We hope as you read this blog of our mission to the Quito, Ecuador temple you will feel the joy and happiness we are experiencing by being in the service of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We hope you can experience some of what we feel. Christine and I met in Quito, Ecuador 51 years ago while serving as missionaries. We are going home.
Monday: We cleaned and did our grocery shopping. In the evening, Orlando Hando came to our apartment and interviewed us for 3 hours about our experiences as missionaries here in the early days of the Ecuador mission. He is from the area offices in Lima and was here to interview people about the temple dedication. The area History Department is trying to write a history of all the missions and the church in each country. He also asked us about our service in Guatemala.
Orlando Honda, Chris and Me
Tuesday through Friday: We worked the morning shift from 7:00am till noon or 1:00pm then we would go home for lunch and go back at 4:00 until we were done sometime between 7:30 and 8:00pm. We mostly trained in initiatory and the veil. I did officiate one session in the evening when there were not enough workers. I think the last time I officiated a session was in Cochabamba more than 10 years ago. I only made one small mistake. Thursday, after the morning shift we grabbed an Uber and went to the Mission Home for Thanksgiving Dinner with the President and Sister Winters of the Quito North mission and 3 other senior couples. It was a nice get together. We had to leave early to get back to the evening shift.
Left to Right: The Ray's, The Cameron's, The Playa's, The Winters, and Chris.
Saturday: We went to the temple again at 7:00am and we got done at at 1:30pm. There were only 2 sessions. The 11:00am session was for the area seventy and the stake presidents and there wives. I officiated the session. Again, I made one small mistake, but it was a different mistake than the one earlier in the week. One of the members of the start up committee, Corinne Thornton, arrived and is helping train the laundry workers. We invited her to dinner on Sunday. Sunday: Janet, who is in charge of the laundry at the temple, picked us up for church. Her son, David, is waiting for his mission call.
Left to Right; Chris, David, Janet, her husband, her daughter, her mom, and Corinne.
Sister Aguirre invited us to dinner along with Corinne. So after church, we stopped by the temple and took the pork roast we had in the oven, a bag of potatoes, and our head of broccoli to the Aguirre's home to add to their meal. It was a great dinner with their three children, their spouses, and 8 grandchildren. Afterwards I played Rumikub with Gabrielito, his father, and Ashley, one of the Aguirre's granddaughter's from Utah who came with her family for the temple dedication. Their daughter, Gabriella, married a missionary, Spencer Caldwell, from Vernal and that is where they now live. Spencer shared with me some drone video that he had taken of the temple and downtown Quito. I have included these in the links below.
Flying through the towers.
Quito from Panecillo.
Flying around the temple.
These make me want to buy a drone.
President Aguirre told me that in his coordinating council meeting that morning the area seventy said that he had learned from me how to show one's love for the Savior by the way you officiate the session. I think this was the nicest compliment I have ever received. This week was challenging and we have a lot of opportunities to do things better than we did this past week. But in the end, it is the Lord's work and He can do His work. We have had a number of tender mercies this week and these really make this all worth it.
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.
Monday: We only had energy to clean and go grocery shopping. Tuesday through Friday: We had training from 7:00am to noon and 4:00pm till 9:00pm. Much of the previous training has focused on procedures and the patron experience. This week has been about learning the ordinances. On Thursday we had sister missionaries over for lunch. They are the sister missionaries in our ward and one will be transferred out next week.
Sister Ellie Thompson from Mesa, AZ and Sister Gillian Garmon, from Peachtree Corner, GA.
Saturday: We went over to the temple for the morning training session. Our dear friends, Wally and Martha Cooper, and Martha's sister, Elaine, came to work with volunteers at the high school run by the Children of the Andes Humanitarian (COTAH).
Saminay--El Legado is the school that we visited several weeks ago in the mountains outside of Otavalo. Martha is on the Board of Directors as is our daughter, Genevieve. They arrived at 4:00am, checked into a hotel by the airport and after a bit of sleep arrived at the temple around noon. We fed them and then went back to the temple to finish the afternoon training session. We then took them on a quick tour of the temple. They brought me a traditional poncho from Otavalo that I had purchased and have had in storage for 50 years. I wore the poncho over to the temple and a number of the workers that were leaving the training commented the it was a very good quality and expensive. I wore it into the office and showed it to Brother Lema, the assistant recorder, who is from Otavalo. He said that they don't make this kind of poncho any longer. It takes too long. When we were at the school two weeks ago one of the teachers saw a picture of my poncho and said that her dad was the only person still making this type of poncho and it takes him 6 months to make one. After giving our friends a tour, I went back and asked Brother Lema how much he thought the poncho would be worth. To my surprise he said that it was worth $1,500.00 dollars. Our friends then took an Uber to Otavalo.
Left to right, Me in my poncho, Chris, Martha, Elaine, Wally
The poncho is reversable.
Sunday: We went to church and then in the afternoon I helped train all the workers that were going to officiate the first sessions. We also had another 3 hour training session with the new sealers. Next Sunday is the dedication of the temple. We found out that we will be getting a ticket to sit in the temple for one of the sessions. We can't wait. So exciting.
Monday: We were invited byPresident and Sister Winters of the Quito mission to join them and 28 missionaries for a zone preparation day activity. We got up early and took an Uber into Quito to meet up with the Cameron's, the office couple. We were picked up by a van and then we drove to President and Sister Winters' apartment and picked them up with coolers of food. We then drove 1 1/2 hours to the Reserva Alambi where we met a busload of young missionaries for the start of the activity. Reserva Alambi is a hummingbird reserve. There were at least 100 hummingbirds feeding on sweet nectar in about 10 bird feeders. President Winters has a great camera and got some great pictures of Chris and I holding a bird feeder in our hand and also some close up pictures of some of the different colored birds. There are 37 different variety of hummingbirds at the reserve.
Cayambe was out of the clouds.
There were a bunch of bird feeders.
Hummingbird Feeders
They would come and feed right out of your hand.
Can you see there are 3 birds, one right by my armpit.
President Winters' camera was amazing.
We then loaded up and drove to Mindo about 40 minutes from the reserve. After arriving in Mindo, we drove up into the mountains to Tarabita and took a cable car across a deep ravine. The Winters had packed lunch for us and we ate pulled pork sandwiches, very delicious.
About 8 people could be in the cage.
The ravine is quite wide.
Lunch was delish. Sister Winters is on the right.
We then started down a trail that the Winters said was only about a 20 minute hike to a water fall. After about 5 minutes, Chris decided she didn't want to continue so she went back and sat with Sister Cameron who had done the hike before. Well, the hike was down hill to the river and then back up. Maybe for a 19 year old Elder or Sister missionary it would take only 20 minutes. But for me it was more like 40 minutes each way and my knees were shot by the time I made it back. When I got to the bottom, I was the last person. I took 3 pictures and headed back because I didn't want to be the last one back to the top.
Lots and lots of stairs.
The missionaries all walked across the river.
We then rode the cable car back across the ravine and loaded up and headed home.
My hand is in the air.
We got back to the Cameron's apartment about 6:00pm and tried for 20 minutes to get an Uber with no luck. So we walked a few blocks to a busy street and took a taxi. It took 3 days for my legs and knees to recover.
View from Cameron's apartment in downtown Quito. The city is 4 X's bigger than we remember.
Tuesday through Saturday: Each day we spent about 5 hours in the morning and 5 hours in the evening in training sessions in the temple. Saturday went from 7:00am to 3:30pm, back to back. It was so nice to be back in the temple after being off for the open house. Sunday: We took a taxi to church and after the taxi dropped us off, Chris realized that her cell phone had slipped out of her dress pocket and was still in the taxi. We have not been able to get it back. In Sunday school, the lesson was on Daniel and his interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that destroyed a great image of gold, silver and brass. The teacher then asked about the history of the church in Ecuador. I explained the following:
1965 Elder Spencer W. Kimball dedicated Ecuador for the preaching of the gospel. 4 missionaries from the Andes Mission were sent to Quito.
1970 the Quito Ecuador mission was organized with Louis Latimer as the first president, about 20 missionaries and about 1200 members. (I arrived in May 1971 and Chris arrived in October 1971)
2022 there are 6 missions with approximately 510 missionaries and 253,000 members.
The teacher then made the comparison that the stone cut out of the mountain without hands was the Kingdom of God and that the growth of the church in Ecuador is an example for the fulfillment of that prophecy. I could not agree more. We marvel at what has happened since we were here in 1971 to 1973. Sunday afternoon I spent 3 1/2 hours in the temple helping train the 9 new sealers. It was a great week for us, except for the fact that Chris lost her phone.
Monday: We got a text over the weekend from our son John, saying that Matthew Keddington, a friend from water polo would be here on Monday with some friends to see the temple. Matthew is a returned missionary from the Guayaquil Mission and he coached with John and his younger brother played water polo with Badger, our grandson. Mom made Locro, a traditional potato soup, and we had 4 visitors for lunch. They then went through the temple.
Elias Flores, a member from Guayaquil, two other former missionaries, Matthew, and us in front of the temple.
Tuesday: We had our Zoom meeting with the start up committee. I indicated that we were in the neighborhood of 35,000 people who have come to the temple open house. Wednesday: We went to TGI Fridays for lunch and I had a real hamburger. Mom made chocolate chip cookies and we had two of the sister missionaries come for cookies after their shift helping with the open house.
Cute sister missionaries.
Thursday: We went into Quito and to go to lunch with the Camerons, two office elders, and one returned missionary. We got caught in a downpour. We are heading into the rainy season and even if the sky is blue, we should never leave the house without our umbrellas.
The rain storm at lunch.
Friday: I went shopping so that we could cook two large pots of soup, taco and locro. We then had 8 sister missionaries to lunch after their shift here at the temple helping with the open house. It is really fun to see their enthusiasm.
Darling sister missionaries from the Santo Domingo District.
Saturday: I went shopping again because the group of sisters we had originally invited for lunch on Friday, got their dates wrong and wanted to come on Saturday. So we invited a different set of sisters yesterday. This time we cooked as much spaghetti as we could fit in our largest pots and we had 10 sisters to lunch. Today is the last day of the open house. We will be able to get back to work starting tomorrow.
Elias Flores returned with his family to see the temple. He brought his wife, Laura, daughters Valentina and Alma, and his son, Elion. They loved mom's cookies.
They ate all the spaghetti and lots of cookies.
Crowds at the open house Saturday
This amazing couple headed the open house committee. They were at the temple every day for 15 days, sometimes for more than 10 hours. The final count for the number of people who attended the open house is 51,189. Remarkable!
Sunday: We took an Uber to church and then hurried home to watch our home ward's sacrament meeting on Zoom. They changed the Bishopric. It was fun to see our new Bishop, Steve Broadhead, and we think he will be great. We went to the temple and trained the shift, veil, and initiatory, coordinators. They asked Chris and I to train in the initiatory and they had all three groups rotate so they all got the same training in each area. It was good to be back in the temple.
