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.

Learning

We were able to meet with a Brother in Guatemala City last week when we dropped off David and Michelle, he explained the program for helping people here in the Polochik start their genealogy.  It is a little more difficult here than we can imagine in the states - when a person is illiterate and quite often doesn't know their own birthdate.  We are very excited about starting to help them make and prepare their family history records.  Saturday we went to a branch activity in Telemann.  The activities and games for the children were supposed to start at 10am, many children were there but the leaders weren't quite ready yet, we have a hard time sometimes when things start an hour later than announced... so Elder Spradlin and I played jump rope, limbo and Simon says with them.  We then started teaching them how to play Red Rover, after starting it we walked off to check on how the real games were coming.  About 2 minutes later the kids all came after us and said that one young girl had said a bad word.  I walked over to her, you could tell she was frustrated and upset. I turned to everyone else and asked "Do you know that she is a princess?"  All of you are princesses and princes also.  I put my arm around her then and said very softly that she is a princess and that it is because of our Heavenly Father.  Then I said, "maybe you forgot for a minute who you really are, that happens to all of us sometimes."   Wish I had been wise enough to respond to such circumstances equally well when my own children were struggling.  We are children of a King, a loving Heavenly Father who cares about us, the problem is that sometimes we forget for a moment who we really are.

Work, Play and Family!

David and Michelle have come to play with us so we are having a wonderful week. Learned our way around Guatemala a little when we went down to get them, and had a great time visiting with the other Senior missionaries there and having an amazing dinner with Pres. and Sister Watts. We have been to waterfalls, hot springs, mountain tops and visited some of our amazing friends.  Took them on one trip on the back of a truck up through the mountains so they can see some of the unbelievable beauty.  I think they have fallen a little bit in love with some of the families here, for good reason.  We were able to prove to them that some of our visits are straight up, and that yes this is living out in the boonies.  David now believes in time machines and we were even able to throw in running out of water one day and no electricity the next.  Makes you appreciate warm showers when they are available.  We did learn though that if we run the dryer, and the hot water heater on the shower at the same time, plus throw in one light... it can cause a power outage! We have done a little bit of work while they are here, but honestly not a lot.  Helping get the dates and places set up for the Kekchi choir tour coming in late July (that is a very exciting event)  Love our new daughter Michelle!!!!  and so happy to have them both here.