First Days in Trujillo - Cultural Celebration & Dedication

We left Salt Lake City on Thursday June 18th at 9:50 AM, arriving in Trujillo, Peru at 7:00 AM on Friday, June 19th.  It was a long and tedious journey but we were happy to finally get here to start our mission.  

At the Salt Lake City Airport - ready to board.

We were taken to a very nice Hotel, Casa Andina, for four nights because the General Authorities are staying in our apartments. 

Our room.

View from our room on the 8th floor.

We had lunch with our Temple President and his wife, Romulo & Marlene Casos, on Saturday and were set apart as Ordinance Workers.  

President & Sister Casos,  We love them already.

Saturday evening we were given VIP seating at the Cultural Celebration.  The youth did a fantastic job.  We met President and Sister Marler, president of the Trujillo Peru North Mission. We are also under his direction.  

President & Sister Marler, President Casos, and, of course, us.

President Uchtdorf was here with his wife and daughter as well as Elder & Sister Bednar, the Area Presidency and several from the Seventy.  

President & Sister Uchtdorf were right above us........

as well as Elder and Sister Bednar.

One of many great numbers 

We had tickets to the 1st temple dedication at 9:00 AM.  We had seats in the chapel area inside the temple.   It felt so good to walk inside the temple for the 1st time.  It is truly beautiful. 

Waiting in line.  It was a little overcast.  The sun came out after the dedication.

The "Albergue" where we will live for the next 18 months.
We move in on Tuesday.

We met this lovely couple at our hotel.  President and Sister Chipman,
the new Temple President of the Indianapolis, Indiana Temple. He served as Mission
President in Piura, Peru three years ago.  It is part of the Trujillo Temple District.

The Peruvian people are so warm and loving.  I can't tell you how many hugs and kisses we got today just because they saw our name tags.  These two young women wanted to take our pictures.  

Elder and Sister Nield from ShowLow, AZ, on each end, another Temple Missionary Couple.

We start work tomorrow at 6:30 AM.  We will just have 2 special sessions, by invitation only.  Starting Tuesday, the temple is open for everyone else.