Home Again

OK, so it has taken me a while to write this last letter for our mission, but I thought I had better have closure so here it is.  

We flew home May 25th and actually things went very smoothly although I was a little worried about getting our luggage checked in because we had every piece of it at the maximum weight we were allowed and that is if our scale was accurate.  Jay and Trudy Harris took us to the airport at 5:00am in the morning for our 7:00 flight.  The people at the Delta desk hardly looked at our luggage, just tagged it and sent it through.  We were so grateful.  All the flights were pretty much on time and we made it home when we should have.  

BJ, Joni, Crosby and Tresha and her kids were there to meet us along with Art and Peg. Pres. and Sister Alvarado's daughter and Pres. and Sister Boza's daughter were also there. We had a package for Alvarado's daughter and also Pres. Conteras's son, but he was not there and we had to meet up with him later.  Joni and Tresha had had shirts made up for Crosby and Lana that said, "I have been waiting my whole life to meet you".  It was so sweet!  Larry had brought, pretty much carried a red soccer ball all the way for Crosby and was excited to give it to him.  He also had gifts for the other four kids that met us. They had a big sign and some yellow balloons for us.

As we were coming home I mentioned to Larry that it hadn't seemed that we were gone for 18 months.  It only felt like we had been gone on a two week vacation somewhere and now we were headed home.  We so much enjoyed our time in Guatemala, we loved the people, working in the dental clinic, living near to all the other Senior missionaries with movies nights and FHE's and serving at the CCM (MTC) there.  But it was time to end that adventure and be on to the next.  I couldn't have done it without my husband and the Lord by my side.  I am so thankful to be a member of this church that has such a great missionary program and is eager to share the good news of Jesus Christ, that he lives and we will live again and can be together as families if we live how we should.

We gave our homecoming talks today (June 24th), so I guess we are officially home.  I spoke mostly about the kids we served in the Dental Clinic and how respectful and grateful they were for anything we could do for them.  How important gratitude and service are. Larry spoke about the Lord's hand in what we do and how after many frustrations we were able to get all the money in place for the new Panoramic X-ray machine for the clinic.

These two pictures are at the Salt Lake City airport and the one of Larry and me is outside the door of our apartment in Guatemala saying goodbye to our apartment and all of Guatemala.  

We love you all and pray the Lord will always be with you.

Take care and be strong.

Love, Shaun and Larry/ MOM & Dad/ Grammy& Papa

Welcome home!

"Goodbye Guatemala!"

Last Sunday

     Wow! It has been a very busy Sunday, but thank goodness we don't have a dental meeting this evening so I can send a quick email off.  I thought since it was our last Sunday here that Dad and I would be asked to give our testimonies in Sacrament meeting so I prepared something in Spanish, just in case.  And yes indeed, they called us up and I wasn't nervous because I was ready with paper in hand.  Then after the block meetings we had our last devotional to give on The Gathering.  A lot of lasts lately. But that's OK, I feel we are ending one adventure and about to embark on a new one.  We have a new missionary couple here, the Gardners. We were assigned to be their hosts, so we have been showing them around.  Today after the meetings at the CCM, the CCM President asked them to come to his office and he called them to replace us.  We are thrilled, they are perfect!  She even speaks Spanish really well, she served a mission in her younger years in Columbia, so this evening we went to their apartment to orient them and give them all our information so they would have a jumpstart on their calling.

     The guys at Tio Juan Orphanage found out that Dad and I were leaving so they invited the whole dental team to come to a home they have in the forest, kind of a cabin, and have lunch.  They also had 48 seventh graders there the same day. 

They have six horses there and this one in the picture just had this colt a few days ago.  

On the cake for the lunch, they wrote "Thank you Hogge Family".  They said that they wanted to thank our whole family for sharing us with them for the past 18 months. 

The day before Dad and I went to the Orphanage to take Leidi some flowers and thank her for all her help while we were here.  This is her with the flowers and John - Tio Juan.

     Saturday night we had our farewell party on the roof with pizza, salads and desserts.  Every time a couple goes home the Harrises write a song for them and the group sings to them.  I recorded it, but it was too large to send so I will just have to show you when we get home.  

     While driving home Friday we saw this horse along side the cow. He is kind of hidden, can you see him loaded with grass?  

And here is a bunch of colorful homes we see while driving home from Antigua and San Juan.  

The last picture is a view from our friends’ apartment looking at the spire of the temple.

     We just heard from Wesley.  Congrats!!! on your mission call Wesley!  We are super excited for you and Thanks tons for calling to let us know.  See you soon!

     See all of you soon!!!   Love, MOM/Grammy

National Museum

Hi all!

    Hope everyone had a Very nice Mother's Day.  It is officially the rainy season here and we had a heavy rain storm an hour ago that really dumped on us.  It was nice and makes me feel like the air has just been washed.

   We had two dentists volunteering at the Clinic this week.  Gary Lippencott came for a couple of days, he and his wife have their mission papers in and hope to serve here.  I think it is a pretty sure thing because if he doesn't come down here in mid-July there will only be one dentist left here for about a month and he doesn't speak Spanish.  Dr. Lippencott is an orthodontist and wanted to come for a couple days to brush up on some of his general dentist skills and see how the clinic. He and his wife will fit in perfectly, only wish we could be here to work with them for a while.

     Evan and Melanie Roundy spent the week at the clinic and stayed here in an empty apartment at Victoria Suites.  They were at the Jornada with us and have been involved with the Tio Juan Dental Clinic off and on for several years.  They plan on serving a mission here in a couple years. Evan has been a BIG help in getting funding for the Pano Dad has been trying to get.  So I had to include a picture of us and the Roundy's in front of the dental supply store, 

one of Dad and Evan in front of a cardboard cutout of the Pano 

and then we took the cutout to our clinic and took a picture of it with Dad and me.

   We went to the National Museum on Friday and took a bunch of pictures.  They have a long timeline mural of Guatemala.  I wish I would have had someone to explain it to me, but at the end there is a painting of two young men in white shirts and ties looking suspiciously like Mormon missionaries.  What do you think?  

Also, here are two pictures of things that were found at different historical sites in Guatemala.  There is a lot of history here!

   We have only one more Sunday here, where has the time gone???

Love you all!!   MOM/Grammy

Trucks & Flowers

Since half of our week was with the Jornada here, I didn't get a chance to take many pictures.  So I have sent a picture of Dad and me at the Jornada, 

a picture of a very colorful tree? not far from our apartment,

And a picture of an old truck that Dad saw the other day that has been either taken very excellent care of or has been restored.  I thought the guys might like this one.

We gave a devotional today at the CCM with the only two English speaking missionaries there.  It was more like a little discussion than a devotional but turned out OK.  Dad talked about companionship and I addressed obedience. These two Elders are really great, so we felt we were "preaching to the choir".

We have a busy week this week with two other dentists joining us. So the chairs will be full! We counted up and have only 9 days left in the clinic.  I think I am thinking about going home a little more often now than ever before as the day draws nearer.

We are doing great and keeping busy. Hope your week is busy and happy!

   

Until next week, "Carry on, carry on, carry on........."     

Love ya,  MOM/Grammy

Dixon

So it is the last Sunday of April and it looks like the weather in Cache Valley, LaCrosse and Chubbuck is pretty good for this time of year.  High 50's and low 60's sound like Spring to me.

We have been really busy with the Jornada down here.  It is a bigger event that we thought it would be. They have let the group "Smiles for Guatemala" totally take over a Stake Center here for about 10 days and they use every room in the building for medical, barbershop, photographers, hygiene instruction, optometry, x-ray, dentists, endodontists, oral surgery, recovery, sterilization, check-in and check-out, (I am sure I have forgotten something).  We left our apartment at 7:30am the past two days and walked in the door at 9:00 pm. Today, Sunday we told them we couldn't join them for their church and outings because of our commitments at the CCM, so we left the apartment at 7:30am again.  After the CCM we attended a big devotional with the Jornada group and lots of families of future missionaries and then were suppose to attend a banquet for the group.  Instead, we decided we needed some down time and headed home at 6:00pm.  The next three days will be just as hectic a schedule, then Thursday we will get some time off.  It is fun to meet all these people and help as many young men and women as we can get their mission papers ready to send in, but I think by Thursday we will be ready for a slower pace.  

Here is a picture of the gym with 22 dentists and 5 endodontists, 

the little waiting area for the kids waiting for a dentist,  

and part of our lunch table. We make our own sandwiches.  I had a piece of bread yesterday with Nutella and a sliced apple on it.  It was pretty good!

I want to share with you a little about a young man we met here. Sometimes when I think I have it tough, I think of some of these kids we have met down here and I decide I have Nothing to complain about.  

Dixon Pacheko

   Dixon is a young man that Elder and Sister Oyler met the first day they attended the branch they were assigned to when they arrived here on their mission.  Dixon’s mother was killed when he was very young, so he doesn’t remember her at all.  His father remarried a couple of times and had lots of problems, while Dixon was still very young his dad died from drinking.  He was passed around from house to house growing up.  He lived with various people in his ward and with an aunt for a while.  He does still have a grandmother that is living but had never seen her until the Oylers took him to meet her.  She lives in very humble circumstances and has not been able to take him in.  

    I am not sure when Dixon decided to go on a mission, but I am pretty sure it was after meeting and getting to know the Oylers.  They helped him get ready for his mission.  When their children came for a visit at Christmas time they brought some clothes he would need, a hand me down suit that was altered a little to fit him better, some shirts etc.

   Dixon spent a few days at Christmas time staying with the Oylers here at their apartment and interacting with their family.  He does know some English, but not a lot. Still though, he got along great with the family and since he doesn’t really have a family of his own he became quite attached to all of them.  

   Coban Guatemala is the Mission he was called to and he entered the CCM in January for nine weeks to learn the K’ekchi (Q’eqchi) language and how to teach the gospel.  He writes to Dave and Susan Oyler every week, calls them Mom and Dad and signs the letter, your son.  That is so touching to me.  I think it was meant to be that they find each other.  I would not be the least surprised if he ends up coming to Utah and attending BYU after his mission.  

   We had the opportunity to get to know Dixon because we live next door to the Oylers and then because we serve at the CCM we were able to interact with him there.  He is a fine young man who has had many struggles in life, but has learned to rely on the Lord.  I can’t imagine how it would be to not have any parents or siblings and to be passed from family to family during those critical years of growing up.  He has his struggles, but he is on the right track and with the Lord and the Oylers behind him I think he will be OK.    

This picture is of Dixon and his grandmother, the second is of Grandma and her home.  Humble to say the least.

This is a great week to be thankful for all our blessings, family and the shelter of our nice homes.

Love you muchly,  MOM/Grammy

Costa Rica, Antigua and Guatemala

Our Costa Rica trip last week was really nice but just a teaser.  We saw enough that we would love to go back again and see some more of the country.  It is very different from Guatemala.  They are much more progressive in their culture, education etc. The country is cleaner and more like the USA with nice highways. We went to a place called the Peace Lodge and Park.  It is kind of a little bit of a lot of different things in Costa Rica.  They had a butterfly house, an exhibit for snakes, frogs, hummingbirds, sloths, large cats like jaguars, an orchid house, toucans, several other tropical birds and a series of five waterfalls.  The butterfly and red eye tree frog pictures are from here.  

Other pictures from Costa Rica: a poison dart frog we saw on the porch of the house we were staying in

a cemetery very close to the Temple

some cool mushrooms we saw on a little hike to a waterfall

a gila monster running between some horses we saw on our way to the Crocodile tour.

It was a busy week at the clinic, we saw 10 future missionaries from a town 5 hours away last Thursday and a bunch of school kids and also CCM missionaries throughout the week.  So on Friday Dad and I finally got out for a walk and to run some errands.  We had a little discouraging news last week, Dad has been working to get a Panoramic x-ray at the clinic since we got here and it looked like it might happen, then all of a sudden it was turned down completely.  We have been doing wisdom teeth with just the best small (periapical) X-rays we could get and it looks like they are going to just have to let that suffice for the future too.  He gave it his best shot and I am proud of him for trying to improve things down here.

Saturday we went to Antigua, just the two of us. We had to pick up a painting that we had a street artist make for us. It is of the Arch that is famous in Antigua.  

We saw a really cool old car while we were there that a bride and groom drove up in.  What do you think? Would you like one of these?  

Also, a picture of the country road we drove on to get to Antigua. We went a different way than usual.

I had to add two pictures from Guatemala City.  Quite often we drive by this building on a main road here that is a military complex. At first we thought the man and dog were real, but then realized they are not.  

Second picture is a printing store we go to not far from our apartment. I have told you how there are references to Jesus on buses, stores and everywhere. Well this is a picture inside the printing store. You would never see this in the States.

Church was really good today. It was the last Sunday of our group again, most of them head to their missions Tuesday except for the ones going to Nicaragua.  Because of the unrest there, they will stay at the CCM for another week at least.  Dad and I had to speak again, Dad did great and I just hope they could understand my talk because I am constantly trying to pronounce the words better.  The Elders all sang a hymn in K'ekchi, very impressive! This next week we will get only 47 Latinos and no Gringoes, that is a first since I have been here, but they tell me there is a large group coming in June from the States.

Make it another great week, it is up to each of us.

Love you all,  MOM/Grammy