Guillermo Mario Perotti joined the Church at the age of twenty-four in Lima, Peru. Two weeks later, he was called to teach Sunday School. After teaching his first lesson, he received many compliments from class members. He said: "I was very proud of myself until the inservice leader told me that I needed to improve in some areas. She told me that I told too many jokes and some of my jokes weren't appropriate, and not to put my foot on the bench. I was sad and I told myself that someday I would get even. I soon got even by asking her on a date. We have an expression in Spanish: `Revenge is sweet,' and my revenge was sweet. That inservice leader from the Sunday School is now my wife and the mother of our five children."
His wife, Marina Perotti countered: "That is his story. I was actually very nice to him. And he still puts his foot on the bench when he teaches." Sister Perotti is one of the very early members of the Church in Peru. She was introduced to the Church in 1961 and received her temple ordinances in the Salt Lake Temple, in 1964. She loved the States and desired to remain. But during the temple excursion, she received her patriarchal blessing. It mentioned that she would become a leader among her people in Peru. She recalled, "That struck me like thunder. I didn't discuss it with anyone; I just changed my plans and returned to Peru."
A year before they were married, Brother Perotti was awarded a scholarship that allowed him to travel to the United States and Mexico. He received his temple blessings in the Mesa Temple. After their marriage, Brother Perotti has served in many leadership callings. He served as branch president, district counselor, president and counselor in the Lima Peru Stake, and regional representative.
While in the presidency of the Lima Peru Stake, President Perotti was invited to travel to Salt Lake City to general conference. Sister Perotti stayed home with the children and felt very lonely. She said:
Something bad happened every time he wasn't here. I began to resent that he was always being spiritually nourished and I was here taking care of the children by myself. One night while he was in Salt Lake City, I woke up to find that a water pipe had burst and water was everywhere. It was a nightmare, a very full night. The next morning our son woke up and wanted to listen to conference. But I was miles away from the spirit of conference. That conference, one of the leaders expressed special thanks for the thousands of women who supported their husbands, and for their patience. He reminded us that the resurrected Christ didn't appear first to a priesthood leader, but had first appeared to Mary. His words went directly to my heart. It altered my attitude. [The conference talk was "The Women of God," Neal A. Maxwell, General Conference, 1978]
In about 1985, one day terrorists burst into the office building where Brother Perotti worked. Two men entered the lobby and one of them hit him with a pistol handle and then tried to shoot him. Brother Perotti ran upstairs while being chased by the assailant. Somehow Brother Perotti was able to break a brass bar on a window and jumped out to the ground. He landed in a neighbor's garden. Seeing him fall, the neighbors began shouting "They killed Mr. Perotti! They killed Mr. Perotti!" The terrorists came over and began kicking at Brother Perotti. He was shot in the hand. The next shot would have been fatal, but the gun misfired. Brother Perotti felt that his live was preserved by a miracle. ("Temple Comes to 'Backyard.' Church News, March 1, 1997)
In 1986, the Lima Peru temple was built only a few blocks from the Perotti home. They both were set apart as ordinance workers, Brother Perotti as a temple sealer. From 1987-1996, the Perottis lived in Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Ecuador. In 1991, while working as a general manager of Black & Decker in San Juan Puerto Rico, Brother Perotti was again called as a regional representative. This time over the San Juan Puerto Rico Region. Later, they moved back to Peru and he currently is the director of public affairs in Peru.