14 - 20 Jul 2014 Mery,Baking,TransferBoard,Packages,RenewDocs

We started the week off with a regular morning of shopping.  We are so blessed to have wonderful grocery stores which stock almost everything you’d ever want to purchase.  We usually begin at Shop Rite and then finish off with Premier.  There are a few girls who work in the produce department who are so friendly and we exchange abraços (hugs).  

I explained to Mery about how we lived with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ before this life and how we progress in this life to be able to return and live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again after this life.  She believes in God and Jesus Christ.  She asked me if our church has set prayers and I explained only for covenants do we have set prayers.  I explained how we began our prayers by addressing God - “Father in Heaven” – how we next thank Him for our blessings (these things are not set – they come from our heart).  Then we ask God for specific things (these also come from our heart) and then we close “In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.” Elder Tidwell was near-by to help me, but for the most part I explained this in Portuguese.  I love being able to explain gospel principles and hope that what I say helps others to understand the love that Heavenly Father has for them.

Monday afternoon Yara and I baked brownies and cinnamon rolls.  I accidentally had both the bake and the broil functions on our counter-top oven selected, so we actually had brown cinnamon rolls!  Maybe that’s what we need to do to make our oven brown things!?  Yara recounted the inspiring conversion story of her and her sister, Lumiana.  We had thought all along that they were long-time members of the Church.  No, they were baptized the morning of the day we arrived last year!  Yara and Lumiana were the first young women who welcomed us to the branch! 

Monday 8 missionaries returned to their homes.  Transfers were announced to the missionaries.  There were many many changes, and many missionaries were preparing to travel to different cities in the mission.  Among them are Sister Harrison and Sister Woodman who are going to Swaziland!

Tuesday was staff meeting and I gave the spiritual thought.

At this time of transfers, with changes and additions to companionships, it is good to remember this statement by Elder Dallin H. Oaks (”The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood” Ensign, May 2014) “There is no ‘up or down’ in the service of the Lord.  There is only ‘forward or backward.’”   Too often, however, we succumb to “our culture’s obsession,” as Elder Holland calls it, “with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are ‘enough.’” (“The Tongue of Angels” Ensign, May 2007) “The practice of comparing ourselves to others …  causes us to feel that we aren’t good enough and that in order to be acceptable we have to achieve more, acquire more, or in other ways appear to be “better” than others. It occurs when we do not value ourselves sufficiently as children of God and consequently feel we have to prove our worth by ‘doing’ or ‘having.’” (Pam Wilson Vandenaker, “Stripped of Envy, Mar 1999) 

President Gordon B. Hinckley has counseled …  “Rise to the great potential within you. I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity. I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure. I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass.” (Quoted by Ellen W. Smoot, “Steadfast and Immovable, Ensign, Nov 2001)

Each of us have our responsibilities, each our talents, each our perspectives, and everyone working together, serving together, sharing what we know with each other, we grow together in love and devotion to our Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ. When we comparer (compare) and competir (compete) we may feel  insuficiente (insufficient) and ineficaz (inefficient).  On the other hand, if we compartilhar (share) and servir (serve) we will be able to comprender (understand) and have compaixão (compassion).

Joseph B. Wirthin explained:  “The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world.  Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony.  All of Heavenly Father’s children are different in some degree, yet each has his own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole.”  (Joseph B. Wirthlin “Concern for the One” Ensign May 2008, 17-20)

Paul sums it up as follows in 2 Timothy:  “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:8)

May we treasure our differences, our talents, our perspectives, and move forward, sharing, serving and working together in love to understand each other and have compassion one for another as we further this marvelous work.

I remember also the thought that Bishop Orton shared with me.  Never compare yourself with others, he said.  If you do you will feel either pride or envy – neither will help you.

We are so lucky to be able to have a “picnic lunch” almost every day we are at the office!  The weather lately has been just right!

The secretaries almost forgot to take us home on Tuesday!  They’d already locked up the mission office and were headed to the car when they thought, “Hey, wait a minute…how about the Tidwells?!”  Maybe we should make more noise while we are working upstairs in our office!  We’re glad they remembered!  It would have been a long walk home!

Wednesday morning we got dropped off at the President’s house and updated his transfer board.  The left-hand side of the board has a card for all Mozambique and Swaziland missionaries who are currently serving or have been called to serve a mission.  The Presidents wants to have as many serving from these countries as serving in these countries.  We are currently at 57 serving and 4 waiting for calls.

We walked to the Mission Office when we had completed the board - the weather was perfect!!  You never know what unique sight you will see.

The bougainvillea are in bloom, as they are most of the year. I remember last year, when we arrived in Maputo, the beautiful rainbow of colors.  As we near our one-year anniversary here in Maputo, the bougainvillea are impressive again!  In the mission office garden, the blooms on the cactus are more formed and vibrant.

Baptisms for the month of July are up to 40 already.  So, I have been working on fichas and Elder Tidwell has been activating temple recommends.

Even though postage for packages is very expensive, parents continue to send "care" packages to their missionaries.  The missionaries pay the custom fees and fees to ship the box to their area, but if the elder is in an independent branch, most likely they will have to wait until they are transferred closer to Maputo, or hope that the President will be able to transport their package when he travels the next time to their area.  The mission office is the temporary storage place for the packages, such as this huge package received this week. 

On Friday we went to immigration to renew our documents so we can stay in Mozambique.  Tualufo knows exactly what lines to stand in and, because he has connections with the people there (since he comes so often), the process doesn’t take very long.  However, the process is expensive.   We are aware now how very expensive it is to operate a mission.  Last year, 20 new missionaries arrived within a week of each other.  (We remember 16 of them well, because President and Sister Kretly were in Beira and Elder Tidwell and I were asked to plan, purchase and fix dinners for 16 missionaries and we had just barely arrived ourselves!)  It will be extremely expensive to renew documents for these missionaries.  We see how much the Church is willing to put into the missionary program just in this one country; multiply it by many nations and it shows how very serious we are in helping to bring people to a knowledge of their Savior, Jesus Christ, and the saving ordinances of the gospel.

I’ve had some time to do some Family History research on descendant lines of the RENAUD family.  It has been very productive!  While looking for one of my great aunt and uncle’s family, I came upon another family with the RENAUD surname.  In one year, three of their children were christened.  Usually the Catholic faith christens their children when they are infants.  These children, however, were christened at ages 2, 4, 6.  Then 5 years later, in the records of the same parish, I found the burial records of these same children, now ages 7, 9, 11, and another son of the same family.  They had all died of diphtheria!  I am anxious to substantiate the births and marriage of the parents so I can send their names into the temple for ordinances. 

The direct line RENAUD family also is ready to be sent in.  If you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can obtain FREE access to Ancestry.com, Find My Past, and My Heritage!  I haven’t used Find My Past or My Heritage, but "Ancestry.com is the world's largest online family history resource. It is home to 13 billion global historical records, millions of family trees from around the world, and a whole lot more."  Happy researching!

On Saturday we went on a morning adventure with the Hobsons to the Central Market.  

We’d been there before to look at all the fruits, vegetables, spices, and fish, but I hadn’t been to the shops in the back of the huge indoor structure.  The atmosphere in these shops is more low-key than the art-mart with their high-pressured sales/artisans.  Sister Hobson and I enjoyed looking and both ended up buying a few small things.

We had lunch at Café Sol.  When we finish our lunch there, the waiters always bring us doughnuts. This has happened every since Elder Hobson gave the owner a package of doughnut mix from Nelspruit!  When we were there Saturday, the chef came out and wanted to know how we liked the doughnuts.  They are trying to improve their products and we complemented him on today's doughnuts, especially the one with icing on it.  We explained that the type of doughnuts that they serve are called "cake" doughnuts in America, and there is another lighter doughnut, called a "raised" doughnut that many Americans love.

Saturday we attended the afternoon meeting with the visiting Area Seventy, Elder Khumbulani, from South Africa and his wife.  Elder Khumbulani has been a member for about 20 years and was recently called, April 2014, to be an Area Seventy.  He said he is anxious for our country to have  a stake so that: (1) we can have a Patriarch and obtain specific individual blessings, and (2) so that the Stake President, who will be given special Priesthood keys, will be able to unlock spiritual power and blessings for the people of Mozambique.

Tualufo, the Mission executive secretary is pictured here with his cute family:

After church on Sunday, we did some scanning of pictures and documents for a brother in Maputo 2.  In a community newspaper, about a month ago, there was an article on the Necrology (obituary) page of the Noticias (newspaper) honoring his parents.  It was nice to see another kind of record which may be available for those searching for their ancestry.

7 - 13 Jul 2014 Curtains,Necklace,Vasco,OfficeBananas,Cards,Salvado

This week we have had cooler weather – in the 60’s.  I was glad I had a sweater to wear.  Elder Tidwell wore his knitted vest and wind-breaker.  On Tuesday, 3 new missionaries from the United States arrived and we had to go to G.A.M.E. to purchase them each a blanket to use while they stayed at the Mission Office!  The store had a colorful display of national flag for the countries which are participating in the World Cup games.

One morning it was in the 40’s!!!  One day this week we actually had some rain – we haven’t had rain for weeks!!!

When new missionaries arrive, there is always a lot of work for Tualufo to do with documents, and APs (Elders Santos and Cummings) and the Office Elders (Elders Poyfair and Douglas) to help with training, and arranging food, lodging and transportation to their proselyting areas.

This week I finished hemming the last of the curtains for the sisters’ upstairs apartment. The Kretly’s returned from being in Beira for the Beria Zone Conference bearing gifts.  They brought gifts - each of the senior sister missionaries received a beautiful silver pendant of Mozambique and Swaziland.  We are anxious to purchase a chain so we can wear them.

Also, they brought the wood figures that we had asked Sister Dille to order for us from a wood artisan, Vasco (Elder Francisco's uncle) in Beira.  They are a Noah’s Ark set and a Nativity.

It was announced that in 3 months from now (October 21-24) all of the senior couples will be having a Couples Conference in Swaziland.  Activities will include visiting a botanical garden; going to a cultural show and craft market/silver smith, traveling to Hlane Royal National Park, and going on an early morning safari before traveling back to Maputo.  By then, 2 more couples will be part of our mission, so there will be 7 couples attending.

I finally took some time to wash the shells I’d gathered during our walks on the beach in Maxixe.  One of the shells, apparently, had a little crab in it that had since died.  It really grossed me out to clean it out of the shell – its body was so long and ugly. 

We love getting letters from our kids either via the mail (yes, we do receive mail here) or via email.  I have come to the conclusion that one of the reasons why senior couples go on a mission is so that we will step back and watch the miracles take place in the lives of our children and grandchildren.  We are so proud of all of our children and the families they are raising. 

The bananas from the tree in the mission office garden were harvested by the guard about a week ago, covered for ripening, and on Friday we got to taste them! 

They are short, plump bananas and so sweet!  Thanks you, Abras for planting and caring for this young tree!

As we wait for our ride in the morning, we frequently see women who are picking up garbage on the streets.

On Friday morning, the couples had access to the transfers.  They will be announced to the missionaries on Monday, but we can begin to get the transfer cards ready for the President.  It’s my favorite card game!

Eight missionaries will be returning home.  One of them is one of the first missionaries we met when we attended T-3 branch with the Hobsons one of those first weeks we were in Mozambique.  He was so friendly and welcoming.  Each of these young men have served faithfully.  I listened, from upstairs, a group of missionaries singing "Aonde Mandares Irei" ("I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go") for the opening hymn of their meeting.  Knowing that some of them will be called to go to other areas of the mission and some even to Swaziland, a different country, I had mixed feelings of sadness and excitement for them.  In another couple of weeks, we will have been here for a year!  Impossible that the time has gone by so fast!  The next 6 months will go fast, too, I know, as we are very busy every week.  I can’t imagine leaving and coming home.  For the closing song, I listened to them sing "Deus vos Guarde" ("God Be With You").

On Friday evening we taught the last class to the Salvado couple from Magoanine who are training to be Family History consultants.  Due to the trouble we continue to have with the Internet, their training has taken almost 2 months!  They have been willing to sacrifice long crowded trips in chapas from Magoanine, which takes about an hour plus.  Assaina has come with her baby Helena and 4 year-old son Mileno from Magoanine to join the Dad, who works in Maputo.  I wonder, would I have been willing to sacrifice to learn if I were in their place?  They are an example of perseverance and faithfulness to me.

Saturday we had our own version of “super Saturday” – cleaning the apartment; cleaning and organizing drawers; washing, drying and folding clothes; making brownies (for Yara to sell); finishing the transfer cards; ironing; making lists for the President.

After Church on Sunday many of the missionaries, who will be returning home on Monday, were at the Maputo 2 chapel. What a privilege it has been to meet and get to know them.  Hopefully our paths will cross again!

30 Jun - 6 Jul 2014 ZoneConf,MinhaFamiliaCert,July4,150Baptisms

Monday turned out totally different than we had planned, but everything that needed to be done fell right into place in the end.  We were on our way to shopping with the Hobsons and just barely out of the parking garage, going down the street and turning into the busy toward town traffic when BAM!  Out of nowhere, a chapa rammed into the right back bumper of the truck! 

Tualufo arrived (he devoted his whole day) and accompanied Elder Hobson and Elder Tidwell to the police station, to the hospital (to see that 3 of the people in the chapa who were injured in the accident were cared for), to the “judge”, back to the police station to make the final settlements, then to the insurance place to assess the car damage.

While Elder Tidwell was out and about, I kept busy by training Elder and Sister McEwen about FamilySearch, formatting stories Elder Tidwell had written for his Minha Familia booklet, decorating cupcakes for the elders and sisters who have had birthdays since last Zone Conference, and making final preparation for the 5 elders (Elder Rakotonarivo and Elder Frischknecht from Swaziland and Elders DaSilva, Jarvis and Kanaga from Maxixe) who would be staying with us. 

Although we didn’t necessarily need to go shopping for us on Monday, we did need to do the final shopping for the “break” food for Zone Conference.  So, after finding out the office elders’ schedule, Elder Tidwell and I decided that we could save a little time by walking to Premier (about a ½ hour walk).  The traffic is horrible beginning at 3:30 p.m., so we figured that we made it quicker than if we had been in a car!  We quickly gathered the things we needed and then saw the office elders, checked out and loaded up the truck.  Off we went to the airport to pick up the Chimoio elders, took them to the Mission Office, and about 6 p.m. left to travel to the chapel where Elder Tidwell and I were to teach a Family History class about FamilySearch.   As we were leaving we got a text and the person we were going to teach canceled – so all turned out fine! That evening we joined President and Sister Kretly, the McEwens, and the Hobsons for dinner at a nice restaurant. 

In addition to the McEwens, all 20 missionaries from Swaziland came via big vans to Maputo for Tuesday's Zone Conference – 74 were expected to attend.  The APs accomplished a major feat to get coordinate getting everyone here, make sure a Mozambique missionary is paired with Swaziland missionary for divisions on Monday evening, and find places for everyone to sleep Monday and Tuesday nights.

Thanks to Hobsons we arrived in Matola early for Zone Conference on Tuesday morning to arrange the “break” food on a table in the back of the chapel.  We also readied the tables for the catered lunch. Bananas were delivered by a woman who had carried the heavy bag, containing 150 plus bananas, on her head.

The Conference began at 9:30 with a group photo.  What an amazing group!  I remember the first Zone Conference we attended we hardly knew anyone.  Now I can look and I know almost everyone!

The mission purpose, numbers and goals were reviewed. New missionary teaching standards, as announced in the June 2014 Mission President Seminar, entitled “Begin with the End in Mind” from Elder Russell M. Nelson (Chairman of the Missionary Executive Council), were announced.  “Missionary work should begin and end with our minds focused on the blessings of the holy Temple.  We join this Church to make and  keep covenants that qualify us for eternal life.  We join this Church so that our families can be together forever. … We want multi-generational families of faith.” Elder Nelson explained.  “God wants His children to return to Him, converted, endowed and sealed as families!” For more information on these teaching standards see lds.org.

The morning break:  before and after!

President and Sister Kretly both taught the elders and sisters to develop not only into extraordinary missionaries, but extraordinary individuals with eternal life skills and values.  Sister Kretly reminded the missionaries that cleanliness in apartments and houses is expected.  As admonished in Philemon 1:20, we should each be willing to do more than our share of the work.

A mission gives you the opportunity to become a new pro-active person (see D&C 58:26 and Alma 18:10).  What will you do today to be what you want to be tomorrow?  Will you dream, or transform your dreams into reality?  Will you ignore the needs around you, or will you contribute to their solutions.  Will you fade away in a crowd, or will you find a purpose and pursue it?  Will you isolate yourself from others, or will you create connections?  Will you admit defeat, or will you prepare yourself for victory?  Will the mission change your life for the better, or will you return home and go back to the way you were before?

Lunch was delivered and Sister Kretly helped me put the food boxes on each place.

During lunch we also celebrated missionary birthdays since last Zone Conference and the 2-year mark for President and Sister Kretly.  

Conference continued after lunch.  An extraordinary missionary uses his completed Minha Familia booklet to invite others to learn more about the plan of salvation.  50, out of a possible 74, brought their Minha Familia booklets and received a Thank You "Obrigado" certificate at the afternoon break.

Five missionaries attending this Zone conference will be going home next transfer.  In their testimonies, they challenged the other missionaries to make their time count.  Challenges are to fortify us; the Lord is always with us!  I love the people; I am converted to the Lord and His service.  Jesus was a friend to all.  When there was no one else to comfort me, He was there.  Those who shook my hand, you are part of me.  Thank you.

We had a record number of baptisms in June – over 150!  It may sound like it is easy to baptize in Mozambique.  On the contrary, it is a lot of work! The missionaries focus on families and they have been working very very hard this month.

It seems strange to be the first part of July and not having dozens of 4^th of July activities to choose between.  The United States Embassy came through for us, though, by having a 4^th of July celebration on Saturday July 5^th.  We went with the Hobsons.  It was so great to know that the “native” language for the activity was English! 

The celebration was held at the American International School, a private school, located near the Mission Office.  It has a staff of about 70 and has almost 500 students.  It’s really expensive, though.  Tuition ranges from $9,000/year for a preschooler to almost $17,000/year for 11^th and 12^th grades. 

The activity began with free popcorn!!!

There were art booths where you could purchase things, a blood drive, group games for the children, a chili cook-off, a dessert competition and group games of volleyball, tug-of-war, and soccer. 

One of the things we purchased was this painting by the artist A. J. Kulomba, and we watched as he worked on another painting.

The food was purchased through tickets we obtained with our pre-registration.  You could also purchase tickets for food there at the event.  We had hamburgers, and Elder Tidwell also had a hot dog.  At the condiment table there was REAL American mustard and sweet pickle relish. There were fruit and pasta salads to choose from and Fritos, Cheetos, and other American snacks to purchase.  You had your choice of canned soft drinks and/or water.  At the dessert table there were Rice Krispie Treats, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies.

Another highlight of the afternoon was the group of Great White Pelicans which circled around in the distance.

About mid-way through the activity, we sang the United States National Anthem, led by a volunteer with a beautiful voice.  Then, an enthusiastic group of Mozambican children was quickly gathered and they sang the Mozambique National Anthem.  Elder Tidwell made a video of it and we’ll have to post it on Dropbox. 

The 4^th of July is my favorite holiday.  We loved hearing how the family was celebrating their 4^th of July back in the United States!  The families participated in Family History escapades, had picnics, watched balloons launch, went to parades, and watched fireworks. 

We ended the day with a beautiful ½ moon.  I don’t think we ever see a ½ moon at this angle in Utah. 

Sunday was Fast and Testimony Meeting and I was determined to bear my testimony. 

Eu tenho o testemunho o evangelho restaurado por Joseph Smith.  Eu sei que Jesus é o Salvador.  Eu sei que Deus ouve e responde as nossas oracões.  Ele nos deu o Espirito Santo se guardamos os mandmanetos.  Eu sei que o Livro de Mormon é verdadeiro.  Eu sinto o Espirito quando eu ler e entender mais.  Cada um de nos tem a responsibilidade de aumentar o testemunho e fé no Jesus Cristo atraves oracão, guardar os mandamentos, e ler as escrituras, em nome de Jesus Cristo.  Amen.

I like testimony meeting, because I can understand most of the meeting.  I am thankful for the notes that Elder Tidwell takes so I can catch all of what is being said.  Before the meeting I had the privilege of holding little David, Crislerio and Joanna's son, in my arms.  He snuggled right down on my shoulder and it felt so amazingly wonderful!!!!! Thank you, little David, for reaching out to me so I could hold you!