Adventures in Choir

President Blas declared 6:00 pm Sundays as choir practice time when no other meetings are to be scheduled. He really wants a choir that sings in parts, and he wants it for District Conference and Christmas. He even found us a singing teacher, Marleni, who has us doing breathing exercises and scales to improve our voices. Marleni's first step was to have us all audition for parts by singing solo in front of everyone. Do, re, mi in the spotlight... yes we were all self conscious, but it was enlightening to see people's difficulties in hitting the right notes. With a little guidance, most actually sang on key! Marleni has an amazing voice combined with audience appeal. She plays guitar and sings solo as well as in a group. She has a talent for singing straight from the heart. Imagine my surprise when she set down the music and started making up the parts as she taught them! The choir members were thrilled to have harmony, but I have conspired with the piano player, Elder Hart, to teach parts from the written music this week. Why do I feel so mischievous? Maybe we'll reach a compromise. Stay tuned to see what happens :)
In other news, Ken's suit was baptized in Inca Kola. After a visit to the dry cleaners it looks changed somehow; some of the chalk stripes are erased, but at least it's not sticky.
We took the Pulido family back to the temple. After we all went out for Chinese food. Peruvian Chifa has a style all its own with crispy wontons, thick noodley soup, and sweet n sour pineapple, peaches and tamarindo. We do enjoy it.
I made pizza at a Chao relief society activity for investigators. They mostly made it themselves since Flor and Katy had done it before. We also made leche asada, aka flan or crème brûlée. Imagine 6 cans of milk, 18 eggs, a half gallon of water, sugar and vanilla all beaten together and poured into glasses to bake in a water bath. In the end, it was deliciously worth it. Bon appetit! Provecho!

Brave basses and tenacious tenors

Maité takes a group shot at the Chifa restaurant.

Lizeth says, "It's the champagne of Peru!"

Making mega pizza with Flor and Katy

Vivi had no idea what her shirt meant when it said, "Free Kisses."

With President Risco beating eggs, who needs a mixer for this delightful leche asada!

They know exactly what they're doing.

Flor's oven is awesomely huge, but sometimes explosively cranky about temperature & gas regulation.

It's another grandiosa!

Elders Ortiz & Harper approve.

Elders Rokovitz & Portillo happily agree.

Elder Riddle is as happy as a monkey in a monkey tree.

One more monkey swinging in the tree...

Another fine group says good-bye.

Welcome new missionaries with Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa.

Happy Birthday to Elders Greer and Hernandez in the new Zona Virú!