2015 February

Last week we completed a year in our mission.  We went to the temple to mark the occasion.  We tried a new restaurant in Quetzaltenango - one of the best meals we have had.  We don't eat out much because we can't trust the cleanliness of the places and the way the food is prepared.

Things have been happening in the mission that affect us.  The mission president said we might have to move to help take care of some small branches on the other side of the mission.  I know he doesn't want to move us if he can help it.  We hope to know for sure this week.

Elder Ochoa of the 2nd quorum of 70 is the 1st counselor in the Central American Area Presidency.  He came to tour the mission last week.  On Thursday night we had a dinner with him and the mission presidency.  The meal was good, and it was good to get to know the other members of the presidency.

On Sunday, 3 days later, we had another meeting with Elder Ochoa and all of the Stake Presidencies, Bishops, and Stake Relief Society Presidencies in the area - probably 3 hundred attended.  He and 2 local area authorities laid out the plans for this year, the areas to focus on:  Conversion, Retention, Reactivation.

 This is our house, next to an empty lot.  If you look closely you will see a guy in his 40s up in the coconut tree.  He just cut the bunch of coconuts that is falling down,  It is better to cut them than to let them fall and cause damage to whatever they might hit - like a car.

A field of tobacco.  They make a space in the middle where they start the harvest, and put up bamboo racks.  As they cut it they hang it upside down on the racks to dry in the sun,

Anyone want a watermelon?  Vicky just had to have one,

 Shot thru the windshield, a grove of rubber trees.  Some 20-30 years ago a mission president served here.  When he went home he brought back a new industry - rubber.  At the base of the tree is a cup and the rubber runs into it.

  Our favorite tree is below.

 A week ago we saw 2 wooley caterpillars parked on the ceiling in the carport.
2 days later they had their cocoons finished (below)
Now we will wait to see what kind of critter comes out.
2 weeks later:  We were gone for 3 days on an assignment.  The critters have hatched and gone, so we don't know what they were.

When we have rinds, orange peels, etc. we throw them over the wall into the vacant field next to our house.  2 months ago we saw a vine growing and started watering it.  2 days ago Vicky harvested her water melon.

It tasted as good as any she has bought in the market,

This is a melocotón.  We are not sure what kind of fruit it is but it sure smells sweet.  Inside is yellow, like a pumpkin, but texture of a cantalope, with rows of black seeds.

So, my new name tag got here.  You probably can't see it: Presidente Wetzel, 2nd counselor in mission presidency.  It reminds me of when President Hellewell was chosen to be the new Stake Patriarch.  He remarked, "It just shows that, in this church, if you wait long enough, anything can happen ☺☻

Field of tobacco.  You can see the racks of it drying in the sun,


I had an asignment from the mission president to travel to Tierras Frias (Cold Land) to do some temple interviews.  Sat. afternoon we traveled 2 1/2 hours to San Marcos (about .  The next morning we left after 6:00 a.m. to get to Rio Blanco by 8:00.  This is taken from our hotel window. Rio Blanco is just on the other side of that mountain, at 8700 feet.  Where we live in Coatepeque it is 2000 feet - hot and humid.  Here it is cold and dry.

In the hotel where we stayed they had some cool antiques.  Vicky's mother used to use an iron like this, where you put live coals inside.

There is the Mr. Potato Head we used to have.  In the middle is a Campbell soup doll.

None of the sewing machines were Singers.  One this one has a wooden handle on the wheel that folds in when not in use.



Welcome to Rio Blanco, Land of Apples.  This is where a lot of this kind of fruit is grown - apples, peaches, etc.  On the way here we started at 7º centigrade, then dropped to 1º centigrade as we hit the mountain top, then went back up to 7º.

Somewhere over the mountains in the background is Mexico.




The 2 Elders to the right were our guides and came with us to take us to Rio Blanco.  There are no maps, few road signs, to tell you where to go.  It is common to stop and ask someone, "Which way to Rio Blanco?" or wherever, and they will give you directions

We went to a Quetzal refuge site.  The Quetzal has been voted the prettiest bird in the world.  The are almost extinct.  I want to see one before I leave Guatemala.  We saw a couple of Tucans this trip.  This was about 40 yards away, thru the branches, 12x zoom.

No fish here.  It would be a perfect place for brown trout,

This is what Ben wants in his backyard.

A circus came to town.  They pulled these guys around as advertisment.

Last month Elder Ochoa from the 2nd Quorum of 70 came to tour the mission.  Here he is with the mission president and wife, and our zone in Coatepeque.  The next night we had dinner with him and the mission presidency.

I finally got a picture of a whole pig, cooked up for tacos.  In one night it is served up and gone.  There are several of these around town.

One of the branches that I am assigned to visit is Ocos.  There are about 24 members who attend on Sunday.  It is on the pacific coast, right on the border of Mexico.  This big buganvilla needs a trim.

Yesterday there were 2 of these birds across the street from our house.  HIs long black tail is hanging thru the palm leaves.   This is at 20x zoom

We took another family to the temple.  Here are Carlos and Gaby with their children and her grandmother.

 The Jimenez family lives out in the mountains.  They have 3 other daughters, one on a mission

Not long ago Luis and Carol Quiñones saw us downtown and they pulled up on their motorcycle and invited us to come visit them.  They are taking lessons to go to the temple,  Here they are seated in front of the chapel.

2015 Jan

Happy new Year!  I don't have any new pics, other than the ones I just added to December.           On Jan. 31st I woke up with pain in my joints, from head to foot.  I hoped it wasn't Chikungunya, but it was.  It is a new disease in Central America - like dengue.    I use repellant but Vicky gets the mosquito bites, yet I get the sickness.       So new years day was spent in bed as well.   Compared to others here who have had it (many people) I did not have it as bad as others.    For this new year I am hoping to be healthy, not get sick any more, and return home whole.

Last week I was called to be 2nd counselor to the mission president.  There was a time when I would have balked at a leadership calling here, as I would prefer to be in homes teaching the people instead of in meetings.  However the mission president has so much to do and I am willing to do what I can to help.   It doesn't change our mission:  We won't move, we still go home in July.  I was assigned 2 branches to supervise (part of the mission, not any stake).  Each branch is isolated, and takes us about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there.  They are in opposite directions from our house.  Both are in hot areas, and I have to wear a suit when I go.          We went on our first visit yesterday to Ocos, west of here, very close to the Mexican border, right on the Pacific Coast.  It is a small branch - 24 were there counting us.   2/3 of those are one extended family, the Riveras.  They have been members for 20 years, and the 2nd generation is looking good.

We see lots of small 1/2 ton pickups with 1-2 ton loads on them.

 Most cows here look like bramhas.  No Jerseys here.

Anyone for a banana?  They tie the "branches"? together with ropes.

 This time of year there is little rain (so far only a little drizzle for a half hour),  The birds are coming back.  These are dark green parrots that fly in flock of one to two hundred, and chatter all the time.

We took a different road to Quetzaltenango.  There are 2 volcanos along the way.  Santa Maria is over 12,000 ft. high

A road side stand in an area where lots of veggies and fruit are grown:  big mandarins, limes, cucumbers, broccoli, cabbage, and big radashes.

 Another place with onions, beets, tomatos and drinks.  We don't drink much soda pop, but the people here do.  The basic choices are cola, pineapple, grape, 7up, and Orange - and they are all too sweet.

 Vicky likes these colors.  I think we will buy a red car and paint the house pink when we get back,☺

Coconuts are everywhere.  If you want just the coconut water they will lop the top off and either pour it into a plastic bag, or stick in a straw.  But you can ask them to peel it, and with a small machete he goes to it.  When he is done you have a white coconut about the size of a softball, with the water still inside.  Vicky loves these, takes them home and cuts up the meat to feed on during the week.

Here is a short video of the guy peeling the coconut.             I posted more pics above the pink house.

This is Jose Sarat.  He is ten and is the only one in the ward that can play the piano keyboard,  It is good to have a pianist.

More big loads.  A lot of bull. ☺

The sun is about to set over the ocean, an hour and a half from here.

December

This is the month to celebrate Christmas.  But here they start celebrating in November.  They tell us that we won't sleep the 24th because of all the fireworks that go on till 2:00 a.m.

 We never had an artificial tree in Oregon, land of Christmas Tree farms.  But in our small place we wanted a bit of Christmas touch.

Our son and daughter-in-law sent us a nice set of pipe chimes with music for several Christmas songs.  Here we are teaching the zone Silent Night.

Here we are in a family home evening with 17 people.  It was the birthday of Dalmaris (9).  We went in the morning and practiced with 5 other kids, then that evening for a birthday surprise they played this song.  Can you tell what it is?  Little Diego on the left did not practice with us, but wouldn't be left out, so we let him play.  He hit the pipe whenever he felt the urge.


Here is Dalmaris.  The song from the video above is Jolly Old Saint Nicholas.  I don't think they have ever heard of it.

We have been hold Christmas Family Home Evenings with as many families as we can schedule.  So far that is about 10.  This is the Zuñiga family (the dad had to leave before we took the picture),  The Elders had been in the area one day.  As we drove up to the house we saw the Elders working on the street and invited them to come and join us.


 Kendy, on the right, is a less active member.  The lady in the middle is Alicia, her great-grandmother.  She says she was born in 1901  which would make her 113 years old.  The town where she was born lost the records in a fire, so she has a birth certificate with an approximate date.

 The first time we met her was 3 months ago.  Today we were passing by and she was outside.  Vicky loves all of her wrinkles.  Her mind is sharp, her eyes are very good.

Last week as we left one morning the Guards were unwrapping a christmas tree (they come wrapped with twine.  When we returned they had it decorated.  It is over 10 feet tall, looks like a scrawny tree, and the needles don't have that christmas scent.  But they did a good job.  In the middle is a little house with Santa Claus.

Wde went to a wedding last week.  Here is the couple with some children (not their children).

Here are the homemade center pieces.  When we leave I want to bring back some bamboo to make vases for flowers.  A nice piece about 6 inches across and eight feet long should do. ☺

We had a multizone meeting, and since we had practiced Silent Night with Jillian,s chimes we were able to give a nice presentation.

Here is our zone.  There were 3 other zones in attendance.  Pres. & Sis. Ruiz are far right.

We made and delivered about 12 christmas baskeets, several to families who live off the beaten path.  I don't know what kind of  tree this is, but I love the colors.

We helped another family to get to the temple.  Milton and Ingred Zuñiga, their children, us and Bishop Melara.

The temple has a life size Nativity.

A few miles from the temple we finally found a "mercado" where they sell artisan things.  Here is a nice wooden Nativity.

Last Sunday 14th and yesterday 21st Ray performed 2 numbers on teh violin with a multistake choir and orchestra.  Here are the members warming up.  The new stake president in Coatepeque (where we live) makes his living working as a manager on a banana plantaion, but his passion is music.  He plays a nice guitar, piano, clarinet, the bass.  He gives lessons in his spare time.

A nice 3-foot tall Amarylis

Here is the Nuevo Look.  I thought I would try a flat top.  The biggest problem is there isn't that much to be flat on top ☺☻

At Christmas midnight they light off lots of big fireworks.  It looked like the whole city was being bombed.  Three houses on our block were shooting big fireworks over our house.  And not one fireman around.  Things are so humid and damp they don't catch fire.  Houses are made of cement.

Found this little guy outside of our back door.  Only about 2 1/2 inches across

On Christmas I wasn't quick enough with the camera to get the good shots.  I asked if on new year's the fireworks were as good.  "Oh Yeah"  So I stayed up till midnight.  But none of our close neighbors had fireworks.  Well, there's always next year (not).  The whole city was like this.  Different houses had their own displays.  It would be like in Silverton if there were 100+ houses lighting off skyrockets.

Anyone need a pair of soccer shoes?

Nice sunset over an area where we are teaching several families.

These little pigs went to market.  Three of them.  Will be tacos by the end of tomorrow,