CLOSING BANQUET

The medal that we got

Every time the brigada finishes their week they have a closing banquet. This year we had a wonderful buffet dinner and Dave Sheets put together a slide show of the week's events. It is just a good time for people to dress up and enjoy each other's company.

A group of future missionaries singing to us

We had a surprise during the dinner. Elder Cordone who is an area Seventy and who was instrumental in planning the whole trip brought several of the future missionaries that we worked on to the hotel. They sang for us and presented each of us with medals to thank us for the service that was performed during the week. They sang the EFY arrangement of the Armies of Helaman....a song that I have always loved. When the missionaries here sing it in Spanish I just cry and cry. Here they are singing about being this army....and they really are the army. It just affects me.

Getting our medals

It was a very touching evening and we were pleased to see several of the youth that we met during the week. It makes it so much more real to be able to identify the missionaries. Hopefully we will be able to see some of them in the future as they serve.

The ladies from Registration pulling their hair out
Hermana Tomkinson, Karen Lucero, Melanie Roundy, Jan Herrod and Sharon Anderton

Our future missionaries singing The Armies of Helaman...listen for the word Helaman!!
Sorry about the last part.....I tried to edit it for 2 hours...but my computer skills aren't that great...


This concludes the blogs on our Guatemala adventure (thank goodness!!). We had a wonderful time...it was a good middle to our mission. The people were great, the work was fun and HARD, and we enjoyed our renewed friendship with the Senior missionaries there.

TIKAL

The rain forest and Tikal

Our Plane

Me getting ready to go on the plane!!

One of the gems of the Mayan civilization is Tikal. It is about an hour plane ride from Guatemala City. We were excited when we got permission to go with our group to Tikal. Saturday morning we went to a private hangar in Guatemala City where we loaded 4 small planes for the ride. (I thought of you mom and all of your flying in those small planes in the Pacific). I have always been fascinated with these people and did several reports on them throughout high school.

On top of one of the temples
There are ruins all under the trees...you can just see the tops
of the excavated ones

Our group on top of one of the temples

Church members believe that this area is the area described as the land Eastward. The cities are fortified much like the descriptions of Moroni's fortifications. It was fascinating to see these cities that have been uncovered in the middle of the rain forest. It was hot and humid there......so different from Guatemala City. We had about 3 hours to see the ruins....and enjoyed it very much. We went with a guide named Sergio who is a Bishop in Guatemala City and has a tour company.

Our guide....Bishop Sergio

NO CELL PHONES PLEASE

One of the problems that is becoming more and more prevalent in the Church is the use of cell phones during our meetings. Somehow it just hasn't registered that cell phones are not appropriate during our worship service. It is a subject that has even been addressed during General Conference sessions. I guess it is one of the hazards of our modern day inventions.....we become so used to having them with us that we can't imagine our life without them.

Last Sunday we visited a TINY branch in Guatemala City. They hold their meetings in a house. During the meeting, I looked up on the wall and saw this sign:


Translation: To communicate with God you don't need a cell phone. Please turn it off or put it on Vibrate.

I couldn't believe that this problem had reached even a little branch in Guatemala. It was a great sign. I especially liked the picture of Christ next to the notice.



During the meeting one of the members bore his testimony about the brigada. His son and two other future missionaries from their branch were able to go and get their dental/medical work done. They had no idea that we had been a part of the group. After the meeting we talked to them and Wayne had his picture taken with the father and son. This is at the door to their "chapel". (By the way....the dad gave both the Sunday School lesson and Priesthood lesson).

I also experienced my first earthquake during the meeting. It lasted for about 30-40 seconds. Afterwards I learned that these are quite common in Guatemala. It felt to me like being seasick....something that I definitely don't like. Everyone was calm (except my companion...he wondered why they weren't more cautious with the whole thing...after all we were in a concrete building!!)

ANTIGUA

One of the walls remaining in the old monastery

I can't believe how blessed we were with the opportunity to go to Guatemala and participate in the dental clinics there.....and how equally blessed we were that we were able to go on the excursions with the group. It was interesting because we kept our missionary clothes on the entire time...everywhere we went we were stopped and asked about our missions. Members always stop us and ask us where we are from, etc. It was a great example to the other members of the group of the power of the name tag. We didn't take them off the entire trip.

Elder and Hermana Tomkinson

One of the days after the clinic was over we were able to go to the city of ANTIGUA. This is an old city about an hour out of Guatemala City that has kept its charm. The city was destroyed by two earthquakes/volcanoes and there are ruins everywhere. It used to be a sanctuary for churches and monasteries. Now there are tourist sights and shopping everywhere.

We had lunch at a beautifully restored resort that used to be a monastery. It was charming and was so fun. We ate lunch outside. Elder Clarke was there and talked to us about the service that we rendered throughout the week. He let us know of the blessings that would come to the people of Central America because of the service rendered. It was inspiring as he asked who was willing to come to the next brigada in November....in Salvador!!!

Our lunch setting

We did a little bit of the required tourist shopping. One of the cutest things that I saw was a little boy sitting in his mother's stall. There he was among the traditional clothing and artifacts watching television. I just had to get a picture of him. What a doll!!!

Old and new traditions

SUNDAY IN GUATEMALA

One of the most memorable experiences of the week for the dentists is our Sunday visit to a local ward or branch. This year we went about 45 minutes from the city to an area that very much holds to the traditional customs. Most of the women wore traditional Indian dress...very brilliant colors in their woven skirts and lacy blouses. The men wear more modern clothes for Sunday...white shirts and ties.

As we entered the building I immediately felt a love for the people. We attended their Sacrament Meeting where President Clarke gave a talk on the Lamanites blossoming as a rose. It was really touching. After the meeting, the brigada people gave gifts to the ward....and one of the highlights is the family picture taking. Each family has the opportunity to have their photo taken...for some it is the only photo that they have of their family. We also bring toys and games as well as things that the family can use. This year each family got to pick out a quilt. It was so fun to see the grateful expressions on their faces. We take so much for granted!!! I am humbled every day that I am here.

My cute little family getting their picture taken with grandma

We got to be "guides" to a family. My family consisted of mom and dad and three children....two boys and a girl. It was so funny as the family was getting ready for the photo...mom told the oldest boy to take off his jacket and tuck in his shirt. She couldn't believe that he had forgotten his tie. The kids were so excited to get their gifts.

Wayne was practically kneeling to get this shot

One little lady was so cute. She was probably no more than 4 feet high and must have been in her 90s. She wore the traditional dress and was a delight to everyone. We took Wayne's picture with her. When she got her photo she said that it was the first time that she had a photo of herself.

After the fireside

That evening they held a fireside for all the future missionaries and their leaders. There were over 1200 people in attendance. One of the highlights was singing Called to Serve as a group. Our group sang the first verse and then the entire congregation sang the next 3 verses (the Spanish version has four verses). We also showed a video of the last brigada to Guatemala last year that was held in Quetzatalango...and we were pleased to see one of our missionaries that is serving with us here in the video.

WORKING IN THE CLINIC

The dental clinic is in full swing and we are busy from early morning till late night. The registration team begins at about 6:30 am (I am part of that team). The medical group comes with us and starts the lab work and the medical exams first. The dentists start to arrive about 8:00 am and get started soon after that.....the oral surgeons are the last to start....thus they are the last to leave..sometimes between 10 and 11pm. It is a busy busy and long day!!

Here are some random photos of the clinic:

This is a photo of the cultural hall just before we start in the morning.
Each of the tables represents a "dental office". There were 3 hygienists,
3 areas for diagnosis and 25 dentists in the cultural hall.
It was amazing....

Dr Elder Wayne getting ready for his morning to start.
We opted to wear our "missionary" clothes...and wore lab coats
over them. It worked out great...everywhere we went people
stopped us and asked us about our mission.

Two mornings during the week I got to teach the hygiene class.
My Spanish really got better as I had to do the class in Spanish!!
I didn't know the word for dental floss until this week.

Here are some of the future missionaries waiting for their
diagnosis. We had portable x-ray units that worked digitally with
computers. It made it so easy not to have to develop the x-rays.

Wayne and one of the dental students working on a patient.
It was great for the pre-dental and dental students and they were
a great help to all of us.

Working in regustration. When I told President and Hermana
Gomez that I was the official translator for registration...they
had a big laugh.

The dental clinic in full swing....it literally went from 8am
until 9pm at night. We were exhausted every day.

48 HOUR EXTREME CHAPEL MAKEOVER

The cultural hall as we started setting up

We spent Wednesday and Thursday setting up the dental clinic in a chapel in the Mixco area of Guatemala City. It is a beautiful building. They use the entire building for the dental clinic...the only area that isn't used for medical purposes is the chapel...and they show videos there and do hygiene instructions.

Missionaries from Guatemala who unloaded the truck

When we arrived at the chapel it was bare. It was unbelievable and exciting to see the transformation. The technicians were unbelievable. They wired over 30 dental stations...including a complete oral surgery center with 4 chairs for the surgeons. They even had their own recovery area. There were areas for medical exams along with a lab for the basic tests needed to fill out the missionary application forms. There was an area for diagnosis complete with digital x-rays so that they didn't need to develop the x-rays. It was absolutely amazing.

Great minds at work

Air compressors for all the units

It took two full days to get things ready for the dentists to arrive. We worked all day Wednesday and Thursday until about 7pm. But things were ready for the dentists to start work on Friday morning.

Wayne putting together a portable unit

GUATEMALA

Hard working missionaries from Honduras Comayaguela mission!!

This past Tuesday evening we flew to Guatemala City, Guatemala for one of the dental brigadas on future missionaries. They are hoping to give treatment and finish papers for over 800 future missionaries from throughout Guatemala in six days. There are over 30 dentists coming from the United States...along with assistants, technicians, physicians...even a massage therapist. We have well over 115 people in our group. It is quite a humbling experience. We are going to do treatments on Friday and Saturday and then Monday-Thursday the next week. Wayne and I flew out on Tuesday evening so that we could help with the set up for the brigada.

Our APs Elder Galindo and Elder Ayau moving chairs

Monday morning we had about 18 missionaries from our mission show up at the dental school to move equipment into the truck for transportation to Guatemala. The equipment is portable...everything is able to be transported and you have a complete dental set-up to use for the dental clinic.