Monday, October 20, 2014

         Mondays are great!  They are the only day of the week that we have a little break although if we have to get groceries, they are almost as busy as any other day.  But today we just stayed here and took care of house-keeping items.  Glade did go to Casa Campo to exercise, however. 

         We walked down to the bakery (actually it is a bread store to us since that is their staple unless you special order something like cinnamon rolls) about 12:30.  I carried my phone and took some photos.  Some of these scenes you have seen before, but I love the clouds and couldn’t resist “snapping” them again.  

This is inside our bakery.
I'm grateful for the net covering although we rarely see flies, etc.

The girl on the right is bagging our four loaves of bread.
She just ran them through the slicer at the far right of the photo.
They send the bread with us in paper bags along with
plastic bags and twist ties to use after they have cooled a bit.

This is the inside of the bakery.  It is very small and gets very, very warm.
The oven is on the left and you can see loaves baking through the glass.
Can't you just smell the aroma of fresh-baked bread?

The is the store front of the bakery.  Notice the reflection of the temple on the glass.

This is the pharmacy two doors down from the bakery.  Everything is caged
and the clerk works from a tiny opening in the counter.

This is across the street to the south of the bakery.

This is the street that runs on the west side of the Garden Place Center.
The little outfit on the street in the foreground is a type of cheap taxi.
It has open sides--no doors--and resembles a golf cart.

This view is north of the bakery.

This street runs in front of the temple complex and this view looks west.
Notice all the power cables--they are everywhere!  

The Garden Place!

Back to the pharmacy--Glade is requesting an antibiotic from the pharmacist
which you can purchase here without a prescription.
Notice the little ice cream vending area to the left.

Yes--there he goes to check out the frozen treats!

Another store front near the pharmacy which sells North American products.
 It is a very small store and the items are quite expensive

This is (almost) directly across from the bakery--looking south.

Looking east across the city.  In the next few photos you can see the storm clouds forming for tonight's rains.

More clouds gathering in the west.
You can also see my fun little trees that have some fall coloring.
However, the leaves never drop.

We are heading back up the hill with our bread.  Glade is getting way ahead of me
because I keep stopping to get pictures of the clouds!!

Just another cloud

You can see the airplanes in the center of the photo.
You can tell what a short runway this famous airport has!

The drought was really hard on some of the flowering plants, but this one and others are
coming back with help from the life-renewing rains that have drenched the ground.

More clouds over the Guest House where we live.
There were men on the roof this morning sweeping and cleaning.

This lady guard is stationed at the door to our residence building
for a shift every day and always opens the doors for us.

I looked out our living room window and saw these two guards perched on this wall checking out some issue or another!  I took this through the screen on the window--amazing to me it even turned out.

Good Night Everyone--

Sunday, October 19, 2014

         Gina and I played “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” in Sacrament Meeting today.  It’s the arrangement by The Piano Guys—Jon Schmidt and Steven Sharp Nelson.  I was able to get the cello/viola part from the Internet for her and it was so fun to do this together.  When she told me we were going to play today, I asked if it was rushing the season a little and if we should wait until closer to Christmas.  But she didn’t think anyone would really recognize it as a Christmas song and that it would be okay.  So we played it today.

         I also played for Relief Society, for the ward choir, and for the big stake choir that will be singing in Stake Conference in November.  Next week it will be my turn to accompany for Sacrament Meeting.  It makes me happy to be able to contribute by helping with the music.  There are a few sisters here who practice diligently and then take a turn playing for Sacrament Meeting and they are doing well.

         We just went downstairs to take our Sunday evening walk and encountered heavy rain that stopped us in our tracks!  So much for that idea.  The just-in-case umbrella I took would not have kept us very dry, so we’ll have to wait for a rainless day.

         Much love to everyone and Good Night from Honduras--     

Saturday, October 18, 2014

         The people on the excursion here stayed until the temple closed tonight so it was busy all day and evening.  The patrons bring so many family names with them and are anxious to get as much work done for them as they possibly can.  They take names from baptisms through the other ordinances right to the sealings and hurry from one session to another.  

         There were two tiny little ladies that I have seen here before who are just delightful.  Although they are quite elderly, don’t hear well, and can’t read, they are very spunky and anxious to participate.  They come from a much warmer climate and wear oversized white knitted hats and white crocheted shawls to keep warm.   It was a delightful group and they are all headed home now—the old and the young, the families and the singles, the experienced and the new.  But they are all alike in their desire to have their own work done and then to include the work for their families. 

         We are happy for the week-end now and a chance to rest.  We are not spring-chickens ourselves and start to drag a little by Saturday night.

         Have a restful and renewing Sabbath Day.  Love to all--  

Friday, October 17, 2014

         Wow!  Where has another week gone?  If we were home we would be cleaning out flower beds and the garden, raking leaves, and perhaps picking and canning the last of the late apples.  The last of the leaves on our Poplar trees would probably be letting go of their hold leaving the branches barren and sad-looking.  All the corn stalks would be gone and there would be scarecrows and pumpkins by the front door.  It would be time to put the Christmas lights on the house so it wouldn’t have to be done in the bitter cold and snow.  (Just a little nostalgia going on here!) 

But we are here and enjoying beautiful, although somewhat humid, summer-like weather with rain every day.  It is more like the weather we anticipated before we came and all in all it is quite pleasant.  Oops, leave it to me to talk about the weather again!

The session that Glade and I led was the smallest we have ever had and it was so different.  However, the other sessions were much better attended and baptisms and sealings kept the work going strong until past time to close.  That is all good.   

Have a great week-end and send us emails when you get a chance!!  Love to you all and Good Night.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

         A new senior couple arrived yesterday and moved into the Starkey’s apartment.  They were in the temple this afternoon and efficiently went right to work.  We are not sure about their status but there has not been time for them to go through the normal missionary application process and receive an official calling from Salt Lake.  They, like the Gomez couple, were most likely issued a calling to serve as temple workers from the temple presidency.  Brother and Sister Navas are from La Seiba, Honduras, which is up near the coast.  They are older than we are—we are nearly the oldest ones here!—and have served in more than one temple before.  They just stepped right into place as though they had been here forever and they were a great help.  Sister Navas doesn't speak English, of course; so I'm really "one of a kind" now.  

         I love helping the people who come with groups that stay over night.  After helping them with their work for two or three days in a row and then seeing them in the Guesthouse, they begin to feel a little like old friends.

         It is still raining and felt good to walk home in the rain and hear frogs and friends croaking and chirping and loving being wet!

         Good Night!  Love and prayers to all of you and have a safe and happy week-end.

Wednesday, October, 2014

          The first session I helped with today was full of missionaries.  I learned afterward in visiting with a few of the sisters, that 17 of them will be leaving for home tomorrow—eleven sisters and six elders.  Those sweet girls were understandably emotional, anxious to see their families, but sad to leave this life-changing experience behind.  One girl will be going home to Idaho Falls, another to Logan, one to Washington State and another to California.  We shared lots of warm hugs and goodbyes.

         It is still raining.  There was not nearly this much rain last year at this time because of the draught, so it is a welcome change! 

         As a missionary, a mom, and a friend, I encourage you to read the Ensigns—cover to cover.  They are filled with inspirational messages that are so relevant to issues, questions, and situations that we face every day.  These articles come through loud and clear on my kindle every day for 45 minutes while I “treadmill” and make the time go by so much faster.  It is not only the conference talks that are available, but all the Ensigns and other Church magazines.  It creates a wonderful tone for my day.

         Good Night All!  

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

         The Starkeys left for home today and should have arrived in Salt Lake by now.  We will miss them but wish them well. 

The new couple coming to work in the temple has not arrived yet, but may be here tomorrow some time.  We were short of help today which kept us so very busy and the time flew. 

It rained steadily most of the afternoon and evening.  A young couple stopped me on my way to our apartment tonight and asked if I would take their picture.  The rain was lighter than earlier, but still coming down.  They didn’t seem to mind and were full of smiles and looked so happy.  It was dark and we had to find a place where the spotlights would shine on them.  I held the camera under the umbrella and we got a couple of pictures for them.

Good Night, Everyone!  It’s 68 degrees and still raining—but no earthquakes tonight!!

Monday, October 13, 2014

         We had another great day.  Glade went for his morning swim while I exercised outside in super great weather.  Workers came to service our AC system and I played new Christmas music for an hour at the Church while Glade studied and did some laundry.  David took us for groceries and it was nice to get out for a little bit.  There was a heavy rainstorm while we were in La Colonia and when it started pelting the metal roof, I had to go outside to see what was making such a crazy sound.  It didn’t last too long and the sun was shining by the time we got back to our apartment. 

         FHE tonight was comfortable and we shared goodbyes with the Starkeys who leave for Salt Lake in the morning.  They will be traveling for a while visiting family before they leave for their next mission to Guatemala in early January.  Wow!

***Oh-Oh.  We just had an earthquake—I’m not kidding.  The couch started vibrating, things on the desk were rattling, and the whole building felt like it was moving!  I stood up and felt dizzy trying to walk across the floor.  I called my neighbor and Glade went outside.  He talked to one of the guards who was eating in the comedor and saw the light fixtures swaying over his head.  He went outside and said that the Angel Moroni on top of the temple was just swaying back and forth!!  It didn’t last very long, but was definitely unnerving!!  We just walked down to take the garbage out; it was raining and we heard sirens, but everything looked just fine and normal. 

Glade just looked up some information about earthquakes in Tegucigalpa on the Internet.  There were two earthquakes in El Salvador today—just 20 minutes ago. That is just west of us on the coast and I’m sure it was what we felt since they registered 7.4.  There were a total of 107 earthquakes in the world today and the biggest one was what we felt tonight in Salvador.  I guess they are quite common worldwide—just not in my backyard.  The computer just keeps updating all the quakes and it is pretty amazing.  Well, I’m calmer now, but it was hard to know in the moment what to do.  

Below are a few pictures from our Home Evening tonight.

Glade and Val Starkey

Brother and Sister Starkey

Pres. and Sister Valle

Brother and Sister Caceras and Pres. Ocampo

Brother and Sister Gomez

Brother and Sister Peterson

Where we meet--

Sunday, October 12, 2014

         It was a peaceful Sunday with clouds and a little rain.  We went to choir practice at 5:00 but another meeting in another chapel claimed so many of the choir members that we ended up not having practice.  We enjoyed our evening skyping, emailing, talking together, and taking our walk in the dark.  Great day! 

         Good night.  Have a wonderful week!

         

Saturday, October 11, 2014

         Thursday night in the temple Glade met a North American flight attendant and her male travelling companion. They did some traveling yesterday to Copan and returned to the temple today and I was able to meet them.  It is always a welcome opportunity for me to help people who speak no Spanish—I mean I am happy to help everyone who comes to the temple; but there are fewer handicaps if the experience is in my own language!   They are not really a couple but just friends.  She has six children and he has a large family as well—maybe seven children.  They are staying in the Guesthouse and will be in Church tomorrow.

         It was a great day in the temple and felt so good to be there. 

It is 72 degrees in Tegucigalpa and cloudy with the promise of more showers.  Can’t wait!!  Good night, Everyone!  Have a great Sunday.

              

Friday, October 10, 2014

         Sweet Sister Starkey came to our apartment this morning and showed me some computer hints for using Family Search and Ancestry.com.  Some things were familiar and some were new.  Understanding the new “stuff” was like trying to process a whole week’s worth of information in one short morning session.  Even though I won’t remember all of it, it was one more exposure that will help the whole process to become more familiar.  Now I just have to “play with it” and see what happens. 

It rained this morning and I was happy to have my umbrella.  There were more people here this afternoon and the last session was pretty full.

You are all in our prayers and we send you our love.  Good Night! 

This was just a practice exercise in inserting pictures into the blog from the
Internet or any source other than "my pictures."  I just left it in here since it is a
perfect picture of the birds I have described to you that live all around us
in the trees of the outer grounds of the temple.
This would be the wing spread of the two birds shown a couple of days ago.  

Vulture 


James Timbrell Worlton

Does anyone recognize this guy?

Thursday, October 09, 2014

The day dawned cloudy and overcast—a perfect morning for Glade’s swim which surprised me since he loves the sun.  However, it gets too hot on some days that are sunny. 

The music I ordered from Sheet Music Plus arrived yesterday and it is going to be great.  There are three books filled with Christmas arrangements that are difficult enough to be challenging, but still readable.  There was only time to play from one book this morning though since Gina and I practiced together as well.  What a great way to start the day. 

There weren’t very many people in the temple today since all the buses with the groups left.  The pace was slower, the feeling was peaceful, and there was still work to be done.

Are all of you going to the new movie “Meet the Mormons” this next week?  We hope to hear reports from you about how you liked it. 

Love to you all—10:25 p.m. with sprinkles of delicious rain!

Wednesday, October 08, 2014

          Perhaps you remember my friend Lupe.  She is the young mother from Mexico who was raised in Utah, met her husband there (he is from Honduras) married in the U.S. and had three children there.  After a legal misunderstanding, they were forced to leave the United States and her husband had to return to Honduras.  It was her mother (who still lives in Utah) who sent gifts, clothes, and toys (with Jeff’s help) back with us to Tegucigalpa for her sweet little family when we were in Utah in May.   It is Lupe who occasionally takes us to PriceMart for shopping and who invited us to her home for Christmas Eve dinner.  We are in different wards now since the recent division, but we still keep in touch.

         Anyway, she called a couple of days ago and invited me to her son’s baptism tonight.  I told her that we were in the temple in the evenings this week, but I would come if we happened to finish a little early not expecting to be so lucky.  Sweet Sister Starkey arranged with the coordinator for me to leave early since once the last session started, the work was rather slow.  I was very grateful and so happy to support this family. 

         As usual, they needed help with the music; so Lupe found me a Primary Songbook, the cords and pedal for the electric piano, and gave me page numbers for songs they wanted to sing.  It was scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and started about 7:00.  I played prelude for twenty minutes to the background sounds of the font filling with water and light chatter among those waiting for the start time.  Moroni (mo ro` nee) was the only one being baptized and they had a very nice program for him including a short video with cute pictures, testimonies and remarks from family members, songs from the Primary children, and a few short talks.  It was a very touching scene watching the dad take his son into the water and baptize him with his family, including a great grandmother, and lots of little Primary kids gathered around and anxiously watching.  It was emotional for me and I thought about the family baptisms we have had to miss.  Afterward, they served small sandwiches, chips, and had a big beautiful cake.

         It was Moroni’s birthday today so he will never forget what day he was baptized.  It was an emotional night for Lupe.  Her family is still in Utah so they were not able to be here and it was hard.  She has such a great attitude, however, and feels that they were meant to be here at this time to serve the people here and grow and learn from the hard things they have faced.  She is a valiant servant.  I was so happy to be a part of this special night for her family.

         All is well.  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.  Sending Love---

Lupe and her daughter Malorie who will be nine years old tomorrow.

Moroni, who was baptized tonight on his birthday!!

           

Tuesday, October 07. 2014

A sister responded in Home Evening last night about following the counsel of the living prophet.  She shared that in the early years of her marriage, she wanted some extra income just to help out with a few nice things she wanted for her home--wanting in particular some new curtains.  She was willing to go to work to make the extra money and was able to get a job.  Her husband encouraged her to stay at home, but she wanted to help out so she could have her curtains, etc. 

Then, she heard Pres. Kimball’s talk encouraging mothers to leave the work place and return to their homes to nurture and teach their children.  Even having the means for an extra sweater and music lessons was less important than having a mother in the home with her children.   She said his words changed her whole outlook.  She knew that he was a prophet of God and she did not question but knew what she should do. She immediately quit her job knowing that the prophet’s words were revelation and were meant especially for her. 

She and her husband have five (or six) children who are all very talented and successful.  She has often wondered how they would have turned out had she continued to work and not been in her home to love, teach, and influence them every day.  Her children are educated, have served faithfully as leaders in the Church, and have developed exceptional musical talents.  She said that “Pres. Kimball was my prophet” and she was so grateful for his inspired revelation that enabled her to give her children what they needed most—a full-time mother in their home.

This sister asked the question "Is it I?" meaning does this counsel from the prophet apply to me?  It is easy to think that what we hear is meant for someone else; but if we are honest, we will ask of ourselves first.  I admire this sister for her honesty and courage. 

It was a beautiful day in the temple and I just love the sweet people I work with.  The second new film was released to our temple and we were able to see it today.  May you all find time in your busy schedules to attend the temple.  You and your families will be blessed. 

Good Night--And lots of love sent your way--- 

Monday, October 06, 2014

It was our turn for FHE and Glade did a great job with the lesson.  He used the 14 Fundamentals for Following the Prophet and we made handouts for everyone.  Did anyone notice what the first three speakers used as the theme for their talks?  It was perfect and he used some of the points in those talks to reinforce Pres. Benson’s counsel. 

We provided the meal as well, and I had planned chicken haystacks and wanted to make orange rolls to go with it.  We served mandarin oranges and pineapple chunks with the sliced almonds, grated cheese, chicken, sauce, and rice.  I was so sure that I had my mom's recipe for orange rolls on my computer, but low and behold it was nowhere to be found.   Glade was pretty disappointed and I wasn't sure what to do.  But I have learned, along with everyone else, that there isn't much you can't find online, so that's where I went and found a recipe to try. 

There are no "normal" oranges here and I wouldn't use them anyway since you have to use the "zest" of an orange in the filling and it might taste like Clorox!  So, I thought orange marmalade might work—especially if no one knew the difference having never tasted the original recipe—and it did!  I didn't put the glaze on the rolls since marmalade has plenty of sugar and these “sweet” people just don’t eat sweets and desserts.  The rolls turned out pretty good and our apartment smelled just wonderful.  It all turned out great and we won’t have another turn until just before Christmas.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.  Good NIght, Everyone!  

Here are the sister missionaries who used our oven on Sunday to bake the birthday cake.  The sister on the left is from Ecuador and has been here for four weeks.
The sister on the right is from Orem, UT.  Her grandmother, Caroline Beard, lives in
Idaho Falls and teaches piano.  I have met her and been in her home as she is affiliated with the Idaho Falls Music Club and the festival activities.  What a coincidence!

Two of the birds seen here from our living room window perched on top
of the security wall Sunday morning and posed for a picture.  This photo was taken
through the screen or it might have been more clear.Those wall sections are
probably 10-12 feet high so that gives you an idea of how big the birds are.
Even though they are a type of vulture, they are beautiful when they
fly and have long, almost lacy, silver wingtips.  I just don't ever want to get too close.

Here are the rolls before baking.  They raised just a little too long.  Oh, well.
There was no time for a post-bake photo and they weren't perfect but tasted pretty good!

Sunday, October 05, 2014

         Conference was inspiring, giving counsel and direction in facing the days ahead.  I love the phrase that we get our “marching orders” for the next six months at each General Conference although the applied lessons last much longer.  I am so grateful for a living prophet whom we know we can trust and to whom we can look with confidence for direction.  As well, of course, we can look to his counselors and the Twelve Apostles for inspired guidance.  We are richly blessed to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

         We took a walk before the Choir Broadcast started since we knew it would be a long day of sitting.  It was a beautiful morning.  We soon saw two sister missionaries arrive and try the doors to the church.  On our next round, we saw them sitting outside near the same bench I sat on to ponder yesterday’s talks.  Before long, they approached us and asked if we had an oven and if they could use it to bake a cake.  One of the families they were teaching had a little girl with a birthday and they wanted to make her a birthday cake.  They tried to bake it in the church kitchen, but the oven wouldn’t work.  So we took them to our apartment and they baked their cake here.  At the end of the day, they returned the hot pads they borrowed and with them, two pieces of the cake.

         Glade is preparing his FHE lesson for tomorrow night.  He is going to use the 14 Fundamentals of Following the Prophet and supplement it with the messages from Conference.  Wasn’t it interesting how many of the talks were on this topic and how important it is that we follow our living prophet who will never lead us astray.  Glade has to make all of his preparations in Spanish and wants to make sure he has all of the translation down correctly so he doesn’t stumble.  He always does so well, but that’s probably why—he prepares.

         We are ready for a new week, ready to do a little better in following our exemplar, Jesus Christ, and ready to return to the temple with new enthusiasm, anxious to serve.    

         Good night, everyone—Lots of love. 

Saturday, October 04, 2014

         It was an absolutely beautiful day, and the morning sunshine warmed my outside walk and cheered my soul.  No one else was around except for one green-coated groundskeeper who carried a large bucket and went quietly about his work of harvesting weeds.  I was, however, accompanied by a chorus from a half dozen of the nosiest and loudest birds I have ever heard.  They were all stirred up about something!  Glade walked to the Casa Campo for a swim in the sunshine.

         We didn’t have cinnamon rolls this morning—we are saving them for tomorrow morning’s conference session—but I made blueberry muffins and filled them with real berries and they were yummy.  It was a welcome break to have a day off and be able to watch all three sessions of General Conference.  The time always goes too fast, though.  The talks were inspiring and I recognized messages meant just for me.  I hope you each found your own personal inspiration as well.

         While Glade caught up on the footballs games before the Priesthood Session, I walked outside in the peaceful evening and pondered on my conference experience trying to commit to positive change.  I sat on a stone bench on the temple grounds where there is a magnificent view of the city.  The first lights were just coming on across the lush green hills, and the sky was filled with gathering storm clouds and the setting sun.  Fathers and sons were arriving for the Priesthood Session in the chapel, and one dad pushed a baby in a stroller around the temple with a toddler close by.  It was so peaceful, and I know we are going to miss this “home away from home” when we leave.

         Gina and I found a little time to practice “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” for the first time tonight (piano and viola) and it is going to be great!  It was so much fun to play this beautiful music together.  Music is at the top of my gratitude list!

         Good Night Everyone!  --Sending love and prayers your way--

These pretty blue flowers cover a hedge between the temple and the chapel.

These are some of my favorite flowers here and it would be wonderful to grow them at home.
However, I know they won't survive in Idaho!

Mid-summer, small yellow daisies were replaced by these geraniums.  Before too long--well, actually
a month or two--it will be time to take out the geraniums and replant the Christmas poinsettias!  Hooray!

          

Friday, October 03, 2014

Friday, October 03, 2014

         More buses brought more groups to keep the temple humming with activity on this last day before closing for General Conference.  We are so happy that they make that concession and close the temple so we can watch it live.  We used the afternoon to do laundry and a little grocery shopping so we won’t have interruptions tomorrow.  I can’t wait for Conference and the spiritual uplift and encouragement that always come with it.  

         Glade is lamenting the fact that he can’t see the replay of the BYU-USU game until midnight tonight.  It remains to be seen if he will hold out and hold up for that.

         Have a great week-end everyone!  Love to you all.

  

Thursday, October 02, 2014

          The group of patrons from Nicaragua who were here for a couple of days wanted to do one more session before they left today and asked if the temple presidency would arrange a 6:00 a.m. session for them this morning.  So Pres. Ocampo called us last night and asked if we would come early and take care of the session.  Of course, we said yes and prepared everything so we could be there and ready by 5:30 a.m.  Everything went great and we were in bed by 10:30.  I could drag out the story here and tell you how many hours of the clock I saw go by without sleeping, but suffice it to say that less than three hours was all that kept me going today!  Why does that always happen?  Oh, well.  Survival was imminent and maybe tonight will be better!  After the group left, it was very slow and we actually were able to come home a little early. 

It took a while to track down the new couple who have the key to the chapel so I could practice the piano; but perseverance prevailed and I had a good hour to play before the nightly activities started.  It’s October now, so Christmas music is fair game!  I’m starting with a little new age music and some that is less familiar and doesn’t sound too Christmassy and am loving it.

Only one more day until Conference!   Good Night Everyone!  

Wednesday, October 01, 2014

         It was a nice change to be a participant in a session today.  The patrons were few in number for the 12:00 session which created a space for a willing worker to step in and I really enjoyed it! 

         Plan B for getting our temporary residency renewed was to travel to the Immigration Office today immediately after our shift in the temple.  I walked into our building at 2:00 p.m. and the Elders assigned to take us downtown were already there and waiting.  So we left immediately on our “venture.”  Both Elders were from Utah and we met another companion who was from Arizona.  These Elders work from the mission office helping all the missionaries with travel arrangements, visas, passports, immigration issues like ours, taking missionaries to the airport at 4:00 a.m. and retrieving newcomers, banking and money issues, etc.  They drive an extended cab pick-up truck with real seatbelts that work and air conditioning!  It’s a good thing since we were gone for three hours!  Since they had transportation, they were answering frequent calls on a cell phone from other missionaries wanting them to stop here, to help someone there, and rearrange schedules.  It makes one wonder how missionaries used to survive without cell phones. 

         The husband of the lady in the office who oversees these missionaries had asked her husband to meet us and the Elders at the Immigration Office with our paperwork and receipts.  Well, he was in an accident on his motor cycle en route about 1:30 and couldn’t deliver the papers.  So the missionaries arranged to meet him at the accident site to pick them up.  Meanwhile, a cleaning lady had locked herself out of their building and needed them to get her a key.  Since there were delays, one Elder had to switch with another so he could keep an appointment, the Mission President called with questions about travel arrangements for a couple of missionaries, we had to drive over to their stake center and lock up after a big missionary meeting today, etc., etc.  We eventually met up with the poor man in the accident along the side of the road and retrieved the paperwork.  He was banged up but okay, although he was still there an hour and a half after the accident.  All in all it took us nearly two hours to arrive at our destination which Glade can walk to in 20 minutes!  At least the office wasn’t crowded and we were only there for about 40 minutes.  We were gone for almost three hours total, but—mission accomplished—we are legal, safe, and paid for!

         Love to all, and Good Night!   

Just a couple of pictures inside the Immigration Office.  

Our Missionary Driver

The little makeshift cubicles where we renewed our temporary residency.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

         The morning shift is always the best but is fraught with the challenge of getting enough sleep.  Invariably, sleep is elusive when you realize that the alarm is going off in 6 ½ hours, and then in 5 ½ hours, and then in 4 ½ hours, and so on!  But we always manage and love the morning work once we get there.  The day started off with a slow pace, but it picked up after a bus from Nicaragua arrived.  Later in the afternoon another bus brought a youth group to do baptisms, so it was a great day.  Glade and I still lead a session together nearly every day and love this part of our service.  After the first session together this morning, he went to the main desk and I went to help with Initiatory.  That’s where I speak my best Spanish and no one outside of these sweet Latin American’s will ever hear it.

         We hope everyone in draught-ridden areas will get rain, that those experiencing unseasonal rains will get a respite, and that you all enjoy some beautiful Fall days!  It’s goodbye to September and welcome to October, one of the greatest months of the year!!

         Love you all.  Good Night!

          

Monday, September 29, 2014

         It was “hair” day.  I cut and colored my own again and cut Glade’s after he finished his workout at Casa Campo.  It is always such a lift and a renewal, but I can’t wait until Jenn can do my hair again.

Our temporary residency cards for Honduras have expired and we were told that someone would take us to the Immigration Office at 2:00 p.m. today to get them renewed.  Well, the plans fell through and they didn’t show up to take us.  So, we are waiting to see what Plan B is.

Home Evening was great and our turn is coming up next week.  Since it will immediately follow General Conference, Glade is going to talk a little about Pres. Benson’s 14 Fundamentals for Following the Prophet.  We will be listening carefully to see what our “Marching Orders” are for the next six months! 

Love you all—

Sunday, September 28, 2014

         Sundays fly by and seem busier now that we have choir at 5:00 every week.  We were there for an hour and forty-five minutes tonight and the bench gets pretty hard.  Glade is singing, too, and decided he needs to take a pillow!  The choir is preparing several numbers for stake conference on November 22, and two weeks from today they will start working on Christmas music as well. 

         It’s time to rest a little and read before turning in.  It’s 7:00 p.m. and all is well.  Love to everyone!!

Saturday. September 27, 2014b

         The temple was closed this afternoon because of the General Women’s Meeting tonight.  That made it possible for everyone to travel home in time to view it or to a meetinghouse to watch it.   The patrons boarded their buses mid-day to make their journey home. 

We watched the proceedings on my laptop which has a big screen and a great picture.  We are indeed blessed to have Internet Access and the technology to just bring it up and watch it live.  We loved that there was so much attention given to temple work, making covenants, and doing Family History work.  We saw our own temple in the video and loved hearing a sweet little girl share her feelings in familiar Spanish just like they do here.  I thought about my daughters and granddaughter attending together and hope you enjoyed sharing the experience.

         We walked down to the bread store today about 12:30 to pick up our two-week supply of loaves.  The day’s goods are usually available about 11:30 or noon, so we like to get there before he sells out.  Well, today he was already out of our whole grain with flax seed favorite, so we bought a few whole wheat rolls and a loaf of white bread.  We haven’t had white bread for years!!  So, after watching the broadcast, I made French toast with the white bread for Glade—that is his favorite way to eat it.

         Have a great Sunday!  Love you all—Good night!

         

Friday, September 26, 2014

         Felt better today and was so happy to be back in the temple.  It was a great day and made me happy to see many people I knew.  There are still families staying here overnight so they can return to the temple again in the morning.  The buses will leave by noon or 1:00 since the temple will be closed after the 12:00 noon session so everyone can attend the Women’s Broadcast.  It means that Glade and I will have the whole day off.

         Here are the last two Fundamentals:

Thirteenth:  The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.

Fourteenth:  The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed; reject them and suffer.

         Elder Kevin R. Duncan  of the Seventy spoke in the October 2010 General Conference telling the listeners that our very survival depends on following our living prophet.  He said:

         “What the prophets teach may to some seem outdated, unpopular, or even impossible.  But God is a God of order and has established a system whereby we may know His will.  ‘Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.’  (D&C 1:38)

         “Trusting in and following the prophets is more than a blessing and a privilege.”  Then, Elder Duncan spoke about this very article by President Ezra Taft Benson wherein he declared what he called his “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet.”  In the same Conference in a previous session, Elder Claudio Costa of the Presidency of the Seventy, instructed on these same 14 Fundamentals. 

         Elder Duncan stated:  “Because they are of such great importance to our very salvation, I will repeat them again.”   And he did. 

         It was interesting to me to find that these two men in a recent General Conference both spoke about President Benson’s Fourteen Fundamentals.

         The nightly rains continue and the hillsides are covered in green!

Thursday, September 25, 2014

         As I have listened to conference talks recently while walking on the treadmill, I have been impressed with the strong testimonies the speakers have born that our living prophet today, President Monson, has been called of God to lead us and give counsel in these latter days.  You can feel the power in their testimonies and they stand as witnesses that his calling is from Heavenly Father.  Preparing for General Conference will prepare us to receive our own personal witness that he is a living prophet and will open our hearts to his words.

Sorry about the formatting on yesterday’s post.  It looked good on the draft but didn’t transfer well.  Sorry if this one is off as well, but here are a few more "Fundamentals."

Eighth:  The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.

Ninth:  The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.

Tenth:  The prophet may be involved in civic matters.

Eleventh:  The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.

Twelfth:  The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.

         Glade went without me again today—still can’t lose this bug.  Maybe tomorrow!

         The leaves at home must all be turning colors now, the temperatures getting cooler, and the harvest coming soon to a close.  I sprinkled a little cinnamon on some Libby’s canned peaches today, heated them in the microwave and pretended it was fall!  At least they smelled good!

         Good night, again!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

         Spending every day in the temple is a unique experience and it feels like “home” since we are there so often.  The hallways, the rooms, the beautiful paintings and furnishings that surround us feel so familiar and comfortable.  It is such a blessing to us to be here.

         I helped one rather timid and apprehensive sister today, giving her reassurance and support and she was so grateful and expressed her thanks over and over again.  Krisia (I can’t remember how to spell her name!) came as a patron and looked especially pretty.  She was there to be with a friend who is going on a mission to Guatemala; he leaves next week.  There were sisters who needed help with clothing, some needed directions, others wanted help getting the work done for family name, and someone needed shoes.  All of these seemingly mundane encounters help make my day fulfilling alongside the critical ordinance work.  I just love the people!

         Here are a few more Fundamentals for Following the Prophet    

Fourth:     The prophet will never lead the Church astray.

         Fifth:         The prophet is not required to have any particular                                    earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject                              or act on any matter at any time.

         Sixth:        The prophet does not have to say “Thus saith the Lord” to                            give us scripture.

         Seventh:    The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always                                what we want to know.

            Oops—it just turned into Thursday!  Good Night Everyone!