Gratitude in Socorro's Smile



Finding the one...

 Remember the Worth of Souls is Great in The Sight of God...D&C 18:10



 We needed to find some families.  There are no addresses on this island. We've only met three people who use their given names.  The names on the records do not match the nicknames that they are known by!  We had been going door to door all morning when along comes a young man who just got baptized 2 weeks ago..."I know where the members live" and he worked with us all afternoon.  I let him hold my clipboard since he was our official 'helper' for the day!  (...and noticed that he waved to all his friends while holding up the official clipboard and pen!)

I do not believe in 'coincidences' anymore.



        





We are blessed to be here serving in Cabo Verde and are loving our mission! There are many highlight days on a Mission...but  Missionary work...is Missionary... WORK.  I have to smile sometimes as we take our shoes off at night. Under the topic of shoes, the handbook says:  "Keep them clean and polished".  Sometimes we are so tired at the end of a day that they have to wait to shine again when the sun does! ;)  

 

First Gravata! Avelino's Gift...




Avelino's story is very special to us.  For this reason, even though we have shared his basic story before, I want to save this journal entry.    (The last missionary couple to this Island had their photos and computer stolen when someone broke in and I really want to save this memory...so I am putting it here and then if someone needs our 'stuff' sometime...no problema!   ;)  When Avelino got baptized, he quit drinking alcoholic beverages.  We go visit him every now and again at the dock and have lunch with him.  His buddies can't believe he doesn't drink with them anymore during the noon break.  Three of his co-workers said if he doesn't drink at all for three months then they would quit drinking also.  It has been over a month. We visited him at the docks on Saturday and he said he thought a friend would come with him to church Sunday.  We were in another branch on this island...so we haven't met his friend yet.  I always want to remember Avelino's first tie!  Tie in Portuguese is: " Gravata"   The new parts about the tie are in blue. 

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April 24th, 2012
Light had left the island by the time we clamored at the cobblestone road with our gift. I held it carefully, so the dark island dust and the end-of-the-day meat vendor smells and smoke would not touch it. Avelino was home now from his work at the docks and he would be so surprised. From the church we went two streets over and one down to the prossa, winding our way down another tiny street past the hardware store where we bought a shower curtain 3 months ago, that hangs from a wire held rod in our pink apt. on Xaguate. Past the Papalaria de Patrick where I buy paper in colors for our classes, down past the farmer's market, now empty through the night until the morning sun would bring crates and bags, buckets and large bowls of vegetables and home-made goat's cheese atop the heads of wishing women...and the tired fishermen would be back from the night with groupa and cerra and many kinds of fish for the women to swish in muddy water and custom cut with large knives near the scales. The now silent market would fill quickly come dawn with bartering, squinting, and calling out for people to buy their produce, por favor.

We walked past two churches, one with a large cross catching street-light against the night sky. Past cement buildings, lava stone casas, and locked metal garage doors that come morning, would open into stores, full of rice and beans, cookies, oil, peanuts, pop, and who knows what all may have come on the monthly boat, along with the hard soap that scrapes at wash boards just before clothes are pinned on lines to flirt with the sun. Our steps grabbed at the cobblestone... almost there.

“Hola!” my husband called out as we got to Avelino's door. “Ben Vindo!” With a smile and handshake, Avelino welcomed us into the tiny apartment. A piece of fabric almost divided the small room into two and I could see the brown foot of his sleeping room-mate on a mattress on the cement floor as we sat on the three small stools in the 'living room'. I held out the hanger holding one of my husband's shirts and the tie he had chosen for Avelino. “A presente por Voce!” (A present for you!) and I handed him our gift.

During the next twenty minutes, I sat in wonder at the gratitude that I was witnessing as Avelino with a smile nigh unto a giggle, practiced and practiced at learning to tie a tie. “I have never had a gravata (tie),” he shared. Sunday, when he goes to church, he can look into a bathroom mirror there to see himself looking like a missionary. He had asked for that in his first prayer. He asked that someday he could share the truth with someone else like we were sharing with him. D & C 123:12...”and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.”

Early on Easter morning, April 8^th, 2012, Avelino got up early and decided to go to church. He wandered through the city, passing at least two churches and came to sit on a wall across the street from A Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ultimos Dias. He had never heard about the church but felt that he needed to be there. He waited and waited. It was 7 am. After some time he left and walked around some more, only to find himself returning to the wall where he waited and waited some more...not sure exactly what he was waiting for.

Just before 9 am, we were coming around a corner on our way to church when I noticed a man sitting on the wall across from the church. “We need to invite him to come with us.” I said. As we got nearer, Elder Benedict called to him that he was welcome to come in with us and we entered into the gate of the church. But, I had prayed specifically that morning that if there was someone we could help, would we please know who and how. It was my birthday and I so wanted not to be homesick, but to be a good missionary on Easter. “He needs to come with us” the impression came again and I turned back to the man on the wall. “Come to church with us,” I said in my best Portuguese. He smiled and stood and followed us in. “He's coming!” I whispered to my husband. Avelino went with him to Priesthood meeting, then sat through Sunday School and Sacrament meeting. He sat for three hours on one chair without moving. After the meetings, we invited him for lunch and learned about him and his family. He has three children. They live on another island. Avelino said he felt guided to sit on that wall that morning and during church had felt something 'special'. So did we.

We gave him a Book of Mormon and asked if he would like the missionaries to visit with him. He came with us to Family Home Evenings in some of the members homes and we read from the scriptures with him. When the missionaries taught him about tithing, he said it was no problem...because now he had the money he was not spending on drinking anymore. Through the past two weeks we have seen a light in his eyes. Last Sunday the 22^nd of April, he was baptized and confirmed a member of the Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ultimos Dias. He had asked my husband to baptize him. What a day of joy for us!

Earlier tonight, as I ironed the white shirt while Elder Benedict was choosing a tie for Avelino's gift...I was happy; I couldn't wait to see the look on Avelino's face when he saw the gift! A few hours ago, we sat in Avelino's apartment. My spirit smiled almost to a giggle and I swallowed a few tears as I witnessed my sweet husband teach Avelino how to tie a tie and for 20 wonderful minutes we all sat and visited and laughed while Avelino re-tied his tie over and over and over and over and over, smiling a bit more with each success.

As we climbed our way back over the cobblestones, I realized that the real gift was one given us in great measure and I understand one of my favorite scriptures better than I have before (the one I painted on our dining room wall way far away in America): Luke 6:38: Give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over...

Waiting...

Women must be born waiting.  Their spirits remember well from whence they came. 



A Woman's heart yearns for Beauty and Quietness.  She reaches to make her home a replica of another place...she watches constantly... (as if she could)... take from her family... the weight of this world.



It must exist just around the corner...the same peace, the safety, the order, the beauty, that her spirit remembers...




She is always busy...there is no time to wait...yet she waits...and she wonders how to give her children such specific Joy...somewhere...somehow...

 

There must be something she might say or do, or sew, or cook, or clean, or paint, or sing, or read, or plant, or prepare, or pray, or mend, to remind them...

and so she waits... to see if they will  remember...

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My heart is full of thanks for Evelyn and Donna (our amazing mothers) who have waited on us many times through the years and for our seven sweet daughters: Brooke, Tiffany, Lindsey, Natalie, Amy, Elisa, and Ashley, who wait upon our wonderful grandchildren during these precious years of little sleep. And to our sisters, Diane, Maxine, Teresa, Susan, Veanne, Kay, Christy, Cynthia, Lalove, and Barbara...and to the mother-in-laws of our children with whom we share our prayers and dreams.. We are most thankful for the time, effort, and great love that these wonderful mothers give...which bless our families with great joy.  Happy Happy Mother's Day!   We love you so much...

Brooklyn Glo Benedict!

We got to see our Son holding his sweet (only a few minutes old) 'Brooklyn' in the Delivery Room via Skype on Thursday.  We were able to sort of 'be there' to see Travis and Lindsey and their sweet precious adorable gift!  She is beautiful!

While we were serving our last mission in Brasil, we had 5 grandbabies born.  For me, those days are some of the most lovely, yet difficult... being so far away.  Heavenly Father must understand the happy tears that grandparents wipe off their cheeks and chins at times...to allow this great technology to lighten our lives incredibly.  Thank you Travis and Lindsey for being so generous to let us peek into such a moment.

Welcome to Earth-Life Brooklyn!  It's Heavenly having you here!

You will be walking when we first touch your little hands and face...but you must know that while you are learning to smile and giggle and crawl and wave and walk...we will be praying for you every day... and because of you and all of your cousins... and the GREAT JOY you bring to us...we are trying to help other families to have and understand what you already have!  A Momma, Daddy, and big brother, who love you along with a humongous super amazingly wonderful family of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents on every side that you are a part of FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER!                  ...AND EVER!

Coloring at Conference...

I remember coloring at conferences as a child.  I remember watching my children color...(quietly please).   I remember our small grandchildren coloring my joy as we listened to inspired words.  Yesterday, as I sat in Conference behind a coloring child, sweet memories washed over me. It is a miracle of happiness to be unencumbered by the world; to be able to color quietly between both a mother and a father who want to drink every word and who love you enough to take you and your crayons to conference.  A child can feel that kind of love...even while coloring.

We had a marvelous ZONE conference this week as well as our DISTRICT CONFERENCE and got to hear from President and Sister Oliveira in five different meetings (some on this side of the island and some on the other side.  They bring a loving spirit wherever they go and everyone here looks so forward to their visits!  They give powerful trainings and inspired talks. What a blessing for us to learn from such great leaders and to get to spend time with them in planning and meetings and while driving those crazy roads together.  They are such a blessing for the Cabo Verdians (...and for us!).  

Two sessions were held, one in Cova Figueira and one in Sao Filipe...both full to the rafters and standing! 

 

I got to share my testimony in the Saturday Adult session and also help with the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary Trainings.  What wonderful women I get to work with!

President Oliveira has asked Pres. Benedict to speak about Marriage and Family everywhere we go.  What a nice gift to be able to hear him speak about one of our very favorite subjects!
Above is one of my favorite photos...just look at that handsome speaker!
I was asked to take photos for a history during the conference...(Oh my!  I would be happy to!)  When I saw the little girl (first photo) coloring while we were standing to sing a hymn...I noticed that she had parents on either side of her.  Such a rare thing on our Island here in Fogo.  Very Rare. The photo is symbolic of the goal of our mission.  Families can be together Forever. 

 To My Parents: Did I ever remember to thank you for taking me and my crayons to conference?  I am eternally grateful.  I remember Daddy polishing our shoes on Saturday nights and Momma putting those pink spongy rollers in our hair.  Thank you for teaching me about Sabbath blessings and about family. We are here trying to teach the same promises.  Oh, that every child could feel so loved...