21 - 27 Oct 2013 Shells,Capulanas,PowerOff,MissApp,StreetMkts

As the week began we laid out the shells we had collected at the beach, saving only those that were able to be dried and preserved.  A couple were inhabited by creatures, so we didn't keep them!  The shells were small but pretty. 

We took a long walk Monday afternoon to try to find the Conservatory, a government building where citizens can purchase copies of birth, marriage and death certificates.  We only had some clues, and no real address, so we had to ask people for directions.  We got multiple responses.  We found ourselves going back and forth in a two to three block area, following the directions we were given. Needless to say, we were worn out by the time we got home.  And, of course, we found the Conservatory at the last place we looked!  One does NOT take pictures of government buildings in this country, so you’ll just have to imagine what this two story ordinary-looking building looked like.  It was closed, as we arrived after hours, but we had accomplished what we set out to do, as we needed to inform our family history class on how to obtain country records.  On the way home we found a wonderful fabric store, Casa de Paris, purchased a few things, including yarn to make more crocheted hot-pads. 

Monday evening we and the Hobsons were invited to a “Capulana” party also known as Sister Olander’s birthday party. 

We have mentioned capulana’s before.  They are 2 meters of decorated fabric that can be a wrap-around skirt or used to carry a baby or other carry other things. Such can also be used by men as clothing. I wore a rhino capulana. Mom wore one that she bought that day when we went shopping.

A few times this week the power was out for some long periods of time. In the picture below we are playing Scrabble with the electricity off. We had candles but no matches. We called the Hobsons and got matches. They said that they bought head lamps and batteries for such occasions so they just turned them on and kept working. Sounds like a good investment this next week at Premier when shopping.

The power was off on Wednesday so we could not have the family history class at the church, We walked there without street lights not knowing if power was off there or if we needed to put up a sign that the class was cancelled. We met sister missionaries as we went down the hill who were trying to phone us to tell us not to come. So, we went home to sit in the dark until power came on at 10:30pm.

It is still spring so we enjoy the blossoming trees and other spring flowers.

The Mission Office is on this road.

After Staff Meeting on Tuesday, Sister Kretly gave us a gift intended to be given on the first days of our African arrival, but the Kretly’s were traveling at that time. It included a stuffed material doll representing a Mozambican woman and her baby. Also included were a number of bagged snacks.

Also Dad’s 68^th birthday was on October 24, 2013, for which we had a chicken dinner and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Such cookies were a special treat, because you cannot buy chocolate chips in Mozambique. These chips were purchased for us by the Hobsons in South Africa a few weeks ago.

On Saturday this week we went to a wedding and a baptism at the T-3 branch. As noted before, often people here “marry” without the legal ceremony but must be legally married before they are eligible to be baptized. So, as in this case, a marriage and a baptism happen close in succession. The Mozambique culture celebrates marriages in a very festive way with singing and other joyful sounds. It is a very new experience for us and joyful for all involved.

Here is a picture of the couple who were married and also the baptismal font in which they were baptized.

In the United States this flower is a small indoor plant, but here it flourishes outdoors as a large plant. 

While at T-3 Mom saw a spectacular lizard on a wall and here it is from a distance (Can you see it?).

Coming back from T-3 we saw this valley that reminded us of Carnation, Washington, with all of the gardens and various colors of green.

Here is a close-up of another “shoe store”. There are so many businesses run on the street with no doors and no walls that you would not believe it!! Set-up time is incredible and the presentation is impressive. Here it was with shoes, but the vegetables and fruits are even more beautiful as they are prepared and arranged carefully.

As we traveled to and from the T-3 Branch for the wedding/baptism we saw this car wreck. We did not see it happen, but it must have been very serious.

The branch and district leaders from Maputo and from a number of other outlying branches met in Maputo and by internet connections throughout Mozambique. [We finally have Internet in the Maputo building!] The country is so large that such meetings are necessary to allow the President to stay in close contact with members, missionaries, and branch and district leaders. The job of a mission president is a very unique one that requires a very skilled and inspired leader in order to be able to do the job well. When there are no stakes in the country and the mission is the country, he really is directly responsible for everything having to do with church and mission administration in the whole country.

The meeting was regarding missionary application process for Mozambique youth, temple recommend procedures, and temple preparation. I was able to put together the missionary application PowerPoint presentation and help present that part of the presentation. Of course, all of this was done in Portuguese.

We finished our week at T-3 Branch Sunday where we rode with the Hobsons and Mom was able to give her latest version of her 15-minute talk about family history and plan of salvation relative to temple work for the living and their ancestors. She spoke in Portuguese, and she did a great job. The congregation was very attentive.

One older sister particularly came to Mom after the meeting and thanked her for her talk, and she said that she had gone to the temple in South Africa three times and was so thankful for that experience.

14-20Oct2013 Toys,FHClass,TemplePatron,Beach,GenConf

As we walked down the street one evening we saw the setup for a street soccer game with the goals established with chunks of cement. The young boys were enjoying the soccer game in this newly created venue. We came across another group of boys with their toy creations of soda pop cans. We asked them to pose for pictures which you can see below. We were lucky to get a picture of the toys as the boys were more interested in getting their pictures taken than in having their toys photographed.

On two evenings this week we had lightning and thunder storms. It flashed a lot and sometimes was quite noisy. Friday evening the lightning and thunder were particularly impressive.

This week Sandy welcomed 11 people to the family history class on Wednesday night. Some are repeat attenders, but many were new. This week we talked about interviewing relatives about gathering family history information. We took turns during the presentation explaining the lesson. Next week we are making a PowerPoint to talk about preparing to take their families to the temple. To do so, families here have to complete family group records and be spiritually prepared as well as obtaining passports ($85 each) and prepare for the travel and lodging costs of the trip to Johannesburg (327 miles), South Africa.  Johannesburg is the closest temple, making it a great financial sacrifice for families when the national average annual family income is about $300. Such families may also be assisted by the Temple Patron Fund through the church. One can contribute to that fund through ward donations along with tithing.

We have also learned, as we have prepared for and taught this class, that locating existing public and family records are significant challenges in a country that became  independent only in 1975 and then experienced a civil war that lasted until 1992.

For example, many births in the past have not been recorded because it costs money to do so and parents must come to the government building to register the birth.  We understand that in the most recent years, the recording of births is free which has encouraged this practice. It has even been a challenge to determine where to find a birth record even if it exists. We hope to help them prepare their records so they can be input in the Church’s Family Tree system and be ready to help them when they go to the temple and when they are ready to link other family records for the temple work of their ancestors.

On Saturday, Solomon and Tammy Smith and their 1 year old son, Mark, who we mentioned before,  took us to the beach north of Maputo. The Maputo Bay is very large and when the tide is out there are miles and miles of seashore exposed, and there is where we walked. We saw little crabs and lots of shells and various under-the-sea things. Last Saturday it was 108 degrees, but this Saturday at the beach it was overcast, a little rainy, and about 65 degrees. When the tide is out there are a lot of stranded fishing boats that are parked on the sand as well as a lot of fishing boats that are no longer useable. We thought it was wonderful to be out in the fresh air, feeling the wind in our faces, and being away from all the city noises! 

One of things that the locals do is dig clams/oysters when the tide is out.

Here are some crabs, from the very tiny one in a shell to the larger one hiding in a hole!

The city of Maputo, where we live, is seen here south of the beach.

The beach that overcast windy day reminded us of an Oregon beach. 

Our most exciting find was a flock of flamingos.  

We love getting emails and pictures of and from grandchildren.  Here is a special letter from Taebria hoping we will “come home from that world.”

General Conference, though accessible here live over the Internet, is not available to most members since they do not have Internet access.  So, two weeks later they watch a DVD of conference in Portuguese at church on Saturday for 4 hours and Sunday for 4 hours.  Priesthood and General Women’s Meeting are kept for special Priesthood and R.S. lessons.  Unfortunately the Sunday viewing today had to be delayed until next week because of a power outage. They had a sacrament meeting without electric power instead. Of course, that meant that we were also without power at home today.  Near the end of sacrament meeting, the power was restored.  It rained all day.

Last week Dad was working on a PowerPoint presentation to be given to branch presidents to help them complete the paper work and preparations for young men and women to serve missions. Our mission president is teaching the branch presidents the importance of missionary service for Mozambican youth in their personal life as well as for the future growth and strength of church leadership. Missionaries called from Mozambique can serve in Mozambique, but also have served in the United States, Angola, Brazil, Madagascar, and other countries. Financial challenges also face such youth and their families who are asked to sacrifice to meet mission expenses. They are often also assisted by the General Missionary Fund to which you can donate along with your tithing.

7 - 13 Oct 2013 Turtle,TileByBay,Museum,PrimaryPrgm,Laura

I think our sons, when they think back to their missionary days, will appreciate this little incident this past week.  I made a big dish of rice pudding and decided to share it with the sister missionaries.  So, I texted them to tell them I was bringing something down to them.  I realized, however, that I hadn’t texted the sisters.  I had texted the Elders in Manga!  Elder Biddulph texted back quickly, “Sounds great!  When and where?”  Manga is 720 miles north (comparative to Provo to Los Angeles), along the coast, from Maputo. I had to write back and say “Sorry elders.  I meant to send this to the sisters.  I, of course, would bring you a treat if I were closer!  :)  They understood, but if and when I am closer to these elders, I’ll have to make them a treat for sure!

We had one repeat appearance at our family history class on Wednesday and 4 new people!  We reviewed Family Group Sheets and then taught about Pedigree Charts.  Here is a picture of our class (left to right): Benjamin Esterão Gabriel, Daniel Fernando Nunes, Elder Tidwell, Armando Pedro Chicuele, Brother Eduardo Ernesto Machoie, Adelina Mendes Safrão Mutampua, Sister Tidwell.

Armando joined the Church in 2002 and is an English teacher.  He gave a beautiful prayer to begin our class.  He feels that his mission in life is to teach English and introduce people to the Church.  Daniel & Benjamin are his students.  Elder Tidwell helped Armando fill out his Family Group Sheet and Pedigree Chart, as Armando’s eye sight is failing and his right hand was hurt in an accident and he can’t write in such small spaces.  My talk in Maputo 1 branch has been postponed until October 27.

Frangipani Tree & blossoms:

 

Another beautiful sunset:

Thursday while we were at the office, Naldo, the housekeeper, told us that there was a turtle at the kitchen door! Sure enough there he was. Here is a picture of him. A short time later I looked out the door and he was nowhere to be seen. He had slowly, but surely, crawled away.

The other morning during our morning walk on the roof of our building, we saw a ship slowly making its way to the open water. It was not moving very fast, but in a few minutes the ship was almost out of the bay and another ship was coming in.

This week we have continued to work on projects for the mission.  Just as the turtle and the ships, when we slowly but surely move toward our goals we accomplish them:  “…by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.” (Alma  37:6)

These tile pictures span almost the entire length of the road by the shore of Maputo Bay.

These are the wall hangings we purchased from a street vendor.

On Saturday we enjoyed the many exhibits at the Natural History Museum.  This year marks the 100^th anniversary of it’s dedication.

We saw this museum’s unique collection of the complete gestation of an elephant – all 20 months of it! 

Here is what the little guy looks like at the 6 month point.

The museum has a huge group of animals in the middle of the main floor. 

The Common Eland is the second largest antelope in the world.

Today, Oct 13, at Church was the Primary Sacrament Meeting Presentation on “I am a Child of God.”    Here are pictures of the two groups, one has more than 40 children and the other one has half that many. 

The children love to sing and their words and enthusiasm brought the spirit.  I noticed a set of twins in the Maputo 1 branch and got to get their picture.  Their names are Jejun and Marisa.

Also, today, there were 5 confirmations, 3 in one branch and 2 in another, the couple we talked to a couple of weeks ago, Laura and Gimo Mabaea.

Laura & Gimo and children Angelina and Antonia (asleep).  How exciting for them to begin this new adventure as members of the Church.