Surprize I'm baaaack!

Us and the sisters with family ready to be baptized in Sicuani!
These pretty sunflowers are in the garden of the hotel we stay at in Valle Sagrado...nice huh?!
Mini sisters conference in Lima at the temple!
The missionaries that came out with us when we started and are already ending...boo hoo!
View from the airplane as we fly to Cusco...I will miss the wonderful mountains of Peru.

I know everyone has probably stopped even looking at our blog page it has been so long since I have been able to update it but today is the day and for what its worth we are still alive and kicking down in Peru!

It seems like as we passed the 2 year mark in the mission things started to gear up another notch and go even faster (if that is possible?) Jeff sat down one day and filled out our calendar for the whole entire next year up until the day we leave in July and I am exhausted just looking at it. (So I don't!) I have a gnawing anxiety that I have really neglected to write down all that has happened in these 2 years so far and I don't want this next year to escape us too! I will try to be better. I keep trying to think of ways to keep everyone in the loop but many days I am just too tired to think straight....but my resolution is to do better with this blog page so we shall see how diligent I really am.

I thought I would write down ten things I have learned these past two years that have significantly marked my life:

1. I have a truly awesome and amazing husband who never ceases to keep me on my toes every single day! He has the kind of energy that only the duracell bunny possesses! We go from activity to activity, meeting to meeting where we have to speak and think at a moments notice without warning and he is truly inspiring every time he speaks! I love to listen to his talks as I always learn something new. It is fun to watch the missionaries watch him as they love his counsel too.

2. I am learning patience with myself, with others and with the Lord!

3. I have learned to be less selfish in my wants and as a result I think we are becoming much better as a couple and eternity doesn't seem as long as it used too! The Lord is really teaching us how to be truly happy and it is mostly by the difficult things which we have been asked to pass through together these past 2 years. Its pretty much a refining process!

4. I have learned that this is the Lord's work and that when he promised that he would always be with us and would not leave us comfortless he really does keep his promises! He is especially by our side when we try to share the gospel with others. He will help us to not be afraid and he will show us miracles if we will but only believe in Him and trust Him.

5. I have learned that the Lord loves all his children and is mindful of their special needs and puts people in our paths that will help us in the very moment we need it.

6. I have always loved my chidren but I have learned how very precious and unique they are and that the Lord loves their uniquness too. What a blessing it is to be a parent. More than anything I want us to be together for ever and I want them to be happy. I know that the Lord sometimes he gives us difficult burdens to carry to help us to grow to be more like him. I have learned to accept these burdenss even though as a parent I don't like to see my children suffer.

7. I have learned to trust more in the Lord and less in myself.

8. I have learned that I can live just about anywhere in the world as long as I have hot water and a good pillow under my head!

9. I have learned that friends are a precious comodity that we should never take for granted.

10. I have learned that there is always room in our hearts for more love and it is never wasted when we share it. We should say "I love you" everyday to everyone we come in contact with especially our family.

So to all our family and friends out there in blogland I want you to know how very much we love you all, especially our 5 grandkids, Porter Maya, Bennett, Benjamin, and Ryan!