautiful medley on the piano and violin. This will be our last musical number by Sister Allred, as she will be retuning home in 2 weeks

 Sister Calle, Sister Gonzales and Sister Balcaza

A few of the Elders (clockwise from left) Elder Bravo, Elder Cortez, Elder Mollo, Elder Guerra, Elder Alfaro, Elder Antuña, Elder Dority, Elder Almonocid, Elder Rittscher, and center, Elder Nelson

 Sister Bedoya, Sister Almonocid, Sister Carbone and sister Huayton enjoy the beach activity

 Waiting for their turn to bat…Elder Rotolo is the catcher, Sister Watkins the Umpire, while Elder Haake, Elder Garcia, Elder Mollo, Sister Calle and Sister Childers look on

 Sister Evan ready to run to 2nd base, Elder Garcia [;aus 1st base

 Elder Boekweg, Elder Wengert, Elder Winterton and Elder Rittscher find crab hunting more interesting than the ball games

 Sister Watkins and Sister Connors one last pose before Sister Connors heads for home

 Elder Zacharias, Elder Diaz and Elder Cortez, practice for the Mundial 2018

 Sister Pullan and Sister Evans go for the Frisbee in our ultimate frisbee game...

 This Ultimate Frisbee is one fun, fast game!

President Marler was one of the stars of the game

 Sister Lasike enjoyed a little Ukulele time at Huanchaco

Sister Lasike, Sister Marler and Sister Gonzalez

 Nope Elder Fernandez did not get hurt, he just likes getting an each ride 

from Elder Rybert and Elder Rodriguez

 Elder Rybert, Fernandez, Rodriguez, Sister Bedoya, Carbone and Elder Garcia

Elder Mollo and Elder Rittscher

 Elder Bramble, Elder Dority and Elder Winterton getting in a few back flips on the sand

Sister Poma and Sister Grow made a miniature Trujillo Sand Temple 

 Last Leadership Council Meeting for Elder Mollo, Elder Almonocid, Sister Allred, Sister Connors and Sister Poma, they are bound for home in 2 weeks

 Thanks for the great day, we loved every minute...

Zona Esperanza, District Meetings

Zone Leaders, Elder Brown and Elder Diaz teach the principles needed to be great missionaries, discuss the key indicators and lead by example.

 Elder Vera, Elder Sanchez, Elder Lopez and Elder Cruz enjoying a little fellowshipping during the meeting.

 Sister Sosa, Elder Platino, a local missionary , Elder Sanchez and Sister Dahua practice their English 

Zona Esperanza…Loving missionary life