we may never understand Spanish...

We may never understand or be able to use Spanish very well, but we are learning a new language, and that is the language of the Spirit. We are so grateful for the many promptings and constant guidance we receive hourly. We are struggling with Spanish. We can read it quite well, at least we can work our way through most text, but hearing it is so difficult for both of us. We have not been putting the work into studying the language as we should have, but thanks to our daughter-in-law, quite unknowing to her, we realize we need to prioritize our "to do" list. We have so much to do, and enjoy every part of every task, but we realize we are working too hard from the wrong way up. We fit in Scripture study and Spanish when we finish everything else. And often, we are so tired at night that the effort is cursory, at best. We have begun companionship study and personal study of the scriptures first, and suddenly it seems that the day goes more smoothly and we actually have a little time left over.

Our Zone Conferences in Santa Elena and Coban were learning experiences for us. We probably put close to a thousand miles on our car in the last two weeks. From mountains to valleys, to lakes and streams, from cities to villages and then to single little shacks we drove hither and yon. This trip was a week long. We had two young nurses in the car with us the whole time who spoke impeccable Spanish and had served in the areas we were traversing which made the trip even more wonderful as we listened to them tell us about everything we were seeing. We were also with the Mission President, Elders, etc. which made it possible for us to see and do things we never could have otherwise.

We will include pictures, if not in this post - the next. This is a third-world country and once we leave the city it is very evident. Even though the city is such a mix of modern and traditional it is still evident that past and present are intermingled here. I cannot say in a blog some of the things you might find interesting, but I must say that I love Guatemala - every stick and stone. I love the people we meet, and because of the glasses we meet many more than we would otherwise, and in a intimate way that has been a blessing to us as well as to all of them.

We have given away hundreds of glasses, visited hospitals, clinics, labs all over northern Guatemala in order to evaluate places where missionaries could go if the need arises. If I were a mom or grandma there are few places I would choose for someone I love. In addition to all of this we have worked hard to accomplish all the mission Zone Conference tasks. Those experiences with people we admire so much, have been revelatory to us.

Tonight the Area President came over for dinner. Their children will be here from all over the United States next week and they are bringing the low power glasses we have run out of in our little clinics. They are having 10 grandchilren and children here for the holidays and they wanted to involve them in a service project. Tonight, after dinner, we role-played for them how to run a clinic. Dad taught them how to find the correct powers and then we gave them the rest of the glasses. They will go to a town near the Pacific Ocean and run a clinic for the people who live there.

If one looks at a topographical map it reveals a wondrous profile of mountains in that region. All the high mountains and, old and still active, volcanoes are situated along the coast. This is why the beaches are all black sand. Many people in the towns between the coast and the volcanoes have few resources. This is where our Area President and his family are going. This is a wonderful service project for this family and, even better, they are able to use the product of our family and friends labor and service as they worked so hard in the States to put all this together.

We have many plans for the next 10 days. In addition to some wonderful gatherings with senior missionaries and Area Presidency...we are totally involved in several intense service projects. Several months ago I mentioned the Lion's Club we were trying to assist. We have made over 9o blankets...easy ones...fleece with edges tied in knots and gathered many things to take them to a little party we will have on Saturday. Just listen to this: 5oo diapers, 80 huge cans of some kind of powerfully enriched milk for the malnourished children that end up in this facility, toys, stockings, medicines and first aid supplies. The humanitarian dept. in the church, with the incredible help of Dean and Marilyn Bawden - humanitarian missionaries - have made it possible to tap the resources of the church in our efforts. We are going to play lots of games and have two pinatas.

Our next service project will be Christmas Eve at the CCM. We have 45 minutes and we have a neat program with lots of treats arranged for them. We will give the 30 shirts our family worked so hard to buy and send to us.

We have sent Xmas cards to one of the Honduran Missionaries. The Senior Missionaries sent 89 cards in Spanish, with lots of personal information: who they were, where they lived, etc. The North American missionaries receive so much and many Latin missionaries never receive even a letter from home the whole time they are in the mission. We heard about this need and everyone responded beautifully.

Feliz Navidad! We know our Savior lives. We sense His light in a new way. As I ponder the physics of light and review the electromagnetic spectrum, I have to laugh a bit, as I realize how very little we know about LIGHT. I wrote this poem as I was sitting in a zone conference last week. I got lost as I tried to follow the speaker, but these words popped into my mind. We love our family. We were able to visit with nearly everyone on Sunday evening as they were having their Christmas Party. How dear they are to us.

Light

I can see to pick my flowers, I can see to hold my child.
I can see to climb the mountain, I can see the way you smiled.

I can see to read my scriptures, I can see to sing the notes.
I can see my loved one's face, I can see the words I wrote.

I can see the glorious sunset, I can see the colored 'bow.
I can see the rain-drenched air, I can see the way to go.

The light that is about me, is the same, in some deep way
As the light that is within me-two parts of the same ray.

My Savior is the Source of Light. He warms and lights my world.
He beckons to me with His light. My hungry heart is filled.

I can see to sing His praises. I can see to testify.
I can see to place my footsteps, to be with him, by and by.
-in Coban, Guatemala December 2008