June 19th through June 25th

June 19^th through June 25^th:  Monday after a quick run to the grocery store we headed to Antigua.  Sister Price had a few more things she needed to buy before they return home in two weeks.  On the way home, we stopped at the dental office and mom got a crown put back on—for the second time (thank you Dr/Elder Harris) and Sister Price got a tooth pulled (thank you Dr/Elder Hogge).  Then we found the chemical company where Brother Price could buy resin for casting.  He has made some molds of Mayan figures and wasn’t happy with the plaster he had to cast with.  

These girls did not want their picture taken.

I made mom buy a new skirt.  Part of the market in Antigua.

Wednesday we had another private art class and then did our afternoon shift.  

I worked on his eyes, the background and his sweater and shirt. 

Mom started a new painting of a woman spinning yarn.

Friday after our morning shift we packed up and headed to Chulac, in the Polochic.  We had a reservation to stay by Coban.  We left at 2:30 pm and what should have taken us about 4 hours to drive, took us 8 hours.  We got stuck in construction traffic for more than 4 hours.  

One of the many times we turned off the car and just sat in line.

The hotel we stayed in near Coban Friday night.

Saturday morning we got on the road after breakfast and arrived at Sikaabe, the place where we stay.  Sikaabe is a school built by Choice Humanitarian.  They have built 2 cabanas with 3 bedrooms and a bath in each.  They have balconies off the bedroom that have incredible views.  You look out over the mountains and cannot see any civilization.  It is so peaceful and I will never get tired of sitting on that balcony and watching the sun rise.  They had lunch ready for us and then we had an hour before the adult session of the district conference.  

We again waited for about 20 minutes while they got this truck loaded on the flatbed. 

Turkeys and chickens are let loose during the day to eat bugs.

This is the view from our balcony. You can't see a road or any hint of civilization.

This is the school building.

This is our second time to stay at this school and participate in the Chulac District conference.  We both spoke in the adult session and then mom drove Sister Faundez back to the school.  It is about a 30 minute drive on a very bumpy and windy dirt road.  President Faundez and I stayed at the chapel for the Priesthood session.  I never prepare a talk and it always feels good when you get inspiration as to what to talk about.  

Saint and missionaries headed home after the Priesthood session Saturday night.

Sunday morning we packed the car because we decided to drive home after the general session.  We felt really good about our talks and the Spirit was powerful.  Mom told a story about a family that joined the church in Hawaii in the early 1900’s and how they were ostracized when one of their daughters became ill and was put in the hospital.   The father decided that they would not be offended and that they would continue active because they belonged to the true church and they needed to go to a temple and be sealed in order to live together as a family after this life.  I shared with the saints what Elder Renlund spoke about to the members in Senahu when he was here to organize the first stake in the Polochic three weeks ago.  I shared with them his apostolic blessing and told them that I believed that it was a blessing for all the members in the Polochic.  I was profoundly touched by the Spirit as I shared his blessing.  I then testified that he is one of the living apostles of Jesus Christ.  During one of the other talks, one of the branch presidents thanked me for sharing not only Elder Renlund’s talk, but his blessing upon the saints. We love the spirit of the saints here in the Polochic.  

This was our view Sunday morning.  I sat on our balcony and watched the sun rise.  It had rained most of the night and the far off mountains were peaking through the clouds.

Every few minutes the clouds would move and I would have to take another picture.

This is a members house.  We are waiting to give her a ride to the church.

Every turn in the road has a breath taking view.

This is where we pulled off to wait for the Sister we were giving a ride to church.  This in not representative of how bumpy the road is.  This is like pavement compared to the bad parts and there are more bad parts than good parts.

Sunday session of conference.

Youth choir.  Listen to the song in Kekchi.

Click below to listen to the choir.            
Choir singing in Kekchi

Headed back up the mountain after conference Sunday.

This chapel seems out of place.  There are no other brick buildings.

A group of saints with mom and Sister Faundez in the back.

Mom with some more of the saints.

5 young men hanging out after conference.

The district president, President Maas, invited us, Pres. and Sister Faundez and President Poou and his family to have lunch at President Maas’ home.  He had just completed building his new home and they had not even moved in yet.  It was about 15 feet x 30 feet and had a second story.  It had a 4 foot concrete wall and then wood framing on top of the wall.  I’m sure that his new home is one of the nicest homes in the whole district.  He lives in a compound with his father and 5 other siblings.  They all have their own homes, but his is the only one that is two stories.  They served us Kakic, which is turkey soup with a big piece of turkey sticking out and corn tamales.  I think mine was turkey, but mom thinks hers was chicken.  I said in a post on Instagram and Facebook that it was delicious; mom says that is stretching it.  We got on the road at 1:30 pm and we made really good time.  What took us 11 ½ hours to get there, only took us 5 ½ hours to get home.  No construction traffic at all.  We were so glad we decided to drive all the way home on Sunday.  Last time we broke it up and stayed by the Biotopo and got home about noon on Monday morning.  

Mom and I on the balcony off the second story.

This is the view from the balcony looking down to the Polochic valley.

Hanging out on the balcony while we wait for lunch.

The second floor is one big room.  I think they will divide it later. 

Two real cuties.

Kakic

L to R Sister Poou, Nefi, President Poou, mom, me, President and Sister Faundez.

President Maas on the left and his father on the right.

This was our last conference for a month as all the general authorities are off in July and so no conferences are scheduled.  We don’t like the bad dirt roads that we have to drive on to get to the Polochic, but we are happy to go and support President Faundez and show the saints there that they are loved and appreciated.  It is always a good week when you finish it off with a conference where you feel the Spirit and get energized by so many faithful saints.  We feel blessed.