March 5th through March 11th

March 5^th through March 11^th:  What a great week.  Tuesday we went to our paint class and worked on the still life we started in the previous class and I got Jake’s eyes painted and mom did the sky on her landscape.  It was a good class and I came away thinking, “I can do this!”  After some classes, I feel like I will never be able to paint without Jill’s help.  

Mom's still life.

My still life.

Just painted his eyes.

Mom added the sky.

Wednesday mom drove our car and I drove the van and we took all the temple missionaries to a devotional for missionaries where Elder and Sister Ochoa, Elder and Sister Gong, and Elder and Sister Cook spoke to all the missionaries in Guatemala City area.  There were over 500 missionaries in attendance and the Spirit was palpable.  We were asked to sit on the stand and I sat right behind Elder Cook.  Mom sat right behind his wife, Mary.  The meeting was to start at 8:30 am.  We left the temple at 7:00 am and arrived at the Montufar chapel and were in our seats by 8:00 am.  At 8:00 am everyone stood as these three general authorities and their wives walked in and up to the stand.  We were with the 3 mission presidents and their wives and the MTC president and his wife on the stand. They shook our hands and then they took the time to shake the hand of every missionary before the start of the meeting.  We had a perfect view of the missionaries all filing past and with great big smiles on their faces as they shook the hands of these three servants of the Lord, Jesus Christ. That was all before the start of the meeting.  

The missionaries shaking hands with Elder Cook, Elder Gong, and Elder Ochoa.

Click below to hear the missionaries.
 500 plus missionaries singing.

Sister and Elder Ochoa spoke first and then Sister and Elder Gong.  But the real highlight of the meeting was to hear Sister and Elder Cook.  Sister Cook had all the missionaries stand up and sing “Pon tu hombro a la lid” (Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel).  She had about a third of them singing “con fervor” with hand gestures and another group singing something else with hand gestures.   She then said, “Ok, on the last verse we are going to put this all together”.  Elder Cook turned around to us laughing and covering his eyes he said something to the affect, “I don’t want to watch.  I never know what she is going to do.”  The missionaries loved it and it was great.  He then spoke to us.  I am going to included notes compiled from a couple of our temple missionaries and from my own notes.

Missionary Conference - March 7

Elder Quinton Cook

"I believe this is a very special place where you are and a very special time where the people here have not succumbed to all the problems in the world.  The 'great and spacious building' is not as powerful here right now. "

Your calls were given to you at this time so that you could be with these people and these Presidents. This is an urgent time. I had a strong impression of the urgency of this work last June as I was preparing for the new mission presidents seminar and I had that same impression yesterday as I spoke in the devotional for the church employees here in Guatemala.  Some of the urgency is the same as that which was recorded when the church first sent out missionaries.

 People need to hear the message of the restoration in their own tongue and language.   

The Prophet Joseph said that the primary gift of tongues will be missionaries speaking in the language of the people that they serve.  The language of the heart is the language that you pray in. 

He told about how in 1837 when the First Presidency sent out missionaries to England and they didn't have a song book.   Brigham Young asked Parley P Pratt to put together a hymn book.  He wrote the hymn of the restoration "The Morning Breaks" which is #1 in our hymn book and has always been #1 in our hymn books.

Elder Cook said he prays that we will feel a real sense of urgency.  Remember that the harvest is the Lord's.    When the people are as ready as these people are, if you don't feel gratitude for being with these special people, then change and recommit.  Love the Lord and love the families. 

D & C 31:7 The Lord will open the hearts of the people and the Savior will establish a church by your hand. 

Remember-

1. Don't underestimate the power of mighty prayer.   Alma 6:6

2. Be warm and gracious and carry a spirit and your impact will be increased.  The newest missionary can help to bring the Spirit.

Elder Cook said he had a significant experience in joining with the other apostles in ordaining President Nelson as the prophet.  It left no doubt that President Nelson was to be the president and prophet.  President Nelson really feels an urgency to get the message from the Lord for what he must do. President Nelson is not getting a lot of sleep.  He wakes up nightly and writes down things that he has received. He is getting a lot of revelation.

Elder Cook says that as an apostle he has a special responsibility to be a special witness and he feels he needs to be more specific about his testimony. "I feel a great urgency about being a special witness and I want you to write it in your hearts and on your paper.  I testify to you that I know the Savior's voice and His face.  I am a sure witness of the Savior Jesus Christ. "

The Savior’s atonement will make everything right that appears to be unfair in life.

 He then left an apostolic blessing upon all of us there that we will feel an urgency, that we will have a great love for the people, that our love for the Savior will increase, and that the time will come that we will have a feeling as to what it means to be an emissary of the Savior.  You may have family problems, parents divorcing, or other problems.  He then said. “I invoke a blessing upon you that this mission you are serving will not only bless you but everyone you love.  Everyone near and dear to you will be blessed for your service”. 

He testified that Russell M. Nelson is the Lord’s prophet on the earth.

We all stood again as they walked to the back of the building and shook the hands of 42 missionaries that had left at 4:30 in the morning, but arrived after the meeting had started.  

Everyone standing as they walk out.

Pano of everyone standing.

We then went and had presidency meeting and then did the afternoon shift. Thursday I was able to paint the hair on Jake and Xela.  We then did the afternoon shift.  

I worked on Xela's hair.

I think I can call Jake's hair done.  I like how it turned out.

Friday we did the afternoon shift. We switched with President Funes so that we could have Saturday free to drive to the conference in Sacsuha.  Saturday we left at 6:00am and we took the Elder and Sister Jenson with us.  We made good time and arrived at around 11:30 am.  

Two women getting some herb ready to take to market.

Stopped for construction.

We met up with President Faundez who was in the pool at the hotel in Teleman.  There was no water in the shower at the hotel and it was really hot.  Elder Jenson and I changed and got in the pool for about 30 minutes.  

Cooling off, it is much hotter here than in the capitol city.

L to R Sister Faundez, mom and Sister Jenson.

We then got ready for the adult session and on the way, we stopped for lunch.  The adult session was from 2:00 to 4:00 pm and mom and I both spoke.  

The choir for the Saturday Adult Session.

Sister Faundez then took mom and Sister Jenson back to the hotel.  Mom and Sister Faundez got in the pool.  We stayed for the priesthood session from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.  I spoke for 30 minutes, but it is really only a 15 minute talk because everything is translated into Kekchi.  I felt good about the day and there was a nice Spirit in the meetings.  We arrived back at the hotel about 7:30 pm.  

Priesthood Session.

Loading up after the Priesthood Session.

We took our treats over to the Jenson’s room and shared our snacks for dinner.  When I got back to the room, I could not find my cell phone.  We searched all over and called the number repeatedly.  Finally we searched the car, three times.  We went back to the Jenson’s room and looked there.  We went to the Faundez’ room and asked if he had picked it up when he got out of the car.  No luck-- it was lost.  We searched our room again.  Finally we said a prayer and went to bed.  At 2:30 am I woke up and went to the restroom.  I laid back down on my back and my left hand was by my side.  I felt something.  I picked it up and it was my cell phone and the screen was on-- not enter your code screen, but all the apps screen.  I had searched the covers on the bed at least twice while searching earlier.  This was such a tender mercy.  I thought I had dropped it at the chapel.  We are calling this the miracle of the cell phone.  Sunday we got up and with no hot water, I shaved and called it good!  After all, I went swimming the day before.  We had our snacks, Oreo cookies and Onion and Sour Cream potato chips, for breakfast.  We left for the chapel at 7:00 am.  We had the first session from 8:00 to 10:00 am and the second session from 10:30 to 12:30 pm.  Mom talked in each session about how we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord.  It doesn’t matter our culture or language or anything else, the requirements for eternal life are the same for everyone.  In the temple, we all dress the same and are the same before God.  I spoke about President Nelson’s first message on January 16^th,  that we need to start with the end in mind, which is the temple, and that because of this he was broadcasting from the Salt Lake temple.  He said that we will receive power to resist the temptations of Satan as we worship and do the work for our ancestors in the temple.  I then I said that his remark about receiving power made me think about my favorite temple scripture.  D and C 109:22  And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them;  I then talked about each of these four blessings. I felt the Spirit in both meetings and I was satisfied with our effort and our talks.  

On our way to conference Sunday morning.

Thanks Elder Jenson for this picture.

The choir for the Sunday session.  They were great.

Click below to hear Kekchi.
Choir singing The Spirit of God like a Fire is Burning in Kekchi.

Sunday first session.

Sunday second session.

Everyone rides in the back.

The girl in the turquoise did not want me to take her picture.

We then went to President Xol’s home for lunch.  The mission presidency, President and Sister Faundez, President Vela and his son, President Poou and President Xol’s two counselors joined us.  They served us Kak’ic, which in Kekchi means red chile.  It is a spicy turkey soup.  The turkey in not cut up but a large piece of turkey is placed in your bowl.  I rather like the dish, but it might be an acquired taste for others. 

L to R President Vela, his son, President Faundez, Sister Faundez, President Xol, Sister Xol, their daughter, President Barillas, second counselor in district presidency, President Poou, counselor in mission presidency, Elder Jenson, Sister Jenson, and mom.

Usually you don't get a spoon.

Fingers are the only way to eat the meat.

I ate it all.

President Xol and his family.

We got on the road about 1:30 pm.  We made good time and only got stopped twice for maybe 30 minutes in total.  We got home just as the sun was going down.  After the long, dusty and bumpy dirt road and then about 1000 sharp turns through and over 3 mountains I was exhausted and could not even work on the blog. 

It is the dry season and we followed President Faundez on the dirt road for half the way.  He then stopped and said that he would eat dust and that we should go ahead.  The dust was horrible.

Even though it is the dry season we still found a few mud puddles.

Mom never really likes it when I am taking a movie while driving.

Click below to see the mud puddle.
The biggest mud puddle we could find.

One last stop.

We talked to our son, James, who is on vacation with his family in Disneyland and then fell into bed.   What a great week that was filled with inspiring talks, shifts in the temple, and a weekend conference in the Polochic valley.  We dread going into the Polochic because of the road and how far away it is, but we always return home feeling so blessed to have been able to be with those special saints.  Our spirits are renewed and we feel invigorated and ready to do it all over again this next week.  President Nelson and Elder Cook both feel a sense of urgency and now so do I.