Sing-a-longs and the hand of the Lord

On Wednesday when we arrived at Lizardo Smith's for his lesson we were greeted with Hank Williams and "I can't help it if I'm still in love with you"!!   His grandfather, from the indigenous tribe of Kuna was visiting. He'd learned to like Country Western while working in the Canal Zone as a youth.   He planned to sing in the Baptist church on Sunday.  We discovered that he knew some of our hymns, and he played the harmonica, so we had a great time together.  You never know the treats in store for you while serving a mission,

Ximena, who was baptized hurriedly because she had a date for a Caesarian section in two weeks, surprised us all and had the baby a week early.  Here is Jesus in the hospital with Angel.  She is beautiful.  I hold her and pretend it's one of ours that I'm missing out on.

Thursday in Penonome it was late and we were leaving the church.  I decided I needed to use the restroom before our drive home.  I ran in and this is what I found.  I tried to get closer but he just swam backwards and disappeared from view.  His nose going out of sight is a fun memory.  I don't know how he got there.  The bishop in our home ward talked about rats in the toilet.  This was much more fun to find.  We've gotten a lot of mileage out of sharing it.

These "grasshoppers" were on the gwandu plants in the garden of one of our students.  Rod put the pen so you could see the size.  I'd hate to have them in my garden.

Clearer.

Ever since I came here I have been looking for Cherimoyas, or custard apples.  My mom has talked about them all my life.  When we were teaching last week, one of my student's moms gave me these two.  They weren't wonderful to me, unfortunately.  They are filled with hard black seeds and the texture was a bit grainy.  Rod says he likes his fruit easier.  Still, it was a fun experience.
Another woman gave us a fruit that smelled like passion fruit and had the same shape but a different skin.  The car smelled heavenly and I was so excited all the way home, but when I opened it, it wasn't passion fruit and wasn't even wonderful.

 

These buzzards were tearing up garbage outside our apartment.  I only managed to catch one of the three.  They are everywhere here in Panama.  

Last Tuesday I decided that I was definitely going to contact Emma.  While we were talking with family, she called me!  We agreed that the hand of the Lord is in our friendship.  We agreed that I'd come to her business about 5.  As we prepared to go, I decided I needed to prepare a small card to leave with her.  Rod had been talking about giving her the reference for the "Pearl of great price" in the New Testament.  I'd been holding off, but decided this was the time.  

We arrived, and while she was cutting my hair she told me that the last two weeks had been difficult.  Robbers had broken into her home and stolen all her jewelry.  I questioned if it had been very expensive, and she said, no, but nice.  Then she said "I have decided that I won't replace it. Now I am just going to search for the "Pearl of great price".  I gave her my card and we left.  We have an appointment today if she didn't have to go to Panama, so we'll see.  She is a lovely, Christ directed person.  It's a pleasure to know her.

Friday we had 3 cancellations, our last three, which allowed us to come home early from Las Tablas, 60 miles away.  I'd awakened one morning feeling that I needed to copy Elder Uchdorf's "Road to Damascus" talk and take it to a home around the corner where we'd seen a family together one day.  We decided to take the opportunity to visit and found, not the family we saw, but a couple about our age caring for a 92 year old mother (my mom's age).  We gave them a restoration pamphlet and the talk and visited a few minutes.  Then I asked if they liked to sing and offered to come back and sing with the grandma.  The wife wanted to do it right then, so we went home for the guitar and had a nice sing along.   Irma, the wife, said she had visited the church with her baby when he was small, but she currently attends the baptist church.  We took photos, and Rod made a return visit appointment for Tuesday.  I like this kind of missionary work too. The gospel is true.  The Savior must watch us and shake his head some days, though.

Cheeks to jowls, dirt piles, sweat and pumpkin bread

 We were leaving church with 5 in the car when we passed another family of three.  We decided we could all fit.  No one seemed to mind too much.  Our little blue car can transport 8. 

 When I took our newly baptized Sister Damaris home I noticed that she had a big pile of dirt on the other side of the road from her house.  She was trying to move it to her yard to make a garden.

 Sister Chevita went with us and the elders to move it.  We didn't nearly get it all done, but we had fun (the ones who really worked might question that) for a few hours.  She wants to make a garden.  I don't think my mom would approve of the dirt, even I didn't.  It's pretty rocky, but she's a farm girl and seems secure that it will work.  I like her pluck. (R: Most anything grows here)

 Damaris' 12 year old son didn't seem to mind helping although he wasn't enthusiastic. (R: Janell is larger and more forceful than he)

 I taught him how to carry a bucket like my brother, Gaven, and I used to carry the milk bucket.  It is easier, but, of course, not easy.  I'm not sure we did much good as compared to the wheelbarrow, but one of the elders said he thought it was worth it for Jose to help.  Since I agreed wholeheartedly, we kept it up.  As you can see, I didn't bring appropriate P day clothes.  I thought I'd need something light colored.  Everyone here wears jeans.

 You can see that Rod is beginning to sweat.  We actually put on sun screen because it was a sunny day, but after we got there we got cloud cover and a breeze.  In the words of Johnny Appleseed, "The Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord..."

 If you look carefully, you can see that he only has one small patch on top of his arm that is dry now.  His pants and shirt are soaked.  It was a good thing that the elders had a 5 o'clock interview and we had an excuse to leave. By the way, cold showers and sunscreen don't mix very well.  (R: I hadn't realized before coming here that I sweat much more than normal people, hmmm.)

 Jesus is practicing to play at church.  His daughter decided to play as well.  His wife, baptized in a hurry because she had a C section scheduled for July 29, had their baby yesterday, July 23.  I always dreamed of that and never came even one day early.  Aryl was the only one who came on time.

 Occasionally Rod takes a break.  He was teaching Eric how to throw spiral.  The ball was dog chewed, but you could still see the spiral.

More mileage out of Dorrie and Layne's M&Ms.  A young man called and made a date to make the cookies and pumpkin bread after the baptism.  I scheduled for Saturday night.  When the guests arrived it was not the young man at all, but his entire family minus him.  We made the cookies and then pumpkin bread.  The cookies were better with baking powder than they had been with soda, but still not marvelous.  The pumpkin bread turned out not like bread at all, but a thick pudding.  I cut it up anyway because it was meant to be a treat for the baptism we had today at District conference and with a 6:15 date to start picking people up in the morning there was no time to make more.  On the bus on the way home, I asked Abdiel, the newly baptized member, if he'd like to try it.  If he liked it, we'd pass it around, if not, we'd skip.  He liked it, everyone ate, some asked for the recipe, and I have to believe once again that they have different taste in Panama (they seem to like cookies less sweet) and that hunger makes a good cook.

Yesterday Sister Chevita asked me if I'd go with her to take a few groceries to Damaris.  I suggested to Rod that after driving the seminary carpool he might like to rest here and we'd have a girls night out.  He quickly agreed and we took off.  On our return I looked ahead and saw a police roadblock and I had no license. Before I tell you the rest, I know how silly it was, so no one else needs to talk about it.  (R:  Mum's the word.  Even giggles are verboten.)  I decided to turn down a side road, so they wouldn't catch me.  It took about two seconds to have two police cars in pursuit.  Sister Chevita luckily had her ID, so she got out and talked to them.  They were very gentlemanly.  They were looking for drugs.  It didn't take long to convince them that we were two innocent (and one very foolish) little old ladies.  We're calling it our adventure, and I'm sure the members are enjoying it hugely.

The conference was wonderful.  One of my students, who is very talented musically taught the choir "Jesus, Name of Wondrous Love"
from the choirbook I couldn't resist buying her.  They also sang Faith in Every Footstep.  Pretty appropriate for July 24.  Three of our students played, and two directed.

Last week the President said that we wouldn't take a bus because there were no funds for it.  That would mean that we cancelled church here, but no one went to Chitre for the conference.  I was scandalized, especially because I wanted everyone to hear the music. (R: The church's music is true.)  I talked to a counselor and asked him if it would make a difference if we donated the $20 it would cost us to drive.  He said yes, and arranged it all.  We ended up with an old school bus (Rod called it a our angel (R: for a day) because the painted ones in Panama are called red devils) which had 12 seats.  We put 36 people in and away we went.

On the way home they were collecting money.  Benjamin looked at us (we thought) and requested $6.  We mentally blinked, but paid.  Then the lady behind us handed up her $6.  He said "Oh, no, it's all right.  The Watson's paid for you."  Rod's comment was "I really need to learn to speak Spanish."

Oriel Jordan was also ordained an elder in the is conference. (R: He has gotten active -- his sisters are active and now some of the nieces and a nephew have a date for the 30th.  I am suggesting that he consider a mission--he is 26 and feels a little like he let his leaders down.  We had to work pretty hard to make the connections -- took him out to the branch presidents one day and then get the District president to interview him between conference meetings, we were lacking the proper paperwork, but he was ordained after the conference as Abdiel was being baptised.  He was quite pleased to be an elder -- now to teach him what he can now do to help his family.)

There is a lot of work to be done to bless lives here.  I wonder at our moving sometimes, but I think we really are most effective with the youth and the music and we'll have more youth much closer together in Panama.  It's hard not to second guess decisions.  We've certainly come to love the people here.

Of baptisms,fruit, frogs, and tricked out trucks

 Finally it happened.  Our first baptism.  We planned it in advance, I made invitations, all was ready, I thought.  Then...

 When we were teaching on Tuesday, we received a text (yes we are really technologically savvy here.  It doesn't cost the members anything to receive a text from me and I can do it while I'm traveling) saying Ximena wanted to be baptized as well.  I had just lectured the elders that I didn't want to rush things, but Ximena has a caesarian section scheduled July 29 so it made sense to try to do it.  The President gave permission for the zone leaders to come to interview, one of our students cancelled at just the right time so we could arrange to help them, Ximena and I went shopping and found the white clothes in about and hour or so and we were on our way.  I changed the remaining invitations and created a program for the baptism.  Someone asked me if it went off without a hitch.  Of course not, this is Panama, but we had about 25 people in attendance, my M&M cookies were spectacular (thank you Dorrie and Layne for sending them.  I wanted big bang for your bucks, and they were a success.  I also invited two of my wonderful students to come and bake them with me, so I enjoyed it a lot.) Since we have two diabetics (Ximena is one) I made whole wheat pumpkin bread with raisins.  It tasted wonderful to me (and her).
Damaris' son, Jose, was scheduled for the opening prayer and didn't arrive until the closing one.  We were the blue taxi and ferried everyone around for the service. We offered a girl who was scheduled to speak a ride an hour early because then she wouldn't have to pay for a taxi.  She refused, saying it was too early.  She arrived after the baptism, even the cookies, in a taxi.  We really felt sad.

When we arrived home with Damaris and her family, I felt like it wasn't quite complete.  I had the idea to ask to come in and share their first family prayer with them.  We knelt, and the Spirit was sweet. We taught her a bit about family home evening.   It felt so good we went back to Jesus and Ximena's and did the same thing.

We had one more music lesson after, from 7-8, the one that cancelled for us on Wednesday for the interview, and came home to fall into bed.  Blythe and Shalyn both called before we made it, and it was wonderful to unwind with them.

This is our baptismal font.  It's draining.  I was surprised the children didn't play in the water more.

I bought this fruit because someone told me it was a cross between mango and papya.  It was awfully disappointing.  It did have interesting sections, like an orange but with seeds inside, but we just tasted and put it in the garbage.  When I went to the fruit stand that week end there was  a big box of rotting ones.  Apparently others agreed.

This bug was on our car window when I went out one morning.  I was so excited I went back in and left the keys inside when I got the camera.  I went out and shut the door, locking myself out with Rod in the shower.  All is well now, and it was a fun picture.  Somehow the reflection caught me and the window.

Here he is again.  I wonder if he's poisonous with his blatant advertising.

One night during a lesson we had a downpour.  The mom came and got me to show me the frogs I'd been hearing.

Here's a still picture, taken in the dark, and here is a video so you can hear them, too.

We asked Sister Flores if she had plants she could share for the church.  She dug out one of her ginger plants and hacked it off with her machete.  She's a powerful woman.

We are amazed at how trucks are decked out here on the Pan American Highway.  Here is a great example.  He was stopped on the side of the road so we got the photo.  I tried it driving by, but didn't know enough to get a good shot.

We are tired and haven't walked or exercised all week end.  Could it be that we're too busy sawing to sharpen the saw?  We're glad to be here.  When the president heard that we were having the baptism he asked us if we still want to move.  For a minute I questioned, but then I thought about our Friday with a two hour one way drive for four students, two of whom cancelled, and I thought, yes, I do.  We have more than a year, and we'll be near the temple, so we can join the branches we know for their temple trips.  I plan to keep Saturdays open (Rod doesn't believe a word of it).  The gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  It blesses lives.

Blythe blessed her baby today.  Edyn loaned the dress she made out of my wedding dress that my mother made.  Blythe called me this morning and put the phone where I could see her and "together" we bathed the baby.  The plan was to dress her together, too, but Myles and Christie called in and we connected them so that the girls could share in it, too.  Blythe called me back and I got to see Taylia all ready.  I love Skype.  Connections are bad sometimes, but it's nice.  Google chat serves, also.

Apryl's baby came home from the hospital last Tuesday and they called and shared as well.  Thank heaven for Bethany, our niece, who is staying in our apartment and was able to support Apryl through the hospital feeding visits and other things. Families are wonderful. 

Audrey, on her way home from the fire in Arizona, got to spend the night in Provo, see Apryl's baby in the hospital, and hang out with family.   Blessings.

REALLY Fun

 We were in Penonome with our students who meet us at the church.  We had 3 students and only 2 pianos, so Angel was helping.  It looks like fun to me.  When I was their age it would have been REALLY fun.
Angel has his papers filled out for his mission.  He's playing in the church nearly every Sunday.

 We got a third piano and had three boys practicing at once.  It is interesting that we have so many boys who are interested.  Missions, here we come.

 This butterfly was next to my washer when I went out to wash Saturday morning.  I mentioned it to my landlady and went to get my camera.  She "rescued" it while I was gone.  I think she thought I was afraid of it.  The colors changed in the photo.  Butterflies are more numerous here and, of course, all year round.

 Fijama was blessed today.  Her daddy is trying to become active again, and her mom is investigating.  We have a dinner, piano appointment with them every week.  Today we had an extra dinner as we had two cancellations.

These beaded hair ornaments are part of their native dress.  They spend a lot of time making them and were charmed to put one in my hair.  Of course it wouldn't stay, but it was fun for them.

There is a family who investigated the church some time ago.  They have testimonies of the Book of Mormon, but aren't married and can't be baptized.  We went to visit, and the woman had had an accident at work and was really in pain.  We returned with the elders and offered a priesthood blessing.  She accepted.  When we went back two days later she said she didn't have to take pain pills any more.  When we visited Saturday, she said she was back to work.  Her faith must be great.   Interesting how we can't judge who the Lord will help.

We don't have any new bug bites this week.  We think we've identified chiggers and are avoiding grass of any kind.  When we have to be in it we use Deet.  We take showers at night as well as morning sometimes. We also do lots of stomping to remove them if we think we've walked through them.  Rod says it puts him in mind of Parent Trap when the girls told the evil young thing that she should clack two sticks together to ward off mountain lions.  It may be, but I'm going to continue.