The Chitre Branch

We have been asked to spend a couple of days a week in the Chitre branch.  It's about an hour away.  They have a beautiful building that we are used to attending for our Zone Meetings with the other missionaries.

We're excited to work in Chitre.  There are wonderful, faithful, members here that we are getting to know.  They have been great about going out with us and showing us around.

The church is organized in stakes.  A stake has about 7 congregations that are part of it.  When there are small congregations than they are organized into a district.  Santiago is part of a district.  The goal is to make the Chitre district a stake this year!!!  We can see that it will happen.  We have seen the hand of the Lord bring the right people here, he has been preparing less active members to come back and it WILL HAPPEN!  The Chitre branch will be split into two congregations.  We are serving in Chitre to help strengthen the members and invite the less actives to come back.  We truly have felt the Lord working in the lives of his children to help make this a reality.




Our District consists of congregations in Penonome, Aguadulce, Chitre, Las Tablas and Santiago.

We continue to be grateful to Heavenly Father for his love towards his children.  There are so many times I'm with people here and I feel Heavenly Father's love for them.  I know that He wants us to be happy.  Happiness does not come from things, it doesn't even come from not having trials.  Those are part of life.  He is there to help us through our trials.  I know this!  He is there for us if we will turn to Him.  Not passively, but with true purpose of heart.

Making "Rash" Decisions

The mission nurse and her husband finished their mission a few weeks ago.  There are no other mission nurses on the horizon.  I was elected to fulfill the role temporarily.

• No, I'm not a nurse
• No, I have no medical experience, other than as a patient- lots of experience there
• I am a mom, and sort of know when to bring in the experts
• This is not the run of the mill, take two pills and call me in the morning.

The first two weeks of my tenure we had:

• three cases of dengue fever, thus the picture of the mosquito below

• two missionaries hospitalized, thank goodness not life threatening, they are both better
• 4 cases of parasites
• multiple rashes
• body aches and pains normal for missionaries
• various run of the mill ailments

Basically my job is to receive calls from the missionaries, give them basic information on OTC treatments for colds, etc. They also need permission to go to the doctor's.  I am the one who screens this.  As you can see, the first week was a bit overwhelming.  Sometimes the missionaries themselves are the cause.  I talked with lots of missionaries about drinking enough water.  Most weren't drinking enough.

One thing I have noticed is that I truly feel the spirit guiding me.  There are some calls I agonize over what to do, but I go with what the spirit is guiding me to do.  I can hear similar symptoms and some I'm inspired to send to the doctor's and others I give OTC recommendations.  It has been a truly humbling experience to work with these young missionaries and to comfort them or encourage them.  Sometimes I think they just need a "mom" to tell them it will be okay.  Most of the rashes are heat related and easily treated.

I was also impressed with the medical care our missionaries received at the hospital.  They were very thorough.  I was glad I was able to see it up close and personal.

The first week, I had missionaries call and when I followed up they hadn't done anything.  When we met with the new missionaries arriving, we had an orientation.  I told them that I was also a busy missionary and if they weren't going to follow my advise, not to call.  They got a kick out of that.

I have also been touched by the care the missionaries have for each other.  A companion will call me, worried about their companion.  A district leader will call for the sisters in his care.  One elder, when bringing his companion into the hospital said, he'd carry him if he needed to.  When I got there, I smiled when I saw that his companion was probably twice his size.  "He ain't Heavy, He's my brother" came to mind.

The branch that plays together

 August 13, 2016

We had a really fun activity last weekend for the branch members.  Well, we didn't do it, they planed it.  It started with a nice rain storm.  Luckily most people were already there or no one would have come.  We had some relay races inside.  In the middle the power went out but luckily it was only for about 10 min.  Then it came back on and we continued our races.

What I loved the most, was the youth really had a lot of fun.  We have the best kids in the world.

 The missionaries got in on the action too.

It cleared up a bit so we played water balloon volleyball.  Everyone, of all ages, could join in.  It was a blast.

Lots of fun and fellowship.

House of the Lord

July 29-30

We were so excited for our Temple trip to Panama City in July.  We left Friday night about 5:30 from Santiago and drove to Panama City.  We had rented a bus and arrived about 9:30 p.m.  There was another big group from Chitre there also.  There is a guest house on the temple grounds.  For $6 each you can stay in a really nice room, with a/c and HOT water.  They are really beautiful rooms.  We ended up with two youth sharing our room.

The next morning we spent in the Temple.  Brother Maure, below, had worked on finding his ancestors' names.  His wife, Modesta, was able to do work for her parents.  She was just beaming all day.

  My dear sisters, Juana y Liseth.  Of course, there was Gino also.  We had a great time together on the bus and at the temple.

There is something special about going to the temple with people you know and love.  It is almost a sacred experience, like we're doing something spiritual together.

The Panama City Temple is so beautiful.  I have grown to love it there so much.  The grounds are peaceful.  It is beautiful.  This is our group.  We're missing the Padilla family.  They left before we did.  Whole families go on these bus trips sometimes.  In the front row is Kristamy.  She was so excited to go to the temple.

Even though the temple is about 3 1/2 hours away there is always sacrifice to go.  The bus ride and even the "Casa de Huespedes" or guest house.  To pull together that kind of money is a challenge for some families.  We all were grateful we were able to go.

Some of our young women went too.

Personally I go to the temple to reflect and pray for guidance.  I love it there.  Because it is a sacred place for us, there is a beautiful peaceful spirit there.  I always find I have time to reflect and seek guidance from Heavenly Father in a different, more profound way then in my normal prayers.  I love the temple.  I'm so grateful that there is one that I can attend once in a while.