District Meeting, Surprise Lunch, English Class

Tuesday, August 14

We thought that we had the day to ourselves to study. . . until we received a call from the Sisters letting us know that the previously cancelled District meeting was now going to happen.  So our day today was hurrying to get ready to go to Faro.  As schedules permit, we try to give the Sisters a ride to the meetings that we attend together, otherwise they take the bus which takes more time and costs them some money.  

Elder Alder left for Lisbon early this morning to assume office duties in the Mission office – replacing Elder Martel who has completed his mission.  Elder Buarque is now the new District Leader.  We are continually impressed how these young men are able to assume responsibility and take charge.  They truly must be blessed. 

We stopped at a grocery store for drinks for the Zone meeting and also cake and tricky candles for the birthday of a sister in the branch, Odelia Diaz.  We parked in front of her house. . . from the outside, a plain door on an old plaster over rock wall.  We lit the candles in her doorway and watched as she tried to blow them out.  They kept lighting until Merl pinched them out.  We sang Happy Birthday (Parabens pra você).  Then she invited us in to share the cake with her.

Her home was big, beautiful, meticulously clean and welcoming.  A nice staircase went up to extra bedrooms that she rents out to others.  A nice enclosed patio with potted plants let in beautiful light and warmth. She actually has a dish washer an a clothes dryer, a rarity here.   She also had two cats that were very pampered.  Since we were just stopping by to drop off a cake, we left our bags (and cameras) in the car.  Big mistake today!  I would love to have some pictures of Odelia and her daughter in their beautiful home.  We ended up there for two hours as she fed us Portuguese soup, grilled fish from her little table-top grill, tomato/onion salad and bread – and then the cake.  She makes big pots of soup all the time, knowing that someone in need will come by.  She has learned that the more she gives, the more she receives in return. She is a delightful woman.

Analogy:  The outside of her house was plain and dingy, but the inside was beautiful and warm.  Sometimes we judge people by the “outside” and miss all the beauty that is on the inside.  A good lesson for me.   

Wednesday, August 15

Merl was asked to bring his computer to the church in Faro for a trial run to see if it would work with the electronics there.  The Zone Conference will be attended by Zoom in the Faro building tomorrow.  They spent an hour working out all the bugs and finally getting it hooked up.  I practiced the piano while they worked.

On our way back home, we stopped at Worten in the Mar shopping center to purchase a fan for the Elder’s apartment in Olhão.  It has been so hot here this month, and Sister Fillmore wants every apartment to have two working fans. We park in a huge parking garage that is also hooked to the IKEA store.   There are usually lots of people just driving around until a green light is viewed.  Each parking place has a light above it – red if it is full and green indicating someone just left a parking spot – and you had better hurry if you want to get the space.

After buying the fan,  I found a couple of pairs of shoes at Primark on sale.  Prices on clothes shoes are amazingly low (in some stores).  I found a restroom before leaving the mall, and it was quite amazing - for a restroom.  The family section appropriately had a child and an adult toilet, and the hand wash area was quite tastefully done. 

We then stopped at Continente grocery store to purchase next week’s groceries.  I wanted to get some some chicken so I went to the meat counter.  I couldn’t believe what was staring at me.  I hurried back to get my phone from Merl to take a picture.  After taking a quick photo, a young man in the meat department, said “Não foto, não foto!  I said, Porque?  And he said “politico.”  I told him my children like rabbits, but with their fur on.  I later stopped back for some chicken, and nothing more was said.

We took a nap, and then I wanted to pick up some fresh fruit at the little frutaria next door – and it was closed.  I walked out to the main road and found everything closed.  I later found out that it was a holiday today – one of the many Catholic holidays here.

The Sisters called to see if we would like to help with an English class at the church.  They were already there, so we hurried to get ready.  When we arrived, the Sisters and Candida were there.  Candida is from Angola and an amazing woman.  It was difficult to believe that she is 37 and has two “almost” grown children (17 and 21 year of age).  We practiced English with her, asking questions to focus on past-tense.  She has an amazing story to tell. . . she was featured in a book about converts from countries all over the world.  Sister Kelson is reading the book now and will share it with me when she is finished.  We were there until 9:30 pm.  We drove home to prepare for the Mission wide Zone Conference tomorrow.

I prepped and measured all the ingredients for cinnamon rolls tonight so I would have time to finish everything in the morning.