Despedida

On Monday night our family home evening was a despedida (farewell) for two couples who are finishing their missions this month, the Murri's and the Barlows.  Both couples are our close neighbors and the only other missionaries living on the ground floor of our building, so we will be alone here for a few weeks before their replacements come.  The Murri's leave tomorrow morning and the Barlows next Monday morning.  They will be missed.

The despidida happened to fall on Guatemala's independence day, so the dinner was very festive.

The dinner was a potluck, but all the Latins brought authentic hispanic food, and it was wonderful!

For dessert we had President Roberts' birthday cake.  His 70th birthday was two days after the party so Hmna Roberts pulled off a surprise party for him with a beautiful cake and a slide show presentation of his life.

The Murri's are in the top photo at the table to the right.  Elder Murri is at the head of the table and Hmna Murri is to his left facing the camera.  In that picture are also:  L to R Hmna Cuellar, Hmna y Elder Wilson,  Pres. y Hmna Thompson facing the camera, and Elder y Hmna Barney with their backs to the camera.  Pres. Roberts is in the foreground.

The second photo is a repeat of the far left table in the photo above but shows Hmna Cabellero who didn't show up in the first.  The third table shows Elder Barlow in the front then the Gardners and Gary. 

The next table shows Hmna Guzman, Hmna Tanner and Hmna Barlow. The last photo is from the other end of the table in the first shot.  On the left side of the table you can see Hmna Burk and, on the right side, Hmna Cordon.  Everyone else in the photo has already been pointed out.  This is a wonderful group of people.  We have come to love them very much.

After dinner we went back to the president's living room where we thoroughly enjoyed hearing the Guatemalan National Anthem from Hmnas Cuellar, Cordon, y Padilla and Elder Padilla.  The did a beautiful job, and it is a beautiful anthem.  We then heard farewell speeches from our departing missionaries.  It was a very uplifting evening!

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