The last of the bread was toasted up
and eaten with honey. Licuado's made with the last of the bananas
and pineapple we had kept frozen. We shared our last meal in Senau
with two of our favorite young girls and Bro. Benjamin, one of our
amazing brothers who showed up to invite us to a farewell in his
home. He did not realize we were leaving in just a couple of hours,
for our journey stateside. It was difficult leaving our beloved
Polochic and our many friends and family here.
Last week we had a surprise birthday
party for Elder Spradlin on Monday with all of the Elders and a few
young people. He was so surprised when he came in from going up to
the pueblo and they all came out from their hiding places. I had
gotten up early and made a cake while he slept, before I fixed him a
Birthday Breakfast. It was great having our Elders in the home.
On our way to one of our family's homes
on Friday evening the children from another family across the path
came out and were singing “I am like a Star Shining Brightly” in
Kekchi that we had taught them a few weeks ago. It made our day!
Later we sang with them from the Children's songbook and felt
supremely blessed.
We were able to spend our last weekend
listening to General Conference over satellite and visiting with
members. Saturday noon Caldo and farewells, then Sunday we had all
of the missionaries over for lunch, ate up the last of ingredients in
the house! Starting with one package of tomato paste and 3 packages
of spaghetti and turning it all into a feast for 20. Spaghetti sauce
had all sorts of crazy ingredie thrown into it, first the normal
stuff like spices, a few tomatoes and an onion we had left, then came
the remains of a little cheese sauce, ground pumpkin seeds,
Incaparina, chicken boullion, ketchup, vinegar. The final shock is
that it tasted great and there was exactly enough for all!, but I
prayed a lot while making it, then while serving it because it
definitely did not look like enough! One Elder brought cucumbers,
one brought apples, all were sliced and shared. One of the Elders
was supposed to bring rolls, but hadn't had a chance to get them on
Saturday, so I got brave. The garlic butter was already all made up
waiting, we got to the house before the elders and mixed up rolls,
used yeast and 2 teaspoons of baking powder, made up the dough and
rolled them in the melted butter. Stuck them in to bake and they
turned out wonderful which was also a small miracle, since my rolls
take a few hours to rise normally.
Monday when we left the Polochic we
stopped in Coban to spend the evening and have dinner with our
Mission President and Sister Curtiss and the Kirks- our other Senior
Couple in Coban. Tonight we will be able to be with President and
Sister Watts here in the capitol after we turn in our car. Not every
couple has the opportunity to come to know and work with two great
mission presidents and their wives during their mission. We have
been blessed to learn from great leaders during our time here in
Guatemala. We are also extremely excited that a new couple will be
coming to take our place in the Polochic the end of the month. The
last senior missionaries to serve in the Polochic before us was 25
years ago!
We have grown and gained so much from
the privilege we have had serving a mission. We had no idea when we
started this journey the places it would take us, nor the people we
would come to love. A little nervous about going back to the real
world and wondering how we will apply the lessons we have learned
here. Not knowing where we will live, what job I will be able to
get, what ways we will continue to serve makes this another great
adventure, one that we will continue to walk in faith and With the
Lord's Help.
