May 5 Sunday
It is bad when about all I can remember about Sunday is what we spent so much time preparing for lunch: funeral sandwiches, strawberry spinach
salad, brazilian potato salad. Dessert: Cake pudding with ice
cream.
We love meeting with the saints in our Branch and are grateful for our associations with members, friends the missionaries are teaching, visitors, and especially our wonderful missionaries. We spend a lot of time in service together - and a nice Sunday meal has given us opportunities to share feelings and insights into the gospel. What a blessing in our lives. That being said, I am considering changing our meal sharing day to another week day so the Sabbath can be more "relaxed" and meaningful.
Sunday afternoon was a little sad as we sent three of our sisters off to Lisbon on the train - one from each of our companionships is heading back home: Sister Brown, Sister Larsen, and Sister Wilson. We got everyone to the station and said our good-byes. (Me, Sisters Larson, Moulton, Brown, Wilson, Bradley, Hoffman). We then took the remaining three back to Faro where they will work together until their new companions arrive on Tuesday night.
Monday we had permission to leave our mission area and travel to Sevilla, Spain, to purchase some medicin and food for us, Powers, and Bowers. It is about a two hour trip, there and back. As soon as we crossed the border, our mission issued phones with GPS immediately stopped working. We had an old Garmin GSP unit in the car that we tried to use - took us to a couple of destinations in the "old historical" part of town. We were hopelessly lost. The only good that came out of this perdiciment was that we saw a beautiful area of town with people celebrating a special holiday. We saw fancy horse-drawn carriages and women all over the streets in their beautiful, colorful dresses. The old architecture was amazing. . . would have loved to stay and experience all of it.
Feria is an annual celebration of food, fun, and frivolity. The locals take the importunity to wear their finest traditional dresses, ride horses, and drink sherry. There are even special folk dances which are only ever performed at fair. The Fair is such a big deal, that even though these dances are only two weeks of the year, everybody knows them!\\
The day was overshadowed by being lost in a huge city and not knowing Spanish. We parked the car and tried to find people to ask directions. Even if they could understand us, they would take a look at our badges and take off. After an hour or so of this, we put our badges in our pockets and found someone who gave us the general direction to go; where we then found someone else to get us a little closer, and then another. . . each time getting closer to the destination.
We were so relieved when we could see the sign in the distance - it had ony taken us about three
additional hours. Merl had been so frustrated and just wanted to go home. . . but with my coaxing and efforts to get directions paid off. We had fun shopping for items to fit our new healthy
eating and nutritional plan. IWe purchased our late lunch at the snack bar - chicken salad and sandwich. We filled the car up with gas - 1.22€
per liter. . in Portugal it is 1.60€
per liter. That makes it about $6.40 per gallon.
We got home much later than planned. . . but it was an adventurous day!
We were so relieved when we could see the sign in the distance - it had ony taken us about three
Tuesday we spent most of the day in Olhao cleaning the walls and scrubbing off footprints on the ceiling. . . don't know how that happens. Merl also repaired a few things and organized supplies. Won't they be surprised when they return tomorrow (a threesome coming back after transfers).
We went to the train station at 7:00 to pick up the three new sisters (the Loule Elders also came to help transport luggage). We waited for some time, and were then informed they were waiting for us at the train station. . . communication! We welcomed Sisters Darnell, Evans, and Barrajas. We took everyone to the Faro apartment where the sisters all met their new companions. We took the Olhao sisters back to Olhao while the Loule Elders took the Loule sisters to Loule. The Olhao sisters have four flights of stairs and no elevator to their apartment. Merl is not able to carry suitcases right now, so they were on their own. They are tough!
The new Zone after the recent transfers: Sisters Darnell, Moulton, Barrajas, Hoffman; Elders Ribeiro, Hernandez, Buarque, Nichols).
Elder Ribeiro scheduled a Disctrict Counsel meeting on Wednesday, so I got up early to make a quick batch of molasses cookies. He asked us to share favorite scripture and bare our testimonies in the meeting. I chose to share the scripture we asked to have on our mission plaque - D&C 68:5-6. Merl added verse 4 and shared his testimony. The meeting discussion focused on Elder Stevenson’s “game plan” talk from conference.
Merl then gave a short training on the two sources we receive information from - Man or God. God is all knowing and infallible while man comes to conclusions by way of extrapolation (much of which is false).
← Sisters Barrajas and Hoffman
Sisters Moulton and Darnell →
← Elders Buarque and Hernandez
Elders Ribeiro and Nichols →
We hadn't been home much so far this week, so we did all the dishes, laundry, and some grocery shopping.
We went to the train station at 7:00 to pick up the three new sisters (the Loule Elders also came to help transport luggage). We waited for some time, and were then informed they were waiting for us at the train station. . . communication! We welcomed Sisters Darnell, Evans, and Barrajas. We took everyone to the Faro apartment where the sisters all met their new companions. We took the Olhao sisters back to Olhao while the Loule Elders took the Loule sisters to Loule. The Olhao sisters have four flights of stairs and no elevator to their apartment. Merl is not able to carry suitcases right now, so they were on their own. They are tough!
The new Zone after the recent transfers: Sisters Darnell, Moulton, Barrajas, Hoffman; Elders Ribeiro, Hernandez, Buarque, Nichols). Elder Ribeiro scheduled a Disctrict Counsel meeting on Wednesday, so I got up early to make a quick batch of molasses cookies. He asked us to share favorite scripture and bare our testimonies in the meeting. I chose to share the scripture we asked to have on our mission plaque - D&C 68:5-6. Merl added verse 4 and shared his testimony. The meeting discussion focused on Elder Stevenson’s “game plan” talk from conference.
Merl then gave a short training on the two sources we receive information from - Man or God. God is all knowing and infallible while man comes to conclusions by way of extrapolation (much of which is false).
Sisters Moulton and Darnell →
← Elders Buarque and Hernandez
Elders Ribeiro and Nichols →
We hadn't been home much so far this week, so we did all the dishes, laundry, and some grocery shopping.
Thursday morning began with some scripture studying, followed by cleaning the partment and taking a walk around the city. We are making an effort to take a good walk every day. 
We visited our little Nice fruit market . . . Jose didn't charge me for an apricot and vespera that I wanted to try. This happens occasionally as I share cookies with him whenever I make them. He gives us new words in Portuguese and takes pride in helping us learn his language. (Mix of English and Portuguese is common).I bought a big bag of quinao at Costco and made Rachel's recipe for "taco meat." I had been looking for nutritional yeast all over town and finally found it at Apolonia in Almancil when we were called to come pick them up. Merl also repaired/replaced wheels on Sis. Hoffman’s suitcase. Pulling heavy suitcases along these cobblestone roads and sidewalks destroys the wheels.
We attended portuguese class at the church. Afterwards, we took my plants (chives and basil) to the Sisters to ‘plant sit’ while we are gone for a few days. We shared ice
cream bars with them and then started packing our suitcase.
Saturday, we drove drove north go check out a water heater
in the casal apartment in Tomar. This is the furthest North we have been in Portugal. We stopped in Santarem to get the key
to the apartment from Elder and Sister Bowers - the recent tenants. It was a beautiful drive – much different landscapes the
further north you go - beautiful forests on higher mountains than we have in the Algarve. Tomar is a pretty city. and the apartment is nice– we decided to
stay rather than go back to Almada to stay in the Powers' apartment (they are back in the states for a funeral). We called the Elders who lived in the neighboring city of Abrantes to see if they had extra blankets and pillows. They did - and were actually coming to Tomar this evening. We made arrangements to meet them.
Merl checked out the water heater - actually wasn't dripping at first. We ran the water for a while, and a few drops were forming. With the use of a flashlight and a mirror, he found a slow leak in the gasket connecting the gas line to the water level sensor. He wasn't going to touch it! This should be a landlord and gas company issue.
Saturday, we drove drove north go check out a water heater
in the casal apartment in Tomar. This is the furthest North we have been in Portugal. We stopped in Santarem to get the key
to the apartment from Elder and Sister Bowers - the recent tenants. It was a beautiful drive – much different landscapes the
further north you go - beautiful forests on higher mountains than we have in the Algarve. Tomar is a pretty city. and the apartment is nice– we decided to
stay rather than go back to Almada to stay in the Powers' apartment (they are back in the states for a funeral). We called the Elders who lived in the neighboring city of Abrantes to see if they had extra blankets and pillows. They did - and were actually coming to Tomar this evening. We made arrangements to meet them.Merl checked out the water heater - actually wasn't dripping at first. We ran the water for a while, and a few drops were forming. With the use of a flashlight and a mirror, he found a slow leak in the gasket connecting the gas line to the water level sensor. He wasn't going to touch it! This should be a landlord and gas company issue.
We were told that if we had time, we needed to go to the the Convento de Cristo. This convent/castle complex was built starting in the 1100s, and parts of it are still be used today. The chapel holds weekly meetings and has been beautiful restored. the convent was for the Knights of the Templar then the Knights of the Order of Christ, and now owned by the Catholic church.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convent_of_Christ_(Tomar)
https://www.aportugueseaffair.com/templar-castle/ (good website for amazing pictures and history - please check it out)
As we left the convent/castle at closing time, we found a Continente for groceries ane met the missionaries who brought us our bedding. They didn't hesitate a moment when we invited them out to dinner with us. Many places were closing, and we drove around for quite a while before finding a nice streetside restaurant with a Brazilian flair. . "Brasinha " had been busy and had run out of chicken, so the Elders and Merl each ordered the beef steak - which filled their plates. I had a delicious bowl of vegetarian spaghetti. Hit the spot. We enjoyed the night air eating and visiting. (Merl with Elders Meira and Weber)
It had been a long day, so we went back to the apartment, made our bed, and collapsed for the night.
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