Christmas Week

[December 15-23, 2015]

What a difference a year makes! Here we are in Bolivia - 80 degree weather (in the daytime), no snow in sight, no kids to wake us up at 6:00 am, no real tree (we do have a small, make-believe one we found in a closet down the hall - it's festive enough, I suppose), and the family is all 4500 to 5000 miles away.

But, it's still Christmas, and working here at the temple added a wonderful dimension to it.

The temple was open on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it was pretty slow. But, just to show the dedication of the members here, a couple from Tarija (18 hours away by bus) came with their children to receive their own endowments and be sealed as a family. I was blessed to be able to help them, and it was obvious that they were very well prepared, and eager to have these sacred ordinances done for them and their family. They were really cute together.

On Thursday, we had lunch with the missionaries, and spent a quiet Christmas Eve together, just Molly and I. She has really worked hard to keep the family involved through the distance with her idea of an Advent Chain with memories from everyone in the family. We hung each memory over a picture on the wall in the "dining room" in the shape of a Christmas Tree (more or less):

It was fun to be reminded of what everyone thought was memorable from Christmas in the past. It was sweet that so many of those memories were so closely tied to simple family interactions.

So, on Christmas morning, to continue one of the traditions - the 6:00 am "wake Dad up to go turn on the Christmas tree so we could open presents" part - I texted all the kids at 6:00 am asking them why they hadn't come and jumped in bed with Dad and Mom this year? Yes, I realize that they would have received it at 3:00 or 4:00 am, and interestingly enough, one of them responded immediately. Becky was still up wrapping presents! Quite fun.

We got a very nice, well-crafted video from Seth and his family. It was about an hour long, and highlighted each family member. They told us stories, sang songs, showed clips from their school program, and just made our day that much better. They seem to be enjoying living in Wisconsin.

We talked to all of the other kids as well. They seem to be doing well, supporting each other, helping in every way they can to be a wonderful support to us and to each other. It was a very enjoyable Christmas day for us.

So, we found that we can still enjoy Christmas, and family, from so far away. And, with the added dimension of the temple, of the work done there to unite families, and provide the blessings of the gospel to ancestors long since passed away, it just makes it that much sweeter. The focus of every day at the temple is on Jesus Christ and The Father, and the magnificent plan of happiness that encompasses Jesus' birth and life. We're grateful to be here.

Cochabamba Temple - Dec 26, 2015

Nearly Christmas Eve

[December 14-23, 2015]

As Christmas approaches, I look back at what the last year has brought. We've been here in Bolivia for six months now, following the whirlwind of selling the house and condo, moving Grandma Mary to California, moving us to West Valley (along with the broken pipe and flood, of course), getting everything ready to go, and traveling for what seemed like forever before arriving here to find sweet people and lots of love and support.

Our first few days were filled with some sweet, joyous reunions with dear members, learning how to find things, getting used to a wholly different lifestyle and schedule, and figuring out how to stay in touch with family back home. Everything we were used to changed very quickly.

Then, with Sawyer getting sick, we had to address lots of emotions and concerns - how to support and help him and Sam from such a distance. It would have been so nice to have been able to hug them, and hold them, and let them know we were there to help, but being so far away left us to rely completely on the promises and blessings of the gospel, and on our faith and knowledge that God is in charge, knows us, loves us, knows our needs, and knows best how to help us become our best selves. Which brings us to the real message of Christmas, and the lessons we have learned by serving in the temple.

I have come to know even more than before, how important He is to us. Through the ordinances and covenants we make in the temple, through the instruction we receive there, through the peace and love present there, I have a stronger sense and testimony of how important His life and mission were to me personally and to our family. The fact that we are sealed together for eternity gives a perspective to life that can't be obtained otherwise. And if it weren't for His Atonement, His life, His example, His love and teachings, we would be left on our own.

So, as you celebrate Christmas this week, among the food and treats, gifts and gift-giving, family and friends, ponder for a few moments what life would be like without Him, and share your love and gratitude for the blessings you have with your closest loved ones - your children and your family.

We are so glad to be here. I am learning more every day. This is such a tender, enjoyable, sacred experience.

As for the rest of the week....

Monday 14 December 2015
Molly and I did the FHE for the missionaries tonight. She put together the Christmas story from the scriptures with the hymns, and we had the missionaries read all the parts while I played and she directed the hymns. She made wassail, hot cocoa, and truffles (Oreo cookies crumbled up, mixed with cream cheese, and dipped in chocolate.) It was as close as we could get to our normal Christmas tradition with our children at home.

Wednesday 16 December 2015
Rene Tapia came to visit us today. He was one of my companions in Punata. He has seven children and 20 grandchildren. Two of his children live in Spain, and two live in Argentina. He comes here frequently - he has a sister that lives in the Sarco ward, so we might get to visit some more in the future. Sweet memories.

Friday 18 December 2015
Molly and I were in charge of the Baptistry today. We had two groups who came with their youth. The last one was from Santa Cruz, and they were so very reverent and respectful. One funny thing happened - when the first girl was baptized, her long hair floated on the water, so she had to be baptized again. When I looked over at the other girls, they were all putting their hair up in buns and laughing. Cute.

Molly:
I couldn't have said it better. I am so grateful for my companion, family, dear friends who have blessed and continue to bless our lives and especially my Savior Jesus Christ. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
 

Loving Our Mission

[December 13, 2015]

This week in the Temple has been a little different for me. Saturday I served in the Guardaria (nursery in the Temple for the children while their parents are receiving their endowments).

The first family had 3 children. I had about 15 minutes with them before we were called to go upstairs to be sealed. I felt very blessed to get to be in the sealing room with them.

The children were a boy Jaido (14), Camila (7),  and Isaac (2). What sweet kids. They were already dressed and looked beautiful in their white clothes. I have been practicing the song Sonrisas - "Smiles", or "If You Chance to Meet a Frown" - for such an occasion. However, when I sang it, Isaac cried and didn't want a thing to do with me for a good while. I guess my frowny face is a scary one. He did warm up to me eventually. After we got back I read some books with Camila while Jaido helped Isaac. Then I visited with Jaido. I loved talking with him. He said his mother had been an inactive member for a long time and one day the missionaries knocked on their door. They had the lessons and his dad accepted the gospel. He and Jaido got baptized on the same day (like me and my Dad). Now their family was being sealed. What a sweet story. A very sweet handsome young man.

The second family had three boys, Jose (10), Mateo (8), Tiago (6). They were all dressed in matching suits. They were so smart and taught so well in their home. I had a lot of fun with these boys. We read books and played I spy with my little eye (yo veo con mis pequeńos ojos alguna cosa qué es ____?). They love to sing and we got the Children's Song book out. They took turns choosing songs which we all sang. They all told me stories, and they even played the "Hand" game with me. We also talked about being a forever family.

What a sweet experience for me to be with these sweet children. I miss playing with my own grandchildren so I enjoy being the "White Grandma".

Three days this week I was assigned to the baptisty, twice with my own companion. I always love serving with him. The youth are so fun. There is a room that they all wait in for the Temple President to speak to them and for me to give them instructions. I like to visit with them before the President comes.

One group was from Tarija, which is very far away. I was asking them what it was like to take a flota "bus" all this way. They said it was like a party without food. They wanted to know what State I was from. When I told them Utah, one girl gasped and said "Where the Prophet lives?" They asked if I ever get to see him. I told them I hadn't met him but I did get to meet President Uchtdorf at Deseret Book with my mother. They are so enthusiastic about everything and I love working with them.

I got to be in charge of the Roperia (clothing rental) one day. It was my first time (in charge). The most challenging part for me in the Roperia was putting the person's ID number in the computer. I don't hear numbers very often and when they are said fast it is a bit tricky. I really enjoyed it. There was really only one brother that was hard for me to understand.

Yesterday, December 12 is my father's birthday. He was born in 1908 and passed away July 3, 1993. I think of him a lot here in Bolivia. He would have loved these good, hard working, humble, soft spoken, gentle, loving people. He was like that himself. He was one of the most Christ-like people you could ever meet. He truly loved all people and never judged them. He was always helping someone. He was genuine. He was honest and kind and very hard working. You could always count on him. He lived what he believed. He loved the Lord and he loved his fellow-man. He was a fun Daddy, who taught by example, usually while he was working the horses or mucking out the stalls or while he was driving us somewhere. He knew and loved the Bible. I loved to hear him tell the stories in the Old Testament in chronological order. They were his Heroes. He loved his daughters and most of all he loved our mother. To him, she was the most beautiful, charming, witty, intelligent, most perfect woman on earth. I'm grateful for the example of their good marriage.

There is so much more I could say about this great man. But if I only had one word to describe him it would be "love", which in his words is the greatest thing in the world and without love there is nothing. His love is forever. 

The Cochabamba Temple in December - Summer. 

The Cochabamaba Temple in July - Winter.

[This is Charles]
René Tapia called me today. He was my first companion in Punata. I learned a lot from him about the Bolivian culture, the people, and how to work hard and enjoy life at the same time. He lives in Montero, now, and says he has white hair! That's pretty unusual for a Bolivian. He's coming to Cochabamba in January - I look forward to meeting him.

I inserted the pictures above to give you a feel for how different everything is between winter and summer here. I the first picture, the lawn looks worse because they ripped it out and it's just growing back. But the flowers and everything else around the temple is so beautiful at this time of the year. The weather is a bit warmer - it actually gets up into the high 80's on some days, but the nights cool off into the 60's, so it allows us to cool off the apartment and makes it very pleasant.

Our service in the temple is so sweet. Not a week goes by without our meeting and assisting members in doing the work for their families. This week, we both worked with a young man and his mother who had come from Sucre to do the work for and seal his great-grandparents on his father's side. They finished everything just before the temple closed on Saturday afternoon. It was so sweet to see him and his mother working together on this.

Preparations for Christmas

[December 1-7, 2015]

Wednesday 2 December 2015
On my way up to the temple this afternoon I got caught in a downpour. Fortunately 1) I had an umbrella, and 2), it's only about 100 yards from the Hospedaje to the Temple. We're approaching the rainy season here, and Cochabamba needs it. It's been pretty dry.

Friday 4 December 2015
We got a strand of Christmas lights to decorate the apartment. We hung them up - quite festive. Christmas here will be quite different - summertime, 80 degree days, no snow, etc., but I'm sure we'll enjoy it.

Adding some Holiday cheer to our apartment.

Sunday 6 December 2015
Today was a "Día de Peaton y Bicicleta en Defensa de la Madre Tierra", so we had Fast and Testimony meeting and Sunday School here at the Hospedaje since no taxis, trufis, or buses are running.

Monday 7 December 2015
We went on an adventure today - took Trufi 207 out to Av. Blanco Galindo past where Heroinas ends. There's a Hipermaxi out there I wanted to check out, and this was a good excuse for an adventure. We walked back to IC Norte to get some groceries, and took Bus 3 home from there.
It was a beautiful day - maybe in the 80's, but with enough of a breeze to make it very lovely.

Bridge over Av. Blanco Galindo, which leads to Quillacollo.

View back towards downtown Cochabamba from the bridge above. You can see the Cristo statue in the distance.

As we were walking, we saw this park:

Cochabamba has many parks, but due to the dryness of the climate, the grass is almost always brown. There are many trees, though, as you can see, and playground toys in many of the parks. If the water situation was a bit better, these would all be lovely.

For FHE tonight, President Jensen gave the lesson, and focused on three messages:

1) December is special for many reasons. In addition to Christmas and the commemoration of the Savior's birth, we focus on family, on reviewing the past year, on celebrating with others. He also indicated how much he appreciated Tithing Settlement, and having had parents who always paid their tithing, even in hard times.

2) He talked about Symbols and Types, and reviewed a document that he had obtained some time ago:
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Symbols and Types Associated with the Birth of Jesus Christ

• He who was called "the life" (John 14:26) was born inthe springtime (see D&C 20:1) when life was renewed.
• He who was called the "new David" (see Jeremiah 23:4) and the "root of David" (Revelation 22:16) was born in Bethlehem, the city of David (Luke 2:11).
• He who was called "the bread of life" (John 6:48) was born in Bethlehem (Hebrew: the house of bread).
• He who was called the "Lamb of God" (John l:29) was born in a stable and laid in a manger (Luke 2:7,12) where lambs gathered.
• He who taught that whosoever humbleth himself should be exalted (see Matthew 23:12) came into the world in the humblest of circumstances (see Luke 2:7).
• At the birth of Him who is called the "light of the world" (John 8:12), darkness was banished as a sign of His Birth (see 3 Nephi 1 :15, 18).
• At the birth of Him who is called the "bright and morning star" (Revelation 22:16), a new star appeared in the heavens (see Matthew 2:2, 7 ,9; 3 Nephi 1 :21).
• At the birth of Him who is called the "Good Shepherd" (John 10:14), shepherds were the first to receive the announcement of His birth (see Luke 2:18-16).
• Both Mary and Joseph were commanded by revelation to name the child Jesus (see Matthew 1:23;Luke 1:31.) Jesus is the Greek name for the Hebrew Joshua (savior, deliverer).
• At the birth of Him who is called "Savior" (Luke 2:11) and the "Prince of Life" (Acts 3:15), the lives of those who were facing death for their belief in Him were saved by His birth (see 3 Nephi 1 :4- 19)

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3) He then read Isaiah 53:4-5, and referred to a talk by President Hinckley, found in the December 2000 Ensign:

"The Wondrous and True Story of Christmas"

"This is the wondrous and true story of Christmas. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem of Judea is preface. The three-year ministry of the Master is prologue. The magnificent substance of the story is His sacrifice, the totally selfless act of dying in pain on the cross of Calvary to atone for the sins of all of us.

"The epilogue is the miracle of the Resurrection, bringing the assurance that “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).

"There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter. The babe Jesus of Bethlehem would be but another baby without the redeeming Christ of Gethsemane and Calvary, and the triumphant fact of the Resurrection."

He then had us review all of the Christmas Hymns (201-214) in the hymnbook for references to the Atonement. It puts a bit of a different emphasis on Christmas, and was a very good reminder for all of us of the importance of the Atonement, and how we can celebrate His birth even more by remembering His complete mission here on the earth and how important that was for all humanity.

The flowers and shrubs around the temple are all in full bloom:

Thanksgiving in Bolivia

[December 3, 2015] Thursday

As I was looking over my journal to write this blog I noticed several times having the opportunity to comfort someone. I don't usually know why they are crying or look like they need a hug, but when I feel moved to open my arms to them, they fall in and grab hold often times with tears. I hope by following these promptings that I might be an instrument in The Lord's Hands to share His Love with His daughters.

As I was serving at Silla Uno I was visiting with Brother Huanca (he calls himself Willie) who was serving at the mesa. He lives in La Paz with his wife and four children. He leaves his family, making the 8-10 hour flota ride, to serve in the Temple one week out of every month. His wife is a lawyer and he is a music producer, so his hours are fairly flexible. He's a real "hands on" Dad. His youngest is a real Daddy's boy and likes to be wherever his Daddy is. He cries when his dad leaves. But when Hno. Huanca leaves to go to the Temple, his little boy doesn't make a fuss at all. Hno Huanca feels his service in the Temple is a real blessing to his family. Just a side note, I was able to understand all that he said and made understandable comments. My Spanish is improving, thanks to these sweet patient people that will converse with me.

Hno. Huanca's mother in her beautiful Cholita dress at the temple.

Hermano Huanca is just one of many that sacrifice so much to serve in the Temple on a regular basis. Hermana Umei also comes from La Paz every month for a week. I have talked about Hermana Flores before, she is my "gemela" or twin. All of her children live in Tarija (about 20 hours away).  When her husband retired, five years ago, they moved to Cochabamba to serve in the Temple. It's hard for these good brothers and sisters to serve missions for economical reasons, so this is the Flores' way of serving a mission. So many faithful saints willing to sacrifice so much for this great work.

Thanksgiving Day was different for me as you can imagine. Years ago Becky came home from Institute and said her teacher challenged them to pray in thanks for 30 minutes. At first it seemed long but over the years, especially this one I feel like I could go on and on. I was able to offer my Thanksgiving Prayer from 5:40 am to 7:00 am, all in Spanish. It was the best one ever. I'm so grateful Heavenly Father understands my Spanish and I'm also grateful that I had an hour and twenty minutes worth of Spanish words to say.

After spending a wonderful relaxed morning together, we went on an adventure. We were looking for the right trufi to take to Stake Conference on Sunday. Hno Flores said to take the 107 or 207. We ended up walking all the way and taking the 207 home. Since it was Thanksgiving I had fixings to make a lovely dinner, but with the choice of an adventure and possible dinner out with my husband or staying at home cooking, well of course I chose the adventure. It was fun, but we took too long to stop for dinner so I just made cup of noodle soup, crackers, cantaloupe and cookies. A perfect Thanksgiving feast.

From the moment we decided to put in our mission papers and sell the house last year, I have felt a lot of emotions, but the over-riding emotion that continues with me daily is gratitude. Gratitude for everything in my life right now. For this amazing opportunity to serve. It is the perfect first mission for me in every way. I love being with my companion 24/7.  I love spending everyday in the Temple. The words of the ordinances are in my head and my heart, I want to use this time to glean all I can from them, to understand them more and to appreciate and utilize them more in my life.

I'm so thankful for these people. I love their simple, humble, gentle, patient ways. They have accepted me with open arms, hugs, smiles and kisses. I love there soft-spokeness. I want to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. I strive and pray that I will know when He needs me and that I will be ready. I love my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for the assurance that they are taking care of my family while we are away. I feel it, even with all that is going on with Sawyer I feel His Hand in our lives. I'm also so grateful that my mother is happy and in a good place for her. Nancy and her family are so good to her and they have such a sweet spirit in their home. I'm also grateful that my sister Lyndie lives fairly close and visits mother often. Our children are all in a good place, progressing in their lives, and they love and care for each other. I can't ask for more than that.

Stake Conference, Villamontes Members

[November 24-30, 2015]

Nativity at the Temple at night.

Tuesday 24 November 2015
There was a good sized group of men from Villamontes at the temple today. Villamontes is at least 18 hours away, southeast of Santa Cruz, past Camiri. It was clear that, for some of these brethren, it has been a while since they were last here From what I can determine, they try and have a temple trip for their stake once a year. It's really a sacrifice for them, and shows their faithfulness and determination.

Saturday 28 November 2015
At the temple, the sessions were pretty slow, but I officiated at the first one, with only three brothers. The couple that I invited to help in the session was so cute. They are from Oruro, and she looked like she didn't understand Spanish very well. It was cute to watch her husband whisper to her so she would feel comfortable helping. She was so humble. She hardly ever looked up when I looked at her, and she was so respectful throughout the session. She was 100% attentive, though, trying to learn and understand everything she needed to know. It was sweet to be there with them.

Sunday 29 November 2015
We went to the Cobija Stake Conference this morning. We took the Rojo B Bus downtown, planning to just walk the extra six blocks or so. As we walked, we met Hno. Salazar, who lives downtown, and walked the rest of the way with him.

When we got to the Stake Center, there weren't many there, yet, but it filled to capacity by 9:00 when it started. We saw so many people that we knew - it was fun to greet them.

The Stake President, President Arias, spoke first. He was a bit harder to understand, but he is such a good Stake President. It is clear he loves the people, and knows how to communicate with them.

The second speaker was a young mother, and she talked about the Proclamation on the Family, and how it was such a good guide for her, for women, and for her family.

The next speaker was a member of the High Council, and he talked about his family.

President Mogrovejo from the Temple Presidency spoke about the temple and how important it is. He told the members that he really would like it if each of them came to the temple just once a week. He mentioned that if they did, the workers wouldn't have time to eat lunch (we don't eat lunch on our shifts now, anyway), but that would be a good problem to have.

Elder Moscoso, our Area Seventy, spoke last. His message was very good, about the temple, family, FHE, finding our direction (like GPS, or the Liahona in the Book of Mormon) through the scriptures and the gospel. He told about his family, and how, when their fourth child was born, that he realized how much work his wife was doing to keep everything juggled. So, he encouraged fathers to help more, and recognize how critical their wives were. His message was very good and timely.
All in all, there was lots of counsel about the importance of wives and mothers.

This is Molly. I just wanted to mention the wonderful choir that sang in Stake Conference. They were from JAS (Jovenes Adultos Solteros or Young Single Adults). There were about twenty of them and they sang out with feeling. The songs were all Primary songs including the medly of "Army of Helaman and Sisters in Zion." They added another song to the medley which I cannot remember at this time. They also sang one of my favorites, "I Know That My Savior Loves Me." The director was a girl that comes to the temple to do baptisms regularly. Sister Copa, the new obrera (mentioned previously), and her younger sister also sang in the choir. The accompanist was Michael Salazar, the son of the couple that had us over for dinner a couple weeks ago. He is so talented. I think he arranged the accompaniment for most of the songs. I love to hear the Primary songs sung in Spanish. It really added to the spirit of the meeting.  

Here are some pictures for the week:

The "Pesebre", or Manger on the Temple grounds.

December in Cochabamba!

Hno. Paredes buying Pineapple at La Cancha.

Don and Karren Runquist - leaving next Monday. We'll miss them.

Native attire here in Cochabamba. (Picture by Jim Calder)

Thanksgiving

[November 17-23, 20115]

Tuesday 17 November 2015
At the temple this afternoon, a family had come from Santa Cruz. Their oldest son is going on a mission to Columbia in December, and they brought him to receive his endowments and get sealed to them. They had been sealed in the temple to their two younger children, but this older son had not been baptized at the time. Since then, he accepted the missionary lessons, was baptized, and chose to serve a mission. So, before he left, his parents wanted him to be sealed to them as well.His younger sister is leaving on a mission, too, in March, so we'll see them again!

These are the sweet kinds of things that we experience all the time.

Wednesday 18 November 2015
This afternoon, I officiated at one of the endowment sessions, and there was a blind man in the session. Hno. Calder helped him, and after the session we talked a little bit. He indicated that it had caused him to think about the endowment session and how it would be if you couldn't see - if all you had to go on were the voices and sounds. Certainly, this brother has a challenge in all areas of his life, but it was instructive to think about this particular circumstance, where communications from the Spirit could possibly be enhanced by not having the visual senses, which we so often allow to distract us.

Friday 20 November 2015
We got a coconut to try and see if extracting the water/milk was a possibility. And a thermometer to see how hot it gets in our apartment. We're thinking it runs about 80 to 85 in the daytime.

Coconut split open - glass holds about 12 oz. of the water from the coconut.

The coconut held about 12 oz. of "water", which didn't taste bad, nor particularly good. It had a very slight flavor to it, but mostly not anything very sweet. The flesh of the coconut was very pliable and easy to extract. We're thinking this was a fairly green coconut after we husked it, drained it, and opened it up. We'll shred and toast the meat to see how that goes.

As for the thermometer, it was reading 88 degrees F. inside, which I thought was a bit high. So, in trying to calibrate it to 32 degrees F. in an ice-water bath, and move the glass tube to correlate (it was reading 3-4 degrees high in an ice bath), I managed to break it. So, back to the drawing board.

Monday 23 November 2015
We celebrated Thanksgiving as a missionary group, since the Temple is open on Thursday, and Bolivia doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving.

Everyone contributed - we had turkey, dressing, potatoes and gravy, corn, beans, salad, cranberry salad (Molly made that), rolls, mango and plum drinks, coconut and lemon cream pies, pumpkin and apple pies, ice cream and whipped cream. Quite the feast. It was fun to be all together with the Temple Presidency (Presidente/Hna. Jensen, Pres./Hna. Garcia, Pres./Hna. Mogrovejo), the temple recorder, Hno. Cabrera (his wife was in the EEUU/USA with a daughter and her new twins), the Cochabamba Mission President and his wife, the Hansens, and all the missionaries. The Runquists leave in a few weeks for home. Hna. Runquist did the bulk of planning and decorating - all very, very beautiful and well-coordinated. We'll miss them.

Hno. Calder took the following pictures:

Table decorations, thanks to Hna. Runquist.

Yum!

Our Missionary Family:

Front, from left: the Garcias, the Jensens, the Mogrovejos.

Back, from left: the Paredes, Hno. Cabrera, the Parkers, the Lyons, Hna. Butler, the Runquists, Hna. Valdizán, the Hansens, the Leckies, the Thomases, the Chalmers, the Calders.

What are we thankful for?

• A Heavenly Father who loves us and watches over our family while we are here.
• The gospel and the saving ordinances of the temple that seal us together as a family.
• Each other - we are a better team now than ever, and we have always been a pretty good team.
• A family who loves each other and watches out for each other.
• The opportunity to serve in Bolivia, with these sweet, humble, giving people.

And much, much more...

Molly and I at our Thanksgiving Dinner.

The Temple - getting ready for Christmas. The manger is being built.

Grateful to be here

We get together as temple missionaries on Monday nights for Family Home Evening. This week was in the home of the Parkers. Their lesson was based on the talk by President Eyring "Oh Remember". It set the tone for my week. I have been working on seeing The Lord's Hand in my life everyday and writing down what I have been grateful for.  

Some of  the things I am grateful for this week are:

On Tuesday I was so grateful to start another week serving in the Temple. No matter what I do there, I love it. Charlie made another connection with a couple who know people he knew from his mission. I love these connections. I know they are not mere coincidences.

The best news of the day Wednesday was when we got home from the Temple and read that Sawyer is home. Hopefully he will be able to stay home for a while.


On Thursday I felt The Lord's hand in my life as I was given the opportunity to participate in a session. I felt that was where I needed to be and I was grateful to be there and to have time to sit and ponder before the session and remember the things I am learning here and that I need to write them down. One of those things that I will share is that I am grateful for a good husband and father of our children, who is consistent and strong, and an anchor in our lives. What a source of security and strength he has always been and continues to be in my life and our children's lives as well.

On Friday I  heard from Becky. They brought Sam and Sawyer dinner of home made chicken noodle soup, homemade rolls, ice cream and lots of fruit. Paul told Sawyer he was their hero. Becky said the condo looked and smelled really clean. I'm so happy to hear all of that. I'm so grateful for children who take care of each other.  

This week in the Temple has been slow, as far as participantes go, but even when The Temple is slow, The Spirit is there as well as the feeling of love, peace and inspiration.

The week in the Temple ended in a sweet way. It was not as slow on Saturday. Charlie and I got to officiate the last session. A girl was receiving her endowments and many of her family were there to support her. I loved watching this family interact with so much love. There was a darling grandma (who reminded me of my mother) a couple of aunts and an uncle that I could tell were related, and her parents of course. They really enjoyed each other. I felt like they were my own family. They made me feel a part of their family as they expressed their appreciation for my small part in their experience.

On Sunday I was grateful for the good Wards we attend, the strong leadership and the faithful members. I got to visit with a sweet, young, recently returned sister missionary while Charlie played prelude for Sacrament Meeting. We talked for at least 10 minutes and understood each other. I was also given the opportunity to answer a question in Sunday School. Though I'm not sure if I answered it the way the teacher wanted or if anyone understood what I was trying to say, I'm grateful that I didn't shake my head and not try and I'm thankful that he would ask me.

I'm also thankful for good friends. A couple from the Temple invited 4 of us missionary couples to their home for dinner. It was fun to be with them and the food was very yummy too.

I'm thankful for another great week in Cochabamba.

Elder Knowlton, Lunch With the Salazars

Tuesday 10 November 2015
This afternoon in the temple, I met Juan Carlos Escobar and his wife Romy. In the course of a conversation with him, he mentioned David Knowlton. Elder Knowlton was my second companion, and what he taught me really changed the course of my mission, I believe.

My first companion was a hard worker, but we seldom agreed on the best way to accomplish the work. I was green, and didn’t have enough experience to know how to best influence our working relationship, and got discouraged with some of his ideas and methods of doing the work. When he left, I was discouraged, since I really did want to love these people, and find the ones who were honestly seeking the gospel, but hadn’t felt like I had accomplished much, yet.

Then Elder Knowlton came. He loved the Bolivian people without condition. And, they could feel it. I'd heard the saying, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care", and Elder Knowlton demonstrated the wisdom of that in his every action. He didn't try to prove anything to them, he just loved them, and they knew it. They invited us into their homes, and we had success. It was as if the direction, feel, etc. of my mission changed 180 degrees.

Elder Salisbury (left) and Elder Knowlton in Santa Cruz, 1975.

Later, especially when I served in Punata, I saw the effects in my life and in the lives of others exactly what it meant to love people unconditionally. And I've been blessed throughout my life because of that few months with Elder Knowlton.

So, the Escobars know Dave, and he visits them whenever he comes to Bolivia. They are like family to him. They live in La Paz. I'm still not sure how they came to know him - we'll figure that out over time, I suspect, but here, again, I have been given a sweet experience connecting me with important people from my past.

Thursday 12 November 2015
President Jensen challenged us to meditate and think about what it means to "Come unto Christ", and how the temple and the work done here contributes to that. Molly and I stayed after and visited in the Celestial Room for a few minutes and talked about it.

When I think of "coming" to something, I always think about how sweet it is to come home to my family. I also remember clearly, that the most memorable feeling I had when I received my endowments was one of coming home. Everything felt natural, and I felt like I had been there and heard those things before. Some of that could be attributed to good training in my home, but the overall feeling was so sweet and natural that I've never forgotten it.

So, coming to Christ and coming to the temple, which is His home, and coming home to family and loved ones all have common feelings for me. The ordinances and covenants of the temple are all necessary for us to fully benefit from the Atonement, through the salvation and exaltation that that provides us. Coming to Christ, then, involves learning of Him, sometimes requiring the changing of our hearts, and of our making sacred covenants to bring to pass His work. If we have truly done that, then “Coming to Him” will feel as sweet as any “coming home” has ever felt.

Sunday 15 November 2015

We went to the home of Hno. Reynaldo and Hna. Yolanda Salazar for lunch with three of the other missionary couples here. Both of them work at the temple - he is a sealer.

Hna. Salazar had prepared a very nice lunch of papas rellenas, rice with corn and gravy, chicken, and llajua - a Bolivian salsa that is very good. For drinks, she had prepared maracuya (passionfruit?), and mocochinchi - a drink with a dried peach in the bottom of your glass. It was really nice.

Front Row: Alan and Sally Chalmers, Reynaldo and Yolanda Salazar, Sherry and Tim Parker.
Back Row: Molly and Charles Lyon, Karen and Don Runquist.

After we ate, Hno. Salazar asked me to look for the missionaries that baptized their family - David Farnsworth, and Ernest Richter. It’s difficult, after 40 years, to locate many of these former missionaries, but the families they taught and whose lives they touched are eternally grateful. The Salazars have four children whose lives and families have also been influenced for the good by their membership in the church with missions and service in their wards.

Just for added flavor, here's a picture Brother Jim Calder took of some local Bolivians. This is the more native dress style we frequently see.:

Grateful for 36 years together

 [November 11, 2015] Wednesday

Charlie and I celebrated our 36th anniversary on the 2nd.We had a good day being together. Thirty six years ago we talked about the kind of family we wanted to have and set goals for our life together. Our family has surpassed our hopes and dreams.

We have seven wonderful children with four amazing sons and daughters in law that we claim as our own. We are so grateful for the people they are and the way they live their lives. We appreciate how  they love and care for each other, especially while we are so far away. They are good friends and seem to really enjoy each others company. They are raising our 13 amazing grandchildren with love and hope and joy in their homes. This was the family we dreamed of 36 years ago.

Our dreams, though wonderful in themselves, could never come close to the real joy, intensity, deep love, and indescribable and overwhelmingly wonderful emotion that our family is to us. We are so grateful for them as well as our dear parents and siblings. We are grateful that families can be Eternal through the blessings of the Temple. We can't imagine Eternity without any one of them.

Thirty six years ago we also talked about serving missions together when the time was right. And here we are in Cochabamba, Bolivia serving in the Temple and helping these sweet people become Eternal Families. We are so grateful for Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness for His children. He really loves us and wants us to be happy and wants our families to be together forever.

This week we started working on the afternoon shift again. It's sweet to be with these sisters again. I have missed them. I also realized that some of them who I loved dearly but had a hard time understanding are much easier to understand, so I guess I am learning and improving my Spanish.

It's always sweet to work in the Temple no matter what our assignment is. Every day it changes and I love finding out what I get to do each day. This week I was able to care for two brothers while they waited to be sealed to their parents. The older one was 12 and his little brother was 6 months old. It was so good to hold this sweet little chubby baby and get him dressed in white clothing. The older brother Carlos was so sweet with little Lucas and would sing to him, and Lucas would smile and laugh at his big brother. I got to hold Lucas at the altar while the family was sealed. A very touching experience for me.

I served in the Baptistry twice this week. I love working with the youth. One of those times Charlie was also serving in the Baptistry. It is always fun seeing him in the Temple and especially serving with him. I love serving in the Temple.
  

Did I See His Hand in My Life Today?

[November 3-9, 2015]

We had a missionary Family Home Evening this week, and the topic dealt with this video clip of a Conference talk by Elder Eyring. The talk was in the October, 2007 conference:

O Remember Remember

The gist of the clip, and the talk, is that we need to find ways to recognize and remember God's kindness in our lives. He relates how he would write in his journal each night, and ask himself the question, "Did I see His hand in my life?"

In my personal journal, I'm going to try and be diligent about doing that as well. We have had so many experiences here just four months that I have tried to document, and truly want to remember. Some of those may influence this more public history of our mission as well.

For instance, I was at the front desk of the temple last week, and a gentleman asked if anyone knew Elder Lyon. Hmmm.... Coincidence?

I reported that I thought I knew him, and asked the gentleman's name. He told me he was Cecil Mendez, and that his father, who is now 85 and lives in Santa Cruz, was Alvaroa Mendez (I'm taking a shot with the first name spelling - I never recorded his name in my journal), who lived in Pocoata (9 miles outside of Punata) when I was there.

Cecil was only two years old at the time, so he didn't remember me, but his father had heard that I was here and sent him asking. We used to walk the 9 miles or so to their home every couple of weeks to visit them. He came to church nearly every Sunday - I don't remember much about his family, though.

After moving to Santa Cruz, he was called as a Stake President, and his family are all still active and faithful. Here's a picture of him at their home in Pocoata, I think, along with Hna. Lopez, her daughter, Hna. Sanchez, Elder Tapia, and (I'm assuming), some of Hno. Mendez's children.

Hno. Mendez, Hna. Lopez and Claudia Ivana (Bebita), one of the Mendez children,
Elder Tapia, another Mendez child.

The road leading to the Mendez home in Pocoata, 1975.

I sent my regards to his father. Hopefully we can cross paths and share remembrances sometime in the future.

Later in the week, Molly and I were assigned to work in the Baptistry. An older gentleman and his wife came, each with the name of a family member they had come to do the work for. From what I gathered, it was his father and mother. He was quite feeble, but was determined to do this work. Neither he nor his wife had received their endowments, yet, so I'm assuming they were new members - baptized themselves within the last few months.

It is such a testimony to me to see the faithfulness, desire, and diligence of these good members to do the work for their families so they can be sealed together forever.

I don't know how much I am necessarily contributing to these good people by being here and serving, but they certainly strengthen me and increase my faith and testimony. Molly and I are both so grateful to be here serving in the temple at this time.

As for the more mundane details of the week to note:

Tuesday 3 November 2015

We heard today that Sawyer's ANC (Absolute Neutrophil Count) had risen from zero to 500, with normal being greater than 1500. We hope this is an indication that his bone marrow is responding.

Wednesday 4 November 2015

We went to a place called "Sole Mio" (yes, that is spelled correctly) for pizza for lunch today. It was pretty good - not perfectly like back Stateside, but adequate. We really don't mind the lack of availability of stateside food, for the most part. It is "just food" after all.

Friday 6 November 2015
Since Molly and I are both using Personal Historian for our journaling, it became apparent that having a second laptop for Mom to use would be a good thing. So, we bought another Lenovo - a cheaper model - for her to use. I'll upgrade it to Windows 10 before we load much of anything on it.

Saturday 7 November 2015
At the temple, Mom and I got to both work in the baptistry. There were over 30 youth, with about 10 endowed adult men to help. That made it go very smoothly.
Sunday 8 November 2015
Both the Rosedal and Linde wards had their Primary programs today. It was fun to see all these cute children singing and performing (literally) for their parents. It's cute to see how similar the Primary children are to the children back home. It was fun for us to see both of these wards' children, and the sweetness and love that they exude.

We got more news about Sawyer - he was having stomach pains on Friday, so they were doing an abdominal ultrasound. The doctors think they may have to remove his gall bladder. His Grandma Wiggins indicated that if they did that, it was likely that he wouldn't go home until after the end of the year. She said he wasn't in pain today, and that his spirits were good today. We know that the best that can be done for him is being done, and that there is a plan in all of this.

More from Molly

[November 4, 2015]

Our month of turno de la mañana is over.  We will be serving in the afternoon for the month of November.

I have learned a lot working in the morning. As we mentioned before, we were the only English speakers on the morning shift. I learned to listen better and think harder before speaking. I also gained a greater appreciation for these dear native sisters that I have been blessed to serve with. They have given me their patience, love, appreciation and friendship. They have shared their testimonies and their stories of faith with me. They have demonstrated their confidence in me as I have been given assignments of responsibility and at times great intensity.

 I love when the temple is so full of participantes (patrons) and we are all working together to make sure these dear faithful sisters (some who spend many hours on a bus to get here and are here for only a few days) are able to get the work done for their ancestors. Some are able to come every year, others don't know when they might return.

I was able to welcome a young woman from La Paz who was  receiving her own endowments in preparation for her mission. She was accompanied by her parents. Later that morning I was asked to help a family who was being sealed for time and all Eternity. As I read the name in their folder I recognized the daughter. She was the one receiving her own endowments and she was being sealed to her parents as well. So sweet to share that whole experience with them. They made me feel welcomed into their family and were so grateful for my help. I felt honored to share in their special day.

My assignment that day was sealing coordinator. I had been a bit intimidated as I watched very capable native sisters carry out this assignment, knowing that one of these days I would be given the opportunity. The day I got that assignment I prayed in my heart that I would love those I served and that the Lord would bless me to know how to help them and give me the words of comfort and help and answers that they would need. When I went to receive the family and welcome them, my heart was full of love and I knew the Lord had already answered my prayer.

One day before our shift began, I was putting some names of my loved ones on the temple prayer roll. An obrera (sister worker) asked me if I would write some of her loved one's names on the prayer roll for her. This sister does not read or write, yet she is willing and through great effort on her part and help from the Lord is able to serve in the temple. A very humbling moment for me to ponder.

I had a unique experience one day. In my first assignment, a woman from La Paz introduced herself as Saul Montano's sister. We had a lovely visit. Later that day as I was helping a sister, she said something in English. I love to find out where these sisters learn English and I asked her. She said in Missouri. Who would have guessed it, she knows our Holly. Her daughter in law especially loves Holly and talks about her all the time. They all lived in the Lee's Summit Ward. Holly's influence is felt clear in Bolivia. Way to go Holly!

One more story. My dear mother, over the past few years or so has felt very close to some of her ancestors. When we both lived in American Fork we would try to do Family History work for some of these people that keep coming to her mind. We had a few successes, mostly because she was with me and could verify their time of death because she knew them.

One day last week, we were talking on the phone and she mentioned Uncle Gus. She hadn't thought of Uncle Gus in many years, but for some reason she couldn't stop thinking of him. She didn't know his last name but knew that his daughter Florence married Hoot Henderson and Hoot was "Mama's" Ollie's cousin. What she remembers of Uncle Gus was that he always wanted the Holy Ghost. In their religion, to receive the Holy Ghost you had to "go down" and repeat over and over the word "Glory" and you needed to do it faster than Uncle Gus could speak. He was from Sweden and had a hard time saying that word over and over quickly. He never felt like he got the Holy Ghost. Mother wanted to make sure Uncle Gus got the opportunity.

So I went in search of Uncle Gus. I really did find him! However, I could not figure out how to tie him into our family tree and until I could do that I couldn't help Uncle Gus receive the Holy Ghost. Charlie had an assignment in the temple while I was searching for Uncle Gus, so when he came home I asked for his help. Being the "questioning" person that he is, he is also a much better detective and he figured out where Uncle Gus tied into our line. I'm so grateful we could help Uncle Gus, who is really Nils Gustaf Nelson, from Sweden, and Hoot Henderson is really Samuel H. Henderson, the son of Ernest Henderson and Nora Bell (Mama's cousin). We've added these connections in FamilySearch, and have found some more research that needs to be done to fill out all the families involved.

What was really fun to see through all this was that his ordinance work had already been done! We don't know exactly how, but we're imagining that his righteous desires had been accomplished through one of his direct descendants who had found the gospel, joined the church, and researched and done his work in the temple for him.

Tin Palace, Parque Botanico, Halloween?

[October 27 to 2 November, 2015]

Since I’m now keeping my real journal in Personal Historian, I’m going to try to just put the things here that might be interesting for others to read, and less of the mundane, daily details.

Tuesday 27 October 2015
After our temple shift this morning, we decided we'd like to go see the Simón I. Patiño center. He was reportedly, the fifth richest man in the world during the 20th Century, with his wealth having come from tin mining ventures that started here in Bolivia. It's a pretty interesting story.

He started a home here, really a palace, modeled around European palaces. It took twelve years to build, and due to health issues that caused him to move to Europe, and later to New York, and later Buenos Aires, he never lived in it. The house is very fancy. I'll look for some inside pictures on the web, since we couldn't take any ourselves inside.

Molly in front of the Simon I. Patiño Palace.

Gardens around the Simon I. Patiño Center.

Gardens around the Simon I. Patiño Center.

Here's a link to some additional info and pictures that might be interesting to some:
Simon I. Patiño Center

Thursday 29 October 2015
While I was at the desk today at the temple, a couple named Pozo came to the desk. Strangely, they asked if I knew Saul Montaño. When I told them that I did, the wife told me she was Saul's sister, and that they had been told to look for us. For those who don’t know, Saul is a native of La Paz, Bolivia, and we served our missions here in Bolivia together. We were never companions, but we served in Santa Cruz in the same branch, and lived in the same house, eating breakfast and lunch together, attending the branch together, etc.

When we moved to American Fork, we found that he and his family lived just across the street. So, for 25 years, our families were very close – he’d teach some of the kids in Sunday School or Primary, I worked with his kids when I was the Bishop, our kids went to school together, etc. Small world.

After we ate lunch, Molly and I walked to the Parque Botanico. Very pretty. I took lots of pictures. On the way back, we met a couple of sister missionaries. One, Sister Hermanson, is from Spanish Fork, and has relatives in American Fork. Small world twice in the same day.

Here are some pictures of the Parque Botanico:

Path lined with palm trees.

Vinca - for Stacy's benefit!

Saturday 31 October 2015
Today is Halloween back in the States! Halloween really isn’t practiced here, traditionally, but it looks like there is an attempt to integrate it. We saw lots of street vendors selling masks, spiders, costumes, etc. I don’t think they really do much trick or treating. Tomorrow and Monday are their big holidays – Día de los Muertos, and Todos Santos. The upshot of these holidays consists of putting out a feast of pastries, candies, etc., for their relatives who have passed on to come and eat during the night. From the comments of members, though, it’s mostly an occasion to have parties.

Monday, though, is a “Feriada” day – businesses are closed, buses and trufis are limited, and so on. Reportedly, the cemeteries are decked out, so maybe Molly and I can make our way down to the cemetery just southwest of La Cancha.

Sunday 1 November 2015
In the Rosedal ward, today was the “farewell” for the oldest son of the counselor in the Bishopric who always greets us before the meeting, Hno. Delgadillo. The son is leaving tomorrow for his mission in Peru. Hno. Delgadillo was quite emotional as his son bore his very strong testimony. I had had the opportunity to help the son with his initiatory and endowments a couple of weeks ago, which made this a sweet experience for me to see him so prepared to go.

After the meeting, we visited with his mother. She has such an interesting story. She was sent, at age 13, for reasons she doesn't really understand even now, to live in Utah with a family who, at the time, couldn't have children. She lived with them for 9 years, during which, the mother gave birth to eight children. This sister was treated very well, just like their own children, but as you can imagine, she had quite the adjustment to make. She spoke no English at the time, and learned it by going to the Spanish class at the High School. She said that the teachers and friends were so helpful to her.

Over the past few years, she has had a number of health problems - seizures leading to falling and breaking bones, etc., and she told us that she hadn't been to church in a number of months because she was bedridden with a severely broken leg.

But, with her son leaving on his mission, she is determined to come to church each week to support her husband. They are a sweet family - one other daughter - and they exemplify the fact that even faithful families have struggles and trials to overcome. But, the happiness in their faces, and in their lives, shows their faithfulness and diligence in living the gospel. This sister speaks pretty good English, and offered to help Molly any time she needed help. Very kind.

Monday 2 November 2015
Today is our 36th Anniversary. I bought Molly some flowers at the Feria on Saturday, but, sadly, I think they are already wilting. One thing is for sure, though, our relationship is better than ever. We enjoy spending time together, and especially enjoy seeing each other as we serve in the temple.

We're going to try out a Pizza place that was recommended for dinner, and Molly is fixing the treats for the Missionary Couple FHE tonight. Not necessarily the most exciting Anniversary ever, but still fun because we are doing it together.

36 years, and still enjoying every minute of it.

Lastly, some random pictures, just to liven things up:

A Flota parked in the Temple parking lot.

An aguayo (blanket) we bought at La Cancha last week.

Selling a few bananas in La Cancha

The temple at dusk

Demetrio's Family - Another Tender Mercy

[October 20-26, 2015]

(Skip down to Sunday for our sweet experience with Demetrio and his family.)

Tuesday 20 October 2015
This was a regular day at the temple. The sessions were pretty small, so Molly and I got to be the witness couple for the last session. That's always nice. I had the front desk responsibility from 3:15 to 4:30 pm - that rotates between all the temple missionaries so we can let the afternoon workers in before the preparation meeting.

Wednesday 21 October 2015
Hno. Paredes, who was the shift coordinator, had me be the veil coordinator today. He likes the way that I do that responsibility, and it gives us some time in between session start and end to visit. He really is an amiable person, with a very strong testimony of the temple and the work we do here. We have a number of jokes between us, now. The most common one relates to having done something that indebts the other. In that case, the indebted one is supposed to get a "chancho" for the other one (a roasted pig). We laugh over that one all the time.

Another one has to do with going out to dinner with our wives, and "llevando nuestro proprio pañuelo". It's an idiom that literally means carrying your own handkerchief, but means going dutch. It's fun working with him on the morning shift, in part because I can't be distracted into visiting with the white missionaries in English - it's pure Spanish on our shift right now. That will change at the end of the month, when Molly and I will go back to afternoons with the other missionaries.

After the shift, Molly and I came home, had lunch, and went down to La Cancha. We really would like to find a vacuum cleaner like a Dirt Devil, but they don't have any such thing. The closest thing, with a beater brush, etc., was $450, so we didn't get one. The cheapest ones were $45, and they did nothing more than vacuum - no beater action. We did find her a nice sweatshirt so she doesn't have to sleep in her nice sweater when she's feeling chilly, a scale to monitor our weights (I'm down to 191 lbs now - from 220 18 months ago, and 200 when we got here. But, I feel healthy.), a purse for Molly to carry her iPad to church in, and another nice Bolivian blanket called an aguayo. I'll have to get a picture to show it here.

Bolivian Aguayo - arranged to be a chair cushion cover.

Thursday 22 October 2015
A couple from Salta Argentina, whom we have gotten to know this week through the ordinances at the temple, dropped by with a sack full of alfajores for us to enjoy. They are an Argentine treat that is not common here in Bolivia. It is a kind of sandwich cookie with "dulce de leche" as the filling, and it is covered with a chocolate or vanilla frosting. 

Friday 23 October 2015
This afternoon we went down to Charles Spurrier's Mexical restaurant for dinner, walked up the street to Dumbos for ice cream, and then over to the German Santa Maria center for the Multistake, JAS (that's Jovenes Adultos Solteros, or Young Single Adults) Dance extravaganza. It was pretty fun. I made a movie of the Cobija Stake entry. I can't seem to make it work here, so I'll just upload it to the Family Google+ account. Sorry.

Saturday 24 October 2015
We went out to dinner with the missionaries tonight at Fridays. We sat with the Thomases and Calders and had a nice visit, then we walked up the street to IC Norte to get some groceries on the way home.

Sunday 25 October 2015
There was a regional conference, broadcast from Salt Lake to all the stakes in Peru and Bolivia. It was pretty impressive to have Elder Marcus Nash and Elder Neil A. Anderson present their messages in Spanish, along with President Uceda of the Area Presidency, and Elder Soares from Presidency of the Seventy. Sister Esplin spoke in English, which was translated. All their messages were important and uplifting, but there was a special emphasis on the Temple by President Uceda, which we clued into carefully.

Yesterday, Molly was visiting with Marcy Millard, a lady we met along with her husband, James, on Friday. She asked us to go to the conference with them, since they don't yet know anyone in their ward or stake, so we changed our plans from going to the Cobija Stake center to go to the Universidad Stake Center. Marcy was baptized in Santa Cruz in 1975, and served a mission shortly thereafter under President McCallister, who was my mission President. She also knows Saul Montaño from our American Fork Ward.

After we sat down and visited while waiting for the meeting to start, I realized that Demetrio Carballo was sitting in the row in front of us. He's the brother that was baptized when I was in Punata, whom I met in the temple a couple of months ago. I had his phone number, but couldn't connect, and I thought I had his correct address, but couldn't find him. I really wanted to meet his family.

When I realized he was sitting in the row right in front of us, we said hello and visited briefly - it was sweet that he just happened to be there. After the meeting, we walked with him to his apartment, where he lives with his wife and four children. (My address was off 180 degrees... He lives south of the main cross street, not north.)

We thought it was quite the coincidence that we sat right next to him, but it actually goes further. He is currently working in a little community of about 50 families 6 hours outside Cochabamba.  He teaches Math, Chemistry, and Physics to the teenagers. He only comes home about once a month, and had been here last week. But, he just decided to come this week again, surprising his family, and there he was, right in front of us in the conference. Small blessings (that really feel big to me).

We met his family - his wife and three of his four children. His youngest son is handicapped - pretty severely - but it was so sweet to see how he interacted with his dad. The love was so clearly present. His older son, and only daughter were there as well, and they were so gracious to greet us and let us briefly invade their humble home on a Sunday.

Then we came home and had dinner with all the temple missionaries. A new couple just arrived yesterday - Jim and Ann Calder. They were here last year as well, and have returned for six months or so. They know President and Sister Lawrence and Carol Clarke in the AF 12th Ward, whom we love dearly.

Monday 26 October 2015
We got up early this morning to try the bread from a panadería close here. We heard about it from James and Marcy Millard - the couple we met on Friday. We got to the place at 6:00 am, and it opened at 6:15. The bread was still warm, and tasted good, but didn't seem to be what they were telling us about, so we'll have to see if there is another one that we missed.

We went down to La Cancha around noon to ask the guy at the place we bought the printer if he had any ideas about the lack of printing any magenta color. He said to bring it in and he would fix it at no charge, so we'll do that on Wednesday. Then we went looking for a cordless phone with a speakerphone feature, since that would make visiting with the folks and kids easier when Skype isn't working. We found one in the Gallo - another section of La Cancha with electronic goods, clothing, and other such. It should work well for us. 


We got more  news of Sawyer - some lesions on his liver, jaundice, and a fever. We're hoping and praying that he will start getting better soon. This is a lot of stress on his little body, with the colostomy and all on top of the aplastic anemia. He's been such a trooper, and everyone loves him. The Jordan Meadows Ward Primary sent him a stuffed baboon - we got a picture of him with it - very sweet.

Sawyer with his gift from the Primary.

Sawyer right before his surgery - brave trooper.