November 14th through November 20th: Temple Dedication

November 14th through November 20th: Monday:  We had training in the temple in the morning and then again in the afternoon.  After the morning session, a sister, Jacqueline Espinoza de Maza, came to our apartment and explained that she was a local specialist for the Area History Committee and they wanted to come next week and do an oral interview about our experiences as missionaries in 1971-1973.  Chris asked her how she joined the church.  She told us she had joined the church as a teenager and then had gone on a mission.  She met her husband, who was also a returned missionary, they married and had 4 children.  As a young father, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia.  During his illness, the family was living in Ibarra and her husband was in the hospital in Quito, about 3 hours from Ibarra.  At the time, he was serving as a counselor in the district presidency.  Jacqueline asked the mission president if he would give her husband a blessing.  She was sure that he would be healed, but when she talked to the mission president. he said that he had passed away following his blessing and that her husband had another assignment on the other side of the veil. She was stunned, but determined to accept his death and be faithful.  She told us she didn't let herself cry.  Her two oldest children were identical twin girls who were going to turn 8 at the end of December.  Her husband died on the 12th of December.  Her husband had been planning their baptism and the girls were excited.  Now they wanted to know who was going to baptize them.  Jacqueline said she did not know, but they would find someone.  One of the twins said.  "How about President Call, the mission president, he is our friend."  So President Call baptized her twin daughters.  While she was telling us this story, we started wondering if this President Call could be the father of Alan Call who became our good friend while we served in Guatemala.  Alan and his wife, Sonja, served in the Coban mission and every 6 weeks they had permission to come to the temple and would always stay with us.  Alan's father had been the temple president in Guatemala and then a few years after, he had been called to be a mission president in Ecuador.  I got my phone out and called Alan. He answered and was surprised that I was calling from Ecuador.  I asked how his father was and he said, "Well, we are at his home right now.  We have been out of the state for 2 weeks visiting our kids and this is the first time we have checked on him in a few weeks.  We just got here 20 minutes ago."  I asked the years that his father was mission president in Ecuador and they matched up with her story, 1999-2002.  I said that I had a sister here and she is telling me a story about how your father baptized her twins a few weeks after her husband had died.  And then I asked if he would be willing to talk to this sister.  She was so surprised that I had President Call on the phone.  We switched to Facetime and they had a tender and emotional reunion.  She shared how her four kids were active in the church, 2 of them are attending BYU, and the twins have both graduated from the university.  President Dean Call's small acts of kindness, 20 years ago, continue to bless this family's life.  The next day she sent me a text which reads:  "Infinite thanks for everything you did for me yesterday.  I will never forget it. I was able to tell President Call what had been in my heart for a long time.  Your wife is so wonderful to lend me her shoulder to alleviate the pain that I have been carrying for 20 years.  Nothing is by chance in this life, everything has a purpose.  That you are here in Quito in the temple is a gift from God to my family. Give your wife a hug.  We love you."  She said she never cries, but last Monday she sobbed in Chris' arms. We felt her burden was lifted as she connected with someone who had blessed her life at a critical time. 

Jacqueline Espinosa de Maza

We have had a number of experiences helping people connect with others from their past and it has been very rewarding.  We wonder if this is one of the reasons we are here. It is humbling to think that we are being coached by the Lord.  Tuesday:  We had training in the morning and evening.  The last two days have been make up training for anyone who missed the first 4 training sessions.  Wednesday:  We got up and went to Otavalo.  Wally and Martha Cooper invited us up to the school to see the party they have once a year for all the communities that send students to their school and volunteers from Aptive, who come to do humanitarian work at the school.  We hired an Uber and it turned out that the driver is an inactive member.  He and his wife were baptized about 15 years ago.  I asked if he remembers the name of the missionary that baptized them.  He said his name was Eugene Spark and he was from Utah.  His name might be Sparks, because they have a real hard time with "s" on the end of words.  I have spent a few hours trying to find this missionary, but with no luck.  So I am putting it out there for anyone who reads this blog to help me find Elder Eugene Spark or Sparks.  I am thinking 2002 to 2007 and he would have been in the Quito Ecuador mission.  Dany, our Uber driver, first took us to an old textile factory which is now a museum to preserve the history of the abuse the Indians endured working in these factories.  I had my poncho and wanted another opinion on it's value. The man there did not think it was hand made and thus had little value. 

The museum preserves the history and culture of the Kichwa people who worked in these factories. 

These factory buildings are from the late 1800's to 1900's.

These are costumes for community celebrations.

They have preserved the traditions and culture of the Otavalo people.

Demonstration of the backstrap loom.  The Otavalo people are famous for their weavings.

We then went to the school.  Wow, what a party.  The pictures and videos will tell the story. 

The girls are lining up to dance and you can see the "castle of fruit" that will be offered to the sun god, Tayta Inti.

These are the caballeros who will dance with the girls.

It started to rain, just as the dance began.

Video of the dancing.

We finally had to go inside because of the rain.

We crowded into one of the classroom buildings.

These darling girls performed a traditional dance.

Video of the dancing.

We had live music!

The dancers pulled everyone onto floor for a chaotic celebration.

Video of the crazy dancing.

We then went to the cafeteria and the school cooks had prepared lunch for about 300 people.

Mom with the head of the school cafeteria.

Menu included chicken, potatoes, guacamole, sweet corn, queso made at the school, and toasted corn.

Everyone enjoyed the food!

Mom, Edwin Alvarez the principal, me and Martha.

Some of the families invited to the party.

We headed home with Dany and arrived back at the temple at 7:30pm. 

I love how they cultivate right up the side of the mountain.

The volcano, Imbabura, covered in clouds.

Thursday and Friday:  We did our grocery shopping for the week and watched all the equipment get installed for the transmission of the dedication of the temple.

They had a lot of tents and equipment set up for the cornerstone ceremony.

Saturday:  I went over and was making some forms for some of the activities in the temple and Elder Duncan (Elder Duncan is the Executive Director of the Temple Department and was the Area President when we served in Guatemala) and Elder Bowen arrived.  Elder Duncan gave me a big hug and then told Elder Bowen that I had been a temple president in his area while he served as area president.  He said some very kind things about our service in Guatemala.  Later in the day, Elder Cook and Elder Ceballos arrived.  As all 4 of the general authorities were leaving, a photographer from the Church News wanted to get their pictures.  I was standing by the lead security man and explained that Elder Cook had set me apart as a temple president. I asked if it would it be ok if I walked over and said hello.  They had finished the pictures and he said he thought it would be ok.  I went over and Elder Duncan was so great, he took me over to Elder Cook and I got to shake his hand and talk to him for a few minutes.  Nancy Duncan asked about my wife and I said she was up in our apartment and that she would try and she her tomorrow. 

This is when I went over and talked to Elder Cook and Elder Duncan and Nancy Duncan.

Then at 7:00pm we met in the patron housing building for a short meeting to show what they were putting into the metal box that would be sealed behind the cornerstone. 

President and Sister Aguirre with the scriptures

A painting typical of Quito was placed in the box.

Members of the committee for the temple open house and dedication.  They all worked so hard.

Sunday:  We had tickets for the first session.  We had seats in one of the instruction rooms.  It was wonderful to be in the temple for the dedication. 

This is a picture of President Aguirre's 3 children, their spouses, and grandchildren that were old enough to be at the dedication.

After the third session they brought Elder Cook over to the patron housing building to interview him for the Church News.  Chris and I were able to visit with Elder and Nancy Duncan for a few minutes.  It was a very uplifting day and one to be remembered.  Tuesday the real work begins.

Elder and Sister Cook coming to the patron housing building to be interviewed.

Video:  We had an afternoon rainstorm that was a downpour.