Guatemala

We spent our last week in the MTC in health meetings.  Everyday was full of information about how to do our jobs, how to use the computer, how to treat each illness, how to chart what we did.  We loved hearing each devotional speaker on Tues and Sunday nights. We met many new friends there and will be excited to hear how they each are doing in their different missions. Our last day was spent with Dr. Marsden Blanch learning how to use our computers and getting them set up with the different programs we would need.

     Sister Cummings and Sister Visker were both headed off to their missions and we wish them the best of luck!  They both are amazing people to do what they are doing.

      We had a chance to stay with Kim and Cody the night before we left for Guatemala and had dinner with them as well as with Jason and Kayli.  It was extra fun to see the grandkids and how they are growing and learning so many new things.  We will miss them but know that the time will fly by.

     March 9th- the big day.  We headed out bright and early.  Kim dropped us off at the airport.  Every one was extra nice and many people asked where we were going to.We arrived without incident and guess who was here to greet us?

     Pres. Stay and his wife were at the airport to greet us. They are great!  So friendly and caring. When they took us to our apartment, we were amazed!  We had expected a very small place with a hot plate and a lavadora.  Instead, they had purchased new furniture (a new bed, dressers, night stands, desk, table and chairs, and couch with chairs). The apartment is one bedroom but it is huge with beautiful wood floors and large windows.  It was late at night so they had brought breakfast for the morning, towels, sheets, utinsels, dishes and pans.  We were some of the lucky new missionaries who get what the church purchases for a small monthly rental fee with the new senior program.

     Right off, we met our neighbors, the Smiths, and were impressed with how willing to share they are and how excited they are to have new people.  They are over the security at the CCM (Guatemalan MTC) and will leave soon. There are about ten couples in our building.  They call it the Mormon Dorm because most of the people there are Mormon.  Dr. Drake and his wife, the Wallaces who are accounting, the Arnolds over PEF, Calls and Johnsons who are dentists, The Murrays- welfare missionaries and the Bower couple arrived a day after us.

       We were escorted to the local Paiz store for groceries and then the Price Smart which is like Costco.  Sister Stay was glad to turn the phone over to me and the missionaries didn't waste any time in starting to call. Some things are pretty straight forwward and others are more questionable. Dr. Drake is great.  He has about 3 or 4 new nurses under him and he is a great teacher. He covers several countries and is also in the CCM presidency.

       Saturday night and Sunday we went to Stake Conference where the Stays were speaking.  The talks were great!  Elder Fallabela from the 70 was the visiting general authority and he was super.  I translated for Dale and he could really feel the spirit even though he couldn't understand a lot.  The members of the ward are very friendly and Dale did find that there are several that speak English and are very happy to talk to him.

       They have assigned a Toyota truck to us for a short time.  Dale was more than happy to drive it since they haven't been able to get us a car yet.  The driving here is something else.  At first it seems like there is no rhyme or reason to how they drive, but the Wallaces explained to us that they really are very good to let you in.  You definitely have to be quick on the draw and because there are many one way streets we will spend a lot of time driving around the block.  So far we have only been lost once.

       Monday we had our first day in the mission office and the Stay's came to escort us.  We followed them to and from the office and only lost them once. They took us to dinner at a great steak house, the Estancia.  Their apartment is quite close to ours. Really, we are learning to venture out a little farther each day. We have made it on our own for 2 days now and done great. 

     The people from the apartment building threw us a party and we attended a family home evening with the neatest people.  How can we ask for better.