6TH WEEK-NOVEMBER 17-23, 2011

                                                      The Fiesta continued...

2 Guatemalan Hermana

Hermana dancers from El Salvador

a Cute Hermanita with her mother

An Hermanita in Mexican dress

Guatemalan food

 Must of the food from the different countries was quite good--some better than others. There was a variety of Guatemalan food on these tables. The drink in the orange ooler was a corn based cold drink with a corn syrup sweetner and something else (?). It was good but you could not drink very much because it was very sweet.

 Missionaries



Dale's "chocolate treat"

After trying food from several different countries Dale was ready for some kind of dessert. Just then Connie walked by eating what looked like a tortilla with a chocolate pudding topping. Dale asked Connie if it was good and she said, "Yes." So he quickly went to get one. LOOKS ARE DECEIVING, ESPECIALLY WHEN EATING LATINO FOOD! The topping was pureed black beans!!!!!

UPS AND DOWNS OF MISSIONARY WORK

          Monday we had the 4 elders assigned to Barrio Tecero (3^rd Ward) for dinner—Elders Filianga, Winterrose, Penrod, and Orosco.  We had pork chops, potatoes, gravy, cabbage salad, green beans, hot rolls, and Jen’s hot pumpkin cobbler for dessert.  I made a huge pan of rolls and there wasn’t one left.  They took the leftover dessert home with them.

Sending home leftover food needs to be our tradition.  Since our mission began we have each put on 1 pound a week.  I figured up the other night, if we do this our entire mission by the time we go home we would have each gained 73 pounds—not a pretty sight nor a happy thought!  For one thing, we are not as active—we ride in the car 1/3 of the day, study, and prepare 3-4 hours a day.  Dale rides the stationary bike for 20 to 30 minutes 3 to 5 times a week. Connie does aerobics and walks about 5 times a week. We need to eat less  and exercise more.

          We met with Jose and Maria Guzman (he is the brother that wants to quit drinking beer so they can go to the temple).  Hermano Guzman has started going to the church’s addiction class.  The Guzmans had good news.  They had been approved for a loan on a house.  They were so excited.  Hermana Guzman had asked the bishop to bless their new house Friday night and they invited us to it.  It is an older home—somewhat like the one we had in Burley.  We were so happy that they invited us to share in their happiness.  One of their friends was there was telling something in Spanish and they were all laughing and laughing.  I have no idea what they were laughing about but I had the giggles with them.  Thank heaven smiles, laughing, and hugs are universal.  Dale said he had no idea what they were saying either.  All these different dialects are sometimes hard to understand—especially if they aren’t church words.  Dale told Hermano Guzman that this new house is the time for him to begin his new live without beer and being stronger in the gospel.

          We met with Hermana Ramirez again with the elders.  Connie tended the baby out in the kitchen so that Hermana Ramirez could concentrate on what the missionaries were saying.  The discussion went very well and they set a baptismal date sometime in November.  She has three cute daughters.

          Luis Ambriz called and cancelled our appointment because he was looking for a job.  We were happy that he was actively seeking employment. 

          We met with the Ordonez Familia and read about Christ from the Book of Mormon with them.  Their daughter, Jeny, likes to play games so we all played Yahtzee.  They gave us the Chayote squash again that Dale didn’t care for but he was a good sport and ate it.  It tasted better with quite a bit of salt!

          We met with the Sostres for the first time.  She has a handicapped daughter, Elisa that is pretty much confined to a wheel chair.  She is 16 and loves someone to talk to her.  She gets so excited if you give her attention.  They invited us for dinner next Thursday.  Hermano Sostre has had a hard life and is struggling to change.   He works in a fish market in Santa Monica.  We asked if he ever brought any fish home.  He said, "No, because it is too expensive."  It costs $50.00 a pound!

          We also met with Victoria Olazava for the first time.  She and her husband are having marriage problems.  You could really feel the tension in the home.  We are meeting with them next week again.

          Irma and Alvario Castro invited us for dinner this coming week.  They are a really great family and we look forward to helping them any way we can.

          Saturday we left for Las Vegas for Lisa’s wedding.  It was very nice and the man that performed the ceremony did a great job.  We enjoyed spending Sunday with most of the family.  We are so happy Charles and Colten are now part of our family.