Week 76 from Mexico

6 Feb.  2011

Hola!  Hope your week was great and that those of you in the cold climates survived the cold.

Our biggest news this week is the addition of a new granddaughter, Adielyn Lisa Nelson, new daughter of Kaleb and Sarah, to our family. When we got home from the temple on Saturday we had a message from Kaleb that had been sent that morning telling us that we would soon be new grandparents. And then there was a posting on Facebook about her birthday with pictures.  That gives us 31 grandchildren: 12 granddaughters and 19 grandsons, including two step-grandson's. We have one more expected before we go home. Jarom and Michele are expecting a new one in April.

This week has been a week of contrast, weather wise.  Monday it got up to 81degrees and by Wednesday night it got down to the low 20's. I know, that's not as cold as it gets in Russia, where our friends, Pres. & Sister Sartori, are serving as mission president, or even in Utah, but here we really feel it because most of the homes are made of cinder block and tiles and are not insulated.  I was talking to Sister Pratt the other day about the lack of insulation in the homes and she said that most people can't afford it. It's just too expensive to install.  It was nice to be at the temple where it was warm but coming home to our apartment was like walking into a refrigerator.  What little heat we can get from our small space heaters doesn't stay in the rooms because of no insulation, so it is always cold.  Lynn tried to help me get warm by boiling water and poured it into gallon jugs that I would put by my feet, which helped some. 

When we came home from the temple Thursday afternoon our landlady said that the pipes had frozen so there was no water, or at least not much.  They have a second source of water but the pressure is really low so it was only a trickle.  We have been taking baths from 5 gallon buckets in which we put hot water boiled on the stove mixed with cold because the shower water just doesn't get very warm.  We finally got the water back Saturday night but are still taking baths out of the bucket because the shower water is still just lukewarm. It has warmed back up today with temperatures in the low 80's but they say another cold front is expected next week. I just don't know if I can get used to these roll-a-coaster temperatures. 

Attendance at the temple was pretty scarce all week including the workers.  I had to smile at a couple of sisters that came in on Friday morning, which were our only patrons that morning.  They were so bundled up they looked like Eskimos.  When they came out of their lockers in their white clothes they looked about half the size they were when they went in.

Monday was our turn for lesson and refreshments. We met at the Neils. I decided that as part of this we should have a surprise birthday celebration for some missed birthdays.  The Clarks both had birthdays right after they arrived here and we didn't celebrate then.  Sister Riggs had one a few weeks ago that we also missed along with Sister Neils, who's birthday was about the time of mine.  Both Brother Riggs and Brother Neil have birthdays coming up in February.  I was trying to think of an appropriate gift to give to all three couples that they would like and came up with a copy of a collage that I had made for the Halls when they left which was of all the Senior Missionary couples that we have had in our FHE group since we arrived in 2009.  I made 8x10 copies of it and put it in a nice frame.  The picture is attached to this email. So after Lynn finished with the lesson I announced that we were going to have a short birthday party and handed each couple their gift.  They were all really excited with the picture so I think I came up with the right gift. We then had cake and ice cream for refreshments.  It wasn't much but they were very appreciative of the thought. 

Sister Clark and I have been getting a lot of temple work for our family names done here at the temple but I guess we over did it because now President Machuca has asked us to not do so much. We need to cut way back.  So I guess my family needs to get busy and do the work and I'll have to learn patience.  I've become used to taking a Family Ordinance Request in and having all the work done by the end of the week.  That will have to change now. 

Well, I guess that's it for this week. Hope it warms up where ever you are and that you have a great week.

Amamos a ustedes (our love to you),
Elder & Hermana Nelson (aka Lynn & JaAnna, Dad & Mom, Grandpa & Grandma)