June to July, It Just Sped By!

I want to start this post by saying it's my birthday today!

Oh! What  Birthday it has been.

Usually on my birthday I am here(up) with them (down) but today was different.

My Birthday 2012

I woke up this morning thinking about my birthday. I am 58 years old and 40 years ago was an important birthday for me. I made a decision on that birthday that changed my entire life.
I decided to leave my home and go looking for something different than what I had going on in my life at that time.
I ended up in Utah with my sister Diana and her husband Ed and My wonderful Nephew Jeremy and then I headed to Saint George to go to school.
The first day I was there I stopped by a building I did not know what was in there. I saw all the young people having a good time and there was a good feeling there. I was going to get me something to eat in the town so I left.
Well a Young man and his friend followed me. We became friends and as I asked about this building they told me it was the institute building for the church. They suggested I take some of the classes and learn about the church.This is when I first decided to learn about the church. My first classes I took were Book of Mormon and Teachings of Jesus Christ. The minute I began to read the book of Mormon it was as though the I had known all these things, all the teachings my entire life but they were hidden in a little corner of my brain waiting for the right time for me to discover them. I had so many experiences at this time that gave me a knowledge of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon.
I woke up this morning so grateful for that Knowledge and wondered what the last 40 years would have been like without this blessing in my life.
And now I am in Mozambique with that wonderful young man who became my husband and we are experiencing blessing that we will be so ever grateful for. We are meeting people that have brought so much joy to us.
I am so thankful for this day 40 years ago. I am thankful for all my many blessings Especially my wonderful husband and children.


 I have been blessed with  Neighbors and Friends who have shown me the examples I have needed through those 40 years.
I have been so blessed.

The Party
And so around 3:00 this after noon there is a nock on my door and it is the missionaries, Vanessa, Albertina and a cake homemade by Vanessa.
Naldo and his brothers and Manassa show up with homemade Mozambique foises.
They sing a birthday song with three verses in portuguese and their traditional Happy Birthday is 'Felize Aniversario! Bebe!'. Then they treat you like you are a baby all day. Oh babies can not do this or that and so They do for you.
It was a fun time. And it was a good time with wonderful people.
I also received so many notes via email and facebook.
I am indeed so blessed to have so much. This will indeed be another very special birthday to me.....
And so now if you want you may read about our past month.....
June

When we returned from our adventures up north May was over.  It was the first day of June. Spring for Y'all but winter for us Mozambicans.

Not really very cold but cooler and that is nice. June was the last month of President and Sister Spendlove. There were some celebrations and firesides to send them off but to this mission it is a big change. They have been here 5 years. 2 years as a CES mission couple only to return home and be called as mission President. So much of the month was spent anticipating what it was going to be like when the NEW PRESIDENT arrived.

L-R Elders Park,Barlow,Rios,Keck,Anderson and Phelps.

 We also sent off a big group of Elders for home. Two of them Elder Phelps and Elder Park are in picture above. What great men they have turned out to be. Elder Anderson just arrived from New Zealand.  Three New Zealand Elders arrived this month as well. They come in boys and go home men that's for sure. Elder Park was an AP and Branch President  during almost all of his mission.He's From Nephi Utah. Elder Phelps was the match under the fire of missionary work here lately in Maputo. They will both be missed a lot. But they are leaving behind some wonderful missionaries in their stead..

We on the other hand were so glad to be back to our apartment in Maputo.
When we arrived home we had about 2 days to get ready because they were going to be cleaning and then painting our apartment. The cleaning I didn't mind but the painting...We had to put anything valuable in some kind of lock down in one room and all our furniture in another room. We pretty much we did not live in our apartment during that time. We only slept there. During this week and 1/2 it took them to paint we were running all over Maputo catching up on details with the Ministry of Health and The Ministry of Women and Social action, UNICEF and Deputy Minister of Health. So many things to do to catch up.
But we were home. ...or at least we thought.

Elder ans Sister Louthan (P.A.)

Rotary International:
South Africa and the Public Affairs missionaries decided we needed to go to A Rotary International Convention which was to be held in Beira Mozambique. They thought it would be a good idea for us to put up a display with the public Relations people, Elder and Sister Louthan, about the Humanitarian efforts of the church in Africa.
So we were off to Beira after being home only 10 days.
When we arrived we were greeted at the airport by our driver,a very Special member of the church in Beira.
His name is Milian.  I was able to meet him around January 7 of last year.
This wonderful young man served in capetown South Africa Mission at the same time as Bryce Christensen. Although they were not companions they knew each other well.(I did not get his picture again this time as we were to caught up in visiting with him).
Milian's best friend growing up was Bryce's good companion. We have just had a nice connection. So it was fun for us to visit with Milian while we waited for the Louthans to try to get a visa to Mozambique.
Milian drove us to our Hotel which was reserved a couple weeks before. When we arrived we found our rooms had been canceled. Checking further we found that the Mozambiqe Government was having some event in Beira and had just come in and canceled all the hotel reservations for Many people at Many hotels all through Beira. I guess they can do that.
So not only were we without a place to stay so were many Rotary people without a place to stay.
Milian offered to drive us till we found something but John and I remembered that one of the Mission couples had just moved out of the mission apartment in Beira to go home. We called Elder and Sister Bonini and he met us with a key. So we were set. The Louthans actually stayed at the Bonini's house and so dad and I had the mission apartment to ourselves.
It was nice.
After we got settled we headed to the Rotary Convention place to register and to get a schedule of what was going on.

Plenty of Mozambican food for Lunch and Dinner.

To their surprise (we were not surprised)there was no schedule and actually the event was in an event tent kind of on the Beach in Beira.
It was a very interesting Rotary International Convention. Unlike any others I am sure. We wont talk much about it except it was different, there was lots of Mozambican food at each meal and one day we were able to put up a display in the tent for a few hours. But no one had any kind of a display but us. So As we hoped for people did notice us. The Lord works in mysterious ways. We felt awkward but it wasn't about how we felt.  We were there for 3 days.

Same Event tent with our display one day!

The first day A flag ceremony for each country represented.

We went to all the Rotary things but they were very different.  But we did get noticed for sure and sometimes you never know how you are going to stand out in a crowd. Our job is to just be prepared to represent the church in an Honorable way.
It was fun to visit with Vonda Louthan as she grew up with my cousin Susan Killpack. It also was great to see the Bonini's again and visit with Milian and other members we saw while we were there.
And when we could we just walked around Beira cuz that's us.

Shipping dock!

Yellow macine unloads containers like our saddle room.

We were able to visit the Huge shipping port in Beira with the head Rotary person in Beira. That was fun.
A morning in Biera:
One morning, early, before any of the events, John and I decided to walk to the area where the Grand Hotel of Mozambique is or was but still is. What a sight. That is something to read about. Look it up.

Grand Hotel Beira (back by old pool)

Grand Hotel Beira(front view)

We also headed down through the neighborhoods
 past the people setting up their vendor markets until we got to the seashore.

It was early just not long after sunrise and boy did we get a treat.
We were there just as all the fisherman were going out in their handmade boats and dugout canoes to  work for the day.

Women selling their morning stuff. Usually it is food.

People selling what they caught in the night , people setting up to sell for the day on the beach, people fixing their boats. It was a beautiful sight.
We decided that the next morning we would bring the Louthans to show them.

Getting ready to go fishing.

So we walked them down the 'Marjinal' past the Grand Hotel Neighborhood and then through the real neighborhoods to the seashore. They were a little scared as they had never been in the neighborhoods before. They reside in Zambia for their mission and it is different there and well their mission is different.
WELL this morning at the seashore everything was busy again but this time boats were coming in and going out. The tide had been way out the night before. When it goes out the boats just sit out one the empty beach. And in Mozambique it goes out farther than I have ever seen. They had been clamming all night long and so men or boys would stand over their huge piles of clams on a kind of tarp.Their were so many piles like the one this man is protecting.

This boy said his clams were for sure the best clams on the beach.

  So proud of their catch for the morning. They all let you know their clams were the very finest.

Elder Wollenzien and the Louthans admire handmade boat.

 We talked to one boy who was building his own boat on the sand.

Sister Louthan, Elder Louthan and Elder Wollenzien

He was so proud of his boat. He told us how long it took to build and what he would do with it. He also loved us to take a picture of not him and his friends by the boat but of just him by his boat.
We asked him how he would get it into the water. He said they all just get together and carry it down. working together in Mozambique.
Good plan.

The shipbuilder and his friends.

The Shipbuilder himself.

Oh yeah! I forgot the guy that sold crabs. Wanna Crab anyone?

After the visit to the beach we cleaned up our apartment and we were on our way home.
We also had a huge Farewell fireside for President Spendlove on sunday and couldn't wait.
So we were off in the wild blue yonder.

 We were glad to be home again.

The next day was the farewell and IT was great. So many people came and the Hour long meeting President Spendlove thought it was going to be turned into a 4 hour long goodbye reception . Maybe longer. But it was late on Sunday night that it ended. So many people here love him.
The Merkley's are here!
The next morning we were up early and driving to Swaziland to pick up our Short Term Water Specialists, The Merkley's,From the United States. They had been checking on a project in Swaziland which is why we met them there.
They were coming to be with us for almost 2 weeks. We were so excited. They needed to check on some of the previous water projects that have been done in Mozambique and evaluate some of the problems we are facing in this country.
We had such a good time with them. I will try to wrap it up pretty quick but you know like every day here....so much happened in the short time they were here.
We spent the time checking on the water projects around the Maputo, Matola area and evaluate them. We then took them back to Quelimane to the Ilhe De Idugo again. They were to help us see the needs of the island and together Elder Merkley and Wollenzien came up with an idea to provide clean water for these people.
I will include some pictures of this return to the Island as it was again a new adventure.
 Ilhe De Idugo Again!


 

The Merkleys  and the Osborns went with us.

Elder Wollenzien, Merkely and Osborn and Sister Wollenzien went with Amizade and the people from the island to see every water source on the island and determine what we would do to provide clean water. This took quite a while.

Heart of the banana tree.

Sister Osborn and Sister Merkley stayed at the gathering building, their church, and visited with the women and children in the area.



They also found which people on the island could speak Portuguese and any who could speak English at all. Most speak Macua.(mah-coo-ah).


 So I will include more pictures around the Island as we walk to the different water sources.
 

Two week old baby. Do not know who was the mom.

  


Again after we all gathered back together they insisted on feeding us. so again we gathered in a special table area as many looked on (I am sure with hunger) as we ate a delicious dinner of coconut rice, garlic rice and curried duck.

People standing in back are our servers.

     

The Duck supper.

On lookers.

Everyone (Amizade and the others) was in a hurry for us to get back to the boat. We were told no pictures on the way back because we had to hurry. Nearly impossible.

 
 We tried to hurry and I could not figure out why

No Water.

unitl we reached the boats. Because of the need to see each water source we took longer.
 We missed the tide. And so the men had us get into the boats. The men on shore pushed and the ones in the boat who were to row us across got out and walked our boat until we finally reached the water.


 

she came in with us.

So did they.

      

      


Another grand experience. We finally made it to the opposite shore but the sun had set and we were driving from the island to Quelimane in the dark.  But we miraculously, and without any tragedy, made it to our hotel.

3 Days in Quelimane! 
We had a great time analyzing this possible water project and for 3 more days found out prices of cement, gravel tools etc. in case the project was approved and enjoyed being around Quelimane Branch.

Just enjoying the morning in Quelimane.

 Because it is hard to get flights out of Quelimane we were there until Sunday.
The Osborns great kids arrived on Friday and we were able to meet them.
Just as wonderful as their parents.

Merkleys and dad Quelimane chapel

Add caption

Elder and Sister Osborn and 2 kids (Liz and Zack

The highlight of this trip was the baptism of two couple. In Africa many people do not marry because of the expense. But to join the church, if they are a couple they have to be married first. Elder Osborn, and Elder Banks have done marvelous work encouraging the marriages (Which is one reason couples help the missionaries here so much). But last month Amizade and Lourdes plus  Rui and Bedito were married in Quelimane. Elder Osborn is helping them start a new tradition in the church in Mozambique for the members. Actually Rui and Bedito were married the morning we flew in to Quelimane.
 Saturday they were all 4 baptized.
We were able to be there.
It was wonderful.

Baprism Font in Quelimane

The next day we were able to be there and see them confirmed as members of the church.

Benito, Rui, Amizade, Lourdes.

After The Baptism.

Quelimane Elders.

 It was a wonderful meeting.
The group of deaf young men is about 8 and they were at church on that day also.
 Sister Osborn said they continue to come every week. This Sunday was July 1st and testimony meeting.
Two of the deaf boys were sitting by John and I. A lady came up from the back to bare her testimony and the oldest of the boys signaled to me it was his mother. She shared a very emotional testimony.
The boy introduced us to his mother afterwards. She is a member 7 years. I learned that she had been traveling to work for a while. (very common here) When she arrived home (Sunday morning) she could not find her sons anywhere. She did not know where they were. She quickly got ready and came to the church for Sacrament meeting. When she arrived there were her children and all their friends. She was so overcome by this experience that she was very grateful for the church and  her children's testimony to come to church.
Many stories like this one show how strong the youth are that are finding the gospel.

Osborns,Merkelys, Wollenzien's

Sisters Wollenzien, Castanheira and Hall

Again I must put in a plug for the great job our senior couples do in this mission to support and aid the teaching of the gospel. They are an example of all the principals and teachings and functions of the church to these new branches.
We returned home ,via air flight, to Maputo and again it was good to be home.
For the rest of the week we were trying to inspect more wells with the Merkleys and write up a  propsal for the water project on the island.
We had several things happen in that same week.  So we were a little crammed for time. WE are still working at documents to get the container,yes the same container, of wheelchairs into Maputo.
We also had HBB supplies sitting in customs and were working hard to get them out before they were lost, stolen or tried to charge us for exorbitant  fees.

We took Merkeleys everywhere we went. They ended up at customs, At a sale in an art park to waste some time and even witness many little miracles and a big one  at Ministery of Women and Social Actions. Too long to blog about. I will tell you when I get home.

The Kapalan store in Quelimane.

quick view of a vendor

On July 7,after completing all we set out to accomplish we let the Merkleys go back home to the U.S.. I have a feeling they will be back.  We had a great time and will miss them. Sister Merkley and I even got a little shopping in.
The rest of July was paper work catch up, Figuring out some important office procedures, Submitting our project request to South Africa and hope it gets approval,  Helping Naldo get a well started on his property so we would know a little more about actual hand dug wells,

A working, clean, hand dug well.

How deep does a hand dug go?

John, Naldo, Manassa, Kiki, Naldo's Mother.

Naldo (in sun glasses), his Family and me.

Meeting and helping the new Mission President
 Making a visit and speaking at girls camp,

Night at girls camp

Leaders cooking at camp.

 

Me and Sister Senda. She is the best young women leader.

Dad Helps Eddie put up leaders tent...of course.

 talking in church, and catching up on the distribution center.
We had been gone so much we had numerous boxes of orders to enter into the store and liahona to distribute through the mission.

We also sent off many missionaries and we get a kick out of helping them on their P day.
They are such wonderful young men
Trying to be the best missionaries they can be.

Smith ,Homer and Arlene.

Bond, Homer, Franseco and Smith.

Monterro, Andrade and Smith.

 

When talking to Elder Cluff before he left (we have been alot with him since we arrived.)we were explaining how our attitudes to the mission change.
How we felt at first to now. He said,'Oh you mean like wishing you would get sick or hurt just bad enough to get sent home but not too bad?' I said YES!!!!!!!!!!
I remember that the first month I wanted a picture of everything because it was so very different and strange. Now it is all so passe .
These men have hung in here in some very hard conditions with their chins up.

Elder Astle, Logan,Introduced us to Naldo.

Elder Cluff. Is on his way to West Point.

One day they will go home and realize what they have accomplished here in Mozambique. I hope they will always know what great men they are and how pleased the Lord is with their sacrifice.
And the next thing we knew it was August 1st.
Wow!
So that is June and July in a nut shell. I keep trying to catch up. I just might make it.

WE Just found out this week our Project on the Ilhe de Idugo was approved by Salt Lake and so we will be starting to create that project.
We will keep you posted.


Many stories fill in the little gaps that we will be glad to share when we get home.
The farther we get into the mission the more We realize we are going to want to remember everything.   Good luck with that one.
And So on with August!