This has been a busy and sometimes frustrating week. It all started with transfers on Monday. Sister Delgado was heading home and Elder Badesso was being transferred to Mindelo. They arrived at the airport on time to find the plane had arrived early and was just leaving, an hour early. Their seats had been given to standby passengers. So they were without seats and had to wait till the next day. They were lucky to get standby seat on Tuesday. Sister Duarte was transferred here from Praia and she too missed her flight because it left early; so the office was scrambling to book new flights, and of course pay the new charge for a ticket transfer. We finally got everyone here by Wednesday, except the new missionary to serve on Brava. He would not arrive till Friday.
City of Sao Filipe Mural
We held FHE with President Goncalves family. They have a little 2 y/o named Melissa, she is a cutie but going to be a handful. We have officially started our cookie making and the missionaries are becoming aware that a visit usually ends up with a few cookies. So we get visitors quite often. This week it was oatmeal, walnut and chocolate chip cookies, hmmmmmm good! 
Some Local foliage around the apartment.
We are slowly getting the general feel of the city. We walk just about everywhere except the Fonte Alexio Chapel. It is quite a ways up the mountain and a taxi is a nice change. Monday through Wednesday was Carnival here on Fogo. Most of the stores, as well as the schools were shut down. We have heard how bad the Carnival is on other islands, but the members here said it was good. The main parade was on Tuesday in the afternoon. So we went over one block and watched the parade. The costumes we good, the dancing okay and in general everyone was well behaved. They had a few floats and the children dressed up like Halloween; we saw, snow white, princesses, ballerinas, batman, superman, and zorro. There was one girl on a float who was doing dancing moves I thought impossible, I have the video, I made the Elders cover their eyes. But in general it was much like the 24th of July Parade, except the music was more African drums. Check out the small slideshow at the begin of this weeks blog. The people were friendly one lady even leaned on Sharon's leg for awhile!!
Sharon started piano lessons with Solange ( BP’s wife) and she feels she will do well. The Branch Presidents are looking for 2-3 more people to take lessons.
We fumigated the apartment on Thursday as we started to be invaded by tiny black ants and an occasional cockroach. This required leaving the apartment; so we wandered the city sat in parks and visited with the locals. They are very friendly and about one in every 6 person is a member, although most are inactive. 
Three youth we stopped and talked to for awhile; Joselle, Joselma, Zenlita
I spent some hrs preparing for HT assignment and training meeting coming up this Sunday. We have Branches that don’t hold any Presidency meetings, PEC, or council meetings. They basically just try to get the Sunday meetings done and that is the extent of their calling. So major training this weekend! We will see how it is accepted.
Thursday we had Elders Kinghorn, Mendonca, and Fortes over for lunch. We enjoyed a nice visit with them. We had a nice lunch of spaghetti casserole (singles ward recipe), jello, carrots, rolls and chocolate cake. It is good we only do this once a week or I would be putting my weight back on.
Sharon studying in the park next to our apartment, Aguadinha.
Saturday was a VT/HT day and we spent the day visiting with members. We did a lot of walking. Sharon went with Solange and I went with the Branch President, we both were able to put in our two cents. We understand more and more Portuguese each day. Today in Elders Quorum the lesson was given by Alberto (a Cuban) and his Portuguese was slow and deliberate, so I understood much of what was said in the meeting. Nice change.
Well must close for now. Tchau
E/S Waller, Bama, Bampa, Mom & Dad
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