Xochicalco and Taxco

While we were at the seminar in Cuernavaca last week, we got to go to some ruins called Xochicalco (So chee CAL co) It was really green and beautiful. The ruins are pretty large and impressive. We got to go inside one part called the observatorio, where they have sort of a cave with a hole drilled in the top. The sun shines through the hole, and somehow they could tell the seasons, (we don't really have winter, fall, etc here, so I guess they had to use the sun to know when to plant and stuff) Elder and Sister Holland went with us to tour the ruins. This is for you Camille - Elder Holland wore Nike, but Sis Holland wore New Balance! :)We brought umbrellas because you never know

when there is going to be a downpour.

What little girl wouldn't love a necklace like this? :)

I got my shoes shined in a little town called Taxco (Toss co) He only charged 12 pesos, (about $1.20) to do this. My shoes looked better than when they were new. What a great deal!

This is the view from the edge of the ruins at Xochicalco

This is more of the beautiful green view. We had headsets to guide us through the ruins and through the museum. It was really interesting and fun to see something new. Yes, Russ got to wear casual clothes for the day - no tie! The women were asked to wear dresses, though. Oh well.

Temple Square Meeting

Last Wednesday Russ, Ryan, and I went over to Temple Square to attend a special meeting with all four of the Mexico City missions and the MTC missionaries (about 900 total) with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Sis. Holland, Elder L. Whitney Clayton and Sis. Clayton. Elder Holland talked to the missionaries about establishing deep roots for the church in Mexico. It was great to hear his counsel.


The Temple has been closed for about a year and a half, but will be rededicated on Sunday, Nov. 16th. We have heard that it will probably be President Monson that will come to do this.
After the meeting, Elder Holland directed our mission president's seminar in Cuernavaca. What a great opportunity for us to be with him for 3 days! The first evening we got to sit at the Holland's table for dinner. On the last night, we also got to sit at their table, and I got to sit right next to Sis. Holland. She is a very sweet, beautiful lady. I enjoyed talking to her very much.

A Busy Week

Our 3 delayed American missionaries are finally here! Only 4 weeks late :) Two arrived here on Tuesday afternoon, and the last one arrived Thursday evening. In between this, we had four elders go home 2 weeks early, leaving here on Wednesday. (They had personal circumstances that they just needed to be home a little early)

Last night, one of the elders scheduled to go home in two weeks called - he has been struggling with some health issues for the past six months, and wanted to hang in there. In the last few days, the issues have become a little more serious, so Russ and the elder decided that he needed to go home. He's on his way home today, he really gave it all he had.

Russ also finished up the Zone Conferences/Interviews this week, now he is working on the transfers. He has had a very busy week. Sometimes it feels like we are running down a hill pulling a wagon - and one of the wheels is just about to fall off! This week has been like that. Hopefully, next week will be calmer - and Ryan starts back to school, he only had 2 months of summer vacation, with football almost every day, but I think he is ready. :)

It's Hard to Say Goodbye

We had 22 missionaries go home in our last cycle. It was our biggest group so far.

We lost a lot of leaders this time; four zone leaders and one secretary.

Sometimes they have to wait a long time to have

their final interview with the President.

This missionary - Elder Tanner - got everyone to sing hymns while they waited.

It was great to hear them - sometimes in Spanish, sometimes in English.

Elder Anderson and Elder Utley's parents came to Mexico to pick up their missionaries. They wanted to meet us, so they came over later in the day after the others had gone home. It was great to meet them, it was actually our first time meeting any of the parents of our missionaries.

I Looked Out the Window and What Did I See.....

Here are a couple of our little "pets" that are in the front yard.
None in the house lately, thank goodness!

Mexican Funeral

On Thursday afternoon I was driving toward Constituyentes - a large 6 lane road - toward Ryan's school. As I turned the corner onto this road, six men were walking along the side with a white casket on their shoulders. A large group of people were walking behind them. At first, I smiled and wondered what in the world was going on, but after a few seconds I realized that this was a real funeral procession. It was quite humbling to realize that these people were walking with their loved one to the cemetery, with the pallbearers actually carrying the casket on their shoulders.

Sometimes I will see a full sized bus, painted gray, with the word "Funeral" or "Funerale" on the front. I'm not the authority on this or anything, but it seems like the people have the funeral at a church and then go together on the large bus to the cemetery (There are a lot of people in Mexico City that don't own a car at all). I think that this group of people I saw on Constituyentes had just left the bus and they were walking down the street to the cemetery, which was very closeby. So different from the funeral processions I've seen at home. It was quite a touching scene.