Sorry, I am just posting this from my journal entry on July 24th
Today is Pioneer Day!
I am thinking about my pioneer grandmas and grandpas today. My ancestors. I am grateful for them. I am grateful to be linked with them.
I have studied many of their lives and have for the past many Christmases given to our children, family history books with stories and accounts of our progenitors, highlighting their lives and adding pictures to help them put faces and names with their stories.
I look forward to reuniting with these grandmas and grandpas one day, to thank them for providing such an example for me of absolute faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to thank them for sacrificing as they did to help build the kingdom of God in their small part of the world. I feel a desire to thank them for their grit, and hard work, and for helping to make a righteous path for me and my family to follow.
They are heros to me and I love them.
We got up early today and got ready to go to Teocuitatlan for their branch conference.
Our assistants Elder Kotter and Elder Manriquez traveled with us today.
We had a great drive together, it was so green and pretty, much different from the last time we made this journey. It has rained and rained in our part of the mission, and the countryside was stunning. We saw the fields and pastures with lots and lots of cattle, horses, and sheep grazing happily on the green lush grass. We drove through trees along the road with their branches hanging low almost like an archway.
As we drove into the pueblo, we called the zone leaders, Elder Viafanua and Elder Bravo for specific directions to the little house of prayer.
When they answered their phone, they said, we were right behind you, but you just turned right and we just turned left, so turn around and we'll meet you on the corner. They got out of their car one street up, and that was the street the little house of prayer was on.
The zone leaders had come with the district presidency from Guzman. We piled out of our cars, and walked up to the house of prayer, and the doors were locked. We had beat the branch president there. He drove right up though, and we met him and his family.
There is one main family in this small branch.
There is an older mother and father who have 8 grown children, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren throughout the area. Interestingly, one of their sons is the branch president in Las Varas.
Two of their sons have served as the branch president here in Teocuitatlan through the years.
There were only 13 members here today. One of their cute granddaughters had just returned from her mission in Guatemala, and there was another granddaughter who said she was hoping to serve a mission. There was a 13 year old boy and two 8 year old boys.
Our meeting went well. The assistants taught an outstanding Sunday School lesson. President taught his fabulous 3rd hour lesson, with President Ocampo, President's second counselor in the mission presidency, ending with his testimony.
I had packed a picnic lunch, which we and the assistants ate in the car as we drove home. We snacked on licorish as we finalized our August Mission Council agenda.
Great Day.
The entryway statue as we entered Teocuitatlan.
Teocuitatlan Branch members
Teocuitatlan
Branch President Adan Anaya Meza
Guzman District Presidency
President Juan Manuel Alaraz Mendoza (center)
1st Counselor - Rodolfo Vazquez Telles (right)
2nd Counselor - Manuel Magallon Gonzalez (not shown)
Sec - Juan Carlos Vazquez Rodriguez (left)
With President Ocampo on the left,
President Clayton's second counselor
in the Mission Presidency
Our assistants Elder Kotter and Elder Manriquez
teaching a outstanding Sunday School lesson.
I loved how they taught with
Elder Manriquez so creatively utilizing the
chalkboard. :)
It was a masterpiece! :)
Outside the house of prayer
Our assistants with zone leaders
Elder Bravo and Elder Vaifanua
across the street from the house of prayer.
This sweet man was just leaving to
pick up his delivery of food for his
sheep.
Ok, I loved this door way so much.
Unforgettable pictures here in Teocuitatlan.
I love this gate.
And the window almost completely covered with ivy.
#doorway
#bricks
#upstairs window
Oh my word, I love that ledge and wooden window.
ok, I love this doorway
corner market
As we drove around, we found this rock wall
with ivy growing all over it. We had to
stop and take some pictures.
(please note that I was with President and the
two assistants. I had to do some begging for them
to stop and take these pictures ) :)
This is a treasure. This sweet man on his mule with
his load, waved and smiled as we slowed to take it all in.
