Newel's funeral was touching and tender...

This photo is how we will remember our friend, Newel A. Nelson. As his daughter Sally said "he was a people person," and the people felt his love. Our daughter, Julie, son, Steve, and friends Ross & Karen Taylor said the funeral was a great tribute to a great man. Nancy, Gary, and Sally each did so well at giving a part of their Dad's illustrious life, grandchildren sang wonderfully, the son, grandson, and son-in-law gave beautiful prayers,and of course, we knew the remarks by Bishop Randy Spaulding and talk by President Joseph Sagers would be spiritual and perfect, plus the added bonus of having one of the Quorum of the Seventy, Elder Brent Nielson,present and invited to speak. We were in awe each time Elder Nielson spoke during the year of preparing for the new Twin Falls Idaho Temple. Elder Nielson told us that Newel Nelson had had a great influence in his life.
[Newel was Norman Nielson's counselor in the Seventh Ward Bishopric when we moved to Burley in 1966. Norman & Lucille's son, Brent Nielson was a young Aaronic Priesthood boy when Walt was called as bishop of Burley 7th Ward in June 1970. How the years do fly by!]
Speaking of flying...Sally mentioned that her Dad had a perfect last week of his life: finished his tax season on Wednesday, April 15, Thursday went to the temple, Friday and Saturday golfed, Sunday went to Church and Monday was at his office working on some tax extensions. The only thing missing was if he could have flown his plane that week. So below I will share some about his flying.

One last goodbye to our friend, Newel Nelson

Although Newel doesn't need an airplane to fly now, "High Flight" that was on the back of Newel's printed funeral program describes how pilots feel. The few times I was in our Cessna 206 airplane with both Newel and Walt, it was amazing to hear them banter back and forth and to see the skill with which they each handled the controls of the plane. They were truly kindred spirit pilots...
So, Newel,when the time comes, please be okay with Walt wanting "High Flight" also printed on his funeral program. Walt told me it was a C-46 that Newel flew in WWII, which is pictured above.

High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew,
And, while with silent uplifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God!
--by Pilot Office John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Happy Birthday to Gary, John, Kimble, Jerry...

Gary with brothers David and Steve, and Dad. Happy Birthday, April 24.

John with his kids, Jackson, Maddie, Jacee. Happy Birthday, April 24.
Kimble, Happy Birthday, April 24...."10." Sorry I can't get your photo to load....I'll keep trying.

Jerry, had to be gone from home to a medical convention in Texas. Happy Birthday, April 25.

"He's gone," Nancy said to us last evening.

In memory of Newel A. Nelson, January 23, 1922 to April 20, 2009
Update: Nancy told us on the phone Tuesday night that his funeral is set for Saturday, April 25, 11:00 a.m. 3-7 Ward Building. The viewing is at the new Terry Morrison Funeral Home (between Burley/Rupert) on Friday, April 24, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

We are saddened, as all in Burley, at the passing of our dear friend, Newel Nelson. We extend deepest condolences to his two daughters and son, Nancy, Gary, and Sally, and to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Nancy told us he was at his CPA firm working on some income tax extensions. At 2:30 or 3:30 he told one of the secretaries that he didn't feel well, just before passing out. An ambulance rushed him to the hospital. An aneurism took his mortal life at 5:15 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2009.
For us, it is the end of an era of rubbing shoulders with one of the greatest of "The Greatest Generation." We loved to hear him tell about his experiences as a pilot in World War II and flying "The Hump" in India. We felt his patriotism!
He followed Walt as Bishop of Burley 7th Ward in March 1976. We were at the hospital with him right after Mariam had a cardiac arrest while raking leaves in Oct. 1976, and again in the Burley hospital with him when Mariam passed away in January 2001. Newel served at Walt's side as First Counselor of the new Burley Idaho West Stake from May 22, 1983 to November 9, 1992.
Newel, Walt and Mike were partners of a Cessna 206 turbo 6-seater airplane for many years. Both families loved to fly to the Flying B Ranch of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho's primitive area.
Newel was our CPA from the time Walt started his medical practice in Burley July 1, 1966 to the present.
We will remember Newel for many different things, but all will remember his pleasant, jovial, friendly, optimistic personality, his happy laugh, and his charming, gentlemanly manners. He was aware of "each one" and what was going on in their life.
Most of all we will remember his testimony of the truths of the Gospel and his conviction that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And because of the Atonement of the Savior and His Resurrection, we know we will talk, and walk, and laugh with our friend, Newel August Nelson some day in the future. For now we will let him walk hand in hand with his eternal sweetheart, Mariam, again.
Goodbye for now, dear friend. We love you, your wife, and your family.
We will try to follow the saying: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." But we are very sad and crying right now.

Here's our family's gaucho...

"Ride 'em, Cowboy!" or here is it "Ride 'em Gaucho! Yes, Elder Petersen does get P days. The 8 area Sr. Missionary couples went to the Estancia Santa Susana on April 9. "Estancia" is Ranch...it was like a dude ranch. Had an Asado (bar-b-que), horse riding, wagon rides, and the 1870s ranch house is now a museum. They're prepared to have 700 a day...only 200 came on our day.

The sun sets on Walt's 75th birthday - April 17, 2009

And how does Walter Ray Petersen end the day he turned THREE-QUARTERS OF A CENTURY! Yes, looking at the sunset out on our 4th floor small balcony talking on the telephone about a sick missionary. He said later: "I feel old, obsolete, and worn out. I'm going to sit in my rocking chair for the next year and unplug the telephone." To which I say: "That will be the day!"
I love my 75-year old husband. 75 years is young compared to our eternity together!
I still pinch myself daily and count my lucky stars that I actually am married to Walt Petersen!

April 17: Walt's birthday evening

Actually, here we're ready to leave the area building about 7:00 p.m. after he spent his day in our area medical office, entering missionary illlnesses into e-med computer program for the Missionary Health Services Department, and on the phone with mission presidents, mission presidents' wives, and sick missionaries. He's great at watching over the well being of the 2,300 missionaries in the 14 missions in the three countries of this area: Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay.

April 17: Walt's birthday, afternoon

He was late for his "Chinese Friday" lunch with the Area Sr. Missionary couples in area office because he had a phone call. In fact, he got more phone calls than any other day since here. There must have been at least 20 to 30 calls.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WALT

Happy Birthday, Walt, April 17, 2009. Morning. In sweats, but we took the day off from our morning exercising. He has been known to say: "I hate to exercise." Nevertheless, he does it the 6 mornings a week because that's one of the missionary rules, which sadly in zone conferences we find as he asks how many follow this rule, maybe....maybe....10% of missionaries do their 30 minutes of exercise 6 mornings a week: 20 min aerobic and 10 min strength training, alternated with 10 min the next day of flexibility.

Happy Easter...

This was our "P" day outing to a ranch in the pampas of Argentina. The 8 Sr. Missionary couples for the area went together. It was the 50th anniversary of one of the couples--The Theobalds from St. George.
My two favorite Easter scriptures are:
"...to this end was I born..." --John 37:18
"He is risen, as He said." --Matthew 28:6
Hope the references are right...I'm too tired to look them up.
Have a happy day knowing that we can all look forward to being resurrected because of the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
For a deeper understanding of this, find Elder Jeffrey Holland's 4-min segment on You Tube about Christ from his Gen'l Conf talk of last Sunday.
Love, Los Petersen - Walt & Eileen - Argentina

Sister Aimee Fisher is headed to Tulsa, Oklahoma today.

"Sister Fisher" is on an airplane today on her way to the actual mission field to serve for 18 months in the OKLAHOMA TULSA MISSION. She has had a great experience in the MTC and we know she will be a wonderful missionary. As some families are welcoming their missionaries home, we are just sending our first grandchild off. This 3 weeks has zoomed by since Aimee entered the MTC on March 18.

The Fishers will share in Aimee's mission

Janie & Shawn Fisher and Family will share in Aimee's mission during this 18 months through the letters she writes. Here’s a quote from one of her letters while in the MTC:
“I have learned so much to rely on Heavenly Father and our Savior. I know that there is no way I could do this on my own. It is a great comfort that I don't have to worry about knowing what to do or who to find and what I will teach because that all comes from the Lord through the Spirit. I have never before felt the Spirit so strong. And I have never prayed so much! It is absolutely wonderful.
“Thank you for all your letters! It has been so wonderful hearing how everyone is doing. It makes my day! I love all of you so much and miss you, but I am so happy that I am here. I LOVE being a missionary! 18 months seems long, but at the same time very short.”

"Decisions Determine Destiny"

We love to see the Prophet coming and going at Conference time. The messages seem more poignent each conference, don't they! Walt and I look at each other and whispher "Wow" after most of them, but for Elder Holland's deep doctrinal discourse on the Savior, I didn't have a word because it was beyond "Wow!"
I've been wanting to have some more quotes from President Monson and Elder Jose Teixeira from Portugal gave an excellent one in his fun talk about how the GPS was a new treasure for him in his travels....but then it said: "Lost satellite." Later in his talk he quoted our current Prophet's saying: "Decisions Determine Destiny," which I love.
Each message had so much, we look forward to following President Monson's closing admonision to us: "Read and ponder them..."
And we will also do as he asked: "...Please remember to pray for me and all the General Authorities..." one of whom is now one of Bishop Walter Petersen's Aaronic Priesthood Burley boys from the 1970's, Elder Brent Haight Nielson.

General Conference--a time to cherish

General Conference is always great - no matter what country we're in when it's happening. We do miss being with our kids/grandkids for it, so for now we'll rely on the memories of our past Gen'l Conference times together.
Walt came home last night from Priesthood meeting, all excited as when he and our sons/sons-in-law would all burst in to the room of waiting wives and kids to give us the latest "scoop." (Priesthood was 9:00-11:00pm here...)
"President Uchtdorf is something else!" Walt exclaimed. We both agree that before his call into the Quorum, and now the First Presidency, we didn't realize how dynamic and well-spoken he is.
While I finished chopping the celery for the Hawaiian Haystacks that four of us couples are serving 24 people between the Sunday sessions, Walt went over the highlights of each of the Priesthood session speakers.

It was reafirmed to me that The Lord is in charge, as our Prophet, President Monson told us Saturday, April 4:
"In the world today we face difficulties and challenges, some of which can seem truly daunting. However, with God on our side we cannot fail."

"The new apostle Elder Neil L. Andersen, age 57,born in Logan, was raised in Pocatello, Idaho, on a dairy farm.

"He graduated from Brigham Young University and earned a MBA from Harvard University. After completing his education, he settled in Tampa, Florida, where his business interests included advertising, real estate development, and health care.

Elder Andersen and his wife Kathy have 4 children and 12 grandchildren." paraphrased from KSL News clip.
Let's all learn to spell his name with "sEn".

We are that we might have joy...

This is a fun wall hanging that Hna. Peterson has in the mission home. She said her sister made it for her.

Idea for fun snacks for your guests' bedroom...

This is the fun snack bowl that Hna. LuAnn Peterson had for us in the guest bedroom (in our mission home in Merida it was called the "General Authority Bedroom) of the mission home in the Uruguay Montevideo West Mission when we arrived last Monday, March 30.
That helps relieve the host/hostess from wondering if their guests are hungry...there's a variety of snacks for them to munch on until the mext meal time.
They were very graciious and made staying with them a pleasure. We are always a little uneasy when we first arrive to stay in a mission home because most of the mission presidents and their wife we have not met beforehand.