The Red Bus

Dear Family and Friends:
     We had a very quiet week in the temple.  It has rained every afternoon and evening so that has slowed down some, but we been told that this is not the only reason for the small attendance.  At the bus terminal, everyone gets on the Red Bus No. 1 to come to the temple from all over the city and the surrounding areas.

 

There are a dozen of these red buses that transport people day and night.  They are usually filled with people standing.  Last week, Bus No. 1 was boarded by one of the gangs and demanded their "insurance payment".  The bus driver didn't like the amount that they "requested" and he was shot and killed.  The bus has not run for a week and when it starts again, there are a lot of people who will not want to board it.  We are not allowed on the Red Buses.  The one in the picture is a pretty good looking one, they really have some old ones still in use.  This is a big city and there is crime here.  We are thankful that we serve in the Temple and live in a very protected area. 

     We didn't have a speaking assignment this week and were able to attend our own ward and partake of the Sacrament for the first time in a month.  It was a very nice, relaxing Sunday.

     We went to lunch with the Temple Presidency.  President Burk tells us that he is not frugal, but cheap so the restaurant was very reasonable and very good.  We went to the Arrin Cuan Restaurant    and ate outside while we listened to the marimba band playing inside.

      This week we will show you how the construction is coming on the buildings that we blogged about a few months ago.

 

This is the new apartment building that was just started when we arrived.

 The windows are being installed and the brick veneer is being put on.  We walk past these buildings every day as we take our walks.

 This is a new apartment building.  The signs say that each floor will be an apartment and that there well be 12 floors when it is finished.  They will be very big apartments.

This apartment building is almost finished on the outside.  They are putting in the yards now.  We see very little wood at the construction sites.  They are very good in working with cement.  Helaman 3:7.

 The roof has at least 4 inches of cement on top.  I don't think that they will have a problem of a leaky roof.

     As we walk, we are intrigued by the trees.  These two trees have had the center cut out and the new sprouts will grow up and form a new tree around the old trunk.  It makes the tree look more like a bush than a tree.

 

    The 11th was Hermano Cuellar's birthday so we walked to Pollo Campero with them and the Murri's for lunch after our morning shift.  The Cuellar's are from Honduras and are full time missionaries here in the Temple.

 Los Murri's

 

Los Cuellar's

  We were serenaded by the staff and had a wonderful time with dear friends.  The Murri's leave on the 22nd of this month and the Cuellar's will finish their mission on the 15th of December.  We will miss them all.

The birthday boy

 

They put us in the children's play room.  I guess they thought we would be a noisy crowd.

    We are enjoying getting to know more of the obrero's in the temple and more of the regular patrons as we are able to serve on every shift during the three week rotation that we are on.  It is fun to be able to visit the Stakes and meet the people of Guatemala.  We are so thankful to be here serving these children of our Heavenly Father.  We pray that each of you are happy and enjoying life.  You are always in our prayers.  We send our love Dad and Mom, Grandma and Grandpa, Lon and Nancy