24 April 2013

WANDA REVISITED

If you read yesterday's post, you will have been introduced to Wanda, our favorite ghost.  Well last night, after that blog, as we were praying, I prayed that we could find those two things we lost.  While I was praying, (I found out AFTER the prayer) it came into my companion's mind exactly where her hanky was.  She remembered, during the prayer, to have found the little hanky, thinking it was a paper towel, wadded it up and threw it in the garbage.  After prayer, she went and immediately retrieved her hanky.  So I immediately thought that perhaps  I had thought the avocado might have been a piece of garbage, and checked in the garbage.  But instead, I guess Wanda loves avocados also, and she is probably smiling  while she consumes our golden avocado.  Still no sign of it.

I am putting a picture of Wanda below this paragraph.  But since she is a ghost, you won't be able to see her.  But  here she is:


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Pretty little devil isn't she, but mischievous! 

23 April 2013

Wanda has taken residence with us.  (When we lived in Brigham City, there were many unexplained occurrences  that happened.  I kid you not.  One of our employees, in all seriousness, said her 12 year old daughter saw a ghost.  There were a few things that happened to me that cannot be explained.  Things moved from one place to another in a matter of five minutes.  Things disappeared, voices were heard, sounds from the alley, etc.  We affectionately named this ghost Wanda.  Wanda has followed us around here and there.  Now I believe she is in our mission.)  We did not invite her, but she is here I believe.

As most of you know, we love avocados.  However it is not the season right now for avocados.  We have missed them, for we used to have them almost every meal.  We had them on sandwiches, in salads, with guacamole, etc.  Well, it isn't the season for them right now, and we are depressed.  This morning, I found one of the neighborhood people selling avocados.  I purchase one for 50 pesos.  That is about $1.25.  To expensive, but I bought it as a surprise for Bonnie.

Today was our time to have the fumigator come and spray our apartment.  He comes, sprays it, we have to leave for a while, it does it's killing, and we return and blow out the fumes so it won't kill us.  The avocado was sitting on the counter when we left after the fumigator finished.  When we got back, it was gone.  We have searched the whole apartment for it, for we felt it was gold.  It cost gold, and is very scarce.  We feel awful.  It was taken by Wanda I am sure.  I don't have any other explanation.  It is no where to be found.

Tonight, Bonnie was crocheting or sewing, or whatever she was doing, and she had a phone call from one of our daughters.  She got up, took the phone, and promptly lost her hanky she was sewing.  We have searched the whole apartment again and cannot find it.  There are only so  many places it could be, and we are both shaking our heads.  Where oh where art though oh avocado and hanky?  Oh dear Wanda, please put them back where you got them. --- Wanda has taken up residence with us.


WANDA OH WANDA

The guy on the left of the pineapple is the avocado.

20 April 2013

It’s the end of the semester this week.  Thursday night was one to be remembered forever and forever.  We had our “Programa de Musica” to show off the choir and piano students.  After 3 months of choir class, we took these wonderful students on a musical journey from singing hymns in ear-splitting monotone…to singing in unison (almost everyone got there)…to singing in actual SATB parts (one verse of one hymn)…to the grand finale, the fabulous EFY Medley “As Sisters in Zion/We’ll Bring the World His Truth” which meant singing 2 different melodies together!  Considering where they began, it was nothing short of a miracle.  Oh me, Oh my!  They sang their little hearts out.  Yes, there were many notes way off key, but there were more notes right than wrong and the angels came as they always do to make up the difference, at least in the ears of those who listened with the spirit! 

We sang in Spanish, which was also a miracle for me.   

Elder P. and I sang the first part of Oracion de un Niño (A Child’s Prayer) in English and the choir ended the piece with 2 lines in English which was a miracle for them.  

Here's Elder Stratford, our missionary  who played the piano so well.  He loved it, thought it was a highlight of his mission.  It was so much better with his playing.

We did 4 choir numbers with the piano students performing their one-hand renditions in between. 

One of these students played her part of the duet totally on the wrong keys but no one noticed! :)

This was our "otro" or encore.

All things shall perish from under the sky,

Music alone shall live, music alone shall live,

Music alone shall live…never to die.

Elder Partridge stuck in the kitchen...again.

This "high class" concert ended in a typical Dominican way…hot dogs and soda pop and dancing.  They raised the roof with their meringue and bochata. 

All I can say is what this sign says so beautifully.  Music is food for the soul.  I’m so grateful for the privilege of helping the students love and appreciate good music and have a little taste of singing in harmony.  Oh, the things we can try!  We have many students excited now to join the choir next semester.  Good!  Maybe we can have more than one strong, stay-on-key voice on each part!  Here’s hoping!  

This shows that I was one of her basses.  It was a joy to sing for Sister Partridge, watching her tear up, feel the joy of these Dominican saints, sing their hearts out for her, striving to sing as she taught them, and enjoying every minute of it. She is in her "element" when she is directing people singing the songs of Zion.  Those in the audience saw the fun we had and will sign up the next semester for her class of coro.  All of these kids have never had someone as wonderful, loving, and visionary as Sister Partridge.  They thoroughly enjoyed singing for her.

10 April 2013

LESSONS MY  MISSION HAS TAUGHT ME:

1.  When you take down the garments from the clothes line, there is a right way and a wrong way to do so.

2.  Groans and small shrieks are welcome coming from someone on the exercise mat.

3.  Hearing rooster crowing during sacrament meeting and having a stray dog run through the "chapel" is acceptable and expected.

4. Chartering a plane to carry all the "things" we need when you come to see us, is acceptable and expected.

5.   The water and power go off on a regular basis, especially when it is most inconvenient.

6.  Being "fashionably late" is accepted, and called "being Dominican".

7.  At times, the water coming out of the kitchen sink, from the local plumbing is as hot as the water coming out of the  "electrically heated" water.

8.  Cockroaches, little flying bugs, lizards, shadows, sticks, and anything else that is not immediately identified can probably cause screams and terror in companions.

9.  Senior missionaries are often housed on the twenty first floor with no elevator.

10.  There is nothing like serving in a foreign country, being influential in the lives of others, and  growing to love, appreciate, and grow closer to your companion and Father in Heaven.

NOTE:  Before I started to write this list, I told my companion, that I was going to shower.  Then I said I had this list I wanted to write down before I showered so I wouldn't forget it.  As I began to shower, the water was turned off and then the power.  Bonnie had to bring cold water in to rinse out the soap out of my eyes, head and hair.  "Dominican"

This is a partial list.  

Once again I do not have pictures to accompany this blog.  But here is a picture of the temple where we are going this Saturday.

4 April 2013

Well, I have been put in my place.  Last night, that crazy dog Chester started barking at 3:30 a.m.  It was annoying of course, and so we both listened to it, not wanting to get out of bed to scream at him to shut him up.  Finally, I decided to be gracious and climbed out of the bed and went to the window.  I yelled, "Pare" which means to STOP.  He didn't.  I climbed back in bed, waiting for him to quit barking, since I had yelled at him.  And my voice came from on high, since we are on the third floor.  About half an hour later, he was still barking, and I decided I would not sleep any more.  So Bon decided to get out of bed, and she went to the window and yelled at Chester, "Pare."  And I kid you not, Chester immediately quit barking.

(I guess that doesn't look like Chester.)  (But it is a picture and many have said that I need to include pictures in my part of this blog.  Imagine Chester...)

 

I was dumbfounded, or dumb, or founded, or something.  That dog Chester, I guess, has a respect for my companion, obeys her command, and ignores mine.  Why is that?  Who knows. So now I am trying to figure out what the Eternal Principle is found in that experience at 3 in the morning.  There has to be a lesson contained therein, no?  I am open for help  in dis-ciphering this eternal principle, if anyone wants to teach me.

She DOES have a voice demanding obedience, respect, and honor. Guess I will continue to ponder that one.

And... yesterday she was teaching her class in directing.  We had four there, and there was one young boy who is very shy.  At the beginning of each class, we have a song, prayer, spiritual message, and another prayer.  He has always refused to do anything.  Well, yesterday, we all, through peer pressure, urged him to do something. He finally agreed to pray, under pressure he agreed.  So he arose from his chair, and said a very, short, special, heart felt prayer, "God, thanks, Amen."  He said it soft and it was hard to hear, but it was a prayer from his heart, none-the-less.  Sweet experience.

We are anxious for conference this weekend.  For us it is noon to 2, four to six, and eight to ten.  What other new announcements are coming our way?  We are excited to know.

Also, here is a picture of our Easter basket.  Fun huh?  They just don't believe in candy, eggs, and such, but we got three eggs as shown.

So we had a wonderful egg-less Easter, remembering our Savior.   Eggs don't make or break Easter.

29 March 2013

Some of our classes are very interesting.  Like last Wednesday.  Mom had a class ready to teach, the directing class.  It was the last day before a holiday, break for Easter.  Most of the classes earlier in the day were ill-attended.  But we were ready.  Here is what the board looked like:

You can see that we have an initial prayer, then a message, then the lesson, then the final prayer. (of course according to the left, mom is going to sing the prayer, and the final hymn is going to be entitled, "Hna Partridge".)    








Here is a picture of the classroom:


So many people came, we just didn't have seats for them all.  We were ready.

Here is mom posing for pictures before her class.

Here is the handsome pianist.  We have pianos programmed, and all I have to do is push the button, and it sounds like I am a virtuoso at the piano.  Boy that old man, that pianist is surely a white haired old man.






Then we were invited into another classroom to help the instructor teach D and C 41, when it teaches about Edward Partridge.  They had four in their class.  As I was in front telling them about Edward's call, his tar and feathering, and how he died in Nauvoo, out of the corner of my eye, mom jumped up, climbed up on a chair and almost started to scream.  I saw a moth flying around the room and almost asked her why the moth had scared her so.  Then, it was made apparent to me that it was a flying cock roach, heading straight for her, in the INSTITUTE.

 There was pandemonium everywhere.  At least in mom's mind.  And it was singing.  Or at least it was humming.  I heard it.  It was humming right at mom and heading for her.  One of the students rapidly crushed him.  I am sure he was singing the opening song in roach-ish.




And here is the poor dead crushed roach sitting next to the Hymn book.  He is big, and that is why mommy was so concerned.  It had everyone in the class forget about Edward for a few minutes.

Chester, our resident dog, is minding his own business.  He still is awake during the night, and often starts barking.  Bonnie gets out of bed, and says, PARE.  Which means STOP.  Within a few barks, he stops.  Amazing.  We even fasted for his stopping the first of March.  It has helped.

But I tell my companion, the reason why the dog stops when he hears mom tell him to stop is because we live on the third floor, and he hears this mysterious voice above him telling him to stop barking, and he does.  Maybe he is a god-fearing, obeying dog?  Either way, we  are sleeping better these nights, thanks, Chester.

25 March 2013

It has been a very emotional week for us.  Our daughter Emily had been placed on limited activity for the past 3 weeks because of complications with her pregnancy.  She was admitted to the hospital in Brigham City on Friday, March 15 and on Monday March 18^th she went into pre-term labor and gave birth at 19 weeks to a little stillborn angel they named Julie.  We have prayed mightily for Em and Kris to be strengthened in this most difficult trial.  We were in the Santo Domingo Temple on Friday and I saw angels dressed in white on both sides of the veil, ready to go to Emily’s aid.  For that I am eternally grateful. 

Being so very far away during this emotional time has certainly been hard for me.  The late night call from Missy saying, “Mama, don’t worry, I’m going to take care of Emily,” was music to my ears.  I knew she would.  I knew all of my children would rally round her, to buoy her up, call her, visit her, clean her house, help her laugh a little…all of which they did beautifully.  It was profound evidence of their love and support for each other, especially in time of need.  Nothing could make me happier. 

I learned once more that the circle of sisters called Relief Society is a viable and beautiful part of the kingdom...which of course I have known forever but now from a different perspective, as a mother far away from her daughters.  Emily’s good Visiting Teacher organized the troops and they came to her rescue.  They were ready and waiting at their posts with meals and daycare if needed, assistance, compassion, love and support.  Kris’s Elder’s Quorum President was equally prepared.  Again I give heartfelt thanks to my Heavenly Father for these tender mercies.

Watching Emily and Kris standing strong in faith and trust in the Lord’s will for them, not understanding it, but trusting that He knows what is best has given us great peace.  How grateful we all are for our testimonies of Father’s loving eternal plan for His children.  Though the hurt is real and very painful, especially for Em and Kris, they are comforted and sustained by their faith and knowledge that “All things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things.”  II Ne. 2:24.  With that sure knowledge, we can go forward.