People of Corn

When I arrived in Guatemala and began to get to know our staff here in the office, our Legal Administrator, Set Quiñonez, told me one day that he is a man of corn and I am a man of wheat; he is Chapín and I am Gringo.  I had never thought of that, and found his comment interesting but strange. But as I have become more acquainted with the culture and customs here, particularly of the Mayan people, I have come to understand more of what he meant.  Corn or maize is everywhere, and the people eat corn tortillas with every meal.  A specialty is roasted corn on a stick, "elote", with various sauces and spices smeared on it.  The ears of corn are huge and with a different shape than we are used to seeing in the States, and they come in many different varieties and colors.  While doing some research yesterday on the indigenous people of Guatemala, I came across this article about the Mayan's fight against Monsanto. Here is a passage from the article that gives you an idea of just how endemic corn is in their culture:

Sacred crops

Sololá is one of the agriculture centers of Guatemala, with a majority of the population relying on the growing of maize, beans, coffee and other crops. The department also has one of the highest indigenous populations in the country, with 96 percent of the population identifying as Kaqchikel, T’zutujil, or Kiche Maya. Maize is sacred to the Maya; their cultures and societies revolve around it. According to the Kiche Maya creation story, the Popol Vuh, the gods made humans by grinding the different colors of maize.

As is written in the Popol Vuh, “There was a consensus (among the gods), and it was decided what would come of the red, yellow, black, and white maize; it is from these that they made our bones, our blood, and our flesh.”

The protection of seed is thus of the utmost importance for the indigenous peoples of Guatemala and across Mesoamerica. “We cannot live without our corn,” said Acetún of the indigenous municipality. “It makes up all of our lives. We consume it for our food, we sell it, it is us.”

Rafael, a campesino from the Kaqchikel Maya community of Pixabaj, Sololá, explained, “The people here are Maize … We are not French. We are not anything else. We are Maize; we are Maya.”

As the protests mounted, women took the lead in organizing for the defense of maize. In Sololá, women created a seed bank to archive and protect the various varieties of heirloom corn for future generations. “The women of Sololá have taken the lead in organizing to save and protect our heirloom seeds,” said Pocop. “It is our responsibility to preserve our traditional seed, and to pass along the traditional ways of doing things.”

http://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/guatemala-indigenous-communities-prevail-monsanto/  

A Beautiful Day in Guatemala

It is a Beautiful day in Guatemala.  The sun is shining with a few high clouds.  I just finished a nice walk/jog.  I still haven't gotten use to the rules of the road here.  Pedestrians Do Not have the right of way even in a cross walk or a red light.  I don't step out into a cross walk to cross the stree if there is a car right there but if it is 30-50 yards from the cross walk I am inclined to continue walking. Some drivers get very annoyed when I do that and the Guate's think I'm a bit crazy. I just keep forgetting, I have survived so far.

A Special Witness

Another week has flown by.  Today was our P-day, but we just exercised in the morning and did shopping and errands this afternoon.  We are both pretty tired from our labors.  We helped Paula Wood get the shopping done that she needed to do in preparation for a VIP breakfast and the November Break the Fast gathering (that is the dinner we all have together as missionaries on fast Sunday).  They have family coming in this week to visit, so she needed help getting the shopping done while her husband worked today.

I posted a picture of our missionary group earlier in the week.  We had a Zone Conference on Thursday and Elder Jose Alonso addressed us along with a couple of the Sister Missionaries. All the talks were great.  Elder Alonso shared personal experiences as a general authority at General Conference when the three new Apostles were called and sustained.  He told how in a meeting with the general authorities, President Monson stood and testified that the Lord, Jesus Christ, had given him the names of those who were to be called as the new Apostles.  He spoke of his own witness that that was true, and told of meeting the day of their call with Bishop Stevenson, where he seemed distracted and detached.  Later when he saw the new Apostle after his call was announced, he testified that he saw a light in his countenance and perceived that the mantle of the apostleship had descended upon him.  I too received a witness during conference that these new Apostles were called of God and not of man.  It was not a political, racial, or cultural decision; it was revelation from the Savior.

Elder Alonso then talked to us about listening to the voice of the Savior, feeling His Spirit, and seeing His face.  This is our quest in life, to become like Him so that we can become like Our Heavenly Father.

Guatemalan Buses

MaryAnn Posted to Facebook: October 17 at 2:44 pm

Here is a very small representation of the buses. There are many more colors.

A Guatemala Holiday

MaryAnn Posted to Facebook: October 20 at 5:48 pm

Today is a Guatemala holiday. Bob didn't have to go to work so we did a little sight seeing. I've included a picture of the Palacio, (the main Guatemala government building) and a church on the plaza. Also the rickety red buses.

Okay, two firsts today. When we were at the plaza there was a crowd gathered around a person performing. Bob and I were able to look over the heads of the people to see what was happening. The second was watching a movie at the theater in a reclining chair and restaurant service. Yes as senior missionaries we can do many things a youth can't.

Our Friends

A Humble People: October 17

Posted to Facebook: October 17 at 1:18pm

I wish I could describe what I see here in Guatemala but sometimes pictures can help. Here is a picture of the type of vehicles we often, everyday, see on the roads. I often wonder how they are being held together.

Eruptions Today on the Volcano of Fire: October 7

"Eruptions Today on the Volcano of Fire" Posted to Facebook; October 7 at 7:36 pm 

Mudslide in Guatemala City: October 3

Posted to Facebook: October 3 at 9:32 pm by: Robert Smith

"Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones in the terrible mudslide east of Guatemala City."

Beautiful Guatemalan Flowers

Bob Posted to Facebook: October 20 at 10:22am

Elder Steven E. Snow

One of the really enjoyable things about working in the Area Office is that on Monday morning each week there is a devotional for all the Church employees, leaders, and missionaries.  These have been very uplifting and inspiring.  Today, however, was even better.  Elder Steven E. Snow, the Church Historian and Recorder, along with his wife, Phyllis, and his assistant, Richard Turley, were here to conduct a Church history tour of Central America.  Each of them spoke at this morning's devotional, and their talks were great.  They took the Lord's command in D&C 21:1 that there shall be record kept among us and applied it to us inividually as well as to the Church.  They taught us that we each need to record our life, faith, and work in the Church and share our story with our family to build their faith.  Elder Snow told us about all the wonderful things that are going on in the Church History Department, from the new Church History building and its new exhibit, to the Joseph Smith papers project, capturing international history of the Church, making our history available to everyone on-line, and to a new four volume History of the Church that is being written by Richard Turley and his team for publication at the end of 2019.

After the devotional, I got the chance to chat with Elder Snow for a minute.  He remembered me from years  ago when Paul Graf and I rented office space in the Snow Nuffer building in St George that he and his law partner, David Nuffer, had built across from the old court house.  It was nice to get to talk with him.  He and his wife are great people.

Still Raining!

This is our third straight day of heavy rain, and it isn't expected to let up until Wednesday!  Flooding has been reported in various parts of the country.  I hope we don't have another devastating landslide. It would take years to accumulate this much rain in Utah.

We've been in Guatemala a Month!

October 18, 2015

Another incredibly busy week has passed and we find that we have been in Guatemala a month already.  My work has been interesting and challenging, but what has impressed me most is the feeling of joy from knowing I am helping do the Lord's work.  There are so many awesome people here involved in this work, as missionaries, members, leaders, and Church employees.  There is such a wonderful spirit about them.

Yesterday we ventured out exploring the city a little more.  We drove down the road toward El Salvador and got caught in the usual traffic jam--traffic congestion is really a problem in this city.  We then went by a new exclusive development called Cayala.  The chasm between rich and poor is much greater here than we are used to seeing back home.  The rich places like Cayala are as nice as anything in the States, but the poor areas are another matter.

Yesterday afternoon we attended the baptism of a sister in Barrio Santa Luisa.  It wasn't directed with the precision we would expect, but the Spirit was strong.  President and Hermana Crapo, the mission president and his wife from the Guatemala East Mission, attended as well.  Hermana Crapo accompanied us to Church today in Barrio Santa Luisa for the confirmation.  The ward is small, but there are faithful members there who have strong testimonies of the restored Gospel.

We had dinner last night at Applebees, just one of many American food chains that are here.  King of them all though is McDonald's--there is one of those on every block (well not that many, but you get what I mean).  We have found a couple of local places that we like: San Martin and Saul Bistro.

My 5 am Wake-up Call

MaryAnn Posted to Facebook

I was just looking back over my journal entries. There are a couple I would like to share but I don't know how much of my personal experiences you might be interested in knowing. I guess it is best to share now rather than having them surface when I am dead.

Written 10/5/15: Every since BYU education week (Aug. 17-21) I have had strong prompting that if I truly wanted a closer relationship with Jesus Christ and to receive the gifts of the spirit that I need, I needed to follow Bro. Bartholomew's lead and get up early in the morning to prayer and study the scriptures. Several times over the past two months I have been awakened, I believe by the spirit, early in the morning between 4-5:30. I have had a voice in my mind suggesting I get up. I heeded the prompting a couple of times but the rest I ignored, kinda.

Well, in conference this past weekend counsel was given by Elder Lawrence to ask the Lord:
What is keeping me from progressing? Well, I asked and I was told to get up early each morning so that I can have the quite time I need to pray and study.

Last night one of the things I prayed for was to have the Lord/Spirit wake me up at 5. I mentioned in my prayer that on other days I had been awakened at 4 & 4:30 but that I felt 5 was early enough. I was awakened at 5 am exactly. I got up. I have to acknowledge that it was a miracle, tender mercy, divine signature? It was the Lord letting me know He will awaken me if I will but get up!

Here is another interesting tid bit. We were counseled to Ponderize a scripture each week. Well, I was gilded to D&C 98:1-2. It is about "patiently waiting upon the Lord". This evening I decided to up date my prayer list. I haven't even looked at it for over a month or two. One of the line items on my old list was me asking for help to be patient and wait upon the Lord. I had completely forgotten about that being on the list. I left that one on my list.

Two Miracles

MaryAnn Posted to Facebook:

Let me begin by saying I did not drive for the first two weeks we where here because of the heavy, heavy traffic, the pushing and shoving that people do while driving, the buses, let's just say you better get out of their way and the motor cyclists. Then there is the road network? About 80% of the roads are one way so you have to know which ones to use. There is a saying here, you have to make three rights to turn left. So that complicates things a lot. The signage of streets is limited at best. Much of the driving and knowing where you are is done by memorizing land marks. Then if you miss a turn or get on the wrong road it could be "years" before you are found and there is no way I could ask for help because I don't have the language skills (in Spanish).

The following two miracles happened on 10/9/15.

I drove to the Temple by myself without any problems but coming back the drive was not so flawless. I began my drive back correctly but then two buses pulled out in front of me. Well, I let them because I wasn't about to fight with them over the road even though I should have had the right of way. That's not the way of things here in Guatemala. I needed to be in the right lane to take the "exit" off the road I was on and merge onto another road. The buses were in front of me and going slow. I had a clear left lane and thought I would have the time and space to get around them and back into the right lane. I didn't and as I got almost to the merging lane I could not get back into the right lane in time and found myself on the wrong road. I told myself, stay calm, and began looking for a way to turn around. I drove for a bit and realized turning around was not going to happen anytime soon so I took the next exit to the right, hoping that would give me a way to turn around. Once I took that exit which was kind of a "horseshoe" turn I felt I was in real trouble. By now the pray in my heart and mind was in great ernest. I didn't know what to do but stay calm. I soon saw a driveway I could use to turn around in and took it. I got turned around but was still very unsure of where I was or where I was going. I just kept praying and the next thing I knew I saw a road sign which I recognized. I followed it and was right back on the road I needed to be on. I don't know how to say this, once I was on the wrong road each turn and turn around was a direct answer to my prayer for help. I can't say that I heard a voice or felt really strongly feelings about the last two turns but I know the spirit was guiding me. I was and am so, so, so grateful. I could have been so very lost.

The second miracle was getting to Bob's office with his birthday cake. I had driven one time while Bob gave me directions. But when it came to me driving alone I was not sure I could get there. As I sat in front of our apartment building ready to go I had to wait for the traffic to clear. Just as I was getting ready to merge into traffic another car pulls out in front of me. As I looked I thought it was Bob's "boss"? So I pull in behind him. I wasn't totally sure it is him but I remember the first few turns and as I followed he made the turns I knew were correct so I followed. As I continue to follow I began to wonder, I'm going the right way? Now things don't seem familiar. I began to question, I'm following the person I thought it was? Now this part of the route doesn't seem right. I said to myself if this is not right then I am somewhat lost. But I determine to follow a bit longer. We (I) soon end up at the office. The person I followed was Bob's "boss". When I asked him later if he knew I was following him he said, no. Another miracle. I would not have made my way to the office if I hadn't had him to follow because I totally didn't recognize the last part of the drive.

View from the Office

Bob Posted to Facebook

Another view from the office showing both the "Volcan de Agua" on the left and the "Volcan de Fuego " in the distance in the center. You can't see it very well in the picture but the Volcan de Fuego still has smoke rising from its cone this morning.

Two Videos in Antigua

Some Photos from Our Trip to Antigua

The Sabbath is a Delight

Today we attended Barrio Santa Luisa for only the second time, and I had the opportunity to bear my testimony in Spanish.  I met a new Sister Missionary from the far northern part of Colombia who was part of  the Colombia Barranquilla Stake.  When I told her that I was the first missionary in Barranquilla in 1972 and that there were only 4 members of the Church there then, her eyes lit up with excitement as she told me they are going to build a temple there soon.  I let her know how excited I am about that as well.  What has happened in the Church all over Latin America in my lifetime can only be described as miraculous.  What a blessing to be a part of the Marvelous Work and Wonder that God is doing in this part of the world as He prepares a people for the return of His Beloved Son!

Antigua, Guatemala

Yesterday we had our first P-Day where we could see some of Guatemala, so we ventured off to see the old capital city of Antigua.  It was a beautiful and interesting drive over the mountain to Antigua, and our day there walking the cobblestone streets, seeing the historic buildings and the ruins was so much fun.  The Santa Marta earthquakes of 1773 destroyed the beautiful old city and caused the Guatemalans to move their capital to its current location here.  The city of Antigua Guatemala is maintained in its historic state, and it is a popular tourist site.  One of the truly interesting, but really indescribable experiences of the day was walking through the maze of corridors in the main marketplace of Antigua.  The market covers several acres and has literally hundreds of individually owned booth-like stores packed in the market side by side in every direction.  They sell literally everything imaginable!  The fresh produce, grains, meats, and flowers were incredible, but there are booths selling clothes, shoes, housewares, electronics, fabrics, and just about anything you would find in a department store.  On the streets the Mayans, wearing their traditional clothing, sell their beautiful handicrafts, arts, and hand-woven fabrics--they really are very beautiful.  We had lunch at a traditional Guatemalan restaurant, but "comida tipica" is going to take some getting used to.  It was such a great cultural experience!

When we figure out how to share the photos we will put them up here.

"Ponderize"

My scripture for the week is:  D&C 4

1  He aquí, una obra maravillosa está a punto de aparecer entre los hijos de los hombres.

2  Por tanto, oh vosotros que os embarcáis en el servicio de Dios, mirad que le sirváis con todo vuestro corazón, alma, mente y fuerza, para que aparezcáis sin culpa ante Dios en el último día.

3  De modo que, si tenéis deseos de servir a Dios, sois llamados a la obra;

4  pues he aquí, el campo blanco está ya para la siega; y he aquí, quien mete su hoz con su fuerza atesora para sí, de modo que no perece, sino que trae salvación a su alma;

5  y fe, esperanza, caridad y amor, con la mira puesta únicamente en la gloria de Dios, lo califican para la obra.

6  Tened presente la fe, la virtud, el conocimiento, la templanza, la paciencia, la bondad fraternal, piedad, caridad, humildad, diligencia.

7  Pedid, y recibiréis; llamad,  y se os abrirá. Amén.

Fresh Cut Flowers

I love the fresh flowers here.  These really haven't opened yet, but aren't they beautiful, and so fragrant too!

Just Two Weeks in the Mission Field

October 3, 2015

We have so enjoyed gathering with other Senior Missionaries to watch General Conference today. What wonderful and inspiring messages we have received! Thanks to the miracle of the internet we can watch the sessions live.

We have been running as fast as we can since we arrived in Guatemala two weeks ago today. We are starting to get a little more settled and comfortable here, but it has certainly been a big change in our lives! This bustling city suffers from traffic gridlock, and you really can't appreciate what that means from a U.S. perspective--driving here is something from another world. Thanks to my experiences in Colombia more than 40 years ago, I am handling it pretty well, but Hermana Smith hasn't given it a shot yet. The other night we went to a PriceSmart store (like a Costco) and got caught in rush hour traffic. It took us an hour and a half to drive back home! We won't make that mistake again.

We went to the temple last night, and I participated in an endowment session for the first time in Spanish. Felt like I was going for the first time again.

The work in the office has been most interesting and challenging. Doing it in Spanish across 8 foreign countries makes it all the more difficult. I have been working out a lease for a new meeting house in Gangriga, Belize, frantically trying to help two missionaries being thrown out the country by immigration authorities, working on getting approval to file a lawsuit to prevent a neighborhood association in El Salvador from blocking our members access to the chapel, advising leaders on child abuse cases (hearkens back to my former work), appointing new corporate officers in Nicaragua and Belize, and a host of other things. The Area Legal Counsel has been in the U.S. and I have been hopping. I certainly have felt needed.

I love being engaged in the Lord's work and knowing that I am helping build His kingdom on this earth. When we are on the Lord's errand, we can count on the Lord's help.