A Private Concert and Lunch at Sister Pacheco's home

We had a lovely experience when the choir that sang at our Christmas Devotional came and sang to the temple missionaries before a training meeting. They were at least as wonderful as they were in the stake center. We felt very privileged to have a special concert just for us. They also shared their experience of singing at the temple dedication 14 years ago. They said that they were sure that their voices were joined by others beyond the veil during the dedication meeting. They remember their experience vividly and enjoyed sharing it with us.

Sister Pacheco is a small, regal lady who has worked in the temple for many years. She apparently has quite a life story. I found a copy of the book she has written about her life and am in the process of reading it. It is in Spanish so it will take me a while. She invited the Tuesday morning shift and all of the temple missionaries and the president and his wife to her home on January 6th (which is the official end of the Christmas season and was conveniently on a Monday) to come and have lunch with her and welcome the new year. She lives about a 1/2 hour away from the temple by taxi and we traveled with the Martins. When President Groberg and his wife arrived we were welcomed formally by Sister Pacheco with a speech. Sister Viteri conducted and we had a spiritual thought by Brother Estrella and then each of us was asked to say a few words. Spanish speakers have a hard time saying only a few words but I enjoyed it and was able to understand most of what was said. It was all positive and grateful and a very nice beginning to a new year. We were served pork chops, Russian salad (a potato salad with lots of extra stuff in it), rice and something I thought was very strange. I was surprised that it was cold and I couldn't identify what it was. Another cultural mystery. I should ask Sister Chiza. Sister Pacheco tried to send some home with me later and I deferred - I hope tactfully.

Sister Chiza, Sister Gallo, Brother Chamorro, Sister ?, Brother Estrella, Sister Estrella, Sister Pacheco, Sister Groberg, President Groberg, Brother Zuñiga, Sister Zuñiga, 

 Sister Landetta, Sister Chiza and Sister Gallo

 Sister Estrella, Sister Pacheco, The Grobergs

Christmas tree, nativity scene, the painting of the Salt Lake temple was done by Sister Pacheco

Sister Groberg telling us about Sister Pacheco's book.

 Another of Sister Pacheco's paintings

She painted this view from the living room's front balcony. The Christmas tree is in the right corner location in the painting. The balcony visible in the photo above is on the side wall of the living room. We are on the second floor of the house.

The Martins are thanking Sister Pacheco, in her kitchen, for a lovely afternoon.

Celebrating Christmas

It is all about the food. Not really but it seems you can't get members of the church together to celebrate without good things to eat. We decided to have a very casual Christmas Eve. We were each going to bring something nourishing and something with sugar. I took a couple of photos when we first got to the Bottorff's apartment and then forgot about my camera. There was lots of yummy food both with and without sugar. We brought a spicy Asian noodle dish with chicken. I'm not sure where that idea came from. It is certainly not traditional in our family but it hit the spot. We had lots of treats as well: cornflake cookies, toffee bars, pies, candy, brownies, cake. We certainly missed the Johnsons They were both still at the hospital but we talked with them by cell phone and learned that Brother Johnson would have surgery in the morning to put screws in his broken bone. He had indeed broken his hip but if one had to choose which kind of a break to have, his was the easiest to heal.

Christmas Day we all got together to enjoy a delicious roasted turkey and stuffing - thanks to Sister Bottorff, mashed potatoes and gravy with salads and vegetables and more goodies of course. It was a lovely meal with good company and we were happy to be together. We learned that Brother Johnson's surgery went well and that he should be home in a couple of days. Then we were all anxious to go back to our apartments and spend time "Skyping" with our children and their families. Christmas is for families and we were so happy to have the chance to talk with you and wish you a Merry Christmas from sunny Guayaquil.

Good Bye to the Ripples

This is one very special couple. They were called to leave their home in Nova Scotia, Canada to serve as missionaries in the Guayaquil Temple several years ago. Neither one had ever had any experience with Spanish. They served in the temple every day that it was open but Brother Ripple had more energy and desire  to serve than the temple used up, so his wife set out to find something he could work on. With her limited Spanish she tried to explain to Sister Valero that her husband was a carpenter and needed additional work to do during their mission. I'm sure it was an interesting conversation. I understand that before it was over there were a lot of sketches on scrap paper and both were in tears. The Valero family had been saving for years and buying used building materials. Their family needed (not just wanted) improvements in their home. It was not completely enclosed--both the elements, and other people, could enter at any time. The bathroom and the kitchen did not have all the most basic requirements to serve their purposes. There were no interior doors or closets. This wonderful couple, who both work outside the home long hours, serve 1/2 day in the temple every Saturday and have heavy responsibilities in the ward did have a need and Brother Ripple was the man to provide a solution.

Debbie and Peter Ripple had been wondering why they were in Guayaquil and promptly decided that the Valeros had simply prayed them here. Over the year and a half of their mission the "house" was transformed into an appropriate home for a family. There remained a problem with the roof that was aging rapidly but the time and money ran out. The Ripples returned home, saved for a couple of years and came back to finish the job. Again they lived in the alojamiento and served as patrons every morning and worked on the house every afternoon for two months. It now has a new roof, several more improvements and will serve the Valero family well for many years.

Brother Valero is a counselor in the bishopric and Sister Valero is the Primary President of the ward we attend. We work with them in the baptistry on Saturdays. They are remarkable. They decided when they were baptized that they would take their covenants very seriously and devote their lives to serving others. They do that. He works in the rice fields that are over an hour and a half away from here. He gets up at 4:30 every morning to catch a bus and returns home long after dark. Sister Valero works as the principal and one of the teachers of a school for handicapped children that is located several hours away. She spends the weeknights in that city and comes home by bus on the weekends and school holidays. Their children are now grown; 2 daughters and one granddaughter live in their home with them. They have educated their daughters and now they each have promising employment. On Saturday mornings the Valeros always say they are fine and not tired.  I am amazed at how much they are willing to do to serve others. Brother Valero comes here to be a home teacher to the temple missionaries once a month. Our records are not even here in their ward. They must not have any idea of what leisure is and therefore do not miss it. They certainly set a great example for us. And they are never late to anything! That is remarkable in a Spanish speaking country. I do not yet have a photo of Alfonso and Mariana Valero.