Thursday, May 30, 2013

Back in Guatemala

I think sometimes time acts like an accordion, it expands and shrinks with each moment. It seemed like such a short and long time at the same time while we were gone. It feels like we have been gone forever, but only a moment. We flew in overnight from the states, something I will never advise to other people! We were very grateful for one of the Senior couples in the capitol who rescued us at the airport and let us stay with them to shop, sleep and visit! We would definitely not have been able to drive back out here without that interlude. We are grateful to be back at work, checking on families, filling out future missionary paperwork, helping prepare for District conference. We are having a battle with the bugs though at the moment, I hope they are NOT enjoying it as much as I am! That part is not fun, but the trade off of being here is amazing. One of the best parts today was when two of our sweet neighborhood girls showed up and went to market with me this morning and then helped bake a cake. It is so much fun to play with them. While we were at the market we checked on Rosie and she had on her glasses, sitting up by herself, playing with her toys and even stood up for a few minutes for me!
Now I need to unpack and get things cleaned and back in order. Our landlady had come in while we were gone and cleaned the pila, and the back room because she didn't want it to be dirty when we got back home. They have open windows and due to the rain and wind had had debris blow in. We are well cared for by our wonderful members.    

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Family

My debate this morning was the name, because the thought "running children and hot running water, two of the things I am enjoying tons here on our trip home!"  Looking out from the condo window this morning at the snow here on the mountains in Salt Lake and enjoying my few minutes before everyone starts waking up and our day begins.  We have had so much fun being with children and grandchildren!   Being at our son's sealing in the Memphis Temple with his family was priceless, because Family and being together is what this is all about.  Then we got to attend and participate in our grandson's baptism and were so grateful for his parents loving and teaching him and his sister. Then playing in the Zoo with all those amazing people!  We were even able to visit my aunt.
Now we are in Salt Lake City and visiting with more children and grandchildren.  Yesterday we went to an aquarium, the park, swimming for a little, walking some around downtown and today we will see even more of our children who are coming in.
The most wonderful part is not the places we are seeing nor the things we are doing, but the visiting, talking and sharing with these amazing people called "family".  It is wonderful to celebrate with all of them the joys in their lives. One of the hard things though about having adult children is watching their struggles and wishing you could "fix things" for them, make it better, and knowing that you can't.  The adult struggles can't always be fixed with a band-aid and a kiss.  This love I feel for my family is sometimes overwhelming to me, and the pain I feel at their suffering is so hard.  I know our Heavenly Father loves us and knows our struggles,  but the challenges we face help us to learn and grow.  I am sure that  some of the problems I have caused myself have also caused Him great pain.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Waiting at the airport...

This week has been so full!  Monday with an inspiring Zone Conference.  President Martino reminding us that we need to smile more - why else would someone want to hear what we have to share, if it didn't make us so happy!  Sister Watts share the quote, "obedience brings blessings, Strict obedience brings miracles."  Sure want those miracles in our lives!  Our new neighbor sister came up to the house right after we got home on Tuesday, she and her daughter had made me a lovely Mother's Day gift.  It was an apron, little bag and hair band.  I was so surprised and overjoyed with their compassion for us, every time the daughter comes up to see me, or to work on English she brings me flowers, I feel so very blessed.
We made it to the capitol, dropped off a fan on the way down.  Picked up our passports and worked with the office elder's a little on their English.  All the wonderful little things we get to fit into the time here add up to great blessings in our lives.  One of our future missionaries emailed us his letter of acceptance for his upcoming mission in the Dominican Republic, 2 of our futures paperwork just made it to Salt Lake City.  We have others already on our list to work with in finishing when we get back from stateside, helps us remember we have work here to do.
So we are now at the airport, safe and sound with a few minutes before boarding.  Such excitement to think that tomorrow we will be in Memphis to witness our son, his wife and their beautiful little one's sealing in the temple.  Getting to meet their little one for the first time!  Sunday a grandson's baptism in Arkansas, then get together's with children and grandchildren in Arkansas, seeing my Aunt. Meeting our two grandsons who have been born while we have been here.  Then off to Utah to see other children and grandchildren and be with our daughter for her wedding.  I am so grateful for our children and the time we will have to share with them.  My 5am time for writing may end up being spent with grandchildren, something that only brings more joy!

Friday, May 10, 2013

Peten and Happy Mother's Day


Today is Mother's Day in Guatemala, which means that starting about 3am there were fireworks and people on trucks with sound systems driving around to wish all Mothers a Happy Day. So glad I have no babies at home here, as soon as it would get quiet, they would come back again. The birds are now in concert also, much more enjoyable.
We went to Peten this past week and did all of our Inspections there and had our interviews with the Elders working on their English. We are making sure all of their apartments have a picture of the Savior and a Temple in them, plus of course the normal things. We helped a couple sets of Elders get some fans. In one apartment I set down on a bed, oh my! We went and got that apartment some new beds. Trying to help the Elders get excited about English in the interviews, but brings up other topics – like Obedience, and loving your companion. We also try to give out tips on how to study, and how to prepare for their English Exam. On Tuesday we were with President and Sister Watts during the interviews so that is always a highlight. Finished the trip back down a different direction as we went through La Libertad and Sayaxche, Chisec and Coban. It amazes us sometimes how different the landscape is in the different areas.
We took a short break and stopped at a place called El Ceibal outside of Sayaxche, it has some ruins, but mainly just beautiful trails through jungle. The howler monkeys were in abundance, and very loud! Must have been several families of them. Last stop on the way home was in La Tinta where we helped a Dad write his daughter who just began her mission, an email – then we set him up an email account and showed him how he can write him herself if he goes to an internet cafe. We also stopped by and saw another young sister there who is preparing for her mission. She was so excited as she told us that she has just earned her Young Women's Medallion and wants us to be there when she receives it.
We will only be home today (Friday) to get things cleaned and in order so we can head back up to Peten on Saturday to help the Elders prepare for Zone Conference on Monday. We are so excited because Pres. Martino, our Area President will be presiding at the conference, he is going through the whole mission for the Zone Conferences this week. Tuesday morning early we will head back again to Senahu and finish packing to head Stateside for ten days to attend a baptism, sealing and a wedding.
We also get to pick up some more pictures of temples and the Savior, plus some ties and shirts for the Brethren that our amazing members in the states are sending back with us. Glad we are so busy here, but very excited to see all of our children and grandchildren!
Important side note – the Elders called and told us the baby (5 or 6 months old now) in Santo Domingo is now up to 8 pounds! Slow but sure progress.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

whirlwind week

Love busy weeks!  We got to work Monday and Tuesday with a Medical group in from the states.  They did surgeries from morning until night 3 days in a row here.  Amazing to watch their dedication and the lives touched.  Wednesday we were off to Coban and worked with our Elders there doing interviews for English, handing out antibiotic ointment to carry in their backpacks, and pictures of the Savior and Temples for the walls of their apartments.  One of our current goals is to get a picture of the Savior and of a Temple in each missionary apartment throughout the mission.  Members from stateside have sent down old calendars that we are able to take the pictures from and they go great on the walls!  It has been a whirlwind through the valley doing all of the zones interviews.  Yesterday morning early before we left we had a surprise visit from one of our new neighbors, she brought us a plant and a Mayan calendar to welcome us!  I was super touched by her sweetness.
Tomorrow we get to go to the Chapel dedication in Coral Pek, another one of our very remote areas, one we can´t get to in our RAV 4, road is too rough.  Choir practice in the afternoon, then working on English with one of our new neighbor familys.  Monday morning early we leave for the Poptun and Peten areas to do housing inspections and English.  We will be coming back through an area we have not visited yet, called Chisec.  Hoping it will soon be opened up for missionaries, some members living there are asking for us to come, so we will visit them and take some Book of Mormons.
A few challenges in our new home, mosquitoes!  We now have a mosquito net over our bed from our landlord, but need to buy a bigger one while we are out this week.  Not sure if they are really mosquitoes, as they are very small.  Normally I am the one that has always been eaten by bugs, but they are mainly attacking Elder Spradlin and making life a lot less than comfortable.  We also only have gotten water a few times for a couple of hours each time since moving in ' usually between 3 and 6 am.  They are putting us in a water tank outside, so as soon as that is installed it should fix the problem.  It made Coban really nice because we had hot showers!