We wanted to send this email now so perhaps Amy could post it with the four photos before Valentines Day, which comes on Sunday. We do love all of you very much. They celebrate valentines here, but it is not as big as in the States. We have been invited to a Valentines dinner on Sunday at Martha and Rodlphos home.
We are sending only 6 photos this week: 1) The Office Van photo, 2) Two ladies Adrianna and Anna Maria (sisters) eating at our home, 3) Same two two ladies up close (he may have sent these last week SEE Story 57, 4) Claudio going to church for the first time in Origenes Barrio, 5) Map of Guatamala showing the scriptures and place you all went- Elder Gonsales wanted this map photo before he went home, 6) progress on George's tomato plants, three out of the four have tomatoes, but they are size of very large marbles.
Mission car
STORY 64 CLAUDIO WENT to CHURCH It was a really special Sunday (Feb. 7, 2016) as Claudio came to church. He had even gone out and purchased new shoes to wear to church. He had on nice clothes but not a suit, something of course he does not have. He is about Bryan's age and calls us Madre and Padre. Both of his parents are deceased. He sat with us through Sacrament Meeting, which was a testimony meeting, and through Sunday School. I sat and made little English Words from the lesson paper to give him as he likes to keep learning English. We have been waiting for this day for a long long long time. We hope it happens again. He then left for Santiago, but he called George on the phone from Santiago and again tonight. He likes both of us a lot and we like him too. (See Photo)
EVERY ONE OF THE 400 MISSIONS HAVE THESE 4 BIG DAYS SIX WEEKS
STORY 65 MONDAY (Feb. 8 2016) the day 14 MISSIONARIES WENT HOME George's office financial assistant Elder Gonzales went home too. He still had 6 more months of his mission, but has been suffering with back problems. He went home to have any surgery that might be needed and will not return back. If a missionary has served 18 months, they do not send them back, but call that their mission. He was a very bright elder (smart), but the elder who replaced him Elder Walker, is turning out to be just as good, but has a kinder way about him.
STORY 66 MONDAY PM 12 midnight (Feb 8, 2016) (Granddaughter) HANNAH KLEIN GETS HER MISSION CALL (Monday PM) It was opened at 8 pm Utah time, but 12 midnight our time on Feb. 8. George was so tired after a long day of driving missionaries around that he went to bed at 10 pm. I stayed up and waited for the phone call from Laura telling me that Hannah was about ready to open the call. Here I was sitting on the couch thousands of miles away and was so thrilled to be apart of the opening, even if it was only by the phone. I was simply thrilled that she is going to Orlando, Florida and will be teaching in Spanish. Laura has had 3 years of Spanish and this will be someone in the family for Laura to practice her Spanish with. In the KLEIN family they have: Mike speaks German, Hunter speaks Ti, Laura and Hannah will speak Spanish, in the school immersion program Robert and Grace are learning Chinese. We wonder what James and Michaela will be speaking .... perhaps they will learn Japanese. French, Italian, or Portugues.
STORY 67 TUESDAY (Feb 9, 2016) was the day "18 NEW MISSIONARIES ARRIVE". This makes this mission have around 195 missionaries. We had one come in from St. George too. There were about 7 Sisters and 12 Elders. It is SO refreshing to see their wide eyes and feel of there excitement to be on a mission. This is the meal the office staff puts on. What that means is the meal I put on. I have to get everything ready and in boxes to transport to the mission home. Then the elders have ordered ENCHALIADA which they go ad pick up and then bring back in three types: cheese, chicken, and beef.. I stay and cook the rice and set out all of the other needs for this meal, plus we serve canned peaches and spray can cream. It might not seem like much, but it takes a lot of prep, work at the home, clean up, going back to the office and put away - all takes 5 hrs.
STORY 68 WEDNESDAY (Feb 10, 2016) "NEW MISSIONARIES ASSIGNMENTS" takes place the day after they arrive. This means 18 missionaries have to come in from all over the mission but when they arrive they do not know who they will be assigned to be the trainer for. We purchase all of the food for the buffet breakfast and leave it ready the night before, then we prepare the Lunch. Not a big deal, but it is a lot of work anytime you feed 47 people. We order PIZZA for this day and then I cut up carrots, bananas, plus pop flavors, and they have ice cream for dessert.
STORY 69 A VERY FUNNY STORY "One of the new male Elder missionaries was assigned to a Sister missionary by mistake" This was a real funny happening. When the office Elder makes the 18 letters for the assignments, he uses a template and just changes the names, somehow he had the elders name, and then had a sisters names (from the letter he had printed before) left on the letter he printed. When the Elder got up to read his letter to the whole group he stopped suddenly and said "I think there is a mistake here." He showed it to the president, and they quickly got it fixed. I was in the office at the time, and three elders came charging in at full speed, laughing too as elders would, and printed the right letter. They won't forget this experience, nor will the elder who had the letter.
STORY 70 THURSDAY(Feb 11, 2016) is the "MISSION LEADERSHIP TRAINING DAY" This generally comes the first Thursday of the month, but last Thur the president was out of town which moved it to this Thursday. All of the zone leaders (2 companions are zone leaders for 11 zones = 22 elders), and the sister training leaders (this is what they call them) come from all over the mission on buses. I again prepared the buffet breakfast the late afternoon before we left and the Elders put it out when they arrive at 7 am. This breakfast consists of Bananas, Granola Bars, Yogurts and Juice Boxes drinks. Then the lunch 1:30 meal is back to serving ENCHALIDAS and I cook the rice and do all of the other preparations, setting up the buffet table, etc. toppings, carrots & banannas (cut up) and then toppings for the rice (tomato sauces: mild, hot and medium ), plus ice cream. It may sound easy, but to serve 47 people anything is a big job, and the clean up is big too.
STORY 71 LAST MTC SPANISH LESSONS They end this week. We have really appreciated the "one on one" help. However, we now HOPE Jonathan, David, and Bryan will call us up and talk Spanish with us for 15 to 20 minutes weekly now that we do not have the MTC program working with us, as they had been over lining up people to talk to us in Spanish. George talked to the wife of a stake president in Uraguay last week for a half hour. George is doing much better and studies the books Bryan sent him whenever he can. I study too, but I am a slower learner. The other couple in this mission purchased us a SPANISH PROGRAM they got at Costo when they went home in December for the man's mother's funeral. They sent it to us today. It is called INSTANT IMMERSION SPANISH (in a yellow box, with four CDs, a dictionary, ad a good map, etc.) We will add this to our Spanish instruction materials and try it out later this week.
STORY 72 PROSPER SPIRITUALLY Scripture of the Week. I just finished reading the Book of Mormon and I am starting over to read it again. George is close to finishing it. We both want to read it in Spanish too. It would be a wonderful goal for all of our children and grandchildren (who can read) to read it again while we are on this mission but I know that several of the families are already reading out of it daily. Here is the scripture we have been pondering this week.
In Alma 48: 15 This scripture reminds usl that if we increase our faith, that by so doing God would prosper us, and if we are faithful in keeping all of the commandments of God that his promises are sure ....he will prosper us.
We know that we along with every one of our children's families have issues they are dealing with. We want all of our children, their spouses and grandchildren to prosper in whatever they are working on, but mainly to prosper in the area of having testimonies grow stronger, prosper in having more love in our families, prosper in having grand children honor and respect and obey their parents. Sometimes we think of prospering financially, but in truth we all want to prosper spiritually and prosper that way every day.
We love all of you very much. You are always in our prayers. We do appreciate your continual prayer for us and for the investigators we are working with.
Love Mom and Dad
No comments:
Post a Comment