Here we are after the Easter Dinner we hosted for 10 others today in our apartment in San Salvador. Yes, we got back Friday evening, April 18, from our 1 week in Rochester, MN and our 4 weeks 4 days in Saratoga Springs, UT.
We went to Church for the first time since March 16 in Rochester.
It's always great to be among the saints wherever we are--Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Burley, or San Salvador.
Many of our friends here are telling President Petersen he looks a lot better than when he left.
Yesterday when we left our apartment mid-morning to walk over to the temple, everyone we went by wanted to greet President Petersen. Here are our coordinators for the Wednesday P.M. temple shift., Hno. y Hna. Ramos.
This whole group had just given him abrazos and hand shakes.
After many more temple workers and members greeting him on the way, when we rounded the corner of the front door, there was a precious group of primary children lined up to touch the temple, with two young missionaries teaching them about Jesus Christ and His Temple.
They wanted to greet President Petersen.
Here are our Easter Dinner guests--clockwise: Walt, Elder Mike Udall, Hna. Jeanne Udall, Hna. Sharon Haroldsen, Hna. Aida Majano, President Rafael Majano, Hna. Irma Caballero, Elder Roberto Caballero, and can barely see Elder DeVar Haroldsen's head.
President and Hna. Alas had to leave early this morning to speak at a far-a-way Stake. We saved them a plate for later.
Counter Clockwise: Pte. Majano, Hna. Caballero, Elder Caballero (from Canada); Elder DeVar Haroldsen (from Idaho Falls), Walt, Elder Mike Udall, Hna. Jeanne Udall (from Eager, AZ), Hna. Haroldsen, Hna. Majano (from San Salvador).
Luckily, we had some delicious Virginia ham in our freezer.The others brought the side dishes. You can get a glimpse of the colored eggs I made from our brown eggs.
I made a "bunny bread" copied from the Easter that Hna. Arlene Kitley made for our 2012 Easter.* We missed the colored deviled eggs that Hna. Marilyn Gibbons made for that same Easter.
[Hna. Kitley, I cut a white jelly bean in half for the bunny's teeth.)
Hna. Udall brought baked potatoes, bread 'n butter pickles (rare here), and some of the frozen strawberry jam that Lisa Wegkamp had given her. (Hmmm, thanks for the going-away jam, Lisa. We miss you and Dale a lot!)
Hna. Haroldsen brought some baked potatoes, fresh fruit, Jell-o with raspberries, and corn. Hna. Caballero brought a dessert of Leche Pollado (please let me know the correct name)--creamy like arroz con leche, but with no rice. It takes a long time to make stirring constantly, but it's worth it! [Hna. Udall offered to help stir the next time they want to make it and asked if I'd help too. "Yes!" I quickly answered. You can see it in the middle right hand side of photo.]
It is amazing that we can come up with such a complete dinner on such short notice (as last night after the temple shift ended at 7:00 when they surprised Walt with a birthday cake and no chance to go to the store.) Thanks everyone!
Majanos had to leave early to drive an hour to give a fireside about the temple in the Sonsanate Stake.
And now--time out for our Sunday nap. Walt got a head-start on me.
Back and refreshed.
These hermanas helped clean up everything.
We tried a "selfie" with me with them above, but I couldn't get the right angle. So here I am with them. [Julie, I was planning to wear the new red jacket and shell you got me for Easter, but I can't find the shell, and the jacket was too wrinkled from the suitcase as I forgot to iron it yesterday...and was out of time after our cocoa and homemade-bread toast. I'll get it ready for next Sunday...if I find the shell. [I just remember putting it in a side pocket of one of the suitcases. We got the green light at customs so sailed right through and nothing was lost.]
We were happy to have time talking with everyone. This is our first chance to sit down and talk with Elder Mike y Hna. Jeanne Udall whom we know from our Guatemala/Central America Mission 2005 to 2007. They were temple workers there. This is their fourth temple mission.
I had forgotten that Elder Udall is a pilot also. Walt had not forgotten. So when these two ended up sitting by each other...guess what they talked about?! Yes, some fun flying stories. Elder Udall topped all pilot stories I've heard when he and Hna. Udall shared some of his shenanigans in his acrobatic plane. Thank heavens, I only had to endure an occasional drop to zero gravity when the pen on the dash would be suspended in air. The only thing that held the pilot and passengers down was our seatbelts.
Elder Udall and Walt may have sold their airplanes but oh the memories of those flying days and the stories live on.
Aside from the fun side of this season...
...the Easter Bunny and candy...
Easter baskets and colored eggs...
We pay homage to Jesus Christ, the Son of God...
For his perfect life, His Atonement and Resurrection...
Yes, "To this end was [He] born. John 18:37
"...and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." John 18:37
As we conclude this Easter Sunday, we share our testimonies of the Savior and that we believe the words in the Bible:
“He is
not here:
for he
is risen, as he said.”
--Matthew 28:6
And because He has risen, we too will rise in the resurrection to be reunited with our loved ones who have gone the way of all the earth and their spirits are now living in heaven.
But on that future Glorious Resurrection Morning their spirits--and our spirits when our fleeting mortal time is finished--will be reunited with the miraculous bodies created for this probationary time in this world.
And because of the restored priesthood temple ordinances, we
have the hope of being together forever as families.
So it is written. So shall it be done.
We hope you have had a
Happy Easter
Sunday, April 20, 2014.
With much love,
Walt & Eileen Petersen
Also known as...
Mom & Dad / Mom & Dad Petersen /
Grama 'n Grampa MissionTemple
brother / sister / cousins / Uncle Walt & Aunt Eileen / Presidente y Hna. Petersen / friends
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