Real missionaries eat iguana

 We had a grand visit at the home of the branch president in Penonome.  They live way out in the country and they grow a wonderful variety of foods.  This is achiote, which is dried and used for color.  One of our friends from Columbia says they grind it and it adds flavor as well, but not here in Panama.  This is added to oil, then the oil was poured off and colored our rice "so we don't have to add tomato".

 Right after we tried the achiote, we had this visit.  Ytsary is holding the plant that is ready for harvest.


Marcos tried to show us how to harvest it, but his uncle just couldn't keep his hands off.  It's amazing how many different things there are to eat.

 I know you can't see well, but this is an avocado.  If you look closely, there are lots of them. 

 Recently returned missionary, Elder Flores, is showing us an iguana that he hunted.  It is ready to hang up to be smoked.

 Here they are hanging up to be smoked.

 These are the iguana eggs.  They are boiled then left to dry in the sun for two days, then peeled and eaten.  We didn't get to try them.

 Here are two coconuts that have sprouted and are now ready to plant.


Brother Flores opened a coconut for us.  The juice wasn't wonderful, but the experience was.  They sent us home with one, but we had no way to open it.  A friend warned us against trying a machete ourselves.  (If I tried it, we would have a new meaning for finger food.)

 Rod is trying the iguana. (A little tough and a wild flavor, but not bad.)

Now it's my turn.  It didn't taste bad.  That's the skin you can see.  Fiber for me!!

We are reveling in the talents of our students.  Elder Theobald is right that when you can exert efforts and get results this quickly it is encouraging.  We had 6 students today in church who can play at least one hymn.  (One student played 3 for his first time playing in church and another played one for her first time.  They were all standing around after church taking turns, two playing each with one hand to get more turns -- they are excited and it looks like most will stay with it.  Wonderful, that a family donates pianos to them when they read the Book of Mormon, attend church and use their talents to serve)

We decided to visit our friend, Polo, who is an inactive former branch president.  He was thrilled to hear of the students and their progress.  I'm sure he was thinking of others, now inactive, who could have used this opportunity.

We are just grateful to the Lord that we can offer it to as many as possible.

Sometimes when I am teaching, Rod gives in and starts sleeping.  (Studying makes it impossible to be an insomniac.) One day, I asked a student for a bed for him.  He ended up in an air-conditioned bedroom!!  There are certainly discrepancies in the comfort of the homes of our students.  I was glad I'd asked.  He ends up driving when it is late and dark, and I'm sure any rest is a good idea.