Orientation at Estaca La Esperanza ( La Esperanza Stake) and Sacrament meeting

We first did the orientation on Public Affairs with the Stake High Councilmen.  Elder B is explaining with power point about strenghening the relations of the church with the Public Opinion Leaders etc.

Elder Burningham with his Public Affairs orientation

Stake Counselors in attendance 

This is from inside the parking area of the Stake Building and as you can see it is well fortified.  It seemed like a tough neighborhood for a really nice building to be in.  We just don´t know if that is true as the members were very kind, well ingrained in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have said this before...Its just not what we are used to.

 Looking back to the street from the church.  Notice how high the fence is.

 A family attending the Sacrament meeting.  

 We were greeted by the youth in this ward with these little notes.  It says Welcome, I am a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father that loves me.  Had to take a picture of them.

 Al exiting from the church as we were about to leave.

 Another perspective from parking lot to the exterior.

 A great building, well fortified.

 This little boy shows us with his fingers how old he is....."3"

Baby Kits assembly. Clothing from Julie Burningham Tyler's ward March 19, 2015

Today I helped two other Missionary Sisters assemble some Maternity kits for the hospital for new mothers who need help.  The government has hospitals to take women who cannot afford health care or delivery needs.  The Senior Missionary Sisters here have put out the word for the need and many USA wards have sent donations down here to Guatemala.

My thanks to answer this request is Geneva Stringham, Julia Stringham Allen and Julie Burningham Tyler.  Special thanks also to Katie Stringham who along with her MIA maid class made blankets to send down.  Well many of the donations have already gone to the maternity hospital.  Julie's donations that arrived a couple of weeks ago went into an assembly line for kits.  Waiting for more blankets and sundries to arrive around the first part of April.

The following are pictures of the sorted clothes, blankets, hats, socks, wash cloths, fallas and soap that were donated.  I helped Sister Kathy Done and Sister Sandy Lloyd in this effort.  I hope to be apart of the delivery of the kits in the next month. 

Sorted clothing according to gender.  Onsies in this stack for girls

 Onsies for boys

 Receiving blankets

 Hats and soaps

 Socks, fallas (ties to tie diapers on) and some pins (I don't think pins are used here)

 Sister Sandy Lloyd unfolding washcloths that were bought with donations from Senior Missionaries.

 Sister Kathy Done folding washcloths

 Me, folding cloth diapers  ( we question the quality of these)

 Assembly begins

 Standing next to assembled baby girl kits

 Many assembled kits

 Cute boy stuff

 Piles of kits

Boxes of assembled kits ready to go.

The need is great here and we thank all those who have contributed.  I thank the two sisters from Julie's ward, Kathia and Adilfa for bringing down 4 suit cases full of stuff.  Some for the maternity hospital and some for the impoverished branches that are in dire need of clothes.  Thanks to all.



A Visit from Elder Neil L. Anderson, apostol of the Lord and a President Manes a President of the Seventy from SLC

We were very privileged to hear from Elder Neil L. Anderson yesterday at a Multi Mission conference.  About 700  missionaries from three missions in Guatemala were there and the Senior Missionaries also attended.  Elder Anderson speaks four languages and he spoke in Spanish at the conference.  For us Senior Missionary Sisters there was a translator so we did not have to work so hard to process the Spanish.  We wore headsets so we didn´t miss a thing. Elder Anderson spoke about the atonement and how we can trust the Lord.  He also spoke about tithing and fast offerings and how we can be blessed by paying it.  It is faith in the Lord.  The Lord will see to it we have all we need.

It was very impressive.

Elder Neil L. Anderson....zoomed in shot

 Podium and flowers set up

 Huge hall that we met in

 700 missionaries attended this conference

 Senior Missionaries all in a row.  Elder B is standing to the right shaking hands

 Nice set up

 Young Elders and Sisters very very happy.

 Elders and sisters getting the chance to shake hands with an apostle of the Lord

 This is Elder Anderson shaking hands with the Missionaries

 Elder Banes from the Seventy

Elder Anderson....awesome man.  Great Spirtual giant and so well versed in the scriptures.  So impressive.

More on Antigua when our visitors from the States came with Baby donations.

While Adilfa and Kathia were here they wanted to see Antigua so we (me) went with their friend who is a photographer like Adilfa and went to Antigua.  Great Place and a lot of history.  I took some pictures there.

 This is the other side of the arch.  You can see the volcano in the background.  This volcano erupted about a month ago.

 This and the following pictures are at a hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo with the beautiful garden area.

 Ruins from over a couple of centuries

The famous Arch in town.  Every painter paints this scene.  The cobblestone streets are kept up as it is a historical street

 Volcan Fuega.  It erupted and caused quite a stir in February 2015. Closed down an airport for about 4 days.

 Ruins with a fountain.  Most of it has been renovated.

These are Tut Tuts.  Much like a trike in the Philippines.