Menu Change Please

September 2nd - 4th, 2014

Cooking, cooking and more yet to come.  The President is bringing the zones into Montevideo using the Carrasco chapel and the mission home (right next door) as base.  He is doing this instead of him traveling so far all the time.  The missionaries are so excited to do this because they will be allowed to attend the temple while they are here.  A zone usually consisits of 20 to 30 missionaries.
The schedule is as follows:
One zone will come in per day.
The zone gets split in half.  One group will attend the temple in the morning while the other group is attending a training in the chapel and being interviewed one by one by the President.  The training group will eat lunch at 12:30 and then they will attend the temple at 2 pm.  The other group will get back from the temple and eat lunch at 1:30 and then do their training and interviews.
The mission has 11 zones.  This week we had Melo and Este.
The financers Elder Taylor and Elder Galleano were in charge of feeding everyone when they came in and asked for our help in preparing and buying the food.

3 zones (1 per week) are coming in from a long distance. They need a light dinner the evening they arrive and they will stay the night in the temple block hotel. They also need breakfast and a sack lunch for their bus ride home after their conference.

All zones need lunch.

Their suggested menu was:

Desayunos: Yogur, Leche, Fruta, Cereal
This menu was easy enough except that we bought cocoa puffs, fruit loops, corn flakes, sugar corn flakes, Life, and granola.  The office elders were just going to buy cheerios and corn flakes. Those namebrand cereals do not exist down here but our Granero store has some good imitations.

 Cenas: Empanadas (3 per), alfajor (similar to a mud pie), frutas, botella de agua,
This menu was good too. We found a store that only has frozen food and got the empanadas at a good price.  We bought bananas and oranges. We served soda instead of buying bottled water.  The hotel had a water dispenser so that option to drink water was available.   I took out the alfahor and baked 3 cookies per person instead.



Sack Lunches: Premade sandwiches from the local market, alfahor, fruta, botella de agua.
YUCK!  Their sandwiches here are nothing.  They cut off all the crust, slap tons of mayo, wafer thin ham and cheese that you can't even taste it is so thin.

We changed to making the ham and cheese sandwiches ourselves with 2 per person and added a bag of chips.  The meat department will cut the ham whatever thickness you want.   Everything else stayed the same.

Almuerzos: Soda, alfahor, apples and bananas,

Milanesa (bought from local market already cooked) on some days, and pizza on other days.

I looked at this and said, NO WAY!

They eat pizza all the time and they eat milanesa all the time.

MENU CHANGE!   BBQ Hamburgers!   The mission home has a gas BBQ, so done deal. I didn't get any complaints.

What a HUGE hit this was.  

We did it all!  Mayo, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, onion, tomato, andmelted cheddar cheese. We even found some german pickles!  All we had to do was slice the pickles.
The only thing lacking was a bun with sesame seeds. We did have buns though.
We also served fruit cocktail with whipped cream which was eaten up especially by the sisters. More oranges were offered along with doritos and potato chips.  Sister Cook volunteered to make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, 2 per person.  Soda was also served along with water.
Elder Burnett often would cook more knowing how much the elders can eat. Most elders would eat three hamburgers if they were available.

We have to do this for the next three weeks!  

But, oh what fun to see these hard working missionaries smile BIG!

Question of the week:  Que es pan de tortuga?

Rio Branco = Willie Handcart Company

Saturday August 30, 2014

Capilla Abierta for the Gianola Ward in Melo

These two cute boys were just hanging out when we arrived this
afternoon.They had their invitations in hand and were anxious
to be a part of the activites today.  They helped carry things
into the church from the van.
Ellos son no miembros.

This area is blessed with children, however they have little
parental influence. Most of their parents don't know where they are.
Some of them have no self control or manners.  But the Bishop is so kind.
He counsels with them patiently and never turns them away.
He told me that he knew that Christ would not turn them away,
so he doesn't but he has a huge job in trying to
maintain a bit of reverence while they are inside the church. 

A picture is worth a thousand words!

YouTube:  Gianola Ward Capilla Abierta
This was an outstanding event for this ward.  They had a great showing of love for the youth in their area. Many youth came to this event. The whole time was used and the last visitor came through the doors at 8 pm.

Sunday August 31, 2014
We spent the night in Melo and then got up early to drive to Rio Branco and do their training for their Capilla Abierta next Saturday.  It is a border town to Brazil.

We learned from the Stake President last night that this little ward has had some real tests of faith recently.  I think about one year ago, this group of saints had rented a bus to travel to Montevideo and attend the temple.  Everyone goes including children because they can stay at the temple block hotel and help each other watch children. On their way a trucker passed them  and then pulled in too close and clipped the front of the bus. It sent the bus tumbling. There were many serious injuries and two deaths.  My heart just ached for these group of saints.  Some members left the church, their testimonies shaken.  How could God let this happen on our way to the temple?  

We were asked to talk during Sacrament meeting and this time I felt impressed to share my pioneer story a bit differently.  I emphazied that my great great grandmother lost her husband to a premature quarry blast.  He was quarrying rock for the temple.  My grandmother could have said, "I quit the church. This should not have happened while he was working on the temple."  Fortunately, for me and all her posterity, she remained faithful through this trial and many more as she crossed the plains and settled in Utah.  I also gave her description of the night that the prophet Joseph was killed. I then added that the saints could have all quit and said this should not have happened to a prophet of God. But they did not, and here we are today with the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ that helps us with understanding mortal life and giving us eternal blessings.  Many tears were in that little chapel today as the spirit bore testimony to everyone that our faith is strong because of our trials and our willingness to follow Christ, no matter what.  

One older brother told us, his wife was killed but he introduced us to another sister to whom he was contemplating marriage.  Her husband was killed and they are thinking about marriage now.  The Bishop (who is very young, a returned missionary, and awesome) told Mike that his wife and 1 year old son were thrown from the bus and after it quit tumbling, he looked anxiously for them and they were both just sitting on the ground without a scratch.  He says it was a miracle.  This little group had tragedy and miracles all at once.  The Bishop suffered cracked ribs.  I don't know all the stories about this event, but I love Rio Branco Ward and shared my love with them and told them they were worthy to join the pioneers of Utah!  

Come listen to a story about a man name Jed....

Monday August 18, 2014

Not a good night for Mike at all.  He was hit pretty hard with another vicious headache.  He has never had one since we have been here.  But it hit tonight.  You know it is bad when he asks for a priesthood blessing.  Elder Rydalch and Elder Pointer came over to our apartment around 10:00 pm. Young and powerful brethren because of their faith and priesthood gave him a health blessing.  Mike said that after the blessing, he immediately felt relief which allowed him to relax enough to keep some pain meds from coming back up and get him through the rest of the night.  A small miracle in the eyes of others maybe, but a huge miracle for us from Heavenly Father tonight!  I have witnessed this wonderful priesthood power often throughout my life and I am so grateful that we have this as a part of our lives.  I am not sure how other people survive without it!  Maybe that is it.  They survive but not as well as they could.

Monday August 25, 2014

Feliz dia de la independencia

Their holiday wasn't anything like the USA. Just a no work day so the streets were pretty quiet. No big fireworks or any big celebrations.  But, we had a party. Elder Rydalch missed coming to the birthday party for Elder Taylor.  I told him we we would have him over another time.  At the office, he shyly asked me if we could do a dinner because he was being transferred.  Of course if you are going to feed one you may as well feed all the office and assitants and sister assistants!

L to R Hma Schaelling, Elder Eraso, Elder Pointer, Elder Rydalch

L to R Elder Aguilera, Hma Ots, Hma Schaelling

Center: Elder Plautz

The aftermath of serving the missionaries!

Tuesday, Wednesday, August 26 & 27, 2014

New "oros" came in on Tuesday, so it was a cooking day. Wednesday was "cambios" or transfer day.  I spoke in the conference for a brief 3 minutes and asked the missionaries to be like a pioneer and a scout.  Leave your apartments in better condition than when you moved in!  Mike taught them about how to test their carbon monoxide detectors and how to clean mold and keep mold out of their apartments.  We also cooked 2 breakfasts and then a nice dinner for the "valientes" who are leaving for home tomorrow.  We always take Mary home and she lives about 20 minutes out, so we got home around 11pm.  Took care of some medical issues today too.

Friday August 29, 2014

Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
Then one day he was shootin at some food,
And up through the ground came a bubblin crude.

Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.

Well the first thing you know ol Jed's a millionaire,
Kinfolk said "Jed move away from there"
Said "Californy is the place you ought to be"
So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly.

Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/

Yep, that song came to mind as we head on out to

deliver mattresses and desks and dressers to our missionaries in the Melo area.

Off to do another capilla abierta and capacitacion!

The countryside is beautiful and peaceful. The driving is anything but that!

Full to the max, again.

I Am Still Alive!

Friday August 15, 2014

 Because I am writing this today it proves that we did not blow up! 

Off to Melo again loaded with full propane tanks in the back of the van.  

We are delivering these to the Melo apartments for the heaters.  

This is our carbon monoxide detector on the floor of our van,
just in case!

Talk about work vehicles in your driveway!

I doubt this would fly with Sandy City.

Mike's prayer every time we drive in Melo is that
he does not hit a moto!  They are everywhere.
They have no sense of defensive driving.
Actually they have no driving sense at all!
They dart in and out.  They drive without lights.
They drive without light clothing on.
Some where helmets, but most do not.
They drive with babies, kids, groceries.
They text and drive
Sadly, most of their deaths are from moto accidents.
Kids can drive at the age of 14.

We have serious electrical needs when we travel.  The white box is our power converter that converts from 220 to 100.  It has one outlet.  We plug our 110 power strip into that one outlet.  From the power strip we plug in our computers, iPad, iPhone, Android Phone, and battery for his power tools.

Saturday August 16, 2014
Capilla Abierta por barrio de Colon.
Colon ward was well prepared.  The weather was good. The members brought their friends.  The young men taught their own presentation.  The special moment for the night was when a lady with her two granddaughters asked for a Book of Mormon.  The sisters said that she asked very good questions and that the spirit was with them and this lady.

Colon Capilla Abierta:  YouTube Video

They do some canning.
Not sure what fruit this is.

Our great missionaries!

Our future missionaries!

The great Fernandez family.

The Fernandez family invited us for lunch again after church.  They are so awesome!

This is the family I mentioned previously that are building their home.

You can see that they are still under construction.

He gave me this peanut tasting treat.

Fun Picture of President Kimball

Wednesday August 13, 2014

We had a wonderful luncheon with the other mission.
The Hatch's are going home tomorrow.
We will be the only couple left for both missions.
(l to R) Us, Bro & Sis Hatch, Sis & Pres Smith, Sis and Bro Harris

Mary (she cooks for both missions), Hma Hatch
Smith's daughter who just received her mission
call to serve in Spain. 

We have been working with
Miguel and Aida Silva since
we arrived. They are brother and sister.
This was their first time to see the temple.

Another self timer pic. As you can tell by what we
are all wearing, the weather changed abruptly
and it is cold!  Typical Utah weather teasers. 

We are trying hard to prepare them for them for
the blessings of the temple.  Pray for them to be strengthened.

We took Miguel and Aida to the FHC and I saw
this picture of President and Sister Camilla Kimball
taken in Tacuarembo, Uruguay.
Didn't know President Kimball was ever a gaucho!

Nurse! Nurse!

Sunday August 10, 2014

As a member of the church, I should know better than to "never say never!"  Our mission president asked me to take the responsibilty of .....MISSION NURSE!  ME?!
I have 3 saving graces in this calling.
1. My dear husband who handled most of our family emergency things.
2. My dear daughter, Laura who is a nurse.
3. And now my dear webfriend, WebMD.com

So, now my phone is back on my hip in my phone carrier. 24-7.

We had an area wide conference today and we watched the English feed at the mission home with Pres and Sis Cook, along with the Harris'.  Elder Bednar spoke on the subject of repentance. I will add more notes on this later, as I left my notes at home and I am doing this blog in the car, on the road.

Monday August 11, 2014
We had FHE with the temple group tonight.  We played the game: Telephone.
Ya, right!  Try that game in Spanish!  No clue as to what they are saying in the first place!

Tuesday August 12, 2014
No nurse calls yet.  I guess most of the missionaries have not yet read their mission newsletter.  I have a terrible sore throat so I stayed in our apartment today and soaked in the warmer weather.  So did the windsurfers! All these photos are taken from my apartment window.