Sunday afternoon we agreed to take the Oropezas to pick up their car that had been repaired by José Pérez who is a mechanic and has helped them before. He and and his wife, Micaela, are temple workers. We invited the Smiths so they could see some of Mérida. We pointed out the "Mejorada" market, a couple of old cathedrals, one of the big Chedraui supermarkets where we have shopped, and the Brisas stake center on major roads, then turned into a typical neighborhood of new homes next to old homes and even abandoned places. At the Pérez home we met their daughter and her children who were visiting for the afternoon.

The Oropezas have figured out that they have to "kidnap" Gerhard to get him out of the house to see some of the sights, so their "diabolic" plan unfolded as they led the way "home." We stopped in front of the gate to a place that looked like a museum. The watchman showed us where to use the rod that moved the clapper to ring the old-fashioned bell by the gate and out came a woman whose family had been members of Bp. Oropeza's ward in Mexico City. They have been in touch here in Mérida, and their plan was to show us the beautiful "Finca del Olvido," and introduce us to their "pequenita," Laura, who is on the left in the picture below.

We admired the entrance done in French style of the 1700's,
the collection of Mayan miniature figurines carved in black____________. The rest of the home is done in Italian style and contains period art and family portraits, vases and collections of various objects,
many dating from the time of Laura's husband's grandfather, who is noted for having first paved the streets of Mérida. The husband and their daughter were out of town, so we didn't meet them, but two sisters were with Laura, so we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours learning the history of various objects, imagining how the caves under the house were used during the Revolution, and marveling at the way by two huge reservoirs of water on the upper level of the home were used to cool the house in the heat of summer, among other things.

Of course the living areas have been modernized with electric appliances, computers, plasma TVs, etc., but we just had to have our pictures taken by the antique "carroza" in front of the
house before we left.


We look forward to meeting these gracious women in the temple soon and perhaps enjoying a home-cooked dinner of Yucatecan and Central American foods, as they have lived in Guatemala where Elder Smith served his mission forty-five years ago.