This afternoon Elder Carlos H. Amado, President of the Central America Area, spoke at our Temple Workers' Devotional.
     He kept everyone spellbound for 55 minutes.
     We are thankful for these General Authorities who give the best years of their lives to inspire and lift us.

We are also commemorating the 2nd anniversary of the dedication of the temple - August 21, 2011.
    It was great to have our three daughters join us during that exciting time when we had just been here for one month.
   Janie, Julie, and Jen were here for 5 days. 

This evening I shared some of the same talk I gave last Sunday at the San Miguel Stake Conference, with the focus on the importance of being sealed in the temple.
     We read in Doctrine and Covenants 132:19 this about the sealing power: 
"And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them--Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection...and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths--then shall it be written in the Lamb's Book of Life...it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time and through all eternity, and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever."

Walt was teary to see the chapel and rows into the cultural hall filled with so many of our temple workers. He thanked them for all that they do to help the work of the temple go forward.  He thanked them for coming from near and far--some come on buses from 2, 3, and even 4 hours one way to the temple from their homes.
              He talked about special times that touched his heart when he returned from his back surgery just over a year ago and many told him they had been praying for him.   
     One day a tiny, elderly hermana said: "President, I pray for you."
            We do love and appreciate our temple workers. Plus we are also thankful for the patrons who come each day the temple is open.
...........Earlier on this Sunday
We prepared "Costa Rica Sundaes" for a light lunch for Elder Amado.  

I let Daniel take my camera for this week, so Elder Clark came and took these photos for us today. (Many thanks!)  And Elder Clark also gathered some gardenas for the table centerpieces and Hna. Clark helped arrange them. (Thanks again!)

The 11 at lunch today...clockwise, Walt, Aida Majano, Rafael Majano, Jaime López, Elder Amado, Eduardo Alas, Consuelo Alas, Hno. Pitcher, Hna. Pitcher who are temple missonaries in the Guatemala Temple.  (He baptized President Alas at age 25.) 

They are aka "Hawaiian Haystacks" or "Dinner from Bali."
We appreciated the help of Hermana Majano who brought the rice, and fresh pineapple, and Hermana Alas who brought tomatoes, onions, and watermelon.
    As Elder Amado was creating his layers of the toppings, I said: "We have fruit for dessert, or I also have ice cream."
 "I prefer ice cream," he replied.

As we were getting everything put away from dinner, Elder y Hna. Clark went over early for the 4:00 Devotional.  She took a couple of photos:
Here is Hna. Carmen Manzaneres on the left and the Montepeque family on the right...Emilio y Vincenta Montepeque have two sons and two daughters who are all very active, and most of them are temple workers.  Hna. Clark took this photo today before the Devotional began.

Here is another temple worker at the Devotional today: Ruth Peña.

Yesterday, Saturday, August 24, broke the record for the number of buses that came.  Again, The Clarks have shared their photos with us:
     18 bues were parked in the temple parking lot at one time.
Most were from San Miguel, with some coming from Sonsonate and Sonsocate.

Buses, buses, and more buses....filled with workers and patrons. Needless to say, the sessions were overflowing, as were baptisms for the dead, initiatory, and sealings.

We are thankful for the temple, for our temple workers, and for the patrons who come and go each day.  We are thankful for our Area President, Elder Amado, coming to be with us for this commemoration of the 2nd Anniversary of the dedication of the beautiful San Salvador El Salvador Temple.

Here is one of our favorite photos of the temple taken by Elder Trent Kitley...in the group of our first four Sr. Temple Missonary Couples.  Well I can't find that photo in "My Pictures," so here is a good one taken at sunrise by Hna. Diane Wall on one of her early morning walks.

We were so blessed to have Elder Amado here today. Here is a short write-up I found about him:

Elder Carlos H. Amado

First Quorum of the Seventy

Elder Carlos Humberto Amado was sustained a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 1, 1989. In June 1992, Elder Amado was called to serve in the First Quorum of the Seventy.

He is currently serving as counselor in the Central America Area, having previously served as president of the Chile Area, the South America West Area, and the South America South and Central America Areas. He also served as counselor in the Area Presidencies of South America West, South America South, Mexico South, Central America, and Mexico/Central America.

Prior to his call as a General Authority, he served in the Church as a full-time missionary in the Andes Mission, a regional representative two times, chairman of the Guatemala City Temple Committee, stake president, stake president’s counselor, bishop, branch president, sealer in the Guatemala City Temple, and president of the Guatemala Guatemala City Mission. He was also assigned to reopen the El Salvador San Salvador Mission.

Initially a technical draftsman, Elder Amado received his degree from the Technical Vocational Institute of Guatemala City. He later became an area director for the Church Educational System, a position he held for 14 years.

He was born September 25, 1944, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, to Carlos and Albertina Funes de Amado. He is married to Mayavel Pineda, and they are the parents of five children. They also have four grandsons and three granddaughters.