August 17th through August 20th

August 17^th through August 20^th:  Thursday I made Swedish pancakes for breakfast and then we headed to Lake Atitlan. We drove to Santiago Atitlan where our good friends Oscar and Toni De Leon have a home on the lake.  It is wonderful.  It was 2 houses west of Hotel Bamboo.  So after getting settled, we walked over to the hotel and had lunch. Then we got rides in mototaxis to the central plaza.  We visited the church which was originally built in 1571.  

Mototaxis ride.

Click below to experience a Mototaxis ride.       Mototaxis ride through Santiago Atitlan

In front of the church in Santiago, Atitlan.

Inside the church.

Courtyard of the church.

Then we walked the streets buying souvenirs for Evan’s and Moose’s family and friends.  When we got back, the caretaker of the house got the hot tub heated and the three guys got in the hot tub.  It was very relaxing and a beautiful view of the lake.  We played CEO and snacked the rest of the evening.  

Hot Tub time.

This is the good life.

Friday, we got up and took a boat to the other side of the lake and did more shopping.  Charlotte was on a search for a purse for a friend.  We finally found one that fit the requirements  and through messaging back and forth with her friend,Shannon, we settled on a price and got it purchased.  

View from our bedroom window.

Morning on the lake.  Volcano Toliman in the background.

Santiago Atitlan across the bay and volcano San Pedro in the distance.

Moose refuses to smile--this is the best I could get, a smirk.

Boat ride across the lake.

On the ride early in the morning the water was smooth.

We ate lunch at Pollo Campero and then found our boatman and headed back across the lake.  Charlotte wanted to try paddle boarding and so she and the boys got in their swim suits and went for a dip in the lake.  

Boat ride back to Santiago.

Charlotte didn't even fall.

She is a pro now.

Click below to see them jump into the lake.

Charlotte taking a dip

Evan taking a dip

Moose taking a dip

We headed back to Guatemala in time to get home and get cleaned up so that Mom and I could pick up two new senior missionary couples, the Holman’s and the Jensen’s.  When we got home we also found out that Sister Gordon was in the hospital with stomach pains.  They had done some tests and ruled out kidney stones and a couple of other things, but she needed to stay the night and have a scope in the morning to see if they could see the problem.  We got the two couples picked up and settled and then I got a phone call from Elder Holman telling me he left his I-Pad in the seat pocket of the plane.  So I drove him back out to the airport.  It was about 10:30 pm and we could see that the counters were all closed down and a guard told us that there weren’t any planes leaving.  We decided that the plane that they had arrived on would leave in the morning.  We went home and we decided to go back to the airport at 5:00 am the next morning.  Saturday morning we went back to the airport and we got his I-Pad.  Then at 7:00am I took the two new couples grocery shopping.  Mom and I and the Winkfield’s went and checked on Sister Gordon.  They found that she had severe gastritis. She has not been eating until after their shift ends at 9:30 pm and that has exacerbated the problem.  She will need to eat foods with no acid and eat smaller meals more often during the day. With medication she will be fine.  What a relief.  We then took Charlotte and the boys to the Ixchel and Popol Vu museums at the University Francisco Marroquin.  They enjoyed these two museums.  We then went to lunch at a big mall here in Guatemala City. 

Enjoying the museum.

This is the mall where we at lunch.  It is huge.

We got home in time to go and do some more baptisms for the dead and Mom and Charlotte did some initiatory ordinances.  

Doing more baptisms for the dead.

Then Mom and I headed off to the adult session of the stake conference for the Nimajuyu stake conference.  We both got to speak and it was a nice meeting.  

Adult Session.

We got home and we went and visited the Fisher’s, another new missionary couple that arrived while we were at the stake conference.  My first counselor went to the airport and picked them up.  We gave them a few essentials and welcomed them and then said good night.  So we now have 4 north American senior missionary couples serving in the temple, 1 couple from Belize and 2 couples from Guatemala.  We will add Mike and Merlene Ellington, our good friends from Mt. Pleasant, in October.  This will help the temple to run much smoother.  Sunday, we got up and went to the general session of the stake conference.  Mom and I both spoke.  We found a recently returned sister missionary who had served at temple square and she offered to translate for Charlotte and the boys.  Mom and I both got emotional during our talks and mom finished her talk bearing her testimony in English so that Evan and Moose could understand.  It was a good meeting and we enjoyed feeling the Spirit witness of the truth of this work.  

General Session.

Part of the choir.  They are really good.

Elder Galvez presided at the stake conference.

We got home and fixed dinner for the 3 new missionary couples and our family.  So we had 11 for dinner.  We had a nice visit and got to know each other a little bit better.  We had popcorn and root beer floats for an evening snack while we played some more CEO.  All in all, a wonderful ending to a great week.  We have sure enjoyed the visit of our family.  Family is the best.