Sunday, December 28, 2014

This week...December 22 to December 28, 2014

(You may have seen this post, but on Jan. 4 I have added some more photos from Christmas day and the day after.)

We hope all of you have had a wonderful Christmas with loved ones.  We certainly have!
December 22 - Monday
We loaded up our car and got to Saratoga Springs just in time to wish Jacee a "Happy 12th Birthday" just before Julie & John and family headed to John's family's Christmas Party.
      Happy Birthday, Jacee.  Being 12 years old will be a great year ahead.  Here's her on first day of school August 2014
    Here's one of Jacee on her birthday - December 22, 2014 "12."
Jacee, we love you!
Steve picked us up to have a yummy stew and scone supper with them.
Then they shared a family home evening lesson in their December series of a "Christ-centered Christmas" as they add another character to their Nativity each Monday.  Tonight it was the "Angel," and Steve shared a tender lesson centering on two angels in his life: His mother, and then his eternal sweetheart. Thanks Steve for those nice remembrances you have of me and of your wonderful wife, Natalie.
We picked up Kimble from his job at Tenney's Pizza and rendezvoused with David & Julie and kids to go see the Draper Park's dazzling lighted trees, with the highlight being an amazing "Tree of Life."
Following this we had some hot chocolate with peppermint ice cream put into it.  Hmmmm, hmmmm, good!
What a great time with three of our families to start Christmas week!
December 23 - Tuesday
Walt went with Julie and got his Christmas shopping done a day early.  I also finished up and rendezvoused for lunch with Walt, Julie, John, and Rigdon at The Spaghetti Factory at the University Mall in Orem. (I got no photos of this.)

When we got back, we were delighted to have D. Kelly and Marcia Ogden come from Provo to visit us.  He gave us his new book Loving Life--Lessons I Have Learned from Heaven and Earth just published September 2014.  We became good friends when they were called to be over the MTC in Guatemala during the time we were there 2005-2007.  They served January 2006-2009.
For supper, we were invited to rendezvous with David & Julie, Joshua, Anna, Sam, and William at La Hacienda in Draper where they serve delicious Mexican food.  Address: 12434 Minuteman Drive #200, Draper, UT 84020  Really great reviews when I tried to google a photo because I forgot to get any during our time there.
Then we went to their home where we had dessert of brownies and ice cream, along with sharing Christmas memories.
One of Walt's favorite Christmases was when his Mom went back
to Ohio to help her sister, Tess, when she had a baby.  His Mom had put his Dad in charge of getting the Christmas presents.  Ray got Walt a pair of boxing gloves.  Walt was ecstatic to have boxing gloves!  However, when his Mom got home she was not happy with Ray for buying their 9 or 10-year-old son boxing gloves. But he got to keep them.
Eileen shared that one of her favorite Christmases was when she and Walt were first married and they were alone in their tiny, cozy old apartment in the middle of the blocks of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.  They found out that where they were together, that was "home" and Christmas was still a wonderful time with just the two of them together.
       The night before Steve had said something about the next day would be Christmas Eve Eve, to which Anna had replied: "Then it must be Christmas Adam, because Adam came before Eve." (Great play on words, Anna!)
December 24 - Wednesday
Finally...the actual Christmas Eve.
Brent and Vicki brought Jasmine and Jada over to do a Peterson cousins traditional day-before-Christmas making Gingerbread houses.
These cousins had fun--and each Gingerbread house turned out different.  Didn't get Jackson in the picture with Maddie, Jada, Jasmine, and Jacee.
Then Grampa PetersEn got a turn to hold Rigdon...
...while John made some of his out-of-this-world fudge.
Ready to go caroling with John's home made fudge to share with the neighbors.
And after opening the traditional one gift on Christmas Eve...which is always new Christmas jammies from the Elf...
...watching a short Disney version of "A Christmas Carol," watching "The Gift" put out this year by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about the Birth of Jesus Christ, and
their Mom and Dad bearing a strong testimony of the truthfulness of The Son of God coming to earth,
along with testimony by Grama and Grampa Petersen,
it was time for the kids to go to bed, sleeping by the Christmas tree
in the basement with colored lights.
December 25 - Thursday
Looks like everyone in this home has been good this year!
Christmas morning tradition: Everyone in bed together at 6:00 a.m. before going out to see if Santa really did come in the night.
Santa really did come!
    Jackson...a basketball backboard is among his surprises.
Maddie...wanted a unicorn as one of the three things on her wish list.
Jacee...also got lots of fun things, including the headboard that was among the three items on her wish list for Santa.
Rigdon had some special things for "Baby's First Christmas"...
Mom & Dad, Grama 'n Grampa were good, too, because they got lots of fun presents.
However, Grampa was sad when he saw a bag of coal in the top of his stocking...
And Grama Petersen had a fun surprise when she opened a huge teddy bear that she has wanted for many years for the grandchildren to play with at their home in Burley, Idaho.
However, even tho Max got some presents and even some goodies in his Christmas stocking, he thought the big teddy bear was for him to snuggle up to and sleep.
(This is where I added more photos from Christmas day and the day after.)
After all the presents were opened and we were taking things back to our rooms, Grampa tripped on something and fell down going from the carpeted family room into the hardwood of the entry way. 
His left shoulder is painful from being injured--maybe a torn rotator cuff, plus he has some pain in his chest when he hickups or laughs--so he may have a cracked rib.  His wrist also is swollen and hurts, plus he has a cut by the side of his eye.
  (Here's a photo a couple of days later when his eye
    is showing the black and blue around it.)
Time for a Christmas breakfast of waffles with strawberries 'n whipped cream, link sausages, hot chocolate and other yummy things.
Steve & Natalie, Cortney, Kimble, and Carter came by to visit and that afternoon they drove us to Thanksgiving Point to see the new movie "Unbroken," about Louie Zamperini, an Olympian runner who are treated so badly by his Japanese captors in World War II that it's a wonder he came out of it alive.

It was a good movie but sad to see what he had to live through.
The disappointment in the movie is that they didn't show the main point of his life that he accepted Christ and forgave the prison heads and guards who treated him so inhumanely.


It was wonderful to rendezvous with my sister Janice, and Jeff.  We got to exchange our Christmas gifts after.  It had started snowing hard while we were in the movie theater.
Back at Saratoga Springs Julie & John had a delicious Christmas Dinner prepared for us and Steve & Natalie's family.
Cortney brought her cute puppy....I think the name is Maya.
Then Gary & Kathy and family came over from their home in Lake Fountain to visit with us.  What a blessing to be with them for a while.
A Merry Christmas was had by all!
December 26, 2014 - Friday
We had a relaxing time on the day after Christmas just enjoying hanging out with family...eating...
...kids playing in the snow.  Jacee made a snow angel on the trampoline.
...and watching Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney's "White Christmas" of 1954.
Such wonderful music by Irving Berlin and sweet story.
(I have posted the photos from Dec. 27, Sat., on the Dec. 27-Jan 4 post.0

We pray you have had a restful and a peaceful Sabbath Day.
We testify that Heavenly Father did send His Firstborn Spirit Son to come to earth as His Mortal Son foreordained to become Our Savior and Redeemer.  And Jesus Christ fulfilled His Foreordination.
   "...to this end was I born..." John  18:37
         And now we await His Second Coming in Glory...
Of this we testify.  In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Walt and Eileen Petersen






Sunday, December 21, 2014

Our Christmas Letter 2014

Merry Christmas 2014

(Post for week of December 15-21 is in post before this one.)
(In this Christmas Letter I have put it all in "Large" and "Red," but different paragraphs keep switching to small print in black.  So if a paragraph about you is in small, black print, please know that it all started out in big red print.  Computers! Can't live with them or without them!)


Dear Family and Friends…
We returned home the end of October from our call to serve as the President and Matron of the San Salvador El Salvador Temple.

This has been a special three years for us.
 We are so thankful for President & Sister Majano and President & Sister Alas, the counselors in the temple presidency and assistants to the Matron. We also had much help from our full-time Senior couple temple missionaries and our temple workers.  A big thank you to all the faithful temple patrons.  We have left a part of our hearts with each one of you.  We know the temple work will continue in a great way in El Salvador. Temple = Miracles!

Walt had many health problems during our time there, but with priesthood blessings, superior medical care, and prayers by many, he was able to come through them.  We have shared about the back surgery in Salt Lake City in May 2012 and other illnesses.
 
 Jen, Jerry and family came to be with us during the temple closure. Walt had a transient ischemic attack during that time.  Testing at Mayo Clinic confirmed that Walt needed a valve replacement.  This  open heart surgery was done by Dr. John Doty in Salt Lake City on March 19.

On April 17, while still in Utah recuperating, Walt celebrated his 80th birthday with family. Dale & Connie brought Phyllis. Because of his rapid recovery, we returned the next day to El Salvador to finish our calling in the temple. 
Many tender mercies and miracles happened.
At 80 and 76 we are "older than dirt."

We were happy about the wedding of a granddaughter Kelsey Petersen to Josh Summers in July, then saddened by the passing of Walt’s sister Phyllis in August.

 In November we were happy about the marriage of granddaughter Katie Fisher to Parker Anderson.

It has been wonderful to have two new grandbabies blessed. Rigdon Jay Peterson born 4Sep2014 was blessed Nov. 29 in Burley. Anna Sue Brewer born 1Oct2014 was blessed Nov. 22 in Saratoga Springs, Utah, when they came from Minnesota for Thanksgiving.
We were blessed to have most of our family 
gather in Burley for Thanksgiving
                                         OUR FAMILY ~ 2014
Janie & Shawn Fisher, Heidi, Sam, Ashley, Michael – Rexburg, Idaho. 
Aimee & Michael Mecham – Married 25Jun2011 
Daniel & Kelly Fisher – Married 27Dec2013 
Katie & Parker Anderson - Married 1Nov2014
             All above in Rexburg
Gary & Kathy Petersen, McKell, Abbey, Jacob, Isaac - Saratoga Springs, Utah.
Steve & Natalie Petersen, Kimble, Carter - Saratoga Springs, Utah.
 Kelsey & Joshua Summers – Married 31Jul2014 Eagle Mountain   
Cortney – West Jordan
David & Julie Petersen, Joshua, Anna, Samuel, William - Draper, Utah.
Julie & John Peterson, Jacee, Jackson, Maddie, Rigdon - Saratoga Springs, Utah, and Mikayla at college in Stockton, California.
Brian & Michelle Petersen, Emma, Taylor, Avery, Elizabeth - McMinnville, Tennessee. (Coming to Idaho the week between Christmas and New Year's to ski at Targhee.)
Jen & Jerry Brewer, Seth, Sarah, Ben, Joshua, Elizabeth, Adam, Anna - Rochester, Minnesota.
We have much joy in our children, their spouses, and our 35 grandchildren!
Families are Forever!
We love Jesus Christ and strive to be among 
the wise who follow Him.
We are thankful for the Restoration of 
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  
We are thankful for the Prophet and Apostles of today.                       Merry Christmas  

One of our favorite scriptures for the birth of Christ:        
  “…to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world...” John 18:37 

And we like this scripture about the Savior's birth:
"...for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets." 
--3 Nephi 1:13

Love,   Walt & Eileen                          
2457 Burton Avenue, Burley, Idaho 83318
•   wrpetersen7@gmail.com   •   wyepetersen@gmail.com    
•   waltandeileen.blogspot.com   •  Please send us your e-mail address. Thanks.
    New phone numbers: 
Home 208-670-7235 
Walt cell: 208-670-1765 
Eileen cell: 208-670-7010  
 Happy New Year - 2015!    

Saturday, December 20, 2014

This week in Burley, Idaho...

The week of December 15-21, 2014 - Burley, Idaho
December 15 - Monday
    My birthday...I turned 76, but actually think I'll stay 75 for a while longer.
A fun plush velvet heated throw from my sister, Janice. It is so cozy and warm.
Then, one of the biggest surprises of my life...Walt had a palm tree delivered from Lee's Furniture.  Love it! It's a great reminder of all the tropical countries we have served in our four missions--Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicarauga, Costa Rica, Panama, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, then back to El Salvador.
For our monthly Neighborhood Empty-Nesters Family Home Evening Dinner, we were assigned at our November gathering to come dressed as one of the persons in the Nativity and tell how we felt about that person.
    Jacqueline Gorton was Mary.
David Gibbons was the Angel Gabriel...
...who came to tell Mary that she had been chosen to become the Mother of Christ.
George Gorton was Jospeh.

Darrell Roskelley was the Inn Keeper...
♫♪"Angels we have heard on high"♪♫...Colleen McCall, Ruth Melling, Bonnie Hansen, Marilyn Gibbons, Eileen Petersen, and Mary Ann Roskelley. 


Shepherds were Ken Hansen...
...and Scott Bloxham.
Wise Men were Gary McCall...
...and Walt Petersen...
The third Wise Man, Don Melling, was not able to make it because of not feeling well.
   Each character of this Nativity gave great insights into their knowledge and feelings about their part in the Savior's coming to earth on April 6, in the year  "0" of A.D....which we commemorate on December 25th.

     After a delicious progressive dinner at Scott Bloxham's home for hor devourer's... 
We were happy that Dan Black was over his strep throat and able to join with us...
...then we were off to Fronks for the main course...
...which included a tender pork loin roast...
...then Roskelleys for dessert of panini...
...we had shared about being Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, Inn Keeper, Angels, Shepherds, or Wise Men. 
 The narrator, Ken Fronk, read each part of the Story of the Nativity from the Bible.  This kept our minds focused on the Savior and the purpose of His prophesied birth.
We gathered for a photo of most everyone (some had had to leave before the final photo).
   We are thankful for Ken and Bonnie planning this special Christmas Family Home Evening.
Their final question was: "How do you plan to honor Jesus Christ in the new year of 2015.  What gift do you plan to give Him?"
    Some of the answers included..."going on a mission to share His Gospel with others, sharing His Gospel with others here in our hometown, fulfilling our Church callings without complaining, being of more service to others, reading His scriptures more often, going on despite errors or setbacks, doing more for others, giving service with joy, sharing testimony more often with immediate family and others..."

December 16, 2014
We had a cherished rendezvous with Walt's brother Dale and wife Connie, and our widowed brother-in-law Dale Bunn where we gathered at the Depot Grill in Twin Falls for their smorgasbord lunch.
Yes, angels announced the Birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and wise men still follow Him.
We testify that Jesus Christ came to earth as the Son of God--the Holy Messiah--lived a perfect life, and voluntarily laid down His life--to Atone for our sins and to usher in the Resurrection.

We anxiously await His Second Coming when He returns
as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords...
when every knee bends and every one will know and say that
He is The Savior of This World and Other Worlds.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Walt & Eileen Petersen