the weekend

We’ve had a wonderful weekend. When we arrived to open the temple yesterday morning before 6:00 a.m. two buses were already in the parking lot. The wonderful saints from Papantla had traveled all night to spend the day in the temple. We hurried to change into our temple clothes and welcome them into the house of the Lord.
There were three people coming to receive their endowments, one family to be sealed, and a good group of young people to do baptisms. One, dear, sister, Hna. Gonzalez de Jimenez had brought the names of her father, two brothers and her son to have their temple work done. She told me how her son had died twelve years ago when he was just 23 years old. With tears in her eyes she watched as the young men of her Stake entered the water and were baptized for her loved ones.
The sessions were full and the hours flew past. We left at 4:00 to get Dad to the priesthood session of the Chairel Stake Conference at 5:00 where he was speaking. He spoke again in the adult session last night and did a great job. There was a wonderful children’s choir all dressed in white who sang a sweet medley of primary songs. This stake is so active that today they had to have two sessions so that there was enough room for everyone. I wasn’t scheduled to speak at any of the meetings so I was completely relaxed. As it turned out, they called on me at both morning sessions. I bore my testimony about the fact that families can be forever; and told the story of seven year old, Sofia Guerra, her sudden death, and what a comfort it is to her parents to know they can be together again because they have been sealed in the temple. As is the custom here their were beautiful fresh flowers decorating the podium and along the banisters. There was an impressive stake choir that sang the prelude and postlude as well as two special numbers during the conferences. The pianist is one of our former missionary sons.
After conference the stake presidency (their wives) had prepared a meal for us of fruit, salad and sandwiches. It was fun to sit with their families and visit. We do feel like we are making some dear friendships and that our lives have been so enriched by this experience, as it has with each of our missions.
Sweet sisters keep giving me gifts. Saturday Hna. Alvarez knitted the top of a towel to look like ladies dress (you have to see it to understand). Hna. Gomez made little cardboard slippers to hold my match boxes. Hna. Pena gave me a beautiful white fringed shawl and brown, glass jewelry.
Two weeks ago we ate dinner and had FHE with the Blancos. Tomorrow we’ve been invited to the home of Pablo and Marta Mendez. Their 16 year old son is a fabulous musician who plays 6 instruments. In the Tampico Conference last week he played a cello solo, and a piano piece as preludes to the different sessions.
June is going to be an interesting month as so many of our temple workers are leaving on vacations. Three of my coordinators are gone now: Hna. Perez will be in New York until August 1st with her daughter. Hna. Blanco went a week ago to Orizaba to visit family. While there her husband began to hemoridge and was put into the hospital. The doctors say they can’t travel for at least two weeks. Hna. Briones told me yesterday that her husband is scheduled for surgery in Mexico City in a week and will be in the hospital there five days before they can return. We are going to be a bit short handed especially since Hna. Esparza (one of my assistants) has her surgery this Friday and won’t be able to return for at least a week, so. We had hoped to have new counselors and assistants in place by now. I’m concerned because Hna. Lopez, the wife of one of the men, leaves Tuesday to see a new grandbaby in Baja California and won’t return until the first of July. Oh well, it keeps life interesting, and the Lord always works things out for me. I love you, Mom