Church in Nuevo Chao

Today was our first time attending church in Nuevo Chao. The smallest of all the branches in the district, its attendance is usually around 30. Today it was half that due to national festivities for the 28th of July, kind of like Logandale during the Clark County Fair. We arrived on time at 9:00, were greeted and welcomed warmly, escorted upstairs to our seats and made comfortable. As the young missionaries, both Peruvian, looked around, they commented, "Where are our teachers? Where are our speakers?" Then they asked us both to give talks...so we did. I had something saved on my phone from back in the Spanish Branch, so I introduced us, told how we met, and talked about families, yes all in Spanish. Ken pulled out a Liahona magazine and told a story about prayer. Whew! Welcome to the mission field! Time for Sunday School...Elder Gomez took charge and had everyone introduce themselves, tell their favorite food and favorite sport. Interestingly most people named ceviche as their favorite. Our class included people of all ages, and everyone participated.  Elder Gomez is from Iquitos in the Peruvian jungle. He's very small with nerdy glasses, but he gives a powerful lesson laced with humorous interludes of Charlie Chaplin antics. By the time he finished teaching about "Work as a Blessing," it was nearly noon.
Afterward I chatted with one of the young women, Erica. She said she missed her piano lessons from Sister Smith who was here before us. Perfect....my first student! Her mom Trinidad said they had a keyboard, so I should come to their home. Imagine, their very own keyboard! So we agreed to meet at 3:00 tomorrow, and they left. Then Rosa, the relief society president told me she wanted her daughter Marisol to start piano lessons...wonderful!  So I'm meeting her after Erica. Now I just have to figure out how to teach piano lessons :)

Our apartment came with a large stack of old Liahona magazines. We thought about taking them all to the church in Nuevo Chao, then we decided to just carry a couple at a time for when we visit inactive members. The other night as we left a meeting, a collectivo backed right up to us and offered us a ride...no walking, no waiting. He said he'd been watching the people coming & going to & from church, and asked for some literature. We gave him a Liahona!

Saturday night was a Baptism for 3 people....kind of a fun exciting fiesta, but they got it done. In the end it was a spiritual experience.

I decided to retire my beautiful Italian bag for something more fashionable around here. Now I feel much more in style!