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.

Of Iguanas (live this time) and different flora

Last week end we met with  a member and his wife.  She was sad because she was living in a home which had been robbed and she was so fearful that it was affecting their marriage.  (If your wife were waking you up multiple times in fear, it WOULD affect your marriage!).  I asked her (a non-member) if she had thought about a blessing as there is power in the priesthood.  She said her husband hadn't told her that, and she was interested.  We offered to fast and then come for a blessing on Sunday night.  I had recently had an experience where the Spirit said "This kind cometh not out but by fasting and prayer".  When we came, her husband gave her the blessing.  The next day I called to ask how her night had been.  She fell and broke her arm the day before, so she said she was awake, but not with fear.  She said that she hadn't felt more fear.  Yesterday they came to watch conference and have lunch with us.  At the end, she said she had felt good in conference.  Rod told her in Spanglish with her husband and I translating that now she had a testimony and needed to choose to do something about it.   She wasn't offended when I suggested she was in a position to accept the gospel and bless her family.  She invited us to her daughter's first birthday party and told us that they are expecting another baby in August.   I love the gospel and I love our work.  The gospel BLESSES people's lives.

 One morning I was exercising when Rod entered and got the camera.  He exited, and when he returned he said, "I can take some photos for the blog, too."  This was the result.  He does sweat a lot.  This was morning, the coolest we get, and we just took a walk.  [We are no longer in the brisk category, but we don't stroll either -- about 1.5 miles in 25-30 minutes.]   In case we haven't said it enough, "IT'S HOT HERE!"  It's a good thing there are lots of blessings.  [When we were buying clothes for this climate, we were told 'you want fabric that can wick the sweat away from your body'.  That takes more fabric and is hotter, I like the underwear that is a mesh so the water (and hopefully, the breeze) can flow freely.  Often it drips, particularly, my back.  So much, that I started worrying about erosion / arroyos forming and that I was wasting away.   My sweet wife / senior companion put my mind at rest -- its just more wrinkles!  Lesson learned:  thin fabric is better -- forget wrinkle free! ]

 In Las Tablas yesterday Rod didn't have a student and so was enjoying their yard.  He found this frog.  There were 5 of them in corners of the house.  They were hidden better than the photo shows.  We clicked "I'm feeling Lucky" on picasa and this was the result.  We decided to leave it since you can see so much better.  The lady is afraid of them.  She says it's a cultural thing, that they aren't poisonous or anything.

 He spotted the iguana, and she got a hose and flushed him out to a better photo position.  [During this season they come in search of water.]  They are pretty.  These colors are pretty true.

 She says he likes the water. 

 This is a new kind of palm tree.  It's hardly recognizable as one.  There surely are lots of varieties.

 It's called a dreadlock palm.  You can see why.  Even without her telling me, that is what it reminded me of.

I think the Lord must have had fun dreaming up the variety.

Emma's picture is here! (updated with last visit)

 Emma came to church today.  She invited herself to our shame.

We knew that she was coming, so when we went to visit the Diaz family with the branch mission leader last week, and he offered our services as a taxi, we were a bit put out -- feeling we might need the time with Emma.  We need to learn to trust the Lord.  While we were waiting for Sister Diaz and her 4 little ones, to get the last bit ready, a guy from church bicycled by.  He was headed for the new building, so we were able to direct him to the old one. (another small (or great) blessing)

When we arrived with the Diaz family, Emma wasn't there yet so we had time to get them settled as well as ourselves near the piano.  Emma came and she appeared totally comfortable.  The meeting consisted of youth testifying of seminary and missionary work, and they did well.  We had expected testimony meeting because Conference is next week, but no.  When we gathered for Sunday School class Sister Diaz came out of the hall where she had been sitting (this is the last week in this building which doesn't fit us)  and Emma greeted her very warmly.  When I asked afterwards how they knew each other, Emma said,"She was a part of our family".  Sister Diaz had worked for them for four years in their home.  We didn't need to worry.  In fact, of course, it was a plus to have them there together.

Emma participated in our New Testament lesson of "I am the bread of life".  She has a strong testimony of Christ.  After the lesson, the S.S. president asked her to say the closing prayer.  Actually, he just announced it.  She was a bit surprised and covered her face, but she is a confident person and did it with aplomb.

Relief society was abominably hot, but the lesson was President Monson's talk on decisions, and it was good.  I was amazed that she stayed for all three hours, and she wants to meet this afternoon at our regular time as well.  All in all, we couldn't have asked for better, and we didn't ask at all.  We do pray for her.  She will need to have a testimony that there is one true church and we all need  to find it, and she doesn't yet.  Trust in the Lord is good advice. People were really friendly, and she responded well.
Three of the youth shared playing duties and after church they gathered around the piano, even though Janell wasn't encouraging them.  We see our work taking hold and lasting -- and making a lasting difference -- several of our students now come faithfully and didn't before.  The program asks them to read the Book of Mormon daily and the ones that do get a different spirit about them and often start attending church, if they hadn't been.

Update:  We taught her, this afternoon, about prophets and apostasy. When we came she sat back and said "I feel like a kindergarten student and you are my teachers.  Give me a foundation and let's start learning."  We used Preach My Gospel and talked about the apostasy and about the fact that there is only one true church, that Jesus Christ is the one who says this, and we are only teaching His word.  She can pray about it and ask.  She said that she would.  It is a bit strange to teach someone by having them read the book  with you, but her Spanish is better than ours and then she gets it straight.
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 On to tourism.  We visited the Valley of Anton with our student Angel.  This is an acoustic shell.  There is an identical one about 50 feet away.  You can talk softly facing the shell, and another person can hear you very clearly in the other shell.  It was amazing, Janell could say hello in a sultry voice and I could Hubba Hubba back without worrying about being overheard -- power of concave shapes. (if it is convex, I will be vexed;)

 These are the petroglyphs.  They aren't protected at all.  We sprang for all the entrance fees at the tourist places.  I decided just to do it and not think about it because we had the day to spend with Angel. His mom is indigenous from the valley so he offered to guide us. He is a special young man who has attended seminary for four years and has the goal to go on a mission.  I hope he makes it. I don't like the prospects for the youth otherwise.  With a mission they have access to the Perpetual Education Fund and some hope, as well as the testimony blessings of the mission itself.  The church actually sends them to sign up for PEF before they send them home.  Cool.

This huge tree seemed to be made up of a whole series of small ones wrapped around together.  It was magnificent.

It's roots.


Angel showed us this cool spider.  It just runs and hides again.

Rod and Angel with their walking sticks at the exit of the walk.  It was a short, expensive walk.  OK. I lied.  I did think about the money.

Rod is feeding a tapir in the zoo.

This bird appeared to be beaded.  It was really gorgeous.

The valley is famous for its golden frogs.  There are few in the wild now.  We didn't see any and we aren't very good photographers through the glass.

I just liked this hiding one, even though he wasn't golden.

We got this cat for Ray.  He was pretty cool.

Another shot.

Orchids for my mom to see and in memory of Rod's mom, who grew them and made corsages for me.

The beginning of the grand cashew saga.

These stain badly.  I'd worn the correct clothes, so Rod just tossed them into a pile for me to twist the nuts off.  It reminded me of helping Daddy in the potato harvest.

Pickers pose.  These Panamanians dress to protect themselves from the sun.  I especially like Oriel's shirt headdress.  His eyes are exposed because the neck of the shirt fits there. Construction workers have this headdress often.

Along with Everett you can see the fruit developing.

Here the fruit is still brown.  I thought these were bad, but they are waiting to develop the fruit.  The trees here give fruit for a long season, 2 or 3 months.

This "fruit" on the cashew tree turns out to be a parasite.  I opened one, and when Oriel saw my hands he tried to tell me about "fibra de vidrio".  He said "Pica".  I finally got it, fiberglass, and that it stings, and I had it all over my hands. 

His solution (and it worked) was to "wash" my hands in dirt.  He got a kick out of my dirty condition.

I realized as I watched this VERY LONG video (about roasting cashews on a bent piece of tin roofing -- exciting flames and all) that I at least should have talked through it, but Rod was taking the video.  He says no one will watch it all.  If you do, let me know.  I suspect he's right, but it really was interesting to me.

Here we are picking up the blackened nuts.  Now I have a bunch to crack.  They really are delicious.  The people here say to drizzle them with honey, but who needs it.  The branch president's wife warned me that they are REALLY high fat.  I'm not going to eat that many.  The process is delightful.  Our Saturday mornings are free now.  I plan to keep them that way so we can enjoy things like this.  Everyone needs a P-day (Preparation).

Cashew Heaven -- they went thru the inferno for us

Today, was a first for me.  I was having a younger brother of the piano student read.   He was having trouble pronouncing all his r's as if they were double r's, so I was teaching him the rule and I think he was starting to get it.  Fun.  I feel sorry for his teacher if he picks up some of my bad habits. 

Some of you have asked about Emma, our investigator, hairdresser friend.  We are still meeting with her.  She believes that the Book of Mormon is true, but I am not at all sure that she understands where that might lead her.  We talked today about the Joseph Smith story and the advantages of the true church.  She mentioned that a friend said that all churches are alike (good enough).  She also said that each priest in her church (catholic) teaches different doctrine.  We mentioned the need for ordinances and that the Savior taught that there was one way.  She said that she would pray about it, and she invited herself to church.  

She truly wants to do the will of the Lord and feels the Spirit of peace as we talk and testify with her, so things should work out.  I don't have a picture of her because Sunday is her day of rest and she doesn't do her hair. That's her choice.  I wouldn't mind.  I need to visit in her shop so we can get a photo.

We have discovered that we are better as a team in missionary work, too.  Rod is good at explaining and remembering key points even if he has trouble expressing.  His Spanish is much better than it used to be.  We gave Emma the Elder Oaks talk about two lines of communication with the Lord.  She loved the part in it where Joseph couldn't translate because he was upset with Emma.  It was fun to her that it was her name, but she had had similar experiences and was impressed.

 This fruit is the opposite of cashew heaven.  I waited months to try it, it looked so interesting -- like a corn dog hanging from the tree.  It has a hard shell and when you crack it with a hammer you are rewarded with a completely dry, powdery substance (that sticks to your teeth when you eat it) surrounding hard black seeds.  What a disappointment.  They said you can put it in water and make a drink of it, but we didn't.

Our friend Jaime returned home from the hospital last Tuesday.  We had a cancellation on Monday that allowed us to drive his wife to the hospital to visit him.  Rod gave him a blessing, and he came home the next day.  It was easy to see the hand of the Lord.  We've been praying for him for a while, and I am really grateful.  We had a mini family night, consisting of a hymn with his granddaughter Leydi playing, and then Jaime bore his testimony.  I really love this family.

 

 The Jordans were in the midst of preparing cashews when we arrived.  Now is the season to pick up the nuts (they call them pepitas).  They had a fire and a piece of tin roofing on top for a pan.

 You have to use a long stick to stir the nuts because they pop and can burn you badly if you are close.

 The nuts actually catch fire and burn the outer shell.  

 
Everett had a spot on his face where the oil popped, ran down and burned.  I would have had to feel guilty because I had the long stick, but it happened before I came.

A feast of really fresh cashews.  It is hard to get all the nuts properly cooked.  I liked the toasty brown ones, but the burned ones aren't bad.  If they aren't cooked enough the shells stick and are hard to remove.

Escape from Carnivales

Thursday, a week ago, we attended the marriage of Yentze and Antonio.  They had to get married to get baptized. It was a long process.  We went to the wedding in the morning at the Justice of the Peace.  The wedding was much more personal and encouraging than I had expected.  We left from there to go to Panama City to escape carnivales.  We were told that we could expect to be somewhat of a target and that the roads would require at least 3 times as long for travel, so we just took a vacation.

Rod and I went shopping with Lonna, wife of the mission president.  We bought soursop, which I mistakenly thought was custard apple that mom always talks about.  The internet makes it sound a lot better than ours was.  We just threw it away after we tried it.  The mango wasn't all that wonderful either.

This is guaba, not guava.   Lonna called it cockroach in a cocoon.  It is a large black hard seed encased in a fuzzy, sweetish cocoon.  It wasn't anyone's favorite, either.  I saw ones about twice as wide and about 2 feet long at the fruit stand, but I passed.

Another photo of the soursop.

We went to Portobelo for a "training".  Actually, we've just added Perpetual Education Fund missionaries, the Harrops, to  our group here, and we did do a lot of sharing.

These are the guns which protected the harbor.  This was the site of Pirates of the Caribbean, the real ones. 

This man let me get a photo of his monkey.  It looks almost like they're dancing.

The president said 1/3 to 1/2 of the gold in the world passed through this building during the times of great fairs.  It doesn't look very impressive now.

This is at the baptism of the Ortega family.  President Quezada, branch president is with them as well.

Leydi has been playing only about 5 weeks.  She played Jesus Once of Humble Birth today.  Juan led the music.  He has a great ear, but has a hard time disciplining himself to learn the notes.

Abdiel is our fastest learner in Aguadulce.  He played three hymns his first Sunday.  He has some memorized as well.  We'd never seen anyone in the family until we visited and began teaching him.  Of course we hope to be part of a mission miracle.