Home made Bread by Lon

  Our week was very quiet, not only because the other missionaries took a trip to visit the Xela Temple in Quesaltenango, but because we had no internet most of the week.  On Monday, the 27th, we heard a chain saw going and found out that some men were trimming the trees in front of our apartment house.  At about 4:00 in the afternoon, we lose our power and our internet.  A branch had come down on the power and internet lines.  We found out that we have no generator to restore our power like we had in El Salvador and two hours later we finally had power again.  However, the internet was out till Tuesday afternoon.  We think that we should pick up a few candles before the rainy season begins. 
     They are still trying to get the new fiber-optic lines installed in all the apartments (we are told that they are in place in the temple now).  The boxes are mounted on the walls and the tubes that will carry the lines are in place but still no new lines.  Our service this week has been so bad.  It will be such a relief when this work is finished.  We really do rely on the internet to stay connected to family and friends. 
     Now for the medical update:  Doctor Cameron and his wife came to visit on Saturday.  They checked out the left ankle and said to take off the boot and begin putting full weight on it.  It feels so much better having that boot off.  I think the boot was just so big and heavy that it was making the ankle hurt just carrying it around.  I now have a leg to stand on, YEA!!  He was very impressed with the mobility of the right knee, but I still can't put any weight on it.  He said that I have a very good nurse!  Elder Thompson exercises my knee every morning and evening.  We are icing both legs and taking Ibprofin 600 now instead of the tylenol.   We are now half way and only have 3 more weeks to be patient and let these bones heal.  Doctor Cameron is the mission doctor and he feels that all is well and I am healing great.  These next three weeks will be the worst for me because the temple opens again on Tuesday and it will be hard to be home when Lon is in the temple.  I miss being there already and it has been closed.  But---do not run faster than you have strength--I will behave myself and be patient, probably very impatiently.
     Elder Thompson had a great week.  He has been sharpening up his cooking skills.  Virgil and Mona Dodd sent him their favorite chile recipe and he decided that he could make it.  He went shopping on Monday with the other missionaries and found almost everything on the list.  He did have to substitute a couple of things like green bell peppers for red ones. So Kim and Bev, you won't believe this but Tuesday morning he dices onions, bell peppers, and garlic.  He gets everything in the pot then turns to me and says "you know that there is only two things that I like in this chile, beans and hamburger.  I sure hope that it tastes good"  Well it turned out wonderful and he and I enjoyed a feast for supper.  Thank you Virgil and Mona.  This recipe is a keeper.

      We have some in the freezer and it will be handy when we are on the late shift for a quick supper.

After having such a success with the chile, Elder Thompson tells me that "tomorrow I want to make bread".  You could have knocked me over with a feather.  I don't use a bosch to make bread.  Making good bread is about the texture and feel of the dough to know when you have enough flour and when it is raised enough.  When I looked at him, with that cute little boy grin, I couldn't say anything but OK.

  Getting the milk mixture scalded.

We like half whole wheat and half white. Mixing in the whole wheat

This was one of the toughest parts.  Trying to decide when he had enough white flour kneaded in for the right texture.  It will be easier the next time cause he had never even felt bread dough before.

 He went for his walk while the dough raised.  We weren't able to purchase any of the smaller loaf pans that I like, so we only had the bigger ones.  With the smaller pans we can make 5 loaves at a time.  We only could do 4 loaves with the bigger ones.  Forming the loaves was a bit of a challenge, but this Eagle Scout was up to the challenge.

 Job well done.  The loaves were beautiful and the taste and texture were great.  He did a great job.  He is anxious to do it again only this time he says that I am banned from the kitchen so he can really do it by himself and try to remember all that he has learned.  I had never realized just how little Lon knew about cooking.  He has now mastered grilled cheese sandwiches, spaghetti, crock pot roast with veggies, breakfast burritos, scrambled eggs, and any kind of cold sandwich.  I am being well cared for.  Elder Thompson says that it will be a relief to get to the temple.  He has not had any time to get bored these past three weeks, with all the cooking and cleaning, washing and nursing he has had to do. 

     Elder Thompson and I worked together with our setting and rental business for years and we learned to appreciate each other. Then we served our first mission and we learned to appreciate the talents and skills that we each had and we learned to appreciate each other more.  These past three weeks, we have truly learned to love and appreciate each other.  By serving one another, our love has grown and our appreciation for the talents and abilities of the other has grown.  We are so blessed to have each other and to know that if we are true to our covenants, we can be together forever.  We are so thankful to be here in Guatemala with the opportunity to serve in this temple.  We are thankful for the trials of these past three weeks because of the lessons we have learned.  Our Father in Heaven is aware of us and we feel His love daily. 

     We pray that each of you will have a wonderful week.  We thank you for your prayers in our behalf.  We send our love and our prayers in your behalf.  Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, Lon and Nancy