January 22, 2010 Missionary Multi-Zone and Belize City District Conferences and Travel to Cayo District

It has been awhile since we last posted.  Our internet was down 4 days, then up for about 10 days, then down for another 6 days.  We find this frustrating to say the least, as so much of our missionary responsibilities depend on the internet. 

We just finished with a multi-zone mission conference and district conference, and we have had lots to do.  Elder Pattee spoke twice and Sister Pattee 3 times.  President and Sister Lopez were here from San Salvador, as were Elder and Sister Fenn, supervising missionaries for the San Salvador Temple, which is soon to be completed. 

Sister Lopez handing out goodies to the missionaries at dinner at missionary zone conference.

Cute children sitting on the front row at Belize City District Conference.  Adalee McCoy, age 13, is the one reading a book.  Elder Pattee baptized her last month. 

We had a pretty good turn out at Belize City District Conference.  These pictures were taken just after the Sunday meeting was was over.  Five branches attended.  Three of the branches were some distance away.

More children
 

On Sunday, after all the conferences were done, the Lopezes, Fenns, Sandbergs, and Pattees all went traveling up to the Cayo District.  It is actually inland, not north of  Belize City, but since it is at a higher elevation, people often say, "up".   We ate a picnic lunch on the way to San Ignacio prepared by Sister Sandberg, and Elder and Sister Pattee.  We arrived just in time for the Fenns to give another temple fireside (the 3rd since arriving in Belize).  It was very inspiring and well attended. 

After the fireside we had dinner with the Cayo District Presidency.  As you can see,  they are all very young.  We watched a DVD about EFY (Especially For Youth), which we will be bringing to Belize for the very first time in December.  Many members here in Belize have never heard of EFY.

Sister Kaye catered our dinner.  She is a very good cook and loves to feed the missionaries.

Elder and Sister Pattee with members of the San Ignacio Branch

We stayed at Martha's Guesthouse.  Monday morning we went to see the progress on the Succotz chapel in Succotz, which is almost done.

Newly remodeled Succotz Chapel

The front part is the old chapel, with the back part being the addition.  It looks really nice and will more than double the space.  It was the only building project going on in the little town that we could see.

This is the temporary chapel being used in Succotz.  You can imagine that the local members will be very glad to move into their newly remodeled one soon. 

Since the Fenns had never been to Belize before, we took them to the Xunantunich ruins, which are just across the river from Succotz. 

This time we made the crossing in the mission van.

This man provides the manpower to hand-crank us across the river.

Did you know that bunches of bananas grow up, not down?  Also notice the huge seed hanging down underneath the bananas.  It will drop down onto the soft ground beneath it and start to grow a new banana palm tree.

L to R:  Lopezes, Sandbegs, Pattees, and Fenns 

We are standing in front of one of the temples at Xunantunich.

Guards with guns are on the premises.  Once some robbers came across the border from Guatemala (only minutes away) and robbed the tourists.  It turned out one of the tour guides was involved and had called on a cell phone to alert the robbers when to come.  They were all later apprehended and punished.  The guards told us this tale as we visited with them. 

Can you see this iguana in the tree?  He was very big.  There was also a smaller green iguana in the same tree.  But it he was too quick for our cameras.

One last meal before we head for the Belize City airport.  Time for the Lopezes and Fenns to return to San Salvador.  We had a wonderful time, but it did seem like we spent a lot of time eating.