You Can’t Make this Stuff Up

May 15, 2016

There are two missions in Uruguay, our mission and the West mission.  We both have 10 passenger Hyundai vans that are operated primarily by the office Elders.  The other mission van got a flat tire during the Easter Holiday week which was also change week for them.  All of the tire stores were closed for the Easter Holiday.  As they did not have a spare, they asked if they could use our spare.  When they, arrived, for some reason that I am not sure of, they put our spare on our van and our good tire on their van.  This was a joint effort of the office elders from both missions.  We understood that we would get the tire back as soon as the tire stores opened the next week.   Well Easter was the last week of March. 

After several weeks we started asking about our tire, we even sent them a bill.  No answer.  Finally a couple of weeks ago the Elders from the other mission showed up to get their old wheel to put on a new tire.  At that time I told them that I was going to hold one of the missionaries, Elder Jara, in our office for collateral until we got our tire back.  That would have been a good idea, as they took another two weeks to get our tire back.  Finally we got our tire back.  We have had it for several days and have not put the good tire back on yet.   Oh well, maybe this week.

This past week was change week and had it usual wrinkles.  It started on Tuesday with the Mission President going to the airport to pick up missionaries for a 4:30 A. M. flight.  The plane did not actually get in until 8:30 A. M.  Needless to say, the Mission President was tired.  Most everything else went about as planned and we busied ourselves with feeding and busing missionaries for the week.  We really appreciate all that the Mission President and his wife do.  They have a big job.

One of our responsibilities is to sponsor Chapel Open Houses.  They call them a “Capilla Abierta”.  We have been slow to get them going as we have had so many other things to get going.  This is a formal program of the church.  We go to a ward and give a presentation during Sunday School about the program and then come back in two weeks to do it on a Saturday night.  Our first Sunday program was today in the Las Piedras Ward which is about an hour from our apartment.  We are supposed to do a slide show that tells a little bit about our family and then discuss what we do on the Capilla Abierta.  Renee started first and told about our family including pictures of Idaho and our family.  She did it in Spanish and did a real good job.  I then took my turn and explained the process to set up the posters etc.  It went really well.  The members of the Ward were so friendly and helpful.  We could feel their excitement and enthusiasm.  We expect a real good program in two weeks.  It is so wonderful to have the opportunity to bear our testimonies of the Savior and what we know to be true.  When we do it we feel the love of the Savior and the love of the people.  You will have to stay tuned for how it goes in two weeks.

The weather continues to be pretty chilly.  The temperature is in the low 50’s and the wind is blowing.  It has also been raining most of the day.  We really have a lot of respect for the missionaries that are out in this tough weather.  They are so strong and are so committed.  We love you all and are so grateful for all of the support. 

We send our love from Uruguay, 
Gordon and Renee