Friday, April 30, 2010
We Are Doing Fine!
We thank our son Dann for setting up this blog for us, for posting our letters and photos while we are busy with our mission. We hope you enjoy reading and viewing what we have. Sister Pat
Sunday, April 25, 2010
A Medical Miracle
Dear families,
We have been enjoying busy days, and frequent ceremonies for humanitarian/welfare projects.
We want to tell you about a wonderful happening a week ago. On April 11 (Sunday) the elders brought an investigator to church. He was a man about age 30 who was a construction worker, but he fell off a scaffold 2 years ago, shattered his right leg, and had 6" steel bars put into his leg at that time to hold it together. The bars were on the outside of his leg and stuck out, so he kept them covered with a cloth. It looked painful, and indeed it was.
That Sunday, the doctor and his wife from Utah were visiting church here (they would be conducting the Neonatal Training during the coming week). The doctor met the man and thought something could be done to help him. The next day the doctor went to the hospital and spoke with the orthopedic surgeon about removing the bars from the leg. The surgeon agreed to do the work for free.
So on Tuesday we, the elders and the man went to the hospital to locate the doctor-- no appointment had been made. We found the doctor after he finished his meeting, and he met with the man right then, and said he would do the surgery "Right Now". So he did! With local anaesthetic, he removed the bars and Xrayed the leg to see that it had healed properly, which it had. In less than two hours of our arrival at the hospital, the man was walking out, with just the elder holding him by the hand, and only a bandage on his leg. He no longer has to use a walker. He is so happy! No pain now. He comes to church and everyone welcomes him.
This kind of thing probably would never happen in the US, because they would require an appt. several days (or more) ahead of time, and other delays. But to all of us here, it is a miracle.
We had a fun Family Home Evening last week. The Young Adults have it on Wednesday at the church for Outreach. When it was time to begin, there was a power outage, so no light. Everyone (about 30) went outdoors (street lights were working OK) and we played games and socialized for an hour on the church patio. The elders had brought an investigator, and we did not want to just send everyone home without a meeting, so we made some fun!
Larry is having much success teaching an English conversation class on Tues. and Thursday evenings before Institute--many kids come, seminary and institute age and some adults.
Yesterday we had Zone Conference, and those are always spiritually uplifting and lots of fun visiting with each other.
Hope you are all doing well, and please pray for us and give us your support-- it gets lonesome when we check our email and only see junk mail and ads.
Love to each one of you,
Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandma, Elder and Sister
We have been enjoying busy days, and frequent ceremonies for humanitarian/welfare projects.
We want to tell you about a wonderful happening a week ago. On April 11 (Sunday) the elders brought an investigator to church. He was a man about age 30 who was a construction worker, but he fell off a scaffold 2 years ago, shattered his right leg, and had 6" steel bars put into his leg at that time to hold it together. The bars were on the outside of his leg and stuck out, so he kept them covered with a cloth. It looked painful, and indeed it was.
That Sunday, the doctor and his wife from Utah were visiting church here (they would be conducting the Neonatal Training during the coming week). The doctor met the man and thought something could be done to help him. The next day the doctor went to the hospital and spoke with the orthopedic surgeon about removing the bars from the leg. The surgeon agreed to do the work for free.
So on Tuesday we, the elders and the man went to the hospital to locate the doctor-- no appointment had been made. We found the doctor after he finished his meeting, and he met with the man right then, and said he would do the surgery "Right Now". So he did! With local anaesthetic, he removed the bars and Xrayed the leg to see that it had healed properly, which it had. In less than two hours of our arrival at the hospital, the man was walking out, with just the elder holding him by the hand, and only a bandage on his leg. He no longer has to use a walker. He is so happy! No pain now. He comes to church and everyone welcomes him.
This kind of thing probably would never happen in the US, because they would require an appt. several days (or more) ahead of time, and other delays. But to all of us here, it is a miracle.
We had a fun Family Home Evening last week. The Young Adults have it on Wednesday at the church for Outreach. When it was time to begin, there was a power outage, so no light. Everyone (about 30) went outdoors (street lights were working OK) and we played games and socialized for an hour on the church patio. The elders had brought an investigator, and we did not want to just send everyone home without a meeting, so we made some fun!
Larry is having much success teaching an English conversation class on Tues. and Thursday evenings before Institute--many kids come, seminary and institute age and some adults.
Yesterday we had Zone Conference, and those are always spiritually uplifting and lots of fun visiting with each other.
Hope you are all doing well, and please pray for us and give us your support-- it gets lonesome when we check our email and only see junk mail and ads.
Love to each one of you,
Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandma, Elder and Sister
Friday, April 16, 2010
A Lot of Work To Do
Dear families,
How are you all? We think about you often. Both Annabelle and Matt have had birthdays in the past week--hope they were happy occasions!
We just keep getting busier and busier, with more responsibilities.
Earlier this month, we received a call from the Area Presidency telling us that a water project has been approved for our city of Mindelo for up to $150,000. Previously we had heard that all of Cape Verde would have a total of $100,000, but now the larger amount is just for Mindelo--wow! When the Area Directors visited us for a week in March, we all toured the water treatment plant here, and they liked what they saw, reported to the Presidency, and got us approved for the project of putting in all new PVC pipe in the city and cleaning and relining water tanks in the homes. We learned at the plant that the water is pure when it leaves the plant, but the old iron pipes and holding tanks make it impure, The natives' bodies are used to it and do not get sick like people from other countries do. But they still suffer from the impurities. Elder Goff has been named Project Manager, and is in charge of choosing where to begin the project, who will be the companies to work on it, hiring site monitors to oversee the work, etc., etc. Wow. Big job.
Then yesterday a Church leader from Madrid, Spain came to train us and our Seminary--Institute director in setting up an employment center here, and doing further work with the PEF (Perpetual Education Fund) in which many people in Cape Verde are enrolled. It too is a big job, and we are asked to be the Regional Directors for all of Cape Verde, which means travelling to the other islands and setting up the employment centers after we find out how to do it here in our city. All of this is out of our range of expertise, so we have to rely on the inspirations of the Lord and the help of his servants--then it will happen like He wants it to be.
These past three days we have been involved with the Neonatal Resuscitation Training at the hospital. 60 doctors, nurses, midwives and birth attendants were enrolled and learned how to help newborn babies breathe on their own if not doing so at birth. A special plastic bag and a mask over the nose and mouth with the bag hooked to the mask are the only pieces of equipment needed--the medical person squeezes the bag to simulate the rate of breathing. One of our Young Adults in Outreach has his own company, an Internet newspaper, and he was one of the media present at the opening ceremony on Wed. Our church district president was one of the speakers. Then we had the fun of watching as the trainers taught the medical personnel, hands-on, how to use the equipment. It was all very exciting, and it saves many newborn lives. That night the hospital directors took us and the American doctors (who taught the course) out to dinner at a very beautiful tropical restaurant, with musicians who played guitars and sang native songs--very beautiful music, soft, relaxing, much like Hawaiian music. It was fun to get to know some of the people on a social basis away from the hospital work.
Missionary transfers were last Monday, and our favorite elder got transferred, but that is OK--that's what a mission is. Lots of the missionaries here were changed this time. We even had a heart-stopping moment earlier when we got an email from the mission president with the subject line of "Transfer Notice". Honestly we died for about a half hour, because we did not know what it was about, since we could not open the attachment (in a program we do not have). So we called the president and asked what it was, and he said it was just a notice of the Transfer of Funds from the mission account to our bank account for the emergency missionary food supply we had purchased. We had been so worried about leaving here where we love living. It also happened to be April 1, so we wondered about that also--a joke?? No joke, but not what we originally thought--Whew!
We got to attend the baby blessing for our friends, the ones for whom I sewed the blessing dress. Baptisms are again happening every Saturday, and in our "spare" time we try to visit the less-active Outreach young adults and encourage them to come. We bought some board games for the Outreach Center--checkers, chess, bingo, scrabble, dominoes. They love them, and often come early to Outreach meetings to play the games.
We miss you and love each one of you very much. Stay happy! Watch over each other.
Love, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Elder and Sister
How are you all? We think about you often. Both Annabelle and Matt have had birthdays in the past week--hope they were happy occasions!
We just keep getting busier and busier, with more responsibilities.
Earlier this month, we received a call from the Area Presidency telling us that a water project has been approved for our city of Mindelo for up to $150,000. Previously we had heard that all of Cape Verde would have a total of $100,000, but now the larger amount is just for Mindelo--wow! When the Area Directors visited us for a week in March, we all toured the water treatment plant here, and they liked what they saw, reported to the Presidency, and got us approved for the project of putting in all new PVC pipe in the city and cleaning and relining water tanks in the homes. We learned at the plant that the water is pure when it leaves the plant, but the old iron pipes and holding tanks make it impure, The natives' bodies are used to it and do not get sick like people from other countries do. But they still suffer from the impurities. Elder Goff has been named Project Manager, and is in charge of choosing where to begin the project, who will be the companies to work on it, hiring site monitors to oversee the work, etc., etc. Wow. Big job.
Then yesterday a Church leader from Madrid, Spain came to train us and our Seminary--Institute director in setting up an employment center here, and doing further work with the PEF (Perpetual Education Fund) in which many people in Cape Verde are enrolled. It too is a big job, and we are asked to be the Regional Directors for all of Cape Verde, which means travelling to the other islands and setting up the employment centers after we find out how to do it here in our city. All of this is out of our range of expertise, so we have to rely on the inspirations of the Lord and the help of his servants--then it will happen like He wants it to be.
These past three days we have been involved with the Neonatal Resuscitation Training at the hospital. 60 doctors, nurses, midwives and birth attendants were enrolled and learned how to help newborn babies breathe on their own if not doing so at birth. A special plastic bag and a mask over the nose and mouth with the bag hooked to the mask are the only pieces of equipment needed--the medical person squeezes the bag to simulate the rate of breathing. One of our Young Adults in Outreach has his own company, an Internet newspaper, and he was one of the media present at the opening ceremony on Wed. Our church district president was one of the speakers. Then we had the fun of watching as the trainers taught the medical personnel, hands-on, how to use the equipment. It was all very exciting, and it saves many newborn lives. That night the hospital directors took us and the American doctors (who taught the course) out to dinner at a very beautiful tropical restaurant, with musicians who played guitars and sang native songs--very beautiful music, soft, relaxing, much like Hawaiian music. It was fun to get to know some of the people on a social basis away from the hospital work.
Missionary transfers were last Monday, and our favorite elder got transferred, but that is OK--that's what a mission is. Lots of the missionaries here were changed this time. We even had a heart-stopping moment earlier when we got an email from the mission president with the subject line of "Transfer Notice". Honestly we died for about a half hour, because we did not know what it was about, since we could not open the attachment (in a program we do not have). So we called the president and asked what it was, and he said it was just a notice of the Transfer of Funds from the mission account to our bank account for the emergency missionary food supply we had purchased. We had been so worried about leaving here where we love living. It also happened to be April 1, so we wondered about that also--a joke?? No joke, but not what we originally thought--Whew!
We got to attend the baby blessing for our friends, the ones for whom I sewed the blessing dress. Baptisms are again happening every Saturday, and in our "spare" time we try to visit the less-active Outreach young adults and encourage them to come. We bought some board games for the Outreach Center--checkers, chess, bingo, scrabble, dominoes. They love them, and often come early to Outreach meetings to play the games.
We miss you and love each one of you very much. Stay happy! Watch over each other.
Love, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Elder and Sister
Friday, April 9, 2010
A Beautiful Day for a Wedding
Dear family,
We had such a fun night tonight! Our two friends, Mauro and Jenny, got married at the Justice of the Peace office this afternoon. It is a law here that only civil officials can perform marriages, so none are done in any church. The guests were all seated in the room, and the JP came in to start the wedding, but the bride had forgotten her ID card at home, so they had to make another, which made the ceremony 1/2 hour late. Thank goodness the room was air-conditioned!
The bride was so beautiful and her dress was so lovely! The wedding finally happened, and then the fun began. Everyone piled into taxis and rode through the city past the bride's home and then past the groom's home, a stream of 22 taxis, all with lights flashing and horns honking, in a slow parade with the bride and groom in a decorated van. People on the sides all stopped and watched and cheered us on. It took at least a half hour to make the trip, and then three times around the central park. Just thought you'd like to know that a mission is not all work! The couple will be flying to Brazil to the Recife Temple to be sealed next week. They have been engaged for 2 years (since he returned from a mission) during which time they both worked and saved their money to be able to afford the trip. A very faith-promoting story!
More later.
Love, us
We had such a fun night tonight! Our two friends, Mauro and Jenny, got married at the Justice of the Peace office this afternoon. It is a law here that only civil officials can perform marriages, so none are done in any church. The guests were all seated in the room, and the JP came in to start the wedding, but the bride had forgotten her ID card at home, so they had to make another, which made the ceremony 1/2 hour late. Thank goodness the room was air-conditioned!
The bride was so beautiful and her dress was so lovely! The wedding finally happened, and then the fun began. Everyone piled into taxis and rode through the city past the bride's home and then past the groom's home, a stream of 22 taxis, all with lights flashing and horns honking, in a slow parade with the bride and groom in a decorated van. People on the sides all stopped and watched and cheered us on. It took at least a half hour to make the trip, and then three times around the central park. Just thought you'd like to know that a mission is not all work! The couple will be flying to Brazil to the Recife Temple to be sealed next week. They have been engaged for 2 years (since he returned from a mission) during which time they both worked and saved their money to be able to afford the trip. A very faith-promoting story!
More later.
Love, us
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Easter and Conference
Dear families,
We just got home from Conference at 9:30 p.m. It was so wonderful! Yesterday when it began and the prophet spoke, we and all the other missionaries in the English session cried, because we love him and miss being close to the headquarters. Each day we had planned an easy setup for the Internet live sessions, but something happened each time to try to waylay us-- yesterday there was no computer, and today the projector did not work. We did finally find a computer. We in the English session yielded to the needs of the Portuguese session and gave them the projector we had that worked. As in all other times of using the projector and computer, we found we needed to pray it into working and getting set up right. So we did, and very shortly someone was available to hook it all up correctly so everyone could view the Conference. We had the live sessions. No Priesthood session though (it would have been at 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. if available).
Just wanted you all to know that we did see it all and enjoyed it immensely.
50 young adults came to our home this morning at 11 to have an Easter morningside service. All 8 missionaries gave a part of the lesson on the document "The Living Christ", which we gave to each attender. We sang Easter hymns and ate trail mix (homemade). Photos later.
Love, Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Elder and Sister
We just got home from Conference at 9:30 p.m. It was so wonderful! Yesterday when it began and the prophet spoke, we and all the other missionaries in the English session cried, because we love him and miss being close to the headquarters. Each day we had planned an easy setup for the Internet live sessions, but something happened each time to try to waylay us-- yesterday there was no computer, and today the projector did not work. We did finally find a computer. We in the English session yielded to the needs of the Portuguese session and gave them the projector we had that worked. As in all other times of using the projector and computer, we found we needed to pray it into working and getting set up right. So we did, and very shortly someone was available to hook it all up correctly so everyone could view the Conference. We had the live sessions. No Priesthood session though (it would have been at 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. if available).
Just wanted you all to know that we did see it all and enjoyed it immensely.
50 young adults came to our home this morning at 11 to have an Easter morningside service. All 8 missionaries gave a part of the lesson on the document "The Living Christ", which we gave to each attender. We sang Easter hymns and ate trail mix (homemade). Photos later.
Love, Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Elder and Sister
Thursday, April 1, 2010
We Finally Got A Car!!
Dear family,
We hope you enjoy our emails, and especially this one. See attached photo.
The mission finally succumbed to our pleas to have a car. We just received it this morning,
and you can see the joy on our faces! No more buses or walking everywhere!
We also received a Notice of Transfer from our mission president today, and we died inside.
Since we could not open the attachment, I had to phone him to find out about it.
It ended up being just a transfer of funds into our account from the mission account for some
emergency food supplies for the missionaries! Whew!
More later.
Boa Dia de Lies.
Love, Mom and Dad, Elder and Sister
We hope you enjoy our emails, and especially this one. See attached photo.
The mission finally succumbed to our pleas to have a car. We just received it this morning,
and you can see the joy on our faces! No more buses or walking everywhere!
We also received a Notice of Transfer from our mission president today, and we died inside.
Since we could not open the attachment, I had to phone him to find out about it.
It ended up being just a transfer of funds into our account from the mission account for some
emergency food supplies for the missionaries! Whew!
More later.
Boa Dia de Lies.
Love, Mom and Dad, Elder and Sister
Our New Car!
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