July 24th through July 30th

Pacaya poking through the clouds.

 July 24^th through July 30^th:  Monday we called our kids, at least the ones that were on top of Ensign Peak and sang “High on a Mountain Top” with them.  This has been a tradition in our family for many years to commemorate the entrance of the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley in July 1847.  Since we couldn’t be with them in person, a facetime appearance was the next best thing.  

John and Jill and their family Ensign Peak July 24th 2017

Charlotte and Alex and family, Ensign Peak July 24th 2017

We then headed to shopping and as we left, we saw that there was a big crane next to the temple.  I had to stop and check out what was going on.  They were getting ready to lift a basket up with some workers who were going to clean Angel Moroni.  

The crane was very impressive.

On the way up to clean Moroni.

Looking from the back of the temple.

Thursday, our free day, I started early chopping veggies and getting the chicken and beef cut and marinating and mom worked on making a Texas sheet cake. We spent all day cooking and getting ready to feed 7 new stake presidents and their wives, President and Sister Rosales and Brother Abadillo.  With the two of us, that made 19 for dinner.  We made spicy cucumber slices, copycat Panda Express Beijing Beef, copycat Panda Express orange chicken, stir fry chicken in spicy peanut sauce, mixed veggies, won tons, and white rice.  Everyone really enjoyed the meal and then we had the opportunity to talk to the stake presidents about how the temple can help them in their calling and help their members more fully live the gospel.  It was a very nice evening.  We were exhausted by the end.  

Cutting onions for all the different dishes.

We are ready for our dinner.

Mom making the last minute adjustments.

Everyone is digging in.

Table #1

Table #2

We had the early morning shift the next day and we had a hard time getting going.  Saturday we had the Villa Nueva stake come in the evening and they filled the temple and we didn’t get home until 9:30pm.  The temple was very busy most of the day.  Sunday we went to a branch and we were the only speakers for Sacrament meeting, which meant that we had to talk longer than we normally do, but it went well.  Then I taught the combined 5th Sunday priesthood and relief society class.  The relief society president prepared some sandwiches for us so we would not have to travel on an empty stomach.  It is only about 45 minutes outside of Guatemala City.  It was very scenic.  

The scene from the chapel in Palencia, looking west at the volcanos.

Looking north.

During Sunday School, mom went to the Family History Class.

After the combined Relief Society and Priesthood class. 

After the meetings they wanted a picture of everyone.

Mom had to have this picture because of the sister's t-shirt--Tanner Dance from The University of Utah.  We are convinced that Mega Paca buys bundles of clothes from Deseret Industries.

This is Brother Estrada, one of the maintenance workers at the temple, and his family.

The Granja family--the two sisters on either side of us are temple workers with their parents.

Sister Estrada, the Relief Society President.

We came home and prepared for one more meeting where we were the main speakers.  We then went to the San Cristobal stake for the final meeting of their stake youth conference.  It was a nice meeting and we so enjoy being with the saints, be it a small branch out in the "boondocks" or a big stake conference here in the city.   We had a busy week filled with memorable spiritual experiences and we feel so blessed to be here on this assignment.  I know I say that every week but it’s true and I don’t know how to say it differently.