DIRTY MISSIONARIES

Before we get into dirty missionaries, we have to apologize for not writing a blog for a few weeks.   There is  reason:   We received a new calling which is way beyond what we expected for our mission.  We finally were moving along smoothly.   We worked out a contract with the cockroaches that seems to be working:  (they can run around all they want when we are not in the house, but, if they show themselves to us, we can kill them.)   We had our mission job organized and progressing.  We had become accustomed to facing near death when we drive, and, we were on a quest to get a new car, which can only be done if we put 100,000 kilometers on this one, so, we were driving every day.  And, we got used to sweating constantly.

So, Gary was called as a second counsellor to the mission presidency to watch over the missionaries in the mountain cities, requiring us to move to the mountains.  And, the president said "aprenda español rápido"  which is a command to learn Spanish now!!   We haven't slept much since the call, and, we have been either happy or crying, hopeful or in despair, ready to face anything or packing our bags to go home!  Since Gary is now a president, every time we show up in a church, we asked to talk!   Our first experience with a wonderful little ward was a disaster.  When we finally learn Spanish, we will have to go back and make amends.

Our move to the mountains means moving to the cold.  40's at night, low 70's in the day.  We have not one piece of warm clothing or a blanket!

So, we were really stressed by the need to speak and understand Spanish way better, and by the giant responsibility we have.  Kathy was saying our tenth prayer of the day, and we were clearly "rebuked" by The Lord:   We are here to save souls!  All else must be behind and in support of this!   So, we are now really know our calling and we will do it.

We have not had water in the house for nine days.  We get a trickle downstairs but nothing in the showers or bathrooms upstairs.  We fill up gallon jugs to take upstairs.  So, bathing is so hard that we went one day without washing and that was a really bad idea.  Kathy has five or six bottles of very expensive hair stuff.  Well, watching her take a shower with a gallon jug and a bucket was really amusing but just shows what a great sport she is.

Here are some pictures,  love you all