Box of Sunshine and FHE

We love getting something from home.

This month we have received a couple of things from home. One of those things was a birthday party that Natalie sent, which some of her children helped with, and the other thing was a BOX OF SUNSHINE that came from Ric and Marcie and family.

We put the sign "sun shine" on the wall close to where the Super Missionary tag is that Kate gave us before we came to Guatemala.

the box of sunshine

goodies

games

letters

and best of all NOTES from some of the grandchildren

stuff to make cards with and pencils, paper and sharpener

Family Home Evening at the Burks

Todos Juntos

to say goodbye to the Harris, Svensons and Pitchers and to say hello to Caballero, and Tanner

The temple presidency and their wives
President and Sister Galves, President and Sister Burk and President and Sister Harris.  
(This picture is taken in our back yard.)

President and Sister Galvez will be leaving us in July to get ready to be the next temple president and matron of the Xela temple in Quezaltanago

President and Sister Harris have finished their mission here in Guatemala and have returned to their home in Alpine, Utah

The temple Presidency

The Pitchers (talking with President Burk) were temple missionaries, but they received a change and are now the secretary to the area presidency

The Svensons, (talking with President Burk) will be leaving this coming Friday for their home in Canada after serving here for 18 months.

Sister Burk taking care of the food for the FHE

the open gate goes into our back yard

Sister Guzman and Sister Olson and Sister Galvez are getting their hamburgers ready to eat

Sister Tanner is one of the new temple missionaries. She is in her 80's and has served 6 other missions. She is from Orem, Utah

 (notice the birthday cake that Sister Padilla made for bubs for his birthday. We could not eat the whole thing so we are sharing it.)

I was helping cook the hamburger patties on the grill

Brother and Sister Roberts
Brother Roberts is now President Roberts. He became the new councilor to President Burk

Semana Santa or Holy Week and a birthday all in one week

This week was Semana Santa or Holy week. All the stores closed and the buses stop running. We talked with several of the temple workers from the city who said they probably would not be coming to the temple  because they would not have a way because they come on the buses. BUT, on Tuesday we had a very busy day. Then on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday it was steady. It was amazing how much temple work got done in spite of the fact that the buses were not running and the streets were vacant of cars, trucks and buses and we were short on temple workers from the city. It was like a scene from a sci-fi movie outside the temple where the world became un inhabited. We didn't hear any vehicle noises, nor did we see many vehicles. Many of the stores were closed. We had some people who came to the temple from Belize. Almost everyone in Belize speaks English. I got to do one of the ordnance's in English. I even helped with a young lady who came to the temple for the first time before her mission, in English. That was a treat. On Saturday we were busy, but again, it was amazing how much work we got done. 

Also on Saturday Blair turned 70. We are now the same age again. Maggie helped her mother pick out a birthday package to send, in which were hats, candles and balloons. Seth enjoyed getting his grandpa a card.  So on Saturday morning before our shift at the temple breakfast consisted of a cupcake and something to drink. 

On someones birthday they should be able to eat what they want, right?

Saturday evening we wanted to go to a restaurant that served steak, so we invited the Padillas to come with us. The steak restaurant that we wanted to go to was closed, part of Holy Week, but we saw this Restaurant that was open. It was very good. Glad we saw this place.

we wore the hats that Natalie send in her birthday package.

the Padilla' came with us to celebrate

that's me

the whole group who came to celebrate Blair's 70th birthday. The restaurant was very nice.

Sister Padilla made a huge and delicious cake for Blair's birthday so on Sunday we invited some of our neighbors over to have some birthday cake.

Elder and Sister Barlow and Elder and Sister Thompson and Sister Padilla

Blair blew out his candles. Yeah!

We have completed one year

At the mall called "Paiz", where we walk to sometimes to shop, we decided to take a couple of pictures.

I

This is the food court of the mall called "Paiz" where we often go shopping on our walks. We were just about to take a picture of two men playing a game of chess at this food court when a security guard came up to us and told us we were not to be taking pictures inside this mall. We said thank you for telling us and asked if we needed to delete the pictures we had just taken. He said no that we could keep them. I turned off my camera and put it away.

On the way home from the mall we saw this lady along the side of the road asking for donations.

On top of a bridge over Vista Hermosa on the way to Paiz, one of the stores we often walk to.

We go past this wall when we go to the air port. We cannot walk to this wall. When we see this it is as we drive by in a Taxi or if we are with someone else who is driving. It is next to the military facility. Adults help, but it is painted by the children and depicts the history of Guatemala

The bridge over the road  "Vista Hermosa"

We have completed one year of our eighteen month mission, and that is nice! Here's hoping we can just glide through the last six months with no problems. We are always very busy at the temple and love the people when we are there. We do need to rest and relax every day. Two of our sister temple missionaries have fallen down and broken their legs. One broke her ankle on her one leg and her knee on her other leg. The other sister broke her ankle and the same ankle was out of place. Both sisters had to have surgery and have been cooped up in their casas (apartment) for four weeks. We have missed them at the temple. Both sisters fell, one while going for a walk on the street and the other in their own apartment. Hope nothing like this happens to anyone else.

It is important to watch where you are walking, but also where you are going. These sidewalks are the normal here, not the exception.

But, we need to walk for exercise, and to go to the store, so we continue to walk.

Looking down on the road "Vista Hermosa ", which is a main street. We cross the bridge over this road. It really isn't that safe to run across the road. However, we see people do just that sometimes and we watch and hold our breath until they make it safely to the other side of the street.

Fishing
Something that Blair is looking forward to when we return from our mission.

Conference Week

We LOVED General Conference!  We loved the talks and learning from them. A couple of our favorite talks were on Saturday morning and another on Sunday morning. The one Sunday morning was by President Monson. Both talks were talking about the two great commandments, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, and strength and the second is like unto it, thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself." That is needed so much in the world today and in our homes. There were many other talks that we also loved. 

We saw our granddaughter Dee Dee on Saturday afternoon singing with the Orem Institute Choir. We were excited to see her all the way from Guatemala.

I don't know if this is a butterfly or a moth, either way, it's pretty

This week I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned. The dentist said he has seen both of us in the temple as officiators.

I said I would add more pictures of our visits during January. Here are some from our trip to Rio Dulce during the temple closure.

Along the sides of the River Dulce it is very steep on both sides. This part where the sides were getting taller, there was still lots of vegetation.  

this picture and the one below were where the sides of the river were vertical.

a form of dry dock?  This boat has seen better days

The homes along the river are big and all have boats and boat houses.

The mouth into the Caribbean Sea

This is the same kind of boat we road in on the river Dulce.