Snapshots of moments in September and October

Just a few snapshots of Sept and October in the 

Cochabamba Mission

Every Latino missionary is encouraged to learn English. At the

end of their mission they can take an English proficiency test

that is paid for by the church. This transfer we had 8 missionaries

pass. We are SO PROUD of their hard work.

A favorite p-day activity for President and I is to walk through

the cauncha (a HUGE outdoor shopping area where absolutely

everything is for sale).  This little girl has learned to grab a nap while her momma sells bananas.

       Dia de Peaton. This unique day happens at least twice a year- Cars, taxis, buses, all come to a stand still, and the streets are solely for pedestrians. At first we did not enjoy ths day because of the distruptions with no vehicular traffic. But we have come to appreciate the simple, calm that comes from no vehicles, and the family together time that ensues. 

 Dia de peaton is always on a Sunday. It does make walking to church fun when the streets are full of people, bikes and scooters.

 Living across the street from the temple is SUCH a blessing. It is the first thing we see when we leave the house every day. A walk around the temple is a sure way to calm the soul and re-energize the mind.

The children in Bolivia are simply beautiful, and they sing with their WHOLE HEART.  

Waiting for our new missionaries. We always get so excited to see them walk out the security area. We welcome them singing Called to Serve while they walk out the doors. 

I snapped this photo as we were leaving after a temple session with our missionaries. I absolutely love seeing the best dress and traditional clothing that is worn as people come to the temple. This woman is wearing a traditional hat and skirt and probably many layers of petticoats. 

                                                       

Sometimes I do wonder about Bolivia.  Would you like to ride in this taxi with the drivers curtain blocking his view???

We often hold Family Home Evenings here at the mission home for new members and  investigators and their missionaries. On this occasion we gave each family a paperback illustrated Book of Mormon for children. It touched my heart when looked for the two little boys and finally found them on the front porch, 'reading' their new Book of Mormons.

We are not above a little bribery! In an effort to improve the cleanliness of the apartments we introduced Llama Limpia. The zones can win him and keep him for the month, He comes with cookies. Missionaries will do anything for cookies!

    The area provided emergency backpacks for each missionary. We sorted and organized and delivered them during zone conference. This is only a small portion of the 185 recieved so far. I will have to alter my backpack though.  They have 4 tins of sardines as the food source!

Happy Missionaries!. The office secretaries brought Burger King for lunch during conference. This is actually a BIG DEAL as fast food is NOT the norm. We have found ONE Burger King in the entire mission.

 We held Zone conferences in Cochabamba, Potosi and Quiriza. We do enjoy spending time with these missionaries

Yes, we do try to fit in exercising. Cochabamba has some fun exercise machines in the little parks or center islands of the road. This one is close to our home. There also are very nice walking paths, you just have to share them with the dogs who have been partying all night.

We LOVE womens conference time. We gather the Hermanas that are here in Cochabamba and spend an afternoon together. 

We have seminars, learn new skills, laugh together and love. 

            This is the best mission with the best missionaries!

Pioneer day in Bolivia

Sometimes it is just hard to get around to posting in the blog. SO Tonight I am just going to include my journal entry.

Yesterday was July 24. In Utah Pioneer day is celebrated by huge parades, but here in Bolivia I got to have my very own Pioneer day.

We awoke early in Tupiza to make the drive out to Quiriza for their branch conference. Bolivia is a land of contrasts and while there are modern cities with tall multi-story apartment and office buildings, there are also awesome pueblos like Quiriza.

We drove the dirt roads, past beautiful red rock mountains. Sometimes the road ducks under an overhanging cliff of sandstone. We drove past farmland, plowed and ready. We stopped for goats crossing the road, and smiled at the clothes drying on the bushes and fences. We picked up three beautiful women from one family, walking to the chapel. They walk over an hour just to get to church and then another hour home.

Shortly after we arrived the bell on the chapel was rung, calling all to come to church. I sat in that beautiful adobe chapel with the white plastered walls, and looked around the room. In the corner stands an old piano, ornate and slightly out of tune. The long wooden benches glistened with their new coat of polish. Sun streamed through the windows and a long wooden beam (tree) stretched across the eaves providing support for the roof.

The saints gathered to worship, huddled under blankets and shawls as the chapel has no heat. The children stroked my hair, and remark “claro, y suave” while I gazed at their beautiful thick shiny black hair. These two girls only have hair about 3 inches long as it had to be shaved off because of an outbreak of lice. 

These are pioneers too. People who work the soil, planting garlic and corn. People who know how to read the weather, care for their herds of animals, use herbs for medicine. People with deep trust in God. I love sitting beside them and feeling their love. It is a gift that I cherish. It was a perfect pioneer day.​

Service Project with Mano a Mano

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I am a little late in posting . . . but this was a great experience. In March one of our zones helped empty 4 huge cargo containers full of medical donations from the States. All these items will be sent to some of the clinics that Mano a Mano has set up in some of the smaller pueblos in Bolivia. Some things were new, and many were slightly used but just what we need down here. I was able to tour the wonderful training area they have set up for leaders from the pueblos. Here people come to learn about different crops they can grow, how to build a hot house to grow crops year round in the high altitudes of Bolivia. They can learn about raising guinea pigs, rabbits, pigs and cows, or how to build a ‘dry toilet’, and many other useful and needful things. The leaders then choose a few things they need in their pueblo and Mano a Mano helps them with training, materials and labor to achieve their goals. It is a great organization. You can learn more about it at manoamano.org

The road to Quirza - Sharing memories with friends who were mission companions 47 years ago

The Road to Quirza

Often missionary companions are forever friends. Two of our senior sister temple missionaries served together 48 years ago in Argentina. They were invited by Elder Scott to go with him and his wife to witness the first baptisms in Southern Bolivia. We were privileged to drive them (and their husbands making 6 of us) to revisit that same pueblo they visited 48 years ago, with Elder Scott. They were able to see the first chapel built in Bolivia which was built after they left. It was a tender trip. They say little has changed in this pueblo.

                 The pueblos are scattered in this area. This sweet sister was on her way to church. We picked her up - then added two more on our way. Seatbelt rules? Not here, The more the merrier.

The shallow River de Oro is swollen from the sudden summer storms.

                                                                                                                                                                     Greeting old timers at Church. This is Diohenes, 

one of the first members baptized  in Southern Bolivia.

                                                                                                                                                                                 And of course our faithful missionaries. The elders in Quiriza have a missioni full of service. They become experts at growing garlic.

I love entering this chapel with the beautiful hand polished benches, the people here love their chapel.It was evident that they had carefully and lovingly prepared the chapel for Sunday morning. Below are photos of before and after the church services.

The members of the Quirza branch. They are the most loving people. 

Isabel, (baptised that first day with her husband Diogenes) took our sister missionaries to see where the first chapel was. Some of the children took me to see their home.

Following a lunch of humitas, we took our young missionaries and the temple missionaries to see some of the places which hold special meaning to the Saints and early missionaries in Quiriza.

We then took a short walk to the river - Rio de Oro. Enjoying the animals and the fields of choco, garlic, etc.
.

Adobe blocks drying in the sun. Soon they will form a new home.

 All to soon our visit is over. Children wait with left over
water balloons from carnival. Kind friends wave goodbye. We stop quickly to avoid the herd of goats suddenly let loose from their corral and head home just in time as thunderstorms  form in the skies. We love visiting this incredible pueblo.