Transfers & Changes

Sunday our power went off at 6:00 am and was still off when we got to church in Nuevo Chao. Someone told me it would be off a full 12 hours because they heard it announced on the radio. So I told Ken about it being announced on the radio. He exclaimed, "What...how could you hear it on the radio when the power's off?" Everyone thought that was really funny. This is the first time it's been off so long. Usually it's just a few minutes..... hard to cook Sunday dinner in the crock pot.
Sunday they announced transfers. We're losing half our zone. Elder Ashby's leaving. There goes my harmonica solo in the choir, and there goes half of our favorite neighbors. Tears were shed when President Rios told us. We invited our favorite neighbors for Sunday dinner and had chicken in barbecue sauce with mashed potatoes and gravy with peanut butter cookies for dessert. I couldn't find Hershey kisses to top them, so we used Donofrio triangles...worked like a yummy charm.
My music experiences are still hilarious. Last week at the mission home, Sister Rios introduced me as an accomplished pianist and asked me to perform. I declined and said I was out of practice. Next morning I wowed her by plunking out Solfagetto. She wants me to teach her to play. And since the district president asked me to organize the choir for district conference, everyone at church comes to me for music advice. I can barely keep a straight face when it happens. The stake primary president wants help with a primary choir for Saturday district conference. Our branch president wants me to find someone to train as a branch music leader...and wave my magic musical wand, right? The missionaries ask for help with their piano playing and singing. Sunday I taught a new song in Primary, "I Feel my Savior's Love," all four verses. And then there's the piano lessons...I could go on. In my spare time I still practice conducting in front of a mirror. In a philosophical light, I could add that serving a mission brings out talents I never knew I had, and the small talents I used to take for granted have turned into invaluable treasures to share. That's just one of my many spiritual experiences.
Last Thursday we received an urgent call from the mission office to report in. So we cancelled all our appointments and got on the next bus to Trujillo. Turns out we were needed to attend Sister Rios's birthday party, and it was nice to have someone else there besides a roomful of young elders. Also President Rios wanted to go over his first session of transfers and receiving new missionaries. It's a pretty big deal, so we will be coming back to help on the big day. Sister Rios and I will be orienting the new sister missionaries. We had our neighbors fill us in on rules and counsel they will need.

Hermana Alicia & Marco in their front room...to the right is where they keep water...to the left is living quarters.

Martha Stewart's cookies were never so appreciated! 

Click here for the Dynamic Duo's grand finale  .

Happy Birthday, Hermana Rios...with Elder Pacheco, the photo bomber. 

Erica on her way to school

Cui in the casa!