LATTER-DAY WOMAN MAGAZINE IS INVITED TO VISIT PERU

We are so excited here at LDSWA and feel very honored that we have been invited, along with LDS Living, to represent our magazine Latter-Day Woman in a Press trip to Peru.

We felt there would be none better to be our ambassador for the magazine than our Editor-in-Chief, Julie Lowe who graciously accepted our invitation on very short notice.  Julie will be gone for a week and we want everyone to share in this unique experience with her.  We are posting Julie's thoughts, feelings and experiences here on The Grapevine.

We feel humbled in being asked to participate in this trip after only 2 editions of our magazine.  We receive daily positive inspirational comments about our digital publication, already being read in over 40 countries.  Our gratitude goes to each and everyone who reads and shares Latter-Day Woman with others.

So lets begin by following Julie on her adventure:

Sunday, October 5, 2008

PERU IS CALLING ME 

There is a history there that is rich in faith and culture, beckoning to be explored and experienced first-hand.

As I prepare to travel to the Memphis airport, to eventually join up with the press group that is going on to Peru, from Los Angeles, my thoughts continually rise to my Heavenly Father about the REAL purpose of this trip. What is it that He wants me to know? To see?

As Editor, and representative of Latter-Day Woman Magazine, I was invited by LDSWA to join other editors and writers of other LDS-related publications to tour these marvelous Book of Mormon lands, compliments of the Latin America division of PanAmerican Travel Services, LDS Travel Study and the government office of Peru.

Such trips are indicative of the many missionary pickups they plan for parents going to South America. What a marvelous way for families to share in the deep cultural and spiritual experiences their sons or daughters have lived for two years! What a wonderful opportunity to explore the "roots" of our faith!

There was a very interesting show on BYU-TV this morning, that I was watching/listening to, as I prepared to leave. It was about a land (maybe in Peru?) where people of all faiths came together to overcome leprosy. It has been said about this land that, perhaps, the holiest places on earth are Jerusalem and this land (I think it was called Machu Picu or something like that).

There was "something" about this land and the faith of its people--Mormons and Catholics mostly, but also other faiths, working together, healing together, building their places of worship together (more Catholics helped build the Mormon meetinghouses than Mormons). One man raised his hands to the heavens, then brought them back down together, and smiled, saying:

"Man must not survive.

Man must prevail. Man must overcome all things..."

Maybe this is truly a sacred land, on which I am about to set foot. May the Lord, God, bless me, inspire me, to see His works and to share in His purposes.

I will share my thoughts, feelings, inspirations, and sights with you all over the next week, and upon my return!!


Julie
Editor-in-Chief
Latter-Day Woman Magazine