Monday, February 20 to February 26, 2017

Monday, February 20, 2017

We had our office meeting this morning. After lunch we left and ran some errands. This evening David, our guard and another guard down the street worked to remove a broken key from our front door. I broke the key off on Friday afternoon. Salvador and I worked on it for a couple of hours on Friday but couldn’t get it out. So we locked our door with the dead bolt and left for the week-end. We were about to call a locksmith this afternoon, but decided to try one more time. David got help and the two guards took it all apart and removed the broken key. I paid them what I would have paid a locksmith to come to the house. The guards always appreciate earning a little more money because they make so little.

Hermana Bell sent a note to Elder Curtis, our area doctor in Guatemala about the experience we had with the AMOSCA hospital last Saturday; they treated our missionary without having the payment guarantee in hand. She expressed our delight with the improved relations with the Hospital. Elder Curtis sent it to Elder Schwitzer, who is the chair of the Missionary Health Services department and a general authority. He sent this message back to Elder Curtis who sent it on to Sister Bell. He said, “That was a great letter of trust from the Bells – nice work”. That made Sister Bell’s day.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Today was Sister Lee’s birthday. We bought her a pink rose and tonight the Helbergs treated us to a Chinese dinner at a really good Chinese restaurant. We were truly surprised to find a good Chinese restaurant in Nicaragua….

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Sister Bell bandaged up a sister missionaries hand. She accidently poured boiling water on her hand last night. She called Sister Bell about 10pm, asking what to do. Sister Bell give her some suggestions including getting a blessing. Then Sister Bell worried for several hours. She finally went to sleep about 1am. This morning, she got a text stating that she got a blessing and shortly after, the pain subsided so that she could sleep. She was feeling much better this morning. We still went by the house where they were this morning to put some cream on it and wrap it. We also went to a pharmacy, grocery store, libreria, gas station, distribution center before we went to the office. After lunch we took the Lee’s (I guess they officially took us) to Huembas, one of the big market places in Managua. Sister Lee wanted to buy a Nica painting for her birthday. Sister Bell found two more that she liked so we bought two additional paintings. They are by the same artist as the first ones we bought shortly after we arrived. We now have to decide where to hang them.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

We went on a road trip today to inspect missionary houses and to deliver medicine. We stopped in Nagarote, Momotombo and La Paz Central. The missionaries had been warned so we were not really surprised when we found things tidied up a bit. However, none of the apartments were perfect so we made a few suggestions. We are starting a new initiative, where we are having the District Leaders and the Sister Leaders do monthly inspections. Sister Bell and I will do semiannual inspections. We presented this to Elder Howland, who is a District Leader in El Paz Central. He accepted the assignment without complaint.

On our way home, we drove to a beach resort we had seen on line; the Grand Pacific Resort. We wanted to check it out and to have lunch there. But when we got to the gate, there was a $15.00 entrance fee for each person, so we declined and drove a short distance to Montelimar and to the Barcelo Montelimar Beach resort. We got in free but lunch was $20.00 a person. It was a wonderful buffet and well worth it. We strolled along the beach. The resort was beautiful with several pools, game facilities, restaurants and a casino (which we did not go into). It must have been a high standard judging from the many old, fat north Americans around the resort.

Friday, February 24, 2017

We had our change planning meeting today. We have 4 missionaries, all Latinos leaving next week and 8 new missionaries are coming. We will close one apartment and open 2 new areas. So I will need to arrange to get furniture into them by Tuesday of next week. The zone leaders will be looking, Sister Poncio will approve and then I go to work.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Sister Bell taught piano in Trinidad to Carelys and Maria Clara. While we were they we saw an interesting thing. There was a small truck that passed by President Cruz’s house. They were advertising buying empty cans over a loud speaker. Two boys were running alongside the truck and swinging a burlap sack full of something under the back tire. The tire would roll over the back and the boy would swing it back in front of the tire again. I asked Maria Clara what they were doing. She explained that the sack had empty cans and putting the bag under the tire flattened the cans.  Genius… if you have two young boys that would run alongside the truck.

We then went to Condega and spent a couple of hours with Elder Martinez and Russell, visiting. We taught Freddy and Virginia about the oath and covenant of the Priesthood. He is preparing to receive the Melchezedik Priesthood. We went by a potential chapel building, but couldn’t get in. We did take some pictures of the surrounding areas. We tried visiting the Ramirezs, Darwin and several others, but none of them were home. So we left disappointed.

We went back to Trinidad and taught President Cruz and Yasser Rivera and their families the 6 Temple Preparation class. That went very well and felt the spirit very strongly as we related personal experiences with the temple. Sister Bell told about the revelation she received in the temple that another daughter was waiting to come into our family (Becky) and I told about the feelings I had when I walked into the Celestial Room in the LA temple and seeing my family waiting for me. We didn’t get to the Koelliker's until about 9:30pm.

Sunday, February 26, 2017

We left Esteli about 7:30am this morning to make a mercy run to Somoto. Last Sunday, the District President and his wife, who is the District RS President, attended Church in Somoto and taught about the importance of wearing appropriate clothes when teaching, conducting, giving a talk or a prayer. Many of our Sisters in Somoto don’t have dresses so they have been coming in pants. We rounded up a bag full of used dresses and skirts that have been left by the sister missionaries when they go home and took them to the RS Presidents house. She will distribute. She seemed very happy to get them.

We then went to Pueblo Nuevo to attend Church. Sister Bell played the keyboard (we brought ours from home) and I gave a talk. I told about the message of Elder Rasband who told the members that President Monson loves them and is grateful for all they do. I also told them about the meeting Elder Rasband had with President Ortega and how he felt their love. We then talked about Enos and the things we love from that experience; the importance to teach our children, repentance, etc. I think it went well.

The other exciting thing that happened in Church today, is that Hilario blessed the sacrament today and Jose (84 years old and a new convert) passed the sacrament. Elder Baxter, a new missionary conducted. His Spanish is getting better. After Church we took Hermana Yeny and her 6 children home. They all fit in the back seat… it is a good thing they are all small. She lives in San Antonio which is about 4 kilometers outside of town. They usually walk, which takes them about 1 hour. We then took Hermana Agustina home. She lives about 8 kilometers outside of town. She is almost 70 and usually takes the bus. The Elders had not been to her house so they tagged along. It is a pretty drive.