Zone conferences

Love Zone Conferences! Will also admit that I loved the hot showers at the hotel in Coban while we were there! One of the classes was on how we teach with questions and an Elder presented a good question: “What would we have Christ help us with in our life?” Then of course since prayer is not just about asking, but about change and growth - what are we willing to do to change? The conferences were a much needed lift after having experienced a death and a funeral, and knowing of at least three more in the same weekend.

Our District here in Senahu sang for one of the conferences and I played for them and helped the sisters, since there are only two sisters here plus me and 8 elders. My throat was bothering me the day of the practice and I was a little bit concerned. Felt it a miracle that my voice did fine, but within an hour of leaving the conference I started coughing and lost my voice! The conferences were wonderful and also hard, knowing that it was the last conferences with President and Sister Watts. Our mission divides next weekend and we will be in the new Coban mission with President and Sister Curtiss. The Gospel is spreading and it is a marvelous privilege to be part of the Lord's work.

I am now learning the gift of silence due to my laryngitis. My wonderful neighbor brought me up lemons today from her tree when she found I didn't have any. I love the friendships we are making here and the hugs and joy we share with these amazing people.

We were very blessed to get back up the mountain on the way back from Coban, there was a mud slide across the road that they had just gotten moved enough for us to get through. We heard this evening that another one had happened last night and closed the road back up again. Guess it is okay we stayed here today with me not having any voice!   

The harder moment

Tears of sorrow we know will someday be replaced by tears of joy. Last Thursday we met a family who had a 5 year old daughter that was suffering from malnutrition, not sure why she was malnourished, had been suffering from some illness that the Doctors could not place. Charity Anywhere was here and helped get the family the vitamins the Doctor had prescribed, plus Incaparina (a protein drink) and powdered milk to help the little one. We went to check on how the family was doing this afternoon only to find out the little girl died Sunday morning. Our heart breaks for this sweet family and the mother's arms who are empty. Our hearts break for all of the other mothers here whose children are sick or die and they do not know how to help them.  This is one of the harder parts of our mission.

Anyone want a baby?

On our way back from Poptun Sunday we were able to stop and see some waterfalls called los Conchos de Chahal and they were amazing! I love the beautiful little breaks we get - and the inspiring view right out the window of our house.

There was a group of Americans here this week doing service work that we got to work with. It was very hectic, but amazing seeing all that was accomplished. We were able to work quite a bit with the Physical Therapist and Rosie gained some much needed tools from her – she should be crawling soon. We are still hoping and praying that her eye surgery goes through the end of this month when they are supposed to be putting in lens implants.

A very funny conversation happened in the market, the Sister we were working with from the US was looking for a toy to take back to her one year old, I asked one of our K'eqchi' sisters where she should look, she understood me to be saying the sister was looking for a baby – and told me her cousin had one! Nothing like giving away your relatives!

 This was a week so busy it is hard to even cut it down to report size! Walking through the market one afternoon Elder Spradlin saw one of our brothers with a cut finger and brought my attention to it. I called to him and took him over to the side and started pulling out my med kit- then we realized how bad it really was and convinced him to go to the medical clinic! Was NOT a minor cut, but his finger split open from a chair falling and mashing it! We went to take our little neighbor to the dental /vision clinic the Americans were doing- flouride treatments and handing out glasses, Planning on helping but we were running late and when we got there and walked in they had only one Flouride Treatment left -and were able to use it on her. While there for the clinic the Branch Pres. Asked me about an undernourished little girl in his branch, so we were able to help get her in contact with the leader of the group who also sponsors a program here for malnourished children here in Senahu.

We hit our 19 month mark today, means we head stateside in only 4 months. Time goes so fast sometimes!