We love the nighttime views of the temple--usually. This week was a week of natural plagues and floods that showed how helpless we humans are against the forces of nature and the laws of God.
Gerhard came home from the temple late one night and took his camera out to take pictures of the MOTHS that had suddenly descended upon the temple block. He had moths on his back, there were moths outside all over the walls of the apartments, and especially on the temple. They must have been attracted by the lights! The walls were covered and there were many more flying around that we could see in the lights up high.


The next morning there were swallows feasting on the moths, and this continued for three days. It was scary to go out into the cloud of moths, and to think that one might be bombarded by a swallow--gross!
We have marveled at the trail of ants across the sidewalks, down the steps, up the walls--carrying leaves to their nests. Late at night when we see the little possum-like animals, zorros to the people here, we don't think they are so ugly with their square bodies and long skinny tails.
The geckos and cockroaches don't bother us very often inside the house, so they are not usually a problem. This was a new display of how timing and available resources help a cycle of nature be completed.

Last Monday, again on Thursday, and on Saturday we saw the hardest rains we have seen here.
For an hour or two the heavens emptied buckets of water that filled the streets at least a foot deep in the area of Centro. The Distribution Center was flooded, as was the downstairs floor of Sisters Soto and Sanchéz, and the home of Sister Yari Cabañas across from the Temple.

Tuesday morning when we went in for our shift, the machine room and the laundry room at the temple were covered with water and a brown gooey mixture. The drains had not been able to take all the water and had backed up, spewing out the resin from the water softeners that had been just put down the drain. Gerhard and Bro. Sulub had to clean up that mess before we could wash.
Saturday afternoon when the rain came hard, we were doing a load of baptismal clothing and the drains couldn't take both the rain and the water emptying from the washer, so we had an inch of water on the floor again. Fortunately it was clean water and the mops got a good cleaning.

This is from our online newspaper http://www.yucatan.com.mx/
El sistema de vaguada sobre la Península de Yucatán generó esta tarde una intensa lluvia sobre la ciudad de Mérida. El Observatorio Meteorológico informó que se alcanzaron hasta 96.4 mm de precipitación en algunas zonas de la ciudad....ya se alcanzó el 83 por ciento de la precipitación histórica de mayo... recomendó a los conductores tomar las precauciones necesarias para evitar accidentes de tránsito por el pavimento mojado y a la población en general tener sus impermeables a la mano para protegerse de las precipitaciones, especialmente ahora que ha iniciado la temporada de lluvias.

Sunday, May 23, we were sitting in Sunday School class by Bro. Uribe, a former member of the Centro Stake Presidency and a very well-to-do farmer, who commented that the heavy rains had ruined his tomato crop.