Please forgive me for not getting a letter written last week. I really don't have a good excuse other than "life" just got in the way. I remember how disappointed we were when Tracy was on his mission and we didn't get a letter each week. I will try to repent and do better from now on.
These two past weeks have been busy in the temple with usually one to three buses here each day. We have been on the PM Shift. We had two different groups here from Honduras, one each week. It is so much fun when they are here. They spend all day and evening in the temple for two days then head home very happy and content with lots of new eternal families created.
We have had two days that were a struggle. We lost our water at the temple for about 4 hours each day. Can you imagine having 50 or 60 people in a building with no bathrooms? When we tell the people that the bathrooms are closed, they just shrug and carry on. It doesn't phase them at all. We Americans freak out and want to close the temple, but the Salvadorians are used to doing without and take it in stride. It did make the laundry get behind big time. I was late getting home these days as I was trying to help the laundry get caught up after our shift.
President Petersen has taken these two weeks off. He is in a lot of pain in his back and leg. He has tried two weeks of bed rest to see is that makes a difference. His surgery went well, but he returned to a full schedule so soon that his doctors are thinking that is causing the pain. He just hasn't healed from the surgery completely. His new MRI shows no problems. We really miss him and Sister Petersen in the temple. They bring such a sweet spirit when they are there.
I was asked to do the Primary music for three weeks and today was the first day. I have spent a lot of time trying to get ready. Our Primary here is a real mix of Spanish speakers and English speakers. I wasn't too worried til I began reading the songs to get ready. I figured that the action songs would not be too hard but soon found out that they were not the same in Spanish. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes changed into Head, Face, shoulders, and toes, and one turn around. Not only new words but new actions. Do as I'm doing is not "if I do it high or low, if I do it fast or slow". It is " if I do it on this side or that side, if I do it slow or fast". I had Sister Kitley make me an apple with a cute worm to come out if the kids sing good and it was a great hit. The kids sang so good. It was fun and challenging. One of the English boys walked into Senior Primary and saw me and said, "Oh good. English today". I replied in Spanish, "Why, we live in San Salvador and need to speak Spanish". His whole frame crumbled and I had to laugh. I came home totaled but all in all it went real good. I haven't done Primary music for years. After church, I was asked to do 10 minutes of music in the nursery each week from now on. Now I have really got to work on the music. You can't do the nursery with a book in your hand. The songs have to be memorized to get those little people to sing at all.
My three piano students are working hard and progressing. All the instruction books are in Spanish so if I can't figure out what they are saying, I have to look up the book online and read what they are saying in English. I am teaching with the church course and hope to have them ready to play out of the hymn book when I leave.
Elder Thompson is enjoying the Olympics when we get a chance to watch. This week is AM shift so that will be good for watching. We will get a good nap each day so he can stay up and watch each night.
We are so thankful for our generator. Tonight we had a huge thunder storm with lots of rain and the power went out right in the middle of a race. The generator kicked on and we saw the end of the race. We are well taken care of here.
We hope each of you are happy and well and enjoying life. We are well and so happy to be here. We love these people, their courage and example, and their love for our Father in Heaven. We hope you have a great week. We send our love to all. Lon and Nancy, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma
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