El Salvador - Utah - El Salvador

As I was in the midst of this post, we received word that Walt's wonderful sister, Phyllis has passed away from a fall on Friday which caused a broken hip.
    We send our heart-felt condolences to her husband Dale Bunn who has taken such tender care of her these past few years during her declining health.  And we pray that Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ will enfold them with Their Love and Comfort to Dale and each of their six children and many grandchildren--Don & Jeanine Bunn and family; Matthew & Brenda Bunn and family; Mitchell & Karen Bunn and family; Clifford & Stephanie Bunn and family; Brenda & Jerry Tagestad and family; Beverly, widow of Pat Inglis and their family.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  Here is our post for today ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
This week in El Salvador, then Utah, then back to El Salvador
July 28 - August 3, 2014
[Didn't get last Saturday July 26 and Sunday July 27 posts finished...and I may not.]
For now I'm starting with
July 28 - Monday
After cooking whole wheat pancakes for breakfast with Daniel and Kelly, we drove them to their volunteer work at the San Rafael Hospital.   Daniel helps Grampa get turned around from the turnout.

From there Walt drove Elder y Hna. Haroldsen and me to Price Smart.  After unloading our things at the apartment, the Haroldsens rode with us for Walt's late morning appointment with his cardiologist, Dr. Jaime López Winter.  
     He went over Walt's Holtor Monitor positive Holtor Monitor results.

Walt gave this superior cardiologist a special thank you for all that he has done for him during our three years here.  With only 3 months left, we may not see him again.  "Good-byes" are always hard.
Dr. López Winter talked about the new "dash diet," and the S.A.D. diet--"Standard American Diet."  I asked if he had heard about our Church's Word of Wisdom..."no coffee, tea, or tobacco, eat meat sparingly, fruits and vegetables in the season thereof, wheat for man, and other foods in moderation... with the promise to run and not be weary and to walk and not faint."
He had not heard of it.
I showed him Section 89 in the Doctrine and Covenants and showed him that it isn't very long, but powerful. 

We had a long afternoon nap, then picked up Daniel and Kelly.
They were drenched from waiting in a big thunderstorm and it was the first day they had forgotten to take their umbrellas.

Family Home Evening was hosted by Elder y Hna. Haroldsen. She gave a great lesson on "The Promise of Hearts Turning" by President Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, July 2014, p. 4.    

She asked each of us to share an experience of doing family history, and how the spirit of Elijah has touched us.

We love FHE together to learn from each other.
She served "poor man's cake" topped with burnt sugar frosting.

July 29 - Tuesday
We had the early morning/early afternoon shift.
I was out on our terrace patio taking a photo of a pick up load of patrons leaving the temple grounds, when...

Daniel and Kelly came walking up from their day volunteering at the hospital. (They are on an adventure from July 31 to Aug 11 going to Guatemala, then on to Belize. Then they will have four more days with us before they return to the states.  It has been a great 3 months to have them here.)

Then Walt and I drove them back for Daniel playing on the hospital soccer team at a game in a big park up by the Merilot Plaza.

We then continued packing for our flight to Utah the next morning.

July 30 - Wednesday
We got to the airport a touch before six o'clock.

Waiting at the gate....waiting....plane delayed 2 1/2 hours so they served all the passengers a tipica breakfast...

Gary, Abbey, Jacob, and Isaac picked us up at the Salt Lake City Airport...which we always appreciate!  I was so exhausted...didn't get any photos.
July 31 - Thursday - Kelsey & Joshua's Wedding Day...the reason we came

Kelsey with her mom, and her maid of honor, Cortney, her sister.

Her brothers...Kimble and Carter.

Her dad, Steve and mom, Natalie...

We were happy we could be with Kelsey on her wedding day.
We wish for them to have a wonderful life together as "Mr. & Mrs. Summers."  I

Cortney came and talked with Julie and Aimee...

David and we enjoyed seeing Ruth & Cliff...

It was great to see my sister, Janice, and her daughters, Vickie and Sarah.

Ruth & Cliff Cole, our niece and nephew are Walt's brother Dale's daughter and son-in-law from Bountiful.  We pray for their safety Monday, August 4 as they drive their daughter Charity to college in Oklahoma where she has a soccer scholarship.

Gary enjoyed talking to his cousins...

..

And some of our children and grandchildren got to be there.
Ashley and Jacee...

Jacee, Abbey, and Ashley about to join in the dancing...

Michael, Samuel, and Kimble...

Weddings...a fun time for family to be together to show their love for the bride and groom.  And a time for the father to have one last dance with his daughter.

August 1 - Friday
John and Julie drove to Declo for the funeral of Fred and Emy Darrington's daughter, Rebecca.
Max, their puppy, waited and watched for them to come back.

Grampa told Aimee and Ashley goodbye before their 4-5 hour drive back to Rexburg.

David drove down to Saratoga Springs to pick us up to spend the day with him and his family...starting with Smashburgers for lunch.

Jackson and Sam chose chicken strips.

We all liked the milkshakes David got for us: Grasshopper was Josh's favorite, Grampa chocolate, Grama vanilla, Jackson strawberry, Sam and David and William caramel.

In the afternoon we started watching Audey Murphy's biographical movie showing how he won more medals than anyone else during World War II...we didn't get very far in to it when I remembered that I had forgotten to bring my hearing aids. So David drove us back to Saratoga Springs to get them, and we got back to the Sandy Costco just in time for my appointment to have them adjusted for sound quality.
      Then it was time to eat again...this time at Chuck-a-Rama.

"Grama, please take a picture of us," chimed in Isaac.

It was so fun talking and laughing about times past and present, but then it was time to...

...be off to the "Big Band Tribute - In the Mood"..an evening of live big band music and Ballroom Dancing in the beautiful Draper Amphitheater sponsored by the Draper Arts Council.  I even won a $35 prize for knowing that Frank Sinatra was the lead in the 1950s movie "Pal Joey" which the band played the theme song from.  David said it was for the grocery store where they shop, so that covered the cost of the tickets for the 7 of us who went.
  Grampa and I knew most all the songs they played: "Puttin' on the Ritz," "Lullaby of Broadway," "Don't Fence Me In," "Sentimental Journey," "Besame Mucho," and "In the Mood," plus 22 others.
We didn't know "720 in the Books," nor "Shiny Stockings."
It was a delightful evening under the stars listening to this music from the 1940s.

August 2 - Saturday
Gary picked us up to rendezvous with David and Julie at the Draper Temple for an early morning session where we planned to see the new film number 3.  However, it turned out to be the new film number 1--which we have in our temple--but we dont' have new films number 2 or 3.  
Although the First Presidency has asked that all temples in Utah show the new temple film number 3, if someone needs it in another language other than English, the only one so far with translation into other languages is this first new film.  Someone in our session had an audiophone for a different language--perhaps Japonese.
Nevertheless, we had a great session, and enjoyed being together in this beautiful temple.  It was Gary's and our first time in the Draper Temple.  

David and Julie live just a few minutes from it.

David and Julie were coming down to Saratoga Springs to get Sam and William from the sleep-over with their cousins, so we rendezvoused this time at the Pizza Pie Party Place. Great food and even better company.

Time is zooming by and we soon have to leave our kids and grandkids for three more months.

Here we are with our four kids--Steve, Julie, Gary, David--who live within 5-20 minutes of each other in the Salt Lake and Utah County valleys.

It's always wonderful to be with our kids and grandkids.

Grampa even got to see one of Carter's soccer games.  But he didn't have time to go shoot with them on Saturday afternoon.

We had a relaxing time just talking and being together for a couple of hours before having to pack.

Grampa was very impressed with Jacee's "Chuck Converse All Stars" tennis shoes that she has chosen for back to school time.

All too soon it was time for Gary to drive us to the Salt Lake Airport to head back to El Salvador. 

Gary, thank  you again for always getting us to and from the airport.
Just one more flight back and then we're back home for good!

We had a 2-hour fight to Los Angeles, a 2 hour layover, then a 5-hour flight on in to San Salvador. A loooong night!
August 3, 2014 - Sunday
President and Sister Majano were at the airport to pick us up Sunday morning.

And now we're back in our temple president's apartment in El Salvador.

We got a 20-minute nap, then went to our three-hour block of Church, after which we slept most of the rest of the afternoon until our fast-breaker delicious Sunday dinner hosted by the Haroldsens.

There were 10 of us today: Clockwise: President Peteren, President Eduardo y Consuelo Alas, Elder Mike y Hna. Jeanne Udall, Elder Roberto y Hna. Irma Caballero, Elder DeVar y Hna. Sharon Harolden.

This is what the date box said when we left:

"♫♪As Time Goes By♫♪" today it says:

We pray that you have had a restful and peaceful Sabbath Day.
We are thankful for the Lord's protection for us to travel safely during this week.
We are thankful for the marriage of our granddaughter Kelsey to a great young man, Joshua Summers.
We are thankful for our family and that

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER.

We are thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves us, 

for His Beloved and Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, for The Bible and

The Book of Mormon which is another testament of Jesus Christ, 

for the Prophet Joseph Smith who restored The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times,

for restored Priesthood ordinances,

for restored Temple ordinances,

and for missionaries who teach these truths throughout the world.

Of this we testify.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Walter Ray Petersen, President of the San Salvador El Salvador Temple, and

Eileen Marie Petersen, Matron of the San Salvador El Salvador Temple.