Where Did That Week Go?

    We have no idea where last week went. It was here and gone so fast! The Petersens arrived home on Thursday evening and were back to the temple for their regular shifts on Friday and Saturday. It is so good to have them back. It was like having Mom and Dad return from vacation with treats. They brought each of us "real" coconut, brown sugar (I can't even describe what they call brown sugar here. It is brown, very course, and doesn't dissolve), and we got packages of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. Christmas came early!! Time for coconut cream pie!

     The temple was busy all week, just busy, not overflowing and that was OK because we didn't have a lot of workers this week. There seems to be a lot of sickness going around. With the Petersens
return, the Gibbons are back to our regular rotation so we have two weeks on the PM Shift and one on the AM Shift.

      We went out for Family Home Evening to celebrate the Gibbons 47th Wedding Anniversary, picture #1. The couple you don't recognize is Elder and Sister Hall. They are the PEF missionaries here in El Salvador. (PEF is a program of the church to help youth with funding for College) Elder Hall is the brother of Brett's councilor in the Bishopric in Jerome. They are from California. We have adopted them into our family. They really are alone here with their work so they now come to Sunday Dinner and anything else that we do.

      While we were out and about on Monday, we saw two amazing trees. Thought you would like to see them. The roots of the trees just fight for space, picture #2 and the trees don't grow straight and tall like at home. picture #3 and #4, I am sure that has a lot to do with the building of buildings next to us. There is no wood in the houses at all.    

     Well, that is about all for now. We just wanted you to know that we are alive and busy with the work the Lord has called us to do. We love serving in His House and love serving with the other missionaries here. We really are a family. We send our love to each of you and hope that you have a great week. You are all in our thoughts and prayers daily. Thank you for yours in our behalf. We feel the love and strength from you daily. All our love, Lon and Nancy, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma.

The Teatro National and the Orquesta Sinfonica

  We can't believe that June is here. Where does the time go? Because we were on the AM shift last week, we were able to go to the National Theater to listen to the Symphony again. The other
performances were at the Presidential Theater, just a huge auditorium, but very nice. The National Theater is very unique and old. It was built in 1911 and has recently been renovated. Photo #1 is of Lon and I taken from the parking garage. As you can tell, it was raining. It rains almost every day now that "winter is here" It was probably only in the low 80's.

     Rene Hernandez is the violin player and piano player in our ward who has accompanied me several times. Photo #2 is Rene and I in the lobby of the National Theater. He and our Bishop play in the symphony. It is their jobs. They are paid by the government to be in the orchestra and perform twice every two weeks with practices the other two weeks. He took us on Wednesday the 30th. The performance started at 6:00 PM and only lasted for an hour and 15 minutes. Just short enough for Lon not to get bored.

     I wish my camera could do the building justice. The theater was in a half circle. It had about 12 rows of seating right in front of the stage and then private booths all the way around the outside. You
got into each booth by a private door and there are three stories of the booths. Picture #3 is Lon sitting in our booth and #4 is our door, number 1. We felt like royalty getting into #1. It was center stage, or as Lon put it, right on the 50 yard line. The concert was honoring the Italian Embassy here so maybe they thought we were with the embassy. The seats were amazing. The guest soloist was a pianist from Italy. Wow could he ever play and we could see his hands so good. We did splurge a little on the tickets though, $1.00 a piece. You read it right, one dollar. At that price, we hope to be able to go again soon. The music was amazing and it was just a feel good night after a feel good day in the temple.

    Sunday, our Bishopric decided that they wanted to get to know the North Americans in the ward better so they planned a pot luck "Break the Fast" dinner at 5:00. We had over 70 in attendance. There are a lot of Embassy people here. Picture #5 is Elder Thompson enjoying the dessert first, before he was too full to enjoy it. And #6 is just of the gym at the church. It was nice to not have to worry about listening or talking in Spanish for an evening.

     President and Sister Petersen have been given the green light to return to us this week. We are so excited that they are coming home! President still uses the walker to get around but his leg is getting
stronger each day and hopefully the nerve that was pinched will heal completely over time. Sister Petersen is also using a walker because her knee is giving her problems. But walkers won't slow down these two. They have a mission to finish and they are determined to do just that.

      With the rains starting, we haven't had big days at the temple except Saturday. We hope that the rains just come once a day and that we don't have the flooding that happened last year. We felt the earth move the last two Sunday afternoons. Don't think we will ever get used to that. It is a real weird feeling. But it happens so often here that the natives don't even notice unless it is real hard. We send our love to all and hope that you are well and enjoying life. We are very happy and content, loving the work and the people. May God bless you with the righteous desires of your hearts is our

prayer, Los Thompsons, Lon and Nancy, Dad and Mom, Grandma and Grandpa.

Sacrifice, We Have No Concept of the Word!

     This week we had saints from Honduras at the temple again. They are so anxious for their own temple to open and we are not looking forward to the day when they will stop coming here. As I watched them arrive and helped them through the two days that they were here, I got to thinking about sacrifices.

      When Lon and I were first married, we had to drive CLEAR over to Idaho Falls to attend the temple; three hours in an air conditioned car with the sun in our eyes on the way over and the sun in our eyes going home. Wow, that was a tough trip! What a sacrifice! Then, the Boise Temple opened; 1 hour and 45 minutes from our door to the temple in an air conditioned car with the sun to our back going and coming. Then, the Twin Falls temple opened; 15 minutes from our door step. We did not sacrifice to attend the temple. The Lord really made it easy for us. Did we appreciate it and take advantage of this blessing? Not like we should have.

     I want to share the story of one family who came here this week from Honduras. This family could not just jump in the car and come to the temple. It took years to get ready to come. First of all, they
all had to have passports and visa's to leave Honduras and enter El Salvador. These are time consuming and not cheep. The father had died earlier, so the mother brought her three children to the temple to be sealed to them. The two boys had received their mission calls and the daughter and her husband also were here to be sealed. Five people who had to pay for passports, visa's, transportation (in a bus)  motel room for one night, and clothes for the temple. I can't magine how much it cost them. But they sacrificed for years, saving to come to the temple. They just beamed in the temple and spent every minute there that they could before they had to get on the bus for the 8-hour ride home. There was no complaining about being tired or ungry. They just radiated with the spirit while they were here. Most of the people from Honduras and Nicaragua who come to the temple are only able to come once a year. Then they save up for a year for the next trip. We in North America are so blessed. Most of us do not have to travel more than 2 hours and we can be at the temple. I really feel bad for using the excuses not to attend more often: it's just too far to drive, gas is too expensive, I just don't
feel good today so I'll go tomorrow, or tomorrow, or tomorrow.

       It has always been said that each calling we receive is to help us grow. Well, this mission call has helped Lon and I both appreciate our ancestors who really did sacrifice so we could live in a free
country with all of our privileges and blessings. We will never take them for granted again. We hope you all enjoy this Memorial Day with sweet memories of our loved ones who have gone to live with our Heavenly Father. Don't take life for granted. Enjoy each day and be thankful for all that you have. We love you. We still do not have a date for the return of Pres. and Sister Petersen. We do miss them.
Love Dad and Mom, Lon and Nancy, Grandma and Grandpa

We Survived Another AM Shift!

     Well, last week was the AM shift again. With President and Sister Petersen gone, the Walls and the Thompsons are trading each week, one week AM then one week PM. We love being able to do both shifts because we have so many friends on each shift and really miss seeing them when we are on the opposite shift, but that AM shift continues to be a challenge for me. I am just not an early morning person anymore.  President Petersen hopes to be able to return on the 2nd of June. He
has started Physical Therapy and is getting stronger each day. We look forward to his return. It just feels like part of our family is missing.

     I got to sing on Mother's Day in Sacrament Meeting with Andrea Luciana Figueroa, picture #1. We sang the Janice Kapp Perry song "My Mother/My Daughter" in Spanish. Lucy is only 20 so I had to sing the Mothers part, the high part. My sister Sharon and I used to sing this and I always sang the low part. It has been years since I have been able to share my testimony through song. My ward here doesn't believe that I am just a funeral singer at home. My Father in Heaven has really blessed me here to be able to grow and share this talent with others. I don't have enough words to share my testimony, but through music I have the opportunity.

     The rains have begun! It is now winter here and the rainy season. Every day we get at least one rain storm, with thunder and lightning. Some days it is just a light rain and others it pours.
The temperature hasn't varied more than a degree or two since we arrived last August. The rains really effect the attendance at the temple. Mud slides are very common and the people just don't go
anywhere when it is raining.

       On Mother's Day, Sister Perez arranged for a microbus to pick up all the missionaries and Pres. and Sister Alas (2nd councilor) in the Temple Presidency) picture #2 and take us to her chapel for the
baptism of her twin girls. Sister Perez is a temple worker. On Saturday, she gave us an invitation and that is when Elder Wall found out that he was to give a talk. Missionaries are always to be prepared but he was real glad that he had a night to prepare. We arrived at the chapel and the mother and daughter who were to sing the special number saw me and begged me to help them sing the song. So I sang with them, also played the opening and closing songs. Lon ended up helping to confirm the girls. It was a wonderful day. We just had two of our grandsons baptized this month and we really missed being with them. So Ashton and Aydan we thought of you as we helped at this
baptism.

     We had missionaries in the temple each day last week. It is so fun to be with these stripling warriors. They carry such a powerful spirit with them. They are coming again this week and we will miss them because we will be on the PM shift. We have two missions here in El Salvador, the east and the west. Each mission has over 100 missionaries. They are allowed to attend the temple twice a year so they come in 20's to 30's each day for two weeks til each has had the opportunity.

      Well, that is probable about all the news from here. We haven't been too far from home and don't plan on it til the President is able to go with us. Lon and I did go out for Pupusa's with the Figueroa
family picture #3, and all the missionaries had dinner today with our Stake President and his wife, the Lopez's. It is really strange to be on the other side of the coin. We have always fed the missionaries
and tried to help them however we could and now we are being fed and looked after.

     Please know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers. We thank you for your prayers in our behalf. We are well and enjoying the work here. It is so wonderful to be able to attend the temple
five days a week and feel of our Heavenly Father's love each day. Have a great week. We love you and miss you but are so thankful to be able to be here serving in this part of the vineyard.

      Love Dad and Mom, Lon and Nancy, Grandpa and Grandma

  

Happy Mother's Day

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.

2. Mostly to clean the house.

3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.

2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.

3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

1. God makes Mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice
in the world and one dab of mean.

2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly
use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?

1. We're related.

2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?

1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.

2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.

2. She had to know his background. Like, is he a crook? Does he get
drunk on beer?

3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES
to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?

1. My Dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.

2. She got too old to do anything else with him.

3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.


Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because Dad is such a goof ball.

2. Mom, you can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.

3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than Dad.


What's the difference between moms and dads?

1. Mom's work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.

2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power
'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your
friends.

4. Mom's have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.


If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get
rid of that.

2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who
did it not me.

3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the
back of her head.

Sunny, Hot and Humid, Love it!

We have had an eventful week in the life of our Temple President, President Petersen. On his 78th birthday, he was having cake with a few of the workers in the break room of the temple when he stepped back and his leg gave out and he went down hard, hitting his head on the tile floor. He admitted later that his back had been bothering him and he was afraid that an old basketball injury was giving him trouble. His son, also a doctor, convinced him to get an MRI. Before we got the results of the MRI, he fell 3 more times and was using a walker by Thursday as his leg wouldn't hold him up. He has a bulging disk in his back that is pinching a nerve. The neurosurgen here said that he has a 1-2 week window for surgery before the nerve is dead and cannot be fixed. That would leave him using a walker from now on. The Temple Department got them on a plane on Friday morning, the 27th with an appointment with a Dr. Rich in SLC today, Monday at 9:00am. He is on blood thinning medicine for his heart so he cannot have surgery until all the Coumadin gets out of his blood. Please include him in your prayers. We miss them both so much and want them to be able to return and finish their mission here. We are praying for the micro-surgery and that they will be home in a month. Luckily Brother Carbajal was here at the time. They have called Elder and Sister Gibbons to be assistants to the Presidents. They will take President and Sister Petersen's shift at the temple. It was fun to work with them on Saturday as they took their first turn. You could just see the mantel that has been given them to accomplish this new assignment. The shift coordinators will miss them as workers on the shifts but at least if they have time they can help when needed. Free enterprise is alive and well here. On Monday Lon walked over to the housing project to check out their progress and on Tuesday we walked by and there was a new restaurant opened up, over night. The restaurant Bambo picture #1 is now open serving pupusas and rice and beans daily. As the big construction trucks fly by and the dust and bugs fly by, we don't think we will be trying it out soon. Our temple gardeners have been busy trimming trees and planting new flowers in all the beds. The tree trimmers were fun to watch. Picture #2 shows Herman with his machete. He cuts the branches with the machete, using it as an ax. Then the rest of them bundle up the branches and carry them off of the temple grounds into the forest. Picture #3 and #4. It sure would be faster to pile them into a pick-up and haul them off, but then someone wouldn't have a job. We are on the AM shift this week. Tuesday is Labor Day here so we are expecting a huge crowd at the temple. It is hard to believe that it will be May 1st. We pray that each of you are healthy and happy. We are enjoying the sunshine and the work that we are doing here. Life is wonderful. Please keep President Petersen in your prayers and thank you for your prayers in our behalf. Love to all, Lon and Nancy, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma.

Good Weeks

     I will write this letter as it will be short. We had a very busy week and are very tired. It's amazing how tired we get just doing fun things. We had buses from Honduras, Nicaragua and a lot of local
patrons that filled the the temple and made it such a spiritual week.  Sunday night we performed our Easter concert and it went over really good and we had a good turn out and it was a very spiritual
time.  Nancy performed "Oh Divine Redeemer" and did so well. We have a violin player and a pianist that are outstanding and I can say there may be better and I know there are but I haven't heard them. I am very prejudiced but I put Nancy in with that selected group. We now have a three month break and will start up in August. This week we have Elder Carbajal from the seventy over all the Central and South American Temples to train and teach. It should be a special time. We are well and happy and love where we are at and what we are doing. We miss you all but will see you before to
long as the time just flies.   Nancy will take over now.

     Today we decided to walk to the " Mercado" as President Petersen is busy with meetings and could not take us. The Kitley's and us walked to buy fresh veggies and fruits. We have never walked
there before, thinking it was too far. But it was only a half hour walk and we took back packs for the Elders to carry home our purchases. Now we really feel independent and only have Price Smart
that we need a ride to. It still takes all three stores to find the groceries that we need. But going to the Mercado really saves money as the prices are so much cheaper there. We got a dozen bananas,
radishes, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a quart of flax seed for $7.50. In the stores we would have spent that much on potatoes only. They have anything and everything you can imagine there, lots of items that we could not name or know what to do with. We tried making our own Pupuses for dinner on Saturday. They turned out looking right, but I didn't get enough filling inside so it was just like eating a tortilla. Need more practice!!! We send our love to all and hope you have a great week. We are looking forward to ours. Love the Thompsons, Lon and Nancy, Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma.