Thursday, February 14, 2013

Prepared....oops


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”