Tidying Up and Getting Ready To Come Home

Dear family and friends,

 

We are experiencing a "true" Cabo Verdean winter:  lots of cool winds with haze, which comes from Sahara desert winds blowing the sand our way;  today we even had rain and so cannot hang out the already-washed laundry, and I wear a sweater whenever we go out, especially evenings.  Last year there was no winter; the "cooler" temperatures of December just kept getting hotter all through January and February.

 

Yesterday afternoon we went teaching with the Zone Leaders to the sister of our favorite elder(who is now on a mission in another part of Cape Verde), she was baptized a few months after he left.  It always feels good to be in a teaching situation with the missionaries, as the Spirit is so strong!  We also bore our testimonies about the Sabbath day, the topic of their lesson.

 

This morning we went shopping for school supplies for one of our projects to help a very poor school in the city--we went even though it was raining, but we were blessed to find all that we needed in just one store.  We had previously gone to many stores to buy supplies, but today we only had to go to one.  Every time we buy these supplies, there is so much that we have to get a taxi home.  We should now have enough to prepare them for delivery.

 

For the past two weeks, there has been a lot of election campaigning going on.  The rallies are in the afternoons and nights (sometimes till midnight)--the elections for governor were yesterday.  Therefore, last night was very quiet, and early this morning it was so quiet that we think everyone was home "sleeping it off".  Election committees construct large platform stages downtown in the streets and have programs of music, etc. to entertain the people and promote their candidates.  The stages also make havoc with bus routes, which have to change to other streets, so who knows where to catch the bus??  Anyway, it is all over now.

 

We have also been very busy cleaning the apartment, cupboards, shelves, etc., and spraying for bugs.  We are doing this now so that when our last week arrives, we will not have to do it.  We will be having guests from Germany (the head man of Europe Area) and also the earlier mission president and his wife who now live in Utah.  Hope that we can manage all of the work and guests--we know this is the Lord's work and we are on His errand, so are entitled to His help, which we ask for daily.  We are doing just fine, remembering to eat our veggies and fruits, and sleep enough!

 

For Christmas gifts to the missionaries in the northern islands, I made a simple 16-page cookbook of easy recipes with things available here.  I also gave one to the mission nurse and the president's wife.  They wrote me the other day that they liked the booklet so much that they wanted permission to copy it and place a copy in each missionary apartment (to remain there) in the entire mission.  They told me that the elders had even bragged to them about pizza they made using my recipe.  I had no idea it would go so far, but am really glad to help them out.  Most of the recipes are ones I had at home, with just a few I got from here.

 

We should be informed of our travel itinerary for home pretty soon, and will let you know.  Presumably Wednesday, March 16, in the morning, but wait for further notice.  Yes, we are getting excited, but with all the work to do, there is not much time to think about it, which is as it should be.

 

We think of each of you so often, we enjoy the family photos on our wall, and we pray for each of you every day. Can't wait to see you again and share hugs!

 

With much love always,

 

Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Elder and Sister