The time is flying...already Graduation time again!

Seminary and Institute Graduation for Fogo!

Many of the students are already on their missions!

It was the annual 'Clean the City' Day!  We started with a few and more came as the morning unfolded...mostly members of our Church showed up, but there were other youth in the city that came as well.  A good Morning!

We have been meeting with some of the city leaders and pastors and ministers of other churches to see if we
can make a difference here on the war on drugs.  The youth made posters and held a march around the city to
say:  "No to Drugs...Yes to Life!"  After the parade, each of the leaders gave a message to the group.
Our bodies are gifts, actually given as Temples to our Spirits and we must take care of them. It was a good day!

This past week was full of visits to members homes, filling out Temple Trip papers, passports, visas, (Temple is in Brasil), re-organizing a new Branch Presidency, working on a city wide 'Say No to Drugs" campaign and on Thurs. we had a wonderful Zone Conference with Pres. and Sis. Oliveira!  On Sat. grandpa participated in the 'clean the city' day with the youth while I hurried back home to finish the decorations for our Seminary and Institute Graduation.  Sunday we attended meetings in Mosteiros and got home just in time for interviews in Sao Filipe.  We are enjoying the variety of our mission and have met so many good people that you would love to know!
  

Learning...Remembering

There is something very exciting about learning, searching, studying, creating, trying, and sharing.
Something Magnificent happens when connecting and communing with our very core!
Inside our heart of hearts, we love to discover to remember: Beauty, Light and Truth.

Blessed are those who Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness...
For they shall be filled.
Matthew 5:6

...Feast Upon the Words of Christ; for behold,
the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.  
2 Nephi 32:3

Philippians 1:3

What a blessing to serve a full-time mission!  We are thankful for this blessing in our lives.

Missions are a microcosm of life.  

Over-all so pleasant and rich with things to learn and do and try and experience,

and people to know and love,

but every now and again trials or problems, (opportunities to solve), will surface.

And they should...for our own good...

at least that is sort of the reason we are on earth after-all!

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But, the thing I love is that even when times are tough, there are always blessings that tuck us in

and remind us that people will be kinder next time and that all of us need to improve.

Let me share three of those blessings this week:

Henrique's Grandma walks slowly down the mountain every Sunday 
and brings her smile to church. Her life has not been easy,
but her countenance is as she uplifts those around her.  I want to be like that.

In a brown and gray country,
I am thankful for the gift of color and flowers.  The trees are magnificent!
It is difficult to be discouraged long when the world is full of such kind creations
reminding us that we are loved.

On one trip around the island this past week,
we noticed some people gathered by the side of the road.
I was driving and slowed way down to see what the excitement was?
A small group (growing larger) had gathered to collect water from a small break in the water line.
Buckets and excited voices, all lined up for free water.  A celebration of sorts!

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It's the simple things that lift us up.
A smile, color, nature's beauty,
and if we are smart...

we too, will bring as many buckets as possible
to collect

LIVING WATER...the kind given FREELY
the kind that will make our Spirits' smile.

And they should...for our own good...

at least that is sort of the reason we are on earth after-all!

Today's P-Day so far...

P-Day Stands for 'Preparation' day.  In theory, it is the day we shop, clean, launder, and rest a bit.

First thing this morning, we gathered Stephani 

And Luis 

and headed for the airport (twice).  They are on their way to Brasil.  Their new Mission President is a friend of Grandpa's from their first mission to Brasil...so it was fun for him to write a note to their President!

I cry with their Moms and brothers and sisters. We all wipe tears and laugh at each other.
We have spent alot of time with and have grown to love each of these young people and we will miss them alot.
Usually, at the airport, just before they leave, they will think it through and realize that when they return we will
not be here anymore...  And they give us another hug.
It is difficult for me to say good-bye for this life.
Seems to leave me a bit quiet for a while.
But, I am so happy for them and for their adventures and growth.  

When we got home, sure enough, Maria was waiting for us to buy vegetables...
We ONLY buy them on Segiunda-Feiras (Mondays) and so she decided to sit and wait!

Soon we heard a knock on the door...it was EDY.
(This is a photo from last year when he brought us a piece of lava rock from the Volcano),
but today he came to get some keys to copy a talk at the church
and to tell us that it is his 23rd Birthday!
(I started mixing cupcakes for when he brought them back.)

Saturday night when we were mopping up water that had filled the sisters apt. the lights went out, so  we
took them to the other sisters' apt. for the night.  Everything is good now, but  Danuesa came with two dresses for her mini-mission and those were needing washed in an apt. without working water at the time. I told her we would go shopping on Monday for a skirt.  Shopping is not my thing...especially for clothes...but off we went when the three other missionaries were emailing their families this morning!    I know we had help...
I know we did.

.

Two different young boys asked if they could wash the car.  I had promised already for this week,
and now we are set up for next already!

Sister Pires came from Cova Figueira to get some scriptures for their branch
and to wait for her husband to finish some business in town,
so we drove to where the elders were to get the keys to their apt.
then went there to get the scriptures, then took the keys back,
Pres. Pires came and they had not eaten since 6 am this morning,
so we bought some bread and had some lunch. (We even had cupcakes!!!)

Right now, Grandpa is over at the church again,
helping someone fill out papers to get ready to go to the Temple,
I couldn't leave just yet because the young man was still washing the car.
We had 10 visitors this morning and some phone calls,
like the one that sent Grandpa to the church just now.
Grandpa is so funny...he changed clothes 3 or 4 times between visits and finally...
 decided to just keep a tie on for this P-Day...

I think it will save him some time!

Ok,  I still need to mop...better run.  We love you.  LOTS!