Kids & Independence Day

Here's a stake of primary kids who came on a bus to see the temple and now they're going to the CCM for a tour and get a talk about missionary work from President Nicholayson, the president of the CCM here. What a precious sight, to see them walking the block from the temple with their little hands on the shoulder in front of them with their leaders!

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Last Sunday was Guatemalan Independence Day here and we sang the National Anthem at church. It is really beautiful and poetic... Jim, Michelle, or Annie can translate it for you.

Packages & Potluck

Here is one of the many little vegetable "markets" we see along our walking routes each day. The truck is parked at the curb and they just set up shop on the sidewalk. Looks good, huh? They will even cut the fruit and give you a taste... They have some mangoes, pineapples, etc.

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Yay! A package from my BFF, who pretends to be a schoolteacher, but is really an archaeologist! A National Geographic magazine with a story about Mayan history. Thanks, Sue!

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Another potluck on Saturday night at our apartment for all the temple missionaries and President and Sister Nickolayson from the CCM. We invited them because they are never with adults, just missionaries. They seemed to enjoy it. This was really a great potluck, with a lot of variety... Of course Dad LOVED it, even though he is losing weight!

 

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Here's a photo that I had to sneak around the corner for, the Murri's looking like a couple of teens, watching the movie ANTS and singing along. Good times!

Buses & Belts

Is Dad back in the grocery business? I hope not!

One of Mom's favorite stops on walking tour.

Dad stumbled and fell again. I had to take picture of the small bush that kept him from injuring the cement with his body. I hope the third fall is the charm and I don't topple over again. One time a painted stripe reached up and tripped me. It's hard to see mom next to that red bus with her red shirt and hair, but it is truly her. They say down here don't ride the red buses they are dangerous. Of course they are only dangerous if you get on them.

 

 

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Dad has lost enough weight that his pants fall down. He devised this genius way of holding his pants up when we walk all over creation!!! Hey, I've got an idea.. How about a new smaller belt or pair of pants?! Oh wait, that wouldn't be quite so funny!!!

 



Cementing

These are picture of men cementing a hand dug water storm drain. They hand crank the men down and they cement the sides. It's about fifty yards to the next hole in the ground as they move down the road. It's a slow process. I did see them bring a Bobcat to load trucks with the dirt they haul out, but some trucks are loaded by shovel.

 

Our Walking Route

Here's some photos on our walking route with some interesting stuff along the way.

 

Danger Zone

Here's Dad in his new glasses, hamming it up at Family Home Evening! The Pitchers gave them to him and he has made good use of them. He put them on while walking by all the guards and made them laugh!

 

 

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This is a picture of one of the dangerous zones in Guatemala! Our taxi driver, Andres, lives there

with his parents.

 

 

Packages and Earthquakes

The packages arrived and they gave them to us this morning at the security office at the temple! So exciting to get mail from home. Muchas gracias. Thanks for the hair stuff, too. Wow... It is just like Christmas here! The suit looks nice on dad since he's lost weight. We also got a National Geographic from Sue, too... It was our lucky day!

 

 

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We had a 6.5 earthquake here tonight! The chandelier in the celestial room at the temple was swaying and I could feel the shelves moving in the men's roperia! The engineers came around to see if everyone was okay! No problems at our apartment, I guess. We just got home and the Murri's are in bed. I'll ask them tomorrow if they felt it here in the apartment.