District Missionary Meeting (not) and Canela Integration Meeting

January 15  Thursday

Seen on the way to the bus station

Yesterday, the Copas called to let us know of the District Missionary meeting in Gramado - on Thursday morning.  We caught the bus and arrived a little before 9:00 am.  The church gate was still locked.  David called Copas, and they said they were on their way.  We then called the Canela Elders; they said the meeting was on Friday.  Copas arrived bringing some of the refreshments they were going to serve after the meeting - deviled eggs and chocolate chip cookies.  So. . . we had eggs and cookies for breakfast.

Copas offered to drive us back to Canela - stopping at a few places gathering information and supplies for the 'plaque project' for the Relief Society Birthday meeting.  We went to lumber yards and a vinyl lettering loja looking for the right things.  We also picked up David's dry cleaning before heading home.  Merl and I were a little anxious to get home as quickly as possible as we really need to work on translating and preparing our talks for church on Sunday.  I need a month to prepare something in English!  We arrived a little before 11:00.

Christmas houses in the park
being dismantled

Ann, David, Severino Marques,
  E Munoz, E Piccini, Lavoisieux
Chavez, E Oliveira,  Elder Lagos
 

Mid-afternoon the missionaries showed up with two men that had contacted them.  They were both returned missionaries and on a road trip.  They were hoping to get information on getting a less expensive hotel for the night.  After a nice visit, all departed.  David, Ann, and I went to the grocery store to pick up some groceries as we are preparing lunch for the missionaries on Friday.  Copas dropped by with the cut boards and sample vinyl lettering.  They dropped us off at a paint store to get more info - then we walked to the nicer grocery store in town (Russul) to pick up hamburger buns and treats and drinks for the Integration meeting at the church.  Then a walk up the hill on the backside of the church for the meeting.

Primary bulletin board beginnings

The Elders were at the church preparing for the meeting.  They were conducting the meeting tonight.  They had thin rope tied to chairs all through the church - in and out of classrooms, up the stairs, and into the chapel.  Not sure what they had planned.  Ann had forgotten some papers for a Primary presidency meeting before Integration, so I walked home to get them.  David walked over to Wilson's house to check on things. 

When Merl and I returned to the church, the Elders blind folded us and led us to the start of the maze through the church - holding onto the "iron rod" while good angels and bad angels were along the way to encourage or discourage us.  I only bumped my head once - even made it up the stairs.  At the end, we had to make our way through a curtain (of sorts) to enter into the chapel - heaven.  It was a fun
activity.  After a lesson on staying true and not giving up, the Elders did a skit and introduced a game:  Sit in a circle, close your eyes while a few lamanities, a prophet, and an angel are chosen, opening your eyes and then voting on who you think is who. . . we knocked off a couple of Nephites in the search for the Lamanites. . . It was all in Portuguese so I didn't quite get it.


Tearing out the sidewalks on the way
to the church

Our friend on the way to the church

New blocks being laid

After refreshments and clean up, we went home and back to our studies.  We experienced our first power outage tonight.  We scrambled to find a couple of flashlights and left-over candles from the Feliz Natal show in Gramado.  Fortunately, the lights were back on in about 15 minutes.

Tomorrow morning is the early ride to the missionary meeting.



Too few cars to transport everyone



Added strip for the blind





Lucky ones that got a seat