Thursday, August 8, 2013

          Everything was prepared and readied last night for today’s early morning routine.  Since we retired early there was no stress, no anxiety--but alas, no sleep either.  A relaxing shower and an hour’s reading didn’t do the trick either and sleep never came—none, all night.  Finally, at 4:30, I just got up and started to get ready.  It was a bit of a sleepy day, but so far survival has prevailed.  Now the challenge is to not nap!  Silly old people anyway. 

          The North American sister missionary nurses were in the temple this morning with about 15 or 20 sister missionaries who all did a session.  (The Elders came, too.)  Glade and I helped the nurses and one young English-speaking sister complete the session and it was so great. 

In visiting with the nurses after the session I learned that they have several 19-year-old sisters who have recently entered the mission and some of them are very fair-haired and blue-eyed.   They have great concerns for them and have seen the Lord watching over and protecting them.  They are so vulnerable, but they are needed to help do the work of proclaiming the Gospel to the world and I’m sure the Lord will take care of them. 

However, I really felt today how much all the missionaries need our prayers.  Some of them serving here have harrowing tales, but they just go by faith and guidance from the Spirit and keep doing the work.  Their guardian angels have got to be working over-time.  So when you say your prayers and ask for blessings to be with the missionaries, know that they are real people with great needs and your prayers are so important for them both in being able to teach and in being kept safe.  Sending love to all and prayers for safety to the travelers--

Sitting on top of the far left corner of the temple is one of the huge birds that circle the temple and surrounding areas every day.  There are about five of them.   I have been trying to get pictures, but they are too far away and there is no perspective as to how big they are.  I googled  a description on "birds of Honduras" and found the following picture that looks exactly like these birds when they fly over our heads when we are outside.

This bird is called a Broad-winged Hawk--a medium Raptor--and they have a wing span that appears to be about three or four feet at least.  However, they are "on the wing" so it is hard to tell, but they are huge.
They circle our walkinga path and the temple.