Sunday, October 21, 2012

We focused this week on making lots of “High-Priority” voice contacts, which is one of the things that we have been asked to do in our calling.  We still have more to do this week.  It will help that we have our new couple in Spain and since we have such a large group of participants there, Paco has asked his wife to help out starting tomorrow.  Mike has to do the large majority of our contacting because many are in Spanish and the Portuguese here is still a little difficult for me to understand.  I do okay when I am speaking to someone in person, but it is more difficult on the phone.  I have been working hard trying to get our records updated because we have had many incorrect addresses and phone numbers.  All of our students have moved here from another country except for some in Spain and those in Cape Verde.  But now I am finding that some are moving countries in Europe, so I have to be on the alert for those moves.

On Tuesday we had an appointment to get our Visas renewed.  Our initial visas were only travelers’ visas and were good for 120 days.  With our renewal, we are considered temporary residents and are good for the next year.  We will have to renew again for our final two months.  We were fortunate to have the mission Elders to help us with the paperwork and Elder James drove us to the renewal location and knew just what to do.  It only took about half an hour.  We love those young Elders and Sisters.

On Friday we had another video conference with the leaders in SLC and many groups from around the world who were available to meet in that time frame.  The new head of PEF is Robert Gay, who spoke at the last General Conference two weeks ago.  There is a whole new focus with PEF and in the coming year many changes will occur.  Standards have been raised in order for students to receive help.  They need to be returned missionaries, temple worthy, actively serving in a Church calling and also have a great desire to better themselves.  The focus will no longer be on the loan itself, but on building “Self Reliance” in the participants and to help them become contributors in society and in the Church.  The Employment Resources and Perpetual Education will combine and the Seminary and Institute people , who currently have had a big part in training about the program and starting the process, will have much less responsibility with the PEF.  The First Presidency is very concerned about our people learning “self reliance.”  They are forming a new department that will report directly to them that will separate the current Welfare department into two departments.  PEF and Employment Resources will be split off of that department and form the “Self Reliance Department.” There are many ideas that need to be implemented, but we like what we have heard so far.  There will also be more of a focus on vocational learning and less on a 4-year university education.  The idea is to help these people, in a short period of time, get training or mentoring which will get them into the work force and into the jobs that are available.  There will also be service opportunities to work off some of their loan costs.  We are excited about this because we have seen students with big loan debts and unable to get jobs because they trained in areas not currently in demand.

We had our first big rain of the season and it has turned a little cooler, but still quite pleasant.   We haven’t had to get out our comforters yet.  We have noticed that it is taking longer for our clothes to dry, however.  This could be a problem once it gets colder and damper. 

Two Cuties from Miratejo.

An investigator and her cute son.  (I gave him a sucker.)

There are lots of darling children in Portugal.

We love the gospel of Jesus Christ and we are enjoying our chance to serve here in Portugal.  We miss our friends and family and we love you all very much.  Have a great week!

YM President & RS President from Costa de Caparica.  They are engaged .