portugal experiences

Hercinio had his finals this week.  Nadia will finish out this week and go up north to her home for the summer.  Djodjo and Djeison are completing their semester. Paula is taking cake to her students this morning.  Our grands are bringing their backpacks and summer hopes home as well.  How fun to have summer begin! Andre, #7, is our stairwell neighbor. (Paula's son). He invited us to watch his final handball game for the season.  What a fun hour as we have never watched a handball game (combination basketball/soccer sem feet) type game with many rules. If you look carefully, you can see his goal in the net!  Yay!  I tried to keep my decorum, (we are missionaries after-all), but you know how I get at games sometimes.  He came out after and reached out his hand to thank us for coming.  Such a fine young man.  Speaking of neighbor's...you have already met Katarina, but what a good friend to help me with the Portuguese here in Portugal....

Colors and Beauty surround us as we walk around Evora.  Exquisite details teach and train us.  Trying to be present as we go ... gifts us with guidance and gratitude.  I Love Alma 37:37      We visited the Archives in Beja this week.  We got to visit with the Director there.  She recognized our badges as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints is connected to Family Search and helps digitize records all over the world to connect families. The Director spent good time with us and we thanked her for the important work she is doing.  She said she wasn't sure how important it was, but she was happy to help.  She wondered why Family Search invested so much time and money in helping others with their records.  We began by explaining how important families are to Heavenly Father.  As we visited she began to ask questions.  We had her read the last two verses of the Old Testament and asked her what she thought they meant....

 What a great Surprise that Raphael e Mainia reached out to us again.  It was so fun to learn that they have found work in Evora and they think they will sign a contract on a house just outside of the city this week.  They came to our home and told us of the blessings they have received.  They thanked us for our prayers on their behalf and also asked for a blessing for Jullyah because she didn't sleep at all through the night. (Edilson whom we had also invited to come meet this Brasilian Family) helped give the blessing.  He has just moved here from Brasil and is working hard to get settled so his family can move here as well.   We had a great week with another good visit with our friend,  Ricardo from Beja. We read alot of scriptures and his understanding of The Gospel is increasing.  Tonight we will be in Beja with his family for a Family night and to visit about goals for their marriage. Elder and Sister Seibold came from Lisbon yesterday ...

Being Far Away from Home, there are those days when a little email, text, or message from a loved one can change things.  This week was like that for us as we took turns being quite sick (we even had to cancel our young adult activity on Saturday and we missed going to Church yesterday).  It's those kind of days, that we are thankful for zoom mtgs. for time to heal, for extra time to read, sleep, or try to all through the nights, 3:20 am, 5:40 am, maybe if we turn this way or try a taste of the chicken soup that doesn't taste, 6:18 am, 7:42 am etc. and so many things run through one's mind.  I am thankful for perspective that refocuses our gratitude.  It was Mother's Day back home & through the day we received little emails, calls, and texts from our family.   I feel that same lift of spirit from the Scriptures and I treasure the love-notes that they actually are... from Home.  Sent to warm and warn us, to remind and refine us.  Like family....

We have come to know two meanings for the words: Straight and Narrow!  On a trip to deliver Books of Mormon to Media referrals...(which happen once or twice a month with elders and on each trip for us to different locations on the way to and from our two branches); we came upon a very narrow road.  Some of the neighbors referreed from their open windows as we made what Grandpa calls the '28 point turn!  Ha!  Four neighbors came from their homes, some shaking their heads and some willing to tell us how difficult the turns are in their area, and one young man who stayed with us for the two worst turns.  (Our elders were helping us be amazed!) We made it! We have grown to love The Beja Branch in just the 2 months that we have been working there as well as The Evora Branch where we have been for six months already!  Jose Fortes received a calling as a leader for the young adults yesterday.  He is from Cabo Verde.  Such a good young man.  Teresa M...