Good Evening All!

    We just got home from a "Jornada" in Quetzaltenango, the second largest town in Guatemala.  We left Friday after Zone Conference and drove five hours to this town.  We were able to stay in the Temple housing there this weekend and because of that we needed to do at least one session.  Traffic was so bad that we didn't get there until 7:05, the last session was at 7:00 so we quickly went in to see if we could do sealings.  That worked well for them so we were there for about an hour and a half with four other couples.  I had three of our family sealings that needed to be done so we did those too.

    We went to Quetzaltenango with two other couples, the other dentist, his wife and our front office lady, Ellen, and her husband. On Saturday we went to a Stake Center to do dental screenings on 47 future missionaries, guys and girls, that was the "Jornada".  They pronounce it "hornada" with the "h" pronounced very softly, so I guess it is more like "ornada". These young people were all at the point in there lives that they were looking toward getting their papers ready to send in for a mission. What a bunch of really neat kids, some of them had only been members for close to a year and were eager to serve.  That night we went out to dinner with two temple missionary couples. 

     This morning we went with one of the temple missionaries to their branch.  The people there were all so friendly and welcoming, several came over to give us hugs and handshakes.  We found out that the Branch President has four sons, two of which were at the Jornada Saturday and we had checked their teeth.  He came right over to us as soon as we came into the chapel and thanked us for all we do and he said it was an honor for him to have us visit their ward.   He spoke during the meeting and gave a very touching story about serving others, tithes and offerings. His oldest son translated so Ellen and I could understand the meeting. We were so touched by that, no one has done that for us before.  Ellen took some neat pictures of some of the people in the branch, as soon as I get them from her I will send some on to you.

    Last Saturday we went to another town about an hour away to do another Jornada.  There we screened 30 young people. So that is two in two weeks!  Now we will be scheduling all these young people in the Clinic to get their dental work completed so that we can sign their papers and send them on their way.  It is so great when we screen one of these kids that doesn't need any dental work, we can just sign their papers then and there. I am so glad we can be here to help them.  Many would not be able to go on missions if it weren't for the Clinic because they cannot afford to have their dental work done.

    Hope this all made sense,  I think I am a little tired tonight.

    Pictures:  1. I love this one of a Mom and her little one.  These little kids spend a lot of their time on Mom's back and they look right at home there.  It starts when they are infants and goes till they are about 4 or 5.  I haven't seen it, but I hear that the Mom can put the little one on her back and tie them on by herself.

       2.  This is the view I see each day from the hall in our building while waiting for the elevator, I love the tall thin tree. A pine of some sort.

       3.  Dad at our first Jornada.

       4.  Dad with Elder Sandoval.  He is from Mexico and is really a great missionary.  We first met him at the CCM, then at our Clinic where we helped him with his wisdom teeth.  We have since run into him two other times.

      5.  These seven young men are from the Tio Juan Orphanage all dressed up to come to the Clinic.  I think they were also dressed up for something special at school.

      6.  Me with Madison (10 years old) and her sister.  Madison was one of the first to greet me when we first came to the ward we are assigned to. She finds me every week, unless I find her first, to give me a hug and say hi and sometimes sits by me in Sacrament meeting.  She knows a little English too.

      7.  Andy with Pablo and Ligia Gomez and their little girl Antonella.  Andy taught Ligia when he was here on his mission 12 years ago.  

    That is just a little of what goes on here.  Tomorrow we have Dr. Brown and four other people from St. George volunteering at the Clinic, so it should be a busy week.  Thanks for your emails and pictures we love them!

   Love, MOM, Grammy