Thanksgiving in Peru

Today we were invited to have Thanksgiving dinner at the mission home with President and Sister Marler.  There were about 25-30 of us.  The mission home is beautiful and we enjoyed good food and good company. The Marlers provided the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and green bean casserole. Everyone else brought something. Sister Marler brought pumpkin, cranberry sauce, stuffing, green beans, cream of mushroom soup and onion rings from the states when she had to make a quick trip home last week.  You can't find those things here in Peru.

President Casos carried the food from the Temple Missionaries in the back of his car.
It would have been hard to transport in a taxi.

Sister Gomez and Sister Casos.

President Marler carving one of the turkeys.

Elder Romero watching Elder Olsen carve the other turkey.

Sister Vaughan supervising in the kitchen.

President & Sister Casos. 

Bill with the La Esperanza Stake President Bravo & his wife.

Elder Nield, Elder Gomez & President Rabanal of the Trujillo Central Stake.

The mission secretaries & assistants,
Elder Romero, Elder Marchall, Elder Bond, Elder Olsen & Elder Craft.

Patti Fackrell, Sandy Nield & me

President Marler, Wayne & Jan Haws

The Food Table

The Dessert Table

There were ten people at our table.  We ate on the veranda outside.  It was beautiful weather.  I don't remember ever eating Thanksgiving dinner outside before.

The Hartmans

The Sister Sisters - Sister Angell & Sister Vaughan 

The Fackrells

The Gomez's

The Marlers

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we are preparing for Christmas in our little apartment at the Albergue. Only 29 days until Christmas.  2015 has just flown by.

First Birthday in Peru

Today is my 66th Birthday.  It has been a delightful day.  It started off this morning with my friend Jan Haws leaving me a cake at my door on her way to the temple.

We cut and shared it with all the other missionary couples and four of the Engineer staff who were on our floor working on the air conditioning.

We were scheduled to work the afternoon/evening shift at the temple, so since it was a beautiful day, Bill & I decided to walk to the mall to have Papa John's Pizza for lunch.

Ready for our walk, wearing one of the necklaces
 the Senior Missionaries gave me for my birthday. 

On the way out of the gate, we noticed this pretty nativity had been put on the lawn.

We stopped to get Bill's shoes shined. He asked for 1.5 soles (44 cents) but Bill gave him 10 soles.

We ran into these cute little kids.  Bill gave them each a sol.



Other scenes from our walk.

All the taxis lined up outside the mall.

This little stand in the mall only sells McDonalds ice cream.
You can get a cone for 2 soles (59 cents).

Waiting for our pizza.

And here it is.

Of course we had to pick up a few things at Tottus after lunch.  There were lots of people there, already starting their Christmas shopping.

Bill bought these treats for my birthday.

We took a taxi back to the apartment where I read my emails, texts and birthday wishes.  We went to the temple at 3:00 PM and both had the 6:00 session.  I have had 11 birthday emails, 98 Facebook messages and a phone call from Elder Olsen and  Elder Romero singing Happy Birthday in Spanish. I also received extra hugs, kisses and handshakes at the temple today wishing me Feliz Cumpleanos.  Don't know how everyone knew it was my birthday.

Two of my Peruvian friends posted these for me on Facebook.

This is our cute little baby Juan Esmaro Guzman.  The Guzmans also sent
a pretty little bracelet to me at the temple.

Since tomorrow would be my Dad's 90th birthday I wanted to say Happy Birthday to the best father a girl could have.  We always celebrated our birthdays together.  I was supposed to be born on his birthday but I came one day early on a Friday after Thanksgiving.  My mother always said she ate too much turkey.  I don't have access to my pictures that are on my computer at home, but thanks to my daughter-in-law Amanda and my cousin Angie, I have been able to access some old ones they posted on Facebook.

Daddy holding his first great granddaughter & our first granddaughter, Sadie,
 Brent and Amanda's oldest child.
Sadie is 17 years old now, so this is a sweet memory from the past.

An even older picture with my mother from a past Christmas. He was always
fun & happy.  I don't know anyone who didn't like him.

Daddy with our son, Brent, that same Christmas.  Brent was three years old.
He is 41 now and the father of nine children.