Lovely going away party

We had a great day in Penonome this week.  We have started praying over our students individually as the Sunday School General President suggested last conference.  When I was praying over Olinda, a non-member English student whose mom and brother are members, I felt like I should ask her if she would like to learn about the gospel.  Rod taught her dad English while I was teaching her  (her brother who usually takes piano wasn't there).  Rod talked to the missionaries, and they didn't know the family (even though it was only a few months ago that the other missionaries set up our appointment with them).  The mom and brother (piano student) are inactive.  Rod made arrangements with the missionaries to go by with us.  These guys are latinos who both speak English.  Rod and the missionaries were teaching English to the dad.  The  young children, who usually play cards with Rod if we only have one student, were being pretty annoying.  So Rod and one missionary played Go Fish while the other missionary taught English.  Wasn't long and the Elder was telling the history of the Book of Mormon.  Turns out the Dad, of the little kids, came along after the mom was baptized and doesn't know much about the Church.  The elders made another appointment.  Olinda, on the other hand, isn't sure if she's interested.  We'll talk about it this coming week.  

That night, we were at the church and called another student (I thought) and got the brother, who had been delayed at school and missed his lesson.  He and his dad came to the church, enjoyed mingling, and Engeller had the lesson he'd missed because his class let out late in the afternoon.  Of course, the missionaries sat the dad down again, got to know him better and taught a bit about the plan of salvation.

We are convinced that we are blessed by the Hand of the Lord more than we can hope for.  He is GOOD!!

 Elder Wood (on the right with the guitar) has been our zone leader for the past while.  The sister is going home, and he formed an impromptu Mariachi band to send her off.  He made up clever words to songs they knew. It was a lovely party, and everyone felt good about it.  

 They had someone make this pinata and required her to wear a yellow skirt.  She really was cute.  I imagined taking her home, but she met the usual fate of a pinata.

 Before her demise, Rod had the last dance.  (Janell's favorite color is yellow -- pretending with the surrogate wasn't all that great.)

 I'd been wanting to try coconut since one of our students prepared coconut ice cream and I loved it.  I want to try real pina colada.
Rod said he wasn't willing to sacrifice fingers, he didn't think much of the taste treat combination, coconut and fingers.  This man did a wonderful job.  If you want to see more view the following video.

The coconut man's wife offered us "Duros" or Popsicles made of guanabana.  I didn't like my first guanabana because it was slimy.  My second try  was a blended drink which tasted good, but smelled like noni.  (For any of you who don't remember, this is the one that smells like vomit and tastes the same, including the acid in your throat.) The duro avoided the smell and really was delicious.