Thursday, March 25th was our last day to have classes at the church. My students had been asking if I would be there. I'd said yes, but only as an observer. That afternoon I was very busy trying to get some money organized from the donations to give to a brother in the bishopric to be held over for another school year to register Gladys Ramirez/ kids in school. To make it short, I didn't want to go into the Anderson's class so I wouldn't distract from their teaching. I ran back to the bank to get another Q1000 and someone came in a car to get me (Jeanine told them where she thought I had gone) to take me back to the classes. I discovered that they had chipped in a bought pizza. They were so proud of that, and I was the ungrateful absent guest of honor. I was almost a social disgrace, but it did turn out well in the end. It was hard to believe the shower of love and gratitude from the loving people, all nonmembers of the church. They were kissing and hugging me with such emotion. I'm not a hugger and kisser, but I had to be that night. I really did see them as wonderful people who attended class to learn English and I didn't visualize a party with hugs and and didn't kisses and repeated well wishing. I'm a social klutz in those kind of situations. [No-- I don't need any comments, thank you!]
Friday the 26th at 6:30 AM we made our way to the terminal in Chiquimula with our eight pieces of luggage. They are very used and over-packed with tape and bungy cords stretch around them to make sure they hold up during our last big move. The Anderson's came with us so they could learn the ropes of trips to the capital. They needed to get a feel for the terminals and feel comfortable when they want to make the journey themselves. We are glad we could do that for them.
We started full time temple activities Friday afternoon and we worked most of the day Saturday. The Masks were so kind to let us stay with them in their (temple president's) home. They were gone Saturday and Sunday and they let us stay there even in their absence. The security there is amazing. We have been accompanied many times to and from their door. They were understanding when we kept triggering the alarm system when we were letting ourselves in and out of the house. They would lock the house doors and gates electronically. They provide surveillance 24 hours a day year round. It is amazing. There is always a concern about kidnapping with requests for a big ransom. The church doesn't pay ransoms (if they did, every missionary in the world would be a target).
The full time workers in the temple consist of adult missionary couples, mostly natives of Central America. There are two sets of US couples as well. We have been told that the Guatemala temple is the second most used in the world (I am guessing the SLC is first). There are 500-700 endowments per day during the busy times. Large numbers come with the excursions for their own endowments--which generates many sealings and the ordinance numbers are even higher. Most participants bring family names as well. I'd say that 2/3 of the name slips are generated by the people themselves. This keeps the sealers busy and the sisters are busy caring for the children and having the ready to join the parents for sealings. Ask Jeanine about little children who have only been tended by their mothers and then are left in the Guarderia for a while. The number of teenagers who come for baptisms is also amazing. All that is to say that when we go in to the temple it is go, go go.
Tuesday the 29th I was able to help with the initiatory ordinances and try to function. I told them I had to have the card with me. I tried maybe too hard (I don't memorize very well). It's always been a challenge. I was always stumbling over words ant the order of things and totally frustrated. I came out of there mentally exhausted. Then I was sent to officiate a session. I thought that was going well, but when I was carrying out my duties one of the brothers in the session, kind of scolded me telling me that "derecho" means right and "isquierda" means left. I was mortified when I realize he was correct and that I had been making that error in front of all those people for several days. [Note from Jeanine: I tried to signal him and let him know he was making a mistake, but he was sure he was right--so it is a good thing that someone else told him as well :) ] I was emotionally exhausted after that experience, then I went to help at the veil and I found myself so exhausted that I was making more little errors that otherwise wouldn't happen. One of the supervisors told me of my mistakes at the veil, which I already knew. I ended that day about as low as I could be. I went home that night just beat up. I asked the Lord to forgive me and strengthen me.
The next day (30th) was pay day. Their were large crowds of people and I officiated twice, once in the morning and once in the evening. I had my right and Left straightened out and my "act" together at the veil and played a key role in many functions there. I felt so good and so blessed to participate in the House of the Lord. Our work and associations there will be in our memories forever.
One more experience and that is enough and maybe too much said. Jeanine and I were asked to officiate the 5:00 PM session. There are just one man and woman officiating. Technically the rooms are for 24 people, but with these smaller people, we can handle 30 without a big problem. We had 35 people crowded in for our session. There were five couples who were there for the first time and were being sealed following the session. They had been traveling from El Salvador all day to get there. They had other members accompanying them, but many of them had minimal experience in the temple themselves. That meant the the majority of the people had to be closely guided at every step. Even the wife who was a witness was brand new to the temple. Jeanine also had an anglo sister to help at the veil who was trying to use Spanish for the first time. Well, we made it without any problems. After that the temple counselor came to me and told me that we had done a wonderful job. My shattered confidence was restored and I felt at peace and deeply grateful for the experience.
Jeanine was then able to help in bringing the children for each couple in for the sealings as family units. The five couples had to wait a long time to be sealed. At the end of the evening I saw the brother who had been a witness and asked him if they were sealed. I commented that it had been a long wait. He said, no, he had been waiting for three years (from when he was endowed) for this to happen and for the blessing of being sealed to his wife and daughter it wasn't any wait at all.
One more thing and then I will have said too much. The Prayer Circle was originally very frightening to me. I have become much more relaxed and confident. I have to tell you this has been an edifying experience.

Note from Jeanine:
We will stop here for now. Our week at the temple was our main event for Semana Santa. On another day we will tell you about the traditional cultural events we have witnessed since returning to Chiquimula. A sharp contrast to the temple--but interesting nevertheless.

We hope all of you are ready for a spiritual feast with conference this weekend. When we get back to our own computer we will add pictures and put this on the blog.

Love,
Spencer/Dad and Mom/Jeanine