Guatemalan Flores (Flowers)
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This is how we roll in Young Women's in Guatemala! We put up two tables because all the girls are back now for school, except Bishop McOmber's family who are still in the states. The three cute girls in the back/left are natives and the middle one interprets for them. The two ladies in the back/right, one is a counselor in our Young Women's and the other is a visiting counselor from the stake Young Women's. I gave the lesson on why the temple is important and sitting around the table works really well for good participation. The girls do a good job conducting, leading music, making announcements, etc. Karen is the girl on the right in the back left. She is smiling because she knew I was talking her picture... Even though she is shy!
If anyone wants to donate to a good cause, we could use a keyboard! We use a cellphone for music for our songs. I saw one at the distribution center for $100.00 and we were thinking we could share it with Relief Society, too. Anyone...anyone...anyone?!
Our tying a quilt activity last Wednesday night was cancelled and we came to support one of our Mia Maids, whose dad passed away last Tuesday night in the hospital. It was a very interesting and touching experience. They do not embalm people here, so the service and burial must be done within 24 hours. It was a small wooden casket which was closed. There were a lot of people from the ward and family members who came to support. Some family members came on public transportation, without a place to stay and thought they could sleep over night in the church... Of course they can't, so the bishop asked if anyone could let the relatives stay over night. While people were visiting with the family, the bishop and the missionaries in our ward put together a little service. A cousin of the family who is a returned missionary spoke first. One of our ward native missionaries gave a little talk on the Plan of Salvation, another missionary/N.A. led the singing, the bishop gave a little talk, and then asked if any member of the family would like to add anything. Three of the children of the man who died, came up to bear their testimonies... One boy who is in Young Men's, our little Karen, who is a Mia Maid and really shy, and her sister, who is a young adult! The mom and grandma are members, but the dad was not. It was really sweet and touching. There is a cemetery down in Zone 1 (the really dangerous part of town that looks like the projects) and they don't bury people because of the rain/wet ground, but they are put in a mausoleum instead. The kids were all back at church today!
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Last week was supposed to be break the fast at the area offices, but we didn't have a ride! The presidency was all visiting other stakes, but we went over to the temple parking lot before we realized... No ride. So we brought our food back to our house and invited the two temple couples that live downstairs in our apartment building for a potluck! They are at the end of the table. The Cuellar's and the Velasquez's, both from Honduras. We had two main dishes and a big salad, so there was plenty of food. We had graham crackers with frosting and ice cream for dessert. This is year three for the Velsaquez's... They have extended twice, but they leave in December. We learned all about them with our interpreter Brother Murri and it was so fun and we sent food home with them for Monday!
