Update From Grandma (9/25/17)

We have been super busy!  I will back up a couple of weeks to cover everything.... 

The 7th of September was Independence Day here, so we rented a car with another couple and headed to the beach.  A lot different than the Caribbean and sooo packed with people. We didn´t stay long.  While we had the car, we also went to Embu, which is a town full of paintings, arts and crafts. We had a blast looking at everything.  We didn´t buy much, but I´m looking forward to going back.  We did pick up a small woven navy blue rug for our apt.  It was perfect to match the pillows Papa found for our couch.  Another couple let us borrow 2 bedspreads for our beds, so our apartment is looking really cute!  We also drove around Santo Amaro to find where we lived from 1976 - 1978 (Our home was gone, but we did find the church!) and then to Morumbi where we lived 1978 - 1980.  We have a friend here living in the same building we did back then. We were on the 19th floor and he lives on the 25th.  We hope to get to visit him before we leave. We went by where Shannon went to school. We also drove around where Papa worked for 4 years and up to the top of the highest peak (3,724 feet high) in Sao Paulo, Pico de Jaragua...beautiful views.  That night we went to the Salisbury´s apt to have birthday cake.  It seems like every night there is something going on.

Once a month the ¨Sisters¨ have a girl´s night out. For this month we were going to discuss our favorite conference talks, but ended up just chatting and eating.

Things at the office are starting to get busy.  Assignments are starting to come in. I have been asked to translate missionary applications before they are sent to Salt Lake for assignment.  I will also check that everything is done correctly.  We have 2 doctors serving here and their wives do the same thing for the medical part of the application.  I will be trained soon!  Should keep me out of trouble!  Papa continues to keep super busy with our projects.

Sept.16th and 17th was Stake Conference,  Saturday night was difficult for me.  I wasn´t doing well at understanding any of the speakers and it was very warm in the building, so I decided to go outside and cool off.  I was having a little bit of a pity party for myself.  I sat there and prayed for help and to know that we were doing the right thing, being there.  I felt a little better, so I went back inside and Papa was holding a little girl that was about 8 months old.  She just sat there staring at me for quite awhile.  Finally she leaned towards me, so I took her.  I sat her on my lap and tried playing with her...she continued to stare!  No smile, nothing!  And then I held her close and she laid her head on my shoulder and patted me on the back!  Tears filled my eyes as I really felt like I had just gotten a hug from my Father in Heaven! I felt God´s love for me!! Special experience!

Sunday the 17th of September we flew to Petrolina, with stops in Bahia and Salvador!  We had 1,600 codornas being delivered the next morning as part of a project there.  We arrived at our hotel at around 1 am... all the lights were out!  Very simple and plain, with beautiful views, BUT no 110v electricty, just 220v! Couldn´t charge cell phones or use Papa's ¨Noo-Noo¨.  (We got a converter the next day).  The shower was an electric one... I almost decided to stick with cold showers!!  The wind blew like crazy every night we were there.

Monday morning we headed to the church at 9am to meet the 27 families who would be receiving the ¨codornas¨ (a type of quail). We had an hour to find and purchase codorna food (40 kilos for each family).  After driving all over to get 3 bids, we purchased the food and returned to the church.  The people continued to wait.... all day!  The birds didn´t arrive until 9 pm that night!  The people waited happily and no one got angry!!  We did a training with the people and reviewed what was expected of them to fill the time!  The people were all so nice and  humble.  Little Albert was my favorite.  He is a very intelligent 9 year old... he became our best friend!  He was learning Spanish and English in school, so he shared with me all the words he knew. One of the sisters was asked by a member of the Stake Presidency to go and prepare some food for the group that had waited all day without food.  She returned at 7pm with something like a sloppy joe made out of hot dogs, cake and soda.  Everyone loved it.  The codornas arrived, not by truck as thought, but inside and in cardboard boxes tied on top of a small car!!  It was a long trip and they ran into a rain storm, so had to find shelter until it ended.  The quail were separated by sex, so they added the 15 male to the 35 females and the boxes were handed out. For the next two days we visited the homes of some of the 27 families who received the quail.  They needed to have or build a room to use just for the quail.  The walls and floor needed to be painted with lime.  They had the cages mounted on the walls, hooked to a watering system.  They used chicken wire to cover any window or other opening.  Pretty impressive!  Some used existing bedrooms in their homes, other created a new space outside. Some we visited were less prepared.  

We returned home late on Wednesday and on Friday we headed to the beach area about 1 1/2 hrs away to meet with 5 families receiving gardens.  They served us lunch and then we had a meeting with Elder Anderson giving wonderful instructions and counsel.  We returned home about 6 pm... we left at 6:15pm to meet up with the other seniors heading out for Mexican food.  

Saturday morning we got up at 5 am to head to the airport to pick up a new couple, the Barretts, who were arriving.   We got home about 10 am and at 12 we took the Barretts shopping.  We all met for a pizza/beans and rice dinner at 6:30. (Tradition when a new couple arrives.) 

We are finally back at work today with lots to catch up on!

Happy birthday to Anna, Kevin and Lizzie!  AND happy anniversary Ryan and Laura!  We love you!

Thought for the week!

¨Faith is not by chance but by choice!¨

Love to all,

Papa and Gma

Game at FHE tonight!

Home sweet home in Petrolina!

Hundreds of Small green parrots pairs come to the trees between the office and the temple everyday to spend the night.  They leave by morning. Quite loud little birdies.

Papa is instructing people who will be receiving gardens.

New home for the tiny little Codornas.