Christmas at the Temple

If we were from Utah we would think this weather is hardly Christmas weather, but since it feels about like Tucson in December, it is just right for us.  We still sleep with our windows open and have them open all day for a breeze to blow through.  Love It!

The gardeners started planting these lovely poinsettia plants around our temple about the first of November and they tell us we will enjoy them till the end of January or February.  Aren't they lovely?

They cover them up every night as that is the only time it gets very cold.

They are even out near the front gate where the sign is for the temple.

We recently attended our Temple Ordinance Workers Christmas Devotional where we heard wonderful messages from the Presidency of the Temple and listened to a lovely choir singing carols.  

This adorable little grandma is one of my favorite shift coordinators in the temple.  Isn't she precious in her bright tipica clothes?

We couldn't resist a Christmas photo in front of the temple that we love so much.  

We pray that you will enjoy family and friends this Christmas season in commemorating the most wonderful gift ever given, Our Savior Jesus Christ.

Christmas comes to Xela

Just down the hill from the our temple is this structure called 'The Minerva Temple'. It was built in 1900 under the direction of the new leader of the country, President Manual Estrada Cabrera, who was infatuated with the Roman Goddess Minerva and had several Minerva temples built throughout the country.    

That is not a school bus there, it is public transportation with the name of the school district it originally served in just painted out. Did you ever wonder what happened to worn out school buses? 

 When this huge tree is lit up at night, we can see it from our annex building.  This tree is just a huge frame put together in pieces.  But pretty magnificent, wouldn't you agree?

 This is a beautiful mosiac mural is on a wall across from the Minerva temple.  Notice our volcano, Santa Maria shows up on it too.













We came across a little family in the park there near Minerva temple just enjoying a lovely shopping day.  I asked if I could take a picture of this darling little girl all dressed up and she consented but grabbed her brother to join her.

But you must see her hair do from the back. 

We had to do something to dress up our apartment so this is our greeting on our front door.

Our Christmas tree runs no competition in size with the one by the Minerva Temple but it fits in our little apartment just fine.  Don't you love the Guatemalan dolls all around it?  Dolls just go with Christmas, I think.  These will eventually go to our granddaughters but for now we are enjoying them around our tree.

And of course, Dad had to find a way to put up some lights so we wound some through a cheap Chinese import garland.  Butt unfortunately, the Duck Tape here is not as strong as it is at home and the garland and lights came down.  We enjoyed it while it lasted though.

And here is our Christmas Tablecloth that I found on one venture out.  Really brightens up our apartment. 

 I have several more Christmas posts to add but I will save them for another day.  

Hope you are enjoying all your Christmas preparations and not losing track of what Christmas is really all about.  Celebrating a very special birthday, that of the baby Jesus Christ. 

Beautiful people in beautiful dresses!

It has been awhile since I posted anything, although I have taken tons of pictures so I better repent and get some on here to  share.  One of my favorite things about this culture is how beautiful the women are in their Tipica dress.  We are told that you can tell where a woman is from by her clothes as each area has their own style.  

I love this shot of three ladies in blue walking along holding hands.  It is sometimes difficult to get pics of the front of them when we are driving by in a car but this shows you how beautiful the fabric is.  They always wear a matching or coordinating apron as you see by the straps in the back.  It covers their skirts all the way down to the bottom.

 This was captured in an open air market on one of our Monday forays up in the mountains.  Don't you love this cute little shopper with her shopping bag?  Notice the head piece on the lady on the right.  They wear interesting things on their heads.

I thought this was a cute picture of a mom with her little one tied on her back like they always do but look who is carrying the shopping bag!














These are some of the colorful loomed fabrics that they make their dresses and skirts from.  I'm going to have to choose one and have something made from it before we leave here.

 I guess carrying their children on their backs saves having to try to keep track of them while shopping which is always a challenge in our country.  Looks like this one would be quite a heavy load.

Even their little girls are dressed like their mothers in their beautiful cloth and embroidered tops.  Aren't these two adorable?  We just snapped this along the road one day. ( I don't know why I can't get the underline to go away!!)

This family on the right seemed to be on their way to church one Sunday afternoon.  

In the Temple Annex where our apartment is there is an Huespedes which is an area with two kitchens and a large room with tables for eating.  It also includes a large sitting room with couches and chairs.  Upstairs on our floor are bedrooms with bunk beds and bathrooms.  These are for the people who come from far away to attend the temple.  Notice how short they are compared to our visitor from Salt Lake.

This is the Choqui Branch from Momostenango up in the mountains.  These people are quite poor and carry the scent of wood smoke from their cooking and heating fires in their homes.  But look how beautiful this embroidered blouse is on this mother with her two sons having breakfast. 

 I am always drawn to the adorable babies with their huge dark eyes.  Isn't he handsome?