On our first Sunday we got ready for church and I packed my missionary bag again
because we had taken it apart to pack the suitcases. It has straps like a
backpack and a wrap around the waist for support as well. The sisters make it
look easy but I am still learning how to put it on. It is like baby wearing but
less damage if you drop it. (There was a woman in church with an 18 month
old strapped to her back the whole of Sacrament Meeting. He clonked her on the
head with his toy but he stayed in there and didn't make noise for the whole
meeting. She couldn't sit back in the chair. He could stand on the seat of the
chair but he stayed put and was quiet. I was impressed. The way they wrap
supports the baby under their bottom and again across the top of their back. I
don't know how they do it but apparently the mom goes about her regular life
and the baby goes with her on her back instead of inside in the front. It is
like pregnancy never ends but now you have to feed and change the baby.)
We and the missionaries had all been invited to go to the
home of the Elder's Quorum president for a merienda. Fabian Delgado, the
Elder's Quorum President left the church with us and we went by two taxis to his
house. It was completely dark in the tiny passageway that leads back to their
home. It is very humble. Tiny, a bed in the living room, cement floor and
walls, plastic table and chairs. We could see one bedroom. I hope there were
more. Apparently he lives there with his wife, his daughter and her boyfriend
(they explained that their daughter was living in sin), his wife's mother and
her sister and a dog and a cat. There was another couple there from the ward as
well. The husband is the new branch financial secretary that Lewis spent time
with last night. The Delgados proudly told us that they have had all of the missionaries who have come to Santa Cruz into their home for a meal.
We were pleasantly surprised that the meal we were served was very good. It was
not attractive but the rice was seasoned with basil and milk and cheese and was
yummy. The thin slice of beef was highly seasoned and very good also. There was
also a salad and chicken but I was full after the plate of rice and meat. Lewis
talked about marriage, how to invite people to change and the importance of the
temple. It was a very pleasant evening
and the missionary hours were over quickly and we needed to get home. We put
the sisters in a taxi because their apartment was further away. We walked home
with the Elders. We had no idea where we were but it was not long before we were at the Elder's apartment
and we only live another block away. We made it.
The sisters picked us up at 6:00 PM to go to visit the Family History
Consultant, Yuliana Bajana. She is a young wife and enthused about her calling.
She is a new convert of 4 years and loves FH because she was very close to her
grandmother who died the year she joined the church. She has done the work for
her grandparents and is delighted to continue with all of her family that she
can find. She is from Guayaquil and is able to go back and forth occasionally
so she has been to the temple. We made a standing appointment to meet with her every
Wednesday beginning next week. She has a laptop which she will bring and we can
answer her questions and go over the training materials. The sister's
came back with us to our apartment and had watermelon. They loved it and it did
taste very good to have cold watermelon when it is so hot even at 7:30 at
night. They are out working until 9:00 each night. -- Yuliana and her husband have
since gone to Guayaquil and have been sealed in the temple. She came back
radiant and will start teaching the family history class in Sunday School. Her
husband is Thomas, who is the ward mission leader and his mother is the Relief
Society president.
The RS celebrated all those who had birthdays in Jan, Feb
and March. They honored those women and then did lots of dancing with games
where you had to partner with a different person or three people or five
people. They would have one woman dance with a broom and when she dropped the
broom, everyone had to change partners. Those who were left with the broom when
the music stopped had a penalty to pay at the end. One had to sing as if she
were in an opera. One had to do a dance. One had to act like a monkey. Everyone
was a good sport and there was a lot of laughing. Some of the women there would be
comfortable in any of our wards and one or two have a lot of missing teeth and
ratty clothing. The range of woman is very broad but they were all
participating and happy as far as I could tell. I was impressed. They served
chips and crackers and cheese and pieces of cake and Koala Kola. Then they went
to Karaoke with a special microphone that hooked up to the church TV. The
sisters got into it and sang lots of songs that I had never heard of - naturally
- they are in Spanish. The sister missionaries left at 9:00 and that seemed
like an good exit for me as well. Lewis was happy to leave the boring game he
was playing with the Elders group. The RS always has more fun than the Priesthood quorums. I was impressed with how many women came and
felt that they really did love and care about one another. Good job, Galapagos
Branch.
Lewis has been asking all of the taxi drivers if they know
why members of our church are called "Mormons". They do not know and
he tells them about Mormon, that he was a prophet and lived here in the Americas
about 1600 years ago, and the compilation he made of the records of the other
prophets here in the Americas. He tells them that the Book of Mormon is a confirmation
that the Bible is true and another testimony that Jesus Christ is the son of
God. He explains that it tells of the visit of Jesus Christ here in the
Americas after his resurrection and that he set up his church just like he did
in Jerusalem. Some of them are quite interested. He has given away 3 BofM's and
has told several to ask the young missionaries for a copy. Some are definitely
not interested but they are the minority. One driver said, "That is an
incredible story." Yes, it is. And if it is a true story, it is very
important. It is my testimony that it is a true story and it is very important for all of us.
Love to all,
Elder and Sister Pettingill aka G'ma and G'pa Pettingill
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