Week 43 from Quito Eucador

I spent Monday and Tuesday scanning all the insurance cards and making copies.  We are giving the missionaries the copies and keeping the originals in their files as a backup in case of them being lost or stolen.  It was a suggestion that the insurance copy gave and I followed through with it.

Tuesday, Lynn and I went to Pizza hut for dinner for my birthday.  They have a nice large seating area on a second floor and we enjoyed our meal.  As we were leaving we saw the three office elders downstairs eating pizza.  Tuesdays are two for one so it’s a good deal.  I just mentioned that it was my birthday dinner for my birthday the next day and they said they would have to keep that in mind.  When they came into the office the next day they sang the Spanish birthday song “Las Mananitas” and then gave me a lovely scarf.  It was so sweet of them.   Later in the day I got a call from the Richardson’s and the AP’s, who were in Esmeraldas for interviews, and they were singing “Happy birthday” to me over the phone.  Sister Nuttall gave me cookies and so did the Kaneens so, all in all, it was a great birthday.

We have two missionaries who are leaving this week from our last group that just came two weeks ago.  It’s always sad to see that happen.  It makes me feel bad that they aren’t able to finish what they have started.  I pray that they can go on with their lives in a positive way.  It was a bit difficult to get the one going to the US a flight home since it was Thanksgiving weekend.  So they are both going on Monday.

Thursday the senior missionaries celebrated Thanksgiving at the Ghents, with all of us contributing something to the meal.  It is always nice to visit with them.  Both mission presidents have great views of the city with windows that run the full length of their living and dining room areas.   Sister Ghent has bells and led us in an activity with ringing the bells to Christmas carols.  We had a fun time.

Friday we went to a baptism of a sister who was over ninety years old.  The office elders have been working with her and have been bringing her to church for the last month or so. They would get her in a taxi and bring her. Since she is confined to a wheelchair that took some doing but they were very kind and gentle with her.  It took three missionaries to baptize her and two times immersing her.  She is preparing to return to the US where she had lived for many years and where her husband is buried.  She is selling everything here and going there so she can be buried by him when she dies.   They three office elders sang “I Need Thee Every Hour” (in Spanish) for the baptism program and did a great job.

Here's the link to a video of the missionaries singing

Missionaries singing at baptism