Hermana Patrona

Stake Conference in Terraza stake.

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There were two identical huge floral arrangements in the stake conference. A recent convert arranged the flowers.

Tropical flowers.

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We will never forget all the beautiful tropical flowers at the stake conferences. They are very colorful to say the least.

Interview time in Bucaramanga.

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We love to go to Bucaramanga because of the wonderful climate. The missionaries love working in this city. The sisters left before the photo was taken.

It is Spanish lesson time.

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Paticia Cubillos is an excellent Spanish teacher. She also keeps us informed of the many changes in the schedules of our cars, like the day no private cars could be used. Those that were used risked a heavy penalty and impounding of the car.

Saying Good-bye to more missionaries.

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It is always sad to say good-bye to our missionaries, but we wish them well. We have Sister Naredo from Argentina, and on the left, Elder Valest from Colombia, Elders Budini, Sanhuesa, and Porflit from Chile. They are returning to attend their Universities.

Check out those numbers.

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Here in Bogota, and many other parts of Colombia, the motorcycle drivers need to wear these vests with the same numbers that are on their license plate and also they are on their helmet. The vest is required after 6:00 P.M.

A typical day in our neighborhood.

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We have a public university somewhat close to our apartment that are always having the college sturdents protesting about something. We think they don't always know why they are protesting. As a result of their protests with potato bombs, the police come in with tear gas. These passerbuys are feeling the results of the gas.

Our new temple president and his wife.

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This couple is very delightful, and always working so hard in the temple. They are President and Sister Wakefield from SLC. They both sang in the Tabernacle Choir before the mission. They often sing together at stake conferences.

One of the oldest churches in Bogota.

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The iglesia Lourdess is very old, and it always looks like it is being renovated. There is a large plaza in front that has many street venders and pigeons. We are told it is a good place for pic pockets.

Street venders.

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It is easy to find new sun glasses. The white board has many sun glasses for sale. This is a common sight.

The largest park in Bogota.

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Parque Simon Bolivar is a beautiful park, it is the Central Park of Bogota. We went for a morning walk right before they put in storage their Christmas decorations. There were many of these large full size figures of all kinds of Cartoon characters.

There is a small lake in the middle of the park.

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Enjoying a good morning moment in the park.

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Artifical trees at Christmas time.

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These are the last of the 2011 artifical trees here in the park. The red balls are the Christmas lights. This looks like a real tree, but sometimes they are pink and purple.

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Nice day for a ride.

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These beautiful horses are carrying the park rangers from Simon Bolivar Park. They are all huge, but the one on the left is the largest.

The chocolatada for Barrancabermeja.

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President Hacking made a BIG pot of hot chocolate for all the members that came to the temple from Barrancabermeja. We served 45 people. President Castillo, the District president, is talking to President Hacking.

The families from Barrancabermeja at the temple.

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The families enjoying hot chocolate and crackers at the temple housing dinning room.

Teaching, teaching, teaching.

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We often have the missionaries do practicas, or role playing to improve their teaching skills.

Lots of enthusiasm here.

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So what are they learning?

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Elders giving their presentation to the primary.

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In one of our specialized trainings, the missionaries divided up into groups and demonstrated how missionaries could teach in the primary, young women and the relief society.

Our Young Women.

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Teaching the Relief Society sisters.

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Oh those Relief Society sisters.

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This group was part of our Relief Society.

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Many young men and young women came to the temple from Cali Mission.

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We were invited to speak to a large group of young people that traveled twelve hours to get to the temple. We were the invited speakers, and it is always a good experience.

Two of our assistants.

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Elder Machacuay from Peru, and Elder Jorquera from Chile, are two of the many good assistants we have had over the past 2 1/2 years.

A typical scene in Bogota streets.

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When we are walking to the office, we often have people put out blankets are tarps with their goods they are selling. This Ecuadorian lady has her baby sound asleep tied on her back. She is selling beautiful scarfs.

More new missionaries.

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Our new missionaries arrived in two different groups. These three arrived late at night, and they were tired the next day for breakfast before they went to their new areas. We have on the left, Elder Interiano from Mexico, Elder Sanford from Arizona, and Elder Patrick from Utah.

Our first new group for 2012.

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This was a big group, but the truth is, there was also two temporaries as well that are not in the photo. We have them from Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. Don't ask me there names yet, but we will learn them.

The temple doors.

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We love to see the temple and we feel so blessed to have it close here in Bogota. It is in a nice location, and many people know it because it is so beautiful and it has the angel Moroni statue on top that gets people's attention.

Flowers around the temple ground.

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There are a wide variety of flowers around the temple grouds. Always so nice to see them.

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Saying Good-Bye to 2011.

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On Dec. 31, we were in Boyaca and found many of these dummies, or they call them dolls. These are a tradition here to make these dummies and fill them with everything you want to get ride of like old clothes, a bad letter, a big bill etc., then they fill them with fire crackers and burn them on New Year's Eve. What a good way to get rid of bad memories and get ready for a new year.

More dummies.

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These dummies were sometimes women and sometimes men. They were hanging from trees, or riding a bike or just sitting by a house.

A wall of flowers.

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Colombia is full of BEAUTIFUL flowers of every kind and color. On New Year's Day, we drove to San Gil to attend their church meeting in their branch. It is always a beautil ride with many interesting things to see.

His last day.

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This poor animal is tied up to the killing tree. He will be slaughtered for New Year's dinner. They always tie them on a very short rope while they await their fate.

We love these little ladies.

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This lady is dressed in a the typical clothes for an older lady in the pueblos of Boyca. They wear adress, a shall and always a little hat that looks like something a man would wear.

One of many Cathlic cathedrals.

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In one of the little pueblos that we passed on the way to San Gil, we found this one with a beautiful stained glass window.

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Harvesting the sugar cane.

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While driving to San Gil, we passed this man harvesting sugar cane. They cut it by hand, and then load it on the donkey behind the sign, and then take it to be made in to panela, a type of brown sugar.

A real but tiny pineapple.

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Our good friend Esperanza in our branch in San Gil, is showing a plant that she has grown with this little tiny pineapple. Sister Jenson, one of our adult missionary that has returned home, helped Esperanza plant this pineapple. We were told it is ready to eat.

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Green peaches????

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These green things are peaches, but they are not like Brigham City, Utah, peaches. They are green, hard, and are cling stones. We often see them along the side of the road for sale. We don't even buy them any more. The red fruit is a type of plum.

What a great support group.

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These are are great office support missionaries. We have on the left Elder Machacuay and Elder Glick, the two assistants, Elder Mills, Elder Yanez, and Elder Serey our great office secretaries. In front we have Sister Henderson and Dr. Henderson that help us in the office as well and advises our medical problems as well. We love them.

Our first group to return in 2012.

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Our first group of returning missionaries for 2012. We could remember well their first day in our home. The time has gone bye so fast. Starting on the left, we have Elder Medrano, Cornejo, Cevallos, Cruz, and Zamora. We wish them well.

It came to an end.

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We were sorry to say Good-Bye to Elder and Sister Boulter. They were a great help to our mission. They worked in the office and kept everything in order. They returned to St. George, Utah. We miss them.

Home for Christmas.

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Elder Teuquil was looking forward to returning home to spend Christmas with his family. He was happy and we are proud of his mission efforts.

English Certificate.

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Elder Arraya was very proud of his English certificate. He worked hard to earn it.

Our seven Chilenos returned home.

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We had seven Chilenos return home. This was a fun group for us because we knew almost every one of their home towns from the three years that we lived in Chile. We have starting on the left, Elders Ortiz, Montecino, Cea, Arraya, Vergara, Teuquil, and Lopez. They made it home before Christmas.

What a way to start the day.

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We started the December 24th off by attending a baptism in the Nogal ward in the morning. These are our office secretaries and two assistants. The whole day was wonderful for our last Christmas Eve.

Our December 24th lunch.

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Every year our Suba stake president hosts a Christmas lunch for all the missionaries in their stake. The missionaries love being in the Suba zone at Christmas time.

A tradional Christmas treat.

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Many times during the Christmas season we were given this tradional Christmas treat. Natilla is a very stiff pudding and the little balls are like a corn meal ball that is fried. This was our before dinner appitizer at our Christmas lunch.

A new Minie Cooper for Christmas.

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President Hacking looks forward to Christmas because the Suba stake president gives him a new car for Christmas every year.

Fresh watermelon on Christmas Day?

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There are many things we love about Colombia, but one of our favorites is that we can eat fresh watermelon every day of the year. This is the watermelon I ate on Christmas Day. It was delicious.

A Christmas Eve to remember.

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Last year, our maid Nidia, invited us to spend our last Christmas Eve of 2011 with them in their house to see what a Colombian Christmas Eve was like. For one year, we eager awaited this special invitation. The tradition in Bogota is to eat the soup Ajiaco with rice and avacado on the side. This is a yummy chicken-potatoe soup. We had the our best Christmas Eve that we have had in Colombia with Nidia and her family. We will miss them. Ajiaco is the food we will miss the most from Colombia. The tradition is to eat Ajiaco, then they wait until midnight to open their gifts, and then the fireworks begin. It sounded like the 4th of July in the US. Nidia passed out their gifts one at a time, and the family would all clap, and then after the gift was opened everyone cheered like they had just won an academy award. What a special night.

Anyone for dinner?

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We will always remember our time in the home of our good friends. Nidia makes the best Ajiaco in Bogota.

A great missionary.

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Daniella, age 10, is on the right, and she is a wonderful missionary. She is always inviting her friends to church and to attend church activities.

When do we eat?

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Camilla, age 6, was wondering when she could eat.

Nidia and her family.

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Nidia in the middle is surounded with her wonderful family. Fernando is holding their grandson, and they have four daughters and two son in laws. This was very special for us to participate in a traditional Noche Buena (Christmas Eve).

Telling the missionaries Good-Bye.

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Elder and Sister Boulter attended all our devotionals and told all the missionaries Good-Bye. They all loved the Boulters'.

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A Christsmas feast.

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Elder and sister Boulter on the left, and Dr. and siser Hendrson on the right, enjoyed our Christmas feast.

Our special guests.

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We had special guests with us to celebrate our Christmas dinner in Bogota. On the left, we have President and sister Moreno and their daughter from the Suba Stake, and on the right, we have President and sister Santa Cruz from the Bogota Stake.

Our Christmas nativity participants.

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Christmas is not Christmas without remembering the reason we are celebrate this special day. We had missionaries enact the nativity in our three devotionals.

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Cucuta zone in December.

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These were the Cucuta zone missionaries that attended our Christmas Devotiona.

Leaving the mission.

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Elder and Sister Chalmer on left worked as missionaries with the Perpetual Education Job. They did an excellent job and have left the mission to wait until they go on another mission again with Perpetual Education Fund. We are thankful for their services. Elder and sister Peterson are on the right.

Love those Colombian flowers.

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Birthdays are always more fun with beautiful flowers and good friends. What a fun surprise.

Our assistants and office secretaries.

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Elders Jorquera, Yanez, and Serey all from Chile are teaching Elder Mills from Georgia, and Elder Machacuay from Peru, how to make Chilean empanadas in our kitchen.

Flour up to their elbows.

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Elder Mills on the left is learning the techniques from Elder Yanez on how to make the real empanadas.

Chilean empanadas are the best.

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These are the final results of the elder's empanadas.

Reeds for making baskets.

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Near Duitama, there is a marshy wet land where many reeds grow. The people cut the reeds and then weave them into baskets to sell.

Baskets anyone?

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Along this road to Duitama, there are many places where baskets are made and sold. Many shapes and sizes.

The Hacienda de Salitre has a lot of charm.

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We love this old hacienda that is over 500 years old. It sits in a beautiful valley near Duitama. We never tire of going there.

A very early morning call.

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The Petersons' worked very long hours in the institue program. They would start at 6:30 A.M. and go to 9:30 P.M. Never a complaint from them.

One last lunch together.

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We are losing many of our adult couples in December. We have been very greatful for all of their help. I am sure they will all continue serving.

Waiting for the elevator for one last time.

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We hated to say Good-bye to Elder and Sister Peterson. They worked with the institue students. They came from Brigham City, Utah, and served very faithfully.

Everybodies favorites.

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All the missionaries loved Elder and Sister Boulter. The sisters in Bucaramanga were no exceptions;.

Peruvian chefs cooked Peruvian Christmas feast in Bucaramanga.

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Cucuta Zone with lots of smiles.

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A feast for three kings in Bogota.

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Two stake presidents and their wives in Bogota.

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On the left we have President and Sister Moreno from the Suba stake, and on the right we have President and Sister Santa Cruz from the Bogota Stake. Both are great leaders in the church.

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The Christmas Nativity was acted out in three devotionals.

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