Week 61 - November 29, 2018

Dear Family,

I am finally getting a few minutes to get my weekly letter off to you.  We returned home late Tuesday night after being gone a week to Cape Verde and Lisbon, Portugal.  To say that it was an eventful week is a great understatement.  Prior to our leaving, we were warned not to eat the food except at a very few places; not to drink water except from water bottles and then be careful of the bottling places; be careful on the mountain roads which are very winding around cliffs and have no road barriers, so they are very easy to fall off--especially at night; be careful of animals on the road, other vehicles (of which there are few) being parked right in the middle of the road because there are no curbs--the houses are directly on the side of the very narrow road on both sides right up to the doors, and especially watch out for people--especially children that might be on the roads; wear very thick rubber-soled shoes because the roads are entirely made of volcanic lava rock--huge chunks, not ground up, so you can easily cut yourself if you fell or tripped.  Everything that everyone told us was entirely true--and we were very careful to accomplish all of these things.  The thing we didn't plan on was that our trip was all scheduled with an itinerary sent to us.  However, the middle part was cancelled for no reason that any of us can figure out--the travel department that the church uses here in Germany, the representative here that helped us arrange it, our analyst, or us!  No one that we know cancelled it--but what it did was leave us stranded on a small volcanic island with only one propeller plane that left in the morning and one in the evening that had no seating until December 3rd!  We had training and hotels and airlines all arranged after we got back to the main island of Praia and then to Lisbon, but there was no way to get there.  We started to panic and pray very hard!

Gpa George was thrilled to find a great place that sold hot dogs in the Frankfurt Airport.  This little lady w!as from the Philippines.  They are always so friendly.

Flying into Lisbon.  We got our first look at the Vasco da Gama Bridge (finished in 1998),which measure over 10 miles long.  On cloudy days, you can't even see the other side of the bridge!  

We were so thrilled to see a whole group of missionaries in the Lisbon Airport coming from the Provo MTC on their way to Cape Verde, too!

We had such a fun time talking to these young, enthusiastic missionaries!

Although they couldn't leave, we decided to go outside the airport and get something to eat.

We ate at a wonderful Brazilian restaurant close by, and then of course . . .

we had to get some ice cream.

When we got back, those young missionaries were all anxiously awaiting the departure for their mission.

Two other missionaries were there, too, who had come from the Brazil MTC.  Our analyst, Sergio, started helping them all with their pronunciation.  As you can see, they were all eager to learn!

Our first glimpse of Praia, Cape Verde.

After spending one night in Praia, we took a small plane over to Sao Filipe.

Fogo is a round island formed by a volcano that is still active!

The small Sao Filipe Airport.

The hotel where we stayed in Sao Filipe.

We ended up going to five different ward houses in Sao Filipe.  They are wonderful!  The people are so blessed to have these beautiful places of worship!

  

If we couldn't get off the island by Monday morning, we would have to take the island pontoon boat that instead of a 30 minute plane ride took four hours on extremely rough ocean waters where you are almost assured of getting very sick!  Even the islanders shake their heads when you talk about it!  And they restrict you to only one bag--barf bag that is!  After that, you are on your own and must bring extra barf bags with you.  We certainly weren't excited about that!  But, through the prayers of all of you and our finance department back in Frankfurt, I was able to get one last seat on Saturday, and ended up sitting in a hotel room for two days until Gpa George could get someone's cancelled or no-show seat.  He and our analyst, Sergio, went on Sunday morning and waited for an hour and a half--no seats!  Then, they went back on Sunday night, yes!!!  A seat was available!  Gpa George was able to get that seat.  For some reason, they hadn't cancelled Sergio's seat, so the two of them flew to Praia where we sat in the hotel for about three hours, then went back to the airport and boarded a plane at 1:00 a.m. to fly the four hours to Lisbon.  After arriving there, we rented a car and drove an hour to the Branch that we needed to go to, then a ward after that.  We all looked very hammered.  We were so tired, and after all the stress and flying, etc., we were so thrilled when we finally got to bed Monday night at the hotel in Lisbon!  

The streets are made of volcanic rock--not small crushed pieces, but huge chunks that ruin shoes and tires.

Several of the people at the Area Office had put together shoes and clothes for children that they asked for us to take to Sao Filipe.  I just wish we could have had more room to take more items!

So many of the houses look unfinished so that they don't have to pay taxes on the unfinished part.  They are made of blocks made out of volcanic rock.  Sometimes, there is a thin concrete put across the outside and then they are painted.

Laundry from the hotel was placed on the lines right outside our balcony,

Prior landlords of Cape Verde were the Portuguese, who ruled the islands.  This is one of their plantation houses, which has now been turned into a hotel.

Sergio had forgotten to fill the car with gas.  Luckily, we found a man along the way who had some gas in a little garage of his.

Amazing how strong these women's necks are that they can carry such heavy loads on their heads.

The other side of the mountain is much greener and cooler with clouds hanging very low.   

We visited the seminary and institute classes at one branch.

Wherever we went, the children (and even the adults) loved the candy that George passed out to them.

The churches are built right in the middle of the houses around them--many do not have electricity.  Usually, there is a soccer pavilion that the church has built, which allows the kids to have a place to play--they love it!

The houses are built so close to the road that it is very difficult to walk without getting out on the highway.  One must be very careful when driving because of the people, animals, and sometimes even cars that are left because there is no place to park.

The AAA, Leonel da Cruz, that we went to help with the training.  Such a marvelous man with such a wonderful testimony and desire to serve the Lord!

George taking me to the airport on Saturday morning.  Luckily, there was one seat remaining.  However, he would have to wait for another day when another seat would be available.  Hopefully--otherwise, he would have to take the four-hour trip by boat, which definitely would promise to make one sick!

He and Sergio took a visit to the volcano after I was gone.  The houses are made out of volcanic rock with these little pitched roofs.  These are right beside the smoking volcano.  If they would have had enough time, they would have traveled to the inside of the volcano where about 700 people who live because the soil is so rich and they can raise their vineyards there!  So dangerous--totally illegal, but nothing is done about it.

I will say, however, visiting Cape Verde was one of the most inspiring trainings Gpa and I have ever been through!  The people of the church are so humble and so willing to learn.  Most of the leadership is very young.  I'll bet the counselor in the Stake Presidency we met is no more than 30 years old.  The churches there are so nice--we never saw anything like them in Russia.  Two of the churches had big soccer arenas next to the church.  It is amazing how the churches are built right in the middle of very poor houses--many with little or no electricity.  The children really love to congregate at the church because it has lights, running water, and a place to play rather than the streets.  The children are actually very clean, however.  We saw many of the school children in their clean school uniforms who looked very clean and tidy.  How the parents do it, I'll never know, but it is amazing.  

Since it was Thanksgiving, it made me grateful to be born in the country and to the family that I was born in to.  I am so thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that teaches us the principles we should be living to be able to return to our Heavenly Father again.  We just wanted to shout it from the rooftops that the church is the answer to these people looking for hope and for purpose in life.  What do they have to live for?  Every day the same--just sitting in their little houses and out on the streets talking.  Then there are the 700 people who actually live down inside the active volcano there!  It erupted in 2014 and is still smoking.  It is against the law to live there,  but, they do it because the soil is so rich and they can grow their vineyards and produce great wine there.  Amazing!

So grateful for all of you and your kind thoughts, prayers, and love at this stressful time on our mission.  When we got back to work yesterday morning, everyone in the entire building practically had heard about our situation.  They all said we were the first that this has ever happened to!  Wow!  But, we got so many hugs and everyone seemed so happy to see us back.

Hope all is going well for all of you!  Stay close to the gospel and make wise choices!  Not everything in life is going to be easy even when you do that, but it certainly helps!

With much love, Gma Laura 

PS  This past week, we celebrated the One Year Wedding Anniversary of Bracken and Taryn.  What a wonderful couple they are who are enjoying life now and working so hard for their future, as well.

Also, we celebrated our first grandson, Taylor's 27th birthday.  What a great example he has been to his family and extended family, as well.  We are so thrilled to see how much he loves that little boy, Otteson, of his!  

On the 28th, we celebrated both my sister, Beth's birthday, and our grandson, Garrett's 16th birthday!  I thought I taught for a long time at 26 years, but Beth is still going strong as a professor at BYU-I after 41 years!  Amazing!  

Garrett has had a big year with getting his driver's license and starting his first part-time job working for Chic-fil-a.  ( I would LOVE a Chick-fil-a sandwich right now, Garrett!  Hah!)  He is such a wonderful young man who works so hard at everything he does.  We send LOVE to all of you for these special occasions!