November 24, 2013

This week could be titled “Patience in Suffering”.  I did not feel well enough to go to the office even one day this week.  Every day I would think, tomorrow I will go for at least part of the day.  But the next day would come and I wouldn’t feel up to it.

Mike took good care of me and brought me some medicine and other items I requested so I could make a couple of different soups.  Fortunately we had a few leftovers around so he didn’t completely starve.  One way I could tell that I was quite sick was that I had absolutely no appetite.  I can usually eat my way through most any illness without batting an eye.  But, I had to force myself to eat this week.

I made a big mistake on Tuesday by thinking I should be at the airport to meet the Elder and Sister Markham when they arrived.  I bundled up good and rested what I could, but I believe it set me back a day or two.  Finally on Thursday Mike had Fatima at our office make an appointment for me at a clinic nearby.  The doctor said I had a bacterial infection in my right lung and my throat and that I was running a fever.  I hadn’t felt that I had had a fever, as I was chilling so much of the time.

So, now I am on the mend, but it is still going a little slower than I would wish.

Last night, Saturday, our ward was having a “surprise” farewell party for us.  They told Mike not to tell me, but I probably wouldn’t have gone if I thought it was just a normal ward activity just because of the way I have felt.  It was a lovely party.  The bishop, the Stake President and Mike all spoke and I would have been on the spot, too, except that talking makes me cough.  So I made a few very brief comments.  The Primary sang and our four Elders sang “Ye Elders of Israel” and it was just beautiful.  They presented us with a couple of small gifts and a painting of me done by Theresa Castro, a sweet lady of my age.  We then had a lovely banquet.  The ladies of our Caparica ward really can put on a good spread.  It was a lovely evening and I managed to feel fairly well.

But, sad to say, I didn’t have a good night—lots of coughing, a very dry throat, not much sleep and Mike said I should stay in again today.    I am so ready to appreciate good health again.

Part of the ward group.

Some of the main dishes.

Lots of yummy desserts.

With Theresa Castro who painted a picture of me.

November 17, 2013

I gave the inspirational thought at our devotional on Monday morning.  It was a short story from the Ensign about a couple returning from a mission to Hawaii.  On the flight home since the husband was a large man and there was an empty seat in first class, they paid extra for him to have a more comfortable seat in that area.  About midway through the flight the wife wanted to talk to him for a minute, but the stewardess said that she wasn’t allowed in the first class area.  She compared her experience to how  it will be for those in the Telestial and Terrestrial  Kingdoms who will not be allowed to visit the Celestial Kingdom.  We all need to strive to qualify for the Celestial Kingdom so we will not be separated from those we love the most.

11-12-13—Now that was an interesting date!

On Wednesday we did apartment checks in Monte de Caparica and Costa de Caparica.  The Elders had all done very well with the care of their apartments.  We did find one set of Elders lacking a few essential items, including warm blankets for their beds, so we followed up to make sure that they would have some soon.  We spent the afternoon in the office and then made a visit with Elder Taylor and Elder Baker in the evening in Caparica.

On Thursday I finished my texts to all of the participants for this month.  I worked extra hard to finish them early so I will have time to help the Markhams when they arrive next week. 

On Friday we had two more apartment checks to do in the Almada-Miratejo area.  The Sisters’ apartment was very clean and orderly.  The Elders’ apartment was not quite up to par, but apparently they have been working hard to overcome some of the conditions left by the former Elders.  Some young people have not been trained quite so well as others in how to clean up after themselves.  Note to mothers of future missionaries:  Have you taught your sons that cleanliness is next to Godliness?  It’s never too late to start.

On Saturday we went to the mission office in Lisbon to discuss our plans for meeting the Markhams at the airport and see that they have a car, phones and a key to their apartment.  We did a test run to make sure we knew where to go at the airport and then had lunch at Pasteis de Belem and did a small amount of shopping.  I was beginning to feel poorly.

By evening I had a terrible headache, a bad cough and chills.  No church for me on Sunday.  I was one miserable lady!  (This is why I am a week late posting this letter.  My head hurt way too much to even consider writing a letter.)  Actually I had agreed to speak at 10-year-old Raquel’s baptism on Sunday and had prepared a talk, but Elder Henry had to give it for me.

November 10, 2013

With the beginning of a new month, we were busy making lots of contacts this week.  I was a little frustrated for a day a half because my program on the computer for making text message contacts would not function.  But, it finally started working again and I was able to accomplish quite a bit.  Mike has still been doing interviews in Spanish and Portuguese so he has been on the phone a lot.

We have also been emailing back and forth with Elder and Sister Markham, who will arrive on the 19^th of this month.  They have had lots of questions and seem to be grateful to have someone to respond.  We are planning to pick them up at the airport and get them to their apartment.  Yesterday we made a trial run to the airport to make sure that we know where to go.  We also stopped by the American store in Lisbon and tried to find a Chilis Restaurant there, but it is no longer in operation.  We did find a place called Paderia Portuguesa and had a nice lunch there.  I didn’t have my camera with me, so I was unable to get a picture.  It was a busy, but fun place.  On the way we dropped our old microwave( in which I had started a fire) at the depository at the Almada Mall.  We also had photos made for the recent converts in our ward.  They seemed happy to receive them today.

After our meetings today we had another baptism.  Rafael Andrade, a 10-year-old boy whose father is an inactive member, was baptized.  His father and aunt were there and we are hoping it will lead the father back to activity in the church.  Our stake president knows the father from a few years back.

This week we will be doing at least two apartment checks and visiting an inactive in Caparica with the young Elders.  This is a man that we tried to see three different times in the past.

Elder Taylor, one of our newly-arrived Elders, plays the piano.  He is a little out of practice, but did pretty well on some of the hymns today.  This will be a great opportunity for him to fine-tune his skills.  We need him badly in our little ward.  He also gave a wonderful talk—having been asked on the spur of the moment to fill in during Sacrament Meeting.  He is from Utah, his mother is from Brazil, and he spoke great Portuguese.   His talk stressed the importance of serving the Lord.

Grandma Naomi Henry had a frightening experience last Monday.  She was making her daily walk around the mobile home park where she lives and was confronted by two Pit Bulls.  One jumped up on her and fortunately she had a cane and beat him off with it.  She felt very lucky that she had her cane and they weren’t able to take her down.  She is pretty feisty for a 93-year-old woman.

Tomorrow I have the spiritual thought for our devotional at the office.  I am going to share a story about a couple who were returning from their mission to Hawaii.  Her husband was a large man and the normal seats were very uncomfortable for him.  They were able to find one empty seat in first class and paid extra for him to sit there.  Midway through the flight his wife wanted to speak with him, but was told she could not enter the first-class area.  This caused her to reflect on how it will be in the three degrees of glory.  Those in the lesser kingdoms cannot visit the higher kingdoms, just like this lady who was sitting in economy could not visit her husband in first class.  Christ will minister to the Terrestrial and ministering angels will minister to the Telestial.     WORKING HARD TO QUALIFY FOR CELESTIAL!

Rafael Andrade (10 years) with Aunt and Father and Elder Barnhart

Deleinia and Max (our neighbor who walks in the park with us).

Part of a large cement factory.

November 3, 2013

We finished up our contacts this week for the month of October and started on a new month by the end of the week.  It’s amazing how quickly the time passes.  Elder Henry has been extremely busy doing new-loan interviews with students in Cape Verde and Spain.

President and Sister Fluckinger invited us to a luncheon on Wednesday to say good-bye to Elder and Sister Johnson.  They returned home to Idaho Falls on Thursday.  Their mission was completed on the 23^rd and then they spent about a week touring Spain, including a session in the temple and visits to several different cities.  Elder and Sister Markham, who will join us soon, now have their visas after waiting for months to serve in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  We are happy that they should arrive around the 18^th of this month.

We took advantage of our Preparation Day and nice weather yesterday and had a nice day trip to see a few new areas of Portugal.   We were especially interested in going to Tomar and Fatima.  On the way we drove through some very beautiful areas.  We were able to visit the Convento de Cristo in Tomar and the Basilica and the Church of the Holy Trinity in Fatima.  It is believed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to three children in this area on May 13, 1917.  Many people make pilgrimages from long distances to visit this site every year.  On the 50^th anniversary about 1.5 million people, including the Pope, came to visit this site.  There is a huge area around and in between these two large edifices and many stones laid in the area to create an assembly ground which is quite impressive.  A fountain in the middle provides holy water for the pilgrims to take home.

Today the three people who were baptized last week were confirmed and it looks like we may have a baptism next week of a 10-year-old .  Mary Lemos, who has been inactive for 7 years, has been coming the last few weeks.  She had moved here from another area and didn’t know where the church was until the Elders knocked on her door.  She seems very happy to be back at church.

“Be obedient to the prophetic teachings Christ would have you follow.  Don’t rationalize away future happiness by taking shortcuts instead of applying sound gospel principles.  Remember:  little things lead to big things.  Seemingly insignificant indiscretions or neglect can lead to big problems.  More importantly, simple, consistent, good habits lead to a life full of bountiful blessings.”  Richard G. Scott

We send our love to all!  THE GOSPEL IS TRUE!

Farewell luncheon for the Johnsons--Yummy quiche and salad!

Outside the Convento de Cristo in Tomar

Convento de Cristo-Tomar

The Basilica in Fatima with assembly area in the foreground.