Matthews Mission in Guatemala: Rescued by the good Samaritans and discovering the past

Thoughts of the AMA - We have been taking new born baby kits to a small maternity hospital in Guatemala City. Last week they told us we needed to get written permission to continue to do so. I got the address of the government office where our request would be considered. It is in a part of Guatemala City that I was not at all familiar with. I tried navigating there with a GPS program, but my mission phone is old, and sometimes doesn't react fast enough to guide me. I missed a turn and had no idea where I was. I saw two policemen by the side of the road, and pulled over to ask directions. I got out and told them where I was going, then heard a click from my car. Our car automatically locks after about a minute of the ignition being turned off. It keeps people from stealing the car. Unfortunately, I hadn't taken the key with me and now it was locked in the car. The neighborhood was residential. I asked the policemen if they knew where a locksmith shop was. They didn't. A fellow walked up and said "hello elder". He introduced himself as a member. I asked if he knew where I could find a locksmith. He said he knew one, and would bring him over. I thanked him. A lady walked up and identified herself as a member. I explained the situation and she asked if I had another key somewhere. I had one at our apartment way across town. Patsy was working at the MTC that day, but I thought maybe the mental health advisor who lives in our building and has one of our apartment keys would be willing to go get the car key.

The locksmith came and tried to get the car open, but couldn't. The sister said she'd be glad to drive across town and pick up my key. I called the mental health nurse and got her to go to our apartment and get the spare key, and give it to the sister, who brought it to me. The brother waited until she got back before he left. I shook hands all around, thanked everyone, then asked directions to the government office.

I was struck by the willingness of two members, strangers to me, to help me solve my problem. Rationally I understand that millions of people pray everyday for the missionaries, emotionally I was greatly moved that as a missionary, I was helped and protected in a difficult situation.

Every three weeks a new batch of missionaries arrives at the MTC. Patsy helps there that day, checking their papers and helping the nurse figure out and record how many vaccinations are needed. She stayed all day to help the nurse.

On Thursday we went to a small village at the end of a rough dirt road at a coffee plantation with the Oylers, former missionaries here, who returned with gifts for the children of the village. We had purchased some coloring books, crayons and stickers, and some regular notebooks and pencils and some toys for them. The village is miles from any store and the people are poor, so the kids were thrilled to get any of the gifts.

Friday the senior couples went on an overnight visit to the Mayan ruins in Copan, Honduras. I was impressed by the size of the complex that's been restored, and the number of man hours necessary to construct the pyramids, plazas and ball courts. The society was stratified enough that they could feed the tens of thousands of workers who were smoothing stones, carving glyphs and laying out the pyramids along astronomical axes.

Sunday we went to church. President Shumway of the Guatemala South Mission is over our district and attended our branch that day with his wife. There were 162 people in sacrament meeting. The testimonies were good. One young boy, about seven years old, bore his testimony. Instead of saying he loved his mommy and daddy and the church is true, he used an analogy. He said that we are plants and the Lord is the water that makes us grow. I was touched.

They had to bring in chairs from all the class rooms for the people attending. After the meeting, President Shumway took a video of the congregation so he could show the area president the huge number of people who are attending our branch. We are hoping to be organized into a ward and included in a stake within the next few months. Priesthood opening exercises has been held in a class room about 10 feet by 12 feet. The branch president decided to switch the priesthood opening exercises to the primary room, which allows everyone to sit down, but twenty-five primary kids were then put into the small class room. It helps that the chairs for the kids are smaller than the adult chairs, so no one had to stand, but it was pretty tight. We are on the list for expansion of the building, but have no idea when it might happen.

Patsy taught the singing time. We found out that the primary will be singing in Sacrament meeting July 15, so we learned the new song for the month, then practiced the song we'll sing in sacrament meeting.