FINALE

Well, we made it to Sunday April 19th,   We reported our mission to our ward and these lovely people from our mission (who live in the Provo area) came to support us.  It was so good to see them again.  The only persons missing were President and Sister Kretly (who won't leave Mozambique until July 1st) and Brian Snelson who couldn't attend for health reasons.  L to R:  Darrell and Ann Hobson, Kim Snelson, Sandi ( in my dress that matches the dresses of the sisters in Inhamizua), Larry & Sandy and Richard Tidwell. 

The Hobsons and the Tidwells lived and worked in Maputo and the Snelsons were our neighbors in Beira.  L to R:  Kim, Sandy, Ann and Sandi.   It was so fun to see them again.  We were a good team!

 It was also a great pleasure to see Vernon and Jerry Christopherson (from Provo) who lived and worked with us at the CTM on our first mission to Sao Paulo, Brazil.  We also worked there with the Kretly's.  What memories it brought back.  

Here we are in front of our house again, back were we started.  We have unpacked (mostly), reported to the Stake President to be released, reported to the High Council and our ward about our mission and are ready for what awaits us next.

Last Things....

We visited the Mascarenha branch last Fast Sunday.  This is Pres. Jorge Mounga.  He has been a good friend to us and a wonderful branch president.

A better picture of the Jil Hou family.  Is is in the Distrito Presidency and they were visiting Mascarenha also.  (they were the family who invidted us to their house for an evening and we had no electircity.)

This was the best.  We had been working with Bingala Charles from the Inhamizua branch to get his mission papers in.  We sent them in October and he asked us the end of Feb about them.  We found out his call was lost at DHL (here in Beira).  It was found and we got it to him ASAP!!!  (L to R)  Dad, President Francisco Xavier, Bingala, Bro. Gole and Bro. Manjala.  We worked with all these men when we were helping this branch every Sunday.  

You can see by the grande smile on quase Elder Charles face that he is really happy.  His call is to Manaus, Brazil and will be reporting in April.  It was so fum to do this.  Dad helped with lots of applications, but the Snelsons delivered the calls because they worked with the youth in institute.  We've been able to do a handful this last few months.

Elder Bruce and Sister Connie Barton visited us in Beira this week.  Dr. Barton is the Area Medical Advisor that we work with in Africa.  They are from Ricksburg and we were so glad to have the chance to meet with them.  With us are Elder and Sister Castro Deus.

Final good-bye to Isabel da Silva.  She is the Presidente de Socidade de Soccorro and has beeen cleaning house for us.  That has been a fun experience.

This is a picture of the Shoprite store where we did most of our shopping.  This view is traveling home from Manga.  Is is also the corner where I was robbed by pick-pockets when Grandma and Missie where here.

TECLADO RECITAL, SUNDAY 8 MAR 2015

Sunday, 8 March, the some of my students had a surprise piano recital for me.

This is the Palmeiras chapel.  We had all just met for a choir practice in preparation for the District conference in 2 weeks.  (Larry got a good picture of my right hand).

back row: (L to R) Simao Matende (he graduated just as I took over), Lordelos Almeida, Artur Francisco, Eurico Brasso and Julio Balane.  seated: Mariamo Chatpdut, me, Elizabeth Cherequejane and Valden.  Valden just started 4 weeks ago and Artur is finishing his lessons.  All these students are playing for their branch meetings and sharing their new-found talents.  It was a wonderful event.

P-Day - Last beach HURRAH!!!

Larry and Elder Hatfield in the shade.

A good old american futeball game...a really fun P-day morning.

Several missionaries keeping Elder and Sister Castro Deus company during the big game.  Elder Stewart had carved out a comfortable seat.

We had a great time, especially when I brought out the Texas sheet cake after the game.  Our beach is so nice and on Monday mornings whenever our elders get together to do this, we have it to ourselves.  Several of the elders are leaving shortly after us.

Just because

This is a picture of what the Elders call the Monkey Cemetery.   It is the main cemetery and is located outside of the Manga area toward Inhamizua.  We visited and did not see even 1 monkey, but the elders assured us plenty live there.  Very interesting to visit.  It appears to have no plan, just find an open spot and build a tomb with whatever can be afforded,  

A zone conference meeting with the elders.  Where Sis Dille?

Couldn't resist this smile.  This little boy is the son of the man who did some sewing for me.  The family has since moved to Nampula to be closer to her family.

LARRY VISITS MAPUTO 15 February 2015

A wonderful picture of all the missionaries from Mozambique-Swaziland (except Sister Castro Deus and I)  Taken at the church building in Matola.

An exciting time to be gathered together.  A visit from Elder Ellis and the creation of the FIRST STAKE  in Mozambique!  This was especially great for Larry because he was present in Argentina as a joven missionary when the first stake was created there.

The bus left Beira at 4 am and arrived at 10 pm in Maputo.  

This was the usual site at any stop for gas.  The local people surround the bus with their wares to sell.  These men have made pilhas (to crush corn and other seeds)

There were 44 elders, Larry and Elder Enos Castro Deus, the district presidency (Gil Huo [red], President Camalezine [yellow] and Freeman Dickie), and Joao Bueno who works in Beira and is the 2nd counselor in the mission presidency.  A bus full of priesthood.  

The return trip started out the same way, but was delayed several hours with a flat tire.  

The breakdown was near a school that was letting out and so the Elders has a fun time with all the children.  This is Elder Castro Deus.

Elder Finau is showing the children magic tricks.

Sonia and I decided that we would be extremely miserable traveling so far on the bus, motion sickness especially.  I knew that I had made the correct decision when Larry sent me a message saying that even he was feeling sick!  Because of the sun, the driver had the shades down so he couldn't see anything,  and was swerving around potholes and truck (Melissa can attest to this)s, besides texting and talking on his phone.  I would have been so sick and  I probably would have had to take the phone away and maybe even his driving privileges!  As you can see by the picture, he was going as fast as the bus would go.

It would have been even more uncomfortable with all these young men because there ARE NO rest stops along the way.   The bus stops alongside the road and everyone finds a bush or tree.  And IF the  service station has a toilet....the bush or tree is infinitely better.  So better for everyone involved that Sonia and I missed this trip.  We were sorry not to be included in the mission picture, but had a nice weekend being companions in Biera.

FINAL ZONE CONFERENCE IN BEIRA

This is our final Zone Conference in Mozambique.  The next one will be several weeks after we leave.  Elder and Sister Ellis (Area Presidency) were visiting for a special mission tour.  They spent 5 days here.  On the  last 2 days we were also visited by Bro and Sister Gibson ( General YM presidency) and Bro and Sis Callister ( General Sunday School presidency).  Larry and I used the mission van and furnished all the transportation needs (driving school bus again) for their stay.

Brother and Sister Gibson visited with a local family ( the Mautima's) from the Baixa branch, that had youth .  Larry was the translator and he did a very good job.

They have been members for several years, being married and baptized several months before we arrived here.

This is the hotel where they stayed. We are taking them to the airport for the trip home.  (L to R) Brother and Sister Gibson, Elder and Sister Ellis, Brother and Sister Callister and us.  It was a nice week for us.  Really fun because Elder Ellis went to Burley High with Larry and they vaguely remembered each other.  Elder Ellis was 1 year behind.

VISIT WITH NAMPULA AND QUELIMANE ELDERS

 This is the back entrance to the hospital in Nampula.  We walked around a little.  It seemed to be about the same as our hospital here in Beira,  maybe a little larger.

 Elder Carvalho and Elder Nhaquene  and us in the front of the Nampula hospital 

 We took them to the restaurant that Pres. Kretly suggested. It was on an upper floor and had a view of the city. It was very nice. We were the first customers of the night.  Mozambique has the Portugal influence and most people eat later in the evening. 

 I am with Elders Khumalu and Silva in front of the clinic in Quelimane.  It was a very nice clinic, we were pleased that they had this place to go to.  We also visited the hospital and I think it was much better than Nampula or Beira.

 There are no chappas in Quelimane.  Taxis or taxi bicycles.  And the road was full of bikes!!!

 View from the roadside.  This is corn.

We hoped that the bus would not fall over before we got around it.  Very typical view.

 We were at table outside as we ordered (this is Nampula) and a heavy rain started so we rushed inside.  Then all the power went off.  Fortunately the restaurant cooked on gas, so we ate by candlelight.  We were their only customers and they closed when we left.  It was a fun meal.  The rain continued for several hours that evening.

 In Quelimane we had no power at the restaurant, but it was not due to a storm.  The elders said that this is a daily occurrence for them.

 We are so impressed with the quality of these Elders.  Those who serve in the remote areas are on their own.  I have always felt bad that we can't get up to their area as see them regularly, but they are solid and very good missionaries.  We were so happy to have this opportunity to visit their areas.  Both sets of Elders (Nampula and Quelimane) live in apartments that are part of the church building.