Home Sweet Home!

Today we secured our home away from home:
   
One of the last condo's on Javier Rojo Gomez st.

Looking forward to being there!  We got news that the congregation has an English group now that has a watchtower study every week!! Yay!

Our Condo has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths.  1/2 block off of the beach,
just a short 2 min. walk...Yay!  We have a pool shared between 6 condos.
Fully furnished of course...I'm sure our suburban will be loaded on the way
down.

Things are coming together nicely...thanks to the wonderful blessings of Jehovah!!

Our target date is January 17, 2012- first night in our new home for the next 5 months.

Puerto Morelos 2012 YAY!!

The time has come for count down... We plan on heading back to Puerto Morelos for the winter sometime in January...

We have been scrambling to get everything ready on the Suburban and things around to be on our way...I will let all know as things progress!

We have a couple electrical projects still working on but almost finished...and still in the ministry...trying to get our studies securely handed over to others in the congregation before we go.

Preaching in Puerto Morelos

They still havent had the dedication for the new kingdom hall in Puerto Morelos, I'm sure it will be done before Memorial.  

Things have been busy here for the last month or so...We are still waiting on the call from the new Kingdom Hall in one of the Mayan villages about 40 or so miles away, we havent seen it yet, but are looking forward to it.

Yesterday was a good day in service, it is the regular day for service in Puerto Morelos...Larry started a study with a man that had been there in the shadows all along, listening when Larry would talk to the guys in the booth next to his,  finally he stepped out and said he would like to learn more,  so at two different times yesterday, Larry was able to go over a few paragraphs in the BT book.   We also started a study with a lady that had been around when Larry studied with Rudy, in the background,  but said she was too busy to study, but when asked if  she would like to live forever, if that would be enough time, it peaked her interest, so this morning we are heading out to study with her.  There are a few rv's we will hit when we are there and then off to the beach, we just wear our swimsuits under our dress cloths and we're set.

We have heard rummors of a fresh spring water just in front of a hotel we swim at alot, so we will go looking for it this afternoon!!

Bible Studies in Puerto Morelos

Here is one of the Kingdom Halls in Playa Del Carmen, it is currently only Spanish but 3 congregations meet here,  they had an issue with their electrical so Larry and I took an afternoon before the meeting to look at it and see what we could do.
They have 3 rows of fans and currently had only one row working, but it had a problem and had melted down the rheostat...thus not working anymore.

3 Spanish congregations meet here, in Playa Del Carmen. 

Here is the inside of the kingdom hall...very beautiful!!

We thought you would appreciate this Dad...
We did fix it up alittle bit and made things kinda proper but we could only do so much...it is safer now.  Here on the left you can see the melted down rheostat... when we left it had been replaced and the other two sets of fans were working.  We still have some issues with the set of fans that melted the rheostat...and didn't have time before the next meeting to trace out the problem.

 This is an afternoon in the ministry,  one of Larry's bible studies works the night shift for his family hotel security and doesn't get up til 1pm or so...so we stop and see him for his study just before hitting the beach.
 this is Miguel,  he reads his in Spanish and Larry in English, then they discuss it.

We already went swimming and are heading back when we take the opportunity to study with Rudy,  he usually is very busy at his restaurant and only has a few minutes to discuss a question in the truth tract,  but today he was a few doors down from his place and relaxing...perfect timing...Larry was able to discuss more in detail and to get a few paragraphs in the bible teach book!! 

We are really enjoying our time here in Puerto Morelos, the friends are wonderful and the territory is ripe for harvest...the people are humble and willing to learn, they love the bible and show much reverence for anything it says.  It is surprising how much are non-denominational, and dislike Catholicism.  I really thought Mexico was mainly Catholic and traditions would be an issue but it is not for the most part that we have seen, or at least in this area.   

Puerto Morelos, Preaching and Kingdom Hall

Here is the finished Kingdom Hall...This is the day we said goodbye to all our friends on the RBC and the local brothers, since there is only a Spanish and Mayan congregation currently here.  We will be going to the next Kingdom Hall build and spending a week or so there to do the electrical again...it will be about 50 or so miles to it.  

From the stage looking at the audience...do you see we are in our usual spot...he he.   The brother behind us is in the Spanish Kingdom Hall. 

Larry, Lex and I are standing just outside the kingdom hall at the road just before the RBC brothers and sisters got on their way...the sister in pink next to me is Ezekiel's wife, she and her husband Ezekiel sat next to us at the first Mayan meeting we went to...then Ezekiel got up on stage and did a special needs talk letting the brothers know they reallllly needed help on the kingdom hall and it is not a time to be sleeping but a time to be working hard on their own kingdom hall,  the sister in the blue hat, and her husband in blue is part of the RBC, Rafielle is his name,  his wife works side by side with him and she works like a man...I was VERY impressed!! and she did everything!!! 

Here is the truck and trailer that the RBC uses for the hall builds,  in it there is everything you would need for construction...the RBC here just feeds only the RBC members appointed by Bethel,  we fended for ourselves for dinner at noon,  we just biked to the kingdom hall so we just biked home, had lunch and came back in an hour,  it was very easy. 

Looks like Rafielle likes the necklace!! 

Fernando, the brother next to Lex took us fishing the day before,  she accidentally left her necklace in his truck so he was trying to see what he could get for it,  Rafielle was seeing if he wanted it for his "esposa" or wife...Lex was fit to be tied!! (they were just teasing her) Rafielle is offering money and Lex wouldn't let him give it.  

I'm not sure what Rafielle is trying to get Larry to do but I'm sure he is saying "por que"...or  why?  

I'm not sure what Larry is doing but looks like he's got enough trying to stop him...lol 

This is Jerry and Debbie Waas, We worked in service with them today in Puerto Morelos,  they are from Wisconsin...it is almost a full moon behind them...this picture really doesnt do it justice...it was so beautiful.  

This is break out in service...right on the beach,  its tough but someones gotta do it...anyone want to join us here?  We would love to have you here!! 

This is a sister, Marisol, from the Spanish congregation in Puerto Morelos,  this is her booth/shop space,  we had just got a bathing suit for Lynn.  

This is the service group in the center square of the town,  there are some missing here,  they weren't back from the territory yet but we met some bros/sis from Montreal Canada and since you can always tell JW's they picked us out and had to get our picture...the bro in shorts is one of the ones not in service (just vacationing)
We had just been doing territory, kinda canvacing because the territory used to belong to Cancun, but since our cong just split it was given to our congregation (Playa Del Carmen Norte) and as of yet we haven't got the territory cards, so we have no record of where the english is...so we are searching...we found one lady who used to study, due to circumstances had to quit and is now ready to start back up again,  since she speaks only spanish all we could do was get her phone number and address and give it to the Spanish cong here is Puerto Morelos.

Puerto Morelos Kingdom Hall Update

 Here is an update for the Puerto Morelos Kingdom Hall Build... They were hoping to be done by Friday but it didn't happen so next Friday is the next done date... Soon after that they plan on a dedication and our first meeting...we would like to see an english group started here but we dont know yet...its in the works.




Here is Larry getting ready to hammer drill through the cement block to put in a security light.

Here is a brother that is from Oregon, he is in a Spanish congregation there,  he is here to help the brothers in this area with construction,  his daughter lives here,  he is a professional dry waller in the states.

Here I am holding a wad of electrical wire, the electrical panel is just behind me ,  later you will see how they  "mud" the walls with cement,  it makes them much stronger and durable.  

this is how they pour cement...its funny when the chicken walked through it from next door...the fence going up is to stop the chicken from coming right in, which she does whenever she feels right now...then all shoo her out...its quite a site! 

We're almost done...painted, lights in, windows in...now all we need is doors...thats next.  Oh and just to let you all know...this is not a dress code that is acceptable in the states,  I'm wearing Alexis pants ( I didn't bring jeans, didn't know I'd be working on a hall build)  They dont care what I'm wearing as long as we are there to work, willing to work and are decent.  Now I'm looking to buy some Jeans...there is another hall build on the other side of Playa del Carmen...and we've been asked to go and do the electrical... 

Here id one of the young Regional Build brothers putting cement ( a very thin coat) on the sheetrocked wall to give it stability.  It looks real nice when done and fits in with the rest of the decor of the kingdom hall. 

here the dog walked through the recently poured cement...silly  dog. 

the dogs in the area are not like belizean dogs... they are well cared for  and healthy...this one belongs to the neighbor and liked the cool sand just dumped...by the way this is just after walking through the wet cement...look at its paws...he he

these are the finished sheetrock/cement walls...they just need painted...they're beautiful. 

Here is Lexi working with us...and the kingdom hall almost done!!  We are done for the day and taking off our hard hats 

We have been working every day on the kingdom hall here in Puerto Morelos,  studying every morning for 2 or more hours with Marco and trying to keep up with the studies on the other (ocean) side of Puerto Morelos.  Its a challenge but well worth the effort...Marco is really making us prove to him (and ourselves) the reason for our faith... what a joy to see when some bible truth hits them between the eyes!! We really look forward to the next 3 months.

Today is Sunday,  we had our Public talk and Watchtower last night so we are watching Markito (Marco's 9 year old son) while he works today...we will go to the Hall to see how things are going today...its the time the local brothers are off work and no meeting, a good time for them to work in the service til noon and then work on the hall.  I will post more pictures when I can...

We havent been to the ocean in over a week...we will soon and post more pictures of that for you all...

Much Christian Love to All.....

The New Kingdom Hall in Puerto Morelos

Here is a progression of the new Kingdom Hall that will seat 120 very comfortably,  with two bathrooms and a second school!!

This is the Security that stays the night, every night, the first time we saw the kingdom hall

This is the next day or so we stopped by just to see what was going on and of course Lex and Lynn

 Here is the rough sight ...it still needs alot of tender loving care...

 Here they have half of the roof up and some cement on the floor...we are getting ready to start running pipe for the electrical

The roof is done and half of the concrete floor is in.  They are getting ready to lay tile ... it is a beautiful white.  

here is the stage tile...it is a beautiful blue!!  

The walls for the second school are going up!

I am working on pulling wire for the main hall

Larry and another brother are setting the electrical panel...

I will post more pictures when I have alittle more time...Heading to the kingdom hall again today!!

We are going to pull more wire

Have a great day!! May Jehovah bless all your hard work...

Kingdom Hall in Puerto Morelos

Here lately we have been working on the kingdom hall in Puerto Morelos.  There currently is two congregations meeting there...one Mayan (the first meeting we went to was the Mayan cong, as you see in the pictures)


There are about 20 in the Mayan Congregation and 118 in the Spanish,  and about 30 chairs,  yes the all stand at the Spanish meeting...thus the need for a new Kingdom hall!!   More to come this evening!!

Larry's fifth study, I think...kinda losing count

Well I dont know what to think,  Larry just keeps getting new ones.  This is a guy that is friends with Marco and lives in Cozumel...but works with Marco. He is 20 years old and has absolutely no knowledge of the bible.  He was born in and lived in North Carolina until about 2 years ago. So he is American.

 He was staying with Marco tonight and was having issues with some girl so Marco went and got him and he had dinner with us, funny thing is Marco said "Larry, you need to study with him to straighten out his life"  well in the course of the conversation we found out he has the bt book, bible  and the bible brochure...he is what we think is a door step study in Cozumel and has already gone to 3 meetings. But he plans on staying here in Puerto Morelos because this is where he works.

 We started talking about basic bible knowledge things like "Gods name, what is the kingdom and future for earth", he hasn't even been in the bt book yet,  so at the end of the evening when they were ready to go he came out and asked Larry to study the bt book with him!!

 Larry didn't offer because he didnt want to step on anyones toes, but he will be here at 7 am with Marco to study and will be able to study again anytime after 3pm!! He plans on going with us  (Marco, Markito, Larry, Me and Lex) to Playa to the meeting on Saturday.  The talk is "Youths place in God's Arrangement"    Wow!!! Could this be any better???  Its no wonder we are here instead of in Belize...

Saturday Meeting

We spent all day with Marco and Markito (his son), he took us to Playa for shopping,  we got hammocks and groceries at Sams,  interesting, to say the least.

 Playa is huge,  a booming tourist city, just a few years back it was like Puerto Morelos, or thats what the locals say, some say 8 yrs some say 15 years ago.

 Marco took us to the meeting and came too...we came in late so we sat in the back...so many distractions, wow.   We picked up our "Mexican DPA's"  they say if you are to be here for a month or more you need one we will fill them out and get them signed Wednesday at the meeting.  

We found out that our meeting schedule will be Monday at 6:30 pm we will have theocratic ministry school and service meeting, and Saturday at 4pm will be our Public talk and Watchtower, for now still in Playa, which means still a long bus ride x 2...

Today we will stay home and work around the house as we babysit Markito...

Larry's next study...

Today was a day to just go to the beach...we biked our 3 miles to the beach and then since Larry left his clothes at my moms we were shopping for new t-shirts (they're expensive, yi yi yi)

 anyway,  we came across this guy we were looking for in service yesterday (Jesus) we were told by a brother at the meeting on Wednesday that a guy named Jesus is in PMorelos and wants to study w/ an english person...he currently studies w/ a spanish bro but would prefer english...so we searched for him and to no avail yesterday...

we figured we would get his number Sat at the meeting, we we came across him because he was trying to sell us on a snorkling tour and said to us "do it today, your not going to live forever"  Larry said "Yes I am"  and he said oh Jehovah...thats how it began...its amazing how Jehovahs spirit directs you to what you need...

Well he just came out with it right away...he said "you study with me?"  Larry said "of course"
Whats interesting is we were in an area we would not normally be and at a time we would not normally be...Jehovah's direction,  talked to a guy that needs someone here in P Morelos to be able to study w/ him due to the fact that english bros from Playa have a hard time getting to P Morelos regularly for a study...
18 miles.  I know its different from where we are from,   18 miles would be nothing,  Larry's study in St. Francis is on the Kansas/Nebraska line...at least 60 miles from the k.hall.

Our New House...

We have moved into a house in Puerto Morelos...It is a two bedroom and quite simple...I have a kitchen, living room and dining room that is basicly one room...it is simple and just right.  


Last night was our first theocratic ministry school in English...In Playa Del Carmen... We had a new announcement for this area... Mexico...We're not sure if the American Branch has the same arrangement but it is for the month of April 2011 only you can pioneer with 30 hours or 50 hours!! What a nice arrangement for those who have never  been able to pioneer to get in the time (50 hrs) due to work load or what not...and they get to sit in the "whole" circuit overseer visit for the pioneers, not just first 1/2 hour.

Today is the day for ministry in Puerto Morelos...the beach side...we live on the workers side...they are trying to make a group here...it would be nice because it takes 1 hour to go to the kingdom hall for us on buses and 1 1/2 hour to come home...and it is not real cheap...it is a nice bus but it can get real monotonous.

2 Bible Studies!!

We had dinner with Marco and his son last night, we discussed the bible and religion all evening...then Larry asked him to study, one night a week at a good time for him,  his response "I was thinking more like 7 nights a week" because we will only be here 3 months.

Larry also started a study with Juan,  just 5 min or so at his stand for tourist trips,  had his first yesterday!!

English Cong in Playa del Carmen

Last night was our first meeting in English,  in Playa Del Carmen, a kinda party town about 18 miles away.  We started by taking a bus for 120 pesos to Playa then walked to the meeting about 4 blocks away...it is a 2 story building, spanish on ground floor and english upstairs.  They are building a khall in Puerto Morelos but it is a month away,  currently they have a Mayan cong and a Spanish cong here...they want to start an English group as soon as possible,  The bros/sis in Playa are VERY warm and welcoming,

 They are planning on splitting into 2 congs Feb 1, We will be in the North side,  they have public talk and Watchtower study Saturday evening at 6pm, then they have a standard congregation get together Sunday at 2pm on the beach, we are looking for a house to rent here in P Morelos.  Last night for the Childrens goals the last song the brother had all the children under 18 go to the front of the hall and sing the song (no adults) then we sang the corus.  It was so heartwarming that many were crying tears of joy!  It is something I will never forget.

 Now to continue our preaching activity, We talked about Marcos,  we have run into him (by choice and plan) several times and he wants to go with us to the next Sat meeting in Playa,  the Wt will be such a good one on knowing Jehovah. We told him to write down his questions and he said he would need a notebook!!

 We met Juan at the tourist tours who also has a spiritual need, he has been pushed as a child to go to church and is baffeled to see people like us who love the bible and wants to know why,  he said in church the preacher basicly beat the congregation and condemned them for being sinners,  so he hated going to church.  We are helping him understand that isn't the way God wanted his people to feel and see the truth about the creator of the universe and how loving and caring he really is.

Last night for dinner we had a very nice waitress (Delores, from Alcupulco)  that invited us to listen to a sales pitch at a fancy 5 star resort, we didnt want to but oh well we said yes to help her out

she got $50 american cash if we go, we got a very nice lunch and a "no pressure" sales 

pitch...right??  

Well we had tried and tried allllll day yesterday to find where the kingdom hall was

and no no no one knew, so when we got into the taxi to go to the resort, we found out the 

driver was our sister, Mayan, so the Mayan meeting is tonight (she will pick us up at 6:30-Mayan)

what a treat,  we showed the waitress the mags for Feb (thats all our kingdom hall had, so all we had to offer)and it turns out she about ripped them from my hands, she said she reallllly needed them, she has

had many marriage problems and wanted them bad,  the sister hadn't got them at the hall yet, 

and wanted to pick them up after she saw we had them,  now we packed our bag with one set

of Feb mags and one bible teach book, the mags were placed with our waitress (whom I planned on placing the book, but she really wanted the mags) so I had the book,  well our sales man (Aaron) was very interested in the bible and wanted to know what it said, had just that morning downloaded a version from the internet and said he planned on reading it right away....was verrrry excited to see the bible teach book and  treated it like gold the rest of the day,  wouldn't let it out of his sight,  he didn't know God's name and was so excited when we showed him it in the bible...(Psalm 83:18) 

 (Aaron) said he got goose bumps when we told him who we were and had the bible teach book, because he is searching to learn more about the "truth",  his words!!  and he agreed that it was God that sent us to him!!  

Next his boss (Marco) came and sat down with us and we discussed the bible with him,  he went in his office and got his bible and we showed him Gods name and he was so excited, since we didnt have any more bible teach books he gave us his cell number and his address so we could bring one by for him and wants to meet us for dinner to discuss more with him,  we will look for the right person to call back on him when we leave,  he says he knows the bible but has a hard time having faith,  he's seen too many "fake" ones in religion and wants to know what only the bible teaches....thats right up our alley...yay! 

If you haven't got your copy of the "What Does the Bible Really Teach" let the next Jehovahs Witness that comes to your door know and they will be sure to get you your own personal copy at no charge along with a free Bible Discourse at a time that is convient for you, or you could call the "Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness" in your local area and request your copy at no charge. 

Its very exciting times!!!  Need to replenish our Bible teach books tonight!! We also get to go to a Mayan 

meeting tonight!!! I cant wait!! 

Puerto Morelos

Larry Placed his first teach book...with a guy from Turkey...here working in our hotel...We have plans to place our 2nd today...A lady that was our waitress at dinner last night.

Its interesting how many people on the tourist side have never heard of Jehovah or Jehovah's Witnesses, seen the mags or have time to look into the bible...The fields are ripe for harvest!! They are very hard workers and want to know what the future holds for mankind.

Its cool here today...but that does not deter us!! We are going to walk the beach then find the nearest Kingdom hall this morning...probably on the workers side of Puerto Morelos....

We've Landed in Mexico

The airport in Denver and Mexico was so easy...we worried about the naked body scanners or enhanced body pat down...and there was nothing...we skirted it by going through a different check in...thanks to a nice little man directing traffic (only if asked) in the entry of the airport in Denver.  Mexico is currently about 75 and a little cooler...it is supposed to rain a little today...but its a nice change.  We stayed in a simple little hotel in Puerto Morelos.  We will check out the town and the beach as soon as we can roust Lex from her bed...she is baulking tho.

The Count down has Began!!

We have 9 days til lift off...we are doing the normal packing, changing our minds, repacking and then back to packing again!! We're not sure what we will have when we actually get there!!

We've made contact with some of the brothers there and our first stay is going to be "Orange Walk" district in Belize...We have been told it is the "hotest district" in Belize...but there is much to be accomplished in the ministry.

We have our "What does God Require" Brochure poised and ready for distribution...along with our Spanish literature for when we touch down in Mexico.

We have had our first real snow of the year Thursday evening and Friday...it is real beautiful...