January 8th through January 14th

I don’t know how I missed this video in mom’s phone from our trip to San Diego.  Badger and Moose playing on the beach. Click below to see them.

Fun on the beach

 January 8^th through January 14^th: Monday we took down all the Christmas decorations, packing some of the things we have purchased for shipment back to the states in October.  It seems weird to think we won’t use our Christmas decorations again here in Guatemala.  Some of the missionaries flew to Tikal.  Tuesday we loaded everyone up in our car and a taxi and went to the macadamia nut farm by Antigua,  stopped in San Antonio Aguas Calientes, and had lunch in Hobbittenango (that’s right land of the hobbits).  

Macadamia nuts.

One of the drying racks.

There are wonderful flowers everywhere.

They claim that this is the most photographed toilet in Guatemala.

A little shopping in San Antonio Aguas Calientes with Sisters Winkfield and Ellington.

The church in San Antonio.

Fuego spouting off again.

We had to ride in the back of a pickup to go from the parking lot to the top where Hobbitenango is located.

We are too old to sit in the back of a pickup.

Lunch at Hobbittenango. Table #1.

Table #2.

Volcano Agua from Hobbitenango.

The view was spectacular. You are looking down on everything.

In the evening,  the Reyna’s and the Curtis’ came over and we played cards.  We laughed and had a good time.  Thursday mom took Sisters Fisher and Winkfield to the cancer hospital to play with some of the children receiving out-patient treatment.  

Mom and the other sisters who were "Helping Hands" at the children's cancer hospital.

Friday we drove to Monterrico to check things out.  We first drove to La Avellana where the road ends and you have to drive onto a narrow wooden ferry that can hold two cars and float down the river for about 30 minutes.  The ferry is so narrow that once you are on, you can’t open the doors, something we had not realized.  I climbed out the window to take some pictures.  Mom laughed so hard at this that she forgot to take a picture.  We visited three different hotels.  We ate lunch at Dos Mundos. We had great food and a beautiful view of the ocean.  I think our favorite hotel was El Faro (the Lighthouse).  We plan on going back when we can stay the night.  

We didn't have another car behind us only 5 motorbikes.

There were also people taxis.

Click below for a video of the river.
Fun on the river

We floated through mangrove trees.

From time to time we would pass other boats.

But mostly we were by ourselves.

A car and motorcycles leaving to go back up the river. 

The beaches were nice.

I would not call it a white sand beach.  Maybe a grey sand beach.

Dos Mundos.

Can you say jumbo shrimps?

My beef was some of the most tender I have had here.

Saturday evening we went to the La Laguna stake conference and spoke in the adult session.  

Adult session Saturday night.

Sunday we went back and spoke in the general session.  Elder Zeballos from the area presidency presided.  It was a nice meeting and since it was from 9 am to 11 am we hurried home and went to our ward and we asked the new Bishop to please find someone who could prepare the sacrament for us.  He did and it was great to be able to partake of the sacrament.  

The choir right before we started the meeting on Sunday.

Sunday session.

Once again the flowers were beautiful.

On our way out the door we found Evelyn and her family.  She is one of our secretaires in the temple and we think the world of her.

We were able to talk to some of our children.  It is great to be back in Guatemala and we can’t wait for Tuesday when the temple will open back up.