Transfer week with 14 going and 20 coming

     Sunday the 5th of May we attended the Pirque Branch to help the missionaries as they presented the power point that teaches their ward all about Capilla Abiertas.  The young missionaries did a wonderful job.  This Branch has been coming into the Stake Center for church but this was their last time in the Stake Center as they have a new church out in Pirque.  The Branch is so excited.  It should be a great Capilla Abierta as they want to show off their new chapel to their friends and neighbors.
     This week is transfer week.  We have 14 missionaries heading for home and 20 new missionaries arriving.  We have been busy moving beds around as the President decides where to put the new missionaries.  When he decides on three-somes we have to get an extra bed from a pension that doesn't need two bunkbeds in it.  We have to add a bunkbed to pensions where the missionaries have been called to be the zone leaders.  We have plenty of wood bunk beds, the metal ones are so squeaky and wobbly that we are trying to only use the wood beds, as long as we move them around to fit the need.  The biggest problem is that the President doesn't decide, or forgets to tell us, until the day that the new missionaries are arriving so we have to move the beds cause there is no time for a contractor to do it.  We moved beds on Monday morning and again on Tuesday morning so we think we have a bed for each of our missionaries to sleep in Tuesday night.
     We headed to the CCM, mission training center, on the temple grounds again on Monday evening to have our "sleep over" with the incoming missionaries.  We got there about 7:30pm and called the temple missionaries to let them know we were there and they came down again to help us get the beds ready.  Elder y Hermana Wallace are so willing to lend a hand.  We needed 13 beds prepared and had 5 extra sets of hands to get it done.  We then started to get some sandwiches made just as the young Elders y Hermanas arrived.

They came from the Brazil CCM.  We had some from Argentina, Uruguay, Spain, Brazil, Guatemala, and Honduras.  We got them fed and settled down and again got to sleep in the President's apartment on that big bed.  Only this time we really got to have a good nights sleep as no one else came in that night.  The other 7 missionaries from the Mexico CCM arrived on Tuesday morning about 6 after flying all night.  We only have 3 new missionaries from the US with this group.  It will be fun to watch them grow as they serve here.
     Up date on my Mom.  On Tuesday evening the 7th, Mom was moved to the Elks Rehab in Boise.  She doesn't qualify for the Twin Falls Rehab yet.  The hospital has done all they can do medically so now it is time to see what she can do physically.  The protein IV that she had for a few days was taken out because her veins have collapsed, in both arms, and it has caused blood clots in her arm. Her blood pressure continues to be a problem.  She is eating.  They reported that she had waffles and eggs for breakfast and I was really impressed until I found out that it was a thick pudding shaped like a waffle and flavored like one.  It is hard to be so far away but my sisters are keeping a watchful eye on Mom.  It's a good thing that Linda and Sharon are retired and can spend time in Boise with Mom.  She is weak and fragile and it is a day to day struggle for her.  She is in the Lord's hands.
     We were moving beds on Tuesday and when we arrived with the new beds for pension # 150, these young Sisters had prepared breakfast for us.

Hermana Gallego is from Colombia and she knows that Elder Thompson loves arepas.  She made him some.  In Colombia they make them flat and put everything on top like a tortilla instead of the fat ones that we are used to from Venezuela but the flavor is the same.  Hermana Bair is from Colorado and this was her last day here.  She was riding on the bus when the driver had to slam on the breaks to stop and she was thrown forward and landed on her shoulder.  She is heading home for surgery.  She has only been here for 6 weeks and will probably not be returning but assigned somewhere in the states to finish her mission.  

We took a drive on Saturday with the Hughes and ended up at Los Dominicos.  

This church was built in the 1700's.  The twin towers are in memory of the two infant sons of the land owner who died.  The stables and surrounding buildings have been turned into shops and restaurants where local artisans make and sell their goods.  It has turned into quite a tourist trap.  Everything there was very expensive!

rows of shops in the old stables

the main street through the shops

This tree is made of 1/4  inch copper tubing

The copper tree behind this handsome Elder

They had an exhibit of bugs from South America.

Made us think of Biology

A garden in the compound with trees from the area

We enjoyed walking around the compound, the hammocks for sale

The entrance to the shops

It was a fun afternoon.  We went to Wally's for hamburgers.

We have found another rental for the Gabriela Elders.  It is a remodel for us, but will make a great apartment for the Elders.  This apartment can house anyone of 3 sets who serve in this area.  We will let the President decide who to put into it.  It will break up one of our houses that have 4 Elders and only one bathroom.  

Dinner at Rosso

With that big bull in the window you would think that it was a steak house, but no, it was Italian.

It has been a busy week.  Interesting that transfer weeks always brings more service calls and items needed in the pensiones.  We are identifying the missionaries who are organizers and cleaners.  We love it when they are put with those who don't seem to understand how to clean or organize.  We are thrilled when the missionaries call for advice on how to clean something.  We believe that we have been able to "raise the bar" of what is expected in each pension.  Although we did walk into one pension and found the imprint of a soccer ball on the wall.  I made the Elders get a damp rag and wipe it off.  I then told them that if I came again and saw that they had been kicking the soccer ball against the wall, I would use Elder Thompson's leatherman and deflate that ball for good!  I even used my "mother" voice so I think that they believed me.  

We are thankful for the opportunity we have of serving here with these young missionaries.  They are amazing.  It is fun to imagine Nathan as he serves his mission in Washington doing the same things that our young Elders here are doing.  But we know that his pension is spotless!

Happy Mothers Day to each of our daughters, sisters, and women in our lives.  We pay special tribute to our Mothers who have influenced our lives.  

Mom continues to work hard in the Elks Rehab.  She wants so badly to get home to Jerome.  Her left side is weak and damaged but she works with physical therapists at least 3 times a day to try and get stronger.  She works with speech therapists daily to try and get her swallowing muscles to work.  She has not yet graduated to soft foods.  One day at a time and we know that she is being cradled in the arms of His love.  Mom, we love you.