a similitude of the resurrection of the dead

The anniversary month (August) has past and the pace seems to have moderated. We will see if people continue to come as they have so far this year. As was mentioned earlier, ordinance work has more than doubled from a year ago. In August this year there were forty eight thousand ordinances performed in the baptistry. Each month in 2009 has doubled the year before. We'll see what the future brings...
Now the pace has moderated. This past week many people from two stakes in Quito were at the temple. Some stake leaders were there everyday with a different ward coming each day. Extra sessions the the mornings were held to accomadate the ward before boarding their buses for the return trip to Quito.
Other people have expressed a desire to take music lessons. Sister Hewett and I share that responsibility to teach them. When she has the late shift, we serve in the morning so that we can alternate teaching piano. There is more interest in learning to play from the older people than the younger ones. Our most successful student has been with us since May and practices every day. It is good to see someone who is truly motivated and is willing to practice enough to progress. It would be nice to have some younger students with the same motivation. There in only one piano in our ward building and I think that there is only one piano in all of the buildings. No organs. There is probably not a piano tuner in the country because we have not seen a piano that is in tune. There are some interesting melodies heard when the hymns are sung. Some of them come pretty close to the true melody!
Our good friends, colleagues, and fellow missionaries, Rodrigo and Mariana Mi~no, completed their mission recently and returned to the home and family in Quito. Hermana Mi~no has some health problems that she can take care of better in Quito. This week we heard from them that they had been approached about a mission in the city of Tena. It is in the amazon basin to the east. We'll see if that works out for them. They have several children and grandchildren all of which are active in the church. He was a cartographer and traveled all over Ecuador during his working years. She was a nurse for the national police and the major breadwinner for the family for some time. They were a primary source of information for us regarding the history, culture, and people of Ecuador. They will be missed here.
This past Sunday, we were invited to go to a local hospital to visit a brother from our ward who is seriously ill with hypertension, liver failure and kidney failure. Fifteen of us rode home in an old small pickup truck and I couldn't resist taking a picture of Richard Fuhriman getting out of the back of that truck at the temple. Three people were in the front of the pickup, the rest were in the back with two boys hanging onto the outside. (There are no seatbelt laws here)
We celebrated our wedding anniversary by walking with the Ripples to an ice cream parlor about two miles away. Since it always gets dark here about 6:15, we arrived back home after dark.
Much has been said concerning the need for senior missionaries throughout the world. That is also true in Ecuador. In the near future we will be needing senior missionaries in the temple. If you or anyone you know is interested in serving here they would be very welcome. This mission is not expensive. Our social security income takes care of our expenses with some to spare. Senior couples with a background of temple service and some knowledge of Spanish would be ideal. (pass this on to the Wheelers!) Spanish is not required however, many missionaries learn what is needed when they get here.
It has been very dry here. Last night it rained for the first time in several months. We have had more wind and cooler temperatures during the last few months. There are many mispero trees on the temple grounds. They produce a small yellow fruit about the size of a cherry which makes excellent marmelade. Some of these trees are producing fruit.
A missionary from our home stake came to the temple on Monday. Elder Zwehlen (sp)is from the Valverda 8th ward. He didn't have time to chat so maybe we will get an opportunity in the future to compare notes.
Finally, did you know? "...to be immersed in the water and come forth out of the water is in the likeness of the dead in coming forth out of their graves...Consequently the baptismal font was instituted as a similitude of the grave, and was commanded to be in a place underneath where the living are wont to assemble...D&C 128