Waller Family: Cape Verde Week 49

Boa Noite,

We have had a relatively quiet week. It started with us traveling to Mosteiros last Sunday for a speaking assignment. We were supposed to pick up the District Primary President in Cova Figueira, but she had decided not to go. At least she came out to the road and let us know but it would have been better if she had called. The road from Cova Figueira to Mosteiros is quite rough and plus it is the long way around the island. Anyway it was a clear bright sunny day and we got a few good pictures of Mt Pico. We arrived well ahead to the meeting time and visited with the Elders and members as they arrived.

Mt Pico on a clear day.

Lava flow and water gulley.

I was hoping to have a Branch Presidents training during Sunday School, but he was teaching the class. We had a small number of members in attendance, 40 or so and mostly young men. We only saw one family and very few children. Sharon said my talk was good but got better when I quit reading and just spoke. Somehow the words just flow better. Our trip home was nice, as we drove the other way around the island. So Sharon has now been around the island.

We had a good district meeting on Monday. Elder DaCruz gave me a few minutes to review ordinances. Many of the Elders have problems remembering how to do certain ordinances like; blessing the sick, consecrating oil. So I reviewed that with them for a few minutes. We all then were given assignments on problems in a companionship or with an investigator and how we could use the Book of Mormon to solve the problem. Sharon and I did ok, even with our limited Portuguese. The District is memorizing the Articles of Faith and reciting them in District Meeting. Sharon and I are doing poorly and have a hard time just reading them and keeping up. The Elders forget we are old and go slow!

Monday evening I had he opportunity to walk with the Zone leaders. They invited me to visit a non member living with a member. He is basically active in the church and lives all the commandments, except the common problem here. He carries his scriptures and hymn book and has been through countless missionaries, but just can’t seem to make the decision to marry and join the church. So off we went for the visit. I told the Elders, “if you give me an inch I might take a mile”. So it was after prayer and opening song, I took over I had a number of scriptures in mind but settled of Alma 34:32. We talked about procrastination and the importance of now. So I gave him a challenge for Baptism, to get his life in order and marry his common law wife, so he could move forward in the Gospel. We will see if it works. I will go back this week with a framed picture of the Temple with a renewed challenge.

Sister Waller, Duarte and Marinho prior to baptism.

Baptismal group; note Large Cruz and Cruzinho. We started to get him a chair, but he wasn't going for it. Elder Da Cruz in about 5'9", we haven't been able to measure Elder Cruzinho.

We had the sisters over for lunch this week and enjoyed visiting with them. They both seem so happy. Sister Duarte is a real worker and tries to be obedient to all the mission rules. She helps us with our Portuguese as she speaks slowly. They really enjoyed the chocolate cookies. We sent them home with a dozen. Sharon doesn’t just make a dozen or so cookies, more like 8 dozen cookies. This does indeed come in handy as missionaries do drop by frequently.

We had a baptism this evening at the chapel. Elder DaCruz and DeCruz have been teaching this young man for a while and he was ready for baptism. When we arrived there was hardly any water in the font and he is well over 6’7” tall. So we added water and President Goncalves had him kneel down in the font. After the prayer he slowly bent him backwards. It worked, folding him in half allowed us to fit him in the font.

I attended Seminary this week and observed the class. President Goncalves is the teacher (need to work on that), and he did a great job. The youth did great in their scripture chase. I will start this week visiting the other branch. The teacher is only 17 and having problems with the students. I know how that can be. I will have to talk with the Branch President about get an older mature teacher, to help with the disciplinary problems. Attended Fonte Alexio Branch today, still no branch presidency meeting, slow learners, but will keep trying. We had a large attendance of young people, good singers. Sharon picked up 2 more piano students for the coming week. She is starting to get busy.