Fair

Small miracles  4/21/14

We were called about 7pm this evening.  The zone leaders have come up with a plan to get their church members to trust them more.  They are going to make butter finger cookies.   Well, like most missionary plans, they were missing a pan to cook them in, paper plates to serve them with, seran wrap to cover the plates, and two key ingredients:  chocolate sauce and peanut butter.  They wanted us to buy and deliver these things.  We were able to buy the plates and the wrap, but peanut butter is very hard to find here and the store we were at was out of chocolate syrup.  So, we walked to the market place, knowing fulwell we would not find these items, but we had to try.  We walked into this tiny store.  It had plastic goods, Easter baskets, all kind of very strange stuff.  We walked around to the only other isle and there on the bottom shelf were a gigantic bottle of planters peanut butter and right with the peanut butter, a gigantic bottle of chocolate sauce.  We said to each other, it's a little miricle to help the missionaries with their project.

Doctors and dentists  4/22/14

We have been given the assignment to help young members that want to go on missions to get their applications done.   We have to get there applications completed before June.   We have three: two boys and a girl.    Now, this may seem like a really simple task, but, these young people live way up in the mountains, have no money and no resources.

We have had this assignment for several weeks and have been pondering and praying about where to find a doctor and dentist that will do the exams for free or at a big discount.  And, one of the boys has major problems with his teeth.  They look like a train wreck!   And, we have a few other pre-missionaries that have completed the application and have their call but must have inoculations before they can go.  Like, yellow fever vaccine. 

Today, we were so blessed.  A friend of ours took us to her brother, a doctor, and he ageed to do the exams for free!   We found out that the local firehouse will give yellow fever shots for about $6.  (We went to our pharmacy and simply asked for yellow fever vaccine, no problem, the assistant just brought out these little viles, we could buy for about $70.)  and, we found a dentist.  So, as usual, after a trial of our faith, we were blessed.

Bargaining   4/23/14

We have picked up an intersting skill here in Guatemala, bargaining.  Almost everything we buy, we bargain for a better price.  At home, Kathy did a little bit of bargaining at TJ MAX, Gary, just hated to bargain.   Well, here we really have learned to enjoy bargaining.  People look at us as rich gringos.   We tell them right off we are very poor missionaries and we won't accept a 'tourist price".  Or, we plead with them that they must give a lower price for missionaries.   We always pay less and the whole bargaining session is great fun.  Gary is concerned, however, that, when he gets home, he will offer the clerk at walmart a lower amount then the register says.

The fair

There is a fair going on here.   It seems to be great fun for everyone.  One of our zones decided to have an activity associated with the fair, since, the stake center is virtually right next to the fair. The missionaries made cookies and popcorn and had pamphlets and Books of Mormon all displayed on tables.  The sister missioneries did face painting, they had several other games set up, and Kathy did painting.  Kathy painted a picture and we offered copies of the picture to those that would give us contact information.  Overall, the missionaries got lots of references.

Our new car is named Krueger, we love her but she is quit underpowered.  We were in a little town today that had steep hills.  We turned a tight corner and we were in front of a car.  We had to back up the hill a little ways then turn tight and go gown the hill.  We put krueger in reverse and is all she could do is groan.  No movement.  We had two big elders in the back and they got out.  Still could not move.  Finally, the big elders had to push us back up the hill.  If it were not for them, we could still be there!  We know krueger felt bad, but that is all she could do.   In the future, we will not get into places that we have to back up hills!

AMERICAN BREAKFAST

The missioneries told the relief society president of a local ward that Kathy made a wonderful American breakfast.  So, we get contacted by the relief society.  They want Kathy to do a demonstration on how to make an American breakfast.   We buy all this food and haul our pans, food, oil, etc to the ward house.  The ward house kitchen is about the size of a large closet.  Kathy is cooking French toast, omelettes, hash browns, and bacon.   She is cooking away with 25 sisters crammed into this little room.  They all had note books and took notes and photos.  It was a great time.  A few strange things:  Kathy made the French toast first, then the omelettes.  The sisters would not serve the anything until they had all the plates ready to serve everyone.  So we had plates stacked everywhere.   And, they will not use napkins.  It just is not in the culture.  However, the experience was wonderful.

We were invited to talk about marriage to a family along with the missioneries.   We brought our computer with the DVD "together forever".  The family joined the church in October.   Previously, they fought a lot and the man was losing his temper.  After joining the church, they were ok for a while but now the were ready to split up.  So, we really felt the spirit with us. We showed the vidioe and both of us bore our testimonies about marriage.  We told them about us before and after our being converted to the church, our temple marriage with two little children, and over the years we were taught in the church and with the Holy Ghost about how to have a happy family.    They listened intently and the spirit was wonderful and we did our best.  We hope and pray they make it.

We attended church this Sunday in a little branch way up in the mountains.   These are amazing members.  Very dedicated and temple attenders.   The district president was there.  President Ochoa.  A wonderful man.  It was testimony meeting.   We gave our testimonies, and, so did the president.  President broke down in tears with weight of his calling.  It was a very tender moment.  After the meeting, we talked to him and we took on several of the issues he was worried about.  We drove home with a testimony in our hearts that we were called here for a purpose.

We got a call Saturday morning by missioneries that were preparing for a baptism.  The water pump for the fount was broken and they could not fill the fount.  We told them to call the bombaderos, fireman, to come and fill the faunt.  They called them and arranged for them to fill the faunt.  We drove over to make sure it worked ok and to pay the fireman.   The fire truck came, with the hose through the  window, they filled the faunt.  And we paid them about $50.  Later we attended the baptism.  A ten year old girl was baptized in freezing cold water.  But, she was such a sweet little girl and was so excited.  Only a few people attended.  The ward has major problems.  The new bishop and his family was ther and the bishop gave a talk.  After the baptism, we gave the little girl a hug and gave her a picture of the Savior with a note on the back reminding her of her baptismal commitments.  Hand painted by Kathy.  (We give these to all the people that get baptized).  The bishop is very overwhelmed and he thanked us over and over for supporting him.  Just doing our job.

Here are pictures.

REAR VIEW MIRRORS

We had a quiet week, so not much to report.

However, we used to think that rear view mirrors on cars, the ones that stick out from the sides of the car, were for allowing us to see what was behind us.  But here, no.   Their main purpose is to tell the driver he is too close to the car next to him because the rear view mirror got hit and it was folded over.  When you get in the clear, you just push the mirror back into place.  This method of measuring how close your car is to another car, also applies to people.    We get our rear view mirror hit several times a week.  It used to be exciting, but now, it's just Guatemala.

We loved conference.  So much applied to us missionaries.   We all cheered when president Armada talked.  He is from Guatemala and we have spent time with him.  He is a wonderful, gentle man.

Only problem with conference here is that we watch it on the only English speaking TV in a small room with steel folding chairs.  10 hours on a steel chair.   Gary's butt still hurts.  By the way, we all are asked to watch conference in our native language.

We love ou mission!   Serving The Lord full time is an amassing experience.   We survive solely on obedience, prayer, and inspiration.  We are anxious to return home but we are worried about getting "back in the world".   Will we become the "slugs" we were before!!

It is p-day and here is Kathy painting.   She only paints on p-day.  What does Gary do, well,  the bills of course.  We still have a house at home to handle.