April 8, 2010
Wow! We really are on the count down—we only have one more week left in Guatemala. What a bitter sweet thought that is! I think you all can understand!
Spencer did a wonderful job reporting on our Semana Santa week at the temple. It was a truly amazing week. I was working hard to get the needed signatures to be certified – and I did it! I know that if we work in a different temple, I have to be certified there, but it was a personal goal to be passed off on all ordinances in Spanish before leaving Guatemala. It isn’t just the ordinances, but also the logistics of helping patrons/families in the baptistery, the child center (waiting to be sealed), and the laundry, all of the tags for new people, escorts and those being sealed. It is always satisfying to meet a personal goal. It probably doesn’t mean anything to anyone else but who cares? I met my goal.
When we left the temple on Thursday it was a challenge to get a bus to Chiquimula. It was even a challenge to get to the bus terminal. There were very few taxis and most city buses weren’t running. We rode a city bus (not recommended in the City—lots of shootings by extortionists) and shared it with two young elders. It got us to within a couple of blocks and then we walked. We got the last two seats together and there were people sitting on stools in the aisle all the way. Some were even standing and there were kids on laps everywhere—it was as crowded as the smaller (often called chicken pig buses) are that we take to Esquipulas. Everyone was traveling home for Good Friday and Easter. The bus lines shut down on Friday and don’t start up again until Sunday afternoon.
Friday was a fascinating day. Last year on Good Friday we were at the temple in Guatemala City with Nate and Christena. This year we experienced the culture. Groups of people spent most of the night creating “alfombras” (carpets made of colored sawdust) on the streets with religious themes. Many streets were blocked off for the processions (Spencer asked about the parade and was quickly corrected). At 10:00 AM there was a procession from two different Catholic churches, each carrying huge platforms with statues. They weren’t as large, heavy or elaborate as the ones Nate and Christena saw in Antiqua. But they were impressive. The other platforms had Mary (mother of Christ) and various saints. They were carried by men wearing either purple or black robes. Lots of people also were dressed with shawls and other religiously significant clothes and they joined in. The crowds were pressed in tight against each other. I’m glad we didn’t have claustrophobia! We watched all of this with the Andersons.
Friday afternoon we went to the Central Park and there were other alfombras around that block and another procession that afternoon with different platforms. Maybe that was supposed to signify taking Christ’s body to the tomb. There was a third procession at 10:00 that night that was right outside the apartment (but we didn’t stay up to watch it) we could hear the music of the band, however. Jumping ahead, on Sunday morning at 6:30 AM there was another procession with the resurrected Christ on the first platform, followed by the platforms of Mary and the Saints. LOTS of people followed the platforms carrying little white flags saying “Alleluia!” “He is Risen” and similar messages. The men carrying the platforms were dressed in white robes. It was fun to experience the culture of Easter in a Latin American country.
Saturday, Susan Anderson and I watched conference in the apartment on their computer. I cooked the macaroni and cheese to finish making the chili mac for Sunday lunch. I had cooked the chili beans in advance and had the freezer filled to the brim. Susan made a Texas Sheet Cake and Snickerdoodles. We were ready!
Conference was truly amazing. So many messages focused on the family. I hope everyone was able to enjoy it as much we did. I won’t try to recap it in this letter, but I want to do that later.
Sunday morning we had a member of the bishopric pick us up to transport the huge containers of food, paper products, serving utensils, aprons, cleaning rags, bottles water, etc. to the church. The kitchens here do not have even one serving spoon, plate, glass or even a salt shaker in them. Susan and I watched the first hour and Bob and Spencer monitored the kitchen. We switched at 11:00 and we began heating the food. A sister from Esquipulas brought 100 fresh, warm, homemade tortillas to supplement the lunch.
It was wonderful. Between 50-60 came from the branch (waaaay more than attend church). Several people we have worked on reactivating were there. There were about 10 investigators in that number. We also fed the four elders from Esquipulas, three from Ipala, Tere’s family (she helped us serve and clean up) and the four of us. So once again we fed about 75 people. Everyone loved it.
Four families/individuals brought gifts for us. Julia (who had already given me a bag of fruit in Esquipulas) brought a wall plaque, Iris brought a homemade table scarf, Hermano Recinos brought a basket with a lid and Norma (from the ward) brought a little nativity holy family. She and her kids had spent our first Christmas eve with us and she wanted us to always remember. Gladys and Porfirillos family clung to us in tears. Tere’s family also cried a lot. I cried the most of all. It was tough.
Spencer took lots of pictures and then put the camera in his hip pocket—and sat on it. So now the camera is defunct. We hope the picture disc is OK. When we arrived at the Mask’s I put it in the computer to check it and the computer started screeching with warning signs flashing and I lost my internet connections. Needless to say, I took the disc out. I rechecked for internet several times. We decided to have one of the temple engineers check it on Wednesday after we returned. But it fixed itself (or our prayers were answered) while we were gone. We bought a disposable camera to finish out our mission and we will buy a new digital when we return home. Sigh.
Monday morning we left before 6:30 AM with the Masks to travel to Lake Atitlan. It was an incredible two days. We stayed at a very nice hotel (got the last two rooms because there were three different tours groups from Israel there for Passover Week). We shopped and ate on Monday. Spencer bought a suit and went swimming. We were tutored by President Mask on Book of Mormon and archeology. I found two incredible huipils (hand embroidered ceremonial blouses) that I love.
Tuesday morning I got up and went out before 6:00 so I could see the sun rise over the lake—only it was in the wrong part of the sky and was behind a mountain. But it was beautiful to see it reflecting off the volcanoes surrounding the lake. The gardens are amazing and I wandered down every single path. Spencer joined me after a while and we also connected with Hermana Mask. What a peaceful morning. Then we ate a huge buffet breakfast and sat by the pool and talked for hours. We saw the skyline and waterfall that Arnold Frieberg used in his BoM painting of Alma baptizing at the Waters of Mormon. I just sat there looking around at the volcanoes and thinking I needed to pinch myself, because this couldn’t really be true.
Wednesday, Spencer worked at the temple. I washed clothes, repacked in order to get the souvenirs into our suitcases, caught up on emails and did lots of “housekeeping stuff” that wives have to always take care of. In the afternoon I visited a great shop with tons of tipico fabric and décor—oh if only money were no object!
Today we are headed to the ruins of KamalJuyu (spelling ?) and a huge geographical map. We will work in the temple this afternoon.
I need to sign off for now and get ready to go. Love to all of you!