I'll tell you about where we live. It is called the Temple Annex. It is a short stone's throw from the temple, as you can see from the picture I included in Spencer's blog. There is a Distribution Center on the basement level with an outside entrance (due to the lay of the land). In another part of the basement there is a Family History Center and the offices of all the engineers, electricians, etc. On the main level is the Guarderia (nursery) for children waiting to be sealed to their parents; a huge kitchen with a lot of tables where patrons can fix their own meals and eat while they are here; there is also a very big living room area where we hold our charlas (lessons) with the kids every Saturday morning.
This is what it looks like when there aren't kids in there. Last week you saw a picture of us there with the kids. Also on the main level is the front reception desk and an office. Thru a locked door is our apartment and the President's apartment (however his home is here in town so they don't stay here very often). I get sort of lonely being the only ones downstairs--however, Spencer loves being away from everyone else. There is actually an empty apartment upstairs, waiting for a new couple, but if I asked for that I'd lose our view of the temple, since it is on the back side of the building. I'll keep the view and keep Spencer happy with the separation from the others. Upstairs are nine missionary apartments. Some of them are small studio apartments for the Guatemalan couples who pay a much, much smaller rent. There are also 10 large rooms that have bunk beds and house many patrons in each room. I don't know what the total capacity is. Here is a picture of the annex:
I am standing outside of our apartment window in this picture:
The front entrance is right behind my back.
I forgot to tell you that upstairs by the other missionary apartments there is a large gathering room. In one corner is a treadmill that Spencer uses sometimes. He is working hard to figure out ways to get lots of exercise (however, right now he is sitting on the couch watching the Super Bowl with Guatemalan announcers--who would have guessed they go all the way to the USA to broadcast the Super Bowl!
Saturday a funny thing happened when we were teaching the kids. I took out my supplies at about 9:30 for our 10 o'clock class. I was surprised to see the kids waiting in the chairs with the chairs already in a big circle. I asked one of the girls to guard my stuff while I rushed back to get Spencer to come so we could start early. My empty water bottle, which was to be used for a "spin the bottle" activity, fell to the floor, but she didn't think about "guarding" that. When it came time for the activity I looked for it and she told a little boy he needed to get it and bring it back. He had confiscated what he thought was a discarded bottle and put some water in it. He brought it to the center of the circle and I didn't think I had time to go empty it so I explained the activity (it was about naming a blessing that demonstrated that Heavenly Father loves us). I spun the bottle to demonstrate, the cap went flying off and the water shot out on the floor! The kids were laughing hysterically. But we cleaned up the water and proceeded. The kids love to just hang on us. One little girl went to her room and got a tablet and came back to take a picture of us and then one with her with us. It's nice to know she wants to remember our time together. The kids wanted to know if they could go to the temple with us. Kids do surely know how to spread love and joy. They truly set a great example to the rest of us.
I have created a little corner for all of our electronics--computer, speakers, printer, router, telephone, etc. There is no desk, so I pulled the recliner over there and study and work with the computer on my lap. I spend as much time as possible studying Spanish with the Rosetta Stone program. I like it because it doesn't focus on rules--but on hearing the language, reading the sentence and identifying the picture. That is good for me--I think previously I had created my own glass ceiling that I couldn't penetrate, because I worried too much about rules and grammar and not enough on just talking--using what I could, like a little child does who is learning to talk. When I was thrown into a position of translating and couldn't step back and let Spencer do it (since he isn't in the Sisters' area of the temple), I had to just do the best I could and help everyone else. Now I am much better at communicating. It was sort of forced blessing!
This is what it looks like when there aren't kids in there. Last week you saw a picture of us there with the kids. Also on the main level is the front reception desk and an office. Thru a locked door is our apartment and the President's apartment (however his home is here in town so they don't stay here very often). I get sort of lonely being the only ones downstairs--however, Spencer loves being away from everyone else. There is actually an empty apartment upstairs, waiting for a new couple, but if I asked for that I'd lose our view of the temple, since it is on the back side of the building. I'll keep the view and keep Spencer happy with the separation from the others. Upstairs are nine missionary apartments. Some of them are small studio apartments for the Guatemalan couples who pay a much, much smaller rent. There are also 10 large rooms that have bunk beds and house many patrons in each room. I don't know what the total capacity is. Here is a picture of the annex: 
I am standing outside of our apartment window in this picture: 
The front entrance is right behind my back.
I forgot to tell you that upstairs by the other missionary apartments there is a large gathering room. In one corner is a treadmill that Spencer uses sometimes. He is working hard to figure out ways to get lots of exercise (however, right now he is sitting on the couch watching the Super Bowl with Guatemalan announcers--who would have guessed they go all the way to the USA to broadcast the Super Bowl!
Saturday a funny thing happened when we were teaching the kids. I took out my supplies at about 9:30 for our 10 o'clock class. I was surprised to see the kids waiting in the chairs with the chairs already in a big circle. I asked one of the girls to guard my stuff while I rushed back to get Spencer to come so we could start early. My empty water bottle, which was to be used for a "spin the bottle" activity, fell to the floor, but she didn't think about "guarding" that. When it came time for the activity I looked for it and she told a little boy he needed to get it and bring it back. He had confiscated what he thought was a discarded bottle and put some water in it. He brought it to the center of the circle and I didn't think I had time to go empty it so I explained the activity (it was about naming a blessing that demonstrated that Heavenly Father loves us). I spun the bottle to demonstrate, the cap went flying off and the water shot out on the floor! The kids were laughing hysterically. But we cleaned up the water and proceeded. The kids love to just hang on us. One little girl went to her room and got a tablet and came back to take a picture of us and then one with her with us. It's nice to know she wants to remember our time together. The kids wanted to know if they could go to the temple with us. Kids do surely know how to spread love and joy. They truly set a great example to the rest of us.
I have created a little corner for all of our electronics--computer, speakers, printer, router, telephone, etc. There is no desk, so I pulled the recliner over there and study and work with the computer on my lap. I spend as much time as possible studying Spanish with the Rosetta Stone program. I like it because it doesn't focus on rules--but on hearing the language, reading the sentence and identifying the picture. That is good for me--I think previously I had created my own glass ceiling that I couldn't penetrate, because I worried too much about rules and grammar and not enough on just talking--using what I could, like a little child does who is learning to talk. When I was thrown into a position of translating and couldn't step back and let Spencer do it (since he isn't in the Sisters' area of the temple), I had to just do the best I could and help everyone else. Now I am much better at communicating. It was sort of forced blessing!
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