Traces of Time . . . October 24-30, 2026

Traces of Time . . .

This week 

~ October 24, 2016 

to 
October 30, 2016

Monday - October 24, 2016

Ken Fronk came to our home to renew our Farm Bureau Home and Auto Insurance.     We have been very happy with our insurance from Idaho Farm Bureau.

We went home teaching this afternoon to Dan Black. As we drove past Blayney's home, we snapped a photo of Tom and Irene working in their yard.  They work in their yard a lot and their beautiful yard shows it.  Of course, Irene, waved that she didn't want a photo taken.

We love our neighbors, Tom and Irene.  They have been wonderful neighbors since we moved next to them in May of 1971 - wow that's 45 years now!

Interesting to see the skyline of our little place in the background of Blayney's home.

Our family home evening was just being together.  We were too tired to have a lesson tonight.  Seems like we watched the news.

Tuesday - October 25, 2016

Today we stayed home while Walt was on clear liquids getting ready for his colonoscopy tomorrow morning.

When Walt took that first dose of the nasty Bowel Prep laxative drink, he commented: "It's not as bad as I remembered."  I always vomit it back up, but Walt kept it down.

Wednesday - October 26, 2016

We checked into the Surgery Center at 9:20, but because of a glitch in their computer system, Walt wasn't taken into the operating room until 11:20 for his colonoscopy.

The nurses took good care getting him ready.

And there he goes...

Here he comes back...

He was back in the room at 11:50, a quick 30 minutes for everything.

Dr. Ted Rea, who comes to Burley on Tuesdays and Wednesday from Twin Falls, did the surgery and said he just found one small polyp which he cut out.

This will be the last colonoscopy that Walt has to have because Dr. Rea said they don't do them after age 85.

(Our neighbor, Jean, told us that her doctor said he doesn't do them after age 75.)

We urge all you 50 or above to get a colonoscopy.

The hardest part is the 2 days preparation (well you start 5 days ahead watching what you eat, but mainly the day before when you are on clear liquids, and then the 6 ounces of the bowel prep you drink with 16 ounces of water, plus 32 ounces of water over the next hour, then at 6am the day of the procedure repeat those same dosages.  Once they wheel you in for the 30-min mini-surgery until you return, there is no pain.  I understand that most medical insurances cover this.

It would have saved my father's life, so that instead of his dying at age 69, we could have had him with us 20-30 years longer and my mom would not have been a widow for 31 years.  

It would have also saved Walt's sister, Bonnie's life, so instead of losing her at age 60, she could have been here on earth for possibly 30 years longer or more.

Please do it for your loved ones.  Most only have to repeat a colonoscopy every 5 years or more.  Some, like me once or twice, had to do it within 3 years.

Ready to take the I.V. out of his hand and the  I.D. off his wrist... (We know this will freak some of you out...especially our Julie.)

Janet is ready to wheel him out...

Janet, thanks for your help today and your many years of friendship...

Then Janet took a photo of us together...

The rest of the day Walt slept a lot.  We're glad his last colonoscopy is over.

Thursday - October 27, 2016

Walt was still tired today, so had a good nap at noon.  We did run a couple of errands and then drove down around the Snake River by the golf course.  It was a really warm day but no one was boating.

   We took no photos today.

Friday - October 28, 2016

This morning we had Kathleen Hedberg, our ward's family history consultant, help us for a couple of hours.  She has helped get Walt's Nellie Katie Olson Petersen Swedish line back to the early 1700s.

They were excited today to get back another generation.

Burley Third Ward Halloween Party 

The minute we stepped into the cultural hall we knew who had helped decorate.

Alice Hansen brought her Halloween decor and she said some of the Young Men helped her, along with her daughter Kaisa and Kaisa's children.   There were over 30 tables with a unique Halloween centerpiece like this...but each with a different animal, witch, or black cat, etc...  (So 30 tables x 8 people to a table = over 200 people attending.)

Hot, homemade soups were the main course, along with rolls and various desserts.

Ruth Melling made her famous clam chowder...

Of the 10 or more crock pots full of soup, each one was gone within 30 minutes.

And Kiley's home made rolls in the shape of pumpkins were gone before I could get a photo of them!

I kinda got a photo of some of the delicious desserts.  I think it was Karen Garner who brought the fun orange and black cake with fun frosting. Lynda Lee brought some yummy pumpkin cookies.  I didn't get a photo of the sugar cookies I made in the shape of pumpkins, topped with orange homemade butter cream frosting and green stems. 

Here's an overview of one of the serving tables.

I missed getting a photo of the fun costume parade of kids, teens, and adults marching across the stage several times to fun music.  Here are some on stage right after the parade. Shelley Higgins was a darling "Mary Poppins."

Even the corners were decorated with Autumn things.

Here's Alice Hansen by one of the fun decorations, with her grandson in a clown costume.  Thanks, Alice, for always providing such fun ambience with your heavenly decorations for our ward parties.

Saturday - October 29, 2016

We dashed over to the Minico Craft Fair to support Kathy Marker, from our ward, for her book signing.  

We could hardly find her among the 150 plus booths.  

We saw a lot of friends we haven't seen since we returned two years ago from our 3-years in El Salvador.  Here is Roberta Larsen.  She was a patient of Walt's from Rupert for many years and we had photos of her son, Rick, in last week's blog.

A gal took a photo of Walt and me before we left the main gym.  The side practice gym had booths, along with the hall around the gym.  Walt said as we left: "I had no idea this was such a big event."

We had one last serendipity as we exited: Pat Skiles was just coming in.  And we learned that she has a twin sister who was with her from Idaho Falls.

Pat and Walt had a great few minutes reminiscing about their days as physician and nurse working at the old Burley Hospital and the new hospital.  

I remember how compassionate and kind and helpful Pat was at the old Burley Hospital on Parke Avenue the day my father passed away there on Saturday, February 6, 1982 from colon cancer.

From there we drove straight to Twin Falls to run an errand at Costco (my hearing aid rechargable batteries have died after a year, so I had to get some new ones) before we went to the 3:00 temple session where Lynda Lee was receiving her endowment.

Tanner Seeley was also receiving his endowment before leaving for his Korea Pusan Mission.  He is the son of Matt and Kim Seeley and oldest grandson of Joe and Linda Petersen.  Their beautiful five daughters--Kim, of course, and Cortney, Meagan, Marci, Ashley and handsome son, Trevor, were there.  As one of the Apostles told us: "These are the pay off days in families."

Lynda Lee looked radiant in her white temple dress and a glow in her face, as her niece from Pocatello was her escort as she received her endowment today.

We don't take photos in the temple because of the sacredness of temple ordinances and covenants. As the First Presidency and Apostles have said: "The three new instructional temple films have been made for variety.  They each have the exact same dialog as the temple film that was made in 1990." So this one made 26 years ago, is still being used along with the three new films that were made in 2013.  Each temple can choose how they rotate these films.  In the Twin Falls Idaho Temple, a different film is shown each day. So, for Walt and me, as we rendezous each Wednesday with his brother, Dale and wife, Connie, at the temple, we see a different film each Wednesday, four weeks in a row, and then they rotate again in the four-week sequence.

One of my favorite quotes in print about the temple endowment is Brigham Young's quote:

Temple Endowment

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ENDOWMENT: "a gift.”

“A Celestial Course of Instruction”

Brigham Young said:

              “Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the House of the Lord which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the Holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation…”                  

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is the photo we got of Lynda Lee, her escort, and friends who were with her today.

Kathleen Hedberg, Dan and LaRae Crane had left for Burley before we all got gathered for the photo.

Left to right are:

Eileen and Walt Petersen, Elder Towers, Matt and Amber Grayson, Elder Murphy, Lynda Lee, Dan McMurray, then two friends of Lynda that I didn't hear their names, Bishop Steve and Michelle Gerratt, someone I can't see (oh, in the next photo I saw that it's Lanada Kerbs leaning down so Michelle can be seen), then Lynda's niece who was her escort, and the escort's two daughters.

In this photo we can see Lanada a little bit.

I will enlarge this photo to see Lynda better.  Jonah Bench, 7th Ward, just home from his New York Utica
 Mission took the photos.

Then, those who could stay, gathered at Lynda's favorite restaurant in Twin Falls "Café Rio" for dinner.

 So many choices...

 Here's from one side of the table...

Lynda, a friend across the table, Lynda's niece,

Bishop Steve and Michelle Gerratt.

From the other side of the table...

Counter clock-wise: Elder Bench, Amber and Matthew Grayson, Elder Murphy, Elder Towers, Dan McMurray, and Walt Petersen.  Eileen Petersen taking the photos.

Here's just one of the choices - 

an Enchilada with rice and beans.

Everyone was filled to the brim.

Dan and LaRae Crane taught the "Temple Preparation" lessons to Lynda. We wish we could have gotten a photo of them. They served 11 6-month missions and are great teachers, and great examples of the Gospel.

I found a photo of Dan and LaRae from when we went to lunch with them at the Wayside Cafe that serves free lunches to Senior Citizens the second Monday of each month from one to three o'clock in the afternoon.

Here's a photo of Kathleen Hedberg, one of our ward's family history consultants, when she comes on Friday mornings for two hours to help us with family history. She has done temple work for thousands of her Swedish ancestors.

 What a reception she's going to have in heaven!

And that's a photo of each one who was at the temple today with Lynda Lee.  What a special day.

We are thankful for the restored Priesthood Temple Ordinances and being able to do temple work for our kindred dead after we have each received our own endowment.

I told Lynda, and then Elder Seeley today, as we tell those we teach the Temple Preparation classes to.  This we learned from David Gibbons: "There are only two things you have to remember the first time you go through the temple--your new name and how you feel."

All the rest you will learn as you keep returning to the temple.

Sunday - October 30, 2016

Today was the Primary Program for our ward. The theme for this year in Primary was "I Know the Scriptures Are True."

It is always delightful to see the children give their parts and sing the wonderful Primary songs.

No wonder the Savior loved little children.

LaRae Crane said that when Jesus Christ comes again, he would go to Primary first, then to the First Presidency.

There were a lot of grandparents visiting today, and I even talked with one great-grandparent.

Scott Bloxham said with the over-flow congregation last week for Elder Elliott Heiner speaking before leaving for his Portugal Lisbon Mission, and Elder Robbie Owens speaking upon his return from the Arizona Phoenix Mission, and the chapel again filled today for the Primary Program, it will be an excellent month for attendance.

We were happy to visit David and Alice Hansen this afternoon.  Alice is so talented at many things. Their six children are very musical, all playing an instrument, as does she.  And, as mentioned for our Friday ward party, she is a great decorator.  I took a photo of them on their front step as we left their beautiful home.

And we were excited to have Bishop Gerratt announce in Sacrament Meeting that our friend, Brandi Kirkpatrick, has been called to serve on the Relief Society Committee for the monthly Night Activity.  Brandi is a counselor at the Declo High School.

At the end of this last Sunday in October, we hope you have had a peaceful and restful Sabbath Day.

To our family and friends, we share our testimony that...

Heavenly Father lives and loves each one of us, and knows us individually by name.

Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son, who also loves us and knows us, also, by name.  He loves us so much that He came to earth to become our Savior and Redeemer and will come a Second Time to the Earth in great glory.

Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we, too, will be resurrected as He was.

Joseph Smith, at the instruction of Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, restored Their Gospel to the Earth which they told him to call The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Because of the restored Priesthood Temple Ordinances, we have the hope of being sealed to our families for time and for all eternity.

Thomas S. Monson is the Living Prophet for the entire Earth today.

Along with President Monson and his two counselors, there are also Twelve Apostles on the Earth today.

The Book of Mormon is the Word of God, as is the Bible as far as it is translated correctly.  The Book of Mormon is "Another Testament of Jesus Christ," and is the most correct book on the earth today.

Of these truths we testify.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Walt and Eileen Petersen - Burley, I D A H O