Jim inspecting the top of wall after a pour.

Our cranes for the project. The temple will be taller than the crane when it's finished

Erosion control around a storm drain. It rains almost every day. So far mostly at night or in the afternoons.

More erosion control.

6 Months in El Salvador!

We had a very fun month with Carmen and Karen visiting. We took more time off than usual from the temple site to sightsee and explore. The first photo below is our guide to the falls in Juayua. Then further down there's a photo of Carmen dancing on stage, this was a ward Mother's Day party and the gringas did a dance. There's a group of BYU students who are here for 4 months volunteering with the HELP program. Every summer there are about 20 students in our ward who come. It's great to have them.
Yesterday we had a wedding for a sweet couple and today they were baptized. It's so wonderful to see the changes in lives because of the gospel! It gives people hope.
We love serving in this country. The temple construction progresses. It is almost above the ground and people will be able to see the building go up from the sidewalk across the street. We have many experiences on and off the job to talk about the temple and the difference between the temples and the chapels. We were so grateful to be able to go to Guatemala to the temple. It is a tiny temple and very, very busy. People come from 4 countries to go to the temple there. Within 2-3 years each of these countries will have their own temples and Guatemala will have a second. Guatemala is the 2nd busiest temple in the world! Imagine!
So the work goes forward. The best this month? Having Carmen and Karen come to visit!! The worst this month? Trying to fit in all the things we wanted to do with visitors and still fulfill our responsibilities. But we did it! It was a great month!

This is what we rode in to some falls in Juayua...it was like a near death experience. We almost tipped over a couple times. The road down to the falls was like a goat trail. This tuk tuk took us to the trail which led to the falls. We paid a little boy to "guide" us. Apparently during the week you hire a policeman to take you down because of muggers. But on the weekends there are police there, although we never saw one.......just the 10 year old to protect us!

A coconut drink along the side of the road. It's supposed to help keep your body temperature cooler in tropical climates. Still waiting.

Carmen and Jim on the site. The work goes forward. The temple basement walls are finished and they are preparing for the 1st floor. They do things so different here, but they do get accomplished. Jim is on the phone a lot translating emails or translating emails from the states to the jobsite. Sometimes not always the language but what one is trying to convey in construction terms between the two different worlds.

For five days Carmen and Karen were here at the same time. We fit everything in we could while we were all together. This was the fish market in La Libertad. We picked Karen up at the airport and drove to the beach for lunch, first stopping to see the days catch!

The temple in Guatemala. While Jim and I were in the temple Carmen and Karen took a taxi to shop in Guatemala City. The taxi driver waited for them and brought them back afterwards. It's just a few miles and he charged them $25! Easy targets!

The basilica in Antigua.

6 Months in El Salvador! We had our first company! Carmen and Aunt Karen! We were lucky to be able to drive to Guatemala to visit the temple while they were here. We spent the night in Antigua, a really nice tourist spot full of color and culture. We had so much fun shopping!

This is me on the job! For some reason my casco is always crooked. I think my head is. Someone must have dropped me when I was a baby, my head is crooked! Jim had these church stickers made for our hats.

While Carmen was here we visited two Mayn ruins. This was Tazumol.

Carmen also had her teeth cleaned while she was here. $30.00. A price missionaries can afford!