This is a senior couple that serve with us in the Guatemala South Mission.  I think you can see that we are blessed by knowing them.

Zone conference and practicing different contacting approaches.  We are to ask if they would like to have blessings and then promise that they can have those blessings if they are willing to listen to more of what we have to say, for instance, an eternal family, or to know more of the Savior.

We have some great sisters and elders.

Coffee beans that are almost ripe.

More Halloween pics.

After temple party at Taco Bell. Just a few branch members.  One is getting married in the temple in Dec.  Two of the girls just accompanied their parents to the temple for their sealing with their younger brother.  A daughter and her mom.  The mom joined years ago and her daughter was baptized several months ago along with a younger sister. It looks like one of her older sisters may be baptized shortly.  The branch president and his son.  They were able to do family names that they had researched themselves.  That was nice.  A young man who is the  deacon's quorum president.  He and his 3 siblings were baptized shortly after we arrived in Guatemala. He comes to church every Sunday in a sparkling white shirt and has a very special look to him.  Of course we can't forget the elders that made all this possible.  Our regular elder was on divisions and had planned to be back for this temple outing.  He had helped several of the youth sign up for Family Search so they could look for family members. When it came time for him to come back to his area he got sick and wasn't able to go with them to the temple, so the elder who was on divisions in his area wore his suit coat and came along.  As you can see, we have a great group of youth and some wonderful missionaries to work with. Oh, I almost forgot the young man in the background.  He lives with his mother and brother.  He is waiting to put his mission call in.  He may not be able to go because he has had severe leg pain that they can't figure out, but he is a great addition to the branch.

Artisan's market in Barbara's new typical outfit. They dressed her up and she had to buy.

New paint, many flowers on kite day, like our memorial day, only more!  This is the "cementary".

We were finally able to get these two couples together with the missionaries in the area that they live.  Anacleta is someone we met at the Artisan's Market when we first got here.  She is a very special lady.  She lives in the Central Mission and the sister missionaries taught her in Antigua at her booth in the Mercadito there but got transferred and the ball dropped.  She came back on her 6 month rotation to the Artisans and we were able to get her home address, with the help of the James's and the Bowers. The Bowers went with the missionaries to their home.  We gave them a BOM in Spanish, a Bible, and the BOM as far as it is translated in Kak'chikel, their native language. They have a co-op with other town members and work each day at the market to sell what they have made.  They live in San Antonio Aguas Calientes which it a few miles from Antigua.

This is our branch Halloween Party.  Sister Johnson is dressed as a witch.  The elders were in charge and did a great job.  The children who were in costume lined up for a photo.  We had such a fun time.  We were in charge of a fishing pond, bowling with a pumpkin, musical chairs by the elders, spook alley by the youth, and a balloon game by the Primary.  We ate nachos with chili and cheese sauce and they ate every bite of food and drank every drop of punch.   At the very end, the elders had a pumpkin pinata.  It was amazing to see everyone, young and old, hit the floor when it broke. They had asked for sacks and containers to put their treats in.   

This family won the costume contest.  These two little girls are the daughters of Rodrigo and Johana and they are working to go through the temple.  

On the 1st of November, we went to Sumpango to the Kite Festival.  The kites carry the messages to the dead on All Saints Day and then on Dia de Los Muertos.  It reminded me of the Idaho State Fair.  There were so many people and a festive atmosphere.  The kites were huge as you can see. Of course the big ones did not fly, but it was fun to see the contests to see if each family could fly their special kite.  Some of them were very large and able to fly with a good wind.  They have been having this festival for about 50 years now.  

This is a roasting pig on a spit.  You can see the apple in his mouth.  We did not try the meat, but it smelled good. There were vendors all up and down the walkway.  Roasted ears of corn were everywhere.

Each kite started on the ground face down then they would raise the kite up with ropes very carefully until it was upright, held there by poles.  

Each kite had a theme and had beautiful colors.

In the cemetery, there were flowers everywhere as Dia de los Muertos is kind of like Memorial Day.  There were several little ladies who looked to be in their 80s or 90s who were busy decorating graves.  Children were flying kites in the cemetery also.