Dish Soap, or not

A young sister was with us today helping me make Green Banana chips, kind of like potato chips but made with unripened bananas, to take to our Zone Conference tomorrow.  I had been telling Sister Watts about all my new recipes using them, like a green banana curry, and the chips, so I decided to take and share since our supply is still quite large!  We started to clean up the kitchen when my lovely sister explained to me that the soap we have been using for dishes is really the soap used for washing clothes.  Not sure yet what the difference is, since both are big round bars, but she has promised to show us the right kind on Saturday in the market.  The one we were using said antibacterial, and it smelled good...oh well.  We gave her the remaining bars in the package since she washes all of their clothes by hand and will be able to use it.
We are very excited because several future missionaries here have started working on their missionary files and will be having their interviews with Pres. Watts this weekend.  It is so wonderful to see their excitement as we start the files and take their pictures.  We have District Conference this weekend, and the District choir has about 120 members in it. I will be accompanying, the only other member up here that plays the piano will be directing.  Pretty amazing in my opinion, the amount of members so very excited and dedicated to singing at the conference. They have been practicing every Sunday afternoon since about April, because the original conference date at the beginning of June was delayed till now.

Learning

We have learned in the last week that when the Thunderstorms hit hard it is better just to light a candle and leave it burning, so we are not left in the dark when the electricity does go out.   We also make sure the Pila is full before the storms start at night, because it could always hit one of the water lines.  I am still having a little trouble enjoying the storms when they are hard.  They make me a little nervous.

 Elder Spradlin bought a banana tree... well one whole stem I guess you would call it, with over 120 bananas on it.  I quit counting once I figured on that many.  You have to pick them while they are still green, then you let them finish ripening inside, or in shade so they don't get dark spots.  He hung them now from the ceiling in the study/second bedroom.  I went online finally and found out that you can fry them like you would potatoes, also a good curry recipe.  This is good, because when they all ripen that will be a lot of bananas!  The bananas are a lot cheaper to buy in a huge bunch like that, we paid 40 quetzales, they offered it to us for less, but we didn't think they were being fair to themselves since they are also good friends. 

 We have started working with some of the members now on their genealogy and it is extremely exciting.  First we help them start filling out their four generation charts, then we use our laptop to help them start putting their information in the online genealogy system so they can prepare to go to the temple.  It is exciting to watch them begin their searches.  We are also working with starting several future missionary files.  We have 6 that are now in process, each at a various stage. Last week was exciting when 3 young men we had worked with all got their mission calls.  Doing a little preparation for the Q'eqchi choir that is coming from the US the end of July and also the preparation for the Dental Clinic we will be helping with about the same time.  It is great to watch so many projects unfold!  Now if I can just figure out how to upload the slideshow of Elder Spradlin and his bananas!

He Wouldn't Let Go

By Elder Spradlin
We stood there in a humble home made of sticks and boards, standing upright, held together by wire and string.  The roof over our heads was made of rusted tin and the floor under our feet was God's own good earth.  I only noticed one bed and a hammock in the single room dwelling, which housed several children and their parents.
As the early afternoon light gleamed through the cracks between the sticks and boards, the father/grandfather of this wonderful family took my hand in a farewell handshake.  He had just shared his deeply felt and beautiful testimony, as he did so I felt the spirit of the Lord flow through him.  Although I didn't understand his words, the Spirit bore witness of the words he uttered.  As we stood there holding hands he did not want to let go, and neither did I.  He and I felt the Spirit of God, the Eternal Father flow into that humble abode and into us - we did not want to let that moment go.
I don't know his name, and I didn't understand his words, but I will never forget that old gentleman and the feeling I had as we clasped hands and felt the Holy Spirit distill upon us, standing in heavenly bliss as brothers in Zion.