When Elder Andersen Came to the Misión Mexico Tampico

It has been a few weeks of planning and preparing but tonight Elder Andersen of the Twelve will be in Tampico.  As you can imagine, the FM group has been sprucing up chapels, the institute building and the temple.  We should have an apostle come to town more often.  This morning they came to take our living room furniture away to the chapel where the meetings will be held tomorrow.  They are creating a hospitality area for Elder Andersen and his wife, Elder Gonzalez and his wife (Presidency of the Seventy), Elder De Hoyos and his wife, and Elder Mendoza where they can have a little something to eat and rest between meetings without going to their hotel.

Our out-of-town missionaries will arrive tonight but we went over to the Chairel Stake Center to view the scene.  They have done so much to make this building nice for the visit. 

The chapel and cultural hall are ready with chair perfectly placed and in each room in the building there will be closed circuit broadcasting for those that didn't make it into the chapel for the evening meeting when any  member can come.

They even repaired, painted and spruced up the outside of the building.  It looked beautiful.

And here is our furniture in the hospitality room.  They haven't brought flowers or anything yet but it should look lovely when they're done. 

Our missionaries will arrive fasting, so after the morning meeting we provided water for all 166 missionaries, some cookies, an apple, and a couple of sandwiches for each missionary that traveled in from outside the city.  That would be 84 of them.

That night the chartered buses started to arrive with the missionaries.  The Victoria bus stopped in at Mante and picked them up, there was a bus from Valles and also the branch president from Tamazunchale drove his old bus that he brings members to the temple in.

Dad was calling out companionships and giving out keys.

The Zaleta's  who helped with the organization of the hotels and buses.

This hotel wasn't the Waldorf Astoria but they gave us two floors.  We set up 4 ironing boards with irons and they started ironing in shifts to be ready for the meeting the following morning.

It was a sight to behold.

Eighty-four missionaries together in one hotel.

Seeing old companions and friends again.  They put 4 single beds in each room for us.  It cost about $10 per person to stay. 

And the best part is that there was nothing negative that happened for those 10 hours they were there.  We're sure it helped that they came fasting and preparing to meet an apostle.

Our Assistants Elder Gonzalez and Elder Esparza went out to the curb to meet the last bus coming in from the Huasteca Zone. 

Yeah!

I wish the picture was more clear.  Don't they look wonderful.  We love them all.

And this is President Aviles of the branch in Tamazunchale.  He stopped along the way to gather all the missionaries from the Huasteca.  What a coordination to get all 84 missionaries here on 3 different bused here within 30 minutes of each other.  What a miracle that nothing happened and what a blessing to see and listen to an apostle for 2 1/2 hours just with them. 

Elder Franklin and Elder Gonzalez.

I wish we had pictures with Elder Andersen but we were not permitted to use cameras.  Our memories with him will be in our hearts and minds.  He spoke specifically about the Atonement and within 2 days there were two wonderful young men who came forward who only had 3 months in the mission but needed to clear up things from before they arrived here.  Yes, they are back home now but are allowing the miracle of the Atonement to work it's miracle in their lives.