Some things never change, like elections. I have been trying to stay up to date on the elections at home, very discouraging and now we are into locate elections her in Cape Verde. They are much like the elections in Brazil, loud and very loud. At times it seems the candidate who can drive around the biggest truck with the loudest speakers is named the winner. Each day this past week the noise has gotten worse, the walls shake, ear drums hurt!! We have one more week of this, and then we hope things will be quiet and peaceful.
The week has been a good one as both Sharon and I seem to be feeling better. We have been out and about some visiting and teaching. This always helps to lift the spirits. Sharon even made cookies this week, Elders and Sisters will love the snicker doodles. Sharon is seeing progress in a few students and keeps reminding them to practice, as we only have a few months left.
We continue to make progress in our Portuguese, but when we speak everyone seems to revert to creole and who can understand that? It is like ebonics in the US, very, but here it is very poor, lazy Portuguese. Everyone wants us to learn it as they all say it is so easy, but we continue to resist as it would ruin what Portuguese we have learned.
We visited a home yesterday of an inactive member. We have been assigned to help activate the family. The father was a Branch President many years ago but left the church and the family has floundered. They have 4 children, the oldest 19 down to 11, and none have been baptized. So we start from the ground floor in teaching and hopefully we can get the mother to remember her covenants and try to set the proper example. This, we pray, will be the positive influence needed in the family to help the father overcome his problems. So we will start with FHE and teaching the simple discussions. The oldest boy can hardly read, and only finished the 6th grade. This is very common here in the islands. It makes it extremely difficult for them to progress in life with such little education. The parents have no conception of the potential that each child holds and how education is the key.
This week we received the bad news that the ferry service to Fogo and Brava is out. A month ago one of the 2 ferries sank in rough water. Then this week the other ferry sank. These 2 ferries were our source of food for the island. They were also the only source of transportation to Brava. Fortunately no lives were lost, but the cargo of food, vehicles and such have hurt the economy here and prices are climbing. Elders Ellis and Silva, on Brava, aren’t sure if they will make it to Zone Conference next week. We hope they find some newer boats. We were supposed to go to Brava this coming week, but we didn’t want to think about, how long can you tread water? The trip is off, so says Sister Waller & Tolman!
This is one of the boats that sank this past month. It now lies in very deep water.I have been asked to take over the role of mission medical for awhile. So the missionaries are all looking forward to the “take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning” routine. Actually I don’t think we can get aspirin here in Cabo Verde. I suppose I need to work on my bed side manners and when they need mothering, hand the phone to Sister Waller. My “so you have worms, go back to work” doesn’t work sometimes. Actually everyone is doing well at the present moment. We do have the usual bouts of diarrhea, but that is expected when you realize where we are and what the missionaries are eating. Plus the fact that they don’t wash their hands nearly enough!! So more health training is in order.
We have settled in well here in Sao Filipe and the members feel comfortable in speaking to us. All the women give each other 2 kisses (one on each cheek) at greetings and they also give their close friends the same greeting. Well yesterday at the baptism, irmã Nea greeted Sister Waller with the kissing thing, and then turned to me and started to do the same thing. She caught herself and got this oh no look on her face, so I just gave her the two kiss greeting. Well I suppose the word got around, so today after Sacrament meeting irmã Seena gives me a hug! That might be going a little too far!
We have been invited to our 1st wedding here in Cabo Verde tomorrow. It should quite the experience and we look forward to pictures and the experience.
Well tchau for this week and Happy Mother’s Day!!
E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Bama &Bampa
Elder Reynolds and DaCruz top, and Day & Kinghorn bottom having some fun on "P-day".
This is Ideal Delgado and his bride Ideia. They live on Brava and just got married and left for the Temple in Recife, Brazil. They were very happy and we look forward to their return.
Sister Duarte & Skinn at this weeks baptism of Deborah. Her uncle Tony performed the baptism and is shown with his sister and Deborahs mother.Tchua!!!!
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