Challenges and Blessings

I shall list the blessings first so you know that I am not complaining, because the challenges this past week were definitely at times challenging!

1. We were able to hand out ties to many brethren at District conference in Chulac and visit also with President and Sister Watts and Elder Lopez and his wife from the Seventy. Just so happens that the Lopez's daughter will be going to the same mission as Amber this fall!
2. When I entered the Sister's meeting of District conference, I was surprised, by the District President, to be given the opportunity to do a Primary for all of the children -while the adult Priesthood and Relief Society meetings went on. We had about 50 children with me and all in K'ekchi'. Elder Spradlin was busy working crowd control in the hallways!
3. Helped a family fill out their paperwork to go and be sealed together in the temple this week.
4. Helped two future missionaries with their mission files.
5. Played with amazing children as we walked through a very poor neighborhood, sang a song and played a game at each home, the children there then followed us on to the next home … By the end we had 20 children with us singing I am a Child of God in Kekchi, and their parents participating and encouraging them on.
6. Had visits from leaders from two different Branches in our home and gave them ties and shirts
7. The Senahu District missionaries all came to lunch yesterday, there were 8 of them, plus two little neighborhood girls helped me fix the meal and they enjoyed the spaghetti also. One of the Elder's family had sent a cake mix and a brownie mix for his birthday – so strawberry cake was the dessert!
8. We are still healthy and fine and grateful to be a part of Heavenly Father's work here in the Polochic!

Now for the challenges...

We came home from the states to a huge bug invasion. But we have battled ferociously, took everything out of the cabinets in the kitchen and sprayed down every feasible piece of furniture. Washed everything in the kitchen down with disinfectant. Again our new neighborhood girlfriend came to help us in the battle! We also made cookies to share .

Rainy season has started and when we got home from the church finally on Sunday evening our house was flooded. Water standing in the majority of the rooms, some places about 3 inches deep. Again our sweet neighborhood girl and her cousin showed up right as we started with our brooms. They ran for more brooms and helped us sweep out all the water. We finally reached our Landlord and he came as we were finishing, looks like there is a drain system around the house, the tubes though that take the water away had been clogged with leaves- so the only place the water had to go was over and into the house. Funny blessings in it though, we had the computer with us so it was dry. The desk was soaked – everything on it EXCEPT my journal. The spare bed that belongs to our landlord was soaked, but the bed we sleep on was dry. Sure glad we don't have carpet.

Last night after a super busy day with the missionaries we were able to eat a romantic dinner – cheese, crackers and apple slices, by candlelight, even watched a movie on the compute using the batteries. Oh yes, the electricity did finally come back on about the end of supper. Glad I bought cheese and apples in the capitol!

There was no ground beef available in the market, but I still had three pounds saved in the freezer so the spaghetti for the Elders was a big hit. Food storage is always important!

After being almost convinced that we had conquered the bugs I reached in my bag yesterday morning to bring out the present we were taking to Rosie for her One Year birthday, pulling it out, there was a huge spider on it! I jumped. Last night though as we were in the front room having scripture study Elder Spradlin noticed a few bugs on the wall near the ceiling, next to the front door. Went for the bug spray and sprayed them. This morning we discovered more than a hundred dead and dying wasps and bugs on the floor inside and outside the front door. Apparently he hit an unseen nest. Sure glad he did!

We are still laughing at the challenges, grateful for the adventure. Blessed to be Here, Now and feeling the protection and guidance of our loving Heavenly Father.

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.    

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.