The last couple of Preparation Days we have been out of the city the entire day with no time to add to our blog so I will try to catch up today. 

Two weeks ago President Perez took all of the temple missionaries to Lago de Atitlan, one of the main tourist attractions in Guatemala, which is situated halfway between Xela and Guatemala City and is believed to be the Waters of Mormon.  Hundreds of feet under water ruins have been found.  There are twelve tiny pueblos surrounding the lake named after Christ's twelve apostles and which are accessible by dirt roads only except for Santiago, which we visited by taking a boat across the lake and which is surrounded by volcanoes. 

 



Our boat ride took us from this dock straight across the lake to Santiago, situated to the left of the volcano.

While on the boat ride across the lake, Ken took this photo of one of our missionary friends, the Juarez's, whose house was the one destroyed by the earthquake a year and a half ago.

Brother Juarez is also a Patriarch in his home stake besides being a temple missionary so each Sunday morning around 6:00 a.m. they walk the mile down the hill to the bus terminal and travel an hour and a half home so that he can fulfill his responsibilities in his home stake.  Ken just loves this man and loves to tease him.







While in Panaache, the town where the lake is accessed, we took a ride in one of their little tututs.



        

 

Ken has found his new retirement dream spot...apparently there are some who live in or visit Guatemala who are not poor!  This little paradise is located just as the boat was approaching the pueblo of Santiago.

 

 

The proprietor was upset with me for taking this photo and asked me not to take any more.  These are all hand-woven fabrics, custom designed, and he thought I was trying to copy his patterns.  Aren't the colors just beautiful!

 

Some of the merchants came aboard our boat just prior to us leaving Santiago to try to sell just one more blanket or trinket.  This little girl had an easy mark with Ken...after he teased her awhile he bought the little hummingbird key chains.