Monday, December 18 to Sunday, December 24, 2017

Monday, December 18, 2017

This was a week of service. Monday was changes. One of our sisters was recovering from foot surgery. She needed to go to Leon and we didn't want her to have to take a bus, so we offered to take her and her companion to her apartment in Leon. So we made the 2 hour drive to Leon, returning early afternoon. 

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

We had 8 new missionaries come today. Two from the States, 1 from Panama, and the rest from Honduras and Guatemala. Three were sisters and the rest were Elders. We taught them the 10 Commandments of Good Health. One of the missionaries came with a hurt finger. He got it jammed playing Volleyball in the MTC. They didn’t do an x-ray to see if it was broken. It was still stiff, swollen and hurt badly. Sister Bell was concerned that it was broken, so we got permission to take him (and his companion) to the hospital to have it checked. Fortunately, it wasn’t broken. We took them to the Secretaries house because it was too late to get a bus to their area when they were done.

The new Elders with their trainers.

The three new sister missionaries with their trainers

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Salvador was late coming this morning, so David needed to stay until noon. He usually goes home at 6:30am so wasn’t prepared to cook breakfast. So I cooked him eggs, ham and tortillas.

We went to Pricesmart this morning and bought groceries for a needy family in Pueblo Nuevo. We will deliver it on Saturday. We came home for lunch. We were about to leave to find toys for this family, when we got a call from President Poncio telling us that two missionaries had accidents at a service project and needed to go to the hospital. Sister Bell ordered payment guarantees from our insurance and then we went to the hospital. We stayed with them until they were fixed up. President Poncio came back and took them home. We came home, ate dinner and watched a Christmas Movie.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Having the Christmas spirit, we took donuts to the Sister leaders house and to the office missionaries. We went to a doctor's appointment at the hospital and then took the Elders to Carl’s Jr. for lunch, then home to take the laundry off the line. Then to the distribution center (which was closed for inventory) and then to Walmart. We bought presents for our secret Santa family. We stopped at another La Colonia for a few final items, then home. A pretty uneventful day.

Friday, December 22, 2017

This afternoon we went downtown with the Helbergs to see the manger exhibits. Many of the exhibitors used the same backdrops from the Mary Alter displays and replaced the alter scenes with manager scenes.

We then went to the Paseo Xolotlan.

We finished the day at La Peruvian Terrace Restaurant.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Today we were Santa. We gave donuts to the gas attendants in Sebaco. We stop there going north and south, so we know them really well. Usually it is to use the restrooms (they are clean) but sometimes we get gas. We gave a tin of cookies to the Cruzes (Michelle gave a piano lesson to Maria Clara) and to the Trinidad Elders, Elder Guerra and Mejia. We then went to Somoto to take Celia to get her glasses. But when we got there, the office was closed. So we gave her the remaining money so she can pick them up next week. We then passed by the Alaniz’s home and gave cookies to them. Then off to Pueblo Nuevo. It was their Christmas party. We picked up the food from Hermana Nubia’s house and took it to the Elder’s house. There were about 30 people there. We watched a video of the Savior’s birth, I gave a short talk, then we read and sang songs with Sister Bell at the keyboard about the birth of the Savior, something that is a tradition in Elder Davidson’s home. We ate and had a birthday cake for Elder Ponce. He turned 19 today.

We then took Hermana Jenny home with her 5 kids and 2 grandkids. They live in San Antonio, about 7 kms out of town. They usually have to walk to Church, which takes about 1.5 hours. We crammed them into the truck. They live in a remote area. The road was so bad we had to put the truck in 4 wheel drive. When we got there, we gave them the food, candy, cookies and presents for the kids. Her husband helped me carry it up to their house. They live in an adobe house. The doors are really narrow. The container almost didn’t fit through the door. The kids were really excited when they saw the presents and candy. It was a lot of fun. They are so poor, they don't have much to eat and probably have never gotten a wrapped present for Christmas. We drove away with a light heart and a big smile on our faces. 

This is the family of Hermana Jenny

Sunday, December 24, 2017

After making a quick trip to Ocotal to give a few letters and medicine to the missionaries, we went to Sacrament Meeting in Somoto. We have two new missionaries in Somoto, Elder Smith and Elder Herrera. Both talked in the Sacrament Meeting. Hermana Azaria also talked. The primary, all 4 of them, sang I am a Child of God. Sister Bell accompanied them. 

We only had Sacrament meeting so we headed for home early, arriving early.  

On the way home we dropped off the bench at the Helbergs that was made with its twin from two wooden bunk beds from the mission before it was split.  We have the twin on our front porch.  Now there is one in the South mission and one in the North Mission.  

It was nice to be home before it got dark.  We are looking forward to talking with the children and grandchildren on this Christmas eve and tomorrow Christmas Day.