Christmas in August

This week I am grateful for the wonderful postal systems in the United States, and in Spain, who were able to deliver us a package from home in exactly 7 days, including the weekend.  There were several things that we are not able to buy here, or they are outrageously expensive, so our sweet daughter, Cascia, gathered or purchased all the things we wanted and needed and they all arrived safe and sound. Christmas in August!

I am also grateful that transfers only happen every 6 weeks.  I do not like transfers.  It is very, very hard to say goodbye to these missionaries to whom we have grown so close.  But, then again, we wouldn't get these new missionaries and make these new friendships without the transfers.

So, I shared the photo of Elder Shumway leaving us last Sunday.  Monday, was a crazy day at the airport dropping off elders in the morning, and picking up the new ones that afternoon.

 We will really miss these three wonderful missionaries.

And they are off to their new adventures!

The afternoon flight was late coming in.  Elder Gentry got bored and made a "very official-looking" sign, similar to the ones that the chauffeurs we holding.  And since most of them had on white shirts and ties, and they were talking on their phones, he looked pretty official.

We met several people this week while out walking.  Eulogio had passed us several days while he was walking his dogs.  We would always speak, and he might say hello, but not with much enthusiasm.  As we were working on Tuesday, he was out in his garden.  Elder Larsen spoke and said how nice his garden looked.  And that opened the door to a new friendship.  We saw his chickens, goat, dogs, grapes, figs, vegetables.  He wants to share some figs with us when they are ripe in a couple of weeks. We really enjoyed our visit with him and hope to be able to visit him again.

Elder Larsen also stopped and spoke to an elderly lady that we have passed many times as she walks slowly with her crutches.  She is 81 years old, lives by herself, but has a daughter nearby.  She told us that her husband has passed away, and several of her children.  We had a nice visit and left her with a smile on her face.

Then we met a brother and sister who live in the States, but are here visiting their parents.  They are Canarians, but they attended British schools and have absolutely no accent, not even a British accent when they speak English.  The lady has twin girls who are 2 1/2.  We had such a nice visit with them. We hope to run in to them again, with the little twins.

Because there are now only 4 companionships of missionaries, not counting us, on the island, we are now one district, so we will get to all meet together every Wednesday.

 Elder Dyer looking very happy with his mint brownie, Elder Hansen, his new companion,

Elder Bybee is the new companion to Elder Wiltbank.

 How happy we are that Hermana Irigoyen and Hermana Grover

 get to stay with us for another transfer!

 Elder Thunell moved down to Vecendario to be companions with Elder Gentry.

This week I forgot to take pictures at both our Institute classes.  We did have good lessons, good food, and a good group at both Institutes.  

Our group game for Thursday night was the silliest.  We had to keep our mouths open and our teeth completely covered, while we said the name of our fruit and someone else's fruit.  If your teeth showed, or you closed your mouth, you were out.  After staying in for quite a few rounds, I finally quit, just because the muscles in my face hurt so bad.  We did laugh and laugh as everyone looked so funny as they were trying to talk this way.

 Luis, a new student in my English class.

I'm not sure which looks sillier, Hermana Grover's mouth or what the flash did to her eyes!

 This week we shopped at a different mall, that we have driven by many, many times.  There was a grocery store there that was new to us, Eroski.  Most of their prices were more expensive than other places, but they must not have gotten the memo that Valor Cocoa had gone up everywhere by .50 euros.  Here is a very happy Elder Larsen with 6 cans of Valor Cocoa.  We have learned to by several when we find a good bargain.  And by the way, Valor Cocoa is incredible.  I will definitely be bringing some home with me.

It was a cloudy day, but this was the beautiful view of Las Palmas 

from the parking lot of the shopping mall.

We were a little surprised when we found the walls looking like this in the chapel in Vecindario.  They told us that this is just the color of the texturing that they are putting on the walls.  It looked like the worst painting job I had ever seen.  We are anxious to see what it looks like when they are finished.  

Anytime we get to end our week by attending a baptism, it is a good week.  This is Dominga.  She is a very sweet, soft-spoken woman who has just recently moved to the Islands from Paraguay.  Her granddaughter, Fiorella,  lives here and she joined the church just before we arrived.  Fiorella was so excited to have her grandmother become a member of the church and now they can share their worship of the Savior together.  What a blessing!

And, Elder Larsen is grateful that this week is over.  He has been very busy as he taught two Institute classes, spoke in church today in Vecindario, and taught the young adult Sunday School class.  He is a good speaker and a good teacher, but it does take him more time to prepare when he has to do it in Spanish.  I continue to struggle along with my Spanish.  It is coming so slowly!

I wanted to share these photos from last Sunday.  It is funny how something as simple as us all wearing our ties and flower pins helps me feel united with these people that we love so much.  We are so grateful for their love and support.  Don't we have the cutest grandkids!