September 11th through September 17th

September 11^th through September 17^th: Monday in the evening we got together for Family Home Evening to play games and hear about the Winkfield’s trip to Japan.  

Family Home Evening

Tuesday we went to our painting class.  Jill’s suggestions are so helpful and my grandson, Evan is starting to really look like him.  

Mom worked on the sky and the lake.

My Grandson, Evan

Wednesday we had presidency meeting and worked the morning shift.  We then took Brother Abadillo and his wife to lunch.  He is our recorder and Tuesday was his birthday.  They are true friends and we enjoy them so much.  

Brother Abadillo and his wife Cynthia.

Thursday is the day before Independence Day here in Guatemala and all the schools have parades and celebrations.  We caught the Catholic girl’s school across the street carrying a torch and running down the street as we returned from our morning walk.  

The girls getting ready to run the torch back to the school.

Click below to see the run back to school
  Running back to the school

Friday we got the tables set up and decorated for an Independence Day celebration in the afternoon and then I went over and gave a talk at the temple.  I spoke to a group of members who were not endowed, while the members of their ward were in the temple doing a session.  We then took over the morning shift from the Rosales’.  The temple was supposed to be closed for the holiday, but the stake from Zacapa requested months ago to come and spend the morning in the temple.  They arrived Thursday night and got a session in and then they started at 5:00am Friday morning.  I made a big pot of pulled pork for our pot luck dinner/celebration.  We had a nice dinner and then we sang the national anthem and then Brother Reyna entertained us with some songs.  We finished by singing some hymns.  They were the only songs the Americans knew well enough to sing.  It was a nice afternoon. 

2 bus loads of saints arriving from Zacapa and Chiquimula.

Some of the sisters dressed up for our pot luck dinner.

Dinner is served.

Table #1 L to R Sister Rosales, Sister and Elder Jenson, Sister and Brother Flohr, Elder and Sister Fisher, Brother and Sister Reyna, President and Sister Funes, and President Rosales.

Table #2, L to R, Sister Abadillo and her mother, Sister and Elder Winkfield, Brother and Sister Gordon, Mom, Sister Frampton, Sister and Brother Holman, and Brother Abadillo.

Click to hear the Anthem

The National Anthem 

Click below to see some dancing.

A little dancing


Click below to hear Brother Reyna sing Luna de Xelaju

Luna de Xelaju

Saturday we got up early and I took a group shopping.  We then loaded up the car and took the Holman’s with us to Puerto Barrios which is 5 hours east of Guatemala City on the Atlantic.  It is the country’s main port on the Atlantic.  They ship a lot of bananas and pineapples from this port, so there are a lot of semi-trucks on the 2 lane road.  We made really good time, so we stopped at Quirigua so that the Holman’s could see the stelae and the ruins that are there.  

Brother Holman on his way to take a picture of the banana plantation that surrounds Quirigua.

We got to Puerto Barrios and found our hotel, checked in and then had lunch.  

There was a Quincenera at our hotel.

They spend a lot of money on these celebrations.

We then had to get ready for the adult session that started at 5:00 pm.   Mom and I both spoke.  President Christensen is the new Guatemala East mission president and it was his first district conference in Puerto Barrios.  He gave us 30 minutes to divide between us.  It was a good meeting.

Saturday session.

After the Saturday session, they passed out hot dogs.

All lined up for a hot dog.

We then went back to our hotel and about 8:00 pm President Christensen called and invited us to meet them in the restaurant for some dessert and to plan the two sessions for the next day.  He asked Brother Holman to speak in the Priesthood leadership session and Sister Holman to play the piano for the general session. 

Dessert with the Holman's and Christensen's.

Our hotel, Puerto Libre

Sunday morning we had breakfast at 6:30 am and then took off for the chapel.  The leadership session started at 8:00 am and I had the opportunity to teach about how seek the Spirit and make decisions, even when we are not certain what the Lord would have us do.   Mom and I had 45 minutes to divide for the general session.  We only took 40 minutes and so I apologized after the meeting for not taking all the time we had been assigned and President Christensen said “Isn’t it a shame when a meeting ends early.”  He was joking of course.  

Youth choir for the Sunday session.

Going home with coconuts.

We were pleased with our talks and felt like we had been richly blessed with the Spirit and that we had done our best.  We leave these conferences on a high.  We feel exhilarated and edified.  After the conference a brother had a truck full of coconuts and he cut the top off a couple and we drank coconut water.  He gave us about 6 coconuts to take home and share with the other missionaries.  We then headed home.  The traffic was not too bad and we got home at 5:00 pm tired, but happy with our participation in the Puerto Barrios District Conference.  I told the saints in Puerto Barrios that I have the best calling in the church.  I’m not joking.  I totally believe that I have the best calling in the church.  During the week I get to be in the temple for 8 to 9 hours almost every day and then on the weekends, I get to meet with the saints and share my testimony and love of the temple.  The saints inspire me and uplift my spirit.