Integration Meeting and Farewell

February 4  Wednesday

Merl was up early to study Wizard lesson 5, work on his ‘discourso’ (discourse vs talk) in church.  He later went to our favorite papelaria store for printer paper and chalk (there is seldom a piece of chalk at church to write with). 

We caught a bus at 3:30 to go to São Francisco de Paulo so we could be on time for piano lessons at 6:30.  We both carried a teclado on the bus - one that works and one that does not.  The 'dummy' one can be used to practice learning to move fingers correctly.  We arrived at 4:25 and found the church locked and the key not there.  The missionaries were to have left a key for us.  We sat around for a while waiting for them and finally walked to their apartment – not there.  We walked back to the church; Merl jumped the block wall to walk around the building and found a door not locked so we were able to get in.  The church is an older home and office of a retired doctor and always smells old, musty to me when it is locked up all week.  We ventured out to find a store to purchase some Clorox and pinesol (and toilet brush and rubber gloves).  I approached a lady on the street who spoke no English, but by using the words ‘mercado por comida’ we were pointed in the right direction.  A block down, I approached another lady and asked the same question – she gently grabbed my hand and said ‘come with me.’  We walked to the corner, and she pointed to the store on the next block – on the street directly behind the church.  I am grateful for the people in Brazil who have learned a little English!

Merl and Luan Costa

Eduarda and Paulo Henrique

We returned to the church with our purchases, mopped floors and cleaned toilets, and were ready for piano lessons when the kids came.  Merl  set up the new keyboard and prepared to teach his first piano lesson.  The missionaries told them to be at the church at 6:30 (Integration meeting is to start at 7:30 pm)  I taught two lessons (Paulo Henrique, Juliano Amaral, and Vanessa Jasmin Prates.  Merl taught his first lesson with Luan Costa.  As the youth started to arrive to the meeting, they gathered around the piano while Jasmin was playing.  Within about five pages of the piano book, they play "There is a Green Hill Far Away."  Several of them wanted to try, so I gave three more short lessons to Natanele Selestina da Silva, Hanoã Jardel da Silva Bitencourt, and Cassiane.

There was a great turn out (54 in attendance) for Integration  tonight - which also included the farewell party for Elder Spadari.  He will be going to Porto Alegre on Sunday and then home on Tuesday.  He will be greatly missed; he has the reputation of baptizing every week.  Pres. Marcos conducted the meeting and gave the spiritual message.  Several of the youth had written a song for Elder Spadari and sang it for him, soliciting lots of laughs. 


Elders Spadari and Rebeira with
Vera, a recent convert

Refreshments included chopped up hotdogs in a little tomato sauce and served on French bread rolls - a delicacy here, especially when corn and/or peas is added.  The gooey chocolate cake was wonderful and guarana is always a hit!

While we cleaned up the church, Merl went with the missionaries to the apartment to do the transfer inspection.  Next week is transfer week.  Their apartment passed with flying colors.  After Pres. Marcos completed his trips to take children home, we drove home with his wife Sianara and daughter Indiane.  We arrived after 11:00 and went to bed. 
 

Larissa Milkewicz and
Rodrigo Macedo

Danubia Macedo

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 



While we were in Cisco, David and Ann took the bus to Gramado to have dinner with Felipe and Simone Abuno.  They gave them a picture of John the Baptist baptizing Christ.  Ann liked the sweet bread with goiaba fruit on the top.  She also found some seeds that had dropped off a tree - she brought them home and baked them to see if she could make beads out of them.  Felipe was kind and brought them home.  Ann was still waiting up for us when we got home later.