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.

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! 

rainstorms and cookies.

We went and made Chocolate no bake cookies with a family in Seamay last night.  While we were there the rainstorm hit, with a tin roof we could barely hear each other speak until it lightened up. We waited till it had slowed down so we could get back out the trails, since they get very muddy and were steep. The night before when it hit we were on the road walking home and got thoroughly soaked.  We are now very grateful again for our umbrellas, and make sure they are in our bags.  In the middle of the day I sometimes use it for shade, and in the evening for rain!!!
  Sunday we visited Panzos in the morning, then made it back to Senahu for a Branch Council in the afternoon.  When we got to the chapel in Seanhu we found out there was also the first District Choir practice, preparing for a chapel dedication and District Conference, and they were expecting me to play for it and help the Choir Director.  No one had told us in advance, so we were sure glad we showed up!  We are still making bead necklaces all over the place, but the sisters we were going to help make no bake cookies may have to roast and grind their own cocoa beans, there is no cocoa powder to be found up here in the stores at the moment, they did have it though in January. 

My husband the Honky!

WE had to drive to Coban this week to have our wonderful new vehicle inspected.  For those of you that don´t know the road it is quite rough, and very crooked in many places so.... before entering any corners you have to honk, because you cant see around the curve, it is usually around a rock outcropping.  Elder Spradlin makes a very good honky!  WE were able to work in Canlun with the Elders there today visiting members. It is a very different type village than here in Senahu and also very very hot!  We were grateful that there was a wonderful breeze most of the day, that and the fact that I used my umbrella for a parasol helped a great deal.  One family we stopped to see because several of their children came out and started calling out asking us our names...I figured that was an open invitation to visit the family!  The parents welcomed us in and we had a prayer, a hymn, a short message and the Elders were able to set up an appointment for a return visit.  It was a great day!  Sunday we get to work in Panzos with the Zone Leaders and tomorrow will be working in Seamay with the District President part of the day, then meeting with one of the Young Women´s Presidents there to help her with the YW personal Progress program.  Just making this report to make sure everyone knows that we do work some of the time, although the work is such a great joy.  I finally got D&C 4 memorized in Qéqchi´, so am very excited.  I even understand quite a bit of it, although there is a long way towards true communication in Qéqchi´´. The people here are very patient with my language inability.  I love it when I try talking and they figure out what I am trying to say - so they just say it for me in Qéqchi.  Means they are listeningª!!!

Semana Santa

Easter Week is a little different here.  No school.  Many outings by groups and families.  We were able to go to the river with one of our branches and had an amazing time.  Another Branch celebrated April 6th, the restoration of the gospel, by having a meeting to recommitmit and make goals for living the Gospel and attending the temple - followed by lunch  Thursday night we went out about 10:30 to watch them doing the street art, very fine wood like sand that had been dyed, then they used templates and freehanded artwork around the park in front of the catholic church.  By Saturday morning they were all gone.  Processionals every day by the different catholic churches, and everyone who could headed down to swim at the river, because it was hot!!!  When we went down with the Branch it was about 2 hours on the back of a truck.  Okay, took too long putting up my pictures and so now the Elders are here wanting to use the computers.  Easter was great, went and spent the day with our sister missionaries in El Estor and had a wonderful lunch with them, then went out to visit an elderly sister who had fallen, and an inactive family that live close to her.  We have been making necklaces for children as we walk through neighborhoods and visit families.  Have lost count, and keep having to go back to buy more ribbon!