Cape Verde week 40

Boa Noite,

Well week 40 has been one to remember. We had 7 baptism yesterday and the fonts at the church were either out of water or under repair, so the baptisms were done in the ocean. The Elders were so excited to be able to get in the ocean. I warned them to wear their flip flops but who listens to me. So 4 came back with Sea urchin spines in their feet. So Sunday afternoon became spine removal afternoon. We had a wonderful Christmas Choir and Program Sunday evening. Everyone did a wonderful job, unfortunately the attendance wasn't very good.
The DeCosta Neves family: soon to be President DeCosta Neves Mission President
Ex-Elder Reis and Jennifer. Then Sister Waller and Sandra's Mother, MaMae.
It all started last Sunday evening. I was feeling good and getting ready for bed when all of a sudden my back started to hurt a little, the little turned into more and then more and then MORE! Now my stomach started to hurt with sharp stabbing pain, rocking back and forth gave little comfort, soon nausea and vomiting happened. What I am describing is the attack of a “Kidney Stone, at least that is my diagnosis. Being out here in the boonies with few to little medical facilities a hospital visit was not on the list. A blessing was received and in about 20-30 minutes the pain started to ease and, whaaala the pain was gone. A total of maybe a 1 ½ hr of severe pain then I felt like a new man. So I was fine for about an hour then I get this little pain in my back and the whole process starts over again, but not quite as intense. Anyway the start to the week saw me drinking tons of water and become the bathroom friend.

We had a very nice Christmas Eve with the Elders and Sisters eating chili and watching a movie “Miracle”. Then they all returned on Christmas morning for cinnamon rolls and juice. We had a gift exchange, snow ball fight and they watched “Phantom of the Opera”. Then they were all off to call their parents, while we enjoyed speaking with the family. Sister's dough failed to raise! Sad day, but Sister Waller to the rescue!Snow ball fight. Snow balls (socks stuff with cotton) provided by the Pollard family, thanks.
When you sing keep your chin up, good advised from a good singer, Sister Pollard.
We continued with transfers and receiving new missionaries and saying goodbye to others on Wednesday. Plus drinking lots of water!!! We welcomed Elder Johnson and Sister Freitas to the area. We lost Elders Burgess, Ence, Ballantyne and Snow. We have some new Elders coming in a few days from the MTC.

The rest of the week was rather uneventful as we prepare to be transferred to Fogo. Yes the President has decided we are needed on another Island. We get varying reports from the missionaries who have served there and the conditions. They all agree that in Sao Felipe you are either going in one direction; uphill or downhill! Since they have no bus system we should get lots of exercise, a plus, I suppose. We also learn that they speak a different Creole and many don’t speak very good Portuguese. Yikes this could get interesting. We will be with less missionaries there than here in Mindelo. There are 6 missionaries in the city with 4 more on the island. We have one set of Sisters. There are 4 branches on the island with 2 in the city of Sao Felipe. The District has those 4 branches and a branch on the island of Brava.

Well things were rolling along well until Saturday night when I started having a little pain in my back, Oh NO!!! Yep I had 2 more episodes of kidney pain. I talked to the Area Physician and he basically said he would pray for me. The one bright spot about kidney stones, you sure appreciate it when they pass, life sure is great after that! More water and more water now is the course of treatment. When we get to Praia, I’ll go in to the Urologist and get checked out maybe. Unfortunately Sharon has come down sick with a cold and aches. She missed Church today, not wanting to infect anyone else. Kidney stones aren’t contagious! I did give my final talks here in 2 branches. It was on keeping the “Law of Chastity”, they sure need to just say “NO”.

Well here is hoping everyone had a very Merry Christmas and looking forward to a Happy New Year. I now need to go drink some more water.

Love to all,

E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon, Bama & Bampa

Elder Morales showing off his popeye shirt!!

Sister Silveira sport her new goggle wear, and Sister Alencar with a new purse.

Elder Ray with a very nice new hair curling set!

Elder Monteiro with a new bathmath and I think Elder Waller it is a little small, have you lost weight or is it really tight? Christmas gift from the missionaries, T-shirts.

Christmas Kiss, Elders and Sisters got a kick out of this!

Tchau everyone!

Cape Verde Week 39

Bom Dia,

Well an interesting week what with all the practices for the choir program. We have been kept busy with FHE and visits with investigators. Sister Waller has been spending time with the Sisters as we lost Sister Bikhazi this week. Everyone is excited about transfers coming up and also the opportunity to call home on Christmas day. We are planning a chili cook off on Christmas Eve with all the missionaries. They have to come in early as there will be a lot of parties going on so they will be in early on Christmas Eve.

We also are going to do a gift exchange and have a movie. On Christmas day everyone is coming over for cinnamon rolls and will play games until time for phone calls home. Hopefully everyone will feel welcomed and have a good time.

We had 7 baptisms yesterday. The font was under repair so the missionaries were excited to baptize in the ocean. I think there might have been some body surfing coming in to shore. Of course they say the waves were just too big! Unfortunately they did follow counsel and wear foot gear so today I had to take out a whole bunch of sea urchin spines. Elder Ence had around 30, I took out the major ones and will watch the others for problems.

This evening we had out Christmas Program and everything went well. The choir was great, with about 50 singers. We also performed last night at the community cultural center. They had a number of groups also performing, nice evening.

Well the big news is that we are being transferred. President Tolman says he needs us in Fogo. So around the 1st of the year we will pack our bags and head off to Fogo. This is the island with the active volcano. We will be living in Sao Felipe. So there might be a lag in the email for a week or two.

Well everyone have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Love To All,

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

Cape Verde Week 38

Bom Dia,

Well we have had a busy week. It started with Zone Conference and all that goes with having 22 Elders and Sisters around the area for a day or two. We had a very nice Christmas program during conference. A quartet sang a Christmas number which was very good.

We have 3 missionaries returning home this coming week, so lots of tears and pats on the back. Elder Campbell, Wood and Sister Bikhazi will leave this coming week. They are amazing missionaries and we look forward to seeing them at the fall reunion.
Life size mural of how things were unloaded off ships here in Mindelo around the 1900's.
We are now in the process of finalizing our Christmas activities. The District is putting on a Christmas Fireside, with choir and reading of the nativity. We sure are lucky, when they call for choir practice we have 30 youth show up. Some sing really well, and they all sing with enthusiasm. We are using a program that Sister Webster emailed to us with a few musical numbers from the “Forgotten Christmas Carol”. The Elders and Sisters have been practicing for a couple of weeks now and they sound really good.
We had lots of dinners this week with Missionaries. Sister Waller got a surprize when she washed the chicken, two feet sticking ou the neck hole.

Sister Waller had an interesting experience the other night. Sister Alencar and Pollard invited her to go with them to the hospital to visit a new mother and baby. So off they went to the hospital. Sister Waller has been there a number of times and so she went to the back entry. The guard let them in but escorted them to the front desk. There they were put on a waiting list to visit and required to pay 50 escudos or about 65 cents. After a 20 minute wait they were directed up stairs where they were asked for their pass card, which the desk guard didn’t give them. They informed the guard there that they were from the church, he finally said okay and they were admitted to the maternity ward. Evidently they have had problems so they really watch carefully plus make you pay to see patients.

We had 4 baptisms this week in the Ramo 2 & 4 area. Our new convert Jose has been given the Mel. Priesthood after only being a member 3 months, he conducted the meeting as the new branch mission leader. He did a really good job. We can see great things from him in the future.

Sister Bikhazi & Silveira with soon to be newly baptized members.
The last two Sunday’s we have had Primary programs in Sacrament meeting. Wow, have the children done a good job. Some branches are better prepared but all did well. The future lies in these little ones who will grow up and strengthen the church. It isn’t hard to imagine that in just a few short years, there will be a large missionary force from Cape Verde.

We received our 1st Christmas package from Neal & Connie. Sharon was excited to hear the rolling around in the box and guessed correctly, gum balls. We opened it for the cards for our Christmas tree. Thanks Neal & Connie!!
Our Christmas Card tree! Sister Bikhazi on her final day in Mindelo, all smiles.

Hopefully it will fill out this week.
Well everyone have a great week in preparation for Christmas. Love to everyone

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Chuck & Sharon, Bama & Bampa

Cape Verde Week 37

Boa Noite,

I keep getting later and later on my news letters. Maybe I am just hoping something really exciting will happen to put in the news letter. No such luck this week. So here goes with the up to date happenings in Mindelo.

We have had lunch week, if it is not the Sisters then it was the Elders. Some times we invited them, sometimes they invited themselves, but the last 4 days we have been busy feeding people. President & Sister Tolman are here for the weekend, we have Zone Conference tomorrow.

We are finally moving forward on a few Humanitarian projects, and hope to have final approval in the next week or so to progress. Sister Waller has been out tracting with both sets of Sisters and having some interesting experiences. But she always comes back feeling it was worth it. FHE found us with the Sisters and a family or 2 of 6 children of varying ages. I taught the lesson and had an object lesson also. They really like the object lesson. We then played a game and finally it was time to leave. Outside we all said goodbye and I reached back to grab Sister Waller hand and started down the alley. I walked a few steps and turned around and no Sister Waller. I had one of the teenager daughter’s hand and she was faithfully following along. Sister Waller was right behind her. She then said in broken English to us both “ you will be my friends forever?” How sweet, yes was our reply.

Today in Ramo ( Branch) 1 we had our Primary program. They did a wonderful job and sang beautifully. Sometimes they were at least one measure in front of Sister Waller’s playing, but they just kept going and eventually she caught up. We also had Branch conference in Ramo 3. I was called out of a meeting to do a setting apart of a new Elders Quorum President. I did the setting apart in English and the blessing in Portuguese. Everyone said I did great. There is improvement in our language skills.

Tomorrow is Zone conference and we are excited for the Christmas program. We have some special numbers planned.

Thanks for the cards and letters that keep trickling in.

Love The Waller’s , Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

Cape Verde Week 36

Boa Noite,

Well another week has slipped by with much happening here in Mindelo. Monday found me on the ferry to Santo Antao. I spent the day in Ribeira Grande on a humanitarian mission. We dispensed about 150 new infant kits to the hospital. They were supposed to have all the new mothers there but they decided to just have a small ceremony with the hospital Administrator and staff instead. Not what the program called for but it worked. The ferry ride over and back was rough but no real problems. Presentation to the Hospital Staff in Rebeira Grande.Elders Wood & Monteiro in Rebeira Grande

I am still doing the medical thing with the Elders & Sisters; this week a lot of Flu going around. We had one Elder hit by a taxi last Sunday but he is doing well, just bruised. A few sprains and as always many with diarrhea and stomach problems.

We had a number of luncheons this week, with both sets of Sisters and today with Elder Ballantyne and Morales. It is always fun to have them over. There has been and increase in tourism going on here in Mindelo, all the northerners trying to get out of the cold weather. So every day there seems to be a new cruise ship in the harbor and lots of old people walking around. Many of them look as if they are on their last legs, some walking with canes and limping severely. They are pleasant though and we stop and talk too many of them, trying to answer questions about Mindelo. Many wonder what we do here and that gives us and opportunity to share a little about the gospel, but most aren’t interested in lengthy discussions.

We had 3 baptisms this week; two young twins and a young sister. Elder Hill & Snow baptized the twins, who they consider golden. They are about 10-11 and are really smart and fun to be around, great testimonies. The elders continue to work with the rest of the family, with hopes.

Today was a busy Sabbath; we attended 2 sacrament meetings, had Elders for lunch, helped with an investigators discussion and attended choir practice. We then rushed home and webcammed with Scott and family.

Well that is about it for the week. Hope everyone is getting things ready for Christmas. Our few decorations are up and the Christmas music playing.

Love to all

E/S Waller, Bama & Bampa, Chuck & Sharon

PS: Thanks to all who sent Christmas cards, they are starting to arrive and I am making the Tree. Steve & Cath Parsons get the honor of being on top, as their card arrive from Australia 1st. Thanks to everyone.

Cape Verde Week 35

Bom dia,

Sorry I am late with my news letter, but things got a little hectic around here this past weekend. It was a pretty typical week, what with District meeting on Monday, piano lessons etc. Wednesday we held our Thanksgiving activity. We had all the Elders and Sisters in the area meeting at a local restaurant for lunch of chicken, salad, French fries and rice. Then we headed over to the chapel and had desserts and played some games. They then watched the “Best Two Years”. Everyone seemed to have a good time.

Thanks giving group.
Playing Swap after thanksgiving dinner.

Sister Pollard, Alencar, Silveira followed by Elders Neumann and Morales.
We made a number of visit is this week; Sharon also went out with the Sisters on Tuesday. We also had Elder Friaca and his family over for lunch. They were a pleasant couple from Sandy. I am not sure about the casual shirt with name tag, a topic of discussion with President Tolman. Elder Friaca and his parents on a mission tour.

Our language skills are slowly improving but it is still difficult for us to understand what others are saying. It takes both of us to interpret what has been said. But we manage to get around and visit some. Friday evening we had an activity with the Ramo 4, which unfortunately was poorly attended by church members. We had about 40 people in attendance and only 7 or 8 were members. We played games and then they had some food that was judged, not nearly enough food for everyone, just enough for a taste. Sister Silveira was a judge and this was very hot chilli!
Elders Morles & Ballantyne with Sister Waller
Saturday was spent indoors as Sharon started with some stomach problems again, and it continued through Monday of this week. We are not sure but think she has a bacterial infection. So I started her on some antibiotic and she seems to be doing better.

Sunday was a busy day. I spoke in 2 Ramo’s, we fed two very hungry missionaries and then had choir practice that evening. Sharon was starting to feel a little better and so she attended the choir practice.

We got some great news from our daughter in law, Becca, we are going to be grand parents again come June. We just now have to wait for the ultrasound for the big news. My brother, Bob and his wife Bonny, received their Mission call to serve in Edinburgh, Scotland. We are excited for them and the adventure they will have in Scotland.

Hope everyone had a very good week and Thanksgiving. Til next week.

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Chuck & Sharon, Bama & Bampa

Cape Verde Week 34

Bom Dia,

Well another exciting week has flown by here in the land of blowing dust!! We have been blessed with continual sunshine and milder temperatures. It has started to cool off in the evenings some, but the days remain hot.

We made it through transfers but still are waiting for the new missionaries to arrive. They have arrived in Praia but without their luggage, so it will be at least 2 or 3 more days before they can be sent out to their new areas. Sister Pollard did arrive and is now working with Sister Alencar. Even though they live above us we have rare seen them this week.

We are working on getting a Humanitarian project completed in the next week or so. We will be traveling over to Santo Antao and distributing new born kits. We will get to see the green side of the Island again. We are working on getting set for an Ophthalmology visitor in January and then in February the return of Steve Jorgensen and Joe and Linda Peterson. We really are looking forward to their visits and the service they provide to the members and community.

We have had a few opportunities to visit with investigators this week. Sharon has been going with the Sisters on Tuesday and Friday afternoon. They do walk her legs off though. We held FHE at an investigators home this week and I presented a lesson on the Temples.

We also have started to work on getting the Family History center up and running. They have a nice room in the new Chapel set aside with a microfilm reader and computer. Hopefully we can soon get the microfilm of Cape Verde records soon and open the center. Genealogy here is going to be a real trip. Most of the children born are to single mothers. Family units are not the tradition, which makes it hard to move the Church forward. I was told by one of the missionaries that when President visited the islands back in 1999, he said “If the members will start paying their tithing the rains will return to the islands”. Well they still aren’t paying their tithing and they continue to break the Law of Chastity which makes it for certain, that it will stay dry and hot for awhile to come.

This evening we are to attend a youth talent show for the District. They are doing a dance show, it should be fun. Added note; it was very entertaining and the youth did a great job. There were a couple of dances that I wanted the Elders to cover their eyes, but all in all great program. Lunch with the Sisters and Sister Bikhazi liked her lunch as did we all.

Sister Alencar and Sister Pollard; who is from Lacy, Washington and in our good friends Phil & Kris Cramers Ward. Small world!!
Well hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving this week. We will be thinking of home and friends gathered around the table. We are having a Thanksgiving dessert day with the Elders and Sisters. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will adjourn to the church where we will have dessert and play games for the remainder of “P” day.

Love to all,

E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

PS E/S Wirthlin, no we don’t get to swim just look. What a beautiful area of the world you serve in. E/S Leavitt we truly enjoy your newsletters, what an adventure you are having in Nigeria. Studious Sisters in NY you just sound so happy and busy, busy busy. We just love all your newsletters. Thanks for including us. Welcome to E/S Hinton in Sri lanka.

Cape Verde Week 33

Bom Dia,

Sorry I am a little late this week on my newsletter but it was a busy weekend. The excitement is buzzing as we have transfers this weekend. Only those who have served will understand this exciting time. Everyone is guessing who is going and who is coming. It is quite fun to know and listen to all the speculation. Well it ended Saturday evening with the President and the AP’s calling with the wait for information. We have a number of changes here in Mindelo; Sister Vaterlaus is being transferred to Praia and will serve with Sister Duarte, Sister Pollard is taking her place here with Sister Alencar. Yes there were screams!!! The Elders are way more reserved in their reactions to transfers!! We had all the Sisters at our apartment Saturday night discussing ever aspect of the transfer; who is the new AP, Zone leader, OH he is serving with him, Hmmmmmm! It goes on and on for and hour. The thing about it is that it will be repeated in 6 weeks at the next transfer. The great news is Sister Waller and I, are still companions, yippee!

We had another exciting week with 5 baptisms on Saturday. I had been preparing all week for a District talk. Since we don’t have a District council, the Presidency makes the rounds to the branches. They have asked me to also take and assignment. So I was preparing all week to give a talk in Ramo 4. This was Elder Dance’s last Sundya in the Mission field and he is Ramo 4. Evidently he decided to speak slowly for once which then took up the whole meeting. It was fine though I am sure the people enjoyed his message more, or at least understood it better.

This week has also been full of just the general things break, and need to be replaced or repaired type week. We did apartment inspections on Friday, and in general every thing was in order. We had a few missionary problems of a personal nature that needed to be dealt with, but nothing overly serious.

On Wednesday we made a short trip to the beach with the Zone, it was a nice beach and the water looked so inviting. I played a mini game of soccer with Elder Dance as my partner and we went undefeated for 5 games. The Sisters and Elders do enjoy just getting away for a few hours and being together. But they are quick to focus back on the mission and getting back to work. No major illness’s to report this week, a few cases of gripe ( flu) but other than that nothing major.

So here is hoping everyone is in good health and preparing for Thanksgiving. Love to all. Elder Bueno making the typicdal missionary face!Elder Snow after a flip face plant!
This is a little loggerhead turtle that the children caught and were going to let it grow and then have stew. Elder Dance decided to buy it and then release it into the wild. So we now have one more free turtle. Thank you Edler DanceElders Dance & Ballantyne showing off for the children. I don't think BYU gymnastics has any worries!Sister Silveira trying to figure out her camera. Sister Alencar enjoying a quiet moment.
E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

Cape Verde Week 32

Bom dia,

Well this has been a busy week with Zone Conference and a mini missionary activity with the district. Zone conference as usual was enjoyable, seeing all the missionaries together and meeting the new missionaries. President and Sister Tolman were here for District Conference which was well attended. I believe the chapel was full to capacity. We enjoyed a nice luncheon with the Zone at a Brasilian restaurant on Monday.

The week moved forward with us working hard to prepare for the mini missionary training. President De Costa had asked that we assist in putting on a missionary experience for the seminary students. I thought he was going to running the program but he has a way of turning things over to me. So we planned a day long experience. We use the fulltime missionaries and had training on temporal preparation; packing a suitcase, iron shirts, sewing buttons, cooking and then spiritual preparation. We broke the 24 students up into groups of 2 or 3 and assigned them to missionaries. The missionaries helped then learn the first discussion and practice contacting skills. Later on President De Costa did a seminary scripture mastery exercise with the students and they knew their scriptures. After eating and some games the missionaries took a number of the youth and went contacting and teaching. They reported great success and all the students committed to prepare for missions.
We had a fleet of sailing vessels come into the harbor as a group from France and England. Also a Royal Navy Ship in the background.
Saturday was a busy day as we had 4 baptisms in Ramo 1. We had well over 50 people in attendance. The missionaries did a good job in having investigators they to feel the spirit. It was a very good meeting. Today they were all confirmed members of the church and all bore their testimonies, quite impressive. We also have another 2 or 3 baptisms set for next week, so the harvest is great here in Mindelo!! Sister Vaterlaus and Carla at the baptism on Saturday.

Today we had Elders Ence and Monteiro over for lunch and we were discussing the new couples that were coming around the first of the year. Elder Ence asked me if there would be a new nurse. I was trying to speak in Portuguese so Elder Monteiro would feel like a part of the discussion. I basically said, “Sim, nós temos o novo casal e a Irmã é um inferno como Irmã Allen”; which interpreted means, in bad Portuguese, “yes, we have a new couple and the sister is a hell like Sister Allen”. Now I meant to say uma enfermeira which can sound like um inferno. So actually what I wanted to say was, “yes we have a new NURSE coming” and we hope that she is a helluva nurse like Sister Allen, and not a nurse from you know where! Sorry but you had to be there to hear the laughter!!

Well that is it for this week. Hope everyone is happy and healthy.

Love

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa
More pictures of the rough mountains of Santo Antao.

Cape Verde Week 31

Boa Noite,

I am so sore!!! I said I would not trust another Elder saying “it is only a short hike Elder Waller, you can do it”, but I did and now I am paying the price again. Elder Thurgood, my one time friend, assured me that this hike was much easier than the first hike and would only take 2 hrs to complete. He failed to mention the 2hr time was the timing of a mountain goat. He also failed to mention that the final challenge to get to home base was the hardest part of the journey. So after completing all but the last portion of the hike, I was faced with a 1000 ft shear drop. My knees were already complaining, and would continue to complain the whole way. One elder said, “Try walking backwards, it is much easier”, yes and a head injury would be all I need at this time. I finally used Elder Morales as a crutch and hobbled the final way down. Now 2 days later my legs still feel like rubber. The interesting thing is I am not the only one, all the Elders and Sisters are complaining of sore legs. So it is a definite!! No more hiking on Santo Antao!!

I was a beautiful day and the mountains were gorgeous, but the price is too high for further adventures. While struggling down the mountain, the locals were hiking around, a group of women we coming down the mountain with bundles of sticks on their heads. So when the locals were looking I had to shape up a little, but after awhile who cared!

Sister Vaterlaus running with the lunch- Dietician
Our destination, along way down!!!
The week has also been busy with preparations for District and Zone Conference this weekend. We held meetings on Saturday and then Conference today. We had good attendance at all the meetings. I was able to speak in the RS meeting Saturday night, with no prior warning and also the Priesthood leadership meeting. Today was suppose to be a change in District leadership but things didn’t work out the way the President planned, so back to the drawing board.
Elder Alexander didn't you know the world is your bathroom!!!
I had the opportunity to work with the Elders this week in giving a lesson and Sharon also had a chance to go with the Sister to do some visiting. They are doing well and the baptisms are coming slow but every week some enters the water of baptism. Vista to Paul and on the upper trail,things were easy.

We love the green!!
This next week we have planned a Mini Mission experience for the seminary students. It has been quickly put together, so hope all goes well.

Well that is about it for this week. I’ll continue to hobble around realizing that I am getting older. But at the same time, I made it down the hill!!

Tchau

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

The final resting spot for many hikers!!