Monday, July 14
I forgot to mention that Jim is really coming along with his Spanish! He is reading quite fluently and understanding way more. He's also memorized part of the ordinances. I'm proud of him!
Today, while we were driving home from buying our groceries, one of the missionaries shared about his life growing up. It's really an incredible story! When he was three years old his mother left his father, taking all three children, but left them with three different families and never returned for them.
When he was eight his teacher told him he had to use his real name because he hadn't been adopted. This left him very confused, so when he got home he waited around outside playing soccer until his mother was finished visiting with the neighbour. She then told him about his birth mother dropping him off at their house.
He said they were very loving parents, but unfortunately some time after he'd turned 12 years old his mother died and shortly after so did his father. The uncles and the rest of the extended family got together and talked about sending him to an orphanage because he wasn't really family. He overheard this conversation so he ran away to a friends's house.
He asked the friend if he could live with him and the friend helped to set him up with some sort of accommodation. The father of this friend was a butcher and taught him how to butcher meat, and then he would deliver it. He supported himself with the meagre wages from this arrangement. He lived at his friend's house for one year.
After he had developed his skill as a butcher he moved out and shared a boarding house with three or four other boys. He was very good at saving his money; however he was too young to be able to get a bank account on his own, so he kept all his money on him. One of the guys was about six or seven years older than he was and drove a truck for a living. He started go on runs with this other guy. Eventually he was allowed to drive the truck too and started driving his own runs. He saved his money and when he was 18 years old he had enough to buy his own truck. Eventually he was able to own three trucks.
He told me about a time when his truck broke down and he had to wait to have someone come out to fix it. Until that time he had to stay with the truck. An older woman noticed him and asked what he was doing there. When he explained she invited him to come to her house for a shower and gave him lunch. She did this every day for a week until he was able to get back on the road.
He joined the church some time in his 20s. He eventually ended up working for the church, supervising the building of most of the church buildings in Argentina.
He and his wife have three children, but one was hit by a car on his way home from school and died. His wife's brother's wife died and he asked them to take their three daughters because he couldn't take care of them himself. At that time his wife was recovering from chemotherapy. After a few years the brother remarried so he took his daughters back. However, the step wife was not nice to the girls so they were making plans to move into friend's homes. Their bishop came and told this couple what was going on, so she went to her brother and said she was going to take the girls back to live with them again. The girls lived with them until they were grown up.
What an incredible story about determination and persevering. He has not let his early life embitter him, but it is obvious he has been affected by these experiences. He's the man he's become because of them. He's very kind and has a wonderful sense of humour!
Today's P Day excursion took us to Panama Vieja. It was plundered and destroyed by pirates, like Captain Morgan. I believe it was built in the 1500s and destroyed in the 1700s. There are incredible views from the tower that was built as a defence point.
Today's view from the top of the tower.
Hermana Mathieson in front of a banyan tree.
When we arrived at Panama Vieja we found out it's closed on Mondays, but some guys that looked like they were working told us we could come in anyway. They had us pay $20 total for all four couples. We didn't think anything about it. However, just as we were leaving some other men asked what we were doing there. Apparently some unauthorized men allowed us to enter and made $20.
Tuesday, July 15
Hermana Martin, 2nd Assistant to the Matron, asked me to help Hna. Torrero to weed out the baptismal clothing and men's shirts so that we would know how many new ones were needed.
Wednesday, July 16
Today we took the bus to the mall for Jim to be able to get his hair cut. While waiting for the bus Jim started talking to a woman who was also waiting. He encouraged me to move over closer to her so I could take over the conversation. She was very friendly! She gave us a container of dulce de leche that she had bought for a friend and wouldn't be able to see after all. The bus was taking quite a while and so when a taxi pulled up she asked him if he'd be willing to drive us to the mall/bus terminal for a dollar each. The three of us shared a taxi, but we insisted on paying so we could return the good deed. She also gave us her name and phone numbers. She said she would really like us to visit her when we come to her part of Panama. She lives towards the Costa Rican side of Panama. We hope to make it out to visit. When we get there we'd like to bring her a Book of Mormon.
We did catch the bus on the way back home. As we were walking up the hill we started talking with a woman who was also walking up the hill, but on the other side of the road. She mentioned that she and her husband were both teachers at the school at the bottom of the hill, across from the bus stop. We asked her where she was from and she said that they've lived in so many places around the world that they're not from anywhere. However, I'm pretty sure she's from the States originally. She said that they live at the top of the hill in the village of Cardenas. We asked her about crocodiles, because we'd heard rumours about crocodiles being spotted along this road. She said she didn't know anything about crocodiles, but had seen iguanas and snakes. She also said she'd heard that the occasional jaguar had wandered out of the jungle along the road.
Tonight I passed off the initiatory ordinances in Spanish.
Thursday, July 17
Today we walked to the village of Cardenas, up the hill from the temple. It was a beautiful walk with jungle on either side of the road. It's a lovely community! Next time we hope to have more time to walk around. There is nothing up there but homes, but it's a nice change from walking around the graveyard.
View of the side of the house.
The temple was fairly busy tonight! It feels so good when we get patrons to be able to have both sessions run.
Friday, July 18
I went to the mall with Hna. Martin because she needed to get her hair done. On the way home she noticed a sloth in the same tree as before, right across the street from the temple compound.
Tonight was an amazing night! The people that showed up all brought their own clothing! We only had to give out clothing to missionaries, and four are returning tomorrow so it was suggested they use the same clothing for tomorrow.
Jim officiated both sessions tonight. Hermano Martin the 2nd counsellor in the temple presidency, came up with the idea of having Jim wear the headset so he could hear the session in English. I'm so glad Hno. Martin is looking for ways so Jim can help out wherever he's needed!
Saturday, July 19
President Boren had asked us to do a presentation about the temple to a Primary group that was coming with their parents to the temple. We were supposed to meet them at 10 am but it took awhile to gather them together.
We had 16 children and 3 members of the Primary presidency. It was a nice group! We sang "I Love to See the Temple" and "I Have a Family Here on Earth". We asked them what they knew about temples and why their parents make the sacrifice to come so far? We then shared some photos of the temple and some of the significant rooms. We had the children draw and/or colour pictures of their eternal families in front of a picture of the temple. We also went for a walk around the temple. When we got to the front doors I told the children that if they promised to be very quiet I would open the doors and show them inside the doors. They were very quiet and excited to see inside. It's a pleasure to be entrusted with this responsibility!
Working on their eternal family pictures.
The primary group on the walk around of the temple.
We didn't finish with the children until noon, so we went back to our apartment to put away our supplies and had a quick snack before going over to the temple to see if we could help finish up the laundry.
Tonight we went to dinner in Casco Viejo, and then walked over to the National Theatre for a Folklorical Spectacular. One of the sisters with whom we work on Thursdays and Fridays has a son who participates in a Folklorical dance group.
The men sitting in their box for the performance.
I was going to post a couple of video clips, but I can't figure out how to do it. If I figure it out I'll post them later.
Sunday, July 20
The temple president had asked his counsellor to request that Jim go to the temple this afternoon to check temple recommends for a meeting that they were having with the sealers. He also asked if I would accompany Jim in case any of them needed clothing. What a privilege to be able to be in the temple on Sunday!
Hermana Carmack, the matron of the Panama Mission, told me about an exciting excursion that she, her husband and daughter took to visit an Embara native village. It's only about a 45 minute drive and 20 minute canoe ride. She said it would be worth going when we have time.
Monday, July 21
After grocery shopping we went to the fish market (Mercado Mariscos) for lunch. Jim had a seafood mix and I had a whole fried fish. I should have taken a picture because the cook put a French fry in its mouth. It was very good.
After walking around the fish market we drove across the beltway that was built to go around Casco Viejo. It is a four lane road that goes out over the ocean, along the coast.
Just before we got to the turn off for the temple the president pulled over to see if we'd all be willing to drive out to one of the locks. We saw a ship that was already passing through the lock, two who were just about ready to enter and one other waiting. It was quite exciting!
We had an enjoyable P Day!
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