Our March Madness

 

 

 This is our latest group of missionaries to finish their missions.

Each has learned different lessons about the Atonement of Jesus

Christ during their missions. Specifically, one learned how the Lord helps lighten the hurts and pains we carry in this life.  He lost his mother to cancer during his mission.  He has a firm testimony that because of the Plan of our Heavenly Father he will be able to see her again one day. 

The very next day we received our new group of missionaries. 

Bienvenido!!! 

President Blunck always loves receiving new missionaries. 

They have great faith and a firm desire to serve.

Transfer days are one of his favorite.

On the left is our new assistent Elder Ortega.  He replaced 

Elder Carranza.  Elder Ortega is from Argentina.   

It is birthday time in Iquitos. These elders are excited to receive a

loaf of banana bread. No worries mom Turner, we remembered your son's allergy to gluten.  He is doing great in Iquitos!!! 

Our group of missionaries in Iquitos who have completed the first

12 week program for new missionaries.  Great job elders!!!

Now you are ready to train.

What an inspired program to better prepare missionaries to teach.

 

 

 Where ever we travel we always share the message of Jesus Christ and

His restored gospel with others. Here Elder Uribe is visiting with a school teacher in Nauta. 



Nauta is an hour and a half by road from Iquitos. Missionaries love serving here.  The people live in the most humble of circumstances and the gospel

gives them purpose and new found hope.  They are firm in their faith and desire to serve the Lord.  the Elders serving here are:  Elder Limon, Elder Clavijo, Elder Munoz,  and Elder Thompson. 

 

Our daughter Janeece gave birth  on March 4th to our seventh grandchild, baby Hazel Lenore.  She is named after Larry's beloved grandmother.  I was given permission to leave the mission for 10 days to help Janeece who deliverd by C-section.  My 10 day trip quickly became a 9 day trip as my first flight was canceled. I was grateful to be rebooked for the next day.   

During my stay I met up with my Mom and 2 of my sisters for lunch. 

 It was a wonderful reunion with my family.  Here is our four generation picture. 

 

 I returned to Peru on March 17th.  I was pleased to know my husband had survived and that there had been no medical emergencies. 

Upon arrival I was greeted by Larry's brother who had arrived for visit.  We are so greatful Jeff would come to visit his brother and our mission.  It was a great opportunity for him to learn more about what we are doing here in Peru.   

Presidente Blunck and Jeff, his brother in Tarapoto.

Shortly after Jeff's departure friends from our ward (our church congregation) in Oregon arrived.  We had a fabulous time showing them different areas of our mission.  They got to meet many of our missionaries and participated with us in one of our training meetings.  One evening we all went out and worked with different missionaries.

It was a great experience.     

 

The following are a few pictures of the sites we saw during their visit. 

Houses made our of large adobe slabs.  Each slab is hand poured then they

compact the adobe by stomping on the clay. 

 A beautiful waterfall near Tarapoto. 

High water season in Iquitos.  Belen area.

Houses are built up on 20 foot pillars.  About 30,000 people live in this flood zone.  Land is cheap and services are free.  Each year this area of Iquitos floods from rising rivers during the rainy season.



Make shift walk ways are made so people can get to their homes during flooding.

Mode of transport during flood season, flatboats.

Walkways become clothes lines.

Perfect reflection on a calm river.

In the jungle swamp areas there are aligators.  No worries moms,

your sons and daughters are serving in large cities and don't see many of these.

Victoria regias,  three foot wide lily pads.

Our friends the Landfords, exploring the the selva.

A red faced monkey that is native to the areas around Iquitos.

We were able to visit a native tribe near Iquitos called the Boras.

They welcomed us to their village with dancing.  These men wear skirts made out of tree bark.  They migrated to Peru from Columbia.  Their head

dress is made of out bird feathers.  It is fascinating to learn how they live in the selva.  They gather everything from nature to live on.  The men hunt small animals and birds by using a blow gun. 

Dave and Shannon Gibb admire these bananas just unloaded from a river boat, they are headed to market.  Dave jumped right in and helped

to load the truck. 

A grandmother was helping her grandson take a bath. 

She is using pure river water because she has no running water in her house.   

Fresh aligator, anyone? 

Actually it is pretty tasty, just like chicken.

This is very typical of how men will carry heavy loads.

People in the jungle work extremely hard everyday just

to provide for their families.

Here we are with our friends outside of our chapel.  Our assistents had each of our friends participate in the training by reading in Spanish from Preach My Gospel. They were great sports and participated with willing hearts.

 

We are so glad we could share a few short days with our friends from Oregon. It was a thrill for us to introduce them to our missionaries, to work with our missionaries and to have them experience a few sights from our mission.  It is a memory we will all share forever.  Thanks for coming Dave, Shannon, Steve, Karen and Brian.  We loved having you visit us in Peru.

It was as great adventure!!!!