Boys go to Jupiter to get ...

Last week we traveled to Panama City to renew our visa.  We got on the bus at 10:00 p.m. and arrived in the city at 7:30 a.m.  We visited immigration, they took our photo, and we went to return home.  The de Gracias, friends from Aguadulce, are moving to Columbia.  They wanted to see us and were planning to be in the city at the same time.  We received word that they couldn't come.  I talked Rod into stopping in Aguadulce.  We bought the tickets and boarded the bus (texting to see if they would be there) only to receive a call from the de Gracias that they wouldn't be home.  We jumped off, bought tickets home and settled in.  Then we received another call saying we could meet in Santiago.  They waited on the road until they saw our bus pass then took a taxi, and we had half an hour together as the bus stopped at the halfway point for food and potty break.  What a sweet gift. 

This cactus is here in La Concepcion.  Look at the size of the trunk.  I don't think of cactuses as part of the plants in a tropical climate.

One of our students has baby ducks at their house.  I can't resist them.

Puerto Armuelles is a bit of a ghost town.  This pier is a remnant of the banana business that used to be.  There were three LDS chapels at one time.  Now there is just one independent branch. We walked out on this pier last week at our own risk.  Children aren't allowed and you could see why.

 Our landlord brought this bug on the tip of his machete a few days ago.  We got to share it live on Skype with our kids.  It is amazing.  He said he had one on his ear once and it felt like a knife, so we didn't touch it.  I put on both of our pictures to see if one were clearer for Myles.  He plans to do a google image match search to see if he can identify it.

 Our landlord, Jorge, took us to his tiny farm, Jupiter.  We didn't tell him why boys go to Jupiter.  Here I'm drinking from a tiny spring that they said was pure.  (I hope they know)

Rod at Jupiter.

A fresh fruit from their tree.  I can't remember the name.  The fruit is pink and it has little very hard round seeds.  Edyn said she ate them in Brazil.

 The view from the house at Jupiter stretches to the sea.

We followed Jorge down to the river thinking of chiggers all the way.

Rod carried trees so Jorge could plant them.

Back up to their tiny two story house from the river.

We had two young girls, cousins, play and direct each other's hymns in church this week.  The families are thrilled.  We are thrilled.  I can't stop smiling over it.  We added 4 new students this week.  I keep thinking there's no way, but somehow it works.  We do have a few, of course, that we're starting to wonder about.

Rod has become philosophic about his new calling.  The president is pleased to have someone to prepare the programs for Sacrament meeting, really an executive secretary, and Rod figures together we can do that.

I gave a talk in church Sunday.  One of my students helped me correct my written talk.  I practiced several times, but when it came down to it, I couldn't read it, and I just gave it errors and all.  I tell myself my errors are getting fewer.  I hope it's the truth.  The people are kind and we are coming to love this branch.