Monday, September 18 to Sunday, September 24, 2017

Monday, September 18, 2017

We started the day at our weekly planning meeting. After lunch (Tip Top), Sister Bell gave Joycelyn a piano lesson, then we headed to the hospital. One of our Elders had a doctors appointment. After the appointment, we them to the Galleria Food Court for dinner with the Elders of course. 

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

We bought 7 boxes of donuts and took them to the Villa Flor and Bello Horizante zone meetings. Sister Bell needed to check on several missionaries.

We then went to Pricesmart and then spent the afternoon at home. Sister Bell had wash on the line drying.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Two things happened today that are noteworthy. Sister Bell and I ran some errands. We went to the bank, the store, the distribution center and a pharmacy. As I was leaving the store, a t-shirt caught my eye. It was worn by a man getting into an old beat-up car. Many of the Nicas wear used USA clothes. Most don’t know what the T-shirt says, since the writing is always in English. It is fun to translate their shirts for them. Today, the t-shirt that caught my eye said, “Jerry Taylor, re-elect as mayor”. I know a Jerry Taylor that was the mayor of Escalante, Utah. I worked with him on several occasions trying to bring wood businesses into Escalante. So I spoke to the man and asked to see the other side of his shirt. The other side said “Escalante”. What are the odds of seeing one of Jerry’s re-election shirts in Managua. I explained to the man about the shirt and that I knew Jerry. He thought that was fun and waved to me when I saw him later.

When we went to the distribution center, I found a manual for the “strengthening Marriage” class. I thought it was the SS class but it turned out that it was the Family Services class, that many of the Stakes are teaching from. I was excited thinking that this would be a better class to teach in Trinidad. I spent the afternoon studying the lesson, but I just couldn’t get into it. I felt more and more uncomfortable with the lesson plan. I decided to pray about it and afterward, I began reading the SS class. I felt peaceful and calm. It seemed to fit my abilities and what the family needs. So I will continue with the SS lesson material, at least for now.

I have had a sore throat for the past couple of days and Sister Bell started me on an antibiotic today, so hopefully I will start feeling better soon.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

We spent the day with Elder and Sister Curtis. Elder Curtis is the area doctor from Guatemala. We picked them up at the airport at about 8:30am. We spent a little time at the office so they could update us on a few items and provide some additional medical material. We then checked them into their hotel and went to lunch at the little buffet next to the Hospital. We walked them around the hospital and they got to meet Doctora Abdalha, who was working in the ER. We then went to the Masaya Volcano and Catalina. We enjoyed being with them and appreciate the assistance they give us.

Friday, September 22, 2017

We had our change meeting this morning. We have a few new areas and apartments to get situated. I will also need to make sure that the trainers have DVD for the 10 new missionaries coming to the mission.

On our way home, we stopped at the Grand Mall and bought a new white shirt for a young man getting baptized tomorrow in Trinidad. We also went to Pricesmart to pick up a few things for the Koellikers.

We went out to eat with the Curtis and the Whittiers. We took them to the Peruvian Restaurant. The Whittiers are the humanitarian missionaries that covers all of Central America. They have a couple of projects in Nicaragua. One is teaching, with partners, baby and mother care. A doctor from Logan has been coming down for several years to teach doctors how to properly care for babies and mothers. The church also has helped a facility in Jinotega that serve disabled people. They have provided wheel chairs, walkers and upgraded their kitchen. We are impressed with how the Church is helping in so many ways.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Sister Bell had two piano students in Trinidad today, Maria Clara and Darisa. We got a quick bite at Burger King in Esteli and then drove to Somoto. We had a branch council training. Everyone was a little early, other than Cristin, so we took advantage of the time and reviewed the RS roster in preparation of setting up VT routes for west side of the city. We already have VT organized on the East side. Hermana Zaida and her 3 daughters are about the only active sisters and there are 13 households that need visiting. We gave this information to Hermana Natalia. She will begin putting together a tentative plan for us to review in two weeks.

When Cristin arrived, We worked on developing a list of members who are undernourished, pregnant or breast feeding. Apparently, the District has a program to provide some supplemental nutrition to these members at risk. 

We then drove to Pueblo Nuevo to teach a teacher improvement class. Hermanas Nubia, Aryles and Maybelline came along with the missionaries. We taught about the importance of teaching true doctrine, using the scriptures and the teachings of the prophets. It was pouring rain. There were acouple of leaks in the roof so the Elders had put out a couple of buckets to catch the water. The house has a tin roof so we had to almost shout over the noise of the rain. All in all, we felt really good about the meeting.

We spent the night in Esteli with the Koellikers. I am feeling a little better.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

We decided to attend Church in Trinidad. We had scheduled a temple prep class and a family relations class with members there. It rained most of the night. The church is on a dirt (today it was a mud road). When it rains, very few people come, so the numbers were pretty small. However, we enjoyed being with the members and enjoyed the lessons. We cancelled the temple prep class because 2 of the three members we at home with a sick child. We will reschedule for the week after General Conference. We still had the family relations class. We held that at the church after the meetings was done. We taught about the potential of eternal marriage, being equal, being loyal and becoming one. There was a sweet spirit there.