Lunch with the Alva's & FHE

On Monday, Juan Alva and his wife invited us and the Hawses for lunch.  He is the first member of the church in Trujillo.  He was the branch president when Wayne Haws served his mission here 40 years ago.  He also lived with them and Sister Alva cooked for him and his companion.

Hermano Alva goes to church every week at 8:00 AM and sits in a chair in the shade outside the church greeting and talking to people all morning until his ward meets at 2:00 PM.  He is 94 years old and loves to talk.  He is also very sharp and has many stories to share.  He told us that when Spencer W. Kimball came in 1963 to dedicate the first chapel built in Trujillo, he looked over the land and said that there would eventually be a temple here and over 20 chapels. At this time, there were no temples in South America. Today we have our beautiful temple and there are 7 stakes, 43 wards and over 30 chapels in the Trujillo area. It has now been 53 years since President Kimball made that prophecy.

Juan Alva worked for the church and he and his wife served and housed many missionaries over the years.  They have 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

We took flowers to Sister Alva.

Wayne at their door.

Wayne and Juan Alva.

Their little dog, Sam.

Sister Alva worked so hard to make us this beautiful meal. 

Granddaughter Diana, the Alvas and daughter Rosemary.

The napkins and tablecloth Sister Alva made.

Sister Alva gave me and Jan a beautiful napkin to keep. 

Outside the Alva home.



I can't resist taking pictures from the Taxi going home.

This store sells indoor lighting.

This shop sells indoor tile.  They do not put carpet in their homes and churches.
The only carpet we have seen here is in the temple.  There is a large rug on the tile in front of the recommend desk.  Most Peruvians will walk around it when they come in because they are not used to walking on carpet.

That is a large coke can on a bicycle. Don't know what its function  is.

Selling watermelon slices and drinks among the traffic on the street.

We got together for Family Home Evening Monday night.  We had a short lesson, hot chocolate and donuts.  Then the sisters trimmed the tree and made reindeer while some of the men watched Monday night football in the Haws apartment.

Elder Gomez & President Coacalla.

Sister Gomez

Sister Coacalla

Watching football.

The finished product. You can see the temple out the window.
Sandy Nield, Jan Haws, Mariza Coacalla, Me, Nelly Gomez

Making reindeer.

Wayne & Bill decided to have a suit made.  This week we went back for a fitting.  It is amazing to watch these people do their craft.  We picked the best material available in Peru for a tailor-made suit that costs 490 soles ($145)  We are anxious to see how they turn out.

Before heading home, we had to stop at Pardo's for some yummy chicken and salad.  There aren't too many places where it is safe to eat the lettuce. 

Back home at the temple, we find a moto taxi in the parking lot, children enjoying the grounds and even a bride and groom.

Brother Inchaustiqui works in the temple.  We found him and his son outside the Albergue one day.

Barrio Central

Another Sunday in Trujillo. It seems the weeks are flying by.  We went to Barrio Central for church. This is the building downtown by the Plaza de Armas.  We call it the Sound of Music church because it is behind a gated wall and makes us think of the walled & gated church where the nuns hid Maria and the Von Trapp family. We have had choir practices here at night but have never been there during the day. It is a lot less ominous when it is light outside.  However, there was a power outage in this part of the city, so there were no lights, microphone, fans or piano (which is electric) working that morning. The chapel is upstairs.

You never know what you might see behind closed doors.  This property goes way back.  Behind the church is a huge parking area, basketball goals and the Institute building with beautiful grounds.

The Institute building and grounds.

Inside the Institute building. 

We also never know who we will find in each ward we visit.  We found Elder Bond and his parents visiting for his last Sunday in Peru before returning home.  He had served in this ward for 9 months.  He bore his testimony and almost every person mentioned him in their testimony.  You could tell they really loved this good Elder. 

Carlos Rodriquez (assistant temple recorder & counselor in the Stake Presidency),
Elder Dallas Bond, Mary & Colby Bond and Bill.

Oscar Palomino (one of our temple Engineers) is in the bishopric.

The Diaz family attends this ward.  President Diaz is the 1st Counselor in the Temple Presidency.
The three beauties on the left are his daughter Karla Alva Diaz and his two granddaughters, Ariana & Harela.
The Alba's husband and father is working in Moses Lake, WA and they will be moving to the USA in February.

This is the Junior Primary in the Chan Chan ward that meets before the Central Ward.  Their teacher, Amy, is
from the US.  She is married to a Peruvian and they have been here several years.  They are in the process of adopting this cute little girl in the picture below.  She was not enjoying the nursery that day.

The church kitchen.

Across the street from the church.  This is the historic district.


There is always a dog or two nearby.

                                 Scenes of the week. Here are some really ugly fish.

A Mercedes hearse at the cemetery next to the temple.

The temple is on Av. Maniche.

More power lines.                                                                      

   

Housing across from the temple parking lot.

Sister Nield made these cute little wreaths for outside our apartments.

This is our cute little granddaughter, Joy back home in Missouri.
She was born 10 months after my mother died.  My mother's name was Joyce
so they named her Joy Christine.  She is our 10th grandchild and will be 3 in January.

And here is Max, helping with the laundry in Providence, Utah.