Bienvenida Los Allreds y Los Brubakers

Dear Family and Friends:
     We have had a quiet week here, with no medical troubles at all.  Wow, it is sure nice.  It looks like our rains are mostly over for this year.  They say that we may get a small storm once in a while for a couple of weeks, but the rainy season is officially over.  The Guatemalan's say that the next three months are the cold months.  I looked up the forecast for the next 10 days and it is to be in the mid 70's during the day and down to 57-60 at night.  Isn't that just about the perfect weather;  warm in the days and cool enough to sleep at night.  I think that we will enjoy it.
     We welcomed in two new couples tonight.  The Allreds are from Santaquien, Utah.  This is their 3rd  mission.  They served with the Burks and the Petersens in Argentina and in Mexico. 

   They have served in Spanish temples before and will be such a wonderful asset for us.   
       And the Brubakers arrived from SLC.  They share three grandchildren with the Burks.   This is their first temple mission, in fact they have never served in a temple before and do not speak Spanish.  They have a lot to learn but they are willing and excited to be here.

 

     We had Family Home Evening all together and invited two of the doctors who have helped so many of us.  They are not members and it was fun to introduce them to all the Senior Missionaries.  They both have a wonderful sense of humor and were thrilled to meet so many future patients.   Here is our mission family as of the 27th of October with the two doctors and their wives.

 Front row:  Los Cuellars, Hna Paniagua, Los Brubakers, Los Allreds, President Burk
Second Row:Hna. Cordon, Hna. Guzman, Los Padillas, Dr. y Hna Castillo, Dr. y Hna Velasques, Hna. Burk
Back group:  Los Wilsons, Hna. Caballeros, Los Eberhard, Los Burbidges, Los Thompsons, Los Gardners, Los Barneys, Los Roberts.
     Well, I didn't fail as a missionary this week cause I got pictures.  We hope that you have had a wonderful week also and are looking forward to a new week with new adventures, just like we are.  We send our love to all.  Lon and Nancy, Grandpa and Grandma, Dad and Mom

A heart attack diverted

Dear Family and Friends:
     Our week started out normal. We served on the Tuesday evening shift at the temple.  Wednesday morning we got up early to get our walk in before our Presidency meetings at 11 but just as we were about home, the Burbidges pulled up beside us and told us to get home and get to the temple to cover for President Burk as they were taking him to the hospital.  He was having chest pains.
     We hurried and dressed (there is always to be a member of the Temple Presidency in the temple when it is open) and got to the temple about 9:30.  President Burk was taken to the hospital and tests were started.  We got several different notices as to how he was doing;  headed to SLC for heart surgery, tests showed nothing and he would be home tomorrow, it was just a reaction to medications------  it was a little unnerving not really knowing what was wrong.  The last test that he took finally showed the Doctors the problems and he was in surgery Thursday morning to have 4 stents inserted into 3 closed arteries, two with 70% blockage, one with 80% blockage and the third with 90% blockage.  We are so thankful that he went to the hospital when he did and escaped a heart attack.  He came home on Saturday morning.
     We covered all of the AM shifts for the week and the Roberts handled all of the PM shifts.  President Burk feels so much better now that he has blood flowing through his body, but he is tired and needs to take it easy.  We are planning on a normal week of shifts, but we will just have to see how he is doing day to day.  We are so thankful for modern medicine, good doctors, and missionary miracles.
     Sunday was our Primary Program for our little ward.  We were glad that we didn't have a speaking assignment and could be there for it.  Our primary practiced on Saturday with all 14 children in attendance and the presidency was very excited for the program as the children were ready.  Sunday morning only 4 children showed up.  There were 2 American girls, ages 10 and 7, and 2 Guatemalan children, girl age 8 and boy age 4 - - -and the program went on.  These 4 kids did a great job and the spirit was so strong in the meeting.  They used two of the teachers to read the parts for the missing children but the 4 did all the singing alone.  They gave each other hugs and pats on the back for encouragement during the program and it was such a tender, sweet program.  "And a little child shall lead them".  We were taught by angels this morning.
   We really failed as missionaries this week, we don't have any pictures to post.  We send you all our love and prayers.  We are content, happy and enjoying life here in Guatemala.  Thank you for your prayers in our behalf.  Another week gone, wow, where does the time go?  Love Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, Lon and Nancy

Visit to Tesoro y Estaca Chimaltenango

Dear Family and Friends:
     We have had a wonderful week here in Guatemala.  The temple was a little slow again due to the 4th shooting on the red bus line.  But those who were able to come were welcomed with open arms and we enjoyed being able to serve them. 
    We've had rain every day and the temperature has dropped a little also.  We actually had to close our windows.  It has gotten down to 60 at night and only up to 70 during the days.  Aren't we pathetic!  Guatemala really lives up to its nick-name, perpetual spring.
     We visited the Doctor and got the stitches out of my knee and all is healing nicely.  On Friday morning our dear, dear friends from El Salvador came to breakfast.

                                      

   Carlos and Pedro 

Carlos Figueroa and his family adopted us in El Salvador and gave love and care as though we were their parents and grandparents.  We love this family.  It was so fun for President Thompson to cook pancakes, eggs, and bacon for him and his driver, Pedro.  Pedro is the driver that we used when we visited Guatemala in 2012 when the El Salvador Tempe was closed.  He spent 4 days with us as our driver, guide, and security.  It was fun to see him again.

      Friday afternoon we went with the Burbidges (the CCM nurse y esposo) to a Senior Missionary Conference in the Area Office.  Elder Jose Alonso, the second counselor in the Area Presidency and a member of the 1st quorum of the Seventy, spoke to us.  He told us about his meetings with the First Presidency and the 12 Apostles on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before General Conference.  It was an amazing meeting and we enjoyed being taught by one of our General Authorities. 

      After the meeting, we went with the Burbidges to eat at one of the Petersen's favorite Chinese Restaurants. 

Los Burbidges

                         Restaurante Tesoro Imperial    

President Thompson would love to find out where he could get one of these weapons and how to get it home.

 Los Thompsons. 

The amazing thing is that the Petersen's remembered how to get here and we followed their directions and drove directly here from the Area Office.  What a memory!

  The food was great and the company even better.  We will definitely have to visit this restaurant again.

     Sunday we had the assignment to visit the Chimaltenango Stake and speak in the Sunday morning session.  We were to be picked up at 8, but our driver got there at 7:30 so we grabbed a banana and off we went.  It was a little over an hour drive because on Sunday's there is not much traffic so we got there just before 9. 

 This Stake Center was remodeled about 2 years ago. This is our driver, Mario Ramirez.

 It is definitely the biggest building we have been in yet.  They just divided the stake.  The stake president and Elder Ocampo, the area seventy, were in a meeting with the youth of the stake.  We tried to slip into the back of the chapel to listen to the rest of this meeting when we were invited to join Elder Ocampo on the stand.  We have a tough time feeling like we belong with the Stake Presidents and members of the Quorum of the Seventy.  It is not Lon and Nancy that is being honored and reverenced, it is the callings that we hold.  The people are so thrilled to have a member of the Temple Presidency come to their conferences.  We are treated with such love and respect.  Our talks went very good and we did enjoy being taught once again at the feet of one of our General Authorities. 

     One of the ward's in this stake rented a bus to bring their members to the Conference.  People rely on the buses for transportation.

     After the Conference, we were invited to eat a lunch with the Stake Presidency and Elder Ocampo.  We were served roast pork, rolls, and President Thompson's least favorite vegges. 

 President Thompson slipped the cauliflower onto my plate but actually ate the peppers, onions, peas, carrots, celery and anything else that was in the mixture.  I was so proud of him.  What made it worse was that it had sat for so long waiting for everyone to come to eat that it was cold. 

 Elder Ocampo, President y Hermana Thompson, 1st counselor, President Samayoa, 2nd counselor

President y Hermana Thompson, President Samayoa and his family, Elder Ocampo

  The flowers here are so beautiful.  This is the arrangement that was in the front of the chapel.

 

     We traveled back to the city with Elder Ocampo.  He had a plane to catch back to Honduras and we needed to get back because President Thompson had a 3:00 meeting to go to with President Burk.  We arrived home at 2:50, just in time for Lon to get into another car and head to the meeting.  He didn't get home till 7:00, a very long day but a wonderful day.  We have been spiritually fed this week at the feet of Elder Alonzo, Elder Ocampo, President Samayoa and President Burk.  What a wonderful week. 

     Well, we are looking forward to another week and pray that you are enjoying life.  We have been so blessed and we are living the Gospel joyfully.  You are in our prayers.  We send our love Grandpa and Grandma, Dad and Mom, Lon and Nancy.

A short, quiet week

Dear Family and Friends:
   With General Conference on the 4th and 5th, we had a very short 4 days in the temple.  We were able to watch Conference on TV and really enjoyed it.  We were even blessed that the storms didn't interrupt the signal even once. 
     The temple wasn't real busy this week because of the bus strike that kept many from getting to the temple.  There was another driver killed so the buses stopped for the week.  It would be so hard to be so dependent on buses to get anywhere.  We are so thankful that we don't live in a big city (well, when we are not on missions).  Jerome is just the right size for us.
     The thunder, lightning, and rain have just begun again.  It is a little early today.
     Our only "adventure" for this week was an allergic reaction to the antibiotic.  I took the last antibiotic pill on Wednesday morning and on Thursday morning woke up covered in red spots and itching.

  The rash is almost gone now so we will be able to begin our service this week in the temple well and whole.  We are praying for no unforeseen "adventures" this week.
     We send our love and prayers to you all.  We love you and miss you.  We are thankful to be here serving in this temple.  We are thankful for the power of the Priesthood and for the Gospel.  Have a wonderful week.  Love Grandpa and Grandma, Dad and Mom, Lon and Nancy