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Sunday, April 13, 2014
Hermanita Herrera
This is my sweet little friend, Hermana Herrera, who spends 4 days a week, every week, doing initiatory work in the temple, arriving about 9:15 and leaving about 12:30. She also happens to be in our home ward so we took this photo today.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Random Thoughts and Observations
* We spent 835.00 for groceries this week!! Every time I see that much money rung up on the store's cash register my heart goes pitter patter and I quickly have to do my math...it was actually only $107 with an exchange rate of 7.8 Quetzals to $1.
* Our Sunday meetings start at 8:00 am. With only 2 wards using the chapel I don't understand why we have to start so early...I'm sure it's because WE are here now and it's just our luck. But just to make sure I'm awake and stay awake the building is kept nice and cold. There is actually no heat source except a little bit of sunshine coming through some of the windows (these windows are situated in the premium seating!) and everyone is bundled up with coats, neck scarves, hats, and gloves which are never taken off for the entire meeting time. We have open-the-windows type AC with ceiling fans for the summer months!
* Speaking of church...oh my gosh you would not believe what these people put up with!! Ok, so our church building is very nice, fairly new, BUT... Sunday School and then Relief Society meets in the cultural hall right behind the chapel with accordion doors as dividers. Just about the time RS is having opening prayer etc. the next ward starts their meeting in the chapel. So we have on one side of us the next ward singing their opening song and on the other side of the cultural hall the Priesthood singing their opening song and outside across the street the Evangelicals start their meeting with a live band playing music through loud speakers for about 45 minutes, EVERY SUNDAY!!! It's pretty comical actually and doesn't seem to faze these people at all.
* This week we had a little hermanita come to the temple and stayed for 3 1/2 hours doing 30 initiatory names. She didn't stop until she had to at the end of our shift. I asked her later how old she was...86 years old! And she does this every week, four times a week! How's that for dedication.
* This is a Latino country but strangely no one smokes and there's very few bars, unlike Mexico. In fact you have to look hard to find a bar. It's awesome!
* These people who come to the temple are so warm and friendly. I love their customary hug and brush on the cheek. EVERYONE greets everyone with either a handshake or hug, both hello and goodbye. I love it and think we need to adopt this custom in our temples at home.
* I know I'm repeating myself, but the driving is HORRIBLE! So aggressive! But we have discovered a secret...you can do just about anything you want while driving as long as you turn on the car flashers! You can stop in the middle of an intersection with your lights flashing and it's okay...no one is bothered. You can even park your car in one lane of a two-lane main street during rush hour, blocking traffic for about a mile, leave your car unattended, and as long as your flashers are on everyone takes it in stride (except me). Traffic police are non-existent. We had to make a trip to Guatemala City last Monday for Visa issues, which is a 116 mile trip, and didn't see a single speed limit sign on the highway.
* One of our gringo friends has a motto I've tried to adopt, "If you stay flexible you won't get bent out of shape." We've discovered that a temple schedule/work assignment is only a suggestion and can and will be changed without warning!
* The speakers in Sacrament Meeting are really excellent, well prepared, and NEVER read their talks, including the youth. We were told that 60% of our ward has joined the Church in the last few years and typically have about 150 in attendance every Sunday. Church starting time must be a suggestion also since about half the attendees come after the Sacrament has been passed!
* I had my first experience with a non-public bathroom in an office we needed to visit. I asked to use the bathroom and was directed to this little room with a toilet and a big bucket of water sitting next to it for "flushing" purposes. The pipes on the sink (for washing hands after using the bucket) were not connected either...thank goodness for that bottle of hand sanitizer in our car!
* Our Sunday meetings start at 8:00 am. With only 2 wards using the chapel I don't understand why we have to start so early...I'm sure it's because WE are here now and it's just our luck. But just to make sure I'm awake and stay awake the building is kept nice and cold. There is actually no heat source except a little bit of sunshine coming through some of the windows (these windows are situated in the premium seating!) and everyone is bundled up with coats, neck scarves, hats, and gloves which are never taken off for the entire meeting time. We have open-the-windows type AC with ceiling fans for the summer months!
* Speaking of church...oh my gosh you would not believe what these people put up with!! Ok, so our church building is very nice, fairly new, BUT... Sunday School and then Relief Society meets in the cultural hall right behind the chapel with accordion doors as dividers. Just about the time RS is having opening prayer etc. the next ward starts their meeting in the chapel. So we have on one side of us the next ward singing their opening song and on the other side of the cultural hall the Priesthood singing their opening song and outside across the street the Evangelicals start their meeting with a live band playing music through loud speakers for about 45 minutes, EVERY SUNDAY!!! It's pretty comical actually and doesn't seem to faze these people at all.
* This week we had a little hermanita come to the temple and stayed for 3 1/2 hours doing 30 initiatory names. She didn't stop until she had to at the end of our shift. I asked her later how old she was...86 years old! And she does this every week, four times a week! How's that for dedication.
* This is a Latino country but strangely no one smokes and there's very few bars, unlike Mexico. In fact you have to look hard to find a bar. It's awesome!
* These people who come to the temple are so warm and friendly. I love their customary hug and brush on the cheek. EVERYONE greets everyone with either a handshake or hug, both hello and goodbye. I love it and think we need to adopt this custom in our temples at home.
* I know I'm repeating myself, but the driving is HORRIBLE! So aggressive! But we have discovered a secret...you can do just about anything you want while driving as long as you turn on the car flashers! You can stop in the middle of an intersection with your lights flashing and it's okay...no one is bothered. You can even park your car in one lane of a two-lane main street during rush hour, blocking traffic for about a mile, leave your car unattended, and as long as your flashers are on everyone takes it in stride (except me). Traffic police are non-existent. We had to make a trip to Guatemala City last Monday for Visa issues, which is a 116 mile trip, and didn't see a single speed limit sign on the highway.
* One of our gringo friends has a motto I've tried to adopt, "If you stay flexible you won't get bent out of shape." We've discovered that a temple schedule/work assignment is only a suggestion and can and will be changed without warning!
* The speakers in Sacrament Meeting are really excellent, well prepared, and NEVER read their talks, including the youth. We were told that 60% of our ward has joined the Church in the last few years and typically have about 150 in attendance every Sunday. Church starting time must be a suggestion also since about half the attendees come after the Sacrament has been passed!
* I had my first experience with a non-public bathroom in an office we needed to visit. I asked to use the bathroom and was directed to this little room with a toilet and a big bucket of water sitting next to it for "flushing" purposes. The pipes on the sink (for washing hands after using the bucket) were not connected either...thank goodness for that bottle of hand sanitizer in our car!
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