The new entrada.

We have remodeled our office space and are very happy with our use of our space in our offices and waiting room. We more than doubled our entrada, and two of our zone leaders, Elder Chacon and Elder Huaita, were waiting for the President when I snapped the photo.

Administrative Secretary.

Elder Calton, from Mesa, Arizona, is the perfect financial secretary. He prefered being called the administrative secretary and so he changed his title. We doubled the size of his office, and he has a great window to help his day be successful.

Executive Secretary.

Elder Morris, from Salt Lake City, is serving his second term in the office. He changed his title from mission secretary to Executive Secretary. He helps things keep running smoothly, and is a big help with out medical problems. He is really good here, because he has had all the problems.

Elder and Sister Boulter are great help.

Elder and Sister Boulter are our newest office secretaries. They are great. We wonder how we managed without them. Sister Boulter designed and decorated our offices, and they keep things in line when we are gone. They had been in our ward when we lived in Colorado.

The office of the two assistants.

Our two assistants, Elder Centurion from Argentina, and Elder Williams from Las Vegas, enjoy their new office space. This space was half of our conference room before the remodeling.

Four stake dance festival.

We attended a four stake dance festival in Bogota. There were hundres of YW and YM participants. Our maid, Nidia, had invited us to attend with them. The youth were doing folkloric dances of Colombia.

Colorful dresses.

Nidia's two youngest daughters.

Nidia, our maid, invited us to the dance festival. Her two youngest daughters were at the dance festival waiting for us. They are the two on the right. Cute little girls. Camila is in the middle, and Daniela is in the blue.

Mission President Seminar 2010.

Once a year the area presidency will host a mission president seminar for all the mission presidents in the area. This was a conference were we learned many new techniques to help our missionaries be better in their teachings. We got up early and went to bed late, but we felt a wonderful spirit while we were there. This year the seminar was in Cusco, Peru.

The youth of Cusco.

On our second night we had a colorful performance of the youth of Cusco dancing many native dances. The costumes were extremely colorful.

Machupicchu

One of the days at the seminar we were taken by train to Machupicchu. This was the site of an old civilization that lived many hundred of years ago. No one knows for sure why they built this community upon the high peaks of this mountain, and no one knows why they abandened it as well.

The Inca bridge.

This wooden plank is the spot of the old Inca bridge. It leads to a trail that goes up the side of this sheer cliff. I can not imagine anyone crossing this bridge right next to the edge of the cliff. These were amazing people that lived here hundreds of years ago.

LLamas were part of the scenery.

These llamas were enjoying the tourists. I am sure they were brought in to help the visitors enjoy the beautiful scenery.

A visit from Sister Berrios.

After a fun day at Machupicchu, we returned from the train to Urubamba and we had a surprise visit from Hermana Berrios. She lives in Urubamba and came to visit with us. She had been one of our wonderful missionaries. Unfortunately, we only had a few minutes to visit with her.

A time to enjoy Peru.

We enjoyed our time in Peru, and the spirit of our mission president seminar. We had a beautiful resort we stayed at and enjoyed every minute of the seminar.

Alpacas for the scenery.

We enjoyed the alpacas that were grazing on the grounds around the hotel grounds. What fun they were to watch.

A surprise is coming.

President Hacking was trying to lead the little dark alpaca up closer to the larger alpaca to get a photo of them together. Sortly after this photo, the little alpaca came up right next to President Hacking and looked at him in the face about two feet away from his face and then spit him right in the eye. What a surprise. I was laughing so hard that I could not take a photo.

One of the many streets of Bogota.

We love Bogota for many reasons, and one reason is the colorful painted walls. What fun to see them when we are driving along the freeway.

Bogota the colorful city.

Bogota is a very colorful city for many reasons. It has many green trees and flowering bushes and flowering trees year round. Also the graffite keeps the city very colorful as well. On the top photo, two men are painting the graffite, and in the middle, you can even see the face of Michael Jackson. The people here love Michael Jackson. I can not say these examples are the best, as there are beautiful murals of paintings all over on the streets of Bogota.

A Hawian dancer dancing in Colombia?

Who would have thought that we would have a real beautiful Hawian lady dancing a Hawian dance in Bogota, Colombia. Every day is full of surprises here in the mission. Hermana Kalama is a talented and beautiful member here in the ward. .

The Nogal ward Luau-open house.

Hermano Kalama and his family are from Hawaii. They presented a festive Luau-Open House for the members and friends in Nogal. We had real Hawian food, dancing and a film of the Polenesian Culture Center history.

A real Hawian missionary teaching a Hawian dance.

Elder Au in the front is from Hawii and he is leading the other Elders in a Hawian dance. It sure looked fun.

Bogota missionaries participated in the Luau.

If we can not go to Hawaii, then we have to bring Hawii to us. The missionaries in the Bogota zone are doing their best to pose for the camera.

Over 200 people attended.

Over 200 people attended out Luau-open house. There was a lot of excitment for this Luau. Most Colombianas did not know what a Luau was. They sure know now.

We enjoyed the Luau the most.

Here we are enjoying all the fun decorations, food, and entertainment.

A very successful Stake Primary Activity.

The stake of Bogota presented a very successful activity for the children of the stake. With the help of the full time missionaries, the children had a mini CCM or MTC. It was a lot of fun for all.