25 Julio 2016

 

Fotos:

1- Pablo Isaias Perez - 1 day old. Son of some good members from Tacuati- Hna Cranney got to hold him!

2- Feeding the missionaries - always an fun experience.

3- Daisy and Hna Cranney with Daisy’s mission call.

4- Daisy reading her call.

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Hello and belated happy Pioneer Day.

This week we had the opportunity to be at the Duarte home when Daisy opened her mission call. She has been preparing for some time and we were able to help her with her online application, vaccinations, etc. Daisy is 24 years old, has already completed her college studies, and is well founded in the gospel. She had invited two of her close non-members friends to be there along with her family. We all guessed where she might be going - the guesses included Mexico, Germany, Chile, Brasil, and Texas. She opened her call and read it for all to hear. She is going to serve in the Brasil Belo Horizonte mission and enters the Sao Paulo MTC on November 9. She is so excited and ready to go. She already understands Portugues and speaks it some. She also speaks a little English and is fully fluent (clearly) in Spanish and Guarani. She will be a great blessing to the people and missionaries in her mission.

We are trying to figure out what to do to help the members here in Horqueta and in other branches in the area to be more faithful in their attendance to Sacrament meetings. It is almost as if they all take turns attending one Sunday or another. Our attendance hovers around 35-40 here in Horqueta and 20-25 in Tacuati. Rarely do we have all of the same people in attendance two weeks in a row. We are trying to teach the doctrine of why it is so important but we are constrained to teach very basic principles so that all can understand it clearly. Slow but steady.

We had interviews with our mission president this week. He wanted to meet all of the missionaries personally and to see how everyone is doing. He once again asked (in jest) if we could extend for another 12-18 months, but we told him we would be ready to return home in November. After the interviews we took the President and his family along with the Assistants to the President to Lometeria San Lucas for hamburgers of lomitos. They enjoyed the meal but Travis, the Evan’s son, could not figure out why anyone would put a fried egg and corn on a hamburger. Everyone better be prepared for our first hamburger event when we return!

We received a wonderful package from Lori and Don this week - full of freeze dried peas and beans. We really miss good green vegetables. Everyone here sells and eats mandioca - a root vegetable without much flavor or nutritional value. She also sent some yummy treats!

Friday we went to Pedro Juan for car maintenance. They changed the oil and filters, and finally (under warranty) fixed our gas gauge. It had not worked from the very start. We spent much of the day at the dealer where we studied, we went shopping and also went to lunch with the Sister missionaries - Hermana Martinez and Hermana Ocampo. Hermana Martinez served here in Horqueta and it was such a treat to see her again. Hermana Ocampo is fairly new and from Paraguay. Her parents are serving as mission presidents in Bolivia so she departed from Bolivia on her mission. We had to get permission for the Sisters to join us because the missionaries have been banned from Shopping China - due to bad behavior in the food court by some of the Elders. But we had a great time eating yummy pasta dishes. On the way home from Pedro Juan, we were stopped at 4 police checkpoints. No problems at all, but a rare treat for us. It appears that there was a kidnapping a few days ago so the police activity is very high.

Yesterday we left the house early to attend meetings at the Rama 1 in Concepcion. President Escobar, the District President was in a different branch with President Evans. So I spoke in Sacrament meeting. We came home for a quick lunch and a Priesthood Prep class, returned to Concepcion for a Branch Presidency training meeting and later a District Council meeting. We got home in time to visit with Justin and his family for a bit via Skype and we crashed for the night.

We are grateful to be here in the Lord’s service. We love and appreciate you all.

Jerry and Cheryl

I forgot one funny story. We planted a hot chile pepper plant in our garden and we how have 30-40 chiles on the plant. Even the Mexican missionary says they are too hot to eat very often. We all tried the chiles when the Elders came to dinner - I agree with Elder Amaro that they are too hot!