I had to hurry away last night as dad was coming in the door with our friend who was going to do the FHE. He is a gourmet cook and gave me the responsibility to make the hot chocolate, but the lesson began before I could finish, He brought all these unkown ingredients and didn't tell me what to do. I winged it, poured in this and that, and watched hard to make sure it didn't clump or burn, It did both, but I cheated a bit and did my own thing finally and it turned out afterall. He never knew, and if he did, didn't say. I've told you of this man in prior logs, but he told everyone the story tonight., He was born into a Nazi family and was little Nazi until he grew up and realized how evil this really was. He is an educated man, educated in the best schools in Austria , Germay and Holland and Yugaslavia. He is a delight to talk to over dinner and a delight to hear anywhere. He is on an astrophysics kick right now and it is fun to talk to him.

The boys and girls camp, both different weeks, was fantastic. Many conversions came about at this time. Baptisms all over Guatemala were held as a result of this three day activity. In the boys camp, theyfigured that 6,000 priesthood holders were there. Two thousand tents...smores, and all the activities, campfires, spear throwing, mock battles, and the regular knots, star gazing, etc, were required. We were in Coban when the young men came home. We were in the church and you know the enthusiasm of these men and boys when they come home from camp. This took the missioaries by surprise and soon the whole zone conference got into the act, Just imagine, spears, wrestling, etc. on the lawn, on the eve of the Christmas Devotional.

Guatemala is beautiful. We have driven close to a thousand miles. Each region has its particular dress and one knows when that region is over because the dress is different. We have inspected hospitals, doctors' offices, labs, other health facicilities in this country. Most are pretty grim and I wouldn't want a missionary staying in most of these. At least though, we will be able to pick the least of the worst. This is a third world country, although sometimes I forget it. We also have clinics, do health lectures that are very critical and then, on our own time, distribute glasses to poor people who have no other assets. These are your glasses. These are the glasses you sent from the states. These are the glasses we didn't think we could collect until Spring...a thousand of them. Now we have a thousand already and hundreds and hundreds are being sent before the holiday. We are out of 100+, 125+, 150+ and 175_. Most of all 10+ and 125+. We have used all of them up. We are really out of business at the moment until another week and another supply arrives. Kathy Knowlton is going to send some in February, several eagle projects in the states, and other friends will help after the first of the year. We know this is a finite project and we don't care. We will, end the end, have blessed thousands of people through this project. It won't be just the recipient, but the family, also, will be able to benefit from a grandma's better function with a needle or comb, for example.

While on these conferences we work very hard during the daylight hours. At night, we usually go find a place to eat with the mission pres, the senior missionaries in the area, the APs, just anyone, and it has been so much fun to laugh, talk, share stories and experiences with each other as all of us has come from somewhere different and are having diverse experiences in our missions. Our first Zone was in Santa Elena, a town situation beside a huge lake in Northern Guatemala. There was a beautiful island just off the coast where there was a village full of restaurants, shops, churches...etc. It was beautiful and right on the way to Tikal where we hope to go someday. Maybe over the holiday. We ate each night on the island. They had feasts for conferences lunch breaks so we were well fed. In fact, I have gained 8 pounds in the last 2 months.

Wearing this little badge gives us amazing access to places no gringo could ever go. And, it is also because we are always in the company of missionaries who speak impeccable Spanish or Que'che. We are in homes, markets, stores, down lanes, the middle of crowds,, etc. We all stick out like sore thumbs but everyone is kind to us. We couldn't go alone, nor would be try. Guatemala is a dangerous country, but so far we have seen no evidence of it. In fact, of all the countries, we love Guatemala the most