December 7th through December 13th

Monday after our walk and run up 3 flights of stairs we went over to the Province's home and Sister Province taught us how to make re-fried beans, corn tortillas and corn chips from corn tortillas.  It was a lot of fun and then, of course, we had to eat everything she had made.  It was so delicious. 

Sister Province teaching us how to make real Mexican re-fried beans.

Sister Province teaching us how to make real homemade corn tortillas.

We are almost ready for lunch.

Lunch,  Doctor Bill never gets a free minute.

View of the temple from the roof of the Province's apartment.

We then took a bunch of the missionaries to walk around a huge mall we had found while driving to stake conference yesterday.  It truly was the largest outdoor mall I have ever seen.  The only thing we bought was chocolate and candy.  We then went and saw the James Bond movie.  It was a fun P-day and we all enjoyed the movie.  Especially the popcorn. 

The mall we visited on Monday afternoon.

More of the mall we visited on Monday afternoon.

First stretch limo we have seen here.

Tuesday we were on the morning shift.  It was a busy day with lots of missionaries from the MTC.  We didn't go grocery shopping on Monday, so we went after lunch.  Wednesday we were on the afternoon shift.  But first we had presidency meeting in the morning and then a quick lunch.  There are always fewer temple workers in the evening because the buses don't run past the temple after 6:30 pm.  But we always have lots of patrons, many who come with their ward or stake.  It means that we are always very busy and come home tired, but happy.  Thursday we went with some of the area missionaries to deliver newborn baby kits to a public hospital.  The senior area missionaries have been making these kits for a couple of years now and it is such a wonderful thing.  Many of these mothers are poor and have very little.  To get a new onesie and blanket, booties and hat and a bar of soap was very, very welcomed.  They were very appreciative of the gift.  

This is the group ready to deliver newborn baby kits.  L to R:  Sister Done, Sister Price, Mom, Sister Smith, Sister Wilson, Elder Smith, and Elder Done.

These moms had just delivered their babies and stay only 24 hours.

All the babies had lots of dark hair.

All of these mom's had C-sections.  They stay 3 days.

We got word that our shipment was ready to be picked up and we should get it tomorrow.  I almost got charged with a felony.  We had shipped about 6 white shirts and they were still in their plastic wrapping and then with all the baby clothes that were still on their hangers, they thought we were trying to get new things into the county to sell.  The church had to pay a fine and the churches attorney got everything dismissed and I won't have to spend the next three years here in jail.  Oh happy day.  Friday we were on the morning shift when our shipment arrived.  I explained to the engineer where to put everything and we finished out our shift.  We spent the afternoon putting things away and setting up our new computer and printer. 

Our stuff from the states.

Mom and Sister Price looking at some of the baby things we shipped down with our things.

Saturday we went over and did the training for the morning and midday shifts and then hurried home and had lunch and then went back and did the late shift.  Mom got some of the Christmas decorations that were in our shipment unpacked and set up.  The house looks very festive.  We went to dinner after our shift ended with all of the temple missionaries to a restaurant called Estancia. It is a steak house.  Does this remind anyone of Bolivia? It was very good, but maybe not quite as good as the one in Cochabamba.  Sunday we went to the Monserrat stake conference.  Our recorder, Brother Abadillo is the stake president.  Elder Alsonzo of the Seventy and a member of the area presidency presided.  It was a lovely conference.  Our talks were well received and we felt good about them. 

Monseratt stake conference.

The choir was one of the best I have heard in a long time.

Elder Alonzo is thanking the choir.  President Caffaro and his wife have their backs to the camera and President Abadillo is on the far right.

We then went to lunch at President Abadillo's home.  It was a delicious meal and fun to talk to all the leaders and their wives. We got home at about 4:00pm and Brother Flake and his two Aaronic priesthood sons came over and administered the sacrament to us.  We have been in stake conferences every week since Nov. 1st and have not had the sacrament for many weeks.  It was so nice of them to do that for us.

Lunch at the Abadillo's home.

After lunch: L to R-- Elder and Sister Alonzo, Sister and President Cafarro, Mom and me.