John and Christine's Adventures: July 22nd through July 28th

July 22^nd through July 28^th: Mom went to the mission home and helped with a sister’s luncheon for all of the sister missionaries that live close to Cochabamba. There are more sister missionaries serving here now, but the numbers have not reached the 40% that some missions are seeing.

The Hermana's luncheon.

While mom and some of the other sister temple missionaries helped at the mission home, the poor left alone men went to the movies and saw the Lone Ranger. Are good movies getting harder and harder to find or am I just getting old? Mom and I went back up to the mission home at 6:00pm and explained to the zone leaders the concerts we are going to have next week and we handed out the flyers for the concert. We then went to dinner with the Cardons, Crayks, Crayks, and the Johnsons. The Johnsons took us all to dinner to say good-bye to the Cardons and the other couple that will be leaving soonJ. On Wednesday, we had presidency meeting and as we were leaving, a woman gave Pres. Crayk a letter requesting that he meet and talk to a group of Relief Society sisters who were going to walk to the temple that evening to celebrate the pioneers. They were going to leave their ward building about 7:30pm and arrive about 9:00pm. He said someone would be there and she left. He then handed me the letter and said, “You will be leaving the temple about the time they arrive so you can take care of this.” So after our shift, sure enough, about 50 women arrived dressed in bonnets and aprons.

The Pioneers coming down from the temple.

I took them to the auditorium in the patron housing building and along with their stake president, I welcomed them to the temple and then I talked to them about the pioneers. Before we left to do our shift, mom suggested I find a quote for our preparation meeting about the pioneers. I ended up using it not only for preparation meeting, but for the group of sisters that arrived that evening. Thanks mom for being so inspired.

Half of the Relief Society Sisters dressed as pioneers.

They had made lanterns for the night hike to the temple.

They all seemed happy to be at the temple.

Thursday, Ana and Freddy come for their temple preparation lesson. Friday we had 6 sealings on our shift. We were running around trying to find lost husbands and get everyone to where they needed to be. We lost one husband and he did not make it to the session where his wife-to-be was receiving her endowment. He was already endowed so when the session was over we got them together and in the end things worked out. We had 4 sealers on our shift, I being one of the 4, and each one of us had the opportunity to officiate at least one of the 6 live sealings. I officiated for the lost husband and his bride. They are from La Paz. Both had their parents and other family members in attendance. After our shift they were getting ready to go outside to take pictures. I hurried down to the apartment and got my camera and put on what I thought was my suit coat. It turned out to be my other suit coat. Needless to say, my pants and my coat don’t match in the picture I had taken of me and the couple. Once again I ask, “Am I getting old”? Sister Crayk wants to give me a “fashion citation” for wearing white socks with my suit to the temple. I am not sure I deserve one for that, but I do deserve one for wearing pants and a suit coat that don’t match.

The new Pacheco family and me.

They have some of the same traditions here.

Saturday we helped with the early morning sessions and then went to the market with the Crayks and the Crayks. Pres. Crayk and I had a sausage sandwich from a street vender. Delicious! But when part of my sausage fell onto the pavement and I picked it up and ate it everyone was aghast. I literally ate street food. It’s now Monday and I haven’t died, so I guess I really do have an iron stomach. After our shift we went to a Young Single Adult multi-stake talent and dance festival. Lynn and Diana Crayk and mom and I arrived about 7:00pm and Pres. Crayk had saved us seats on the front row. They were at the head table with Elder Cabrera and the stake presidents. They all had arrived about 5:00pm. The dances were great, but some of the talent left a little to be desired. We had had enough by 8:30pm and were able to make excuses and leave. Elder Cabrera was not so lucky and he and his wife had to stick it out until 10:00pm.

The crowd at the dance festival.

Check out this video of all the people at the dance festival. This is a link.

One of the stake young adult groups.

One of the young adult groups dancing.

One of the stake young adult groups.

One of the groups dancing.
This is a link.

One of the stake young adult groups.

One of the stake young adult groups dancing.

One of the stake young adult groups.

Another YA group dancing.
This is a link.

The sheep and goats.

Lynn and Diana Crayk at the dance festival.

On the way home we stopped for fried chicken. Sunday was a busy day. Zach, one of the BYU students went with Tammy to accompany her as she played her violin in her ward. This was the Cardons last Sunday in Bolivia. President Crayk took Will, one of the BYU students with him to play a special musical number for the ward he and sister Crayk would be speaking in. Mom and I took John, Erin and Ben, the rest of the BYU students with us to the Cobija ward where Fito will be playing his violin for a special musical number. It was a great meeting. Erin and Ben bore their testimonies, John gave a talk on “families can be together forever”, Fito played “Mediation” and John accompanied him. Then mom and I were the concluding speakers. Mom and I were both a little emotional because we realized we only have 3 more Sundays here in Bolivia, but we were able to bear strong testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Getting home from church. Will had been dropped off at our ward after he had played with Pres. Crayk.

We had dinner at the Crayk’s home with the Cardons, the other Crayks, who prepared all the food, and the Johnsons. This was another good-bye dinner for the Cardons and the other couple leaving soon. Good food and good company.

Sunday lunch at the Crayk's home. L to R. Bob and Tamera Cardon, Bill and Linda Johnson, Lee and Connie Crayk, Diana and Lynn Crayk, and mom.

Then in the evening, the BYU students, Fito, and Silvia, one of the other teachers at the foundation, gave all the temple missionaries a mini-concert to say thanks for letting the BYU students stay in the patron housing building. They are one bunch of talented kids. It was wonderful.