April 18th through April 24th

April 18^th through April 24^th: Monday we loaded up all the North American missionaries, Prices’, Hurst’s, Dibb’s and the May’s and headed to Jocotenango and Pastores, two small towns a few miles north of Antigua.  Pastores is famous for leather work.  It had a few dozen small shops that made cowboy boots and belts.  One shop had some saddles that Elder May wanted to take home.  We wandered around for about an hour and then headed back toward Antigua and stopped in Jocotenango.  It has a beautiful church and that is about it. 

Tienda Buen Precio, Good Price Store if you want to buy something, you ask for it and they pass it to you through the bars and you pass the money to them. 

One of the many leather stores in Pastores.

A lazy dog in front of some beautiful doors on the government building in Pastores.

Pastores

While walking around I bought some fresh tortillas from these three cousins.

The church in Pastores.

Just a cute alleyway.

Mom, me and Jesus.  We are all tight.

The church in Jocotenango.

L to R, the Price's, the May's, the Hurst's, the Dibb's and mom.

We then drove to Antigua and had lunch at “Pollo Campero” right next to the artisan’s market, which was the first and last stop after lunch.  Everyone found some treasures. 

Lunch at Pollo Campero.

We ran into the sister missionaries at the artisan's market.  Such cute girls.

This is a picture of the temple van.  I only put this in for President Crayk.

Two women carrying stuff on their heads and who look like they are dancing in step.

Tuesday we had the morning shift.  Wednesday we did our morning walk and visit to the gym at the MTC.  We try and do a 30 minute walk on the days we have the morning free and then spend another 30 minutes in the gym.  I lift weights and mom rides a bike for her knee. 

Morning gym time.  R to L  Sister Dibb, Sister Plaskett, Mom, Sister Rosales, and Sister Price.

We then went and had presidency meeting.  We had the afternoon free because the Rosales’ wanted to switch with us so they could have Thursday free.  Thursday and Friday we had the morning shift.  Saturday President and Sister Rosales’ took us to a lovely breakfast buffet to celebrate the birthdays of mom and President Rosales.  

Breakfast with the Rosales to celebrate President Rosales' birthday on the 29th and mom's birthday on the 30th.

Then we had the afternoon shift.  We had 4 full sessions that started late between, 4 and 5:30pm, so we didn’t get home until around 8:00pm.  We were tired and went to bed about 9:00pm.   I spent a few hours Sunday morning doing family history and then left at 7:30am for my first Coordinating Council Meeting.  CCM is a quarterly meeting of all the stake presidents, area seventy, mission president, and temple president.  Elder Galvez gave me about 20 minutes to talk about the temple and some of the changes we have made.  It was well received by the stake presidents and I feet we will see some future fruit.  I got home just before 1:00pm and mom made lunch and I got a 30 minute nap before we had to be over at the temple for a Coordinators Training meeting.  We did training for 2 hours and then served them chocolate chip cookies.  It was well attended and we felt good about the meeting.  We got to talk to the kids and grandkids and then went to bed tired from a long day.  The weeks are flying by and we only have one more week and we will have been here 6 months.  It seems like we arrived just yesterday.  What a marvelous experience this is.  We love the temple and the members and missionaries we serve with.  We love the members that come to the temple.  And we love Guatemala.  We are so blessed.