BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

One of our great JAS girls, Valerie Mendoza,  turned 18 on Saturday.  Her parents hosted a fun party for our Young Adult group.

Brother Mendoza is in the Branch Presidency, Joseph and the Birthday girl Valerie and Rosa, who is the Relief Society President.  They are from Peru.  Bro. M. has been here for 7 years and the family 3.  I know no better people in the church.  Rosa also plays the piano with such gusto you want to sing.  She also knows a lot of English so she is a great help to us.

This is the Young Adult group that attended.  The Mendozas were able to get out some that don't usually attend.

This is Sonia with Valerie and the Missionaries Elder Cloward and Elder Malan.  Sonia is the most spunky energetic woman I have ever known.  She is from Brazil and is one of the backbones of the Branch.  Her testimony is beautiful.  I hope to someday get a copy of a talk she gave in church with Spanish gospel alliteration that  was amazing.

Rosa made a special chicken dish from Peru.  It is made with finely shredded boiled chicken breasts (that she said took her 3 hours to shred)  I was able to help her finish the dish.  You make a cream sauce, in which you add some seeded hot red peppers (which are blended and strained) with some sauteed minced onions and garlic.  You serve it over rice or boiled potatoes.  It was delicious, with just a little bite.  I made the birthday cake, which is a double recipe of a great Chocolate Cake recipe I found while here.  I frosted it with my mother's famous Birthday Cake Frosting  It was a great hit.  No one here see many home baked goods.