What I have seen and heard since April 2013

While serving as a temple missionary in Guatemala starting in April of 2013, I have seen and heard:

* Beautiful people of Guatemala, both temple workers and patrons and people from other places including the United States who have come to the temple.
* Some come by air, some come by car, some come by motor cycle, and some come in the Ugly Red Buses.  They come from far and near.
* They come from Patzicia, Puerto Barrios, Rio Dulce, Belize, Santa Lucia, Escuintia, Chimalenango, Antigua, Peten, Flores, Coban, Lanquin, Izabal, Zacapa, Jalapa, Cuilapa, Polochic and Sumpango.
* Some have many transfers, bumpy roads, much traffic, 12 hour drives or more.
* Some have difficulties with their passports on their way.
* Some get shot at on their way.
* Some come without shoes.
* Some come in their traditional clothes.
* Some come with arthritic hands and they fold socks and stuff the socks into shoes.
* Some come with aching backs, legs or arms.
* Some are so short they don't see over the recommend desk or the counter.
* They come with ears that don't hear well, eyes that don't see well and mouths that only speak Quekchi or some other Mayan language. Others only speak English.
* They come not able to read or write.
* They come with their quetzals and their temple recommend in their blouse so they won't be robbed.
* Some come with heavy hearts, some come with lonely hearts, some come with sad hearts and others come with happy hearts.
* They come with their minds heavy with burdens.
* They come wanting to be understood.
* They come with many issues on their plates.
* They come with illnesses. Some are on dialyses. Some come with no legs or legs that don't work well.  Or they come with hands and arms that don't work well.
* They come with the desire to do things exactly right in the temple; with a child like attitude.
* They are kind and patient.
* They leave their beautiful children waiting outside with others watching them, while they do the work inside the temple.
* Each one is so lovable and beautiful.
They come because there is One who has suffered All these things and more. He suffered because He loves ALL people. He died that ALL might live with our Heavenly Father and Him again.

Oh Guatemala! Beautiful Guatemala! 

We will NEVER forget you. We will NEVER forget your beautiful people whom we love dearly.

Acts of kindness

During the last couple of weeks I have seen the wonderful acts of kindness. The first one was by my Friday Coordinator, Hermana Funes. One of our sisters, when assigned to do something would find out who was the coordinator. If she thought she has a bone to pick with that coordinator, she didn't want to work there because she had a notion that that person was this or was that. Hermana Funes took that person and went to the coordinator of that job and had them both apologize to each other. Then, she told them to hug and get to work. Hermana Funes showed that she was a peace maker, which is an act of kindness.

The other example of an act of kindness was one day when some of the new missionaries from the CCM "MTC", down here were attending the temple. There were two of those new missionaries who had not been to the temple yet. One of them was so bashful that she almost appeared to be afraid. I helped these two new missionaries. At the end of the session that they were on, I was assigned to be in the celestial room. The new missionary who was shy came to the door of the celestial room and stopped as if to indicate that she was not sure she should come in. I motioned for her to come in and sit on the couch. She did. Then a little while later several other missionaries on the same session came into the celestial room. One of them went over to the two young missionaries who were in the temple for their very first time. She put her arms around each one, one at a time, and told them that they were loved. A smile came on their faces. Especially the one who was so shy. I thought, "That is what Jesus would do. That is an act of kindness."

We have started packing our things to get ready to go home. It is going to be hard to say Good-bye to the people we have grown to love so much. But, we are excited to go home to see our families.

We have been dividing things up to take home, to give to one of the wards here in Guatemala, to give to other of the temple workers or to throw away.

This blue bag is completely packed. There are a few things that we don't know where we will put yet, but we are taking them home with us.

This bag is beginning to be packed with a few things. Again, there are a few things that we'll have to see where they will fit that we want to take home.

These are some things we want to give to some of the temple missionaries, if they want them.

These are some of the things we are giving to one of the wards here.

Here are some either give away or throw ways.

One thing that happened this week in a sealing session this week. Blair was in this sealing session with a young couple who had been married about four years. They asked the sealer some questions about how sealings worked for families living. One of their questions was about adoption. Blair was able to tell them about when our granddaughter Charlotte was sealed to her mom and dad, Natalie and Derek, in the Denver Temple. When he told them about that sealing, they were so happy, They were able to get thier questions answered.

How to save a parking spot

Today we had Stake Conference here in the Guatemala Stake. The choir, comprised of the Vista Hermosa ward, which is the ward we have been going to, made up the choir. We sang two songs. Because President Burk and the Thompson's were at another Stake Conference, we had to find rides for all the rest of the temple missionaries, whether or not they were singing in the choir. Thankfully, with Sister Smylie's help, we were able to accomplish that.

Two brothers in our ward. The one young man is autistic and loves to wave and shake your hand. The other young man is a fantastic person. Their mother is single and has done a fantastic job of raising these two boys. 

People coming out of stake conference

Elder and Sister Eberhard, one of the newer couple temple missionaries. They live next door to us.

Another view of people leaving stake conference

This lady and her children sat on a front row where there had been a sign that said for investigators. A set of full time young Elders sat with them. I think there was a father with them also. He might be out getting the car for them.

Karen gave us a ride to Stake Conference today. She has been a member for about nine months now. She is an architect by profession and speaks perfect English. She helped the church by making apartments out of four of the six houses that the temple owns. The Burks live in casa 5. Casa 6 is where we live, with three other apartments in it, casa 4 has four apartments and casa 3 has four apartments. Casa 2 is for people who come from a long ways and need to spend the night, either right after they get here or the next morning. 

Hermana Rosales is one of the workers on Wednesdays. Her husband was a stake president when Elder Eberhard served here in Guatemala when he was a young man.

This is how you save a parking spot on the street. You just put a potted plant where you want to park, then when you return your spot will be saved for you.