Agosto 11, 2013

Ola from Guatemala! These photos are from our fieldtrip this past week. It was to an archaeological park called Kaminaljuyu. It was right here in the city. The top photo is from an actual dig. The second photo is of a goal from an ancient Mayan game. The object was to get the ball through the hole using just your forearm to hit the ball. It was a game to the death. The photo with Elder Pitcher is of our cab driver, Andres. We tell him kind of what we want to do and then he makes up a short tour for us. We appreciate his help so much. There is a beautiful new mall close to this park. When they were building the mall it was agreed upon that any artifacts that were found would be placed in a museum in the lower level of the mall. It was so amazing to see. The mall itself was the fanciest we've ever seen. (Of course we don't get out much.) The fourth picture is of our friend, Elder Barlow. He is quite a character. He disappeared suddenly and we finally found him posing in his favorite dig. He is a big kid at heart.

Sundays are a special day for us because we get to be with the Elders and Hermanas in the CCM. We are both amazed with the talents of these young people. The musical numbers each week are so special. They are mostly hymns, but they always put a special touch on them, making their own arrangements. This week all of the Districts in our Rama left so now everyone in our Rama is new. Three are Latino and three are Nortes. It is amazing what they learn in four short days. They can pray and share their testimony in Spanish already. They strengthen our testimony each week as we serve in the Rama.

We are looking forward to moving into a new casita. They need the space that we are occupying here at the CCM, so there are four homes that are being remodeled and made into apartments for the Temple missionaries. These apartments will be a little closer to the Temple, but we won't have the daily contact with the missionaries at the CCM. During this past week our water has been turned off at least once a day for several hours without notification. We go to take a shower and, surprise, there's no water. Our local phone has also been cut off and our internet is sometimes on the blink. We did sneak into one of the casitas and took a tour. It will be nice when finished. Maybe by the end of this month, or September, or October??? We'll send pictures when all this happens.

We are having friends over for dinner today. It will be one of Elder Pitcher's favorite meals, pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, and for dessert, tapioca. We have to be creative with cooking and serving utensils, they are limited in our apartment.

Talk to you next week. Saludos y Abrazos a Todos