January 16th through January 22nd

 January 16^th through January 22^nd: The temple re-opened again this week after two weeks of maintenance and we are grateful to be back at work.  We enjoyed being back in the temple with the workers and the patrons.  Wednesday after presidency meeting, I took mom to the dentist to have a cast made for the crown she needs.  Elder Smith, the missionary dentist, just happens to be a prosthodontist.  He has not done a crown since he arrived here in Guatemala over a year ago.  Elder Sanford, who has since gone home, who cut mom’s tooth in half, didn’t have a lot of experience doing crowns and Elder Smith had never done a  root amputation.  Don’t you think that is interesting?  Ok, back to the story.  Elder Smith made the cast and said that the clinic happened to have the material to do the mold--someone must have brought it down from the states as a donation.  Remember Elder Smith has been here over a year and has not done a crown in all that time, but the clinic just happened to have the material to make a mold.  Since the clinic does not do crowns for the missionaries and prospective missionaries, they do not have a relationship with a lab that can make the crown. Doctor Hales, from Las Vegas, was visiting with his wife at the clinic the day we were there. Mom and Elder Smith were discussing how they were going to get the crown made when Brother Hales said “Why don’t I take the mold back to the states and have it done there?”  Elder Smith said “Well my son is coming to visit in two weeks, if you could overnight it to him in North Carolina he could have it made and bring it with him in two weeks.”  Problem solved.  That is a lot of coincidences.  Elder Sanford being here to cut her tooth in half, Elder Smith being here to do the crown, the material being here to make the mold, Brother Hales being here to take it to the states and Elder Smith’s son just happening to be coming to visit and being a dentist himself who could get the crown made.  Or it is the Lord taking care of his servants.  We choose to believe the later.  

While mom was being worked on at the dental clinic I visited the last two of the new pups.  The other 6 had been adopted.

I have never seen such big radishes.

Friday, I drove mom, Sister Price and Sister Winkfield to Sister Duncan’s apartment.  They spent the morning getting things ready for a visit to a children’s cancer hospital where they will share games and activities with the out-patients waiting for treatment.  

Mom and the other Sisters getting things ready for a service project with the children's cancer hospital.

This is the daughter of one of our temple workers, Sister Paiz on her wedding day and Brother Zea, who is the son of one of our engineers.

Saturday I tried finger painting.  I saw a video of a woman who finger paints fine art.  It was fun and I will have to try it again.  

Finger painting.

Sunday we took the Reyna’s with us to a stake conference in Patzicia.  Elder Alonzo and Elder Galvez were there to reorganize the stake presidency.  I was asked to speak and I felt the Spirit very strongly as I spoke about President Uchtdorf’s talk about the plan of salvation and his question to all of us:  “What will I give because I have received so much.” It was a very good conference and we felt blessed to have been invited to attend and participate in our small way.  

Mom and the Reyna's with some of the sisters in the choir.

They had three of these beautiful floral arraignments. 

The choir.

The house was packed.

I think I am getting old and senile.  I got ready for church yesterday and was sitting at the computer when Chris walked in and said, “You have white socks on”.  I usually cheat and wear white socks when we are going to the temple, but not when we are going to church.  Another example is that after cleaning up the Rummikub game, I tried to put it away in the freezer.  Yes, Tad and Tove we are playing Rummikub almost every day to try and not lose our minds.  The refrigerator sits right next to the cabinet where the games are stored, but still.   I told mom that if she finds the Rummikub game in the freezer it will be time to put me down.  We feel blessed and protected and honored to serve the good people of Guatemala.