Sunday we went to Corral Pec for
church. Getting there involves a two hour drive in our RAV 4, then
switching to a truck to make it out the last 45 minutes. We switched
vehicles in Chulac where Elder Spradlin also helped Doctor one of our
missionary's toes.
In Corral Pec we had a young man that
we had to finish one form for, and get a signature, to complete his
application. We also prepared a Primary class, because many times
when we go into a branch, we try to show them how to do it, or to
help them. A lot of branches don't have Primary, or they don't know
which book to use when they do, or they just sing with the children
the whole time, or they just read the first verse of the lesson and
don't know how to use the manual. Anyway, we go online to the right
lesson and prepare it in advance - if nothing else to help support
the teachers. One part for the lesson this time was a matching game
I made up with pictures of blessings we receive from Heavenly Father
and on the other cards the words written out, like food, friends,
family. When Primary started we realized that it was one where the
teacher just had a hymnbook and no manual. We offered to help with
the lesson, I then asked how many could read or speak Spanish – in
most branches at least two or three of the children can – the
response this time was none of them could. That included the
teacher! I speak some Q'eqchi, but am definitely not fluent and my
well planned game, of course, was in Spanish. I turned around and
looked out the door and there was a middle aged sister there. I
asked her if she spoke Spanish. She said “no” but then I
re-asked and said,”but do you understand a
little Spanish?” She said yes, so between my broken Q'eqchi, her
understanding, and lots of pictures – we had a great class! At the
end of the class we gave each of the children a smelly pencil that my
brother had sent, a piece of paper and a small ruler that had
stencils on it. We then showed them how to use it and everyone was
thrilled.
After class finished we took the
children outside and to the delight of their families taught them
Head Shoulders Knees and Toes in English. After the
meetings the Branch Presiden'ts family fed us amazing Caldo and
tortillas.
The church is translating the First
Vision into K'ekchi and so during all of our travels and meetings in
the last couple of weeks we have been doing a voice test with 7
different voice recordings they sent us from Salt Lake. The Q'eqchi
members listen, then choose the voice they like best for Joseph
Smith, and for the Narrator. This has been so wonderful for us. The
reaction of the members to listen to it in Q'eqchi is very strong.
Some bore their testimony of the Gospel, but when asked which voice
they could not choose. Because “each was speaking the Word of God”
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