AMAZING TEXTILES

Our missionary group touring the museum

One of our favorite places is quickly becoming the Textile Museum in Antigua. This place is absolutely amazing. It has a great collections of the different clothing worn by the native people of Guatemala. Those who really know their "stuff" can tell you where someone is from by the specific style of dress that they wear.

Elder Tomkinson visiting with one of the weavers

It is quite an art....and the women start learning the stitch patterns when they are about 10 years old. It is a rite of passage. One piece that we saw took over 6 months to complete. It was flowers completely done by hand and was priced at over $1000! It was beautiful and was indeed a work of art.

What a beautiful smile....look at her weaving
and notice the cell phone...everyone has them!

I am collecting pillows made out of different patterns. I think it is a great way to bring home Guatemala to Arizona.

Count Your Blessings

It's not often that I see something choke my companion up. But I realize that the mission is a great time to be able to share those experiences that mean something. The other day we were in Antigua at the Jade Factory. Wayne was waiting outside and started visiting with a young girl. She was so happy. Wayne realized after a few moments that she was born without hands. (She also did not have feet). It was really touching to hear him talk about her. He was so impressed about her countenance and how happy she was.

OLD FRIENDS AND MISSIONARIES

We love running into people that we knew in Honduras. This is really quite common for us when we go to the temple. Last week we knew that there were a couple of bus loads of Hondurans coming. We had Curt and Mary Whitaker stay with us. They are our good friends that live in Honduras while he works in the Embassy there. (BTW...their next "tour" is Nogales, Mexico...so we will be able to see them again). Their ward was taking a temple trip and they decided to come a few days early and visit us. It was fun. We took them to Antigua and saw a great textile museum there that we hadn't seen before. It will be a must see from now on.

While at the temple that week I had a young woman come running up to me calling to "Hermana Tomkinson". She was one of the future missionaries that we had worked on in Tegucigalpa and she was there to receive her endowments and prepare for the mission. She is going to Chile in January. She will be a fabulous missionary.

With our adorable futura hermana

We also ran into the Pac family. They are the family with five daughters that live in Zamborano. He is a doctor of plants and works at the Agricultural College there. We had them over for a taco bar with the Whitakers. But....I don't know where my mind was because I didn't take any photos the entire time.

Comayaguela missionaries returning to Guatemala

A couple of weeks ago we had the great opportunity to see more of our Honduran missionaries. Hermana Hernandez and three Elders were coming home to Guatemala. We surprised them during the PEF training during one of the afternoons. It was so fun to see the look on their faces when they saw us. Hermana Hernandez just hugged and hugged us. We love that hermana. The Elders kept grinning and talking to Elder Tomkinson.

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE.......

CHRISTMAS!!!

People shopping along the street
Notice the golden arches sign

There is one route that we take every so often from the dental clinic back to our apartment. It is along the avenida that has selling tents on either side of the road. The vendors sell everything there...DVD's, clothing, shoes....you name it. We love to watch the people buying and selling. It is a perfect people watching route.

Literally room for one lane of traffic
They had policeman posted on each intersection overlooking the crowds

Last week we decided to take that route home from the clinic. We had a little bit of time and wanted to see what happens to this street close to Christmas. We were amazed. The vendors were into the road, and had basically turned a two-lane street into one lane. There were people EVERYWHERE....and they even had policeman posted in the intersections on scaffolding, as well as roaming down the streets. It took us forever to get home (well an hour).

One of the groups of motorcycle police patrolling

Today we encountered more bumper to bumper traffic. We have just learned that is something you put up with. At least we didn't need to get to the mall to buy last minute gifts!! That would have taken all day.

RATON PEREZ...THE TOOTH FAIRY

While we were getting supplies at the Dental Supply Company they gave us some little plastic tooth holders for when children lose their teeth for the "tooth fairy". When we got back to the clinic we realized that these are in the shape of mice or rats!! Couldn't quite figure that one out.

Until.....

One day we were at the orphanage and talking to Tio Juan. He told us what a challenge it is when all the kids come back to the home and bring their teeth that they have lost. It is really hard for him to be the tooth fairy....so he just has them bring them to the office and he tells them that he knows the tooth fairy really well and he will take care of getting their teeth "turned in". He then went on to tell us that the Guatemalan equivalent for the tooth fairy is RATON PEREZ. The Spanish translation for Raton is RAT....that's right they have a rat come and get their teeth. They receive one quetzal for the tooth (8 quetzales are $1).


Couldn't resist this little boy at the dental clinic. He sat right up in the chair and when Wayne asked him if his tooth hurt he said yes and pointed to the tooth. He sat soooo still while we pulled it, and was thrilled to get his tooth in the holder so he could take it back to Tio Juan!! We have asked several of the older boys if they want to save their tooth....but they have declined!!

DIA D'EL DIABLO

Just ONE of the many displays of devil pinatas to buy
They were literally all over town and all sizes

Another new tradition. The Day of the Devil. Last week we noticed that there were pinatas everywhere of this devil looking character with a 7 on his chest. We thought at first it was some kind of a mascot (you know like the AZ Sun Devils!!)

After asking someone who is in the know (thanks again Dic and Jennifer) we found out that this is a tradition all over Guatemala for December 7th. On this day at sunset people burn the devil to get rid of all the bad things that have happened to them during this past year. If you have been sick, had problems with your business, hardships in your family, etc....you just burn them away.

Right at sunset, we started hearing fireworks (fireworks are shot off for everything here)...and could smell the fires burning. Really...we felt that we were in the middle of a campfire. And the fireworks went off all night. If you see me burning something in the front yard next year on December 7th...you will know it isn't about Pearl Harbor!!

You know that I hate them.....

Beautiful girls....I love them!!

BABY SHOWERS.....or any type of shower for that matter. You would have been proud of me....I attended a baby shower for the bishop's wife (Ingrid) in our ward last week. She is having her THIRD girl sometime in the next couple of weeks. Anna Sofia, Anna Lucia and now Anna Sariah!!

I have to admit that it wasn't all that bad. I even participated in the games (which I hate). One of the funnest was when we divided into groups and were given a song. We had to make up lyrics to the song giving advice to the mom-to-be. We were given the song "Jingle Bell Rock". It was three gringas...and we did the song in Spanish. Can't believe it. But... I was extra careful not to cross my legs so that I didn't have to wear the "diaper" for awhile.

Oh, the sacrifices we make as missionaries!!

JUST GIVE THEM A PAINTBRUSH!!

The other day we were at the dental clinic and realized that the girls were painting the fence around the orphanage. It had been painted about a year ago by the missionaries for a Christmas service project....but the bright yellow paint that was used just needed to go. The girls that hadn't gone home for Christmas..... (most of the children go home for the holidays to family or extended family. Most of them are not "official" orphans, but are in the home because they cannot be taken care of or for their education).......were given paintbrushes, cans of paint and a scaffold.


As we worked in the clinic that afternoon, we were amazed to see the progress of the girls. They made great time and did a great job with the painting. When we talked to them as we were leaving at the end of the day, they were just about finished with the entire fence. We then found out that they had been promised POLLO CAMPERO (Guatemala KFC) the following afternoon as their reward. Good to see that bribery is alive and well even here in Guatemala!

This follows last weeks project of painting the soccer court green, adding a net and now having a tennis court!! These girls know the value of hard work.

Christ in Central America

Mural shown on the wall

While we were visiting a Church in Antigua that was visited and blessed by Pope John Paul we were amazed to see this mural on the wall. It is a depiction of Christ visiting the people here in Central America. Who knew??

Close up of the Mural

THANKSGIVING

Our Thanksgiving group
The Johnsons, Tomkinsons, Dicks

We just cannot escape the Social Scene here in Guatemala. We have such an active senior missionary group. We had a wonderful feast for Thanksgiving. My kids were worried that we wouldn't have anyone to share it with....turns out we had dinner with 36 other missionaries.

I have been given the assignment to "organize" these dinners and Family Home Evenings. We had all the trimmings of Thanksgiving. And let me tell you....these women are fantastic cooks. I have never seen sooo many desserts on a table without even a pumpkin pie!! (We did have pumpkin roll, pumpkin spice cake...but no traditional pie).

Dessert Table without pumpkin pie!!

Jennifer Johnson (Wayne's Ellsworth cousin) even brought the traditional sauerkraut. And in holding with Ellsworth tradition...it was a hit. I even tried it and liked it. We had each person who had brought a traditional family dish explain why and the tradition behind it. It was a great day...good food...and good conversation.

Ellsworth Tradition

We were blessed to have Mike and Linda Dick with us for the dinner. They were able to see that Senior Missionary work is not just scripture study and long meetings!! They had a great time.

With the Clarkes (Area President)
Brother Chase from our ward in Casa Grande was Elder Clarke's
trainer in the mission field

SERVICE IS THE SAME EVERYWHERE

Our Relief Society sisters working on dolls

One day I was at the Church building and there were members of our Relief Society there working on a service project. Our Stake is making dolls to teach the girls how to dress themselves. They have panties, dresses, etc. Our ward alone has made over 85 dolls for this project. The women were having a great time working together and you could hear giggling and joking.

Our Relief Society President

One of the Primary children told me that their moms were making the dolls for the poor children that didn't have anything. It was so heartwarming to know that they were proud and thrilled to be able to help someone out that doesn't have as much as they do.

Piles of dolls

The sister on the left is ready to have a baby any day now
Her husband is the Bishop

TWO AMIGOS IN THE CLINIC

Wayne and Mike working side by side in the clinic

One of the most fun things we did while Mike and Linda were here was to work in the clinic. We saw 39 of the boys from Mi Casa Tio Juan. All but three of them need work. We figure with the over 350 children in the orphanage and all of the future and full time missionaries here we will be able to fill the schedule when the dentists start to come in January. Here are some pictures of our week:

Our first full time missionary....he brought the entire District
(It was the gringo...he had broken his retainer...but
two of the others needed dental work also)

One of my favorite pictures of the Tio Juan boys waiting
This group is between 8-10 years old

Another thing we are going to start doing is to go to the CCM (Guatemalan MTC) when new missionaries arrive to do a quick dental check. This way we will be able to take care of any teeth that could be potential problems while the missionary is serving. While Mike and Linda were here we went to the CCM for the first time and "previewed" 39 missionaries who had just reported. There were only 3 that needed any dental work. We are sure that this is a direct result of the brigadas...Wayne would ask them were they got their work and they would say when the American dentists came down. Next week there are 80 new missionaries coming....wish we had Mike and Linda here!!

The missionaries preparing for their exams!!

Checking the missionaries

Linda and Mike with one of the CCM missionaries
they saw in the clinic

AND...........Take a close look!! Who is this missionary?



......that's right..thanks for the house call Dr. Mike!!

SIGHTSEEING

The touristas at the gate to Iximche with our guide Antonio

The first morning after Mike and Linda arrived we whisked them off for a day of sightseeing. Our first stop (after 2 hours of driving) were the ruins at Iximche. This is a site that was inhabited by the Mayans when the Spanish arrived and conquered Guatemala. When we visit these sites we are aware that these people are the descendants of the Book of Mormon people. One of the travesties of the Spanish conquest was that they destroyed all of the written records of these people....thus destroying their religious writings and traditions. This was so that they would become "Christian" and part of the Spanish empire.

Some of the children who followed us

It was a beautiful day and the ruins were full of people. There were many school groups there, and children were everywhere. We had a few follow us and want to get their picture taken with us. There were some Mayan women who stopped to talk to us. This is very rare, usually these women are very quiet and reserved. But I had the chance to visit with them for a little bit, and we got permission to take their picture. They literally come to about my chest...they are so small. They loved seeing their picture.

These cute little Mayan women loved having their picture taken
Linda and I loved their native handmade blouses

After the ruins at Iximche we drove to the city of Antigua. Antigua is a very popular tourist spot in Guatemala and hosts many Spanish immersion schools where people come and spend time learning Spanish. (This is where we take our Spanish lessons). It is a great mixture of old and new. The original city was destroyed by a volcano and earthquakes. You see the old ruins and next door see modern buildings. It is beautiful.

Getting our photo with some children on the ruins
The sign basically tells you not to go on the steps

While in Antigua we visited an old monastery that has been restored to a modern hotel. The food there is wonderful so of course we ate there. There is a cathedral there that is outdoors...they were setting up for a wedding that evening and it was a magnificent setting.

What a beautiful setting for a wedding

Later on in the week we were going to go to Lake Atlitlan. On the way we ran into traffic (literally...the line of traffic was never ending). We decided to turn around and go back into town. We didn't want to risk getting caught somewhere and not be able to get back so that Mike and Linda couldn't make their plane the next morning. We spent the afternoon in the museums at the University in Guatemala City. One was the Popul Vul museum, which housed Mayan art and artifacts. The other was the Ichmel museum which is a display of all the dress of the Guatemalan people. I loved this place. The work on the clothing is unbelievable...each piece is a work of art. The women wear this traditional dress even to this day.

I wish that these museum displays could do justice to their
handwork. At least now they use the machine.