Hi kids, adopted kids and grandkids!
We love you! Estoy agradicida por ustedes! (I am grateful for you!) I am grateful for the love and concern you show us and each other! You are all dealing with a lot: Separation, miscarriage, job hunting, pregnancy, diabetes, vocal chords, callings, work, school, and kids. May the Lord continue to bless you!!! And may we try to bless each other!
We missed you at Valentines! Hope you got your card. Amy does good at mailing things.
Three office elders were leaving (AP, and the two that were over the housing and our trainer). Wasn't sure what kind of gifts we should do. We found a heart cake pan in our nearby store. So we had a dinner here on the Sunday before transfers and before Valentines. We hung a big heart above the table early in the month and put their names on hearts in a heart shape on the office glass divider. They were kissing it, had their pictures taken by the hearts etc. So when they came to dinner we had a heart candy by each place and did a heart cake for the two leaving, on foil covered cardboard for our heartfelt thanks for their wholehearted effort, mentioning the things they had done. They seemed pleased and wanted their pictures taken. Only two got transferred so the third cake (which I'd kept in the bedroom in case, went into the freezer to be eaten on Valentines with an unfrosted one because a cake mix will do two. The two heart cakes they took home, but for dessert we served a white cake baked on a big cookie sheet topped with a cherry cream cheese topping. Also had two roasts, potatoes and gravy cause they get tired of chicken and rice.
Anyway, on Valentines day I put two heart cakes, both chocolate, one with pink frosting, and one with chocolate, and two bowls of candy for the elders to munch on all day. No cookies, the dough won't roll, so when I get home, you all get a big heart valentine with your name on.
At our office meeting with the President and his wife, my name was listed to lead the music. I tapped out the notes and rhythm the best I could to find the tune. It is all in Spanish so I try to figure out the tune before we start. Usually they just sing in big voices. This time I started and nobody sang, they just all watched me. I said, "Come on you guys. I know the tune, but not the words." Then they started and looked up one by one to see if I could do it I guess. One was waving out the beat with his arm to help. (Just cause I don't speak their language doesn't mean I can't lead music. Hey, I led the choir in two callings, and also the Primary.
When we went to our branch on Sunday, the sister missionary who usually played one finger on the piano/organ was transferred. So that left me to volunteer or sit there while the hymns were sung with a variety of tunes. (When one sister was sick two weeks before, they didn't come and the singing was terrible without the tune.) Dad asked the branch president if it was okay that I played, because nobody knows how. So I became the ward organist, without calling, sustaining or setting apart. I didn't do too bad. An organ came with the stuff from the senior couple that we replaced. We also got their crock pot, two drawer units, a holder to hold up the big bottles of drinking water upside down, etc. Anyway, I've been practicing in case, (course I've practiced all my life and can't play still.)
So I tapped out the rhythm and played those songs for prelude, and just before the meeting started, someone came up and changed the songs. I quickly turned to the first piece, could pick out the rhythm and played the introduction. The sister missionary that left said the people want mostly melody because they are just learning the tunes, so I can play the top note! It's a fit!
So we had quite a week. The Church is changing the money for the missions from JP Morgan to Bank of America, so we alphabetized the letters with cards for each missionary, and made a list for them to each sign for their card and listed them by zones so we could pass out by zones. Yesterday was zone conference for two zones, Independencia and San Geronimo. Dad explained the instructions to the missionaries..to take all their money off the old card by a certain date, etc. I took the zone pictures, then the missionaries lined up to sign for their cards then we all ate a catered lunch of chicken and rice, fried platanos, etc. They put corn and chopped vegetables in their rice. We sat by President and Sis. Rodriguez. His Mom lives in Provo we found out, she joined the Church and migrated there. Their son at BYU lives with her. Sister Rodriguez's parents, and she and her brother and sister and their families were all immigrating to Toronto Canada, until they got the calling to be Mission President so they came back. She speaks a little English and I like to ask about families.
Anyway, this is too long. Dad mopped through the house and I swept and practiced the organ. We are going to the temple this afternoon on our Saturday Pday. Love you all so much. Write us! Skype us!
Love,
Mom & Dad
