Dear Family and Friends

We just spent the day at the beach. It took about 30 minutes to drive to Luicito's Ranch. We thought we were going to a ranch that was on the ocean, but it was a house that is a vacation rental on the beach. It is the rainy season, so we had the beach to ourselves. In Feb, March, and April the tourists come. All along this section of ocean were these "ranches". Each one had a swimming pool. this one had three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and another bathroom and changing rooms by the pool. We had a man climb the coconut tree and cut down a bunch of coconuts for us to try. They were not ripe and did not taste good. The water is not cold, just luke warm. It was a real relaxing day. Conference was great. we had the three days off and it was much needed. We are ready to go back to work tomorrow. We are on the PM shift for this week, YEA!! I really don't like getting up early. We went to the fish market, smelly! Lots of fish that I could not name. Last monday we spent the morning at the Immigration office trying to get the paperwork done for our 1 year visa's. We are here on three month visa's now. We had to get fingerprinted and pictures taken but mostly I think they just wanted the money, $240.00 for the two of us. Sharon, I don't know how many wards are in Bosser City, but the Kitleys kids just moved there. He is a chiropractor and their name is the Ericksons. I was sitting on a chair at the temple and had my legs out in front of me when a sister walked by and bumped into my legs. She said that my legs were so long and I was really tall. I told her that that was the first time I had been called tall in my whole life. She couldn't believe it and wanted to know how tall my siblings and kids were. Aunt Alice, thank you so much for letting us know about Aunt Ann. We have had her name on the prayer roll and are so glad that she is feeling better. Ron, Lon wants to hear all about the big elk that you get. We really enjoy the rainy season. The thunder and lightning are amazing and the rain comes down in buckets for ten to 20 minutes then the sun comes out and it doesn't even look like it rained at all. I told the people that I didn't even own an umberella in Idaho and didn't need one. Lon and I have been asked to sing a duet in Sacrament meeting this month. I think we will sing "I am a Child of God" We are singing in the ward choir. I have attached a couple of pictures for you. I wish pictures could really show the deep greens and flowers that are here. Every thing is so pretty. We are getting over a sinus infection, I last week and Lon this week. We've had a few sick people at the temple. They shared with us. But we are feeling better and ready to go to work. Thank you all for your prayers and support. We feel the strength of your prayers in our behalf. You are all in our prayers also. We send all our love Lon and Nancy

You Have Been Found (hopefully)

Well last week my LDSMail email account decided to erase all my email addresses. For the first time since we arrived, I really felt alone and far from home. I never thought I would enjoy email so much. It has taken a week, but I think we have you back. We'll see how many addresses don't go through. Last week was San Salvador's independence day and instead of going to the mountains or the beach, the people came to the temple. We were so busy. It was exhausting and wonderful. We had a couple of rain storms that were unreal. The thunder and lightning were frightening and the rain wow. I left the temple, had about 30 yards to our apartment and arrived soaked. My hair was dry cause I had my umberella though. We are on the same time as Idaho right now. We will not change with day light savings though. We have found the sweetest bananas. They are about 6" long and green. If you wait for them to turn yellow, they are too ripe. The local oranges are green and the lemons are green. We took our first walk outside our gated community. A few of us walked to the Multi Plaza while the others rode in the Presidents van. We won't all fit in the van at one time. The Multi Plaza is three stories with parking below that. We have a huge Sears, Payless Shoes, Hallmark, Radio Shack and more shoe stores than I have ever seen in one place. There are some cute stores that carry only local items. We had lunch at Tony Ramas. We can walk from there, over the street on a walk way to the Walmart plaza. Now we don't have to rely on a member or a taxi to get us to the store. The President brings all the packages home in the van and we walk so we can all go shopping at the same time. It is amazing how long it takes to get a home stocked with food so you don't have to shop every week. We are finding almost everything we need, sometimes in a little different way. No cool whip-have to whip my own; no ranch dressing so we have given up on it; the milk in the gallon goes bad before we can drink all of it so we have found their milk in cartons that don't need refrigerated, like soy milk, only real milk. It is real good milk. We went to our first baptism in our ward. I learned how to make pupuses! Sister Majano, the first counseler's wife, taught us for home evening. They are not made like I had expected. They are good, only mine will be made with hamburger instead of sausage, and different cheeses. We still think Arapa's are better. The tortilla's here are not thin, they are about 4" round and 1/2" thick. And you have to be careful when you order quesadeas. They are a sweet bread that looks like corn bread and can have corn, nuts, raisins,and you don't know what else in them. Back to email addresses, I have a couple that I have wrong, If any of you can help me find the correct address please send them to me. Dennis and Diana Petersen, John Maybe you have this one? Gene Van Wagner, Charlotte could you try to call him?, Cecilia Worthington, Jerome people? Thank you. I have attached a couple of pictures, Mindi didn't believe that her dad can do laundry so the first is lon doing the laundry, then a picture of a pickup with school kids heading home from school, President Petersen with a woman who is 100 years old, notice where the door knob is, a pupusa, our front room and our trip out of our secure little world. I hope you all are well and happy. We sure are. We have the am shift this week so we have to be to the temple by 6:00. We send our love to all. Lon and Nancy

 

To Kyleigh, Mason, Riley, Aydan, Dillon, Ryanne, Gideon, Jaikka, Nathan, Hannah, Issac, Chandler, Ashton and Eisley

Yesterday I met a woman who was about my age, and she couldn't read anything. She couldn't even find her locker to get her purse because she couldn't read the numbers. I want to remind you all that school is a priviledge. You are blessed to live in a time and place where you can learn and become anything you want to be. Please work hard and don't take school for granted. Some people do not have that priviledge. Her parents didn't have the money to send her to school and she lived out too far to walk to school. She had to work to be able to eat. If you are able to be in sports, or music, or dance, or drama, be sure to work hard at it too and be thankful that your parents are willing to sacrifice so you can do that. You each have great parents who love you so much. Grandpa and I are so proud of you all. We miss you but are very happy working here in San Salvador and trying to help these special people. We love working in the Temple. Our email in the LDSmail decided to erase all our email adddresses. Brother Kitley is trying to retreave them, but they are in computer language so it is taking time. I will wait to send pictures when we get all the emails back, hopefully by Saturday or Sunday. Grandma just doesn't have any luck with computers!! I know each of you could do a better job then I can. We love you Hugs and Kisses from Grandpa and Grandma Thompson

My Hero From San Salvador

This week I have a hero. Her name is Sister Vazquez. She works at the temple each week day afternoon. She hits about by shoulder and is at least 5 or 10 years older than I am. She has a bad knee and walks with a limp but on Friday she was limping on both legs. When I asked her about it, through an interperater she told me that on Thursday night she was hit by a car on her way home. The driver stopped and helped her up but she was fine, only bruised. I couldn't believe that she was back to the temple on Friday, and she walkes to and from the temple. She never complains and works so hard. What a faithful, dedicated woman. She loves her Heavenly Father and the temple. I don't think I would have walked to the temple the next day after being hit by a car. I hope I can grow up to be like her, a woman of faith. We spent all day on Sunday in meetings, first our three hour block of church, then 4 hours of training in the temple. We were so tired that we didn't write any letters. Then yesterday, our P-day, we played. We hired a driver and guides, a Stake president and his wife and the driver of a microbus (meecreboos). It an seat 15 and the 10 missionaries went to see the Boqueron volcano. It erupted in 1917 and blew off the top of the mountain. Inside the crater is what is called the little giant, another volcano that has blown at least once but it is inside the old volcano. There are people living inside the crater also. It was a beautiful walk to the top.

Our group of missionaries climbing to the crater and the little giant volcano inside the crater.

Lon is sitting on a bench that is on the path.

We then went to the Planes of Renderos for pupuses. Supposed to the the best in San Salvador.  We liked them very much.  We met a couple of young missionaries who were out tracting and had them join us for dinner, the one elder was from Draper Utah and had only been in the country for 5 days. I think we made their day. Hopefully you can open these and see part of this beautiful country. We are doing great, didn't even get sick from eating out. It was fun to get out of our temple compound and see the country. We are so blessed to live in the USA and have so much to be thankful for, like a good roof over our heads, transportation, carpet, stoves, dishwashers, all the luxeries of life. But we are also blessed to have such great friends and family. Thank you all for your love and support and especially your prayers in our behalf. Love to all Lon and Nancy

Loves and Kisses from Grandma and Grandpa

Wow, how to describe this week; exciting, exausting, wonderful, nervewracking, educational, great!! We had training at the temple at 6:00am on Monday, then at 1:00 we had two sessions for the dignitaries, area presidents, temple department people, Sis. Allred of the General board, I got a hug and kiss from her, (I just love the custom of kisses and hugs when you great people.)  We got to our apartments about 6 and met with Pres and Sis Peterson to schedule. Dad and I got the afternoon shift with the Kitleys this first week.  The morning shift starts at 6:00 and works to about 2:00 and the afternoon shift starts at 1:00 and works til closing, usually about 9:00 then we clean the temple before we come home. Our trained temple workers ended up being set apart, spending a day or two at the Guatamala temple and that was it. The people are so eager to learn and very teachable and quick to learn. a much more educated people than the mexicans that come to Idaho to work. we ate lunch at the cafiteria two days, they only charge 2.50 a plate and the food was very good. we can't buy food that cheap. The temple washers broke down so Saturday night Dad and I did 6 loads of towels from the Baptistry here at the apartments, we have 3 washers and dryers here. Dad is getting real good at the laundry. Sunday morning we had to get the "ox out of the mire" so we washed, dryed and folded the baptism jumpsuits here. we couldn't leave them wet all weekend. The weather is beautiful, not too hot or cold. it is the rainny season so you never go out without an umberella. it can be sunny one minute, then pour for ten minutes then sunny again. we had a Sunday meal all to gether with the missionary couples and it poured the whole time, we ate out side on our patio but you don't need even sweaters even when it rains. the flowers and trees are beautiful and so green. it gets light about 5:00 and dark by 5:00pm. Shopping is hard as we have to rely on someone taking us. Walmart is very expensive, the prices are about the same as the US, however, the containers are half the size. We hope to get to the Price Smart store (like costco) and to the local mercentile soon. People have to rely on the local transportation to get to the temple, very few can afford cars or gas,$5.00 a gallon. so noone is on time for their shift. we can start a shift with only 4 or 5 and by the middle have all 20, then they have to leave to catch the bus home so we end with the 3 or 4 and the temple missionaries to clean the temple. we will work one more week on nights then do two weeks on days. I am real tall here. the people usually reach my shoulder. they are definately mayan. Sunday was ward conference for our ward and the first time in their new building there was over 200 there. we will have to see next week how many of them were stake visiters and how many were inactives who were curious about the building. They have a decent chior and Dad and I hope to sing with them. Today was out day off, we had a brunch with 4 english sisters who are here because their husbands work for the American Embassy and the FBI. They are your ages and younger. Once a month the english get to gether so these young girls can visit and relax with grandmas. It was nice, Dad did all the laundry and vaccumed the house while I was gone. He is real worried that I will expect this when we get home. The youth come to the temple to do baptisms for the dead starting at 6 am until 8:30pm. They are so thrilled to have a temple close. The spirit is so special here. we do have a lot of work to do to get the temple running smothly, but it is His house and the work will go forward. Shayla, please send me a lable from my tuna, there is a store here that will try to order products for us. Use the pouch mail. These young girls have been here for a year or two and the mail is not reliable. Packages are subject to a customs charge, One sister ordered a sweater for about $20.00 and the customs was $40.00. We will just have to email and skype and pouch mail. They said a shoe box can cost up to $60.00 in customs fees. Justin, Lon is concerned about the game, we have ESPN but don't know if it is a Spanish feed or us. He wondered about skyping Tracy and watching on his TV. or just have Ginger skype with her computer and watch you and Mindi then we will know what the game is doing. We plan on skyping Ginger while she is at your house on Sunday at 6:00 Idaho time. We send our love, we are well and happy. Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma

Temple

We met with the temple president yesterday for 3 hours and he told us of the 250 ordinance workers that were turned in very few know the ordinances. Because the transportation system is so poor, we do not know when the workers will be coming. When we start prayer meeting we will then asign the coordinators for the shift depending on who is there. We will fill in where needed. We are to have no calling in the temple or in the ward only a home teacher and then our senior companion would have to have the car to take us. We are not to leave the compound without permission from the president, and then it must be as a group and usually in his van or a members van or a well known taxi driver. The temple and the appartments are much prettier than the pictures. It's amazing how many people it takes to put on this dedication. They have been working pretty much around the clock to get it ready. As for the cost of food, it is about the same as the US only they are in much smaller containers but you can buy almost any thing at Walmart here as in Jerome. We are going to try another store that is suppose to be less expensive but is a little further away. We have been here only a few days and love the people. They are so loving and kind. Not only in the temple grounds but also at the store. We are working on the language every chance we get and Nancy is learning much faster than I thought. We have been practicing as we walk and she is awsome. The people are so great to help, I already get sad to think that someday we will have to leave. When the temple opens Monday, Which we will be up most of the night getting ready,(because the last dedication session ends at 6:00 PM ) we have to be read by 7:00 Monday morning to start with training for the ordiance workers. After that because of those scheduled to come it is going to be very busy and we will have to be on call from 6:00am-9:00pm for the first week at least. Once it gets normal we will work a morning shift which is 6am-2pm one month and then 1pm-closing the next. We are well and doing fine and have the next few days to recoup and then it could get very busy. It is exciting being here and getting to know and meet many church leaders. Brother Rivas from tne 1st quorm of 70 Area representatives and members of the temple committees etc. They have been arriving daily. President Eyring will be here to dedicate the temple. We have tickets and will be seated inside the temple but I don't know which room. We also have tickets to the cultural event Saturday night. Well I had better close for now.

We Arrived Safely

Just a quick note to let you know that we arrived safely to San Salvador. It was a gruelling trip. We left Twin Falls airport at 1:30 pm on the 16th and arrived in SanSalvador at 5:45am on the 17th. Not a lot of sleep. We were served dinner at 2:00 am on the final flight. No luggage was lost. Pres and Sis Peterson met us with 2 vans for the hour ride to the Temple. Our apartments are so nice. The Temple is beautiful. There is still a lot to do before the dedication so we will be busy the next few days. Pres Eyring will be here for the dedication. Sunday after the dedication, about 6:00pm all the extra chairs that have been set up for the dedication will have to be taken back to the other chapels plus the TV's and all else to be ready for the two sessions that are scheduled for Monday.then on Tues we will be hopefully ready for a full day 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Wev'e had time for two short naps and hopefully after a good nights sleep, we will be ready for the people to come. Our thoughts and prayers are will you. We are so happy to be here. Love to all Elder and Sister Thompson

   We are in front of the Temple with Bro and Sis Gibbons, Bro and Sis Wall, Bro and Sis Kitley, Pres. and sis Peterson. We were set apart today as Temple Ordinance Workers. The temple is full of the chruch sound system groups, and any one who has to help this dedication happen. Life is great. we love you Dad and Mom