Volcano Fuego lets off steam

Dear Family and Friends:
   On December 1st, our P-day, we decided to hire Andres and his taxi to take us and the Gardner's out to Antigua for a day of site-seeing.  We had been told of a town that specializes in making leather goods.  Andres took us on a back road so that we could see a different part of the country side than we had already seen.  We arrived in Pastores.

    We were amazed that every store along the main street was a shoe shop.  They also made belts, purses and anything out of leather.  They call their shops "factories"

 President Thompson tried on several shoes.  They were very well made on the outside, but the inside was just the leather and cardboard for the innersoles.  They were not comfortable at all.  We'll just wait till we get home for new shoes.

 He is sewing a pair of cowboy boots.

 Elder Gardner found a belt that he liked so we didn't leave town empty handed.

 We decided to go down the road a bit farther to search for a better choice for lunch.  This was the only "restaurant" that we saw in the city of Pastores.

One of the colorful buses that transport people and products from city to city.

     As we drove through the country side, we had Volcano Agua on one side and Volcano Fuego on the other.  The ride was beautiful.

 This is la Cuidad Viejo (the old city) with Volcano Agua in the clouds.  It has been destroyed a few times in the past by the volcano erupting.

 

   We stopped to take some pictures of Volcano Fuego and had a hard time getting the top of the volcano because of the clouds.

 My camera has a timer on it and this shot was taken at 14:17

 Elder Gardner and President Thompson taken at 14:19

                                      

and Fuego decided to let off some steam at 14:20.  We are quite a distance from the Volcano.  The natives tell us that when it blows off steam like this, it also is blowing out rocks and lava but we are just too far away to see it.  Very impressive to be there when it went off.

 The coffee beans are still green.  They won't be picked for another month and they will turn red when they are ready.

  We went on into Antigua and spent some time at the Artesanian markets, had lunch and got home in time for FHE at 6:00.  We had a fun day with some very special people.

     On Thursday the 4th, we went to lunch with the Gardner's, the Wilson's, and the Cuellar's to have a last lunch with the Cuellar's before they finish their mission on the 14th.  We were all on the morning shift on Thursday so we could go.  The Cuellar's will be on the PM shift next week so it was our last chance.  We walked to San Martins.

 

Los Cuellar's, Los Wilson's, Los Gardner's, Los Thompson's

We are going to miss the Cuellar's.  They are from Honduras.  They are the only members of the church in their family.  This is the second marriage for both of them and their children really don't have a lot to do with them.  They are going to miss the mission but hopefully will be able to serve in the Honduras Temple.

     A couple of candid shots that we saw as we were walking this week;

 Flowers growing out of the tile roof.  It is amazing how fertile this soil is.  The roof is made of about 6 inches of concrete topped with tile so there isn't much dirt there for the flowers.

This is the apartment building they have been working on since we arrived.  They are already selling apartments.  Looks like it will be a very nice one.  This part of the city has lots of construction going on all the time.

     Well, Sunday the 7th we went with the Roberts to the Escuintla Stake Conference.  They had to speak and we just went along to keep them company on the drive.  It took about an hour and a half to get there.  It is close to the coast so it was down hill all the way and when we got there, it was very hot and humid.  It really reminded us of El Salvador with the vegetation and climate. 

 You can see that this church was expanded in three phases, as the membership increased.  The far left was first, then the middle, then the big chapel.  We only saw one obrera from the temple here.  With traffic, it would be about a 2 or 2 1/2 hour trip one way.  In the parking lot, we found the answer to all of our ills and pains---

                              

He advertises that he can cure over 100 illnesses, including cancer and kidney stones.

     The saints arrive for conference on foot, motorcycle, and the back of pickups.

 I would feel better with the cattle guards on the sides of the truck.

  Volcano Fuego was again letting off steam.

 You can see where the new stream of lava has spread in the last few months.  This is on the opposite side of the Volcano than where we were on the 1st.  We also had smoke coming from Volcano Pacaya but we didn't get a picture of it, sorry.

     December the 7th is "la Quema del Diablo" or the "Burning of the Devil" day.  This tradition started in the 18th century.  Families build bon fires outside their homes and burn these effigy's of Satan that are in the form of pinates.

     They burn them to cleanse their homes from the devils that lurk in their homes, creeping behind furniture or under beds.  It is a prelude to the holiday season.  The devil is burned to clear the way for Mary's feast, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  In some of the smaller cities, a 5 foot devil is burned in the town square.  This happens at exactly 6:00PM accompanied by firecrackers.  It sounded like a war zone. 

 

 They don't use fireworks that would light up the sky, just fire crackers, huge ones and we had Saturday and Sunday filled with them.  The Devils were on sale all along the roads.  This morning as we walked, we stopped to take a picture of the fireworks booth that will be here until after New Year's Day when the owner came across the street to give us a gift.  She had a couple of Devil's left and she gave us two of them to take home.

Christmas Poem from Hermana Barney

'Twas the first of December, when all through the mission
The Elders and Sisters were working in humble submission.
The poinsettias were placed by our casitas with care
In hopes that the Christmas spirit would ever be there;
The city was bustling, the parents were out
In hopes that the wee ones would have no need to pout.
But Elders and Sisters were doing the work.
Yes!  The Work must go on, we must not shirk.
Please, come to the temple, the best place to be
For it will be closed on Christmas Eve.
The best present of all is there to be found:
Saving our dead, the joys will astound
Both sides of the veil as saints weep with joy,
The happiness that exceeds any gift wrapped toy.
The workers have learned a long time ago
That tinsel wrapped packages tied with a bow
Have a short shelf life as they are broken and tossed
For bright new toys that are shined to a gloss.
The work of redemption beings joys untold
That will bless lives forever as eternity unfolds.
So, remember ye laborers that heavenly bliss
Is the best gift of all and would be dearly missed
If not for the patrons who come from afar
Who seek righteously to follow the star
Of Him who gave all to show us the way
To life and salvation, more brighter than day.
May this Christmas be your best one yet.
As you miss family, don't stop to fret,
For what greater gift could ever be given
Then serving our Father who watches from heaven?
The service you're giving, is much better than gold
Or brightly wrapped packages tied with a bow.
May this Christmas be merry and in ways brighter than others
As you sense smiles from heaven of our grateful Father and Mother.

Feliz Navidad, con amor,
Los Barneys

2nd Ward History

Annual Temple Devotional

Dear Family and Friends:
     We pray that each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family, friends, and plenty of food.  As we have served here and in El Salvador, we have realized just how blessed we have been.  We are so thankful for the modern conveniences that we take for granted every day:  hot running water, cold running water that is fit to drink, a furnace for cold days, air conditioning for hot days, windows that shut out the wind, a car so we don't have to rely on public buses, having a home of our own and not sharing it with three generations of our family at once, just to name a few.  We are also thankful for the blessings that we have in common with everyone here; family, love, the gospel, friends, life.  And as a song from our youth taught, "just be happy" and we are.
   We had the AM shift on Thanksgiving day, so after our shift we went with the Roberts to Taco Bell for lunch.

We had been eating leftovers of our turkey dinner for three days so it was a fun change.
     Sunday, the 30th of November, was our annual Temple Devotional.  The Temple Presidency had to speak and Hermana Burk.  Hermana Roberts and I did not have to speak.  The temple missionaries were the special number.  I directed and Hermana Gardner played the piano.  We sang "Let us All Press On" in Spanish.  It went very well.

This year, December the 16th, is the 30th anniversary of the opening of this Temple.  We cannot have a big party to celebrate this event, but President Burk told us that we were the Temple Choir for this anniversary.  It was fun to direct a choir again, even though not many could watch me cause we were all watching the Spanish words to sing them correct.  We had a good crowd (240) and everyone felt the love that we have for our workers and we felt their love in return.

      Our Saturday morning shift coordinator is Hermana Lemus.  She is about 4'8" and rides her motorcycle to the temple each Saturday morning arriving at 4:15AM.  Some mornings it is only in the low 60's and she comes in very cold.  This is their family car.

      We are surrounded by dedicated, faithful people who love their Father in Heaven and love serving in His Holy House.  We have had a wonderful Thanksgiving season with lots of blessings to count.  We are thankful for our families and friends.  We send our love to all.  May your Christmas season be filled with the Christmas spirit of loving and giving.  Lon and Nancy, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Dear Family and Friends:
     Sorry the blog is late this week but the weekend was full and I just didn't have time or energy to write.  We had a wonderful week in the temple, as usual.  Whenever you can spend time in the temple it is a wonderful day.  We went down town on one of our mornings off with the Burbidges to the Central Market.  They are so fun to be with.  She is the CCM nurse and he is so patient and is her driver.  On the way to the market, Lon stopped to have his shoes shined.  He has needed this pair of shoes shined for a long time but whenever we are walking we have on our tennis shoes.  It cost Q5 or $.66 to have them shined.  We couldn't buy the polish for that.

It took some convincing to get a smile from him.  He carries his little stool and shine box all over the neighborhood, looking for work.

     We had a fun time and even found a Christmas treasure that just jumped out at us and we had to buy it.  We had the early shift on Saturday and then it was football day.  The only problem was that BSU started at 9:30 pm and we had to be ready to go the following morning by 7:00.  A real short night.  It is a good thing that they won and made it worth the effort.

     Sunday morning we were picked up by Hermano Falabella.

    He is the man that organizes his Stake, the Utatlan Stake, for a trip to the temple every Tuesday evening.  They have not missed a Tuesday evening in 5 years.  It was fun to be able to attend their Stake Conference.  We arrived in time for the 8:00 am meeting for the adults, then a 9:30 meeting with the youth, and then a 30 minute program by the Primary.

    We were shocked when they started singing in English.  They did at least 4 songs, all verses, in English.  The three and four year olds did great.  Their Stake President is very determined that the youth of his stake learn English because they will be able to get better jobs in the future.  We only had to speak in the general session that began at 11:00.  We recognized so many in this stake because they are so faithful coming to the temple each week.

 This is the second chapel built in Guatemala.  We were surprised at how big it was.

 After 5 hours of meetings, it was good to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

 These three children were in the Primary Choir. They ran up to me to let me know that they sang with me as I gave my talk.  I always sing "I Love to See the Temple" as part of my talk to the children.

 

Los Thompsons with Hermano Falabella.

    As we travel to the Stake Conferences in one area to the city, we pass over a bridge and can see this huge section of houses, one on top of the other. 

 This area is so dangerous that no missionaries are allowed to enter.  In fact, if a car enters and it has windows tinted too dark to see inside of the car, the windows are broken, either by bullets or rocks.  The gang warfare is very alive here as it was in El Salvador.  It is so sad to think that all these thousands of people have no opportunity to hear the Gospel. 

This photo is for all of you gardeners who have studied to know how to trim a tree so that it will grow.  The tree doesn't seem to be stunted at all but it shades the road beautifully.

      Monday, the 24th of November, we celebrated our Thanksgiving with all the Missionaries and a few other friends.  We will be in the temple on Thursday.  We had turkey and allllllll the trimmings.

 The food was in the dining room.

 We set up tables for 34 people in the Burk's garage.  Everyone brought something to add to the meal.

 After the meal, President Burk told us about the first Thanksgiving in Utah.  We ate way too much.  President Thompson has a pumpkin pie in the frig and a turkey breast in the crook pot for us at home so we can hopefully feel hungry again tomorrow and enjoy Thanksgiving all over again. 

                                

Front row: Young Br. Abadillo, Los Floyd, friends of Burks from Honduras, Los Burks, Hno. Cuellar

Second:  Los Abadillo, recorder in temple, Hna. Cordon, Hna. Caballero, Hna. Guzman,  Hna. Gardner holding hands with Elder Gardner.

Back group: Los Padilla, Los Roberts, Los Eberhard, Los Cox President of CCM, Los Burbidge, Los Brubaker, Los Allred, Hna. Cuellar, Los Wilson,  Los Barney, Los Thompsons

     We wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving with lots of family, friends, and food.  We have so much to be thankful for, we are glad to have two days to celebrate and remember our blessings and be able to give thanks for them.  Our Father in Heaven loves us all so much.  May His choicest blessings be with you all.  We send our love Lon and Nancy, Grandpa and Grandma, Dad and Mom

Be careful on Black Friday.  Time to get my Christmas tree up!