Summertime...

 

One day as I was looking at things on google maps I saw photos inside a store we had walked past on Broadway in Revere but hadn't gone in because it said Butcher/Meat Market, and there were photos of fruits and veg and snacks that included Bis! That was one of our favorite treats in Brasil that we had each day with our lunch, a tiny pack with a little chocolate wafer cookie with a nice crunch. So today when we went out to mail a package that had mistakenly come for Elder Thorpe, we stopped in and got some, along with some feijão seasoning. They are definitely a bit pricey here so this might be our lifetime supply and I hope they are still in little individual packs to last longer.They have a sticker with ingredients in English and a warning label that they have added sugar and saturated fat. We also got some of the pão de queijo mix at Market Basket yesterday - we had to search a bit as it was on the very top shelf. 

I've been wanting to get a shot of this building that can be seen from many places and gives me a landmark since it's on the hill right by us. I always feel the roof could fly off in a really stiff wind. I don't think it would get built in Missouri tornado country. Now that we can drive a few places without me navigating, I might get some other photos of familiar views.

We took the elders again to Maverick, they said one reason they didn't go lately was they were made late to appointments, but we figured if we helped fill bags and split the delivery we'd be done plenty early. We had to sort out a lot of rotten potatoes, moldy brussels sprouts, and dead tomatoes. But even though everything seemed read there was some big delay before we started filling bugs and most volunteers left at noon and finally I said we had to get moving and start delivering. 

I hope most of the recipients like brussels sprouts, they each got quite a few!

The elders had asked if we could join in a lesson at two and fortunately we had all brought a change of clothes just in case we didn't have time to go home. Splitting the work does speed up the delivering a lot, and on the way to the church the person confirmed the appointment, but after we were all changed and ready they said never mind. I'm thinking maybe that's not as bad as tracting and having doors slammed in your face? We came home and did a trial of cooking the rest of the frozen pao de queijo with half of them sitting out to thaw first. The baked from frozen ones actually puffed up a bit more. We had some good soup to go with, it was fairly cool last night and in the mid-70's most of the day so a good day for it. 

Vitor was baptised, we are trying to connect up to do Covenant Path lessons with him - Durk found out that the new member records are entered differently than what he knew, hopefully as assistant clerk he can get it all straightened out.

Durk continues to work over the branch list, making calls and checking online sites to track people down, asking at missionary committee mtg or other times when he can get a chance with someone who has been here a while. Most of the ward hasn't really been here long (the active ones anyway, lost ones are sometimes from years back and no one has met them who is here now)

It seems like we just inspected apartments about last week but I am already working on setting up times to go next week. I'm going to remind them about cleaning the front of the stove including the top of the oven door and drawer front. After this, only one more round of inspecting. We took oatmeal raisin/craisin cookies, then chocolate brownie cookies, then oatmeal again I think - what shall it be this time? I bought ingredients for potato rolls but can't remember why-

I will "keep in a fresh and dried place" but not likely to use use "half-cure cheese" (and you don't really need 8 eggs)

until get homogeneous dough which stick on hands

"the cheese breads will better grow up"

Zoom (which I was late too because I completely forgot it was this morning, it only happens every Friday): training about referrals given by the social media specialist elders. Those who are contacted within the first hour after the media referral comes in are most likely to be interested and taught, the mission has a backlog so were reminded to keep checking throughout the day. Hundreds come in! They do try everything to get a connection when someone has asked - call, text, email, knock, facebook... and find out how they can help, what does the person need/want?

A reminder to talk to Everyone - Sisters used google translate to talk to someone in Farsi and he went to church for five weeks (not understanding English but feeling the Spirit) before they were able to track someone down who could teach him (online) in Farsi. Another person was rear-ended by an elder and impressed by his kindness, (then some other connection I forget) and then a week later that elder was on splits in a whole different city and ran into her (not literally this time)  - she said it was a sign from God and she'd better listen. 

Alma 16:14 And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did impart the word of God, without any respect of persons, continually.16 And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming—

17 That they might not be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God.

We had a good example in Elder Keller when we took him and Elder Gomes (on splits) to help us check out the sub shop I'm planning to use for Zone Conf. lunch in a few weeks. He did actually literally talk to every person we passed on the half block from parking - electric lineworkers and all. Our mission immediately invites everyone to church, not the way the MTC teaches introducing yourself to people but it really works here and now. Those who come are likely to be taught and baptised. 

We spend a lot of time waiting to get through an intersection here on the way home from church, usually in good weather there are loads of pedestrians, bikers, tourists, runners, families - but they got a crossing light just before I snapped the photo. It's near the waterfront and some shopping and hotels.

We've driven past this a few times, I thought maybe it was once the mansion of somebody famous ("The Whitney Lorenti House" above the door) but it's actually the first high school in Everett. The small town started growing fast and it was built in 1893 to hold 500 students even though they only had 193 to start. Within ten years they had outgrown it and built a second high school. Now it is senior housing.

We didn't realize it was a double funeral day - we didn't get the "wear black" memo. Both Sister Jackson and Sister Mendes go home next week so this is their last District Council with us. Sister Jackson has been here  the whole time we have been here (there are few Chinese sisters and few spots where they work so they don't move around as much) Actually the Chinese missionaries come in off-transfer so the new one will come this week and I think they triple up for a week. Several of the apartments are set up to allow a triple on a moment's notice.

Apparently it's the resurrection... (Zone Leaders were visiting)

And we did like the subs! I found them by googling cheesesteaks nearby. The owner answered the catering number and was super helpful figuring out what would work and how to make it fit the budget. The shop is a lot smaller than it looked from the online presence and photos but the food was indeed good - we got the four types of subs he recommend and cut them so we could each try all four. I did a lot of research a few weeks ago on making chopped salad and fruit salad for 100 and priced it out at WalMart online so hopefully we have a workable plan now. I really wanted something other than cheap pizza and bag of lettuce salad, and the Chik-Fil-A the missionaries suggested does not have a good deal for catering - they actually charge more per (not large) sandwich if you get 100 than if you get them one at a time from the store. And I'm glad to avoid processed lunchmeat.

I enjoy seeing all the interesting buildings, various waterfronts (through trees or bridge railings) etc, but this is the scenery Durk gets to enjoy pretty much every trip. The drive home from temple this time averaged 4.5 minutes per mile even though it was a more direct highway route and middle of day.

I've been sending out bits of the finance lesson we mostly skipped (due to baptism overlapping) and hope it has helped and we won't be too far behind this week - we haven't been really checking too well on how the partners are doing at helping each other be accountable. There was a good applicable article in the Liahona but since it was in the US/Canada part it's not available in Portuguese.

Sometimes when we are out of things to do we watch a devotional or I've watched talks from BYU Women's Conference, but I'm sure I should be doing more language study or some family history or something. I do often find applicable talks/quotes/scriptures to send to people and hope it does some good at least now and then.

We had a bit of a sweet lesson with Otacilio as we "mourned with those that mourned" and looked at those scriptures and others when he told us his marriage is breaking up, I was so hoping his wife would join the church, I really like her and their daughter would find other girls about her age in Primary. I think if she had joined when he did they would be on their way to strengthening their family instead. It's really sad. I'm very grateful for all the Gospel of Jesus Christ does to help strengthen families and support us in times of adversity. Also very grateful for a wonderful husband that has always supported me in whatever I've done. I think it must be hard though, when they both work long hours with long commutes, etc. Sometimes when we visit (at 8 pm) she is also just getting home and starting to cook, and Otacilio says he leaves for work at 6 a.m. - and it's not unusual to work Saturday or be working out of town over a weekend or even for a few weeks. Otacilio always has a such a cheerful attitude and really finds joy in his work - construction of various types, right now a bathroom for somebody.

The Primary kids are racing along on some songs with no regard to the music, I had to catch up to them in their singing for (Brazilian) Father's Day today. The sister in the stake Primary presidency who attends in support but knows no Portuguese was a speaker in sacrament mtg today - headphones sent around and missionaries having to go around making them work right - and she said this had been a really huge blessing in her life, to see the love and support and testimonies of Jesus Christ in the branch.