Birthday Party for the President

President Groberg's birthday is the same as Cary's on November 30th. The Tuesday morning shift arranged a surprise party with Sister Groberg. I snapped some photos and thought I would share the little bit I know about some of these wonderful people. We are in the apartment of President and Sister Groberg. It is on the ground floor of the alojamiento where we also live. This first woman is Sister Landetta. She is not young and she is always beautifully dressed. She wears the most amazing shoes and carries herself like a moviestar. (See all that cool stuff on the low table. I took photos and will make another blog post with those.)

This woman below recently came back from a long vacation in the United States. She had with her an old expired recommend instead of the new recommend she had received in the USA. Lewis and I were at the recommend desk that morning. She did not know the name of the new bishop in her ward in Ecuador. She had to wait until the preparation meeting was over and then the counselor in the temple presidency came to talk with her. They discovered that her new bishop is the counselor's son.

Sister Pino in the blue dress is the coordinator for the women on Tuesday mornings. Her husband is beside her. Brother Pino is the coordinator of the men on Wednesday mornings. I don't know the story but there is a big difference in their ages. I suppose his first wife passed away. They spend lots of time and energy serving in the temple. They are always ready outside the temple long before the presidency member is there to open the door on Tuesday mornings at 6:00 AM.

The man speaking is President Paralles. He is giving a lovely tribute to President Groberg. He and his wife were called to serve as temple missionaries and they were asked to serve in the presidency. He does the funniest thing sometimes when we open and he is the member of the presidency serving on that shift. It is their job to open the door and stay at the desk until the missionary has changed his clothes and is ready to accept responsibility for the recommend desk. President Paralles scans his own recommend, verifies that the screen flashes green and then shakes each of his own hands, gives himself two hugs and then kisses his fingers and touches his own cheeks. Then he threatens to give his wife a very special welcome kiss to the temple. I love it because he is both confirming and making fun of the customs here that North Americans find less than efficient. Then he scans the recommends of the workers waiting to enter. In Ecuador the person at the desk usually shakes the hand of each person who enters.

This is Brother Munoz. He is the coordinator for the men on Tuesday mornings. He was asked to sing and he did and I was impressed. He sang two lively and fun songs very well indeed. 

Below Sister Pacheco is reading the lovely card that she made for President Groberg. It is made from the thin shapes of foam that are sold in craft stores but she makes amazing folk art with it. She also wrote a beautiful tribute to President Groberg mentioning his strengths and expressing appreciation for his service.

 This is President Groberg.

Sister Groberg had commissioned Sister Pacheco to make a piece of art that they will take with them and hang on the wall of their home. She made this and said it represented the tree of life with an indigenous Ecuadorian Adam and Eve.  

There was also a gift box containing the hammock you can see below. They are laughing about where they could hang it on the temple grounds. They also got wool scarves because everyone knows that they must return to snowy Idaho Falls when they leave Ecuador. 

The young woman on the couch at the left is the coordinator on Saturday mornings which is the busiest and most demanding time of the week. Her husband is in Atlanta working and in the process of getting his citizenship and she expects that she can join him in one more year. It will be three years of living apart to fulfill their dreams. She says she has a cat to keep her company. She has photos of her husband on the inside of the door of her temple locker. The woman on the right is Sister Paralles.

December is a wonderful month. Enjoy, and remember what is most important.
Love, Los Pettingill