Monday, December 31, 2012

Gratitude....and a little fear

IN Senahu is a housing area called "The Colonia"  to get to one part you go up a very steep concrete trail, take a right turn, go a ways further then climb straight back up on another concrete part, quite a ways above the concrete basketball court/soccer field down below.  This morning we went up there to visit a couple of families.  The families, once you get off the concrete path, live down another dirt trail, then the path to their homes are both small steps cut into the mud.  It rained last night and misted and rained all morning, just barely stopping before we went out.  The trails were slick, and we were being careful because I had strained my back last week, overdoing things.  Coming back to the main trail from the first home Elder Spradlin teasingly told the little girls they needed to help him down their stairs.  They then turned and helped me, down to the last stair, where we let go hands, I took a step - out went my feet and down I went.  Falling is not real unusual here and I was not badly scratched.  We went on to the next home and had a lovely visit.  Coming back down to the main road on the top concrete trail, about three steps from the bottom of it where there is a drop off down the mountain to the soccer field - I slid, lost my footing.  Elder Spradlin was in front of me and if I slid forward at all we would have both taken a tumble.  Behind me was the concrete, the rim of the step I had just come down, I ended up with a slide step to the side trying not to run into Harold.  On the side where my foot landed, was just pure slick mud.  I was grateful for the Angels that were watching over us and stopped my feet.
I feel very grateful for the protection we have had throughout the last year as we have traveled this beautiful land.  I have always had a fear of heights and am grateful that has not limited our work.  Tomorrow evening we have an appointment right back up at those homes and I can truthfully say that I am feeling fear and will have to use a lot of prayer to get past it.  I do have rubber boots, was not wearing them today because it wasn't still raining and they are heavy.  Tomorrow I will wear them and pray for better traction.
My younger brother sent small presents to hand out to the children for Christmas and they did not come in till Saturday so we are getting to have an extended Christmas as we share his and his family's love with our sweet children here in Guatemala.  We ask the children to sing for us, telling them of my brother and his family who have sent the gifts.  Each time so far we have heard, "I am a Child of God" sung with great faith by pure voices.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Missionary Christmas!

What a wonderful whirlwind of days here in Senahu and Seamay! Sunday with Church, visiting a couple of familys and showing the Christmas video, then helping with music in the afternoon. Monday morning early I got up and went looking for yeast to make my cinnamon rolls, asked at one of the bakeries where we normally buy bread, and they said they didn't have any.  (that did seem a little strange!)  Went on up to Corina's to help with her tamales and we worked a little on them, I left to go back looking for yeast.  I stopped by Rosie's family's bread store and asked where to get it.  Her mom said, "oh if you had called this morning I could have brought you some down!"  That means her two little ones went with me up to where they bake the bread, and I definitely mean up another mountain!  Whew!  Afterwards took them back to the tienda and got to tend Rosie for a little bit while her mother tried to catch up with all of the customers she had walking in.  Walking back home through the market I had my little penguins to hand out to kids, so much fun to watch the smiles.  One of our other dear sisters in the market stopped me to give me tamales for Christmas.
  When I got home we decided to get the benches and blankets up the mountain to our family because the nights have been cold.  We asked our neighbor boys to help carry stuff up and up we hiked.  Elder Spradlin started off with one bench over his back and head and the neighbor teenager with the other.  Part way up Elder Spradlin mentioned he hoped he didn't have a heart attack over this.  That point being taken, I stayed with the bench he was carrying and he went up helping with the other the rest of the way.  The family then sent their children down to help carry the other bench up, and the rest of the blankets I was carrying.  This is pretty straight up a dirt trail, and they live at the top of it, not exactly an easy hike without a load!
We then  put together a small Christmas for another family with things we had collected, school supplies, colors, a ball, a dress, a jump rope, a couple of pillows and a small nativity. and got to take it to them. Since it was Christmas we gave out candy, pencils, stickers, pony tail holders and penguins throughout the day to a lot of the little kids - and a few adults.  Each family we visited got a bag full of cookies I had made.  It was so much fun!  Normally here we don't give out things to people, because then it becomes very difficult with them asking for things, since  this is such a poor community.  One of the hardest things for us sometimes is knowing that we can only help fill a few needs for some of the people, when there are so many with very great need.  But this was Christmas!
In the afternoon we were scheduled to go meet with one family in Seamay and go with them to their Brother to show our Christmas video to everyone.  We are able to show it to everyone on the computer, so since it is battery charged we can do it without electricity, plus we have a good set of speakers.  We got to the first family and had to stop for tamales they had made, then went to the next family and after the video were served more tamales.  These are not little like stateside, Elder Spradlin guesses they weigh in at almost a pound each.  Luckily we had a lot of walking to do afterwards.
Christmas Eve we helped with the music for a Branch Christmas Party, after that back to Corina's to eat one of the tamales we had made that morning.  They then went with us to show another home to us that had invited us over, it was about 9:30 or 10 almost, but on Christmas Eve everyone stays up till at least Midnight.  Luckily the last family offered us the tamales in such a way that we could politely say no, just leave our cookies and visit for a few minutes.  Walking back home again we got home about 11:00 or 11:30 so stayed up to watch the Midnight fireworks, everyone was out celebrating so staying up was the easiest option!
Christmas Day I got up at 5am to make cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate for the Elders.  They were supposed to be here at 8am, but ran late.  Funny was when two older brothers, one freom the bakery that had given me the yeast, showed up at the door and told us they were here to eat the bread we had made.  We invited them in, fed them and heard their amazing stories.
The brother said that when the missionaries first came to the Senahu area about 34 years ago he had seen and heard about them.  He decided he wanted to hear what they had to say, so went looking for them on the streets.   He went out to find them two days in a row, each time though he got nervous and went back home.  His wife asked him why he hadn't found them yet, so on the third day he found them and asked them to come teach him and his family.  At the time there was no bakery here, no white bread.  One of the Elders, whose mom had a bakery stateside, taught him how to bake, and later another Elder taught him more recipes.  His bakery has done well, and supported him, his family and his sons going on missions.
The Elders showed up for their cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate and we really enjoyed having them, after they left we prepared our chili dinner for the family up the hill.  It was so great having them in our home! I had written the youngest two's names on plastic chairs we had gotten for each of the two smallest, when they realized their names were on the chairs and they went to sit down in them with such excitement!
When they had left and we cleared off the table Natalie skyped us so we left the floor for later and came in to visit with her and Justin.  I went back out into the Dining room and a chicken had come in and was walking around eating the scraps off the floor!  It was so funny!
One more visit to a lovely family in Seamay, of course with more tamales, and the end to an amazing day by talking with more of the kids over the internet.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Playing

I made a mobile for Rosie and took it down today.  She is home from the hospital.  they are having to be very careful with her to make sure she doesn't get any dust in her eyes, a harder job than you can imagine here in the Polochic!  She has little goggles, and they have tied a sheet up over where she sleeps to keep out dust.  The amazing thing was when she was nursing and got so involved with watching her Mom's water bottle that she quite eating to watch it.  Then later she started focussing on her mom's weepil (top) and trying to grab for it.  Not sure how much vision she will gain, but oh to know that she can see and focus brings amazing joy.  They still have to go back to the capitol with her in January for checkups to make sure she has healed, then in June she will have to go back to find out what kind of lense they will do.  They are not sure what that is going to entail yet, so it is still a tough process.
We bought benches from a brother in another area to give to a family here for Christmas, they were not the quality we had hoped for so Elder Spradlin got to do some woodwork, and I got to do some painting.  I'll post the pictures when I finish the designs on them.  This family we have invited for Christmas Dinner, it is a widow mom and her six children.  It was hard to narrow down what to get them, they have so little.  Last time we went to visit them though they gave Elder Spradlin the torn hammock to sit on, me the broken chair, the mom sat on the woodpile and all of the kids sat on the one bed they have.  The benches we have made will hopefully sleep two of the children at night, plus we have a hammock for them. Being a bright blue, we also hope they will brighten and bring joy into the home.
 We have so much in the United States we can't even fathom how blessed we are.  Many families here if they invite us as missionaries to eat, they will serve us, but they don't eat with us.  Usually the meal consists of  a broth with chicken, called Caldo and tortillas.  I learned though not to ask them to sit and eat with us, because many times they do not have enough dishes to serve us, and themselves.  We feel so honored when some invite us, we cannot turn them down because that would not be accepting their offering of love, but at the same time we hate to eat food that we know they need.
We were able to go to Poptun District Conference last weekend and train their Secretary on how to do the missionary files, at the same time helping him work on one for a Sister there.  Monday we got to go to the Peten Zone Conference and Service Project.  We went to a Senior Home and visited, sang and talked with the people there.  Very impressed by the outpouring of love by our Elders!  Sister and President Watts along with many others put in a lot of effort to provide presents, and food for all of the residents there.
The fun escape of the week was leaving San Benito very early and stopping by a waterfall close to Dolores Guatemala on the way back home.  It was beautiful, and we had it all to ourselves.   We even had time to stop by the hot springs waterfalls before we finished up the day - that makes it for a double waterfall week!
Tonight we have a Christmas activity with one Branch, then one on Monday, and another on Tuesday. We will also will be throwing in caroling with members one or two times, and a hymn practice for the Kekchi hymns on Sunday. We will be going to Corina's family for Christmas Eve morning and helping her make her tamales, along with visits to a lot of the other members.  I have made a lot of cookies for delivering - and then serving up chili to our sweet family we made the benches for on Christmas day.   .
 

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Great News, Wedding, Christmas Activities,

Rosie's eye surgery was successful yesterday!  Not sure yet what vision problems she may still have, but they removed the cataracts and she will be able to see!
Last week we invited our boy's family from up the mountain to eat lunch with us.  It was a special occasion all around, but we were overwhelmed when the mother presented me with a tortilla cloth/dishtowel that she had embroidered herself when she was in the first grade.  It is a great treasure!
District conference in Chulac last weekend and one young man had everything all finished so we were able to complete his Mission file.  One other young lady from Sacsuha district was also completed on Monday.
We helped members here in Senahu Sunday evening learn the new Kekchi Christmas Hymns, with the new Hymnbooks there have been some changes, our members here don't know how to read music, so we are learning together.
We were able to participate in the Polochic Christmas Project and Zone activities last weekend.  Played with children from the Chulac school and then helped hand out school kits to each of them.  Then a yummy dinner and meetings with a lot of our Elders. One of the parents handed me a bag of oranges as the activity was beginning, they are marvelous - fresh grown on the trees of Chulac!
Tuesday we went down to La Tinta and helped the Elders there with the Youth Choir they are working with on the Christmas music.
Today we went to a wedding here, and then afterwards to the Wedding Dinner, it was a traditional Turkey Kakik - Turkey in a spicy broth soup - with tamales.  The family also had a wedding cake, which is not a normal practice here.  The meal fed probably a couple of hundred people, and took many hours of work for the families and neighbors involved.
Traveling up and down the mountain to get to all of the Conference meetings, Zone activities, then the La Tinta choir - we were able to enjoy multiple sunrises and sunsets going up and down the mountains!  In the valley the Sugar Cane fields are in bloom with their large tassels   In the morning they do not look that impressive, but in the afternoon sun it is like a sea of white fluff swaying. The nights have been loud, over the weekend with parades and fireworks most of the night to celebrate the Christmas Season.  Last night though the dogs from most of the town barked and fought, quite often right outside our house.  We had four days of sun in a row, after it having been rainy and cold for several weeks so we really enjoyed it.  Today it rained in the morning, then it stopped just long enough for the wedding and the activities afterwards.  We were glad to be back in our home again before the rain returned.




Thursday, December 6, 2012

Missions!

Greatest news yesterday!  Our daughter Amber received her Mission Call to serve in the Montevideo Uruguay West Mission.  She will be entering the Argentina Mission Training Center on April 25.  We are so thrilled for her!  She wasn't sure what she would do, or where she would stay until she was able to leave, but now with the date she will be leaving it means she will be able to do one more semester at the University - and report the day after her finals!
Here I have been baking cookies to give out to families for Christmas.  We also have the video Joy to the World that we hope to show many of the members between now and Christmas.  We will be able to use our computer, we have extra speakers for it, taking it into their homes to show it.  Grateful for batteries!
We had District Conference last weekend, President Amado of the 70 and member of the Area Presidency presided.  We felt very blessed when Sunday afternoon we were able to have him, our Mission President and his counselor plus their wives in our home for lunch.  Our leaders our such amazing people, to be able to work closely with them, is an unexpected blessing that has come from serving here.
We are studying hard in the mornings and doing paperwork, afternoons we are out visiting and working with our members here.  It is so much fun, we will have one appointment or visit arranged and then on the way to or from we will run into other people who may need help, or have a question.  Yesterday was no different, on the way home from an appointment in Seamay a sister we greeted wanted to know about when the Christmas Hymn practice will be.  Then we ran into a member of the District Presidency who was trying to reach some Elders, we helped him reach them through our phone.  After he talked to them, we asked if there was anything else we could do for him and he asked us if we could go up to another village and help visit members there, definitely a big yes!  The little things and events that run together sometimes amaze us.
Tonight we are having a meeting of sorts at the church.  We have invited any and all members from the Seamay/Senahu area to join us in practicing the new Christmas Hymns from the new Kekchi hymnbook.  Since most members don't read music they are not sure how they go, so we are meeting on Thursdays for the next three weeks - getting ready for Christmas!  Hopefully some will want to go caroling with us even.
Funnest question from yesterday:  We were walking up a path from Seamay when some young girls greeted us, one about 10 years old had a ton of questions.  The best question:  Why doesn't Elder Spradlin have any hair?    His answer was even cuter - He left it in the United States.  

Friday, November 30, 2012

Fast and Furious

Some weeks seem like you are flying at full speed...This week was one of them!  We went down to Guatemala City to have the Dentists check on Elder Spradlin's tooth, he had lost part of a filling.  We were able to have them fix it on our way into the Capitol.  They then told us about the Central Market and we went there and played for about two hours.  It was so much fun!  Three stories tall, you park on top, and inside each level has different things, handcrafts, ceramics, food, traditional clothing. We were able to buy some Christmas presents for some of our Elders, and a Christmas Nativity for the house, now we know where to go for cute souvenirs if we decide to get some before we go back stateside!
The neat thing while in the capitol was all of the things we were able to accomplish that weren't planned.  A refrigerator for one set of Elders up here in the Polochic had gone out and Sister Watts called us while we were there, and we were able to pick it up for them and bring it back up (amazing that the little fridges fit in the back of our vehicle).  We went early in the morning to the Temple and the Temple President was minding the Desk.  We spoke with him and found out they need some Temple workers who speak Kekchi and Spanish from our Districts up here.  We were able to get the specifics and the paperwork so we can give them to our three Districts that speak Kekchi.  On the way home we stopped in Coban and had a meeting with our missionaries from the Zone there on the importance of learning English.  Challenged them, so hopefully it will help them with setting and reaching new goals.
This morning we met with two different sets of Spanish Elders in Seamay and worked with them on their English.  Then this afternoon we met with 9 of the Young Women  from one of our Branches here in Senahu and started the Personal Progress program with them.  I am so excited!  We had picked up the materials for it when we were in the capitol.  I think we will probably have between 16-20 doing it with us eventually.  One of the Branches here had never started it, so I am working with their Branch President to help them get it going. Working with the Future Missionaries also and have an appointment down in the Valley tomorrow to work with one Sister's file.  Tomorrow afternoon  District Conference starts here in Senahu - it is going to be a busy weekend and we are grateful!  .  

Sunday, November 25, 2012

realities

Picture tin hut, dirt floor, little fire in the middle of the one room  surrounded by a few dishes - one with tortillas, a bucket of water.  A 97 year old lady huddled on a rock next to the fire in her sweater with her hands over her face.  She was cold, had a light cough and the chills.  I rubbed her back, rubbed her chest with oils, then rubbed her hands to get warmth back in them.  There was nothing more I could do for her.  Hard to walk away again.  We shall visit her again on Monday.
We had just been visiting her grandchildren and great grandchildren next door where the Mother has a new seven day old baby.  I worked some with the mom who was hurting all over from the labor and laying on the hard bed where she stays with the baby, the majority of the day.  The ten year old daughter has asked us to sing and read with them so that has been promised for when we go back on Monday afternoon.
Went to make Lebkuchen and saw a recipe calling for Cardamom seeds.  It is one of the major exports from here, although the price has sunk very low for them.  I went to the market to find some and no one sells it here in the market.  Someone then pointed me over to one of the drying sheds and when I went there they were very kind and gave me a small bag full.  Cookies will be great.
Saw for the first time on the market a Cocoa.  it looks like a squash almost, cut it open and the seeds are covered in this sweet/sour membrane that I liked, Elder Spradlin didn't.  The seeds are now in the drying process if we ever get any sun.
Went on a visit last night to teach a couple, the Dad wasn't home, but we were able to sing a couple of Christmas songs to the lady using our flashlights as she held her candle.
Our little 4 month old will be having her eye surgery on Monday! Praying all goes well and they will be back to Senahu by Friday.
No plans to go back to the capitol probably until May, then Elder Spradlin lost part of a filling so we get to make a fast run down this week, coming back through Coban to work with Elders on their English there, then stopping in Tuccuru to help teach a Brother how to use the Missionary program online.
Learned this week how to layer my clothes better, double shirting is helping keep me a lot warmer, and I have switched to wearing my rubber boots when we are out, not just for the mud but they are much warmer.  A lot of the people kind of laugh when they see it, I'm setting a new fashion trend, where the ladies here wear little sandels and only the men wear boots.  Definitely not complaining, I have blankets and clothes to keep me warm and am very very grateful.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

little things

It is cold here.  Not bad cold, but at night you definitely want an extra blanket on and makes you wish sometimes for a heater.  Heater wouldn't really do any good, since there is no insulation.  Then we think of our brothers and sisters here in the community who live in the stick houses with mud floors and laminate ceilings, it is a different perspective.  We walk through the market or go into homes where we hear the children coughing and see the beginning of much sickness.  Right now there is sunshine in the mornings, so that helps.    Some of our weeks will be worse, when it is misty rainy during the days and the cold seeps in.

Yesterday we went to one appointment, but the family wasn't home yet.  The family next door came out to greet us and we went and sang and visited with them, by the time we finished the first family had come back home.  On our way back to their house another family from down below us called out and asked us to come and give his Sister's baby a blessing, because it was sick.  That was fun because the way down was by a ladder!  We only had one appointment scheduled yesterday, but as we walked through the area the day filled with opportunities to serve.  We stopped by the family's home with the sick child and had a prayer with them, telling them we would return when we could find the Elder's to help us give the blessing.  The Elders we needed don't have a phone, but when we went to eat, there they were and were able to go back with us.  Coming back out, another family called out to us and we stopped.  They have now scheduled a cottage meeting for this Saturday to invite in their neighbors and have the Elders come teach.  We offered to help make the refreshments, so hopefully there will be several families that attend.

Yesterday we were able to buy ground beef at the market, and we had bought Pumpkin in the capitol.  We currently have six Elders here close and all of us will eat lunch together tomorrow of Spaghetti with meat sauce and pumpkin pie.  We then have a few appointments scheduled to work in the afternoon so it will definitely be a great Thanksgiving.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Interviews, Miracles and Pacas!

Crazy two weeks!  We did "English Interviews" with all of our missionaries for the Senahu, Polochic and Peten Zones.  We were working to help our Spanish Speaking Elders set goals for improving their English.  The follow up visits will now be by phone, and then in person when we do the next housing inspections.  We are really excited about this program, hopefully it will help our missionaries focus and work on their English skills.  The daily study goals are important, but the biggest goal is to listen and understand the Prophet and the general authorities without having to use a translator - that is a very exciting goal!
 In between the zone conferences we made it to Guatemala City, did our major shopping for the next few months and dropped Natalie off at the airport.  After having her here for the last six weeks, we will definitely miss her.
Exciting follow up news is that our four month old little girl from Senahu that was diagnosed with cataracts will be going down to the capitol next week with her parents to see a specialist, if all goes well she will be having surgery to remove the cataracts.  This is a very difficult decision and time for her family, Guatemala City seems like a world apart for her parents who will be traveling the nine hours by bus to take her, and not to know until after they see the Ophthalmologist there, whether the surgery will even work.  This is a big miracle in the happening, thanks to many people and their love and support.  A family and Ward in the US who is paying for the trip and surgery, a doctor willing to do the surgery at cost, missionaries in Guatemala who will be making sure things go okay there, the Doctors from Choice who found the problem, our Area Doctor who found the Ophthalmologist in the city for us, our District President who talked to and worked with the family - so they decided to go, a branch who is standing behind and supporting them emotionally to take the trip.  This is a miracle that involves lots of people, each doing what they can to help bring it to pass, I find it amazing.  We are hoping and praying that the Doctor finds the surgery possible and that all goes well.
 
In Peten we went to what is called a Paca.  It is really like a huge DI or Goodwill, full of clothes and stuff that have been sent down from the US from places like Deseret Industries or Goodwill.  Companies or business here get it, (not sure how that happens)  and then they sell it.  Some people have really big Pacas, then there are smaller ones, and sometimes just out in the markets.  Clothes, shoes, and all sorts of stuffs in a huge range of prices.  The Elders here collect "Paca Ties"  These are ties they buy in the Pacas for 5 quetz, (about 75 cents)  Some of them are really nice, some are quite hideous.  The ties and collecting them is quite a fun game between everyone.  We bought some ties this time, so that we can take them back up to Senahu to give to future missionaries and to give out in Wards where they don't have ties. I also bought me a new sweater for $1.25,  We have started the season in Senahu where it mists a lot, or light rain during the daytime and cool, so a sweater will be quite a wonderful thing to have.  Last time we were in the Paca I was looking for cooler shirts because of the heat!
While we were in Peten we also shopped for the missionaries in Senahu, they are setting up two new apartments and needed a refrigerator, pillows, white boards and a blanket.  Things we would just run to Wal Mart for in the states become quite a searching adventure.  We had to stop part-way home from Peten this evenign in El Estor where we made a couple of deliveries and are picking up some things to take up to the other Elders.  Spending the night here because it is too late to finish the trip. Tomorrow we will be visiting the Panzos Branch on our way through, they have an average attendance of only about 25 members right now.  Stopping in Teleman to drop more things off, swinging by Sacsuha to pick up a clothes rack, then up to Senahu to deliver things and make it to choir practice!  

Friday, November 2, 2012

Joyful Exhaustion

We were able to help work at the CHOICE medical brigade this week in Senahu.  They brought in Surgeons with full surgical clinic and supplies.  Screened, worked with, operated for 3 days straight.  Children with cleft palatte, or double cleft palatte, Adults and children with huge cancer tumours, cysts, glaucoma, hernias, hearing problems.  Every day they worked steadily from 8am till 5 or 6 at night doing miracles. Elder Spradlin, Natalie and I worked mainly with the vision screening, but did assist some in helping get other people to the right doctor to be seen.  We came home exhausted and overwhelmed on a daily basis. One of the Doctors told me that he and one of the other Doctors have been doing this twice a year for the last 22 years, that is major dedicated service!
 Two hard things with our little bits during the clinic.  One of the little girls we have known since we have been here, always looked like she had a lazy eye, we found out she was blind in one eye, probably because of some sort of illness when she was a baby. The other is our little 4 month old sister whose eyes did not seem to focus right.  She was seen by the ophthalmologist and we learned that she was born with cataracts in both eyes, and can only distinguish between dark and light.  There is some hope though that if we can find a pediatric opthamologist in the capitol, and if there is no retinal damage behind the cataracts, and IF the surgery is done in the next two months, she may regain her eyesight.  I wept with the mother as I translated for her with the doctor, and then went with her to tell her husband.  We are praying and helping them to look for the specialist in the capitol, then hoping they can find the means for making the trip, having the consultation and doing the surgery.
All Saints Day yesterday, meant being invited to Caldo twice by member families.  That was fun!  Today they are supposed to be flying kites in the cemeteries, it has been raining most of the day so we shall see.   

Friday, October 26, 2012

The work of the Lord

This week didn't go always the way we planned it, but it went well, if that makes any sense.  The people that were supposed to be attending the Dental Clinic, many didn't show up which was really hard, but there were other people that were able to be seen and the Dentists stayed busy the whole time.  They did miracles!  It was really hard though when we got home from the clinic on Thursday and one of the sisters here was complaining of a toothache  Our District here was supposed to go down to the clinic on Wednesday - but they didn't go, it made me very sad.  One older sister was in to have some of her teethe pulled, while she was waiting I started talking to her about going to the Temple and then helped her fill out her family history form, so when she goes to the temple she is going to be able to get the work done for her parents and be sealed to them.  One of those side benefits of an activity, for which I was very grateful!
Wednesday while we were at the clinic President C'aal from Senahu called and asked if I could help with the District Choir practices for the Dedication this Sunday in Yalijux.  We came back a little early then on Wed. so that we could make it to the choir practice.  We found out Thursday morning that there is a medical brigade from an organization called CHOICE coming to work here in Senahu for three days next week so we will get to help them some by translating for them.  The wonderful news of that is that we have a couple of members here that are in great need of seeing a specialist and they are going to be able to be seen.  We feel so grateful to be a part of the work we see going on around us.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

The reason we are here!

What an amazing week.   I shall do it backwards!  Yesterday we did inspections and took the Dentists who will be here this following week for a clinic in Teleman, out to the Hot Springs Waterfalls.  It is such a beautiful place.  Thursday we got to go to Tikal and wonder through the jungles, with a guide.  We saw monkeys, birds, tarantulas, ruins, awesome plants - and climbed lots of stairs.  My legs are still discussing the stairs with me today!  Thursday night though we delivered a Mission Call to one of the Sisters we have worked with getting her Missionary Papers finished.  It was the first time for us to watch someone we have worked with open their letter and read it.  Such a wonderful blessing.  This young sister has worked so hard and waited so long to be able to go - to Mexico as a missionary!
We have been very happy with the Apartment inspections this time, most of the apartments have been in much better condition.  We know they may not be keeping them all clean on a regular basis, but at least we know that once every three months they are looking good!  I explained to one set of Elders, who were so chagrined when they realized they had forgot to make their beds, that if they will make a goal to make their bed every day it could change their lives.  They thought that was a strange thought.  I explained that years ago when I was having a really hard time with all I had to do in life, that I felt I couldn't keep up and was very down, a good friend of mine told me the secret.  You make your bed every morning, it only takes a couple of minutes, then all day long when you feel like you are behind, or things are going wrong, you can refer back and think, "Well at least I made my bed."  Funny how all these years that one thought has sometimes helped me feel like a successful person.
Tuesday  we were in a Zone conference in Peten with Elder Duncan, counselor in our Area Presidency and one of the 70.  A few important thoughts that I took from the meeting:
 A. You have to have your vision, see the end product that you want first - that way you know where you are headed.  It is like a builder needs to have his blueprints, so he knows what he is building.  Once you have the vision of where you are going - you set your goals, not just one but multiple, like steps in the process and then you make your plans to reach each of your goals.
B. before we study the scriptures and before we go into a meeting like Sacrament meeting we need to have a question or a need in mind so that as we listen we can be taught the things we need to know by the Spirit.
C.  I need to be applying the Atonement more in my own life.  Baptism by water is only half a process and has no lasting change unless it is followed by the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  It is this gift and the Atonement which purifies and cleans us on a continual basis.  Satan works very hard to blind and block us from that process using guilt, pity, depression, a feeling of inadequacy; to block us from our own acceptance of the Atonement.  We are here to be successful, but we sometimes short circuit our own potential by our lack of faith in the process provided by our love Heavenly Father. and Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Traveling

We are in Coban, in the middle of our inspection tours.  Natalie is getting a great taste of our part of Guatemala!  Yesterday trying to get out of the valley though there was a huge tractor trailor rig with a big Cat   thing for digging on the trailer bed that had turned one of the blind corners too tight and got his rear wheels stuck in the ditch. It took them a while to figure out how to move it, Elder Spradlin figured they should just use the Cat on the rig, but that wasn't their solution.  Just were happy when they did resolve it.  The hour or so delay there, plus the road work put us just enough behind to miss the planned lunch break. We did make all of our scheduled inspections though going through Tactic, Valparaiso and San Cristobol, and definately appreciated our filled rolls from the bakery in Coban!  
We were able to go to Yalijux with President and Sister Watts last week when they were inspecting the new chapel.  Elder Spradlin terms it as one of our "ends of the earth"  or the "tops of the mountains"  both with very good reason!  We are so excited that their new chapel will soon be dedicated.  
 Today we go to Tanchi, Carcha, Chamelco and then back through Tucuru so it will be a very full day - but first we get to take a little time out to walk through the market here in Coban.  
Conference was amazing and we were very grateful to be able to get most of it in English at the Church.  Words of a Prophet, we are a very blessed people. 

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Sunday we worked in Buena Vista, it is a beautiful little area up in the Chulak District.  To get there we have to go down the mountain, through part of the valley, then up another set of mountains. It is a small branch, but with a lot of faith.  One of their young men there just got his mission call to go to Honduras, so we are very excited for him.  I ended up speaking in Sacrament meeting in Q'eqchi' about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon daily.  During Sunday schoo,l talked to the youth about preparing for missions and made a short visit to the primary.  They love "Head Shoulders, Knees and Toes"  Talked to them about helping inspire their familes to read together.  Probably not totally kosher, but told the little girls that they had the most power, because if their families don't say yes, they can cry and get their way ( :  We shall see what the results are when we go back up in October.  The Branch President asked me to talk in Relief Society, but luckily he translated for me.  Went over the importance of Relief Society and the Mother's role as heart of the home, the importance of having the family read the Book of Mormon.  This is a difficult thing for these families, because many of the parents don't know how to read.
We came down the mountain Wednesday headed for the Capitol and on the way down our brakes started squealing.  We stopped at the bottom, only to find out we need new brake pads, something not available except for in Guatemala city.  Kind of scary driving in with one brake pad gone and cutting into the disc.  We were so grateful when we finally got here!!!  Tonight  we get to meet with our wonderful Mission President and his wife over dinner with the other Senior missionary couple we now have in the Mission, after that we get to pick up our daughter Natalie at the airport!  She will be staying and working with us til November and we are very excited.
We have a new project we are working on because  many of the small chapels out in the Polochic area have no pictures of the Saviour up.  We took our calendar pictures from this year, cut them out, glued construction paper on the back and at the Mission office were able to laminate them.  We will attach a paper clip then to the back so we can hang one in each primary room as we go through our Branches.  Hopefully we are able to get some members in the states to make some up for us also and send them down so we can get one or two in every chapel.  
The Elders asked us to go with them to visit a family on Tuesday, only for us to find out that it is a family we have worked with across the alley, reading and playing with their children.  It was such a joy to bear our testimonies to them and to know that the mother has agreed for the family to start taking the discussions.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Celebrations, Miracles and Thoughts on Canlun

Eating the fresh orange I just cut open and staring out the door this morning at the mountain on the other side, I was grateful for being in Paradise another day!  We are so blessed with little daily miracles.  Monday evening the Elders asked if we could help them get a little refrigerator up to their area in Seritquiche, about a half hour drive up the mountain, of course we said yes.  We went to get gas and the gas station was out, plus there was a storm over the mountains.  We postponed taking it up till Tuesday morning, they also said they wanted to work up in a village (Sachaj)  about another 45 minutes to an hour drive further up in the mountains.  We said we would take them up as far as we could, We can't get the whole way in to Sachaj in our car, roads are too rough, but that way we also planned on meeting with and working with some of the members up in that area.
We took family group sheets with us on Tuesday to hopefully give to some of the members there and help them get started.  When we got to San Francisco, as far as we were going, there was a Young Adult brother there from Senahu waiting on some of his friends to work at the school.  The sister I wanted to talk to had her store open, right next to where we had parked, so I went to talk to her.  The problem is that she only speaks Kekchi, my Kekchi wasn't near good enough to communicate everything.  My little miracle, (Or huge)  the Brother from Senahu translated for me and she is going to start filling her forms out and hopefully help the Branch also to get started.  That is exciting! 
 Last night we were going to visit one family and walking down the trail we aw on the side  a Sister with a few of her children around her, I had never stopped at her home before, but there she was and her little three year old was holding a battered copy of the Book of Mormon.  We stopped and talked with them.  Later we needed to go back up and run a quick errand, and she met us again on the trail. She told us that we needed to go to the home next to hers, there was a brother there that was sick.  Such love and compassion, it was for her neighbor that she was concerned.  We went to the home she pointed out and it was some members we had never visited before, but the grandparents had just come to live with them because the Grandfather is very ill. l We noticed there were no pictures up in the home, so we will go back again tomorrow and sing with them and take them a couple of pictures of the Savior.  We would have never known to go, if we had not been told by the neighbor.  
Monday morning Mountain Elders showed up on our doorstep one of them with part of his care package from his mom.  In it was the making for his favorite cookies, his Mom had sent it for his Birthday.  This is really impressive, because the shipping is very high to get here, plus it takes a while for it to arrive and it was here before his birthday!  We made his cookies and he had all the other Elders up Monday evening for helping eat them.  They were awesome!!!
Last weekend was the Independence Day celebration here.  Races, People going to other towns and then running back with their torches, parades, fireworks, Activities in the branches, National Anthem and flag raising.  It was wonderful to see their love for their liberty and their country.  The street and both sides of it around the municipal building completely full as people came to sing the National Anthem and watch the flag raised and lowered each day.
ELDER SPRADLIN - THOUGHTS ON CANLUN

There are two rivers to cross on the way to Canlun (sometimes spelled K'anlun)  on the way there the Branch President called to let us know that it had been raining in the valley and the rivers might be up.  For any freeway driving Americans, the crossings are without the benefit of Bridges, but we were able to maneuver across both rivers, and several mud holes that were almost as deep as the rivers.  We met at the Chapel with the Branch President and the Full time missionaries, although still early morning it was starting to get hot.  After having prayer we split up to go visit some inactive members of the Branch.   Making the visits we walked across another river, with the help of a foot bridge.  The women were washing their clothes in this river, perhaps an interesting note is that the women washing their clothes and walking back from the river had also washed their tops, but made sure they had on their Corte skirts.
Most all of the homes in Canlun are made of upright sticks about the size of a shovel handle with larger poles on the corners and at the doorways, many of the homes leaning in different directions.  The roofs are made with large leaf thatching or tin, the floors are dirt. Outside one home I helped an elderly brother taking the dried corn of the cobs in his basket.  I speak almost no Kekchi, and he speaks no English, but the corn comes off the cob the same in both languages.  Later sitting in his home I noticed the ants crawling around my feet, then a duck came in to enjoy a few bits of corn that had been dropped on the floor.  In the homes we visited we sang hymns, prayed, testified and invited them to come back to church.  Humble surroundings and limited food, yet the people here seem very happy,  Such a pleasure to work with them!

Friday, September 7, 2012

So much Fun!

Last night we had such a fun group of young boys show up for English Class in Seamay.  Had us almost continuously in laughs!  They love getting to have the little English books to take home each week,,  Winnie the Pooh though is definitely the most desired at the moment.  We had gone over and picked up two young girls for class, it was their first time, hopefully not way too overwhelming with all of the boy's horsing around.  The fun part is even though they mess with each other so much, they also always help each other, or the newer kids, to make sure they know the answers.  Sweet and mischievous at the same time is how I would have to label them.  After class one of our boys started accompanying us and explained that Saturday he turns 15, although he looks about 10 years old!  He wanted to know if I could bake him a birthday cake, since his family won't be able to have one.  They are also inviting his grandparents and a few extended family.  Elder Spradlin warned me that I may be in for a bunch of baking if the word gets out, but there was no way I was turning him down.  He accompanied us taking our girls home, then walked us back in and up the trail showing us his home, we also passed grandparents and family homes while were at it. He was so excited!
Left from there back up to Senahu where one of the Branches was having a dance to raise money, so we popped in on that.  The electricity went out, but it was still fun, greeting all of our members, then we started running and playing with the younger kids to entertain them till the electricity came back on.
Monday we invited all of the Elders over from our District at the end of their PDay and I had made Chili, or at least a very close version. It was great!  Everyone brought a couple bags of Tortrix (like Fritos)  and finished off the pot!  Now you may wonder, knowing I had my fun with chocolate last week, then chili pie on Monday how my weight is doing...Well on Tuesday the Polochic weight cure hit again and has rescued me.  Gotta be grateful for the little inconveniences of life!  
I wrote up the conversion story for our young missionary that just got his mission call this week and it was a wonderful  to be able to share.  The children here have many, many trials, makes me feel like anyone whining back home about a hard life, needs to take a deep breathe and re-evaluate.  

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Not my normal blog

This past Saturday my stepmother who I have claimed as a mother for the last 41 years died.  She had the beginning stages of Altzheimers when we entered the mission and had progressed quickly during the time we have been here.  That and other important family events happening back home in the states made me really question our being here.  Are we really being of service, is our being here necessary at this time, are we making a difference, a change for the good?  The answer I come to is yes.  Not in big giant ways, but in the little things that might not happen, or would take much more time if we weren't here to help.  With that in mind I wish to share a few of the things from the last few days.
 A young man turned in his mission papers almost a full year ago, but had done it before we entered the field, he was referred to us when we first came here, because of problems in the paperwork.  He had not understood the questions clearly and in trying to be honest stated that he had severe migraines.  In the last year it has taken many letters, phone calls and forms but last Friday he got his mission call.  He opened it in his meetings on Sunday and is very excited to be going to Mexico.  We are trying to help eliminate those kind of problems for our young brothers and sisters.
Saturday evening we were able to go to a Baptism in Seamay, and also talked to several members there.  Later that evening we invited some of the Elders up for ice cold watermelon we had bought in the market Saturday morning, a lovely break for everyone!
Sunday morning we headed up the mountain, made a stop in Seritquiche and were able to leave some clothes, ties, shirts from the choir, and two sanitation kits from the Dental tour with them.  Heading further we attended Sacrament meeting in Semarac, intended to attend all of the meetings there, but the District President was there and needed to get up to the next town to take pictures of the youth for an EFY camp in December.  It needed to be turned in on Sunday.  So up we went, went to Sunday School there and then met with members and helped them with their pictures.   Sunday afternoon I talked to the District President in Chulac helping make arrangements for the Dental Clinic we get to help them with for October.
Sunday  afternoon we went and visited with a family we have come to know as our friends down in Seamay, we visit and play together.  This Sunday though we told them about the Book of Mormon and gave them a copy, one in Spanish and one in Q'eqchi.
 We are working hard with several future missionaries helping them get their missionary applications completed, we keep hitting little snags though that can be very frustrating.  Like that they each now need to get a passport before we can finish the process.  Working closely though with the offices and the Branch and District Presidents we are able to help speed up the processing.
Today we went down to the market, on the way down there was a little girl about 2 1/2 kind of running around at the top of the market by herself.  Later in the day when I went to show a lady selling Cocoa where Corina's comedora is, coming back up the hill I saw this sweet little bit holding on to/ leaning into a rope by herself, swaying, obviously very very tired.  I asked someone around her if they were hers, but she wasn't.  I picked the sweet little one up in my arms.  She whimpered once and went fast to sleep, afterwards though no one knew who she belonged to!  Almost thought I would be bringing home a new little girl, but a little later a mom showed up to claim the little treasure.
I decided in memory of not being able to be at my mom's funeral I would make  chocolate cake and share it with friends here, because after funerals back home I always remember the chocolate cake.  Kind of silly, but my way of handling.  It helps though when baking a chocolate cake to add the sugar.  Since I forgot it....  I became very creative which would have pleased my Mom because she was always very creative.  I made up a fudge sauce recipe  but doubled the milk and added nonflavored gelatin.  Tore up the cake, poured it on and fridged it. Yummy.
Not a normal post maybe, but not a normal week either.  It's the little things that add up though, the training meeting we are planning for tomorrow morning for our future missionaries to help them prepare better, the cake I helped Corina bake yesterday so she can raise money, the neighbor we helped with his television controls yesterday because it was all in English, the children who call out to us and want us to stop and talk and work with them in English.  The little 9 year old boy who came to English class for the first time last Thursday who is so excited about coming again, every time he sees me he asks how many more days, and I have to help him count.  He is illiterate so we are hoping that we can also help him get started learning how to read and write Spanish.  The boys who surrounded Harold while he waited in the car on Sunday and he visited with them, introduced them to the Book of Mormon - and made friends.  So many little things, but they hopefully will add up to a part of fulfilling our Saviour's plan.

Friday, August 24, 2012

40 Apartments and MONKEYS!

No, the monkeys were not in the apartments!  We finished last weekend with the last of the apartment inspections, counted back and we had done 40 in all over the last few weeks. It was great meeting and working with all of the missionaries and seeing so many other parts of Guatemala.  I will now admit that Peten is HOT!  Luckily while we were there it was cloudy so not as hot as they normally have. Friday afternoon we went out with the Zone Leaders to inspect an apartment in Sayaxche,  to get into the village we had to cross by ferry.  Loved looking around, took a picture of a lady on the back of a motorcycle carrying home her chicken!   Friday night  in San Benito, after we had finished the inspections and testing for the day, we tried out a restaurant the missionaries had told us about that has Pupusas (yummy!).  During supper, the electricity went off - made for a romantic meal by candlelight, although trying to find and check into a hotel with all of the electricity off got a little tricky!  We have learned our lesson though and will make sure we check in earlier in the day instead of putting it off.  Saturday morning we went and checked out a little island named Flores, across a bridge from San Benito and it is covered with hotels. We found one that is cute and inexpensive for next time, our plan is to stay there sometime and walk around the island early in the morning before the sun makes it too hot.  We did two training meetings and one missionary English test in the Poptun district while we were out and worked with future missionary files in El Estor on our way back.  That put us coming home on Monday...We made a stop to go swimming at a little place off the main road and discovered a canyon that we got to go up by canoe, it wasn't very far but it was beautiful.  The guy with the canoe paddled us up the canyon and pointed out a monkey family in the trees.  It was awesome!  When we got to where the canoe had to stop to turn around I got out and swam and floated back out-since it was downstream.  Doesn't get much better than swimming out on your back looking up at the solid rock and jungle type walls!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Giant Ceiba

Last week we went to Coban to give English tests, Elder Spradlin also fixed a bunk bed for one of our sisters while we were there.  It's kind of funny what all gets thrown into a trip sometimes.  Sunday we worked with the Branch in Tucuru, talked to their youth during Sunday School about preparing to serve missions and had a great training meeting with the adults after church.  Each of those trips we took we were surrounded by rain clouds and storms, but both times we got home right before the rains hit.  We have been very blessed not to have to drive in rain storms.  We worked a lot on Future missionary files this week and are very excited for the progress that is happening.  On our way to work with the members in La Tinta we always pass by this huge tree, well this week we took the time to stop and take a few pictures.  Leaving from La Tinta we then went up to Chulac to pick up some future missionary files. Two of the files did not have all of their required signatures so we drove with the branch president to their homes, and out into one field to obtain the signatures.  What a beautiful, unexpected adventure.  When we finally made it back to Senahu we did a geneology class for the District High Council.
Our English class in Seamay is loving the beginning English books we are now "checking out" to them at the end of English class.  They get so excited looking at the pictures and trying to read.
We have one future missionary leaving from here for HOnduras next Tuesday,  we were able to provide him with some great tennis shoes, ties, white shirts and a suitcase - all things brought by the choir when they came!    It has been a lovely busy week, today I was able to enter the three missionary files we picked up in Chulac while Elder Spradlin got us caught up on laundry, then a training meeting in Seamay where we presented a shortened version on the importance of Visiting Teaching, Home Teaching, Branch Councils, visiting less actives. Most importantly though, the reason we do what we do inside the church, loving our brothers and sisters.  All that topped off with our English class and a ride home in the Tuc Tuc!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Whirlwind Week

Dental clinic was the first three days in Teleman and the dentists helped 174 people.  along with 167 fillings, 46 Sealants, there were 268 extractions.  If it wasn't for a lack of time they would have loved to do much more.  One lady needed 21 teethe, or teethe roots pulled. We saw things that were hard for me to even imagine.  Needless to say the Dentists were amazing.  Wednesday night was the concert in Teleman, then on Thursday one here in Senahu.  The District mayor attended the concert here.  It was fun watching the people's rapt attention as the choir sang - they were inspiring.  We have a nonmember family here we are working with that we have fallen in love with and they attended the concert and really liked it. Pres. and Sister Watts also made it to the Saturday concert and we were able to introduce our friends to them and to many of the choir members. Saturday after they finished working with the District choir some of the choir members wanted to learn to make tortillas so we took them down to two homes in Seamay, another group went with me into a few other homes and then ended up with our friends where we also made tortillas. The members in Seamay just got electricity in last week, so that helped a lot!
On Thursday when we went up to Yalijux by transport we hit two places where the road had washed out and they were working on it.   The pictures look a little scary, we all walked across and then the Truck drove over the little chasm on boards that broke as he came across. The choir worked with the school there, then as we were waiting for lunch they did another impromptu concert in front of the church building with the yard full of people wanting to listen. We were informed by a lady from another organization that delivers Incaparina (food supplement for young children)  of a family that lives next to the church in a small hut.  The baby is two years old and is very sick from malnutrition and most likely intestinal parasites.  The lady had said they had no food in the home, and that they had had an infant die in the home in December from malnutrition.  One of the choir members had brought money from their ward, so we went out and put together  a weeks food supply (it only ran about $20.)  We took the food to the home and it was very sad, the little boy looked about 11 months old, although he was two and he was crying.  I hope the powdered milk and oats help him feel better. The other organization will be up checking on them in the next week to see what can be done.
Sunday morning we went to El Estor to meet with the members there, making sure things were ready for the choir and doing a leadership training meeting for their branch counsel after the meetings.
Some of the choir members brought down beginner readers in English so we are setting up a lending library to use with our kids in our English classes.  They also brought a lot of ties and white shirts that we will be getting out to different branches, some we will save to give out to our future missionaries.  Exciting Week!!!!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Joyful Days

I think maybe the week gets almost too busy, when I sit down and have to think really really hard just to remember what we did.  Monday evening we had a FHE with a lovely family by candlelight in Seamay.  It began raining at the end, so we were soaked on the way walking home.  When we got into the Tuk Tuk, we were able to catch partway, he told us to put our rainsuits under the seat so we wouldn't get the seat wet.  We obediantly took them off and sat down...only to find the seat already very wet.  Just count it as part of the fun of playing in the rain.  We visited Buena Vista this week and some of their members there with their Branch President.  Also worked with the future missionary files from Buena Vista and Sajunte.  Sometimes things that look like they should be very simple have a way of getting so complicated when working on their missionary files.  We went to Yalijux on Thursday to do housing inspections, see the new church and meet with people from the school for the choir visit.  Elder Spradlin and our Senahu District President sang their way up and talked about the beautiful mountains jostling up the mountain on the back of the truck.  Pres. singing in Qeqchi, and Elder Spradlin in English, all of us having a wonderful day.  Definately rainy season, we ended up not having English class Thursday evening because it started raining so hard no one could leave their houses, plus we couldn't have heard ourselves over the rain anyway!@! Saturday I was supposed to make a lot of calls, went to make them and my line was blocked, turns out when they went to pay the phone company on Friday they accidentally underpaid by one quetzal (13 cents)  and it blocked all the phones on that account.  Crazy world.  Learning a little more patience and to laugh at myself.  I fell twice today when I hadn't fallen in ages, once on a wobbly board set up as a ramp into the church yard when it flipped on me and then later in the day when I stepped into a narrow gutter in the sidewalk.  Didn't even have mud in sight either time!  The good news is that I didn't hurt myself, and I even fell fairly gracefully.  Very grateful for protection from above. A baptism in Sacsuha yesterday and helping set up a missionary file, then church in La Tinta today working on another file.  The Kekchi choir concert today in Sacsuha and the dentists arriving in Teleman for our coming clinic. It has been an amazing week, and the coming one is exciting with both the Kekchi choir here and the Dentists arriving.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Beautiful Places, great people!

We visited a lot of towns this week doing apartment inspections: Tucuru, Sacsuha, San Cristobol, Santa Cruz, Tanchi, Carcha, Chamelca, Coban.  Beautiful areas, some really, really rough roads though. The main road through the Polochik valley could be compared maybe to an old logging road that just had a heavy rain.  Some places are like a washboard, some you look where to dodge the potholes.  We had planned to go to Canlun today, but the rain had been so hard last night and today that the river was up too high to pass without being in a truck.  We helped members today in Sacsuha with their genealogy, tomorrow we will be doing visiting the branch and doing genealogy in Teleman.  It is so awesome to watch the joy as members begin to learn how to piece together their ancestry.  Also worked quite a bit this week on future missionary files, so hopefully several will be completed in the next few weeks.  Many of the youth we help with on the forms have only completed the equivilant of Junior High, but one sister this week from Poptun had gone as far as starting the University - that is quite a feat for here.
 We talk to all of our Elders when we visit about the importance of using disinfectant and the importance of keeping their apartments clean. I call it my lecture. Some are doing a great job...some could use a little improvement.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Refrigerated Toothbrush

It is hard to decide what to name this post, although choosing its name is a lot of fun... some ideas so far:  athletic varmints,  unwelcome guests, go to bed earlier, not my favorite friends, yuck, only once, right?
These names may give you a clue.  Last Thursday night I was getting the medicine box down off the fridge, after Elder Spradlin had already gone to bed, and out jumped a mouse and ran across the floor.  I stayed calm, put the box gently down on the washer and out jumps another one right in front of my face to run out the door (I hope)  I stayed calm, didn't wake up Elder Spradlin even... but it was hard to go to sleep because I kept imagining what I might be hearing.  This lovely event has now been one upped in my opinion.  We came back from being in Poptun on Sunday and again being up later than Elder Spradlin I went in to brush my teethe - to be greeted by a giant cockroach on the head of my toothbrush.  YUK! Grabbed for toothbrush, cockroach ran fast enough to save his life.  Cleaned my toothbrush thoroughly with hydrogen pyroxide and have fervently told myself that this was the first time that must have happened....  My toothbrush now has a new home in the refrigerator.   So really, it is amazingly beautiful here, and sometimes nature has to try and let us know who is boss.  
On the other hand, we went to the Poptun District to meet and work with the wonderful missionaries and members there this last weekend.  We figured out that we can make it in 4 hours and 15 minutes.  We now have the files of their two future missionaries to complete computer processing and were able to share with them some forms to help two of their branches take names to the temple this weekend.  We met and talked with their 3 Branch Presidents and their District President and are setting up to go back and work with them in August.  I love the fact that all of the sisters there greet with a hug and a kiss.  I guess I should add that I am glad that the Brethren don't do the same thing.
When we went up the hill to visit our little boys this morning, one of them had a hurt wrist, right above the wrist.  He had fallen on Friday, then it started hurting worse over the weekend, from what we understood.  They took him to the hospital yesterday, but the Doctors didn't do anything for him.  Their is no x-ray machine here.  We called Dr. Drake and described it, he can still move all his fingers, the arm and wrist look normal, but slightly swollen, very sore to the touch in one specific place.  Chance of a break, or fracture so he had us splint it.  Little one was much better almost instantly.  We used part of the cardboard we had given them for their racetrack and bandaging tape we had with us in our bag.  Elder Spradlin did great!
No picture to post of my friendly varmints, but will let your imagination work its way.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Busy, Busy!

We had 983 at Senahu District Conference on Sunday, over 100 of them participated in the choir. Pres. Watts met with all of the youth after conference on Sunday and told them they need to start learning English.  We have been assigned to start again, and had our first class last night in Senahu. We get to start doing the housing inspections for the missionaries now in the Polochic, Poptun, part of Alta Vera Paz and the Coban area.  They have to be done 4 times a year, or better said once every three months - so we will be getting to visit with a lot of our amazing Elders here. I help set up the appointments, but Elder Spradlin is going to mainly be taking care of the inspections and writing up all the reports to email in. It is neat as we call to set up these appointments in some of the areas where we are also working with the Leaders, and the Elders let us know things we can help their branches with, one needs some support with geneology, another with setting up a reactivation plan.  When we went up to Chulak this week for the inspections we also met with the Future Missionaries there, two Branch Presidents and the District President.  We are trying to help the branches with a new plan of organizing their youth and having the youth organize themselves, they will make a commitment to read from the Book of Mormon every day to their families, then report back once a week to one of the youth who will keep the records and be the "cheerleader".  We have explained to the branches we are working with that in the goal of all families reading the Book of Mormon daily, our youth are a great strength.  They will be as the Army of Heleman in leading and supporting their families, by doing so they will strengthen themselves and their families.  Up here where many of the parents are illiterate it will be a great strength.
 This weekend will be our first trip up to the Poptun area, not only will we be doing the housing inspections there but getting to know the leaders to see how we can be more support to them.  This is their District Conference weekend so it should be great!   We also have received a list of young people that are the age of future missionaries that we are going to work with the leadership to try and locate throughout the area and see how they are currently doing.
We have been real involved for the last week trying to help make reservations and arrangements for the Kekchi Choir tour coming through the Polochik, and also for the Dental clinic that will be held the last week in Teleman.
A funny to close on, last weekend we were visiting with a family and singing with their daughters.  They began playing with my hair, then one of them asked me who had cut it (I got an amazing Aline cut about 2 weeks ago finally)  I told her one of the sisters, and asked if she liked it.  She responded, "oh no sister, esta bien feo" (its really ugly)  Then she let her hair down and told me, "but if you let it grow long, it can be beautiful, see.  Really Sister, you can do it!!"  It was so sweet and cute!  Very rarely do you see a female here with short hair, and almost never do you see a boy or man with long hair.  Lots of barbers, but no beauticians.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Dish Soap, or not

A young sister was with us today helping me make Green Banana chips, kind of like potato chips but made with unripened bananas, to take to our Zone Conference tomorrow.  I had been telling Sister Watts about all my new recipes using them, like a green banana curry, and the chips, so I decided to take and share since our supply is still quite large!  We started to clean up the kitchen when my lovely sister explained to me that the soap we have been using for dishes is really the soap used for washing clothes.  Not sure yet what the difference is, since both are big round bars, but she has promised to show us the right kind on Saturday in the market.  The one we were using said antibacterial, and it smelled good...oh well.  We gave her the remaining bars in the package since she washes all of their clothes by hand and will be able to use it.
We are very excited because several future missionaries here have started working on their missionary files and will be having their interviews with Pres. Watts this weekend.  It is so wonderful to see their excitement as we start the files and take their pictures.  We have District Conference this weekend, and the District choir has about 120 members in it. I will be accompanying, the only other member up here that plays the piano will be directing.  Pretty amazing in my opinion, the amount of members so very excited and dedicated to singing at the conference. They have been practicing every Sunday afternoon since about April, because the original conference date at the beginning of June was delayed till now.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Learning



We have learned in the last week that when the Thunderstorms hit hard it is better just to light a candle and leave it burning, so we are not left in the dark when the electricity does go out.   We also make sure the Pila is full before the storms start at night, because it could always hit one of the water lines.  I am still having a little trouble enjoying the storms when they are hard.  They make me a little nervous.
 Elder Spradlin bought a banana tree... well one whole stem I guess you would call it, with over 120 bananas on it.  I quit counting once I figured on that many.  You have to pick them while they are still green, then you let them finish ripening inside, or in shade so they don't get dark spots.  He hung them now from the ceiling in the study/second bedroom.  I went online finally and found out that you can fry them like you would potatoes, also a good curry recipe.  This is good, because when they all ripen that will be a lot of bananas!  The bananas are a lot cheaper to buy in a huge bunch like that, we paid 40 quetzales, they offered it to us for less, but we didn't think they were being fair to themselves since they are also good friends. 
 We have started working with some of the members now on their genealogy and it is extremely exciting.  First we help them start filling out their four generation charts, then we use our laptop to help them start putting their information in the online genealogy system so they can prepare to go to the temple.  It is exciting to watch them begin their searches.  We are also working with starting several future missionary files.  We have 6 that are now in process, each at a various stage. Last week was exciting when 3 young men we had worked with all got their mission calls.  Doing a little preparation for the Q'eqchi choir that is coming from the US the end of July and also the preparation for the Dental Clinic we will be helping with about the same time.  It is great to watch so many projects unfold!  Now if I can just figure out how to upload the slideshow of Elder Spradlin and his bananas!












Monday, June 18, 2012

He Wouldn't Let Go

By Elder Spradlin
We stood there in a humble home made of sticks and boards, standing upright, held together by wire and string.  The roof over our heads was made of rusted tin and the floor under our feet was God's own good earth.  I only noticed one bed and a hammock in the single room dwelling, which housed several children and their parents.
As the early afternoon light gleamed through the cracks between the sticks and boards, the father/grandfather of this wonderful family took my hand in a farewell handshake.  He had just shared his deeply felt and beautiful testimony, as he did so I felt the spirit of the Lord flow through him.  Although I didn't understand his words, the Spirit bore witness of the words he uttered.  As we stood there holding hands he did not want to let go, and neither did I.  He and I felt the Spirit of God, the Eternal Father flow into that humble abode and into us - we did not want to let that moment go.
I don't know his name, and I didn't understand his words, but I will never forget that old gentleman and the feeling I had as we clasped hands and felt the Holy Spirit distill upon us, standing in heavenly bliss as brothers in Zion.

Learning

We were able to meet with a Brother in Guatemala City last week when we dropped off David and Michelle, he explained the program for helping people here in the Polochik start their genealogy.  It is a little more difficult here than we can imagine in the states - when a person is illiterate and quite often doesn't know their own birthdate.  We are very excited about starting to help them make and prepare their family history records.  Saturday we went to a branch activity in Telemann.  The activities and games for the children were supposed to start at 10am, many children were there but the leaders weren't quite ready yet, we have a hard time sometimes when things start an hour later than announced... so Elder Spradlin and I played jump rope, limbo and Simon says with them.  We then started teaching them how to play Red Rover, after starting it we walked off to check on how the real games were coming.  About 2 minutes later the kids all came after us and said that one young girl had said a bad word.  I walked over to her, you could tell she was frustrated and upset. I turned to everyone else and asked "Do you know that she is a princess?"  All of you are princesses and princes also.  I put my arm around her then and said very softly that she is a princess and that it is because of our Heavenly Father.  Then I said, "maybe you forgot for a minute who you really are, that happens to all of us sometimes."   Wish I had been wise enough to respond to such circumstances equally well when my own children were struggling.  We are children of a King, a loving Heavenly Father who cares about us, the problem is that sometimes we forget for a moment who we really are.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Work, Play and Family!

David and Michelle have come to play with us so we are having a wonderful week. Learned our way around Guatemala a little when we went down to get them, and had a great time visiting with the other Senior missionaries there and having an amazing dinner with Pres. and Sister Watts. We have been to waterfalls, hot springs, mountain tops and visited some of our amazing friends.  Took them on one trip on the back of a truck up through the mountains so they can see some of the unbelievable beauty.  I think they have fallen a little bit in love with some of the families here, for good reason.  We were able to prove to them that some of our visits are straight up, and that yes this is living out in the boonies.  David now believes in time machines and we were even able to throw in running out of water one day and no electricity the next.  Makes you appreciate warm showers when they are available.  We did learn though that if we run the dryer, and the hot water heater on the shower at the same time, plus throw in one light... it can cause a power outage! We have done a little bit of work while they are here, but honestly not a lot.  Helping get the dates and places set up for the Kekchi choir tour coming in late July (that is a very exciting event)  Love our new daughter Michelle!!!!  and so happy to have them both here.

Monday, May 28, 2012

castles and waterfalls

Last Thursday we were able to work in El Estor with the Branch President, Primary President and the Relief Society President.  Some problems they have here we don´t even think about before we get to work with the members.  The Primary president wanted help with her music, she had the CD with music and the book but couldnt figure out how the songs worked.  Once I listened to it once I realized why, how does a person know what the intro music is and where it starts if no one has ever shown you!  The Branch had recieved the book for George Albert Smith and the one about being a Daughter of God in the same box, so many of the branches thought the Relief Society lessons all came from the Daughter of God book, not the lesson manual on George Albert Smith, makes sense.  Plus then you have the problem that the books are all written in Spanish, but many of the sisters only speak Kekchi.  Thursday night we spent at a hotel across from the church in El Estor and then took Friday to play a little.  We saw the Castle at Rio Dulce, and went to a swimming area that had a waterfall that was beautiful off of a hot sulphur spring coming down into a cold creek.  The water alternated between cold and hot.  Getting ready to show David and MIchelle around when they get here next week!  We just hope the rain doesnt close our road.  On Saturday we were at the District Conference in Chulak and had a few minutes to speak with Elder Martino from the Area Presidency, we talked about how it is hard to measure success here, and whether we are accomplishing anything that will make a lasting difference for the saints.  He told us what we count is in the hearts we touch each day.  I really liked and treasured his comment and support.  We have started to try and work with the leaders here in Senahu on geneology also, so that is a new exciting addition to the things we enjoy.  We will be going back up to Chulac this Wednesday to work more on some future Missionary files.

Monday, May 21, 2012

La Tinta and Birthdays

One of our little boys up the hill had his 7th birthday last week, we made him and his brother a race track from the left over packing cardboard that our Dryer had come in.  They were thrilled.  It is always amazing to us to see their smiles and receive their loving hugs.  They knew that we were coming, and were outside waiting for us when we got there.  On the way back we visited with another family up on the same mountain. and their Grandfather shared a powerful testimony that was wonderful to hear and share.  Saturday we worked in La Tinta with the elders and had more of an adventure that we expected - we went out and visited a sister on the other side of the two rivers.  That means getting there we crossed by little decrepit canoes, climbed a rock wall... and came back on swinging bridges!  Not what we normally do in a days travel.  We went up to San Francisco for Church on Sunday and met with the saints there, it is hard to describe their building, at least from an American perspective.  Wood building with cracks between the boards.  Dirt floor, windows but no glass, and a tin roof.  The primary met in a tin lean to outside the main room.  Doesnt matter how fancy the building, the Spirit and the message are the same. We sang, read and shared the gospel together, I love the faith and love of our members. 

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Conference and Nature

It was a very busy weekend!  Saturday morning Elder Spradlin was asked to baptize a young boy 15 minutes before the baptism was supposed to start!  AFter the baptism we went down to Sacsuha for the District Conference where Elder Abulurach area president and member of the 70 presided.  Great meetngs.  Of course Sunday was Mother´s Day and had lovely messages or calls from my children.  Harold made me a checkerboard and that was super exciting -Phase 10 was getting a little old!  There are beautiful flowering trees that bloom along the roads, some we have been watching were bright yellow and this weekend were some new ones that were bright pink and beautiful.  Other nature facts, the people here were burning a lot of their fields to get the rain to come, it worked, the rains started Sunday and have been great in cooling down the temperature.  Saturday night when we got home there was this high pitch sound in the Dining room, sounded like it was coming from some sort of animal on the tin roof.  Harold hit the roof and it stopped for just a second then came right back.  It was really high pitched and loud, enough to run us out of the house.  I went down to the Landlord, we live in the back of his house, and asked him to come help us.  He walked in, heard it, and said oh its a ¨Gria¨ or some such...  He walks into the dining room and looks down on the floor and points to a little bug, looks kind of like a beetle.  We step on it and glorious silence.  Silly little bug.  When the rains are hitting hard on the tin roof, we almost get to use hand signals in most parts of the house,  but we are very grateful to be IN the house when they start!!!!.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Sacaj Waterfall, San Francisco Caldo, La Tinta,

It was one very busy week!  We got to see the giant waterfall at Sacaj, the roads had been worked on a lot, but were still on the just passable side.  Dont want to imagine doing that one in the rainy season!  Took the missionaries up with us to their aea, then we also worked in San Francisco and met the group leader, they are not yet a Branch.  We were at a family´s home where we had made an appointment to go out making visits with their son.  He had gone out to help with the planting though.  Ended up eating Caldo with them and all of the planters, and visiting - gratefully one of the Planters was their group leader.  Came back by Seramac and met with the Branch President there.  He had been out in the fields up on the mountain working, so we helped his wife shuck corn while waiting for him to get back.  Have meetings to go back and work again with both groups.  We were able to go to La Tinta also last week and worked with the missionaries there. 
Dr. Drake is doing a wonderful job helping the hospital in La Tinta getting some much needed equipment.  The hospital had a flood in 2010 and in 2011 and even though it is till in operation, a lot of their basic equipmet isnt functioning.  They service the whole Polochic valley, so it is a little scary.  The kitchen for the hospital - only had one stove functioning and the oven on it didn´t work.  The Laundry was having to hand wash their clothes because the washer took too much water, the dryer wasnt working right so they were drying them on the clotheslines.  That is not counting stuff like hospital equipment.  Dr. Drake got them first a computer system, a huge fridge, a microwave, a washer and dryer.  Next month they are receiving things for the Lab, like a new microscope.  Then the best is in three months when they will be getting a state of the art x-ray machine.  Still the need is unbelievable in tht hospital.  There was a sister there in the maternity ward who has some sort of a problem, she had come in from Chulac which was about a 3hour drive.  The Doctor said she needed an ultrasound, and she was having to wait 2 days just to get the ultrasound so they can diagnose the problem. 
Sunday we worked in Canlun where they just got a new branch president.  But they dont have presidencies yet for the different organizations - so we worked with Primary, Young Womens, and luckily brought material they were able to used for Priesthood.  Crazy wonderful day!
It gets really hot here in the daytime now, very grateful when the breeze starts and the evenings cool off, at leat up here in Senahu!

Monday, April 30, 2012

Weddings and dedications

We went to a wedding for a couple here last week.  AFterwards was a wedding feast of Caldo in the home of the husband.  About 150 people were there, and each had a bowl.  It was amazing!  The wedding lasted most of the morning, walking up from the home, then at the Municipal, then a service at the church, then a procession down to their home again, then the dinner.  That night we had a District Choir practice, afterwards I saw the new bridal couple sitting at the back of the chapel.  Asked them why they were there andthey said they were told they had to clean the church.  Now that is what I call faithful.  We convinced them to let us do it for them.
Sunday were two Church dedications, one in Seritquiche, up the mountain, the other in Canlun.  Canlun had so many people that the chapel was full and there was a row of children sitting on the floor in front.  People outside looking in through the windows.  Its a small village, but we counted about 225 people there.  It was amazing.  The Seritquiche Branch had a culture night on Saturday and Elder Spradlin and I sang for it. The District President had asked us to do an act for it.  We did: Froggy went a courtin, Johnson had an ole gray mule, Mammys little baby, and You are my sunshine.  They were all very short and very cute - or at least we thought so!!!  Sunday I got to play for both the dedications and Elder Spradlin helped attend the back door.  Good thing he did when the people just kept on coming in Canlun.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Miracles and Construction

Saturday morning we went and helped a brother deconstruct his home, so that he could put one up in the same place, but out of cement blocks.  Their little 3 year old girl sat there in the middle of chaos quite calmly eating her cookie. We had the walls all down and they were taking apart the roof, I was snapping a foto when all of a sudden Elder Spradlin said, ¨Sister Spradlin, I don´t think you are safe right there.  I took about 4 steps back and all of a sudden the board they were working on flew off and landed right where I had been standing.  I was very grateful that Harold had been listening, and that I listened and responded to him quickly.
  This morning when we were working I was carrying dirt from the hill behind their house to fill in for the cement floor in front.  Their little one took her mothers clean strainer off the Pila and started helping me carry dirt.  We discussed together how very heavy our loads were.  Another young girl showed up, obviously not in her school today,  and she helped me fill and carry the dirt buckets.  Amazing all of the types of service we get the opportunity to do here. 
After the service project Saturday morning we arrived in time to attend some baptisms at the church. Saturday evening we went out and made visits with the Elders in Seamay. I love busy weeks.  This week we are helping get ready for the Church dedications at Canlun and Seritquiche this Sunday.  I get to play the piano for both of them.  Help build that new house, attend a wedding, make a few more necklaces, work in Canlun and Seritquiche.  And of course teach Piano and English in Seamay.
Oh, for those of my children who will remember well, we taught our neighbor family how to play 4 square, as usual Dad is the best at it!