October 27th through November 2nd

October 27^th through November 2^nd:  Monday we went with Laura and Luis Perez, the Penas and the Rays to visit a couple of small ruins, Yagul and Lambityeco.  Lambityeco is believed to be the ruins of the home and burial site of a noble family.  This town is believed to have been in the business of making salt.  There are hundreds of mounds that have not been excavated. 

Remember I have to take pictures of where we go so I can remember how to spell the names of the different sites.

A pyramid/altar at the entrance to a tomb at Lambityeco.

  These are masks of probably the last people who were buried in the tomb.

A close up of the mask.

A patio/courtyard at Lambityeco.

Close up of one of the masks, believed to be a representation of the Zapotec rain god, Cocijo.  He is holding corn in one hand, representing fertility and lightening rays, power, in the other. 

The second mask at Lambityeco.

Yagul is much larger and is at the base of a hill.  We climbed to the top of the hill and the view of the valley was spectacular.  When you read in the Book of Mormon that the land was covered with inhabitants, I can picture this area being what was written about.  This valley of Oaxaca has been inhabited for thousands of years and it seems that there are ruins and unexcavated ruins everywhere you look. 

The stone work is impressive at Yagul.

The ball court at Yagul is the second largest in Mesoamerica.

Mom standing above the ball court. I like this picture, she looks so happy.  (She said she was glad she could still climb to the top.)

Right side entrance to a tomb, Yagul.

Left side entrance to a tomb.  Yagul.

Mom and I just climbing around and exploring.

Mom in a maze of walls.

Can you see mom between the two pillars?

On of the glifs found in this tomb.

Who is that old man?

Laura and Luis on our way up to the top of the hill overlooking the valley.

Part way up the hill.  These ruins sit at the base of a tall hill.

This is a different angle and you can see the ball court on the left.

Climbing on ruins at Yagul.

But we started off the day stopping at a park here in Oaxaca, while we waited for Luis to finish up some work so he could go with us.  The park is called Canteras Park.  You might remember from a past blog that most of old Oaxaca is made out of a green stone called canteras.  This park is where much of the stone was quarried. 

Canteras Park.

Canteras Park.

The ladies in Canteras Park, Bobette, Mom, Sandra and Laura.

Canteras Park. L to R Ross Ray, wife Bobett, Mom, Sandra Pena, hubby Augusto, Laura Perez, and me.

Canteras Park.

Mom has found her costume for Day of the Dead.

Day of the Dead stuff.

We finished off the day in Tlacolula for lunch in the market.  I think I had a burrito of the meat of a lamb’s skull.  Sometimes you don’t want to know what you are eating.  It was a fun day and it is nice to be able to “get out of Dodge” and see some of the small towns and villages that are so close to us, but would be hard to visit without a car.  Thanks Luis and Laura for taking the time to show us all of these interesting places. 

Chicharon (fried pig skin) anyone? Tlacolula market.

Lunch L to R mom, Luis Perez our guide and driver, wife Laura, Sandra Pena, Pres. Pena, Ross Ray, and wife Bobett.

These are lambs skulls.

The market in Tlacolula.

Some of the locals.  I'm sure these woman would communicate with each other in  Zapotec.

The 1531 church in Tlacolula.

The church in Tlacolula.

  The side chapel is covered in carvings with gold leaf. This is in a little village.

The dome of the church in Tlacolula.

One of the side doors to the church in Tlacolula.

The bell tower on the church in Tlacolula.

We finished up our P-day by playing cards at the Ray’s apartment.  FHE was a game night, 5 crowns and pinochle.  The rest of the week was a copy of most any week, except for Thursday and Friday. 

One of the many couples that were sealed in the temple this week. I only get to take pictures of the ones that are outside when I am going home for lunch so I miss most of them. They are always so pleased that I want their picture.  I tell them they are going to be famous because I will put their picture on my blog.

Thursday mom and I were asked to officiate a special endowment session at 6:00am for the coordinators and workers that officiate sessions.  It was a very spiritual experience.  When Pres. Atkinson asked us to do this, we hoped that we could do a good job and that they would learn and feel something special.  With a lot of prayer and faith we went forward and we were treated to something very special.  Friday, after the temple closed, Luis and Laura and their daughter, Lucero, and her friend, Marisa, came and picked us up along with the Penas and the Rays and took us to Xoxocotlan.  We went there to see the old cemetery and the Day of the Dead celebration that takes place on October 31^st.  What a wild party of decorating the graves of your ancestors and then sitting around and visiting them.  They have a lot of respect for their ancestors and this is a way of honoring them.  

This was painted on the side on a wall in Xoxocotlan.  L to R Lucero, mom and Marisa.

Art work done with colored sand and flowers to honor Christ and some other saints.

It reminded me of Navajo sand painting.

Some of the locals at the Day of the Dead celebration.

The cemetery.

The cemetery.

The cemetery.

The facade of a 16th century church in the cemetery that is falling down and they are trying to save.

Mom and the Penas on our cemetery walk.

Saturday was interesting in that at the end of the day, one of the stakes here in Oaxaca came to the temple for the Day of the Dead.  They filled the temple and in about 4 hours did over a thousand ordinances.  We put in a 12 hour day (6:00am to 9:00pm with a break for lunch) and we were both really ready for bed when we got home.  Sunday we went to church at the Reforma ward and the bishop asked us to speak on the 16^th.  This is the only ward in the Ampolas stake that we haven’t spoken in yet.  We then had dinner at the Ray’s apartment with the Atkinsons and the Penas.  We talked after dinner for a couple of hours.  We then skyped with some of our kidlets.  It was a very fun evening. 

Sunday dinner at the Ray's apartment.  L to R Pres. Atkinson, his wife Kathy, Ross Ray, his wife Bobett, me, mom, Pres. Pena and his wife Sandra.  Don't you just love timers on cameras?