Merry Christmas 2008

We had a really merry Christmas.
It's a time to remeber our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ.

It's a beautiful season for family reunions. That's the most important thing of our lives: the family.

Angela worked a lot fixing her Nativity.

We sang carols in English and Spanish.

Then cames the hugs and best wishes.

And then to open up the presents.

Happy moments to be remembered forever.



Kate was happy with her new jacket and purse, I think. I don't know what that is.

Chloe was so cute with her new dress.

"Holiness to the Lord." (Exodus 39:30)

Last Saturday I went to the Provo Temple.

The Fernandez family invited me to be with them when David, their son, would receive his endowments.


I was their Branch President years ago.






At the front of the temple you can read the condition, judgment, measure, fullnes, glory, and nature of heaven in the last day and for eternity:

"Holiness to the Lord." Our desire and fullfilment.

Isaiah prophesied: "And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called, The Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring man, though fools, shall not err therein." (Isaiah 35:8).

I like most in Spanish: "Y habra alli calzada y camino, y sera llamado Camino de Santidad; no pasara inmundo por el, sino que el mismo estara con ellos; el que anduviere en este camino, por torpe que sea, no se extraviara." (Isaias 35:8).


I found also the spirit of Christmas within the Spirit of Christ.

David, in the white suit, is going on a mission to Brasil.

The Christmas Tree

The joy of the Christmas tree is not the tree itself.

It's the joy of fixing it.

This is Stephen, happy with Santa.

Vero assembled a candy house.

But the happiest was the grandpa.

Where's Chloe?

Oh, Here she is.

Thanksgiving Day 2008

Every Thanksgiving day is a happy family reunion.

Angela is happy fixing the food.

Luis, Chloe and Claudia helped.

Chloe was the star this time.

Ryan

Ryan Ovard is the first son of my first daughter.

He is a great, nice, smart and handsome boy.

He likes soccer and dancing.

He is a movie star.

As you can see.

Champion Safe Co

I work for Champion Safe Co. here in Provo, Utah. We make the best gun safes in the nation.

It's true.

I am the HR Manager, and I am in charge of Safety and OSHA Compliance also.

It's a nice job. I feel happy working here.

The business is in good shape even during this financial crisis. Everytime there is a crisis in the nation americans buy guns and gun safes.

Our Home in Los Pinos, Vallecito

This is what our home in Los Pinos, Vallecito looks like now.

It looks like it has been abandoned for many years.

The same curtains we left, the same colors I painted the house with one day.

When I looked at it, it brought a lot of nostalgia to my heart.

The Jobs I Had in Arequipa

I worked for the Banco Continental for 10 years. I was a manager in charge of Foreign Currency Department.

I also worked for Embotelladora Caplina SA as the CEO of the company for 13 years.

We made crown caps for bottles and injected plastic crates for bottles.

Friends

One day I went to a cevicheria in Cayma and I found there my old friend Peter Keilholz. I was really pleased to see him again after so many years.

I visited the Banco Continental where I used to work years ago, and could find my friends and co-workers Eliana, Roxana and Patty.

Those were good times in the Banco Continental.

Relatives

I went to visit my brother Enrique and his family.

I could find my brother Enrique, his wife Tula, their son Johnny and his family.

I went to the Cocachacra cemetery to visit the graves of my parents Luis and Aguedita.

I went with my brothers Enrique and Fito, and my sisters Gloria and Irma.

This girl is my brother's daughter.

"And take up his cross, and follow me." (St. Matthew 26:24)

There's a chapel in the middle of the Arequipa cemetery, and there's a cross also at the bottom.

I remember a day when I visited the cemetery that I found two old men trying to take that cross from the front door to that chapel. It was too heavy for them, so they asked for my help, which I did.

So I put the cross on my shoulder and took by myself to the chapel, and helped the two old men to hang it there.

The same way I worked for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arequipa for many years.

Arequipa Angels

I always liked to watch the statues of angels in the Arequipa cemetery.

Guinea Pigs

We eat guinea pigs in Arequipa, fried guinea pigs.

On November 1st, I visited the cemetery for "todos los santos difuntos" and I could eat a "cuy chactado", a fried guinea pig.

They are really fresh, as you can see.

Arequipa - Peru

After Lima, I went to Arequipa, Peru.

It was nice to be again in my city and watch the "campina" and the Misti.

You can try a delicious "queso halado", found in Arequipa only.

You can also enjoy "comida arequipena" in a good touristic restaurant, and try "rinoncito al vino", for instance.

There is good "comida arequipena" in El Sol de Mayo restaurant

or you can drink a strong energizing coca soda, made out of real coca.

You can even see the Misti smoking "fumarolas."

When you go to Arequipa, visit Yahahuara and Cayma.