Remembering America from Guatemala

This is a young man in Central America, who may never see the United States. Some of his people treated us to a marvelous 4th of July and even though I don't have any pictures of the events of the day, I would like to share some of it with you in words.

It is night time in Guatemala and it is nice that I can see fireworks on the television and I remember watching them in person 40 years ago in our nations capital. The magnitude of the show has increased, but I think for me, the meaning has remained the same. Generally we think of our freedoms and the men and women who have fought to create and preserve those freedoms.

Today, however we were treated to a different view of that which I think we tend to take for granted. That may seem unusual in a country that is only twenty years away from a bloody civil war, but maybe it is because of recent conflict here, that perspective is different, maybe even improved.

This morning we had a Zone Conference for the Senior Missionaries. Being the 4th of July, the opening hymn was the Star Spangled Banner. The special musical number was a patriotic reading combined with "God Bless America." But the main speaker of the day was Elder Carlos Amado,and in his words came the meaning and the take-aways. Elder Amado is one of the most tenured General Authorities in the church and he is not an American.

He spoke of freedoms that Guatemaltecos don't have. He spoke of pioneers crossing the plains, and of pioneers throughout the world that are yet to come, for religious freedoms among others. He spoke of the one year he spent in Utah with his wife and the feelings he had for the people and the country and history behind it all. He reverenced that which we have, not in material things but in purpose and in ability to share what we have in terms of talent and humanitarian effort.

I especially liked his comments on work and how we are here to work. (Not only on our missions, but through out our lives and beyond.) How work gives us purpose and meaning and progress and vitality. This from a man who is 70 and about to be released from his current assignment to which he has been called and served well. He noted that his biggest challenge may be ahead of him as he moves from what others have assigned him to do, to choosing what he will do on his own. I have no doubt that he will choose well.

The other time well spent today was the breakfast that was served after the conference. I have been to many 4th of July breakfasts, but none like this. Each table for this sit down extravaganza was decorated with red , white and blue flag-like crate paper, complete with ornate centerpieces lined with breads and rolls. The bill of fare was nothing short of amazing. There was Belgian waffles, French toast, pancakes, three types of eggs,three types of potatoes and ham and bacon and sausage. Did I mention fruit? In addition to multiple sliced fruits in the buffet, each setting had a fruit cocktail with yogurt there to be enjoyed. While we were eating, there was American patriotic music playing and a revolving slide show depicting scenes from America and its storied history.

Now why is the food and decor important? Basically because they were prepared for us by people in Guatemala who have only some of the freedoms we have in the states, and who for the most part live on only part of the funding that we consider poverty level. They made us feel not only proud of our heritage, but envious of it as well.

For one of the most memorable 4ths of July, we thank our Guatemalan hosts!