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.