Visitors, Rain, and Integration

March 26  Thursday

I took a chance this morning that the weather forecast was incorrect.  The sun was out when I took a load of white shirts down to the laundry room.  Some of the previously owned shirts (which we are so grateful for) needed some attention.  A little soap, bleach and sunshine can work wonders.  I think I washed about 26 shirts and got them hung out on the line.  It wasn't long before a storm came by and soaked everything. 

 I worked on this blog today, trying to catch up.  While pictures were downloading (which takes the most time), I started on a new necklace.  I felt a bit more productive this way - a little here, a little there.  The necklace was completed before I had the blog finished.  I used  the last eggplant in another dish with noodles this time.  I may have to plant eggplants this summer at home - they are quite versatile. 

Merl spent most of his day studying verbs and going over his talk.  Ann spent most of the day in bed with a bad bug.  David continues to spend much of his time organizing church records. 

The first ring at the gate today was the Seminary/Institute representative from Porto Alegre.  He stopped to get some information from David on new members.  They then went visiting to invite to them to classes.



Mid-afternoon, Elder Oliveira rang at the gate and brought his new companion to meet us.  Elder Janickyj is from London and has six months left on his mission.  His grandfather is from the Ukraine - last name is pronounced 'Yaneskee.'  I have found that I can understand Portuguese much better when it is spoken by a native English speaker - Elder Cooper was and Elder Janickyj is a great help! 

Our next visitor at the front gate was a big surprise!  Paulo Lefi (the King in the Feliz Natal production at Christmas) stopped to see us and invite us to the "Espetáculo Paixão de Cristo" (Passion of Christ).  He, his wife, and two sons are all in the play which will be outdoors at the park by the lake.  The outdoor theatre in the central park is being renovated.  We promised we would be at one of the performances - no matter what.  We are finding we will need to miss something to keep the promise.  We already have tickets to a big play in Gramado on Saturday night; we are in SF de Paulo on Wednesday night; and the final performance is on Saturday, April 4, the same time of the Priesthood session of General Conference (9:00 p.m. here).  What ever shall we do?

Since Ann was sick, I worked with her 6:00 p.m. piano student, Barbara.  And since it was still raining, students that walk a long ways to get to the church didn't come.  I practiced the piano until Integration started at 7:30 p.m.  David showed the Joseph Smith life video from the Doctrine and Covenants videos.  It kept everyone's attention - ended just in time for the Elders to leave by 9:00 p.m. - walking home in the rain.  Adamar was kind enough to give David, Merl, and me a ride home.

We went to bed with a fine rain still coming down; perhaps a nice, soft water rinse won't be too bad for the shirts.  Maybe tomorrow the shirts will have a chance of drying.