THE GREAT DATE TEST

Blog  5/25/24

Sorry that we have not added to our blog for some time.   Our president has given us this difficult assignment that we have mentioned before: to get the mission applications completed four young people from poor families that live in isolated areas.   We have managed to get the applications all completed but the dentist.  And the cost of the dentist is a big problem and we are now ready to  visit our third dentist to see if we can get a better cost.  Then, Kathy fell down while we were walking.  We were blest that we were holding on to each other.  She caught herself with one hand and Gary held onto the other.  She was not hurt badly but it scarred us a bit since any serious damage here and we are probably on our way home.   With trust in The Lord, we are lost in the work and generally having a wonderful time.

When we spend more than a few minutes with the missionaries we ask them what their plans are when they get home. (Many of the missionaries in our area have only a few months left.)  and, are conversation usually come around to getting married.  We ask them what do they want in a spouse.  Almost every missionary has some sort of test to give to potential spouses.  One elder, a great missionary and we love him, has a seven hour test laid out for his unsuspecting date.  He takes them for dinner or entertainment that takes them for a long trip.   During the trip he fakes a car breakdown.  And he understands how well she handles emergencies during the stressful Time of a breakdown.  Kathy told him that if her date faked a car breakdown, she would never see him again.  Several elders want their date to let them open their car door for them.   And several sisters will wait in the car until their date opens the door.  However, many of the sisters are looking for looks and a man that can make a good living.

Anyway, these conversations are very entertaining.

In the last two days we have been to a marriage and 5 baptisms.  And, Gary had to give a presentation in three of them.  It was a wonderful experience.

We arrived in this little town for the marriage at the time it was supposed to start, 10a.  It didn't start until noon.  Which sets a new record for lateness!  We have a young girl that is almost a lawyer and she can marry.  We got the marriage finally done and then the baptism of the bride.  (The groom was inactive because he was living with the girl, but now she is a member and they are both active ).  Generally speaking the people we deal with have nothing to do with getting into water, like to swim for example.  So, the elder and the lady get in the font, the lady is heavier then him, he baptizes her ok but while bringing her out of the water he loses his grip and she goes back down and about drowns!  She comes coughing and crying, but, she got through it.

Today, a young teenage girl got baptized and all went well.   She bore her testimony and it was very touching a knowledgeable.   Later, we met her to congratulate her.  We both said at different times.  "You will be a great member"  but, with our "not perfect yet" Spanish, we actually said that she would be a huge or big member!  She pointed out our error and we said it correctly.

Here is a picture of the almost lawyer

Here is a picture of the married couple

And other baptisms