Our Birthday 2010 In Lima, Peru

This is just a great photo!! It is all the volunteers and the staff of our PEF office.

It was May 27th, it was OUR birthday. Yes, it is true, Elder W. and I share the same birth date. He has fun telling people that I am one year older than he, but it is he who is one year older.

The "kids" in the call center had been asking me for days whether it was going to be Elder W.'s birthday soon. I told Regina that it was. He did not want them to do anything for us. We always buy a cake for each person when it is their birthday, and we have a party. We did not want them to do that for us. As you can see, they surprised us with a small cake to take home for the evening, it has lasted us for 4 nights now.

For several days here in Lima, we had a visit from Elder Cook who is the Managing Director of the Perpetual Education Fund. (He is in the photo standing next to Elder W.) No one told him what was going on, so he just sang along, then he realized it was OUR birthday. It was all done very quickly, he had a plane to catch to Bolivia.

He was in South America for 2 weeks traveling to 5 different countries. Meetings were held and he conducted "focus groups" with some participants in each country. It was a very busy trip for him. His wife is Sister Cook of the Young Women General Presidency. They combined their travels to meet her needs also. She was doing some training of Stake Young Women Leaders. Sister Allred of the Relief Society General Presidency also was in the group of travelers. She had an assignment similar to Sister Cook, train the leaders. It was a very busy week for everyone, but especially our visitors from Salt Lake City.

How do you like my red knit outfit? I bought it months ago and I have been waiting for the weather to change so that I could wear it. Well, it has changed. That is how I got my cold. In two days we went from summer through fall right into winter. Three days later it was warm again. So...we never really know what the weather is going to be like from day to day and everyone always says "welcome to Lima."

It is a very comfortable warm outfit. I can remove the poncho of course, but it is so warm think I kept it on all day.
The bottom of the skirt has the same motif as the poncho.

I am sorry, this is a short writing, I am trying to get as much rest as I can. Elder W. started coming down with the same cold yesterday, and it always hits him harder. So...it will be awhile until we are really both healthy again.

I hope this finds you all well and making plans for a good summer. We send our love.

Until I write again,
Hermana W.

Elder Jimenez Enters The MTC In Lima, Peru

Elder Jimenez from Managua, Nicaragua entered the MTC (CCM in Spanish) May 20th. I have been so excited for this day. We found out several months ago that he would be here in Lima. He has a very sweet spirit about him and is very prepared to be a missionary.

Myself with Elder Jimenez and Elder W. on the grounds of the MTC. I knew him the minute I saw him, and of course we were not to hard to pick out!

Here is Elder Jimenez and his new companion outside the cafeteria. All the missionaries were getting ready to get in the lunch line.


So, here is MY story of Elder Dnnis Jimenez.

While our daughter Shannyn served her mission in Panama/Costa Rica, she taught a part member family.
Dnnis, is the son of one of the daughters in that family.

Over the years, Shannyn has remained in contact with the two sisters. Several months ago, Gabriela, (Dnnis's mother) wrote that he was going to be serving his mission in Peru. Then I found Gabriela on FB (Facebook)and we began to communicate. Elder Jimenez was also on FB and he and I began a "count- down" to the day of his arrival in Lima.
I have retold "my story" to several of our friends here in the Lima area. Actually, I think I have told just about everyone in the Lima area. President and Hermana Manning are friends and I had previously told them the story. He is the Mission President of the Lima, Sur (South) Mission. Several weeks before his arrival, Hermana Manning told me he would be in their mission.
The day before his arrival, I spoke with Pres. and Hermana Whetten, he is the President of the MTC. I wanted to know if it would permitted for us to meet him and maybe speak with him for a few minutes. They were delighted to hear the story. They said we could have lunch with him one day during the next three weeks.
So... May 2oth, 2010 became a "payday" for our daughter Shannyn and of course for Gabriela and her husband.
Sometimes we never know how far reaching our service can be. Of all the MTC's and missions in the world that he could have been called, Lima, Peru; and we are here at the same time. To me that is just incredible. I do not believe in coincidence. We are so thrilled to meet him and get to know him a little and maybe even see him in action.
Yesterday, Friday May 21, we had the privilege of being invited to a Missionary meeting at the MTC. The guest was Elder Jay Jensen of the Seventy. All four of the missions in Lima were invited to attend, their Presidents and wives, the Temple President and his wife, Area Presidency and their wives. To be with all the missionaries, young and older is awesome.
It us such a blessing to be able to attend these functions.
Elder Jensen taught the missionaries that when they teach the people to use the hymns of the church to invite the Spirit and remember "you are just reminding the people of things they learned in the pre-existance." The most interesting thing for me; that is a principle my husband learned during his many years of service and he has continued to teach. All things are a continuation of the pre-existance. I love hearing the doctrine taught, it reaffirms what I have been blessed to learn over the years. It was a wonderful meeting, the Spirit was incredibly strong.
He asked if any of the missionaries had any questions. There were four Elders with questions. I thought it very insightful, "our" Elder Jimenez asked Elder Jensen a question. He is comfortable with who he is that he could ask a General Authority a question in a public meeting the second day of his mission! It seemed obvious to me that he has been taught well by his parents and many others. Some days are much better than others, this was a good WEEK!

My love to all,

Until I write again,
Hermana W.

A Mother's Day Tribute

There is nothing more wonderful in the world than bearing children! Bearing them for me was the easy part, it was the raising of them that was difficult!

My children and grandchildren are the light of my life. I know some of them don't realize that I feel that way, but it is the truth. As a parent and grandparent it is very hard to watch your family members being tried and tested. My prayers are constant for them, and I am certain other mothers are also. Trials and hardships are the reason we are sent to this earth. Our characters need to be molded and formed. I am so, so grateful for the trials of life. I have passed through many, and as I look back, I see how the Lord has allowed growth to take place.

This is a picture of our children taken many years ago. From the top: Richard, Scott, Cindy, Jamie, Shannyn and Tracy. I am sure they will not be happy I used it, but it is one of my very favorite and was taken an a very special day!

This photo is Becky. She was killed in 1992, she is now a missionary on the other side of the veil. We will be together again in the eternities!

Forgive me, some of the photos are very old. I don't have access to my pictures from home. But you hopefully you will understand the sentiment I am trying to express here.

These are our four living girls having fun together. From the top; Cindy, Shannyn, Jamie and Tracy. This was taken while they were all having fun together. We are so glad they are all good friends.

I am so sorry, I have worked really hard to post this photo of our son Richard and his wife Emilie. It scanned too large, so I had to do some trickery. They live in McKinney, Tx. and have 2 boys and a darling daughter. We are blessed to have Emilie as part of our family.

This is our son Scott and his wife Corinna. She is like our daughter. They live in Spokane Valley, Washington with they three boys.

This post is dedicated to my family, but I honor all my friends and women who are mothers. In truth, all woman are nurturing to so many. Some women don't have children of their own, but they are like surrogate mothers to others.

Sharon McClelland. Sharon is one of those people who goes the extra mile for others. She is a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and dear friend. She is also one of the most knowledgeable women I have ever known.

Karen Holland, her husband is our Stake President in Henderson; at least he was when we left, but who knows

if that will be true when we return home?

She is a beautiful person inside and out.
A wonderful example to all!

Janet Zobrist, she just became a grandmother for the 22nd time. She passed me with my 21. I am so glad this is not a contest. We keep in touch by email and I'm glad to say Facebook too. She is such a good grandmother.

Kim Griesmer (Hermana G. to most). She has since returned home. She was the secretary to both President Lara and President Sloan. She is a wonderful mother, grandmother and faithful friend and sister in the Gospel.

Hermana Cindy Sloan. She is the mother to the missionaries in the Quito, Ecuador Mission. She is darling. We were blessed to see them brefly here in Lima last October at a Mission Presidents Seminar. It was wonderful to see them.

Donna Butterfield. Her husband is the Area Controller to the five countries in the South America Northwest Area. They have lived outside the United States for several assignments. They recently found out they have been re-assigned to a new Area in August. They will be going to Russia. They will be blessed to know our good friends the Wooley's and the Lovett's who by then will be settled in also. What a small, small world we live in.

These are just a FEW examples of the hundreds of wonderful women and there are SO many more. I am grateful for the many great examples and teachers I have had during my life, and the lives of my children.

My mother, Madelyn Angel, did not have the Gospel in her life. She was a wonderful mother to my brother and me. I miss her very much. She died of cancer in 1999.

This was our last family reunion picture, 2008. Our two boys and their families were not able to be with us. I have the hope that when we return in 2011, we can have a wonderful time with ALL our family members present. We love them all so very much.

I am grateful to KNOW that I am a daughter of God. I am grateful too for the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and KNOW that they live and love each one of us, as I love each of my children.

I have a very happy heart tonight, and I have much to be happy about! A very Happy Mother's Day to all of you.

Until I write again,

Your loving mother,

or Hermana W.