**Walt & Eileen Petersen

Sunday, January 29, 2012

2012-01-29T19:20:00.003-03:00

Our week in El Salvador. During our Hermana's monthly Brunch on Monday, Jan. 23, Melissa Ruble taught us about the local fruits and vegetables. She is a "master chef" who has put that profession on hold while she raises her family of three boys, with her fourth son due Feb. 23. Her husband, Aaron, is the first counselor in our Campestre Ward's bishopric.

Everyone was asked to bring a local fruit or vegetable and Melissa would tell us about it and how to prepare or cook it.

Time out.........Walt just got back from his 6-hour Regional Quarterly Coordinating Council...so I'm going to talk with him. (4:00 p.m. Be back soon to finish this post.)

I'm back... Some of the veggies are: Yucca, which is what Melissa is holding in the photo...

Oh first I want to mention the new look for being pregnant now.

When I arrived--Delena Markland picked up Arlene Kitley and me, and Lisa Wegkemp drove Marilyn Gibbons, Nancy Thompson, Diane Wall, and Joanne Hall.

Hermana Kitley told Melissa as she greeted us at her front door how she loved the new look for being pregnant. "We used to try to hide that we were pregnant," to which Melissa replied: "Now it's embraced and displayed."

Back to the description of the Yucca plant. It has a neutral flavor that is very versatile with other veggies as a side dish. It's also ground into a powder and used for glue.

Melissa showed the fresh Spinach here and that it's leaf is thicker, but it can be used the same as in a fresh salad, or blended into a smoothie, or also cooked.

She showed us a stem with purple flowers that she couldn't remember the name of, but that is used as a sleep remedy or just to help relax us.

The Taro looked a little like the yucca plant but is a thinner, longer, softer and more bendable. Melissa does not like the taste of taro.

The veggie Hna. Kitley brought was in the squash family, little and yellow and is called Patty Pan.

On to fruits...

Gyjava (guajava??? or something like that) looks almost like a small green apple and has a flowerly, perfumy flavor. When they are in season here you can buy 20 for $1.00. (Did you all know the currency in El Salvador is the U.S. dollar?)

I'm not sure I got the name correct...it could be like gueeseal. In Brazil where Melissa's mother is from, it's called cheshu (so Jerry might be familiar with it).

I didn't get the Spanish name for the Passion Fruit... it has a sour, strong flavor but when sugar is added it has a wonderful flavor.

The bananas in the photo at the top were different varieties that have distinctly different flavors.

The Mispero, which is small and brown tastes rosy and banany.

There was also zapote, which has an orange meat (I think that was the one.)

As you can tell my notes were not complete, so I'll end

with the fruit Teresa brought.

Teresa Walker brought a maymé (which when I had in México on our first mission together gave me hives for 24-hours....so I've stayed away from that for ever after). Melissa said that is not native to here, so must have been imported in.

After Melissa had explained each fruit and veggie....we had a chance to taste them. As you can see from the photos....other goodies were also brought for the 12 of us.

Left to right: Eileen, Marilyn, Sheralie, Delena, Melissa holding 2-y-o George, Carla, Teresa, Lisa, Nancy, Joanne, Diane, Arlene is taking the photo.

Well, that was Monday morning.

Hope go get some more of the week in later.

We're going to call our kids now....7:00pm Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012.

Back....we called all seven....and no one was home nor answered

their cell phones. But as the evening went on, we did get through to Julie, then Steve, then David, then Jen.

Blessings of being in the presence of the Lord's Leaders

2012-01-22T23:37:00.006-03:00

We've had a busy but exciting weekend here in San Salvador...
    Saturday afternoon, January 21 we had 5 Sisters come to do a session in the San Salvador El Salvador Temple who were visiting the area with their husbands on assignment: Sisters Nelson, Clayton, Martino, Amado, and Valladares.
Their husbands are:
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Quorum of the Twelve;
Elder L. Whitney Clayton, Seven Presidents of the Seventy;
Elder James B. Martino, 1C in the Area Presidency -- The Second Quorum of the Seventy;
Elder Carlos H. Amado, 2C in the Area Presidency -- The First Quorum of the Seventy;
Elder Valladares, The Fourth Quorum of the Seventy--Central America Area who lives in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
   It was stressful for me to get their temple clothes ready, but everything worked out--even a temple dress appearing out of the blue on the clothes rack by the roperia that I had not seen during the two weeks we've been steaming wrinkles out of the freshly-laundered dresses. It was exactly what Sister Nelson wanted when she came downstairs with me when none of the dresses we had taken up to the bride's room worked for her. I told her it was like angels had hung it there for her.
"You know miracles do happen in the temples," she said.
         Walt traveled in the van with Elder Nelson yesterday for the 2:00-6:00pm Priesthood Leadership Training Meeting. It was held an hour from San Salvador in the city of Santa Ana.
He comes back from these inspiring gatherings full of enthusiasm and we sit for an hour or so as he goes over his notes with me.

This morning we rode to Santa Ana with Elder and Sister Martino and spoke at the Modelo Stake. We love to shake hands before and after but had little time because of the tight schedule to get back to San Salvador.
        At 4:00 Sunday, Jan. 22, all of the above Priesthood Leaders and their wives, plus Elder Carlos Rivas, Area Seventy here in El Salvador and his wife, had a private tour of the temple and the temple president's home.
At the Single Adult meeting where he spoke right after that he said he wanted to shout for joy when he was in this beautiful temple, but that can only be done in the Hosana Shout during the temple dedication.
    He and his wife greeted us as they left this meeting at 6:30. (We were there by Sister Nelson's invitation.)
They fly back to Salt Lake City tomorrow. They have also visited the countries of Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Panamá.
Elder Nelson is amazing for 87 years old. Sister Nelson mentioned in her talk tonight that they have been married almost 6 years. (April 6, 2006.) His first wife, Dantzel, passed away Feb. 12, 2005. They had 10 children.
Elder Nelson said in his talk yesterday that they have 57 grandchildren and 55 great-grandchildren.
    Walt mentioned after they drove away tonight that this may be our last time to have this one-on-one experience with an Apostle and his wife.

New Year's Family Home Evening Party at Colina's...

2012-01-17T21:33:00.000-03:00

New Year's FHE party Mon, Jan. 16, at the home of Martin & Alicia Colina. They moved to San Salvador 5 1/2 years ago from the U.S.A. and are workers now at the temple. She kept trying to get a date we could all come before Christmas...but when that didn't work out she said she was just going to leave up her Christmas decorations until we could all come.
It happened last night.
Here are the gals there at the beginning....several more came later.
Oh, first here's Hermana Colina showing us her collection of perfume samples...that used to be given away at Department Stores. She said they don't do that any more.

Now, here are the gals:

Here are the guys:

She served lots of delicious food, had great entertainment, fun games, and a "gag" gift exchange. All in all, it was a great 3-hours to be together.
The finale was a drawing for prize baskets. Here is a photo of the winners.
The next photo is of those who were "eliminated." The drawing was...the first 2 names drawn were "eliminated," and the next name drawn was the "winner," on thru the 5 gift baskets. Each guest had been asked to bring one canned food item...and that's what they made the gift baskets from.

They are trying to look really sad. I was eliminated with Walt, but I'm taking the photo.
I'll close out with a few glimpses of the buffet tables.

This was a recipe she got from Peru. It has halved, boiled potatoes under the cream with the boiled eggs on top. The olives add an interesting color combination.

The colored macaroni salad is always a hit. This one had Italian-type dressing.

This was one of her main dishes made from stuffing, chicken, cooked carrots and potatoes cut in tiny pieces.

The dessert table had strawberries and peaches, banana bread, and cream puffs.
The 7-Up with sliced strawberries made a refreshing drink.

It was a fun time together. There were about 30 total...most all of us temple workers. Here are the Colinas as they bade us farewell at their front entrance.

Another speaking assignment...

2012-01-16T18:41:00.000-03:00

Photo - Left to right: Hermana Diane Wall,
Elder Frank Wall - temple missionaries;
An Elder from Rigby, Idaho;
An Elder from Panamá;
Walt and Eileen Petersen
at the Layco Stake Center.

We were asked to speak at the Layco Stake yesterday. It was not a regular stake conference. Elder Russell M. Nelson and Elder L. Whitney Clayton are visiting Central America this past weekend to next weekend. They had a Priesthood training-leadership meeting on Saturday with the stake presidencies and the bishops in the 9 stakes for this half of El Salvador.
Next Sunday they do the other 9 stakes.
During the week they having meetings in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panamá.
We were asked to speak about the temple at the Layco Stake with the Area President, Elder Enrique Falabella. He taught us about "The Rule of 5's."
1. Study at least 5 minutes a day in the scriptures and apply it in our life that day.
2. Pray at least 5 times a day--morning, over our breakfast, lunch, and supper, then in the evening. This will lead to a constant prayer in our heart throughout the day.
3. Arrive 5 minutes before Sacrament Meeting begins to be able to prepare spiritually to partake of the Sacrament.
4. "Cinco" (that's five in Spanish) -- So the play on words is "Sin comer" which means "without food."
On fast day when we go without food, we need to think about those that go without food because they have no food and how it feels to be hungry.
Christ went 40 days without food. When we donate the equivalent of those two meals we go without, we will think of those who have none and may wish to donate a little more.
5. Five ordinances that lead to eternal life:
      Baptism -
      Confirmation -
      Priesthood ordination -
      Temple endowment -
      Temple sealing,

We're on our way to a P-Day outing at the Colina's home, so that's all the time to post right now.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

2012-01-16T01:02:00.000-03:00

Here's the last photo I have of us coming from our Thursday morning/afternoon shift at the temple.
Our schedule goes in a cycle of 3 in a rotation with our counselors and wives:
Example for this coming week:
Monday is our Preparation Day - nicknamed P Day. We clean our apartment, wash clothes, vacuum carpets and do house cleaning, take the four temple missionary couples and us grocery shopping, then at 6:00 the 4 couples rotate hosting family home evening.
When there's a 5th Sunday, we do that one.

Here's Walt with one of the temple engineers who keep the lights and everything operating in

tip-top condition.

Then Tuesday we get up at 4:00 a.m., Open the temple at 5:30 a.m. for our morning afternoon shift which will end at 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday we will have the afternoon/evening shift which goes from 12:30 Noon to 9:30 or 10:00 p.m..

That means, Thursday will be our day with no shift. However, Walt goes over to the temple every day Tuesday through Saturday.

Friday we will have the morning/afternoon shift; and Saturday will be the afternoon/evening shift which starts at 11:00 a.m. and goes till 8:00 or 8:30 p.m. because on Saturday the temple opens at 4:00 a.m. for a 5:30 a.m. first session, and the last session is at 5:30 p.m. in the evening.

The sessions are every 1 1/2 hours, Tues-Fri 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with Saturday 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There normally is no 1:00 p.m. session, unless there are so many people that we need to add a 1:00 session.

Sunday our Campestre Ward (Barrio) in the Los Heroes Stake meets from 9:00-12:00 Noon. Some Sundays we are asked to speak at Stake Conferences, so we are at various stake centers throughout the city. This morning, January 15, we spoke in a special stake meeting of the Layco Stake with our Area President, Elder Enrique Falabella and his wife.

And now I'm going to go pop our Sunday evening batch of popcorn in the West Bend Stir Crazy popper which Elder y Hermana Fenn left for our apartment when they finished their mission call here of 3 years being the temple building supervisors.

The First Week of 2012...

2012-01-08T18:07:00.003-03:00

New Year's Day - Sunday - January 1, 2012

Yes, in our 80-degree summer weather here, we eat on the 2nd floor terrace patio each Sunday.

One Sr. Missonary Temple Couple has the main dish - the other four couples bring pot luck.

We do "kinda plan" one to bring a potato or rice dish, one a veggie, one a salad, and one a dessert - so it's not too lopsided.

Sunday, Jan. 1, the Gibbons did grilled chicken; we made potato salad and brought some fresh pineapple; the Thompsons did a fruit salad; the Kitleys tomatoes and cucumbers; and Walls did this yummiest Peppermint dessert. Plus the Kitleys brought the rest of the deliciouis Black Forest Chocolate Cake she had made for our New Year's Eve Fiesta.

Here's the recipe if you have candy canes left over.

I had Amy send me this recipe. In the original recipe I had made adjustments to it and she sent those. I have never put in nuts. And I did not garnish it with whipping cream. It is real easy to put together and we like it at Christmas time. I do have more candy canes if you need them to make it.

Peppermint Refrigerator Dessert

1 cup finely crushed peppermint candy (candy canes)

2 c. mini marshmallows

1 pint heavy cream whipped, with sugar

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Diane doesn't put nuts in it.

Few drops of red food coloring

Crush candy,

Whip cream until stiff, then

Fold in candy, marshmallows, nuts (if desired), and red food coloring.

Make crumb crust, put on bottom of 9x13 glass pan.

Spoon mixture into pan, sprinkle with some of the crumb crust.

Refrigerate 8-12 hrs.

May garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

The Sunday pot luck buffet...

All together it made a plate of this.

Jan. 2 - Monday "P-Day" ... Presidente Petersen and Elder Gibbons waiting for the rest of us to bring our groceries from Wal*Mart down to the basement parking garage.

Family Home Evening at Kitleys...
Hermana Arlene Kitley gave a great lesson from our Prophet's message in the January Ensign "The Abundant Life."

She made yummy cinnamon rolls for the FHE treat.

Doing this post Sunday afternoon 3:30 p.m. and will have to finish it later because our driver's here to take us to the Soyopongo Stake to speak to the endowed members about the temple. Walt's still at the training of sealers at the temple. We just can't spread him far enough. We spoke in our ward's Sacrament Meeting this morning about temples. Walt stresses out more preparing his talks in Spanish...so we were happy to have our talks over this morning. But it's always a good feeling to have worked and worked on a talk and it is accepted by the members.

We got back at 7:30....but we're going to read our Sunday School lesson for next Sunday and go to bed. Hopefully I'll finish this blog tomorrow on our P-Day.

...And life goes on in 2012

Feliz Año Nuevo 2012

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012

Happy New Year - 2012

2012-01-01T03:15:00.000-03:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

2011-12-26T20:56:00.002-03:00

Christmas Eve Progressive Dinner...

Course 1: Hor's Doeurvs(sp?)/Appetizers at the Kitleys Apartment 6pm
Course 2 at The Thompsons - Salad

Course 3 - Soup at The Walls - Frank & Diane...

Course 4 - Turkey 'n Fixins at Los Petersens -
Walt & Eileen

Course 5 - Dessert - Apple Nut Cake with Carmel Sauce at Los Gibbons - David & Marilyn

And then the traditional opening of one gift on Christmas Eve...

Merry Christms 10:07p.m. December 25...

2011-12-26T01:01:00.003-03:00

Merry, Merry Christmas

A friend took a photo of us as we came out of Church today.
We hope you have had a wondertful Christmas Day.
We miss our family but had a great day with friends.
We have skyped each of our kids, and been able
to talk with many of our grandchildren.

One of my favorite scriptures for Christmas is:
"...to this end was I born..."
--John 18:37

We are thankful for Jesus Christ, who is our
Savior and Redeemer because of
His perfect life and
His Atonement.

Good Night.

Yes, I had a birthday on December 15...

2011-12-19T01:09:00.000-03:00

Even at 4:45 a.m., Walt had balloons, our traditional birthday breakfast of donuts and chocolate milk, and birthday presents.
What a guy!
And we opened the temple just a touch after 5:00 a.m.
More later....
Thanks for the calls, fb messages, and e-mails.

Christmas Devotional for Temple Workers...

2011-12-11T23:11:00.000-03:00

This afternoon was the first annual Christmas Devotional for the workers of the San Salvador El Salvador Temple.

Several asked us to come outside the chapel after the Devotional to get a photo with us. We also had them take one on our camera.

Our full-time temple missionary couples ushered and then helped serve refreshments to the 350 at the conclusion of the Devotional.

We are always relieved to have another talk over with.

Walt did a great job, as always.

Now he's concerned that he talked too much about himself--which he didn't at all.

Just before he started his hands weren't ice cold as they usually are when he gives a talk, so I was nervous about it. But I didn't need to have been.

He had me come stand beside him at the beginning--and, for our kids, can you believe he showed how I say his name "Walt" in a normal tone for normal things, in a lower tone for more serious things, and then in a really low tone for very serious things.

The congregation really laughed.

He also shared his nickname for me of "Scrumptious" or "Scrumch."

He shared that President Uchtdorf, when he set us apart for this calling, said that we would be an example of a happy marriage. "This is easy to do with my wife," he told the group.

Then he kissed me on the forehead before he had me sit down.

I had had him come up and help me say a few things in Spanish at the beginning that I hadn't planned ahead for my written out talk.

I still stayed within my time frame of 5 minutes (which was a minute more than I had in the temple dedication talk on Aug. 21.)

The counselors and assistants to the temple matron also only took about 5-8 minutes each.

So that left 20 minutes for the temple president.

Everyone loves President Petersen

2011-12-05T01:35:00.000-03:00

Missionaries love to greet the temple president and have a photo taken with him by the temple.

Bus loads brought many to the First Presidency Devotional on Dec. 4.

Young and old, President Petersen loves to be with the people.

They love to have him tell them their babies are beautiful -- which they are.

Sunday night, Dec. 4, they greeted him after the First Presidency Devotional.

We took time out to listen to our Los Heroes Stake Choir perform outside by the temple on Dec. 3. Hermanas Petersen, Lopez, Gibbons, Kitley, and Wall.

They love to have their photo taken with him.
This is a family from Juyjua.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-11-30T10:10:00.002-03:00

My favorite Christmas scripture is John 18:37 "...To this end was I born..."
Here's a scripture about Christ's Atonement from Alma 42:24
"...mercy cometh because of the atonement..."
Elder Gibbons taught about the Atonement in his FHE lesson on Monday.

As we left our morning/afternoon shift at the temple, we walked out onto the front lawn to see the Nativity set that was put up the day before. They were putting the palm leaf roof over it.

Walt surprised me by having the tree mostly decorated when I came out from catching up on e-mails, blogs, and fb.

During refreshment time, we ended the FHE with Elder Gibbons' tradition of watching the 30-min original "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" that he always starts his Christmas season with by watching with his grandchildren.

Elder Gibbons taught us some insights about the Gospel from the Old Testament, Leviticus, Chapter 1 explaining how the sacrifice of the animals head, inwards, front leg, hind leg, and fat correlate with today's Doctrine & Covenants 4:2 in serving with our mind, heart, strength, might, and the blessings that come.
Head = Mind
Inwards = Heart
Front leg = Strength
Hind leg = Might
Fat = Blessings

We gathered at 6pm for our weekly FHE--this Monday at the Gibbons apartment. Hermana Gibbons gave a fun Thanksgiving poem that her Mom always told their family, plus a fun action story about Thanksgiving on the frontier.
THE LOST TURKEY
Turkey lay there on the table
Turkey big and round and fat
But when it came time to cook him....
We didn’t know where He was at.
We looked all through the kitchen
And searched the pantry well.
We asked Jim and John about him...
and even Annabelle.
And even little Mary
and she said "Tourse I do.
Poor turkey didn't feel well
Because he lost his head,
So I put my nightie on him
And tucked him in my bed!

Hermana Kitley took the photo below since Elder Kitley had chosen to stay at the apartment to get some things done.

A little later, after driving to the Ace Hardware, the rest of us gathered at "La Gran Via" mall to have lunch at Shaw's before grocery shopping at the Wal*Mart complex.

The Walls decided to walk over to the Malls to do some shopping. They didn't plan their "look alike" shirts for the day.

We thank the Thompsons and Hermana Kitley. It was Hermana Thompson who volunteered to put the lights on and Hermana Kitley jumped right in to help. What great neighbors we have!

Our missionary friends came on P-day morning and put the lights on the tree. This really helped Walt get in the Christmas spirit by not having to do his most dreaded job of the season.

Still seems strange eating out on the terrace patio surrounded by beautiful green trees, some with bright red flowers, when it's the end of November. We gather each Sunday for our potluck dinner.

Our "Thanksgiving Dinner"

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Our "Thanksgiving Dinner" on Nov. 21.

Hermana Kitley had 5 feathers in the Presidente's headband for the "big chief."

They voted to have the surgeon carve the turkey.

(I had one rotated, but neither worked.)

The turkey was so cooked it was falling apart.

Here we are in the commons room, where Walt had each one share something we are grateful for about El Salvador.

L-R: Los Gibbons, Kitleys, Alas, Us, Majanos, Walls, and Thompsons.

Juan José and Rebeca took the photos of the group.

If you look closely, the tree they are standing by is a "Thanksgiving tree."

It became a Christmas tree the next day.

Two of the Majano's grandchildren had come to be with them on their P-day. She said she would just have them stay in their apartment while we ate dinner.

"Oh no," said Walt, "Thanksgiving is a family day...they will come and eat with us. So we grabbed two more chairs and place settings. Here is Juan José who is 10. His sister, Rebeca, 8, also ate with us.

President Eduardo y Hermana Counselo Alas. Hna. Kitley is on the right...who made the headgear. She put three feathers in the counselors.

The table's set. Hermana Kitley made "Indian head bands" for the guys, white pilgrim hats for the gals.

It was fun eating out on the balcony terrace...seeing the beautiful green trees surrounding us.

We did have a great "Thanksgiving Dinner" on everyone's P-Day on Monday, Nov. 21. Walt and I cooked the turkey and made the gravy...and the 4 other couples filled in with all the fixin's. Oh...we also brought fresh pineapple and cantalope, plus made "nut cups" of peanuts and Poppy-Cock carmel corn and pecans from PriceSmart.

We are thankful for each of you...

2011-11-23T23:23:00.002-03:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING...
We are thankful for being able to function each day on this beautiful earth Heavenly Father has created for us. And I just had this thought as another proof of a Heavenly Mother: all the pretty touches on earth she surely helped to add.
Love to all, Los Petersen - Walt & Eileen - aka
Mom & Dad
Mom & Dad Petersen
Grama 'n Grampa Mission
Uncle Walt & Aunt Eileen
Brother, Sister
Cousins
Friend
Neighbor

Layco Stake Conference - Sunday, November 20, 2011

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Layco Stake Conference.

Our 7th one to speak at since September 4.

Everyone wants to shake hands with the temple president.

Bishop Mendez took two buses from his home to get to the temple complex to direct us to the Layco Stake Center.

He is an Assistant Recorder at the Temple.

Great group of Priesthood brethren.

Walt loves to greet these elderly Sisters.

This sister ran up when she saw me taking photos and wanted one with the temple president.

It takes a while to get to the temple van with so many people to greet along the way.

Babies are precious all over the world.

These young men like it when Walt says: "Future missionaries?"

Bishop Mendez took a photo of us as we were leaving the cultural hall.

Saturday, November 19, we had 9 bus loads come to the temple. What a great day!

This and that in San Salvador...

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Below: We gals got to know each other during the Saturday priesthood section of the Apopa Stake Conference - Oct. 29

Walt does this a lot each week now -- preparing for another stake conference talk. There are 18 stakes in El Salvador and they all seem to want the new temple president and his wife to come and speak at their stake conferences.

Sunday, Nov. 20 we will be speaking at the Layco Stake Conference. Last Sunday, Nov. 13, it was the Ilopango Stake Conference. (My camera card had a virus and wasn't functioning.)

Sat. and Sun, Nov 5-6 it was our stake--the Los Heroes Stake where we spoke.

More later....I hope.

P-Day at cities ILOBASCO and SAN SEBASTIAN

2011-11-13T23:28:00.000-03:00

We're off at 9:00 a.m. for another adventure in El Salvador.

Our monthly--first Monday of the month-- P-Day outing started at

the El Salvador el Mundo Monument, November 7, 2011.

Left to right: Elder y Hna. Wall--Frank & Diane; Elder y Hna. Gibbons--Dave & Marilyn;

Pte. y Hna. Petersen--Walt & Eileen; Elder y Hna. Thompson--Lon & Nancy;

Elder y Hna. Kitley--Trent & Arlene.

El Salvador el Mundo = The Savior of the World

A serendipity happened when this exuberent class of 16-17 year olds from the San Marcos School came to the Monument and had their photos taken. A group of the boys told Hermana Thompson they knew English. She asked them how old they were and where they were from. They decided they didn't know English as well as they thought they did.

Elder Gibbons got this great photo of a 3rd-class bus going by us-- the back of a pickup loaded with passengers. In fact, we thank Elder Gibbons for sharing all these photos since our camera card is frozen and we were not able to take any photos.

We drove through the city center--where we'd been told it was too dangerous to go to. Notice we "drove through" meaning we did not stop and get out. It looked like it would be fun to puruse the many sidewalk booths set up as little shops....but we'd been warned not to get out, so we didn't.

On our 2-hour drive to Ilobasco and San Sebastian we stopped to view the Ilopango Lake--which is the crater of an old volcano.

Walt said: "What I enjoy most on these outings is getting out of the city into the beautiful country side."

It was noon when we got to Ilobasco, so of course the first stop was for lunch at Pollo Campestre (the Latin American version of Kentucky Fried Chicken).

Counter clock wise: Walt, Eileen, Lon, Frank, Diane, Nancy, Arlene, Trent, Dave, Marilyn,

aka Pte. y Hna. Petersen, Elder y Hna. Thompson, Elder y Hna. Wall,

Elder y Hna. Kitley, Elder y Hna. Gibbons. Our mini-bus driver took the photo.

We stopped at a pottery factory ... but it looked like it had long ago passed it's "heyday." We bought some miniature nativity sets for $3.00 each....so no big spending was done here.

"Textiles Barahona" in San Sebastian

This was all in a backyard with chickens and dogs roaming around.

The weaver turned this by hand very quickly and placed the colors down a row each time - fascinating!

These weavers work on these very old home-made looms, 6am to 6pm and get paid $4 a day.

We gathered at this last stop of the day in San Sebastian where we all bought some beautiful textiles that we saw the weaving processes for. Good thing we hadn't spent much at the pottery city.

Walt and I got 3 beautiful, big tableclothes for $8 each,

and an "El Salvador" bag.

This family photo popped up that was taken on June 17, 2011, when we were all gathered for our

50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration.

It's alway great to remember our family.

We are invited to speak at many stake conferences...

2011-11-05T23:05:00.001-03:00

Before entering the Apopa Stake Center, many wanted to shake hands with the temple president.

Just back from stake conference in the Apopa Stake.

Below is the darling family who drove us to the stake center sessions on Saturday, Oct. 29, and Sunday, Oct. 30. Sergio & Penelope Oliva, Nefi, age 8; Moroni, age 4; Lydia, age 2; and Abinidi, age 10 months. It was about a 40-minute drive each way.

Sat., Nov. 5, and Sun., Nov. 6 we are speaking at our own stake conference, so we just walk 1 minute from our apartment to the Los Heroes Stake Center, which is inside the temple complex where we live. My second camera card has died, so I can't download any photos from it.

Temple Presidency on P-Day for President Majano's Birthday...

2011-10-31T02:02:00.000-03:00

For President Majano's birthday Monday, October 24, Hermana Gibbons had baked a birthday cake for the FHE refreshments, so we had the Majano's and Alas's come over to sing "Happy Birthday" to him.

Left to right: President Alas, Hermana Alas, Hermana Petersen, President Petersen, President Majano, and Hermana Majano.

We are thankful for these two great counselors and their wives, who are the assistants to the matron.

Normally we are always in "Sunday/temple clothes" so this is rare to have us all in preparation day clothing.

Elder Gibbons took this photo and they e-mailed it to us.

We are thankful for all whom we work with in the temple.

It was Hermana Thompson's birthday on October 28, so the birthday cake was also in her honor.

The Temple is...

2011-10-27T00:00:00.000-03:00

...a place of learning.

We do not talk about the sacred ordinances of the temple.

However, it is okay to quote what the Prophets, Apostles, and General Authorities have had printed in books about the temple and temple work. I will share some of these quotes in our blog from time to time.

Here we are on October 12, 2011, the evening of our first day at the Seminar for New Temple Presidents in Salt Lake City.

The Temple is the Lord's University...
"The temple endowment relates the story of man's eternal journey;
sets the conditions upon which progress in the eternal worlds depends; requires covenants or agreements of those participating to accept and use the laws of progress; gives tests by which our willingness and fitness for righteousness may be known, and finally points out the ultimate destiny of those who love truth and live by it." -- Elder John A. Widstoe

Gringa Brunch

2011-10-25T17:50:00.005-03:00

In our Barrio (Ward) there are 6 or 7 families who are with the

U.S. A. Embassy, some with husbands in other professions.
Their tradition is to have a "Gringa Brunch" every month or so...where they can speak English with each other for a couple of hours. One gal told me they try to do some service project each time they gather.
On Monday, Oct. 24, we gathered to make humanitarian hygiene kits.

Front: Teresa, Sherilee, Lucy, George.

Back: Delena, Marilyn, Traci, Arlene, Nancy, Lisa, Melissa, Diane. I am taking the photo. Diane took a "timed photo" of all eleven of us, which is below.

We made 25 humanitarian hygiene kits. Thank you to the gals for the generous donation of combs, soap, bandaids, wash cloths, and other items that were put into each kit.

We gathered at Sherilee Broadbent's home, where she had it festively decorated with Autumn decor. She said: "Last year when we were in the states for a while, we gathered some Fall things. So we can have Fall inside, even if we won't ever have it outside here in San Salvador."

The gals brought banana-cranberry-pecan bundt cake, zuchinni bars, blueberry bars, cinammon rolls, several different muffins, quiche with locoro(?sp), egg bake with corn, chips 'n bean-cheese dip, tomato-cucumber salad, fresh pineapple with mandarin and apple slices, juices, plus lemon water,

Below is the first gathering that our Sr. temple missionaries and I were here for on August 29. We did not gather in September.

We had ham, funeral potatoes, muffins, fruit, pupusas, and juice.

We had ham, funeral potatoes, muffins, fruit, pupusas, and juice.
On August 29 we gathered in our temple president's apartment to have a "Getting to Know You" Brunch. Front: Lisa W., Diane W., Walter and George. Back: Eileen P., Diane K., Marilyn G., Nancy T., Teresa W., Melissa R., Traci M.

A lot to blog about, no time to do it....

2011-10-24T02:04:00.003-03:00

Above: This afternoon, at Bishop Orellana's invitation, we spoke at the Bruss-i-a Ward, Soyopongo Stake. He asked the temple president to encourage endowed members to return to the temple.
There were over 75 attending, and the spirit was very strong. President Petersen is doing much good in San Salvador.
Their ward building was built on a high hill 5 years ago within the city.

Below:This morning we spoke at the LaLibertad Stake Conference. I talked about my first time going to the temple when I received my endowment and was married, when my Mom and Dad went for the first time also, and were sealed. Walt talked about families being sealed together for time and eternity. The focus of the stake conference was on families. Elder Falabella, our area president, was here from Guatemala City and gave a great discourse on families. He told the husbands they should bring flowers to their wives--out of the blue, not because it's her birthday or their anniversary. He also told the wives to look at themselves in the mirror, before their husband gets home from work, to see what he will see when he arrives.

I'll just upload some photos from the last 7 days since our great week in Utah....which included precious time with our family, then 2 1/2 days in the Seminar for New Temple Presidents. We were treated like royalty at all of the above.

"...these few precious days we'll spend with you..."

2011-10-10T01:05:00.003-03:00

Five of our seven families gathered

Sunday, October 9,

for our one full day together.

We had Janie & Shawn--and most of their family: Aimee & Michael, Katie, Heidi, Sam, Ashley, Michael.

Gary & Kathy, McKell, Abbey, Jacob, Isaac.

Steve & Natalie, Kelsey, Cortney, Kimble, Carter.

David & Julie, Joshua, Anna, Sam, William.

Julie & John, Jacee, Jackson, Maddie.

We missed Daniel, Mikayla, Brian & Michelle, Emma, Taylor, Avery, Elizabeth, Jen & Jerry, Seth, Sarah, Ben, Josh, and Elizabeth.

Leaving for the airport Saturday morning for Utah for the New Temple Presidents' Seminar in Salt Lake City, Oct. 12-14.

We thank President López for driving us.

P-Day in the puebla San Diego at the Pacific Ocean Shore of El Salvador...

2011-10-05T02:01:00.003-03:00

We're just a little sun burned today. The black volcanic sand doesn't show up so black in the photos. And you thought we were working our fingers to the bone...

We do all work hard--these missionary couples have an 8-9 hour shift Tue-Sat every day at the temple.

So we were happy they could have a break on P-day.

We've all decided that we will plan a big outing for once a month. Last month we went to the volcano--El Boquerón.

We'll have to find those photos to post. Monday, when the temple is closed, is also when all the national museums, zoo, parks, etc., are closed, so we are sad about that.

Sorry for so many photos of us...when I tried to rearrange them, they just kept copying the same one, and I can't get them deleted.

Very relaxing day.

As you can see from the photos...we had a great day at the beach. Los Gibbons - Marilyn & Dave from Burley, Idaho

Above: Los Thompson - Nancy & Lon from Jerome, Idaho
Below: Guess who...I was tickled that he did doze for a while.

A young man came with a looong rope, put it around the coconut tree and shimmied up, pulled his machete up that he had tied to the other end of the rope, and cut off a bunch of coconuts. Those in the know said the coconut was not ripe enough to have a good flavored drink from it yet. And the coconut was not hard inside.
Hna. Kitley is in the navy blue shirt. I didn't get a good couple photo of her and Elder Kitley. He was like a fish out in the ocean

The Thompsons are the youngest couple of the group. They were our coordinators on the Wednesday evening Spanish-speaking shift at our Twin Falls Temple. They have worked with the Spanish Branch for several years in Jerome. Walt's cousin, Andy Prescott, is the current president of that Spanish Branch.

While we had lunch, it rained like crazy. This gal came up from carrying her necklaces and braclets along the beach to sell. We were the only ones along the stretch of beach where we were. Each of us gals got a necklace or two--they were $1 and $2 each.

Below, Bishop Méndez, who is the assistant recorder at the temple, helped Walt call SLC to get an appointment with his cardiologist for when we're there next week for the New Temple Presidents' Seminar. Bishop Méndez was our guide for the day.

I've named everyone except Los Kitley - Trent and Arlene from Twin Falls, Idaho. They are the 4th couple from the left.

Well...L-R: Los Wall, Thompson, Petersen, Kitley, Gibbons, y Obispo Méndez.

On the drive back, we stopped at Ciudad Libertad and walked out onto the wharf...we gals thought we were going to see souvenirs...but it was just smelly fish.

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Yesterday, Monday, Oct. 3, we (the 5 Sr. couples) had a short 30-min mini-bus ride to the closest beach...at the pueblo called "San Diego." I will post more of our relaxing day there after I get breakfast for Walt who needs to be at the temple in 30 minutes for his Tuesday morning 9am Temple Presidency meeting.

Yes, we got wet.

Los Wall - Frank and Diane

Los Petersen - Walt and Eileen - water was warm

♂♀♪♫♪By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea, you and me, you and me, oh how happy we'll be."♪♫♪ (Alt 13=♪ Alt 14 - ♫)

Great General Conference Weekend...

2011-10-03T08:51:00.005-03:00

Several weeks ago Elder y Hna. Gibbons had invited all of us to their apartment to start the General Conference Weekend with a biscuit, strawberries, and whipped cream breakfast.

The first instruction was that when we went by their family photo on the fridge, we were to "oooh and aaah," which came naturally. It is a wonderful family photo of their 5 children and 19 of their 22 grandchildren.

The "us" included everyone in the 7 apartments in our temple complex: Los Majano, Alas, Kitley, Thompson, Wall, Gibbons, and us--so they had two tables set up in the middle of their dining room-living room that fit everyone nicely.

Here's Elder Kitley who is the one who took the group photo above. Next to him are the Majano's, 1C and wife in the temple presidency. Hna. Majano brought some delicious fried platinoes (the big bananas).

Presiden y Hermana Alas showed us a replicalof them by the Guatemala Temple, as a remembrance of when they served in the Temple Presidency and as Assistant to the Matron there, before being called to this Temple Presidency.

Elder Kitley is e-mailing us a photo of the whole group to be put in this spot.

General Conference weekend had started by a morning walk around the temple by Walt before he finished the 24-hour Haltar Monitor check his cardiologist put him on the day before.

P.S. For this Monday, Oct. 3 "P-Day" the four Sr. Temple Missionary Couples, Walt and I, are going to see the El Salvador shore of the Pacific Ocean. Bishop Mendez, our assistant temple recorder, said a couple of weeks ago that he wanted to take us to the beach. He has arranged the transportation, route, places to visit....so we're in his hands today. We can't find our sunblock, so hope we can get some on the way. Hope to get some good photos to post. We're leaving at 8:00 a.m. He said it's just an hour's drive. But we usually double the time they tell us.

Happy Anniversary Remembrance for my Mom and Dad...

2011-09-30T01:05:00.007-03:00

Today...September 29, 2011 for my Mom and Dad 74th wedding anniversary:

Happy Anniversary Remembrance

September 29, 1937

Verna and Arnold are forever!

Verna age 1946 Age 26

Arnold 1946 Age 34

As Eternal Sweethearts

you will both be in your prime.

Mom is 91 and living with Julie and John in Saratoga Springs, Utah. She has been a widow for almost 29 years.

Daddy passed away from colon cancer on Feb. 6, 1982,

at the age of 69. We still miss him.

Mom says she misses him more every year.

We are so thankful for Julie and John taking such good care of Mom while we are so many miles away in San Salvador.

Because of temple covenants,

my Mom and Dad

will be together forever!

Here's one of my Mom's favorite songs about September...

She said she always turned mellow in the Autumn....starting in September...

that's why she eloped with Daddy when he dared her at the start of her Senior year...

Try to Remember

Try to remember the kind of September

When life was slow and oh, so mellow.

Try to remember the kind of September

When grass was green and grain was yellow.

Try to remember the kind of September

When you were a tender and callow fellow.

Try to remember, and if you remember,

Then follow.

Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,

Follow, follow, follow, follow.

Try to remember when life was so tender

That no one wept except the willow.

Try to remember when life was so tender

That dreams were kept beside your pillow.

Try to remember when life was so tender

That love was an ember about to billow.

Try to remember, and if you remember,

Then follow.

Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,

Follow, follow, follow, follow.

Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,

Follow, follow, follow, follow.

Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,

Follow, follow, follow, follow.

Deep in December, it's nice to remember,

Although you know the snow will follow.

Deep in December, it's nice to remember,

Without a hurt the heart is hollow.

Deep in December, it's nice to remember,

The fire of September that made us mellow.

Deep in December, our hearts should remember

And follow.

Mom and Daddy...we will love you forever!

Dinner at our Stake President's home...

2011-09-29T23:01:00.002-03:00

It was raining when we gathered in front of the apartment complex after the broadcast and piling into the temple van, and one couple rode with Los López as they guided us to their home about 10 minutes from the temple grounds.

I had taken photos of everyone else, so they took a photo of us just as the dishes had been cleared. Notice the bright, colorful tablecloth.

Gladis is telling us about her early life on her Mom and Dad's dairy farm in El Salvador. Gladis's 6 brothers and 4 sisters all learned how

to work when they were young.

Sister Wall and Sister Gibbons are working very hard at studying Spanish. They are understanding more all the time.

Hermanas Kitley and Thompson are also studying Spanish and coming right along. The four Elders learned Spanish on their first missions: Elder Wall--Central America; Elder Gibbons-Uruguay; Elder Kitley-Argentina; Elder Thompson-Colombia.

Walt went out to the patio to help Presidente López grill the carne--lomo aguja, which Elder Kitley told us is like a rib roast cut.

This little gal was cooking the homemade tortillas when we arrived.

Hermana López must have spent most of the day cooking because her red beans, rice with corn, homemade salsa and homemade tortillas were delicious...

...but her homemade flan was the best Walt and I have ever had!

Presidente Jaime López is our Stake President. He is also our Temple Recorder. His darling wife, Gladis, and he invited us and our 4 Sr. Couple Temple Missionaries to dinner at their home last Saturday after the General Relief Society broadcast.
She had a colorful buffet of typical San Slavadoran food, which we all enjoyed. We had a delightful evening with them sharing fun stories about each other's lives.
Their three sons are studying in the states: Eduardo at U. of Utah, Omar at BYU, and Diego is a senior in high school in New York, living with an Uncle...one of his Mom's 6 brothers.
This photo of Presidente López with his three sons was taken when they were here visiting for the Temple Open House and Dedication.

President López showed us his favorite photo of his three boys.

We love our Sr. Couple Temple Missionaries...

2011-09-26T12:45:00.001-03:00

A first for us...milkshakes for breakfast...because

we're going to PriceSmart and didn't have any more room in freezer...so made room by using up the ice cream from PriceSmart's trip in August. Walt dipped the homemade cinnamon rolls in his milkshake...another first.

As Bill Cosby said once: Healthy breakfast...wheat, milk, and fruit!

Our four Sr. couple temple missionaries were wisked off this morning to get their one-year visas. We're all going to PriceSmart when they return.

L-R: Dave & Marilyn Gibbons, Lon & Nancy Thompson, Trent & Arlene Kitley, Frank & Diane Wall.

They are working so hard and have made miracles happen in starting up this new temple. They are guiding many, many new local temple workers in their assignments.

May versus can...

2011-09-26T10:09:00.003-03:00

So now that I may blog, can I? (Meaning finding the time again to blog.)
....in our blog now when we refer to "The temple" it will be the San Salvador El Salvador Temple. [Please not that there is no comma in the name because it is a name and not a sentence.]
The temple was scheduled to be closed at 1:00 on Saturday afternoon for our workers to get to their scheduled events for the Women's Conference (that's what they call it here). ?Is it officially the General Relief Society Meeting?
We had 5 or 6 scheduled first-time couples coming, plus sealings. Several bus loads came. Then a family came in to be sealed who had not called in ahead to be scheduled. When Pres. Alas, the second counselor in the temple presidency explained to them that the temple was closing for the afternoon and there wouldn't be time for them to be sealed, the wife/mother burst into tears. So Pres. Alas said: "I will do the sealing at two o'clock."

It was a blessing that so many of our morning shift workers came for their 4:30 to 12:30 shift. Many of them ended up staying till 4:30...or 5:00 so had more than 12 hours straight. And I don't know if some even got a lunch break.
At one time we had the waiting room full, the front entrance full, and fifty plus waiting outside to get in. It's great to have the temple overflowing and already wish we had more space inside.

Here we are at the home of our temple recorder...Presidente Jaime Lopez. He and his wife, Gladis, invited us and our four Sr. couple temple missionaries to their home after the Women's broadcast Saturday evening. I will add photos and more about it soon--hopefully Monday on our P-day.

F A M I L I E S A R E F O R E V E R ! ...and the temples make that possible.

We' back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yipee, yi, year!

2011-09-24T02:27:00.000-03:00

I hit one circle in "Settings" and we're back in the blogging world. But now it's time to go to bed...so will have to update tomorrow...except we may need to go to the temple even tho it's our day without a shift...with the busy schedule and closing at 1:00 for the workers to get to their homes in time for the Women's Conference satellite broadcast.
More tomorrow. It's great to be back.

2011-09-24T02:12:00.002-03:00

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Thank you to our family and friends for a wonderful 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration...

2011-06-30T21:41:00.006-03:00

Walt & Eileen ... Now and
Then. ...back to June 14, 1961 newlyweds, Walt & Eileen

It does go by "as fast as the blink of an eye!"

We had a wonderful 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration. Our anniversary was June 14....they have put the flags out for us for 50 years now.
The Celebration was Friday, June 17.

We are so thankful for all who came to our open house. Our kids figure there were about 350. And we thank our family and friends for the many, many cards we have received.
Our kids did all the planning, decorating, providing, preparing, and serving.

David's wife Julie's father, Brent Black, designed the fun flag display from our missions to Mexico, Central America, and South America to go with the chips 'n salsas.
Meals:
Fri, June 16--Gathering afternoon and evening of the 48:
Walt & I made stew and scones.
Fri, June 1 7: Family photo and Open House
B: Janie & Shawn; L: Dave & Julie; D: Brian & Michelle.
Sat, June 18: Reunion fun day, wedding shower for Aimee
B: Jen & Jerry; L: Steve & Natalie; D: Gary & Kathy
Sun, June 19: Father's Day/Our speaking in Sacrament Meeting
Brunch: Julie & John

Janie did the layout for our invitations, Aimee added some flourishes;
Julie addressed, stamped, and mailed the invitations;
Kathy spray painted in gold 40-50 picture frames to have 3 on each table with photos of us through the years and made the lavender table runners;
All 7 couples and older grandchildren helped decorate the cultural hall in a garden theme, with several family photos through the years and the current photo (taken by Peterson Photography--Cherie Peterson) of Walt and me on easels. Also displayed were Walt's white dinner jacket and cumberbund he wore at our reception, and my wedding dress.

Jen spent hours putting the slide show together, which was shown for the first time to us at the family dinner before the open house. It was played throughout the celebration.
Gary planned activities for the younger grandchildren to do during the open house;
Janie put together a program of the grandchildren acting out a part of our courtship, and then each grandchild told something they loved about Grampa and Grama; with the finale being Katie in my wedding dress and Daniel in the white dinner jacket waltzing to the "Anniversary Waltz"..."Oh, how we danced on the night we were wed..." and Walt and I joining in waltzing for the last half of the song.
Walt and I gave our thanks to finish the program, then resumed the line for those still waiting to greet us.

IT WAS TRULY A PRECIOUS TIME

WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN.

I haven't had a post since May 30th because when everything was transferred to my new laptop on June 8, my blog won't accept posts to be published on the new computer.
I've got to have some help to figure out why my blogs won't post on the new computer.
And now all my current photos are saved in the new computer.....so I've put a couple of photos that I have in this old "dinosaur/slower than molasses" laptop from which I am putting this post.

Memorial Day finishings...

2011-05-30T19:40:00.008-03:00

Aunt Betty's father "Andy" from Scotland whom she buried her baby by.

Bobby Dean Prescott, Dean & Betty's baby who died at age ___of sudden infant syndrome or crib death. We shared some of Bonnie's pansies for his little grave.

Grama A thinking about her brother, Morris. She did many wonderful things to help make his life better.

My Cousin, Lucy. Great tribute on her headstone: "She taught us how to take time to smell the roses." Only child of Morris & Hazel.

nMy Uncle Morris & Aunt Hazel...both deaf. I'm happy they can hear all the wonderful music and sounds now.

My Uncle David--a WWII bomber pilot; My Aunt Enid, loved her, she had the funnest laugh.

Memorial Day Weekend...

2011-05-30T01:29:00.009-03:00

Remembering our loved ones...

PETERSEN, PRESCOTT, ALBERTSON, HUFFAKER...

Our family:

We are thankful for their lives and the legacy they have given to us. We pray we will show our gratitude through the lives and legacy we pass on to our children, grandchildren, and on and on....

Our Sabbath in Burley, Idaho

2011-05-23T02:07:00.003-03:00

We were taught so well today...I in Relief Society, (I'm sure Walt feels this, too, about his High Priest class), both of us in Sunday School and in Sacrament Meeting had great talks by Molly Heiner, Creighton King, Mark Peterson--High Councilor--and by our Bishop David Hansen.

And, of course, renewed our baptismal covenants by partaking of the Sacrament in remembrance of our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ.

Walt left at 5:20 for Boise Friday morning for the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians annual meeting. He needs 40 credit hours every 2 years, and this 2-day event gave him 12.

He was looking at his schedule as he was walking into the conference rooms and didn't see there was one step down. He fell and has re-injured his right shoulder that has had rotator cuff problems for years.

Back to Sunday: Walt gave his three last patriarchal blessings for our stake and the 15-stakes' Spanish Wards/Branches. He's feeling somewhat blue over this.

I finished typing the 2 English ones from last Sunday, and the English one from today. We have always tried to have a spiritual home, but as he is giving each patriarchal blessing, the Spirit engulfs our home. It's an amazing experience with each blessing.

We love having Grama A here. Thursday I drove her to Gooding to the grave side service of her 91-y-o friend, Pearl Robertson. The family and ward members were very loving and kind with Mom. One gal said: "Verna Albertson, I'm Nancy Anderson and loved you as my Beehive teacher." Mom loved also talking with Karma, Ed, Vaunda, Lewis, and Sis. Durfee.

Mission Miracles have begun already...

2011-05-10T01:30:00.009-03:00

Taylor, in the photo above, at her baptism April 9 represents each of our 32 precious grandchildren.

I am thankful for my eternal sweetheart, Walt Petersen, who presides with his priesthood in righteousness over our family.

In the photo above, Jacee, at her baptism, also represents each of our wonderful 32 grandchildren.

Lest we forget...we have started recording mission miracles from April 19, 2011...the day we entered President Eyring's office and received a call from the Prophet, thus the Lord, to go to the San Salvador El Salvador Temple for three years.

We can only speak in general generic terms here, but we know these mission miracles will continue on from the youngest grandchild in our family up the the eldest--my mother.

We had a wonderful Mother's Day with my wonderful Mother here with us. Below is her photo in 1962, at the age of 42.

Below is my sweet mother with our family in 1957 when I had just graduated from Wendell High School. We are in front of our home in Wendell that my Mom designed and Daddy remodeled and built on to. This is the Fall before they moved to Gooding at Christmastime.

My Mom, "Grama 'A' " has come to live with us. We are so happy to have her here with us until we leave for this call. Janice, Julie & John, Steve, David, Brian, and Janie helped with various details of her move from Highland Cove.

We are so thankful for all that my sister, Janice, has done for Mom all these years, and especially on an almost daily basis this past two years while Mom was living in Salt Lake City.

Our precious 91-y-o mother, known to our children as "Grama 'A' " will be tenderly and lovingly taken care of while we are gone. This is among the greatest of the mission miracles that has taken place.

Yes, every temple wedding is a Royal Wedding!

We are so surprised by this call. However, since we had already promised in our Endowment covenants to do all the Lord asks, the answer had been made years ago. The Lord is in charge, and we have already received several mission miracles.

New calling...

2011-05-02T00:44:00.004-03:00

Walt & Eileen Petersen - April 2011

Photo by Cherie Peterson - Peterson Photography - Oakley, Idaho

Walt has been called as president of the San Salvador El Salvador Temple. I have been called to be the temple matron.

For the official announcement in the Church News you can Google "ldschurchnews," then hit "callings," then "temple presidents."

We are in shock, humbled, and nervous all at the same time.

We were asked to meet with President Henry B. Eyring in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, April 19, where this call was issued.

This new temple will be dedicated August 21 and we have been asked to be there a month before the dedication, so we may be leaving July 20 or 21. A temple president's call is for three years.

Missionaries teach the Gospel truths so many can and may come unto Christ, repent and be baptised, confirmed to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and then receive eternal blessings in a Holy Temple--the House of the Lord.

We have been blessed to serve three missions together.

Walt is currently serving as a sealer in the Twin Falls Temple, and as a patriarch--Spanish speaking for 15 stakes, English for our Burley Idaho West Stake, and as a home teacher.

I have just finished this year as a co-teacher for Institute for singles 31 and over, serve in the Twin Falls Temple two evenings a week, and am a visiting teacher.

So we thought we were back home in Burley, Idaho for good...getting back into our comfort zone "snug as a bug in a rug" as the saying goes.

We believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Jesus Christ leads the Church through His living prophet today, President Thomas S. Monson.

We are thankful for the Atonement of the Savior and pray we may show our gratitude through the lives we live.

As our 8th Article of Faith states: "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."

We share this testimony in confirming why we can leave our family of 7 wonderful children, their 7 great spouses, and our 32 precious grandchildren for 3 more years.

In closing, here are the entire 13 Articles of Faith:

"The Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.

3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.

8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. "
--Joseph Smith

Walt's 77th birtheday

2011-04-18T00:50:00.002-03:00

Happy Birthday, Walt. Our traditional family b-day breakfast is donuts and chocolate milk. Then for lunch I made him his favorite: Biscuits and Gravy. Topped off the day with a heart-shaped chocolate birthday cake. Hope you've had a Happy Birthday, Walt. I will love you forever!

The photo below is Walt at age 49 in 1983, when he was called to be the stake president of the newly created Burley Idaho West Stake.

Today, April 17, is the 77th birthday for my eternal sweetheart. He was 27 when we were married on June 14, 1961.

Since "7" is our favorite family number, "77" should be a great year for Walt!

(I'm posting this at 9:57 p.m. on Sunday, April 17th.)

Second installment of the remodel...

2011-04-04T14:13:00.009-03:00

John and Walt Monday morning, April 4, finishing the framing for converting our garage/game room into a bedroom and bathroom for Grama A. Details are explained in the post just before this one. (I actually should have done that one first...but.)

This shows some of the bare barn wood of the game room walls.

Grampa and John Friday afternoon, April 1.

So we could say the photos above are the "after," and the photos below are the "before" referring to the walls showing "O, the places we have been and the things we have done through the years with our family."

Here is Grampa Mission with John, Jacee, and Jackson as they get ready to begin the remodel of the game room Friday, April 1. (And that was no April Fool!)

Here's an idea of what was on the walls. The orange bench (which Grampa A built) is open, showing the toys or it would show more of the wall.

This continues what I blogged about the remodel...mostly with the photos above.

We are so thankful for everyone's help and for John's expertise in designing and doing the actual building. Steve also took time to estimate the cost of what it would take to do this project.

Brrr...it's cold again today, as was Sat and Sun. Friday was the warmest day we've had--high 60s. Grampa and I always love to see the grandkids playing in the backyard swings, trampoline, hammock, tree house, and just running through the yard.

Saturday the kids also had spurts outside--between all the work they did in the game room--but they had their coats on.

Time out...up to date live happenings...

2011-04-04T01:22:00.006-03:00

The crew...

General Conference was wonderful, as always! For years we have been in SLC for this spiritual weekend, but we had to break that tradition this year.

This Conference again fulfilled what I have written in my scriptures by the Parable of the Sower-- "at General Conference

we receive top soil."

For this blog I am recording events that are happening in our life now with having my mother come live with us. We have asked her for years to please come live with us, but she has always said: "No, I would never live with either of my daughters. I don't want to be a burden on them."

After being out of her home in Gooding for two years and having lived in a retirement center where all the meals are prepared, because of her losing so much of her eyesight and not being able to remember things, she has finally consented to come live with us.

Photo below: My sister, Janice, and I with Mom on her 91st birthday in January.

Janice, Julie and Maddie met Walt, and me at Sizzler in SLC to have a birthday lunch with Grama A. Janice is taking the photo.

My sweet 91-year old mother, Verna Albertson, can no longer live alone in her nice little apartment at the Highland Cove Retirement Center in Salt Lake City.

We have all our bedrooms upstairs and one in the basement, but she is so terrified of stairs, and almost legally blind, so we are remodeling our game room as a bedroom and bathroom for her on the main floor.

John, one of our outstanding sons-in-law, has been designing plans for the layout of everything and on Saturday morning we decided on the blueprint that worked best.

John had come on Thursday night, March 31, to get started.

Friday, April 1, at high noon Walt started taking down our life's memorabilia from the walls of the game room.

It had been our garage until 7 years after we moved into this home. In 1978, when we were starting to have teenagers, we remodeled it into "the game room." So for 33 years now we have been adding items to the barn wood walls.

Walt shared my sentiments as the walls became bare: "It wasn't really as traumatic and sad as I thought it would be to take everything off the walls."

John worked so hard all day and into the evening Friday getting the building permit, a plumber and electrician to come for bids, getting the lumber for the framing, taking the barn wood off the walls--which Walt was able to help with; then pulling up the old orange carpet and scraping the glued mat from the concrete floor. (Walt had two pre-scheduled meetings to go to Friday afternoon, so he couldn't help as much as he wanted that day.)

Saturday morning, Janie & Shawn came with Katie, Heidi, Sam, Ashley, Michael and Ashley. Jacee and Jackson were excited to have cousins here! Julie and Maddie are helping take care of Jen's family this week.

All of them worked very hard throughout the day. We did have Conference on the radio but will have to read and re-listen to the talks. The men went to the Gen'l Priesthood meeting, including Sam for his first time, as he turned 12 in January!

Now the only things left in the room are the pool table, the long bench that my Dad had built for their family room in the 1970s--it held bedding for them, toys for our grandkids now.

Just one of the five tall book shelves from the north wall is left in the room. Only our family will know and appreciate all the effort it was to move everything out.

We can't thank John and kids, Janie & Shawn and kids enough for the quick progress in starting this remodeling. John got the framing done for the walk-in closet and the bathroom finished. He is staying on Monday to finish the framing.

Janice, my sister, will be happy with the great start. She has done so much for Mom during our 6 1/2 years being gone on missions since 1995, and these past two years of almost on a daily basis stopping in to see Mom and care for her in many ways.

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR FAMILY FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE!

With our grandparents by the Salt Lake Temple

2011-03-28T02:24:00.004-03:00

Just found this photo with our grandparents by the Salt Lake Temple on our wedding day - June 14, 1961

Eileen's grandfather and grandmother, Dave & Ella Huffaker, and Walt's grandmother, Maria Prescott.

My Grama 'n Grampa Huffaker were 70 years old.

Walt's Grama Rie was 78 years old.

We are thankful for our heritage and hope we have and will bring honor to their names and legacy.

We will be ages 77 and 72 when our first granddaughter, Aimee Fisher will be married to Michael Mecham on June 25, 2011 in the Rexburg Temple. We love them both, and pray they will be as in love as we are fifty years from now!

A little more about June 1961 and honeymooning on our way to St. Louis...

2011-03-21T02:04:00.005-03:00

Here's some bits 'n pieces from a write up I'd forgotten I'd done about our courtship and marriage... I'm looking for some photos I saw of us in Yellowstone as we "honeymooned" on our way back to St. Louis. Hope to find them by next week's post.

This starts out as we leave the wedding luncheon at Aunt Tess's and Uncle Austin's in Ogden on Wednesday, June 14, 1961:

As Walt and I drove away in our blue ’57 Plymouth, (that Walt had bought in St. Louis just before driving back) the cans clanged loudly going around the corner with the white shoe polished inscriptions on the windows “JUST MARRIED.”
As we returned to Salt Lake, Walt was looking at some of the cute girls walking down the sidewalk. I poked him and said: “Hey, you’re married now!”

“Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean you can’t look at the menu,” was his teasing reply.

This poor medical student was happy to find a motel on the northwest side of town, several blocks north of the West High School for $5 a night. It was called “Bob’s Motel” and years later became infamous as the motel where kidnappers held John Huntsman’s son. [I think it's been torn down now.]

We drove to Provo the next day where Walt was excited to introduce his new wife to his cousins, DeLamar and Mary Jensen. They insisted we stay for supper, which helped on our strained budget. I loved them instantly and have always felt especially close to them.

Friday we drove back to Wendell, where Walt’s family had fixed up a “honeymoon suite” in Walt and Dale’s old bedroom.

Dale was on his mission in Argentina, and Walt really missed having his buddy brother there for the wedding and reception.

Saturday, June 17, was the wedding reception in Gooding, which was a full house drawing from both Wendell and Gooding.

My matron of honor was Ramona Jensen Farr, my best friend, who had moved from Wendell to Ogden after our freshman year at Wendell High School.
My bridesmaids were my sister, Janice, age 12; my high school friend, Lucile Hunsaker Campbell; my college roommate Sonja Gibbs; and my second year college roommate, Isabel Peixhoto, from Brazil.
(Yes, Sonja and I stayed friends, even though I got that “eligible Wendell bachelor.” She went on a mission and soon after her return, while teaching school in Arco, married a young engineer; they moved to PaloAlto, California, where they raised their family.)

[Walt has two sisters, and one brother.]

Janice still remembers what a stir Walt’s sister, Bonnie, (who lived in Boise) caused when she and Chuck entered the room with her short blond hair, her thin model-like figure, wearing a skimpy black sheath that showed off a lot of her tan, and her flamboyant personality. [We all loved Bonnie, and have missed her since her early passing in March 1990, just after she turned 60 on February 15, 1990. Phyllis has done her temple work.]

June 18, 1961: Sunday we were happy to honor our fathers, Ray O. Petersen and Arnold G. Albertson, on Father’s Day. They had been the witnesses at our wedding.

June 19, Monday: We spent this week in Idaho, Walt working during the days with his carpenter dad, and I would drive to Gooding, to write the thank you notes for our wedding gifts, sitting out in Mom and Dad’s hot shed where we were storing the gifts we didn’t have room to take back with us.

[My folks had just bought this little house at 917 Wyoming Street, moving from 910 Utah Street. It had a big, old honey-producing building behind it. I remember how sweltering and stuffy it was sitting there each afternoon to send thank yous to our family and friends for the wonderful wedding gifts. We found out later we were so thankful for "all duplicates" of towels, pillow cases, etc., because they all got used.]
June 23--Friday: Sometime during this week we rented a small U-haul trailer to take things back to Missouri.

All of a sudden Grama Jane decided she needed a new dinette set, so gave us their old one with the yellow Formica top and two chairs. Mom and Dad Albertson gave us their old couch and an easy chair. I had my white cedar chest from high school graduation. Walt’s folks gave us one of their old beds they had in the basement. We appreciated each item. We were ready to set up housekeeping in the big city!

The last week of June: We honeymooned through Yellowstone Park, staying one night in a little log cabin there.

We planned to stop to see one of Walt’s missionary companions in Wyoming. However, LaMar Satterfield was gone on vacation, so we stayed that night in Rawlins, Wyoming.

On the final night before we got to St. Louis, we stayed in a little town in Missouri with Linda Thomason [her Dad, Bud, was Grampa Ray's partner in Wendell with the motto: "Bud and Ray will build it your way"] in her and her husband’s 2-bedroom trailer, where they were living. She cooked us a nice supper.

Our first few days in St. Louis we stayed with Walt’s missionary friend, Dexter Davis and wife Kaye until our apartment was ready to move in to.

I spent that first week job hunting and was blessed to be hired by the Hematologist (physician over the blood bank) at the Jewish Hospital. It was directly across the street from our apartment. So for the next two years I had a 30-second commute to work….down the stairs from our 2nd story apartment, crossed the street and went in the door and down the hall to my office.

Since I knew nothing about medical terms, I typed Dr. David Miller’s dictation with the medical dictionary in my lap. Sometimes I would take the letters home at lunch, and if Walt had been able to come home from the medical school (which was just around the corner the other direction from our apartment--so he also walked there each day) he would help me figure out what the medical terms were that I couldn’t understand. The office had an IBM selectric typewriter which was the latest in technology then!

The photo above [opps, sorry it wouldn't "publish" to the post, so I'll try again next week] is the first page of a booklet I made about our "First Christmas." I'm standing by our '57 Plymouth with the U-Haul trailer the day we arrived in St. Louis.

The couple will honeymoon on their way to St. Louis, Missouri...

2011-03-16T01:18:00.006-03:00

nWe still love to be side by side, holding hands. Love is eternal! Our friends from Gooding will be nostalgic to see this photo in front of the beautiful fireplace that was in the Gooding LDS Cultural Hall. This building burned down in the 1960s, I think...maybe the 1970s. I'll have to look up the date in Mom's life story.

Sorry, I'm a couple days late with the blog...we've had a great experience taking care of four beautiful granddaughters while Brian and Michelle had 3 days away at the Mtn. West Conference Basketball Tournament for Brian's March birthday.

This entire article--from the March 7 blog and finished here, also appeared in the weekly Wendell Irrigationist.

Here are the last four paragraphs in the Twin Falls Times News article of June 1961:
“…The couple will honeymoon on their way to St. Louis, Missouri, where they will make their home for now. Petersen will do research work during the summer at Washington University before beginning his junior year at Washington University School of Medicine. Their address will be 4956 Parkview Place, St. Louis, Mo.

“For traveling the bride wore a lavender and white tailored suit with white accessories and the corsage from her bridal bouquet.
“The bride was graduated from Wendell High School in 1957. She has attended Brigham Young University for the past two years. Prior to that she was a secretary in the Executive Department at the First Security Bank, First South and Main Street, in Salt Lake City following her graduation from Stevens’ Henager School of Business.

“The bridegroom was graduated from Wendell High School in 1952 and the University of Idaho at Moscow in 1959. He fulfilled a 2 1/2 year LDS mission to Uruguay/Paraguay August 1954* to March 1957, before his final two years at the University of Idaho.
[*Young men had to be 20 years old before serving missions in the 1950s.]

“The home of Major and Mrs. Austin Julian, Ogden, Utah, uncle and aunt of the bridegroom, was the setting for the wedding breakfast that honored the newlyweds immediately following their marriage.” End of article...yes, they reported a lot about weddings back in those days.

Truly, this is grape punch we are toasting each other with. After all, our reception colors were lavender and white.

Now we could look at the world together through our lavender-colored glasses...

And we have lived happily ever after...of course with some normal ups and downs. Thankfully, way more UPS than downs. And we're still in love!

I'll continue on during the next 3 months with some highlights of our years, up to the 50th year commemoration we will reach on June 14, 2011. Our kids are planning an open house for us on Friday, June 17, 2011.

Our Wedding Reception - June 17, 1961 - Gooding, Idaho

2011-03-07T03:13:00.030-03:00

(Moving right along....we're to the wedding reception.

How blessed we are to have these photos...wish they were in color...but 50 years ago colored photos were still rare.
Here Walt and I are with my Mom and Dad--Verna & Arnold Albertson--by me, and Walt's Mom and Dad--Jane & Ray Petersen by him.

Walt's father passed away at age 62 on Feb. 17, 1970 of a heart attack. His mother passed away at age 90 on Feb. 5, 2001. My father passed away at age 69 on Feb. 6, 1982 of colon cancer. (We all need to get colonoscopies!)
My Mom also lost her parents in 1982...my Grampa Huffaker in June at age 90; my Grama Huffaker in November at age 91.
I tell about my mother by her photo a little further down.

I am going to quote from my Mom's life story again this week:

"Verna - An Idaho Girl"

-- the life story of Verna Beth Huffaker Albertson

"Eileen and Walt’s wedding reception at the LDS Gooding Ward cultural hall was nice and well attended three days later on Saturday, June 17. They received many wonderful wedding gifts.
"Here’s some from the newspaper clipping I saved from the Times News, with the headline as follows:
Couple Married in LDS Temple Rites
“Eileen Albertson, Provo, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold G. Albertson, Gooding, formerly of Wendell, and Walter Ray Petersen, St. Louis, Missouri, son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond O. Petersen, Wendell, were united in marriage June 14, 1961 at the Salt Lake LDS temple with President Henry D. Moyle, officiating.

Photo: Eileen, age 22 1/2, with her sister, Janice, age 12.
“The bride selected a floor length gown of luxurious delustered satin for her wedding. The gown was designed by the bride and Cheri Hansen, a college roommate from Tempe, Arizona. It was fashioned with long pointed sleeves, a high rounded neckline and fitted bodice; the full skirt swept into a modified train. Her bridal veil was caught to a tiara of seed pearls. She carried a lavender orchid on a small white Bible.

“Mrs. Alden (Ramona Jensen) Farr, Ogden, Utah, was matron of honor. Bridesmaids were Mrs. James (Lucile Hunsaker) Campbell, Bellevue; Miss Sonya Gibbs, Wendell; Miss Izabel Peixoto, a college roommate from Porte Alegre, Brazil, and Miss Janice Albertson, sister of the bride. The bride’s attendants were gowned alike in lavender and white cotton frocks, and each carried a white basket filled with carnations.

“Telford (Ted) Gillett, Declo, Idaho was best man. Serving as ushers were Jim Prescott, Boise, and Gene Prescott, Jerome, Idaho—cousins.

2011 note: My Sweetheart Mother--then age 41--is now 91, can hardly see or hear. She has said for a long time: "Getting old is not for wimps."

“The mother of the bride wore a pink linen sheath with matching shoes and white accessories. Her corsage was of white carnations. The mother of the bridegroom wore a beige lace sheath with lavender accessories and a pink carnation corsage.

“Mrs. S.D. Huffaker, Wendell, and Mrs. Blanche Albertson, Hagerman, grandmothers of the bride, and Mrs. Maria Prescott, Wendell, and Mrs. Mary Petersen, Tremonton, grandmothers of the bridegroom, were all present for the reception, and each wore a corsage of white carnations.

“More than 300 guests from throughout Idaho and Utah attended the wedding reception for the young couple Saturday evening at the Gooding LDS recreation hall.

“Mrs. Alan (Lucy Huffaker) Nieffenegger, Wendell, was in charge of the guest book. Mrs. John (Pearl) Robertson, Mrs. Everett (Nadine) Conrad, Mrs. Clarence ( ) Wells, and Myrna Myer, Gooding [R.S. friends of Verna] were in charge of arranging the gift table. Carrying gifts were Donald, Matthew, and Mitchell Bunn of Wendell, nephews of the groom. Carol Lee Huffaker, Mtn. Home, and Barbara, Marjorie, and Bonnie Harmon, Hammett, cousins of the bride, also carried the gifts. (Lucy is gone now, age 36 to cancer.)

“The refreshment table was covered with a white lace cloth over lavender. The five tiered wedding cake was baked and decorated by Mrs. Dan (Evelyn) Nieffenegger. (Alan's mother is gone now.) The white cake, trimmed with lavender and the sweetheart cakes were decorated with the names of the couple, and were flanked by lavender candles in crystal holders.

“Mrs. Dale (Phyllis) Bunn, Wendell, and Mrs. Charles (Bonnie) Degler, Boise, sisters of the groom, cut and served the cake. Mrs. Warren (Vida) Albertson, Pocatello, and Mrs. David (Enid) Huffaker, Mtn. Home, aunts of the bride, served the punch.

(We're sad we didn't get photos of any of these aunts...we lost Bonnie, at age 60 to colon cancer; and Enid at age __, are gone now.)

“Heber Prescott, Jerome, uncle of the groom, was master of ceremonies. David Huffaker, Mtn. Home, uncle of the bride, gave the invocation; Mr. & Mrs. Earl (Eleanor) Harmon, Hammett, uncle and aunt of the bride, gave readings, ‘What is a Wife,’ and ‘What is a Husband.’ (Just Eleanor is left. Uncle Hebe at age 60 of a heart attack; Uncle Earl at age 75 of cancer.)

“Janice Albertson, Gooding, sister of the bride, played a piano solo “Till the End of Time”; ArDell Shockley, Jerome, soloist, sang “Walk Hand in Hand With Me,” and “Always,” accompanied by Verna Lee Lott, Hagerman. After remarks and thank yous by the bride and groom, the benediction was given by Thomas Prescott, Jerome, uncle of the groom. Dancing followed with the bride and groom waltzing to ‘O How We Danced on the Night We Were Wed’,” as the first dance. (We lost Uncle Tom in 2003 at age 85, who had been in poor health for several years after a debilitating stroke.)

[If you can believe it, there is still more to the newspaper article...so it will be continued in next week's blog.

I added the ladies' first names in parentheses--which now they always put the woman's first name, which is a great improvement!]

Our Wedding Day from my Mom's Life Story...

2011-02-28T02:16:00.009-03:00

Finally got he photo of us by our painted "Just Married" car as we were leaving the wedding luncheon. And, yes, here were a string of cans clanking out of the back of the car as we drove off. It's such a giddy, happy time to finally be married for real! The happiness of that day still permeats my soul.

Here's a description of our wedding and wedding luncheon from my Mom's Life Story.

I can't get the photo scanned and to my laptop of us standing by our car painted with "Just Married" after the wedding luncheon.

For our wedding luncheon, Aunt Tess served exotic fruits like fresh pineapple.

This is the first time I had ever had fresh pineapple. It was so delicious that we've tried to have it for many Sunday dinners since then.

I am going to quote from my Mom's Life Story "Verna -- an Idaho Girl" of what she wrote about our wedding, and then the wedding luncheon at Walt's Aunt Tess & Uncle Austin's home:

"June 14, 1961
Arnold and I are Sealed in the
Salt Lake Temple on the same day as
Eileen and Walt’s Wedding

"Eileen’s wedding was really nice. It was not only a special time for her but also for us. Arnold had talked to Bishop Verl Dixon several weeks before and the Bishop had him take the temple lessons so that we were ready to go to the temple with Eileen and Walt, receive our endowments, and get sealed as a family.

"President Henry D. Moyle, Second Counselor in The First Presidency, performed the wedding. Walt had traveled with him as his interpreter in Uruguay and Paraguay when Elder Moyle, then an Apostle had toured their mission in 1956.

"President Moyle explained that everything had to be done in the right order. First he sealed Arnold and me as husband and wife.

"Then Janice, who had just turned 12 the week before, was called into the room so she and Eileen could kneel at the altar with us as we were sealed as an eternal family.

"Following this, he had Eileen and Walt kneel at the altar to be sealed as husband and wife.

"When he finished the ceremony and asked them to kiss as husband and wife across the altar, Walt leaned over and gave Eileen a little peck on the lips.

“ 'Now, Walter, you take your new bride in your arms and give her a kiss like you mean it,' was President Moyle’s comment. Walt quickly complied.

"Walt told us later that he was nervous with someone from the First Presidency there and he didn’t want to seem over zealous. 'I was glad for an opportunity to express how I really felt about Eileen in that second kiss,' he added.

"We had taken Mother and Dad [Dave & Ella Huffaker] with us. Dad was Arnold’s escort, Mother was mine, and Walt’s mother, Jane, was Eileen’s escort.

"My brother Don came over from Vernal and drove with us to the wedding luncheon. From the temple we drove to the Hill Air Force Base in Ogden where my girlhood friend and Walt’s aunt, Tess Prescott Julian--a gourmet cook--had prepared an elaborate and delicious wedding luncheon for everyone. She had married Austin Julian when she was a WAVE in World War II, stationed in Hawaii. Austin was a bomber pilot and they were good friends with Chuck Yeager.

"Janice said the luncheon was like a grand banquet. She had never been to anything like it. Tess served fresh pineapple in the shell with exotic fruits, along with chicken and other side dishes. Bird of Paradise flowers were flown in from Hawaii for decoration.

"From there Walt and Eileen drove off for a 2-day Salt Lake honeymoon with a tail of tin cans clanking behind their painted-up “Just Married” ‘57 blue Plymouth."

"A Bride's Prayer"

2011-02-21T03:11:00.005-03:00

June 14, 1961

A Bride’s Prayer
O, Father, my heart is filled with a happiness so wonderful that I am almost afraid. This is my wedding day, and I pray Thee that the beautiful joy of this day may never grow dim with years of regret for the new step I am about to take. Rather, may its memories become more sweet and tender with each passing anniversary.

Thou hast sent to me one who seems all-worthy of my deepest regard. May I prove indeed a helpmeet, a sweetheart, a friend, a steadfast guiding star among all the temptations that beset the impulsive hearts of men. Grant unto me the power to keep him ever true and loving as now.

Give me the skill to make home the best-loved place of all. Help me to make its glow shine further than any glare that would dim its radiance. Let me, I pray Thee, meet the little misunderstandings and cares of my new life bravely. Be with me as I start on my mission of womanhood, and keep my path from failure. Walk Thou with us, even to the end of our journey.

Father, bless my wedding day, hallow my marriage night, sanctify my motherhood—if Thou seest fit to grant me that privilege. And when all my youthful charms are faded, and the cares and lessons of life have left their touches, let physical fascination give way to the greater charm of blessed companionship. So may we walk hand in hand down the highway lighted by the sunshine that comes from living righteously, for time and for all E T E R N I T Y.

--Author unknown; one of Eileen Albertson's
handouts from her Marriage Class, BYU,
Winter semester, 1961

FROM JUNE 14, 1961 TO ETERNITY...

2011-02-14T00:03:00.012-03:00

Walt Petersen and Eileen Albertson are married for time and for all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple on June 14, 196 1. The flags were out all over the city that day, as they have been for every anniversary since then.

(Yes, it's Flag Day...but we still consider the flags out for our anniversary. Silly us.)

"So in love, so in love, so in love with you am I!"

All I knew, when I came out of that temple for the first time, I wanted to be married to "Mr. Right, in the Right Place, at the Right Time -- AND I WAS!!!

I was now "Mrs. Walter R. Petersen" and I was estatic!

I can remember as though it were yesterday--as my Mom, Dad, and I crossed the street from our hotel to Temple Square--what joy seeing Walt walking toward me as he and his parents had just arrived.

We all entered the majestic Salt Lake Temple together--I, and my Mom and Dad for the first time.

Walt's mother Jane was my escort. My Mom's mother, Ella Huffaker, was her escort. I guess my Mom's Dad, S. David Huffaker, was my Daddy's escort (everything was so new and different to me, I wasn't aware of a lot of things). I had never heard any information about the temple in my home since my Mom and Dad had not received their endowments yet, either.

Our witnesses were Walt's Dad, Ray Petersen, and my Dad, Arnold Albertson.

BACKGROUND ABOUT WHO PERFORMED OUR TEMPLE WEDDING AND WHY:

When Walt was a counselor in his mission presidency in Uruguay/Paraguay (now known as "Assistant to the President"), Elder Henry D. Moyle, then an Apostle, toured his mission in 1956.

At that very same time, the mission president's wife had passed away and President Frank Perry had flown to Seattle to take her remains to be buried in their hometown.

Walt was asked to accompany Elder Moyle on the mission tour to Paraguay, where they met with the President of the Country,

Afredo Stroessner (president/dictator 1954-deposed in 1989), and was Elder Moyle's intrepreter there and throughout the time in Paraguay in zone conferences with the missionaries. They became good friends.

So that's why Walt asked President Henry D. Moyle, then the Second Counselor in the First Presidency, to perform our marriage ordinance.

[President Moyle became the First Counselor in October 1961. He passed away in September 1963.]

Next week...The Bride's Prayer

Then our wedding reception - Saturday, June 17, 1966, in Gooding...

Then the week after that...Honeymooning on way to St. Louis via Yellowstone Park...

Trauma getting a marriage license...

2011-02-06T23:48:00.007-03:00

Tried to put the heart at the end of this post, after I typed the post, but I can't figure out how to do it. Anyone have a solution?

Sorry, I don't have photos from this traumatic day before our wedding.

JUNE 1961

My folks drove to Provo in early June and packed up my things from the apartment for my BYU years and we headed home to Gooding, Idaho.

Walt got home to Wendell, Idaho, about 2 or 3 days before our wedding.

June 13, bright and early, the day before our wedding, we drove to Salt Lake City to get to the City Hall in plenty of time to get our marriage license.

I had the Utah certified form with my blood test officially recorded--a requirement in those days--which I presented at the marriage license bureau when we arrived.

When Walt presented the scribbled scrap of paper of his blood test results from the Barnes Hospital in St. Louis which was affiliated with the Washington University School of Medicine, the marriage license official asked what it was.

"My blood test results," Walt said. He told me later that he knew the only reason for the blood test before marriage was to see if a person had syphilis or not.

"Well," replied the man in a huff, "the blood test has to be on our official form and the blood test here in Utah takes a few days to have the results." (or something like that...)

"We're scheduled to be married tomorrow morning in the Salt Lake Temple, and our families are on their way to Utah to be here for it," I said in a panic.

We left City Hall and Walt called his Aunt Maureen Carlson in Woods Cross with whom he and his folks were going to stay that night. She had him call their family doctor who told Walt to go straight to the State Lab in downtown SLC and they might be able to do his blood test and give him the results the same day on the official form.

We went there, and they thought they could get it in time. It was getting late afternoon by now and I was really nervous. I remember thinking:

"This can't be happening, the day before our wedding is supposed to be a calm, peaceful day. We had everything planned so well (we thought) and now we might not get our marriage license in time to even get married tomorrow!"

I finally told Walt I was going to walk back back down to the City Hall....a few loooong blocks....to Fourth South (I think the lab was on South Temple or First South) and not let them close until Walt got there.

The minutes were flying by, the big City Hall clock approaching 5:00....and still no Walt in sight. About 4:55 here he came racing down the sidewalk, up the steps, and into the front door...with the blood test on the official form, which they accepted and issued our marriage license.

A couple had come in just before Walt got there who wanted to be married right then at the City Hall. The officials asked Walt and me to be there witnesses since they had no one with them. As we stood there I thought, how sad--no family or friends with them, and married only until death do they part.

We rendezvoused with our parents at Harmon's Cafe and had a chicken dinner together. We dramatized the harrowing day we had had...and we were all thankful for the lucky outcome.

Then Walt and his parents drove off to his aunt and uncle's and my Mom, Dad, and I went to the hotel just north of the temple next to Mormon Handicraft....which is where The Conference Center is now.

I didn't sleep much and got up early to do my hair...I think that was in the days before curling irons.

Next week we'll share June 14, 1961, about our marriage for time and eternity in the Salt Lake Temple surrounded by beloved family and friends.

Jennifer Brewer asked to be a Presenter at BYU Idaho Education Week - July 28-29-30, 2011

2011-02-04T15:29:00.006-03:00

Here's Jen and her family when they were here at Christmastime. Husband, Jerry Brewer. Seth and Sarah, twins, age 8; Ben,5, Josh, 3, and Elizabeth 1. Hi...Just a mid-week mention that our youngest daughter, Jennifer Brewer, has been asked to be a presenter at the BYU Idaho Education Week July 28-29-30, 2011 in Rexburg. She will be doing 3 classes...each day: one on nutrition, one for youth, and... (I don't have my notes here).

Tickets go on sale March 1 via the BUY Idaho website. More later.

Congratulations, Jen, we're very proud of you!

She was asked to be interviewed on a radio station in Rochester, Minnesota, yesterday about couponing.

Love, Mom & Dad

Our Engagement via Letters...

2011-01-31T02:25:00.009-03:00

Our Engagement via letters...miles apart.
Walt left for the second half of his sophomore year at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis on New Year's Day 1961.
It took 35-hours from Wendell, Idaho, going straight through, with a car load who took turns driving while the others could catch some sleep.

They got to St. Louis late afternoon January 2, and he wrote me two letters--one typed, as most of his letters were; one hand-written after we had talked a few minutes on the telephone (doesn't say if he called me or I called him to say he got there okay. I only remember one other time we talked on the phone during the 5 1/2 months before our wedding.) Long-distance in those days was mainly to call about a death in the family. It was considered an extreme expense to call to just "talk on the phone" long distance.

Letters from Walt to Eileen

Jan. 2, 1961 to May 25, 1961

January.....16 letters

February...14 letters

March.......13 letters

April.........13 letters

May.......... 8 letters

Then I think maybe we did call before he got home the week before our wedding on June 14.

"St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 2, 1961

Dear Eileen,

We just got in about 2 hours ago and I got all unpacked and took a shower and shaved, but I'm still not at all satisfied with being here. In fact, I'm very lonesome and I think that you are the main cause. I miss you very much and I wish that we were married and that you were here with me.

This vacation has really been one to remember! It has been the first one since I can remember that I haven't worked when I was home since I got back from my mission. But then, of course, there was something special that took place that happened with a "Miss Eileen Albertson" on Dec. 20 and 21, 1960. Do you know anything about that?

[Remember from the last blog I said we got engaged on Dec. 20. The Dec. 21 Walt refers to is that we went to Twin Falls with his mother and picked out the engagement and wedding rings. --I wasn't too comfortable having to choose with his mother there, but his Dad and Mom were paying for the rings...so it was okay. I did choose what I had always wanted: an emerald cut diamond. A very small diamond, but it was beautiful and I loved it.]

...the letter goes on for 3 paragraphs about the good weather and good roads, getting back into the routine of school the next day...

"I'd better close as I want to get this in the mail on our way to eat dinner. Good night, sleep tite, study hard and work hard, and have a good time.

Love from your fiance, /s/ Walt"

...Now you may ask about the letters I wrote to Walt. I wrote him every day but he didn't realize he was supposed to save the letters. No, not one exists today! That's why there's no photos for this blog. And I sent a lot of photos, too. Hmmmm...our kids know it's not a good subject to bring up.

Now we come to the letters after dating from July 8, 1960 to September 4, 1960...having gotten "pinned" on August 6. ("Pinned" = engaged to be engaged when the fellow is too poor to afford an engagement ring. I got his service fraternity pin.)
Walt wrote to "Miss Eileen Albertson, 901 Utah St. Gooding, Idaho until Sept. 24 when my semester started at BYU, then to 362 East 7th North, Provo, Utah:
September - 7 letters(starting with the Sept. 8 letter below)
October - 15 letters
November - 7 letters
December - 5 letters till Dec. 15 when we were heading home for Christmas.
"St. Louis, Mo. - Sept. 8, 1960

Dear Eileen,

You know what? I'm glad that you decided to spoil me a little bit as it was really nice to get your letter this morning. You don't have to worry about your giving me time to miss you in that I missed you all the way back here, especially when I was driving [and Jerry was sleeping].

....7 paragraphs about driving back, moving back into his apartment, the 90-degree, humid weather in St. Louis, drawing blood at the hospital each morning which earned him a meal ticket for the hospital cafeteria, and ready to start classes...then closing with:

I'll just say that I miss you very much and wish that we were together...Love, Walt"

Engagement - Dec. 20, 1960 to June 14, 1961

2011-01-24T02:26:00.010-03:00

Eileen Albertson Engaged to Walter Petersen

-- Times News

"Arnold and Verna Albertson of Gooding, Idaho, announce the engagement of their daughter, Eileen, to Walter Ray Petersen, the son of Ray and Jane Petersen of Wendell, Idaho.

Eileen graduated from Wendell High School in 1957 as the salutatorian and from a 12-month advanced Executive Business Course at Stevens Heneger Business College in June 1958. She worked for one year at First Security Bank in Salt Lake City for the Eccles brothers in the presidential/vice presidential wing, and is currently attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Walter graduated from Wendell High School in 1952, and attended the University of Idaho, receiving a 4.0 the first semester, and 3.9 the second semester, while also being on the freshman basketball team. Boise Jr. College recruited him for the 1953-1954 basketball year, where he graduated as valedictorian from the 2-year Jr. College in the Spring of 1954.

At age 20, (which was the required age for missionaries then) he was called as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Uruguay/Paraguay Mission. He served from August 1954 to March 1957. He was an Assistant to the President for the final 9 months of his mission.

When he returned, he attended BYU in Provo for 1 quarter, then transferred back to the University of Idaho in Moscow where he was majoring in Civil Engineering. However, during that first semester back, he changed to Pre-med, graduating in 1959. He was accepted to the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

Their wedding date has not been decided at this time."

Here's Walt on New Year's Day 1960, looking at my photo, as we were about to be separated as he left for St. Louis to finish his second year of medical school.

I can't get these black and white photos to lighten up, no matter what I try....sorry. This is New Year's Day of 1961 when we would soon be parting till he finished his second year of medical school in St. Louis, and I finished my semester at BYU.

I'm looking at his photo.

We put our engagement announcement in the Times News, (paraphrased at the beginning of this blog) which then the custom was to just put the girl's photo in, then the photo of the couple was put in for the wedding announcement--after the wedding. I like today's custom of having the couple's photo to announce the engagement and forthcoming wedding.

We hadn't decided on the exact date.

I had always had the notion that after you were engaged, you chose some romantic date....but oh no, I soon learned that you had to check out both families' schedules and then fit in a wedding date that worked for both families.

Engaged Dec. 20, 1960

2011-01-17T01:45:00.005-03:00

We're engaged - December 20, 1960.

"Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your cares be light.

"From now on your troubles will be out of sight..." was a happy echo in our hears that magical Christmas of 1960...

Below is that conversation continued on that Sunday in October 1960 when Walt called and said: "Eileen, I want to marry you."

"When?" is what I asked.

"How about Christmastime," Walt said.

"Oh, I don't think I could plan a wedding by Christmas," I said. (Wish I'd realized it could have been done. But that's called hindsight.)

So we got officially engaged when we both got home for Christmas break--he from his 2nd year of med school in St. Louis, and I from BYU...as explained above--on Dec. 20.

Dec. 20 was Walt's Dad's birthday, so we went to his home to tell them the exciting news.

How did we meet?

2011-01-09T22:24:00.005-03:00

For our Jubilee Year--photos from the past--above: August 1960 - day we became pinned after dating almost 4 weeks - but we had grown up in Wendell, Idaho together. When he was a senior at WHS, I was a 7th grader. He called me "Snicklefritz" when he worked on my grandfather's farm with the other h.s.boys during hay season...he about a sophomore, I in 5th grade. After his mission to Uruguay/Paraguay I had grown up! Summer of 1960 he was working with his carpenter dad between his 1st/2nd year at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. I was home between semesters at BYU.

Then he went back to St. Louis in September and I went back to Provo. The fast Sunday of October he telephoned from St. Louis (that's when a long-distance call was mainly to inform family members that someone had died...or in other words, not for simple chit chat).

"Eileen, I want to marry you," Walt said.

"When?" was my response.

Hope to add a little each Sunday...

A new year has dawned . . .

2011-01-08T13:56:00.003-03:00

It's true: "Use it or lose it." I haven't posted a blog for so long, I can barely remember how to do it. I have borrowed this darling New Yeare's clip art from a friend whom I consider to be a master blogger! Janiece Burgess and our joint friend Sayda Call have been an inspiration to me in many things, including the blogging world. I look up to them and admire them very much.

Our family's New Year's Eve and New Year tradition has been hosted the past few years by our oldest daughter, Janie, and her husband Shawn. They have dubbed it the:

ROCKIN' REXBURG NEW YEAR'S RENDEZVOUS

All 7 siblings, spouses, and kids, plus Grama 'n Grampa

are invited to arrive December 31 for the gathering supper of stew and cornbread.

Each family who can come volunteers to do a meal, and all bring treats. We had four families this year--29 in all.

This event actually started Christmas Eve when the Brewers...

Jen, the youngest sister, her husband Jerry, and their 5 kids drove from Rochester, Minnesota (earlier than planned to surprise Grama 'n Grampa as we opened the door on Christmas Eve and there they were carolling on our doorstep!)

So Fri, Sat, Sun morning we were blessed to have them with us, (plus Christmas day we had Janie's & Julie's families here)

Sun and Mon Brewers spent with Jerry's parents in Vernal.

then Tuesday, Wed, Thur they had the great adventure of teaching their 4 oldest kids to ski at Targhee (ages 8 down to 3) with the help of the Fisher Family--Janie & Shawn and kids.

To be continued....Walt's telling me it's time for us to do our morning exercises....and I would never want to miss that?

[If you believe I love to exercise, you will believe the moon is made of green cheese...or whatever they used to say.]

2010-12-13T12:28:00.006-03:00

"...to this end was I born."

John 18:37

Hi...Hope you are all having a nice Christmas season. Just seeing if I remember how to blog.

THANKSGIVING WEEK COMING UP...

2010-11-22T03:56:00.003-03:00

We are thankful for our family and friends...
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!
Love, Los Petersen - Walt & Eileen

2010-07-19T14:05:00.007-03:00

OUR PRECIOUS TIME WITH JEN & JERRY AND FAMILY

THE BREWER FAMILY
Just moved into a new home.
Jerry - Dermatologist at Mayo Clinic. Gospel Doctrine teacher in new ward--Rochester 5th Ward.
Jen - Wife, busy mother of 5; loves new calling as leader for Activity Days in primary; teaches nutrition and aerobic classes for the YMCA.
Seth and Sarah just turned 8 in June and were baptised at our Walt & Eileen Family Reunion in Wyoming.
Benjamin is 5 and will go to kindergarten soon.
Joshua will be 3 on July 31 and is all boy!
Baby Elizabeth is 8 months old. We call her "Bizzy Lizzy" because she crawls all over and is about to walk!
We've loved being able to be here with them.

HAVING A GREAT TIME WITH THE BREWERS IN ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA.
THE 8 DAYS HAVE ZOOMED BY WAY TOO FAST. WE HAVE TO LEAVE TOMORROW--JULY 20.

We arrived at midnight in Minneapolis on Tuesday, July 13 (plane delayed 4 hours in Boise, so we missed our first connection in SLC). Jen was there with her baby to drive us the 85 miles to Rochester.

Early the next morning we drove 5 1/2 hours to Nauvoo and went to the visitors' center, the family center where Elder Neal Anderson from Burley was teaching families how to make rope and then at the log Calvin Pendleton home and school where Sister Donna Anderson--also from Burley--taught us about the Pendleton family and showed us how the kids in Nauvoo wrote on their individual slates at school. We also went to the bakery, print shop, blacksmith shop, John Taylor home, then over to Carthage Jail (30-min drive) for the sobering tour and narration about the Prophet Joseph's and his brother Hyrum's last 2 days living on earth before they were martyred on June 27, 1844.

That evening we went to the spectacular Nauvoo Pageant with cast of 170...only 20 of whom were professionals.

Thursday we went on a carriage ride pulled by two handsome matched work horses. The hour ride for the carriage full of 25 tourists was interestingly narrated by President Jack Hill, a senior missionary from Burley, Idaho, who has been called as a counselor in the Nauvoo Mission Presidency. He has recruited about 10 couples from Mini-Cassia to be teamsters, etc. at Nauvoo.

Then Grampa and I did a session in the beautiful, beautiful Nauvoo Temple while Jen & Jerry and kids went to Joseph Smith's Mansion Home, saw their graves, went to the Red Brick store, and then to the home of Wilford Woodruff who is Jerry's 4th-great grandfather. (Grampa and I had seen these sites in June 2001 on a family trip to Nauvoo for our 40th wedding anniversary. Jen & Jerry had not been able to go.)

Then we kept the kids so Jen & Jerry could do a temple session. Every temple has a beauty of its own, and this temple has been made of the finest materials available also.

When we reunited, we drove where statues of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young have the inscription "Eyes Westward" where Parley Street or "Trail of Hope" ends at the river. This is where most of the 12,000 residents crossed the Mississippi River to escape the persecution of the Mormons in 1846. Most of them made the thousand mile plus trek to the barren valley of the Salt Lake which they soon had blossoming as a rose.

Friday Grampa built steps for the trampoline. Jerry was at the Clinic for his research day. Jerry mowed their big lawn in the muggy heat when he got home from work.
Saturday Jerry and Grampa built a ski rack for the garage. The adults had a gourmet dinner at Pescara's.
Sabbath morning was relaxed, then church 1-4pm, followed by a yummy Mormon Sunday roast beef dinner, complete with hot, homemade rolls.
Monday--today, July 19, Jen and Grampa are building shelves for one of the finished basement's storage rooms.
Seth is assigned to teach about baptism, and Sarah about the Holy Ghost for family home evening tonight.

We'll share photos when we get back home and I download them into my laptop. And put new songs on since Jen has taught me how to use iTunes. YaHoo!!

Hope everyone is having a patriotic July...God Bless the USA!

Sorry I've been negligent in keeping up my blog since we came home in March from our mission. We've been hither and yon so much that we feel like yoyos. But we've loved visiting our kids and grandkids in Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and now with Jen & Jerry and kids in Minnesota. We've also enjoyed having some time with Grama A and Jen in Salt Lake City; Dale & Connie in Twin; and Phyllis & Dale in Wendell.

We're looking forward to the Jane & Ray Petersen Family Reunion this Saturday, July 24th. We haven't had one since 1988, which was our 8th one after these began in 1974. Dale got the ball rolling for this one which is at Riverfront Park in Burley.

Help...how do I downsize this photo for my heading?

2010-06-15T00:16:00.002-03:00

2010-06-14T23:35:00.005-03:00

Today we are commemorating our 49th wedding anniversary quietly at home. We stopped in at our friends' home to ask Ruth Melling to take a photo of us together. She invited us to stay for supper, which she was just putting the finishing touches on. That was a nice serendipity.

So here's our photo that she took and one of her and Don and John who is visiting from New York.

I'm looking for our "professional" Cruise photo to blog about our 2-week Mediterranean Cruise we got home from on June 11. It was fabulous.
We are so thankful to our children for helping us go on this cruise by donating to "the cruise fund" for each holiday and birthday this year.

Our stewardship report in Salt Lake City...

2010-05-17T23:27:00.003-03:00

On Friday, May 14, we gave our stewardship report for our Area Medical Advisor mission to the South America South Area.

It was for the Missionary Department of Health Services.

"Serving a mission together after retirement is the best kept secret in the Church," I started my section with.

Walt thanked all the specialists who are on call for the missionary health services committee whom he could call at any time and get help for any medical problem a missionary had.

He also reported that he received 4,000 calls during the 18 months--from mission presidents, the wives of the mission presidents, and often the mission president's wife had the missionary call him directly.

We took about 35 minutes with our power point presentation, which was 5 minutes under our allotted 40 minutes.

We were happy to not go over time, and happy to have it over.

Our other 4 April birthday boys...

2010-05-03T01:27:00.005-03:00

Happy Birthday, Jerry, 36 on April 25th.

Happy Birthday, Gary, 45 on April 24th.

Happy Birthday, Kimble, 11 on April 24th.

Happy Birthday, John, 36 on April 24th.We love you all!

Hope you have a great year!

New Stake Presidency in our Burley Idaho West Stake April 25, 2010

2010-04-26T02:39:00.006-03:00

Chad Jones, President

Tim Preston, First Counselor

Tracy King, Second Counselor

We sustain our new stake presidency

with all our heart, might, mind, and strength!

Walt congratulating President Jones.

(I lost the first blog I did for this event, in which

I had quotes from Pres. Jones talk.

But it's too late tonight to redo it all....)

A heart-felt Thank You to our outgoing Stake Presidency:

President Joseph M. Sagers

President Garth Williams, First Counselor

President Leonard M. Beck, Second Counselor

We will love you forever.

Happy Birthday, Walt, April 17, 2010 "76"

2010-04-18T02:35:00.004-03:00

Walt with Fisher family at end of finale of their

Idaho Ballroom Academy Spring Concert - Rexburg - April 1 6

This shows how young Walt was at age 27

when we married.

See cutline below...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE MAN I LOVE!

I can't get my photos from yesterday and today to download.

Walt celebrated his birthday today with Janie & Shawn,

Daniel, Katie, Heidi, Sam, Ashley, and Michael Fisher in Rexburg.

We got back to Burley in time to watch the Lawrence Welk show,

then I put in the 1942 "Flying Tigers" movie with John Wayne,

but 2/3 of the way through, it said "disc scratched" and

no amount of trying to wipe it clean helped.

So we got to see the last half of the

Utah Jazz/Denver Nuggets Round 1 Playoff game.

The Jazz kept right with them until the last 6:51 minutes.

Names for photo above (lost photo, had to reload it).

Walt with Gary & Kathy, Natalie, Jacob, Steve, Julie, and Maddie.

This was when he had accompanied a young Elder home to Utah

just prior to our March 13 release.

Just home from Argentina - with our son, Steve.

Warm weather, but Walt can't do this until May 9, 2010 -- when it will be one month

after his hernia repair.

Walt helping Grama A plant flowers in summer of 2008

This is how the towns in Idaho and Utah looked in the 1930s

when Walt was born

April 17, 1934. I did this at 11:30pm Sat., April 17, so I don't know

why the date of Sun., April 18 came up!?

I wanted to scan some photos of Walt when he was young,

but I don't have my scanner to do it.

It's good to be home...

2010-04-12T01:16:00.011-03:00

A quiet Sunday dinner at home.

Yes, we're just hangin' out together here in Burley, Idaho.

Start working in the temple April 14 on the Spanish session, Wednesday evenings.

Walt's recovering well from his hernia repair on April 9. Two of our darling grandchildren--Jackson and Maddie.

I loaded my photos from the first week in April, and they're lost in the computer somewhere.

This was our last of 5 days with kids/g-kids in Utah over Easter/General Conference week--Thursday to Monday. It's great to be able to drop in on our kids.

Walt renewed the tradition of father's,sons,grandsons going together to the General Priesthood Meeting on Saturday.

We thankful for the counsel from our Prophets and Apostles for these perilous times Some old photos from our Feb. 2009 in Uruguay Walt's friend from his 1954-57 first mission in Uruguay--
Cesar Guerra
---------
I have discovered I'm a jinx to any computer I touch.
My desktop is slower than frozen molasses...and after John worked so many hours to get it speeded up. My laptop won't connect to our newly purchased Internet Cableone plan,
and now I can't get my MixPod music on our blog to "change and save."
Anyone have another music program for blogs that works?

Opps, forgot I had this photo in....also from the Mission Museum in Uruguay.
I'm looking for the "Mormon Modernaires" photo, and the softball mission team for friends who served missions in Uruguay. Sorry guys, I'm still looking.

I know it's not Easter anymore..........I tried for 20 min, and thought I'd "changed and saved" the new music 5x...but the "Save" mode has disappeared from MixPod.
Guess you'll have to listen to Easter music till I can get some help.

Life goes on after mission...

2010-03-22T14:21:00.027-03:00

The yellow ribbons, bows, and balloons are still

a happy sight that welcomed us home

on March 12, 2010 from

our 18-month mission to the

South America South Area.

The "welcome home" bouquet is still beautiful.

Here are just a few of our goings and comings...

Yes, life goes on after each mission.

We went to a funeral for Albert Holyoak on Saturday morning.

Well, it went from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Nice...but long.

Elden Wood told us Sunday at Church:

"I told Picola if my funeral goes over an hour,

I will come back to haunt her."

It's been wonderful seeing family and friends.

We introduced Walt's brother, Dale,

to our darling friend, Connie Hess,

in 2002 after he had tragically lost his
darling wife, Vicki, in Aug 2000, to

a sudden heart attack at the young age of 55.

Connie's homemade apple pie, said "We love you."

Walt's brother Dale, and his wife Connie had

us come to lunch on Saturday, March 20.

The chicken casserole was delicious,

and Connie sent some home for our Sunday dinner,

along with homemade bread and apple pie.

Thank you so much! Our brother-in-law, Dale Bunn, is just home

from the Boise Hospital having had a subderal

hematoma drained caused from a fall on the ice

in January. He had his 81st birthday on March 12. How nice to see Walt's sister Phyllis. Although she

is not in the best of health...Karen told us she

still keeps quilting. We saw our dear friend, Murk Lancaster, at his sister

Velma Willard's burial...she was 94.

In fact, we saw 26 dear old Wendell friends on Wed, Mar. 17.

(I lost the photo of Murk...will put in a later blog.)

The Relief Society Presidency and committee for this

Relief Society celebration did a great job.

L to R: Emily Garrard, chairman.

Wendy Weeks, president; Sis. Craner, secretary;

Sister Kemp; Sister Nielsen, counselor, and

Sister Jennifer, counselor.

The decorations were beautiful and the soups were delicious.

The birthday cake at our table, decorated

by Chris Kemp, was too pretty to cut.

I enjoyed a nice Relief Society birthday dinner
Tuesday evening, March 16 with friends.

We had lunch with my sister Janice

at Appleby's before heading home.

We needed to discuss our 90-y-o mother's

health and care facility needs.

Kimble and Carter ready for school Tuesday morning

before we left for Dr. Middleton's office in SLC.

because of elevated PSA, Walt got a prostate biopsy.

Results are benign...great news!

(Lost photo of Kimble & Carter with Steve...add later.)

We enjoyed FHE with Steve & Natalie, Cortney,

Kimble, and Carter at their home in Saratoga Springs,

on our first Monday back.

We had driven to Utah

for Walt's prostate biopsy appt the next morning.

Walt figures he had about 1400 hours flying time

since he got his pilot's license in 1967.

He misses flying.

Mostly we flew to medical meetings across the United States.

The furtherst was flying to a medical meeting in Guadalajara

In Oct. 1972...but that was in the twin engine Aztec.

Walt had to check out our "former" Cessna 206 turbo-charged airplane.

We were 1/3 owners until we sold our share just before

we left for the South America South Area Mission.

Maddie having a piece of Julie's favorite chocolate cake from Stokes.

Why would they laugh at the things I carried home in my purse?

Walt said to son Steve: "Now you see why I'm afraid to put my hand down into her purse!"

We have been released, reported to the Stake Presidency and High Council.Yellow ribbons and yellow balloons adorned our front yard and home...

2010-03-15T17:26:00.010-03:00

Bright and early Sunday morning

(even an hour earlier with daylight savings starting)

we were asked to be there at 6a.m. to

give a 5-min each report of our mission

to the Stake Presidency

and High Council.

(I hope I had my eyes open when I gave

my report in English, then testimony in Spanish...

as requested by President Sagers.

Opps....I see my camera has gone waco on the printed date....again.

The date should read: 03/14/2010 or 03/15/2010 on all these photos.

Steve and his boys caravaned with us from SLC to Burley Friday night.

Carter got a tummy ache Saturday evening, so is lying by his Dad.

Janie & Shawn had come last weekend and helped put all our

family photos back up plus helping Julie & John get

our home ready for us to just "move back in."

It was wonderful to have everything in place.

And we like their arrangement of family photos

spread throughout the rooms.

"Thank you" --

small words

BIG MEANING!!!

Some more family time...

Jen, don't worry, you wouldn't

have enjoyed any of the lively conversations.

(Just teasing.)

Julie & John came up three weekends in a row to

help get our home ready for us.

We really appreciate it! Thanks a million!

(The photo of Julie & John walked away on it's own.

I'm getting paranoid about losing so many photos I upload

in and then they vanish without a trace.

No, it couldn't be the chicken and potatoes' photo that vanished.)

Our dear neighbors, Ruth & Don Melling, brought in Saturday evening

supper for 25...chicken, potatoes & gravy, salad, and pies.

Other dear neighbors, Sherry & Steve Ormond, brought over hot scones and homemade bread.

And then other dear neighbors, Marilyn & Dave Gibbons brought brownies.

We thank each one of them -- it is so appreciated.

No wonder we love living here in Burley, IDAHO!

We woke to a couple inches of new snow Saturday morning, March 13. Yellow ribbons and balloons...withstood the snowstorm.

****Walt & Eileen Petersen**

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Blessings of being in the presence of the Lord's Leaders

New Year's Family Home Evening Party at Colina's...

Another speaking assignment...

Sunday, January 15, 2012

The First Week of 2012...

Feliz Año Nuevo 2012

Happy New Year - 2012

Merry Christms 10:07p.m. December 25...

Yes, I had a birthday on December 15...

Christmas Devotional for Temple Workers...

Everyone loves President Petersen

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Our "Thanksgiving Dinner"

We are thankful for each of you...

Layco Stake Conference - Sunday, November 20, 2011

This and that in San Salvador...

P-Day at cities ILOBASCO and SAN SEBASTIAN

We are invited to speak at many stake conferences...

Temple Presidency on P-Day for President Majano's Birthday...

The Temple is...

Gringa Brunch

A lot to blog about, no time to do it....

"...these few precious days we'll spend with you..."

P-Day in the puebla San Diego at the Pacific Ocean Shore of El Salvador...

Great General Conference Weekend...

Happy Anniversary Remembrance for my Mom and Dad...

Dinner at our Stake President's home...

We love our Sr. Couple Temple Missionaries...

May versus can...

We' back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yipee, yi, year!

Thank you to our family and friends for a wonderful 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration...

Memorial Day finishings...

Memorial Day Weekend...

Our Sabbath in Burley, Idaho

Mission Miracles have begun already...

New calling...

Walt's 77th birtheday

Second installment of the remodel...

Time out...up to date live happenings...

With our grandparents by the Salt Lake Temple

A little more about June 1961 and honeymooning on our way to St. Louis...

The couple will honeymoon on their way to St. Louis, Missouri...

Our Wedding Reception - June 17, 1961 - Gooding, Idaho

Our Wedding Day from my Mom's Life Story...

"A Bride's Prayer"

FROM JUNE 14, 1961 TO ETERNITY...

Trauma getting a marriage license...

Jennifer Brewer asked to be a Presenter at BYU Idaho Education Week - July 28-29-30, 2011

Our Engagement via Letters...

Engagement - Dec. 20, 1960 to June 14, 1961

Engaged Dec. 20, 1960

How did we meet?

A new year has dawned . . .

THANKSGIVING WEEK COMING UP...

Help...how do I downsize this photo for my heading?

Our stewardship report in Salt Lake City...

Our other 4 April birthday boys...

New Stake Presidency in our Burley Idaho West Stake April 25, 2010

Happy Birthday, Walt, April 17, 2010 "76"

It's good to be home...

Life goes on after mission...

We have been released, reported to the Stake Presidency and High Council.Yellow ribbons and yellow balloons adorned our front yard and home...

**Walt & Eileen Petersen