Mangoes!!! Fences and Laundry too

A huge Mango tree

I love mangoes.  There are so many mango trees here and they are huge.  I have wondered how they get harvested the ones they use for export.  I am fascinated by these trees. The fruit hangs down from a stem.  There are many varieties.  Some taste better than others.  One of the sisters in the branch is going to get me some good ones.  Yumm!

There are many different types of fruit trees.  Many people have some kind of fruit tree in their yards.  Some fruit we don't really have.  I've mentioned the maranyon, which is really a cashew tree.  They use the fruit for jam and juice.  The nut hangs down on the bottom.  Lots of these trees here.

When we first arrived there were many fruit stands along the road.  I would buy watermelon, pineapple, oranges, bananas, etc.  Those stands have closed for now because those fruits aren't so common here.  It's hard to find oranges to make orange juice right now.


I love laundry day.  You can see clothes drying on almost anything.

Often when we're driving down the street there are fences around the property.  These usually include trees as the post.  When they get a certain size they prune them down.  

It's hard to see but the barb wire runs along the trunks. For some reason these fences fascinate me.

Every where we go there are rolling hills and beautiful views.  Panama is a beautiful country.


I don't have good pictures of the grass getting cut.  It is usually by someone with a weed wacker.  It doesn't matter if it's a huge field.  If they don't have a weed wacker then they're using a machete.

Last week I went to Sister Sanguino's home.  She's the Relief Society President.  She was teaching a few of us to make Venezuelan arepas.

I know that I share many pictures of people you don't know.  Just know that when I look at these faces, they are faces of people I love so much.  They are fun, loving, kind, and dear friends.  I know they look at Mark and I as different, since we're missionaries but we really are the same and I feel like one of them.  This was a fun night with friends, laughing and being a bit silly.

When we serve others we grow to love those we serve.  I have found this true as a missionary.  I love the people of Colombia because I served there many years ago.  I love the people of Panama now.  What a great opportunity to love my fellow brothers and sisters on this earth.

Savior, Redeemer, Advocate, and more

This is one of my favorite pictures of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He is resurrected and being glorified.  I love it.  Today I was writing to my children about the Savior.  I was using the words we use to describe him: Redeemer, Savior, Light of the World, Prince of Peace.  As I wrote these words, I thought of what He has meant in my life.  He has saved me from my sins, from my short comings, from my weaknesses.  He has Redeemed my soul from spiritual death.  My joy is in his redeeming power to rescue me from the world, the evils of the world.  He has given me Light in my life.  I feel that through his Light I have the way illuminated before me.  I need not fear darkness, uncertainty or questions.  Peace, I love and cherish the Peace that can come through Jesus Christ.  I have felt his peace calm my worries and concerns.  Calm my fears.  I have felt such peace amidst trials that it is a gift I truly seek and treasure in difficult times.

There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon that I love.  Jesus Christ appears to the people on this continent after His resurrection.  He teaches them, he blesses them, and then he does this.

15 And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.

 16 And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

 17 And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.

Whenever I read this I wondered what the Savior prayed.  The people people couldn't even describe it.  But at the end it says, "no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father."  For me, here is the Savior of the World, praying for THEM.  He is our advocate with the father.

I know He lives.  I know He is all those things to me, my savior, my redeemer, my source of light, my source of peace.  I am so grateful that He cares about ME.  That He knows me.  That He loves me.  Because of what I know, I know He loves YOU.  I know He knows you.  He cares about you.  He is there for you.

May we all look to Him is my humble prayer and wish.

"Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven"

Our Primary, the organization for children 18 months to 12 years old, has recently begun a closing exercises and sharing time.  This closing exercise consists of children saying the opening and closing prayers, reading a scripture, sharing the theme for the month, leading the other children in reciting the Primary theme and giving a talk.  We have a small primary so the children that come all the time get lots of opportunities to have an assignment.

The children are crazy for this!!!  They love having an assignment and are prepared the next week with what they are supposed to do.  Recently one little boy, who always seems to have an assignment didn't receive one.  He was so sad, he cried.

We sort of laughed at this but just think about it.  Wouldn't it be great if we all had the same enthusiasm as these children in doing what the Lord asked us to do?  As a church leader, wouldn't you love to have people begging to have an assignment?  Our children here in Santiago are truly special.  They are so willing to do whatever is asked of them.  They WANT to be asked to do something.  They are a great example to me of how I should be in looking for, volunteering for and accepting assignments I am given.

Ibraim playing the role of David

Aron playing the part of Goliath.

I was trying to keep them entertained in the nursery with wadded up tape.

The youth are just as wonderful.  From the moment we arrived you could see how wonderful the teenagers were.  Some were all alone.  One young man walks an hour to church each week and arrives early.  

Gino on Sunday

Gino asking Mark a question.

The first week we were here we met Gino.  He is 13.  He introduced himself as the president of the Deacons' Quorum.  What a great kid.  Last week we were visiting a young man who turned 12 last Saturday.  He would now be able to pass the sacrament with the other deacons.  We invited Gino to go with us to visit Richard.  I have never seen a young person teach like Gino did.  He explained the responsibilities to Richard.  Asked him if he was prepared to do it.  Then he turned to Richard's mom and asked her if she'd support her son.  He then told him how reading the Book of Mormon each day would help him.  He told him it would be best if he'd get to church 30 min. early so he could help with anything that needed to be done.  When the Branch President spoke to Richard, Richard kept repeating what Gino had told him and how he wanted to do just like Gino advised him.  During the testimony meeting, Richard stood up and bore his testimony.  It was all very sweet to witness.

May we all be a little more child like in our enthusiasm and joy in serving the Lord.

The Week of the Family

Two weeks ago was the International Week of the Family.  Each branch of the church was encouraged to plan activities throughout the week.  We had a cultural/talent show on Friday night.  It was so much fun.  We had lots of dances.  The Relief Society did an Arab dance (I'm hoping that doesn't translate to belly dance :))  We had lots of fun at the practices.  The youth did a couple of folk dances.  Some people sang and our resident musician played the violin.  Mark has a video of the Arabic dance.  

(I'm way in the back)

On Saturday we had all sorts of activities at the Church.  We had relay races, an activity to make a Family Home Evening assignment chart and we played all sorts of games: board games, volleyball and football.  It was supposed to start at 2 p.m.  It didn't really get going until 3:30 but lasted until about 9 p.m.  

The first relay race was blowing flour out of a cup to get to the candy.  Mark did not win.

We had so much fun all afternoon and into the evening.

The young woman in the middle, Susana, with the pink tank top is getting baptized this Saturday.

We finally made it to the beach on our last preparation day.... Mariato

The water made such a cool sound as it would come up over these rocks and go back out.  It was a sort of clicking sound.  It poured before we could get to the other beach.  

Mark and I were able to go to Panama City this past week to the temple.  It is such a beautiful, peaceful place.  There's a Jewish cemetery next to it, so it really is quiet and peaceful.  On the temple grounds there is a chapel for weekly worship.  There is also this building behind Mark which includes a Guest House and store.  The Guest House is beautiful.  They have rooms so that people who are traveling to the temple can stay overnight.  We stayed in one of the rooms and it was beautiful.  There was a queen size bed, little dining table, kitchenette and bathroom with HOT water!  There is a cafeteria on the main floor but it's mostly for people to do their own cooking.  There are gathering places all around.  There is a Family History Center on the main floor also.  We had a great time.

I've mentioned before that it is hard to find addresses, they are more like poor directions, "Behind the school, house #35"  problem- there are a few schools and most of the houses don't have numbers. The way to find people is to get in the general area and start asking if people know the family.  You can go around in circles before success.  We had this experience last week.  We were trying to find members in this one area.  We actually found quite a few.  One woman was so sweet.  She was almost tearful at our coming.  She said she hadn't seen anyone from church for a long time.  As I was standing there with the sweat pouring down my brow, I was humbled by the opportunity I have to bring a word of comfort, a message from Heavenly Father to them.  You never know who is out there praying for something.  The Lord answers prayers through people.  We are the answers to prayers sometimes.  I'm so grateful for a Father in Heaven who hears and answers prayers.  Who loves me, who loves the people I meet.  It is an honor to serve him here in Panama.

It's springtime!

I know I put that it was winter so you're probably wondering.  The daily temperature is between 93 and 100 every day.  The only difference is now it is the beginning of the rainy season.  When the rainy season is in full swing it should rain every day.  For the past few weeks it has rained a couple of times a week.  Perfect.  The cool thing is that things are turning green, trees are blooming.  It's spring!  it has been interesting to see the transformation.  Some of the trees that looked like they were dead are now sprouting flowers.  They're beautiful.  Flowers are popping up.  I'm really enjoying it.

So we've had two great activities at the church the past two weeks.  The Primary (for ages 18 months to 12 years old) had a really fun activity last Saturday.  We had a great turn out and I think all the kids had fun.  We had relay races, the older kids had a meeting about Faith in God and we had fun refreshments.  We have the cutest kids here in our branch.

This past week has been the Week of the Family.  We had a cultural night Friday night and Today we had games, a FHE assignment chart activity, dinner and lots of fun.

I was sick with food poisoning we think on Thursday night.  It kept me down for about a day.  Glad to be feeling better.