Anthropology Museum

We have been busier since the Gills left.  He was a doctor and a branch president and she was a nurse, choir director and everything else.  They dissolved his branch and gave us one of his districts so our rama is larger.  Dennis is doing the choir and I am trying to pick up some of her responsibilities.  For our P-day on August 8 we went to the National Museum of Anthropology

A ball court designed after those of ancient days

just inside the very modern and beautiful National institute of anthropological

Modern day dancers at the museum. 

Mayan Calendar

family history of blood line and history of the people on Codices

Ambar..clear stones maybe something like the brother of Jared found although these are from the American Continental

I love this mural.  It reminds me of what it must have been like in the new world before Christ came

Olmec Head from the Jaredite reign.  A king.  The head is huge.  Maybe 14 feet tall.

Pole swingers coming down from the pole.  I saw them in Chichen itza also.  These were at the park before we went into the museum.

a pole dancer collecting money and praise

Another Olmec head.  President Tenorio said he looks like a Olmec.  He is from Veracruz.

Outside the National institute of anthropology

Norovirus at the CCM

I didn't write about this at the time, but LaDean sent me an email  and it reminded me about the Norovirus that spread through the CCM.  It happened shortly after we arrived so it was probably about July 18th through the 20th of 2015, but I don't remember the exact dates.  A lot of missionaries were very sick and some even went to the hospital for test and lab work because they were so dehydrated. 

Evidently LaDean's daughter in law, Sandra sent LaDean an email containing part of an email that a missionary from Sandra's wards sent home.  She wanted to know my take on the situation he had described at the CCM.  I responded and then LaDean wrote it up in her own personal life history books. 

LaDean said  this was an excerpts from an email she had received from Sandra: This is a letter from an Elder in our ward.  I thought you would find this interesting. He is currently at the Mexico CCM (MTC).  Last P-day at the CCM and "The Plague!" - Well this week has had a lot of excitement. First of all, let me tell you about "The Plague" that has infected the CCM. On Sunday morning one of the Hermanas in our zone was sick with something. Then later that afternoon, one of the Hermanas in our district wasn´t feeling so well so she went back to her room. The CCM presidency announced that there was something going around and everyone should make sure to wash their hands and be very careful. That is where it all started. The next day, Monday, the plague began to spread. It showed no mercy. We watched all day people getting picked up by the clinic golf cart. Everyone who was on it looked like they wanted to die. One kid had his head just pressed up against the seat in front of him. And I am not kidding, we saw that golf cart everywhere... it was at everyone´s house! Then, towards the end of the day, the Hermana in our district finally started feeling better, so she was able to come to class. But the plague would not stop there. Next, it took Elder Reid from our district. And he had to go home towards the end of the day. Then once we finally headed home, the plague had infected our roommate, Elder East. So that night all the missionaries who had not yet been infected by the plague hung out in the living room. Tuesday seemed to be the last major day of the plague. The doctors told us that there were about 100 missionaries that were reported sick. Me and Elder Tice seem to be some of the few survivors of the plague.  … I certainly did find that interesting!  I said a prayer for my dear sister Nola and her good husband, Dr. Harston then forwarded the email on to her. 

31 July, Friday – I got a reply from Nola – Wow!  She was the one driving the golf cart! Hi LaDean, I can't deny it we have had quite the week.  It actually started on Saturday then increased on Sunday and Monday morning the clinic was so full of patients that every exam room or counseling room was full.  There were no available doctors or nurses to help anyone that was not really sick.  Dennis and I were up on house calls Sunday night until 11:00pm and then we had two calls in the night.  When these missionaries are running a fever of literally 103+ they just can’t walk to the clinic so we have to go see them or pick them up in the golf cart. I spent the entire morning on Monday picking up and delivering back missionaries who were too sick to come in on their own. Basically we think it was a norovirus and as painful as it was (and it was painful even to watch these young otherwise healthy missionaries throwing up their guts in front of you) they just had to get through it for 48 hours.  I felt so bad for them that I just cried.  We had some Elders come in and ask if we would go see an Elder who was laying on the floor of his classroom shaking because he was having chills and fever. This was on Sunday when we already had two other requests to make house calls and we just couldn't get to them all fast enough. That Elder on the floor had a temperature of 103.4 and he couldn't make it to the clinic or go home either.  Most of them either had diarrhea, vomiting, high fever, chills and fever or headaches and achy bodies.  I saw "above and beyond" compassionate service offered by missionaries in their districts.  It was very humbling to see such Christ like love in very unpleasant tasks like cleaning up vomit, helping with soiled clothing and one Elder practically carried his companion into the house after I returned them to their house. I can’t imagine that it would be good to let the whole world know that this happened at our otherwise wonderful MTC so I have not said much about it. It probably is best for prospective missionaries not to contemplate going to the MTC and getting sick. We are all doing "elbow bumps" right now instead of any "handshakes or hugs"...the Elders can't hug anyway ...but sisters do. It will only get better from here.  I do hope your mission is less traumatic.  Much love, Hermana Harston --- I could not help but cry as I read her email. I thanked Heavenly Father for this wonderful sister I have. J 

our picture Elder Mills sent to Elder Walker

When I received the Union Second Ward newsletter today via email this was in it.

Benemerito

The "B" used to stand for Benemerito now it stands for Baptisms.  

We had a live broadcast from the Provo MTC tonight.  The only problem came when the North Americans came at 7:15 like their schedule said and the Latinos did not come until just before 8:00 as their schedules said. The devotional with President Russel M. Nelson started at 8:00.  The North Americans can get kind of loud in their conversations so I had anticipated that and asked President Tenario if we should do prelude singing for the purpose of keeping some reverence.  He said no but didn't realize that the North Americans were scheduled to come early.  When President Rubalcava learned and heard what was going on he grabbed Dennis and me and said please get someone up on the stand to help with prelude singing.  I quickly asked a couple of very capable elders in our branch, Elder Kenison and Elder Bons.  I had asked Kenison to help with that before and then told him no because President Tenario said we didn't need them.  Elder Bons was sleeping  in his seat as we had 45 minutes to do nothing.  I asked  Elder Kenison to wake him up and please have him come and help on the piano.  They had performed a special musical number together last week in the Sunday devotional and I knew I could call them on a moment's notice.  Thank heaven for their willingness to help.  I apologized to President Tenorio after for going against his desire but he told me if President/Counselor Rubalcava said to do it I should just get it going and get a pianist and chorister and that it was no problem. 

Tuesday's trip to the Temple Clinic

Lots of preparations to get ready for the temple open house.  These people were actually scrubbing the outside temple walls.  They are all dressed in white.  

beautiful temple grounds

Dennis and I have to drive through crazy traffic to go the the temple clinic on Tuesdays.  He sees missionaries from the city who need help. This was a picture of beautiful flowers and the reflection of the temple spires as seen in the vistor center windows.  

The grounds are looking beautiful.  They plant flowers under the trees and decorate with white rocks.

There is a beehive of activity as workers prepare to get ready for an open house in 10 days on August 13th. There is a crew of workers in the background sanding the previous markings off the cement parking spots so they will look fresh and new.  We saw two of the missionaries who had just left the CCM and went there to serve and learn what they can do to help with the open house.  

An interesting picture of the temple spires as seen in the morning light when we first arrived at the temple at 10:00 AM

The clinic on the temple grounds for missionaries.  That is the pharmacy in the cupboards behind Dennis.  The exam room and the receiving room are actually dorm rooms as the clinic is housed in the one of the dormitories.  The MTC for the Latino missionaries was on the temple grounds before it was at the present location here with the North American missionaries.   

The Gill's are leaving

The Gills (Fred and Nancy) were guests in the special events room at the new comodor.  Elder Todd Christofferson will be here on the 26th and will also eat here.  This was just one of their good-bye parties.  That is the clinic just outside the window.  We started at about 7:00 to allow the missionaries to be gone from the cafeteria.  It was Nancy's birthday so extra celebrations...again with the traditional apple pie and ice cream from Costco.

Another going away party for the Gills.  This one was in the upper employees room.  It was also Fred's birthday so we had the usual apple pie and ice cream from Costco.  Dennis and I had to buy a membership since I had to provide a salad for the above party.

Around and beyond the CCM campus

Dennis' shot of me and the new missionaries marching off with suitcases in tow to their new houses after just having  arrived.

They are building a playground right next to the road just outside the CCM wall.  I see this all over the city as we drive around.  If there is a spare blot of ground they put swings and a slipper slide on it.  Most frequently it is between two very busy streets but they make use of it.  

Dennis and I and the Latino doctor were invited to take a tour of the kitchen at the new comodor.  I hear just after it reopened a few weeks ago that one of the workers in the comodor took videos and posted it on you tube.  This was an interesting shot of some of the salsa.  The Latinos put it on everything from pizza to watermelon.