From Portugal With Love: July 21, 2013

It has been a wonderful week in the mission field. We made lots of contacts early in the week. On Friday we had a farewell luncheon for the two co-workers who are leaving for other positions this coming week. We enjoyed a very nice meal and visiting with Olinda Silva and Luis Silva (not a married couple) who have new assignments with the Church in Germany. They both have families who will be going with them, although Olinda’s husband currently works in Angola and only comes home a couple of times a year. He is here now to help with the move. They are excited about the new experiences they will have, but it is also difficult because Olinda is leaving behind a daughter and son-in-law and Luis has elderly parents who live here and also 2 children in college who are staying behind. I think that they all plan on returning at some point in the future. Olinda is actually renting out her very nice apartment to the mission and will have two sets of Sister missionaries living there.

We were asked by Elder Joaquim Moreira, the new Area Seventy from our area, to help out at a Mini MTC which was held this weekend in Setubal. So, after our luncheon on Friday, we came home, finished packing, and headed for our hotel in Setubal. Our assignment was basically to look after about 40 young potential missionaries (about half a dozen who have their calls) who were also staying at the same hotel with us. We were to see that they were all settled in for the night on Friday and Saturday and that they were not causing any undue noise, etc. On Friday night there were several very late arrivals, so Elder Henry waited in the lobby downstairs until 1:30 AM. We always enjoy being around the youth, so we enjoyed the weekend. We only attended one of their meetings, which was the Sacrament Meeting held today before they returned to their homes. We were asked to sit on the stand and then called on to bear our testimonies during the meeting.

On Saturday we were able to visit castles in Setubal and Palmela and just enjoy a relaxing day together. We also had a wonderful salmon lunch to celebrate my obtaining the very young age of 71 years. Thank you to all who sent birthday wishes. It’s great to have more time to make a difference in the world.

These were our handprints, signatures and words describing friends for Olinda and Luis. Personally I don't know what they are going to do with such large items or how they will get them to Germany since the truck with their belongings has already left.