Spencer's report

November 8, 20009
Hi Family,
It’s my turn to write a few thoughts down and tell of some experiences here. As we’ve mentioned, this has been an especially dry six months, even more than normal, with some serious hunger among the Chorti Indians. Recently a tornado crossed Nicaragua with spin off rains bringing some relief to this area. When we travel there seems to be some nice bean patches on the sides of the slopes. The beans climb up the dead corn stalks from earlier in the year. We have no way of observing what it looks like around Jalapa (southwest of us) that was hit hard by the drought. I don’t like to see any of God’s children suffer from want of food. By the way, we’re aware of many notable efforts by Christian groups doing humanitarian service. We must not think that our church is the only group of people who have charitable hearts and do selfless service. However, there is nothing in the world more organized than Christ’s church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We can be grateful for being part of the restored church of Jesus Christ and to be blessed as His people. This conviction is born of the Holy Ghost and comes from my heart.
As Jeanine mentioned in her letter, last Sunday (a week ago) I saw Jeanine to the bus to go back to Chiquimula and then boarded a bus bound for Guatemala City. It was pleasant, however, from half way and onward we started picking up more passengers than got off and there was a full line of people in the center aisle, holding on to the overhead bar. When we approached an area of police, they yelled out a command for everyone standing to squat down. It was funny, but sad that the bus lines have such little regard for the safety of their passengers. Well, anyway, there was a mother with a two year old toddler who got on and was standing in the aisle. The child wasn’t about to stop holding on to her mother’s neck. I asked how far they were going. She said to Guatemala City, but said she was OK. She may have been embarrassed to have a foreigner show concern. I said, that if people didn’t get off and open up a seat for her I would switch places with her. Some time went by and there was no change. I reached over and tugged on her arm and said “Sit here”. With reluctance and then insistence from other people, she accepted the offer. After an hour she got off at the first stop in Guatemala. She expressed her great appreciation for the relief of standing and holding her child. The point I want to make for our children/grandchildren is that when you wear a missionary badge, you can do more with acts of kindness than knocking on doors. I hope you will always be considerate of others throughout your life.
On that Monday, at the temple, there were not the predicted 400 saints, but 500 who came to the temple on 17 buses from El Salvador. They arrived at 9:00 AM after travelling many hours. It was a busy, long day. Two special points: first, I was able to attend the last meeting with temple workers for the outgoing temple president and his wife (the Martinez). He is such a teacher. He spoke of the exactness that should be observed in the temple and the unity needed by the temple workers (“obreros”). He gave a stirring reminder of the respect that workers must give to all who come to the temple. They come with all different levels of understanding from the Area Presidency to the most humble Indians from the mountains. We must treat all of God’s children the same. He also taught a principal that I will always remember. There can only be one leader with keys at any given time. He said that when he would go to the airport that evening to receive President Mask (newly released from the 2nd quorum of Seventies) that the moment they shook (touched) hands, the keys of authority would switch and that all our loyalty (sustaining support) must shift to the new temple president. We must support our leaders despite any human frailties they may have.
I don’t think I have ever developed the ability to memorize and now at 67, it is a struggle for me. I can think what should be said in English, but the moment my mind goes back to English for help, the wrong word pops out, and then I get corrected and asked if I didn’t recognize the mistake. However, I was asked yesterday to monitor someone else’s performance on the back side of the veil. The supervisor recognizes that I have that portion well under control.
Just one more thought, the Limburgs came back for a week-long visit here to visit to tie up some loose ends and visit people here. They rented a car in the capital and drove to Chiquimula. They were taken aback over the dangers on the highways. They had forgotten what it was like. There are no rules enforced here on the highway. It’s just go and take your chances. Speed and the passing of cars here is out of control (as are many behaviors here in these third world countries. Crime is unbelievable). There was a young couple from our ward being married in the temple. In most Latin American countries, including Guatemala, a couple is married civilly and then makes the trip to the temple the next day to be sealed. The Limburgs opted to park their car and ride the midsize bus with ward members. They came back appalled by the riskiness of the bus driver who made the return trip. This is the same size of bus we ride in every week to Esquipulas. I only mention that to point out my own feelings of concern. Around the time we were robbed in our apartment, we were aware of some bad wrecks and I was an eye witness to a scary maneuver a bus driver did to jockey around another van. He shot (or drove) around the bus in front of him for no apparent advantage and inadvertently sandwiched himself between a parked car and the van ahead of him. It is nuts. He nudged past but took off mirrors and head lamp covers and anything he brushed against in the passing. I was showered with flying debris. The bus being passed wouldn’t give one inch. For them there was nothing to stop about. They just kept trucking, ignoring the damage that had been done. Some of us picked up the shattered pieces and tossed them aside. That and other motor scooter and car accidents here on our corner left me paranoid to the point that it was affecting me. I prayed for peace of mind for days. Then came to me the words of our setting apart prayer (or maybe it was just a comment that President Campbell), that they couldn’t hurt us here. I’ve had a calmness since then about these conditions. I speak of this after listening to the Limburgs comments. I don’t know if I would want to travel in Guatemala without the dome of protection offered to a servant of the Lord. I have such respect for our privileges and hope we can live worthy of them.
Love to all of you parents, children, grandchildren and relatives,
Dad/Spencer