Super Bowl Week

This past week was one of the biggest weeks of our mission.  We have been working on several things and we completed the last one this week.  First, one Monday, we did apartment inspections in Florida and Durazno.  This is an all day affair but is a lot of fun because we are able to meet with a bunch of missionaries in their apartments.  They are always so fun an appreciative.  We are getting to know most of the missionaries and are able to visit with them about many things.  We are also impressed by how much the missionaries help us.  For example, Elder Silva, in Florida had a list of things he was willing to fix from bathroom problems to locks.  What a great help he is.  Next in Durazno we were able to help the missionaries with a bunch of things including putting in the smoke alarms that have been sent from the US.  Durazno is more spread out so it takes longer to see everyone.  For example, Trinidad is off the main road and takes about 40 minutes each way.  The Sisters there are so wonderful and full of love for the work.  I really like the street scene in Trinidad.  It is so Uruguayo.

Durazno includes Paso de Los Torros which is at the end of the road on route 5.  They are not on the way to anywhere.  This ward is real strong and gives the missionaries a lot of help.  The missionaries love working here.  They highlight of the day was our dinner.  Sister Ramos has lived by us for four and a half months.  She was transferred to Durazno for her last change as she goes home in two weeks.  On the way home we went to dinner with her and her companion.  They had to go early as they had charlas for most of the evening.  This is so typical of the missionaries.  They are so good to teach the Gospel.  Well our dinner was real special.  I think I am going to take a video of Sister Ramos’ laugh so I can play it back when she is gone.  It always makes me feel better.

Tuesday was a real big day.  We have been working to close a house in the 18 de Mayo area since March.  Several delays, contracts from attorneys and other issues have made it difficult to get done.  Well, Tuesday at noon we finally got it done.  Woohoo!  We were more than happy.
We had an interesting experience on the way home. We decided to take a short cut home instead of the usual way done the ruta.  We stopped in Las Piedras to gas up the van.  As I got out I saw two Elders, Elder Santa Cruz and Elder Ruiz.  They were on their way back to their area from Zone Conference.  We talked for a minute but they had to get moving to catch their bus back to their area.  After gasing up we headed home passing by the Las Piedras Stake Center.  In front of the Stake Center were the Zone Leaders.  We rolled down the window and yelled the obligatory “Mormones” as usual.  Well about a block later we get the phone call.  The Zone Leaders had a problem.  It seems as though Elder Santa Cruz and Ruiz didn’t have enough change to get on the bus (and yes we wondered why they just found this out too).  Well we just happened to have enough change to help them out.  It’s kinda interesting how these things work.

Wednesday was another big day as we had to move the sisters in Sarandi Del Yi.  This is about three hours away from Montevideo on Ruta 6.  This is a less traveled road.  We stopped at one of the other apartments on the way and picked up some furniture that they needed.  We arrived about 12:30 and to our delight the members had all of their stuff ready to load.  We had about ten members helping clean out the old apartment and move into the new one.  They even put up balloons in the new apartment.  The help included lunch for all of the missionaries by Bishop Lemos.  What wonderful members we have down here.  It is so neat to spend time with them and listen to them share their testimonies.  The Zone Leaders and District Leaders came from Durazno to help with the move.  We took them home so they didn’t have to buy a bus ticket.  It added about two hours to the trip but it was worth it.
Thursday and Friday we spent time in the office, helping with the finances.  Also on Friday, they had Zone Leader Conference and we helped with the meals and moving missionaries around.  Those are really fun days.  I like the picture of the Assistants laying on the floor after the Zone Leader Conference.  It takes a lot of planning to pull that meeting off and they were tired.

The weather here remains chilly.  We have been able to go for a walk most mornings but we do bundle up.  It has been about 50 degrees, but when it is cloudy and the wind is blowing, the cold goes right through you.  We have now been in Uruguay for 5 months and are starting to learn our duties.  We had a real neat conversation with Elder Vinas of the Seventy last week.  He was the first mission president of the Salta Argentina mission.  We were immediate friends when he found out I served there.  We discussed the difficulty of customs of managing the apartments.  It made me feel a lot better when I let me know that he had the same problems that we have.  I guess that is why they call it missionary work.  If it was always fun, they would call it play.  Every day we find new challenges and learn new things.  It is not easy but we do receive a lot of satisfaction knowing who we serve and why.  The missionaries continue to bring us joy.  We love them and are always made to feel better when we are with them.

We are grateful for our Testimonies of the Savior and the wonderful things He did for us so that we can spend Eternity with our families.  We love you all.  Remember, a little comment on the blog earns a lot of “points.”

Gordon and Renee