Second Transfer Begins

 

One of the first really nice sunny days, could see lots of small sailboats in certain spots, another place had rowers (like Boys in the Boat) and of course many joggers were out.

We have been asked to teach the New Members' Sunday School Class, which means mostly Durk will teach it - especially since I am still needed to play for Primary the first half of the time. Also we were asked to facilitate the Financial Self-Reliance Class. Just getting it organized is a job, again mostly Durk's - contacting people the bishop suggested, figuring out where and when - Because transportation is a difficult thing for many,  and can take a lot of time, we are doing right after church, but some of them are a bit intimidated hearing that the class take two hours and is twelve weeks. We will have to take turns bringing snacks. And as for playing for Primary, the piano in there has so many problems but I found that the one in the RS room works great (and the bench isn't broken so its possible to sit at the proper height) so I am looking to figure out whether we can quietly switch them out or whether to try getting permission - plus figure out how to contact the people that need to know repairs are needed.

Still having a hard time filling our days well, this was the second time in two days we were canceled on, apparently we "didn't confirm" so instead I took a picture of gorgeous flowers. And we will now triple check up to right before we leave.... We had another really bad drive to the chapel in horrid traffic for a meeting that wasn't happening but no one had told us - why is it never the easy drives where things get canceled? But then again there aren't many easy drives here.

We went to another FHE at Tales and Mary's, Teodoro gave the lesson and did a stellar job - using one of Elder Kearon's talks and getting everyone to participate. My participation in Portuguese is still pretty bad. At least we had better luck finding parking this time! She made homemade pao de queijo, some sort of beef and bulgur croquettes called "kibe" that were divided into the "with and without "pimento" and had some super hot sauce for dipping, cheetos, and cake. I nibbled on too many pao de queijos. 

We have had some good teaching appointments with new members and one great experience with the wife of the brother we took to the temple a while ago - she is not a member and I had the impression maybe she was against it but she just has been working so much a with very long commute (busses don't come close enough so she has a long walk) so she is still learning. Elders Esplin and Ballard are really really good and in some ways I felt like this was my first time at an appointment that was really part of someone's conversion, she is very kind (and lovely) and the Spirit was there as they/we taught. We never feel like we are doing much in these meetings but the young missionaries always feel it adds quite a bit to have our little nuggets - mostly Durk's of course. We had the usual communications confusion as we had just received confirmation from Otacilio that he was back in town and we could come when the elders sent a message wanting us there because Otacilio would not be there so they needed someone else when teaching his wife. 

Our branch missionaries (Gomez, Merrill, Esplin, Ballard) with Nildo and Marcos at the Churrasco, which had to be held in a more discreet location than customary because even legal immigrants are scared of ICE right now - one little flaw in your paperwork is all takes- When we picked him up, Durk told Nildo he didn't need white shirt and tie and I'm not sure he heard at first, but then he said he was OK with being "elegant" as Durk put it. He might like being like the missionaries.
We knew not to come "on time" but we were surprised when a full hour "late" was still too soon. For once I guessed right on the food though - I made a big pan of brown rice with onion, carrot, celery and seasonings and brought it in the giant crockpot that was in the apt. It was the only rice there for the first hour or so after things actually started and rice is required at Brazilian meals so it went over well. Pretty sure no one knew they were eating brown rice (basmati)

Yellow jacket is on the branch president, Afonso (can't convince anyone to use last names or brother/sister)

We didn't stay long enough to be in the big photo - guess if we'd come an hour and half later like the bulk of people we would have still been there. It was a lovely day though. We hadn't known that traditionally this event brings in the greater Portuguese community so there were lots of people not of our branch, sort of messing up our plan to really get to know the branch better. A visiting (english)  family from Colorado came who lived here some years ago and the father had been the branch president for five years when the kids were young and they lived in the area - he served a Portuguese mission. Nildo and Amarildo are two new members we work with and they attended but I could tell they are having trouble feeling part of things. At our last missionary committee mtg (audio group call over whatsapp) we found out that our information is wrong and they both already have the Aaronic priesthood, which we have trying to work with them on. So frustrating that we still can't get online information for the branch members!

Nice time to check out the Millcreek path, large families of geese, higher water and things greening up where it was mud flats before. We try to get out and walk when the weather is good, often by the stores with a stop for pupusas or Guatemalan cookies, sometimes along the path.

We drove a set of sisters to Transfers - they all meet at the mission office building. One was becoming a trainer (companion of newly arrived missionary) so had to be there early. They have a lot of luggage! Lots of tetris going on. Not like Brasil where everything had to be able to be hauled by a single person along cobblestone streets and bumpy sidewalks or dirt paths, on and off of busses, etc. We got to eat lunch and see the pairing up of newbies with their trainers. A good-sized group went home and the mission president's son left this morning on his mission so the president's wife had been pretty teary - the mission leaders get quite close to the missionaries, they're like parents/children. One thing they do here is have the departing missionaries talk briefly to the newly arrived ones, sharing their testimonies and advice before they head to the airport.

Huzzah! We have reached the point where we can get to and from the church without google, even though I keep the phone ready in case of construction or other problems because if we have to go off-course we have no idea where to go. We even went home from Otacilio's without needing help. The traffic is still nuts though, people push their way across traffic to get into a line-up of cars and don't worry about blocking everyone else meantime. We have sat for a long time at the first really big intersection on the way from church while the traffic is blocked most of the time by cars turning or coming across when there is no where to go. 

One of the views driving today - it was 20 minutes to the sisters' apartment then about 45-50 to the mission office. We were lucky there was a space in the 15 minute drop-off zone right in front of their apartment both coming and going. Glad they meet near the middle of the day so we didn't add in rush hour's extra slowdowns.

 

So this is the top part of the temporary under-floor bit I posted before, often you see workers along there (and when its really raining or cold they can pull those tarps over), who knows how long this has been going on or when it might finish, many of the bridges have a lot of rust and cracked facings and other such. One tunnel we go through a lot has very few lights and is really hard to adjust to coming in quickly out of bright sunlight - and so many places you lose a lane without any real warning!