Chuy or Chui

Monday August 4, 2014

The city of Chuy is quite unique.  It is a border city to Brazil.

You drive down one side of the street and you are in Chuy, Uruguay.  You drive down the other side and you are in Chui, Brazil!  No passports needed. They call it a "Free Zone".  You can buy things from the U.S. or anywhere else and not pay an import tax.

But, they can charge plenty of money if they want.  Check out these crazy prices!

$4.20 for a small bag

 

                  $25.50!  Not even Costco size!!

The play yard for the hotel

The church was easy to find from our hotel window

Our efforts today in finding the elders an apartment was another testament that God is watching over us here in the small country of Uruguay.  We had 3 apartments we found on the internet and wanted to go see. Of the three, one was an iffy, maybe.  The realtor had 1 that was really, really nice but it was a little pricey.  We were willing to go see it, so we set an appointment for 2 pm.  When we arrive at the realtor's office, he said that the price had gone up.  We repectfully declined.  Some people think that just because we are "the church", we will pay anything.  So as we were about to walk away, the realtor said he had one more house that wasn't on the market yet because it had a few more repairs and painting to be done.  He said he could show it to us.  PERFECT!   Location was good for all four elders.  Big and clean.  On a paved street! Close to shopping.  It is big enough for six elders, if need be.  What a nice blessing.

We left for Montevideo about 3 pm.  This drive was down the coast and once again different landscape that I had never seen.

We saw this structure way off in the distance as
we were driving and decided to check it out

Fort Santa Teresa

That little white dot by the flag is the moon.

Beautiful vistas.  Good place for a fort because
you can see for miles all around

The fort was closed today, so a picture through the
keyhole was all I could get of the inside

 

The back of the fort (in the background)

Our next point of interest was this lake: Laguna Negra
Very large lake.

This is a rural school just off the side of the road down
to the lake. It is in the middle of nowhere.
Very quaint.

Their playyard is made from barrels.

Our next stop was Punta del Diablo.
Here in Uruguay you have to turn right first, to go left.

Not sure I would want to rent this.

Selfie picture!

House boats for rent

Our drive to Montevideo was nice!
(at least until we got closer to the city of crazy drivers)

Seeing My First Rice Field

Saturday August 2, 2014

We once again drove the 5 hours to Melo.  It is always a beautiful country drive. 

The ward was Castañet.  It rained two hours before the open chapel.  But, the sun came out and the weather was not cold.  The ward had many visitors because of the warm weather.  The ward members did a
wonderful job with their displays and fellowship.  There was one man who participated the whole evening and the elders are anxious to teach him more.
YouTube Capilla Abierta Castañet

This is the stake center for Melo.  It is quite large. 

Los miembros de la barrio Castañet y los misioneros

Nice sunset to close a nice day.

Sunday August 3, 2014
We stayed the night in Melo and got up this morning to head to the Centenario Ward to do their capacitacion. It was Fast Sunday and I actually understood alot of their testimonies.  So, I guess I am making some headway with the Spanish language.  After the 3 hour block, we headed for Chuy.  The elders need a new apartment and tomorrow we hope to find one for them.

Our drive to Chuy gave us a whole new landscape to admire.

These palm trees were growing by the hundreds near the rice fields.

 Rice fields and wildlife

FRIO!

Saturday July 26, 2014
COLD, COLD, COLD.  We did a Capilla Abierta in la estaca de Treinta y Tres, barrios de Central y Plaza this afternoon and evening. The building had no heat because their tanks were out of propane.  The propane company was on strike, so the tanks could not be filled.  The temperature was probably close to 33 degrees.  Needless to say, the event was not well attended except by a few.  The active members always give their full participation though and the elders go out in this cold and try and bring people in.

VISITANTES
# de misioneros       12
# de miembros en recorridos     10
# de miembros no en recorridos   10
# de no-miembros  12
TOTAL     44

REFERENCIAS
# de no-miembros     8
TOTAL      8

COMENTARIOS: La participación de los miembros fue entusiasta a pesar de que fue una noche muy fría. Los elderes estaban siguiendo para la capilla abierta y se les invita a una mujer que tenía una tienda en la calle de la iglesia. Ella aceptó la invitación y cerró la tienda. También trajo a su familia. Después de el recorrido, le preguntó si podía ser bautizado!
The members participation was enthusiastic even though it was a very cold evening. The elders were tracking for the open house and invited a woman who owned a store down the street from the church. She accepted the invitation and closed her store. She also brought her family.  After the tour, she asked if she could be baptized!

You Tube: Capilla Abierta Central and Plaza Wards

Aren't they beautiful!  Just like my granddaughters.
This could be Kira, Cecily, Summer, Katrina
and Bethany in the not too distant future! 

This little guy came in holding his invitation to the
Capilla Abierta.

Sunday July 27, 2014
We drove into Melo last night so that we could do a capacitacion for the Centenario Ward.  When we looked outside, there was "frost on the pumpkin"!  By the feel of things, it had to have gotten down to around 32 last night.  We arrived early at church and set up our projector, enjoyed priesthood and relief society with them and did our presentation during the Sunday School hour.  At the end of our presentation we were discussing the date for their capilla abierta and to our surprise and embarrasment found out that we were in the wrong ward!   We thought we were in Centenario only to find out we were in Colon.  No one ever said to us that they were surprised to see us or anything!  They told us that Centenario was down the street about 2 miles.  So, we had to call the bishop of Centenario and apologize.  The address we got from the mission office took us to Colon Ward.
So, next week we will do the capacitacion for Centenario and they will only have one week to prepare and Colon will have three weeks to prepare.
We were invited to lunch with the counselor in the bishopric, Hermano Fernandez.  What a great family!  They have 6 children!  That is so unusual for Uruguayans.  They are building a huge home by themselves and have been doing so for five years now. They wanted a place for all youth to come and enjoy the spirit that the gospel brings into family life.  With tears in my eyes, I thanked Hermana Fernandez for the great work she is doing with her large family.  They have no heat in their home yet and so we ate a meal of stuffed cheese raviolis as quickly as possible before they got cold.  You know it is cold when you can see your breath.  Yes, it was that cold inside their unfinished home.  We shared pictures of our family with them and pictures of snow and pictures of the greenhouse.  We enjoyed the spirit of love with this great family!

La familia Fernandez. Baby is missing because he was sleeping.
Only 1 girl and 5 boys. Gabriel at the far end is 17 and
preparing for a mission. 

Monday July 28, 2014
We stayed in Melo one more night so that Mike could work on installing a new water heater in the Elder's apartment and other fix up things.  But, while at the apartment...

I looked out the window and what did I see?
Popcorn popping on the (not sure what kind) tree!
I think la primavera is around the corner!!!
Hope so, cause this weekend was the coldest!

On our way home I couldn't believe that they actually teach people how to drive!  

Could of fooled me!!!

We found out from the locals here, that having such cold weather was very unusual for Uruguay.