9/30/2012

Today was quite a day!  We left early to pick up Oglivia and her kids for church.  When we got there Scott sent them down to AltaGracia's to see if her kids wanted to go.  They did so we waited a while for them to climb up the hill.  We felt bad about cramming them all in the back seat but they seem to be used to close quarters:

How many kids can you get in the back seat?? We actually had room for one more!
These kids are so special...
    Our plan was to drop them off at church then find the MiHogar Ward where one of our students was playing then return to take them home.  The dropping off went fine but for the next hour plus we drove through every street in the Oriental Stake looking for the ward building and never did find it.  The GPS which usually takes us right to a destination took us to this dead end street.  We asked a dozen people if they knew where an LDS Church building was and no one did.  So we finally decided just to go back and help Oglivia with the kids at Sacrament Meeting.  Well - it wasn't quite as easy as it sounds!  We finally found the right road back and had to go through a huge water back up in the road where something had broken.  Where the road dipped it was two inches above our car door but the car didn't stall.  I truly believe the Lord watches over His missionaries.  We got there just in time to get the kids as they came out of class looking for someone they knew.  It was wonderful to be surrounded by kids again!!  How great it would be for them to be involved in the church.  Alta Gracia's 14 year old daughter named Yiani is a darling girl and would benefit from being taught some moral values,  The only place that is taught here is in church.
     After church we headed back - through the little river we had driven through before - to Williams.  We thought AltaGracia's kids would get out there and walk down the path (kind of) to their house but they wanted us to take them so we did. I have never seen narrower roads. The people use them as their yards because they have no yards, so they have chairs in the middle of the road visiting and putting out their wash on their roofs or anything that is above the ground. Still every one you see has these bright white clothes on.  It has got to be the sun - or the fact that they was each item by hand.  I'm going to find out before I come home!  It isn't the vinegar - we have tried that.  We barely, and I really mean barely, got through the street to her house.  We were surrounded by people.  Some looked very wary but others were friendly and just in the street doing varied and assorted things.  One man ran along beside the car knocking on my window.  He stuck his hand out and I realized he just wanted to shake hands so unrolled the window. I wonder if I will ever feel safe here.  Scott went in to Oglivia's to help her with the kids and was gone for ten minutes leaving me in the car alone.  Many people passed by, close by on those streets, and looked in the car but no one stopped - thank heavens!
The car being locked doesn't carry much weight in many areas here.  Safety is such an issue William and Wilton usually ride with us back to the main road then walk back home.
  We did make it home in time to get ready to go back to Oriental for lessons.  This group is trying to learn to read and play music at the same time - it has been difficult for them.  Since we couldn't find Stephanie's ward this morning Mason rode with us and took us to the chapel so we would know where it was next time.  Maybe Scott will know but I couldn't find it in a million years!  Now we are home and I am ready for bed....

9/30/2012 A horse parade???

  Every day here the weather is the same. Even I, who loves spring and fall and have wished the whole year would be those two seasons,  have realized that four seasons are nice. Our air conditioner has been leaking for days, but chose not to leak when the repairman was here, is still leaking.
We have had power and internet most days though so we are happy.
   Saturday as we were leaving for our Hainamosa lesson we heard this parade music playing.  When we looked out to see what was going on - low and behold there was a horse parade going down the main street.  Many horses with men and women in cowboy hats! We haven't seen a horse, except the dropdead looking horses that pull carts, here anywhere.  It almost seemed like we were home.

Here is a close up so we remember for sure there are horses here somewhere!
  Then off to lessons we went.  I haven't posted a picture of this group so here they are:

You can't see two or three of them but you get the idea! This is the huge group that ended up to be about twelve.  The problem is we have new people that come each week and want to start and they are already three weeks behind.  We haven't taken any of them into the class except these two extra young men that just sit there waiting for someone to leave their keyboard for a few minutes then they sit there and practice for a few minutes. What has been surprising to me is that there are so many  young men that want to learn.
  Got home to no internet again!

9/28/2012 AltaGraci's family

What a day it has been!  Tati was here this morning and came up to visit.  We worked on my Espanol.  I have such a long way to go!!! Her daughter, Raiza, is moving the first of the  year to be with her husband in Columbia.  They have lived apart for most of the past four years so now the kids will get to know their Dad.  Tati says her granddaughter has calmed down a little.  She has a Book of Mormon which she is having her granddaughter read to her because she has no reading glasses and can't see the words.  (Which isn't exactly true but has helped her granddaughter)
  Timilia, our upstairs neighbor from Nepal, went shopping with us today because their TV had quit working and they needed someone who speaks Spanish talk to the people at the Wind store.  They were able to get a number where they could call for help so when we got home and Elder Yturraldie got home they went to her apartment and called the service provider.  They got their TV fixed so they were very happy!  Timilia is home by herself all day and watches a lot of TV.  It was great to be able to help them.
    Yturraldies came down after that and as we sat chatting around the table Sister Yturraldie asked what that noise was - it sounded like water dripping to her.  We opened the door and sure enough water was running down the steps in the hall, down the railing, and dripping from the ceiling.  What a relief to know it wasn't ours!  Scott and Yturraldie started up the stairs to see where it was coming from.  The apartment two floors above us had water running out from under the door.  The man answered the door with a mop in his hand - the toilet had run over, and over, and over from the looks of things!
    At 5:30 we picked up AltaGracia and William to go out to their places. How humbled I am to be able to associate with people like these two.  They have so little but maintain such a happy attitude.  I really didn't think we would ever get the car down some of the roads to her house but we did.

The street was about two feet wider than the car, maybe not even that.  You can see the dashboard of the car.  One woman was washing her hair in an old metal bucket outside her house in the street.  We had to wait for her to move the buckets of water before we could pass by I'm sure most of them do not have indoor plumbing. There were groups of little boys, older teens, men and women everywhere. I have never seen so many people crammed into such a little area.  They were like ants - everywhere you looked the streets and the houses were full of people. I had to laugh thinking of how different this life is than life on the ranch with so many wide open spaces.  These people would probably be nervous with so much space!  The kids were just getting home from school.  Altagracia invited us into her house which was probably 13'by 14' total.  She has herself and six kids living in that house.She took me to a neighbor's house that sits on top of the river bank.  It was getting dusk by that time so when we went into the house you could not see much.  She walked right in.  There were three rooms on the side where sheets were used for doors.  She called a name, pulled open the sheet and introduced me to people inside the 8x8 rooms.  In one was a woman and a younger boy laying on the bed - which took up 95% of the room.  The other rooms were the same size or smaller.  Straight ahead though was the kitchen - so to speak. A very friendly woman was standing there preparing food.  Right out the door was the river.  No bank, just water. Just amazing to see how they live.  When we walked around the corner to AltaGracia's house there were six dogs fighting and some boys egging them on.  A little toddler was in Scott's arms.  She had been in the midst of the fighting dogs so he had grabbed her.  He couldn't understand why the mother, who was standing by with a big chunk of cement in her hand had not rescued her little one from the dogs.  Maybe she was frightened herself or thought her little girl would not be hurt.  Everyone knows how unstable a situation is around fighting dogs though.  You never know if they think you are interfering or helping!

We left and went to a huge mall to get some supper.  The kids were wonderful.  The little girls are twins with big brown sparkling eyes.  The girl in yellow is 14 and is reading the Book of Mormon to her brother and sisters.  I wish they had some way to get to church because I believe they would go.  We need a guagua to pick up William's family and her family!  Wilton has been very sick with a kidney infection.  The baby belongs to her brother who is on the right hand side of the picture. William came with us so UltaGraci would feel more at ease.  They are protective of their family - which is very large!  I suddenly realized why these people do not have personal space issues - there is no such thing as personal space. You would just have to see it to believe it.  What a blessing it is for us to be able to associate with them. 

We thought this would be a place with only Dominican food.  Actually there were more American fast food places by far in this huge mall center area than Dominican.  All in all it was a very memorable experience. Our senior missionary friends were eating across the street and had invited us but we are so grateful that we got to go with AltaGracia instead! 

9/27/2012

This is the beginning of our 7th month here.  In ways it seems like a couple of years and in others you wonder where the time has gone.  It is so good to have a feel for what we are to do here.  If the stake presidents just moved a little, or maybe a lot, faster we could be of more help to them.  Some of the wards are finding out that we have classes in other stakes and they don't want to wait for their stake to get on board so we may be working from the bottom up in some areas.  We'll see. 
     Our Spanish class, Elder Hammons, took a field trip on Monday up to see two waterfalls.  We stayed home to wait for the internet repairman.  They told about the trip today and was I ever glad we didn't go!  They had to cross this swaying,  hanging bridge that could only hold five people at a time and spanned the distance between two mountains.  I am so afraid of heights I probably would have had a heart attack! Plus there was a river under the bridge... Then they had to hike for fourty five minutes up the side of a mountain and that about killed all of them. ( Being senior missionaries and all)  Coming down the switch back path was covered in wet leaves and gravel so they had to hold on to the trees to keep from slipping down the mountain.  When they finally got back to the cars they were starving and could not find anyplace to eat.  When they did find a restaurant they were the only ones there so the owners took them on a tour of the kitchen where they cooked.  Thank heavens that was after they ate.  They were amazed that no one got sick!  Doesn't that sound like so much fun??  Those of us who did not go had a good laugh.
    We have two new couples here again.  The Schmits (don't know about that spelling)  and the Merinos.  They are taking the place of the Fords and the McDemids.  The Schmits are from Layton.  Most of the people here have been on previous missions.  She had heard of Scott's beginning Spanish class though and wanted to know when it was.  She does know a little Spanish from a previous mission.
   We had our lessons at the Casa today.  The guys are going to sing " Peace Be Still" for me next week - I can't wait.  They have great voices.  After two Spanish classes we went to the temple and got home just in time to talk to Megan.  Talked with Melia and Alysha today also.  I really miss my girls!
They had a lunch shower for Hannah and little Samson - not yet born but coming soon!

9/26/2012

It has now officially been seven months since we left home.  Most days are good but some days I just really miss home and my family.  In the paper here it had a picture of Obama and the women on The View.  It mentioned that he had been on Dave Letterman also.  Somehow it seems a little demeaning to the office of the president of the United States.  We don't need someone who is a good conversationalist, we need a good leader! 
  We went to get on the elevator the other day when the door opened and standing there was a big white dog.  His owner was to the side that we couldn't see so it was quite shocking.  They have about as many dogs here as they have people. I've never seen a dog inside the building though.  Every morning there are people who walk their own dogs and professional dog walkers here on the sidewalks.  In the city they are contained but in the outer areas of the city they are everywhere and just run free.  Don't know why they don't starve to death because they certainly look like that could be a possibility. 
   Sunday night after lessons in Oriental we traveled across the city and outside the city to San Crystobal.  The roads here are scary at night because there is more crime and because many of the motorcycles and taxis do not have lights.  Plus pedestrians are everywhere and because of their dark skin they just blend in with the dark if they don't have on lighter color clothing.  I really want to see San Crystobal in the light.  There were 30 + people waiting for us. So Scott needed my assistance to play the hymns they want to sing.  One I had never heard of but the other was ok - scares me to death but I just keep thinking that if I will try the Lord will bless me.  And He did!  Scott told them about the music program.  Usually we do a stake group with people from all of the wards.  This ward has so many people that want to take lessons that they don't want to have to be involved with the stake.  There were many men there and they were so excited to come up and see the keyboard.

The Bishop is in the white shirt - such a great man.  He will be good to work with.  The only time we could set up lessons for them was at 7:00 Sunday night which I don't like because of the traveling at night conditions but they are thrilled to be able to learn. Hopefully we can teach them.........
   I don't know where I left off on the last blog so will go back to yesterday.  Our temple trip , all of four blocks, was good.  A woman of 80 or so was going through for the first time with her daughter.  Her daughter was in tears half of the time and by the end the woman was too.  She is the first black woman I have seen with gray hair, eyebrows a n d  eyelashes.  There were three other women, me, Scott  and Pres. Cornish.  Scott went again tonight but I stayed home to have some alone time.

9/25/2012 Another five days without internet

We must have been sent here to develop patience!  There has to be one thing, at least, not working in our apartment at all times.  The power has been on for the past two days but the internet has  been off since last Thursday.   I don't know how many times you can fix the same problem but it is many!
   So much of this blog will be catching up.  On Friday the Eickbushes called to see if we were going out with the group for supper.  We decided to just come here and eat and maybe play games or something.  Just as they were coming the Yturraldies dropped by so they stayed and ate with us.  The only game we have is Phase 10 - which only when Scott thinks I am going to have a nervous breakdown trying to learn Spanish will he play.  The Eickbushes are game players but the Yturraldies said they would stay for one round but they weren't card players.  Well neither are we but a break is good.  Elder Yturraldie must have been holding out on us because he won the first hand, the second hand, the third hand before he had to leave for a meeting.  Anyway it was alot of fun

I'm beginning to feel like a music traveling van.  Wish we had a van to keep these 10 keyboards, boxes of books, etc in.  We went out to Hainamosa for the lesson this afternoon.  After the choir left we ended up with about 10 students there so that is much easier to handle.  We took the keyboards and set them up before the students came - you would have thought it was Christmas!  One of the women was so excited throughout the lesson that all she could do was giggle. When she figured out how to play with one hand and numbered fingers the melody of a hymn she was estatic.  It was just so much fun watching her!  There is a set of twins in the Haniamosa Stake class and one in the Oriental Stake class.

The first two are quite a bit more reserved than these last two but they are all great kids!
 Traveling to Hainamos is always interesting but today when we turned under the bridge on the small hill a man was coming down.  His hair was long and in ringlets and he looked like he could have been a lamanite warrior or something.  I was trying to decide if he had on brown clothes of just what when Scott and I both realized that what looked like a loin cloth, but was really just a narrow sash or something, and he was almost completely naked.  Can't imagine where he came from or why he hadn't been picked up by the security guards that are everywhere.

    On Sunday we went to the Ramana Ward where Olivert was playing the prelude and Sheryl was leading the singing.  They did a great job.  We are so proud of these kids!  I really admire their willingness to contribute to their wards with what little they have learned. 
   The Ruckers had invited us for dinner on Sunday - that was so nice of them since we had such a busy day. 

The Mahons were also there.  It was delicious and the company was great!
 We had to leave to get to our lesson in Oriental.  All of the students were there and we didn't have enough tables so this is what Angel got to have for a table:

That's what I call desperation!  Angel, who came late and ended up using the garbage can for a table, will likely be on time next week....
  I have ran out of picture room so will start anew tomorrow if we have internet. 

9/20/2012

You know how if you leave food out uncovered at home it gets dried out, well here you leave things out to soften them up.  Cake and brownies never get hard and stale - so Scott is happy! However other things mildew in a hurry.  It has been and still is a hot summer here, so the residents say.  It has felt hot to us ever since we got here.  The humidity makes the air feel heavy - that's the best way I can describe it.  Except for the garbage almost everywhere it is still very pretty here.

  On our way to Hainamosa we saw some interesting things.  I have never seen these trees before but they have many strange trees here that grow roots that climb up the trunk, trees that look like palm trees and about half way down the trunk of  tree where there are no leaves, bunches of berries looking things grow.  This one is a very pretty tree but looks weird when you get close.  I don't know what those hanging things are but they look like some kind of a branch growing the wrong way because they all hang down.
  Here street vendors are common but this is the woman with "something extra".:

That is the biggest variety of stuff we have seen here on one person.  There are few women out on the streets but when there are they usually have their "goods" on their heads.

Notice the leading patterns on the board...Scott should have been a teacher he is so good at it!
Even when he doesn't know what he is talking about.

We had our normal three classes today.  The music class is so frustrating for Katty because she is not a fast learner, and the two other young men are very gifted and had previous experience.  We sent a keyboard home with her so hope that helps her.  She is such a sweet girl, I just love her.  Elder Hammon's class was an exercise in making up stories with groups of words.  It actually was quite fun.  The Spanish class that Scott teaches was sparse as everyone was at the temple today.  Coming out we ran into a very white American couple - at least they looked very white in comparison to the other people in the lobby.( Blond and very fair skinned)  They were from Utah and had come to a wedding of a friend of theirs.  They love to come here and have brought their family and stayed for a year or so two different times.  They are the Tanners from down by Price.  He served a mission here 20 years ago and just loved it.
    We decided to do something different so we went looking for a Chinese Restaurant.  We found one on the GPS that we had been to before so knew where it was but had actually forgotten about it. So we went out for supper and just sat and watched all of the people come and go.  It was a nice change of pace for us.

9/19/2012

 We actually had power all day today!  Which was great since we were home most of the day. At noon we had a noisy thunder and lightening storm with no rain.  About an hour later it started to pour and it rained that hard for two or three hours.  We had an appointment out in San Cristobal to meet with a bishop who has many  people in his ward who want to learn how to play.  We called to see if they were still having the meeting as people stay home when it rains this hard.  He said it was just raining lightly and they should all be there.  About ten minutes later he called and said it was awful out there - pouring rain - water running everywhere.  So we were all ready to go somewhere and decided to go to the temple.  That's always a good decision for us.
   I was wondering today about Sister Wegland who was one of the missionaries we took to the temple each week.  She and her companion came up a few times to go four wheeling around the ranch.  As I see these freighters coming in to the port I think of her and wonder if she is out on the ocean somewhere since her degree was in sailing ships.
    I guess you know you are old when bed time is the best time of the day!

9/18/2012

   It's been kind of a restful day..We studied, washed, and then the power went off again.  They must think no one is home during the day so it doesn't matter if there is no power!  It did give Scott some time to make some calls to stake music presidents.  I have been gathering info from the other countries in this area to see what kinds of music programs they have or rather usually don't have.  There are many very dedicated senior missionaries teaching in their areas.  Hopefully these people won't have to rely on missionaries to play the piano for them for much longer.  Our students have started playing the preludes and postludes and the accompaniment that is in their keyboarding books.  We are so proud of them!  The hymns are very simple and only play one hand at a time but they sound great. 
    The missionaries asked Scott to read with William during his lunch break because he isn't getting much reading done.  As they were reading Scott realized that William can read but does not comprehend what he is reading.  That was so helpful! Scott told him the stories after they read and  William left excited because he finally understood what he has been reading.  I think William stayed with his job here because he knows Scott would help him is he needed it.  I just love that big smile of his and his "Katty" every time he sees me.  I don't know how he found out what my name was because he calls Scott " Elder Rees".  I wonder if he thinks that elder is Scott's first name!  Anyway, he has a little daughter named Katty so it is easy for him to remember.
    Danny, one of the workers here, asked Scott for some pain medicine for his headache today.  Headaches for these people when they are out in the heat all day are very common.  Scott told him when he came to fix out hallway light, he would give him some.  Of course he gave him some but a little later William, Wilton, and Danny came and worked on the wiring and finally got the light fixed.  It has been out for months and is a little unnerving to come up to the apartment and have the hallway dark and try to get the right key in the lock.  They were pleased with themselves when they finished - all  big smiles.  Danny wants to come visit us when we go home, or so he keeps telling us.
   We went to our normal 6:00 session at the temple tonight.  I don't know what was going on but the traffic was backed up for a mile or so and the policemen on their motorcycles were walking through the traffic like they were looking for someone.  Brother and Sister Lee, and the Cuenots were in our session with about four other people so it was quick.  One of the women escorting her daughter looked so familiar but I couldn't remember from where.  Later realized she is the mother of Massiel and Michelle, the twins in our Oriental class.
   It was so nice to get off the elevator to a lit hallway!

9/17/2012

Spent the morning and part of the afternoon without power again.  That pretty much puts our work at a standstill plus you can't do any housework or cooking.  It provided alot of study time though so I should be grateful because heaven knows I need more time to study!
  This afternoon were our two Spanish classes which I survived, barely.  It feels like there is so much information in my brain that I can't process it all.  The day will come when I can though.  (The power of positive thinking!)  We had to be back at the Casa in 40 minutes so we just took an apple and carrots for super and stayed for Family Home Evening. 
  The meeting was supposed to be a farewell for the Lowes.  He is a lawyer for the church here.  For some reason his replacement can't be here for another six months so they told him if he would stay here for a month then go home for a month for six months they would pay for his flights to and from Canada.  That sounds like desperation to me!  So they changed the meeting and had the new seventy in our area presidency and his wife talk.  First the Haitian missionaries leaving to go back to Haiti as missionaries came and sang an opening song.  They were amazing!  Haiti only lets their own people serve as missionaries there.  That's the only people it would be safe to send there from all we hear.
Then Pres. and Sister Sivic spoke.  She told about her Polish grandfather and Jewish grandmother joining the church. Even though he spoke in  "Spanglish" his talk was marvelous.  How great it is to get to interact with people like the Sivics. Wish I had some pictures but my camera battery was dead when we got there.
   The Beechers, from Lehi, are here on their way to Guyana.  We were excited to talk to them about working with the music program there because they both play the piano.  They will be working with the PEF program.
   I finally got some house slippers so my feet wouldn't get so dirty on these grimy floors.  My sister would be proud! 

9/16/2012

The morning began with us wondering where to go to church - a ward with some of our students in or our own ward.  We decided to go to our own ward which was having Stake Conference.  When we got to our building no one was there.  Then found out that the meeting was in another building but we didn't know where.  So we headed out to the Oriental Stake building knowing some of our students should be in a ward in the building we teach in.   Sure enough!  Their meetings began at 8:00 am so we got there in time for Sunday School and Sacrament Meeting.  Turned out that Maria was playing the prelude, Katty (returned missionary class) played the postlude and Sarah was the song leader. We got to meet Katty's parents and Maria's mother.  We were on the back row so saw all of the kids and many of the older people go in and out of the meeting.  It was a constant flow! I realized yesterday that I have not seen a Domincan with wrinkles so today I made that a priority. (Good Sunday activity ) I saw some old people but did not see wrinkles on their faces.  Maybe their skin is just better than ours!
   We had just settled in for a nap when the buzzer rang.  When someone wants in to your apartment they have to buzz you and identify themselves then you push a button to let them in the building.  It was William.  His cousin, a taxi driver, had been murdered yesterday so he had gone over to see him and hadn't been able to make his dinner for today when they got home.  Here if they don't have money to have relatives embalmed they just bury them the day they die or the day after. The police shot and killed both of the men involved in the murder.  That happens so often here - I don't know if they shoot to kill or if the men they shoot just die because they do not get quick, efficient medical care. Scott thinks it is the later.  Anyway, back to William, we found him some leftovers. I think he will be concave is he misses too many more meals.
   Got ready and headed back out to Oriental Stake for music lessons. Some of the students were involved in a church program about the Dominican teenagers so there were only 11 there.  That makes it more difficult because next week they will have to catch up as well as go on.  Some can do that and some have a hard time anyway.

9/15/2012

Today was a good day - even though our Saturdays always seem like Sundays because we spend a few hours traveling to the church and from the church in Hainamosa and a couple of hours teaching.  So it feels like we have two Sundays each week!
   Scott spent part of the day transporting women here for the auditing conference with their husbands, to the temple then to the Institute.  How we ever got to our lesson an hour early is beyond both of us!  On Saturday the lesson is at 5:00 and on Sunday it is at 4:00.   On Saturday the students usually show up anywhere between fifteen minutes and half an hour late.  When we got to the church the gate was locked and we couldn't get in so we called the high councilor and he informed us we were an hour early.  We're too old to even be embarrassed!  After all, an hour early is better than an hour late... So we had some time to tour the area.  We were sitting in the car when this red dilapidated van pulls up.  Three guys got out and went to the  house gate just to the side of us.  I don't know how they got someone to come out but they did.  As soon as the woman came out two of the guys went back to the van and started pulling out these upper body mannequins made of styrofoam with shirts on.  They held them up for the woman to see and tried to talk her into buying some but to no avail.  We thought she must have ordered some shirts but she sent them away.  We watched as they went to other houses and did the same thing.  Then realized they were traveling tshirt salesmen.  I wish I could have gotten a picture because the whole van was filled with Styrofoam bodies and tshirt type shirts.  On the side away from us they had a pole from the front to the back of the van with forms and shirts hanging on them.  Gotta love it here!
   I had seen Elder Esplin last week at the church in Hainamosa and told him I would bring him a treat this week if he was there.  He showed up before our lesson so I got to visit with him for a few minutes. He had his hair cut short this past week - info for Nanette. It was longer and curly last week but it is so hot here I'm sure this feels better.  Even the people here say it is record heat for September this year.
   There is this cute little woman in our class in Hainamosa that is so excited that we are starting on the keyboard lessons!  She sat down at the keyboard before class and for ten minutes just played on the keyboard.  She was like a kid at Christmas!  What a joy it is to teach someone who is so excited to learn.  However she never sings on key.  It is so confusing when you are playing and they are singing something you have never heard before.  I keep wondering if I am playing the wrong song or the wrong keys!  Scott stopped the group when she had been leading a song and asked them to listen to the piano and try to match the sound of their voices with the sound the piano made.  I just played one note of the melody so it would be easier for them to hear.  I don't think they even knew that they were to sing the way the piano sounded because they never hear the piano.  The next song was so much better!  One of our goals is to help them follow the music because they sing with all of their hearts.  We love these people and pray that we can help them in whatever ways we can.

9/14/2012

Yet another day we haven't locked ourselves out of our apartment!! 
The Ruckers had asked us to pick up the Browns from the airport for their auditing conference this weekend.  We hadn't been back to the airport since we arrived here about midnight six and a half months ago.  The highway to the airport follows along side of the ocean - very close to the side of the ocean in fact.
          

There are actually seven airports on this island but they are all small.

 This is the highway alongside the ocean.  There are places like this that the ocean is no more than 8' from the ocean.  For someone who doesn't particularly like water, this isn't very comfortable even though it is so beautiful.  The ocean was such brilliant shades of blue today - some turquoise. some deep dark blue.
    We thought about making a sign for the Browns so they would know who we were but the other missionaries told us that wouldn't be necessary because they could easily pick us out - we would be the only white people in the airport.  That wasn't true - there were two others!  All we knew about the Browns was that they were black and from Jamaica so trying to pick them out of the crowd was a bit worrisome.  However as soon as they walked through the gateway door there was no question who they were and they picked us out quickly.  That must have been tough...  Anyway they were much younger than we expected and absolutely delightful people.  AND they spoke English.  English is their national language.  They were staying in the Marriot Hotel right around the corner from us so we dropped them off for a few hours then picked them up and took them to the dinner at the Institute for the auditors from all over the Caribe area.  We had been to the Institute once but from a different direction.  So we headed out and drove for a couple of miles not really knowing were we were going.
Brother Brown asked, "Am I to understand you don't know how to get to the Institute?"  Probably a normal question for someone who wanted to be someplace on time!
 "No, we have no idea where we are going."  I thought he was going to jump out of the car and hail down one of those dilapidated taxis.  I was trying hard not to laugh out loud!  He had been there a couple of times before so directed us to his destination.  Then we didn't know how to get home but found a great new one way street with no stops that brought us right home.  We need to pick up Sister Brown and two other women to take to the temple in the morning.  Even though they are right around the corner it takes ten minutes in the car to get there from our apartment because of the one way roads.  Those city people who say they love the city because they have access to everything are crazy.  It takes me much less time to get from the ranch to the grocery store than it takes to get to the store here in the city. Fighting this traffic is a nightmare if you are in a hurry -and even if your not!
  It's been a stressful week for us.  Scott even agreed tonight to play a Phase 10 game with me.

9/13/2012

  It's been four days since we have had internet at a time I could blog so there is some catching up to do. On Sunday morning we went to Los Triniarios to hear one of our students, Ricardo, play in Sacrament Meeting.  In the training book it has hymns that you play with just knowing the numbered finger placement before you learn what the notes  are.  There are four of them and he did a medley of them.  But even better was he played the prelude.  When we got to the chapel it sounded like a carnival was going on.  Ricardo went up to the keyboard and began playing what he knew how to play.  Almost immediately the noise stopped and it was quite.  It certainly pointed out how much difference a prelude makes here.  The ward members were delighted!  There are three more of our students in that ward that could do the same thing.  Scott talked to the girl who lead the music,and did a great job, about having the four of them take turns playing.  Pres. Anderson says as soon as they can play anything they should be playing in church.  If we can locate the cords to the keyboard in many of the chapels we can get other students playing.  They put them up so the kids won't play on the keyboard but then when no one plays for a long period of time they seem to forget where they are.  Sounds like me!! There is a ton of work to be done here just making sure every ward has a keyboard or piano that can be played.  When we went that night to the Oriental Stake to teach lessons the stake president and the counselor over music and the high councilman all came in so excited about what had happened with Ricardo.that they went and bought five more keyboards for their stake for the kids to take lessons with.  All in all it was very gratifying to see them be willing an anxious to help their people.

    The power has been off again.  Only 30% of the people here pay for their power - the rest steal it from them.  That could be the problem but who knows!  It makes it difficult for us to do the computer work we need to do or to practice playing.or do internet Spanish.  Oh well...
     On Monday we had our usual busy day of two Spanish lessons.  We did hear from Brent that another couple from their area is coming to our mission.  They are the Walkers and will replace the Shavers in January.  It is great to make new friends but sad to see the ones you know and have grown to love leave because the chances of seeing most of them again are very slim!  They must send the Arizona people here because they are used to the heat!  It has been very hot here.
     FHE was at the Despains on Monday.  The Schoops, the Cuenots, and Sister Chantril were there.
Elder Despain gave an excellent lesson on being willing to share what we have and the talents we have been given.  I always wonder just what talents I have to share! 
    I know I have forgotten many things I wanted to remember.  Scott's back has been really bad - a pinched nerve or something similar that has made him very miserable.  Of course he won't admit it but when he turns very pale and you can see in his eyes that denying he is in pain is ridiculous and he finally asks for ibuprofen you know it's bad.  What is it about men and medicine??
   Open manholes  are normal here, even on the busy highways.  Scott gets a kick out of them painting yellow around them so you won't ruin your car by hitting one.  There are four on one off the busiest highways within four miles of each other.

Twice we have seen a funeral procession here.  I tried to get a picture of the hearse but Scott said I missed the best picture which was a little white truck with the back filled with mourners in their good clothes hanging out all sides.  I would love to get that on my video camera!  They always have the flowers on top of the funeria car.

We went to the temple on Tuesday night.  In our session were the Cuenots, and two other temple workers and the Leavitts - that's it!  I haven't been using the translation headphones so I could pick up more of the Spanish but that having total concentration, trying to pick out and understand words as quickly as they are spoken is a real stretch for me.
   Wednesday we needed to shop so even with his bad back Scott agreed to take me shopping.  Probably so I could get the groceries needed to feed all of his friends!  I had made brownies for him to give Joel when he came to put on the new doorknob so we took some to Karolina at the area office - she has been so good to help us with translation, phones, everything.  Alexis wasn't there.  He plays baseball with a team here and had broken his leg just about the same way Garret did when he was in high school.  A nasty break of both bones above his ankle.  They put plates on both sides of his ankle so he has two big incisions.
    I was excited to go to the temple and wear my new shoes that would not fall off.  Well I was sure right about that.  Not only would they not fall off; when I was supposed to take them off and put them on again. It was like pulling off a boot and.  My worry about them slipping off was unfounded!  Sister Leavitt, the session matron was just about ready to  come help me.  How sad is that?!  So went back to the little distribution center and bought the other shoes.  Thank heavens they cost less than $10. And they did slip on and off with ease and  stayed on!
   Before we got to the temple though we had our extra key to take to the Yturaldies but left it laying on the table.  As we went out we turned the knob to lock the inside door and went to lock the metal door only to find that neither of us had picked up our keys.  What's more is the door lock was a new key, the copy was sitting on our kitchen table.  Our car keys were in the apartment also.  Scott thought I had picked them up and I thought he had so there we were once again  in the hallway trying to figure out how to get into our apartment.  Finally Scott took out his credit card and inserted it between the doors and tried to open the lock.  It worked! Only because we  prayed for help to be able to get to the temple where the Despains were waiting to help me with the Spanish.  I know the Lord is aware of us.  So we got to the temple in time for the 7:00 session.  However,I think we should get another extra key and put it in my shoe! There was a room full of sisters and two couples who were going through to be sealed.  Both were older. It was a sweet experience to share the humility and joy they brought with them.
    Tri Com was supposed to have fixed the internet but of course they had not.  If you happen to catch it when it is on for a little while you can get some things done but if not you just have to wait until it comes on again.  I am just grateful that it is on right now so I can catch up!

9/8/2012

Today was our lesson in Hainamosa so we left early to be there to set things up- realizing that it wasn't likely that anyone would be there early - or even on time.  We got there and the gate was locked to get into the parking lot.  Every church here has a high fence and gate around it.  We parked outside the gate.  There were three girls sitting on chairs in front of us.  We finally realized one of them was a woman giving pedicures and manicures - plus painting finger and toe nails.  The blue bowl was used to soak their feet.  The other girl left but it was fun to see a street vendor doing nails.

  The lesson starts at 5:00.  We have missed two weeks because of the hurricane and their stake conference.  By 5:30 there were five people out of fifteen there.  Fifteen minutes later the twins came.  It is amazing how little being on time means to most of the Dominicans!  It did give us quality time to spend with those who did come though.  I have to say that the piano playing was atrocious!  (that was me)  The older man in our class sits right by us and was practicing leading with the girl who was supposed to be leading.  He was always off one beat.  Being as easily distracted as I am, I couldn't seem to keep my place in the hymn.
The class turned out to be alot of fun though because we actually got to know them individually.

This was the man by me.

This is half of the class that was there today! 

We got loaded up and started down the road where two guys were standing by the road waving.  When we realized it was these two students we pulled over and backed up.  They wanted a ride into town.

We did buy some flowers for Sister Lee from a street vendor on the way home.Two days ago

I had taken the key to the security lock off the keyring and taped it to an index card and put it in Scott's drawer.  Well when we got upstairs to open the door, the key would not work.  I had taped the wrong key to the card.  So much for good intentions. Thank heavens we have stairs in the hallway is all I can say.  Scott tried for half an hour to get in.  Yturraldes have an extra key to our apartment but they are on vacation on some beach.  As a last resort after and hour in the hallway we called Joel.  The only prompt Dominican we have met.  He was with his family in a city on the outskirts of town but said he would be here in an hour.  So we sat in the hallway on the stairs where we have no light because the wiring isn't right waiting for an hour for Joel.  Bless his heart for coming right when he said he would.  His wife and son were with him.  He tried and tried to get in and finally took a hammer and broke the doorknob off. The noise was awful but not one neighbor came out to see what was going on.  No wonder a woman could be murdered in her hallway and no one noticed.  It still took him half and hour to get in after that.  We hated to take his time but he was very nice about the whole mess.  Guess that's one key I can throw away after I so carefully put it away. 

9/7/2012

Just go home from dinner at the Lees.  Sister Lee had gone to so much work to make a lovely Dominican dinner for us and the Ruckers.  It was delicious!  They are such warm and gracious people. Pres. Lee is better at acting out Spanish words that I am at speaking them.  The Ruckers spent two years in Argentina as welfare missionaries so Sister Rucker understands alot of the language. 
  Today the internet people came and found that our internet had been shorted out by water in the box down stairs.  So they got that fixed.  Hooray!  Then the stove repairmen came and fixed the stove so we now have a functioning stove.  And we still have power.  But when we tried to turn off the air conditioner off, it wouldn't turn off.  The remote control would not work at all and there are no controls on the unit itself.  I was just grateful that it quit working when the air conditioner was on instead of off.  Luckily when we got home I tried putting in new batteries and it worked!  So we are all fixed up....
  William came up a couple of times today to talk to Scott.  He has been offered another job down by the ocean doing security.  The job pays more but when he went to tell the building landlord she offered to match what the other job would pay.  I don't know what he will do but we will certainly miss his smiling face if he isn't here.  I know if would be hard for him to leave Scott because he and Wilton seem to view him as their dad. So Scott and I both have been sad thinking of him leaving.
   We came out of Lees and Scott went over to talk to the night guards.  When we drove in the other night one of them was setting on a chair by the road and my husband, being funny, drove towards him like he was going to run over him.  He jumped out of the chair with his shotgun and I was just glad he didn't shoot us.  Scott went back down and took him some chocolate to apologize.  So tonight he stopped to talk to him and the other night guard. They had many questions about the church and what we were doing here.  No one here can believe missionaries come here to work for the church and are paying for it themselves.

9/6/2012

A usually busy day wasn't so busy for me because I was sick but am feeling better tonight.  That left Sott alone to teach music to the returned missionaries.  I am sure he did a fine job!  They studied reflexive infinitives in Spanish so I am really going to have to study hard this next week. 
   Sister Rucker called to see if we would help transport some people next weekend to and from their big auditing training.  We haven't been to the airport since we arrived but we have to go and pick some people up so that will be an interesting experience.  Especially since some of our kids are coming out later.   We probably will be flying, not boating thank goodness, to some of the other islands in this area.  Pres. Anderson wants us to start sending information out to the stakes in Santiago especially and throughout the whole area.  Every day in the paper there is something about the robberies on the road out to there or some one else coming down with dengue or cholera.  It doesn't sound very inviting to me!  The robbers roll old tires or things into the paths of oncoming cars.  The cars wreck trying to swerve to miss it and either hit it or stop to move it at which time the guys come out in the road and rob the occupants of the car.  That reminds me of something else.  We have noticed that the cops here have no hesitancy in shooting someone if they have the slightest reason. In the states they would be investigated while they were on leave but that doesn't happen here.  It's all in the line of their work!
   Got the stove working.  The air conditioner is working,  the internet is working, and the power is on.  How amazing is that?!

9/6/2012

 When it rains, it pours - and that's not the weather!  Our power and internet have been out most of the time for the last week.  Then our air conditioner quit working.  Our stove has been making a clicking noise like when it tries to start a gas burner but even after the burner is cooking the clicking is still here.  So we would just unplug it after we got the gas going and it would be ok.  Scott called Joel to see if he could help us with the air conditioner and true to his reputation he was here by noon and said he would have someone here at 5:00 to fix it.  And they were here shortly after 5:00!  They put a new breaker in for the air conditioner and tried to fix our little generator.  The generator isn't working but the air conditioner is!!!!  He no sooner left than we tried to cook supper before we went to the temple and none of the burners nor the oven would turn on.
   The street outside has been relatively calm.  No suicides, murders, thefts...
   We had an appointment with Pres. Anderson yesterday at 3:00.  He is such a nice man and very helpful.  He gave us some ideas to try to shame these stake presidents into doing their job.  I thought it was rather funny that he would come up with that idea.  He has such a musical family that he really sees the value of bringing the spirit of the hymns into meetings.  Pres. Anderson is now the Area President but is never too busy to help us when we need it.
 The area presidency here is great.The 1st councilor, Pres. Cornish, and his family are involved in our senior missionary activities so we have gotten to know them well.   The other counselor just arrived and I can't remember how to spell his name.  He is from Argentina.
  So when we went to the temple on Tuesday I was going into the chapel and this woman comes rushing out of the dressing room saying," Cindereli, Cindereli,"  and holding up one of my slippers that had come off along the way.  I thought I had that problem fixed by getting two different size slippers and using one of each - but no.  I couldn't imagine what she was doing until she caught up to me then I realized that one of my slippers had indeed come off my foot.  This gets embarrassing after while but since I can't feel much in my feet I never know from the feel if they are on or not. I have planned ever since we got here and had several similar experiences to get some shoes that would stay on but have not had the opportunity.  We were in the mini distribution center here talking to the sister who is a stake music director when I realized they might have temple shoes .  Couldn't see any but when I asked she went and brought two different styles out.  They were between $10 and $11 dollars - quite a deal for a good brand named shoe. One was more stylish than the other but I am soooo old that I chose the comfortable one.  So as we were going up the stairs at the temple my husband starts laughing.  "Those look like old granny shoes!"  Well, they should shouldn't they - I am an old granny!  And I didn't lose one all night!
    We came home to power but no internet and one working burner on the stove.  Having the air conditioner working was worth doing without most things!
   We are doing well and are so grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord as He has blessed us so greatly. 
  

9/4/2012

Still playing catch up and may loose the internet at any given time.  We have not had power or internet and now we don't have air-conditioning.  You just don't want to tempt fate and wonder what will go next! 
  Sunday is always a busy day for us but this one was eventful.  We went out to Tres Brazos to pick up William's wife, Olglivia and her three kids.  When we got there Scott went down the path (kind of) to tell them we were there.  I didn't know which was scarier - to stay in the car or go down with him.  Decided to stay in the car. I was really glad when Scott got back.  Oglivia came out with her three kids but the boy , Gregory, had a swollen face from a bad tooth and wasn't going with us.  It was great to see the girls,  Cati and Aliana.  Aliana had fallen and scratched up her face but also took off a fingernail which was painful for her. Olglivia and I were a great pair at church.  Neither of us knew what was going on - she, however, had been there once with Scott already so she knew more than I did.  I hate not being able to really talk to her.  Scott went to the high priests class and they want him to come back an teach it as long as he can come to their ward.  I was amazed at how big their ward was.  It looked as big or bigger than ours back home. You just hope when you take these non-members to church that the members will befriend them.  I am going to be better at that.

 Cati, Alaina and Oglivia

While waiting in the car:  I couldn't figure out what this guy was gathering.  When we got to the top of the road he was at the garbage dump going through bags of garbage so I guess that was what he was collecting in his shopping cart.
  This is where they live - down towards the river bank:

Most of these houses are pieces of tin, wood, cement blocks.
  We got home in time to have lunch and get all of our stuff  together to teach another class.  We have a trunk full of eight keyboards, 25 easy hymn books, white board, markers, a table - it's like moving every time we go to this class!  The kids are great though - we love working with them but it is quite a process...Their stake purchased five keyboards and five teaching kits so that helps us out a lot since there are usually 15 - 18 kids/one adult woman in the class.  Finding tables to put all of the keyboards on is the hardest part.  The buildings here don't have the tables available that we have at home.  They have two 8' tables and the rest are small classroom tables; but it works just fine.
  One thing we have realized about the music here is they really don't care if they have an accompaniment or not because they just sing the way they think it should be anyway.  They are very enthusiastic singers!
  We had an uneventful trip home and hoped to have internet but didn't have that or power so we just went to bed.
  MONDAY
While we were eating lunch Tati came up to visit.  She told us about her granddaughter who is living with her, 14 years old, that she has no control over.  Her mother sent her here because she was always with this older guy and thought things might be better here.  They are not.  She walks the streets at night and doesn't go to school during the day.  Tati is just sick about her because she knows she is involved in all kinds of bad things.  Fourteen years old and living like this not unusual here but it is so sad to see young girls throw their lives away like that.  We have tried to figure out how we could help but nothing seems feasible.  We told Tati that the church near where she lives has activities for young women but I don't think her granddaughter is looking for that kind of activity. 
   Had Spanish classes at 4:00 and 5:00.  Hurried home to make a treat for FHE and got back to St.  Hilares for a great lesson on the importance of music.  Sister St. Hilarea is hard of hearing and does not see well but she has memorized all of the hymns in the hymn book.  She said she has learned the doctrine of the church through the hymns.  What a great thought!
TUESDAY
  Tried to get ahold of some of the stake music directors.  At least some of the stakes have music directors now!  Our air conditioner is not working but there was a great ocean breeze so it wasn't too bad.  We couldn't get ahold of Joel but hopefully tomorrow we can find him to get someone to fix it.
We went to the late session at the temple and it was great.  My first all Spanish temple experience!

   They have been replacing the sidewalk around the block.  First thing in the morning you hear this chopping of bricks sound and it is this guy working on chipping out the cement and hard rock so they can put down tile.  Most all of their labor is done this way - by hand not machine.

9/3/2012 Another couple of days without power or internet

  At this rate I will never catch up!  Just when we thought power outages in our apartment were fairly rare, the power has been off for 6 hours each of the past four days.  Plus the internet service comes and goes - mostly goes...
   We have had trouble getting in touch with the people who are in charge of this apartment because several things needed to be fixed and our rent for the next six months was due.  Scott finally got ahold of Joel, who is a guy we met sometime back that Scott gave a church video to. He is in charge of the maintenance of four apartments here and ours is one of them.  He came to talk to Scott  - at the time he said he would.  Imagine that!  Then we invited him to bring his family and have dinner with us and watch the video.  He said they would be back in two hours and they were!  The interesting thing is Joel was so full of light when we first met him, but when he came earlier we were both surprised at how his countenance had changed - and not for the better.  Don't know what has been going on in his life but he didn't have much to do with his wife.  They brought a 6 year old boy who he obviously loved but left their six month old baby home.  And to think I had spent time trying to get Scott to teach me how to say "Can I hold your baby?"  She had pictures of the baby. I wonder if the baby had something to do with the problem since the baby was white skinned with reddish brown hair and blue eyes.  It was such a shock I came so close to blurting out "Was she adopted?" but didn't.  They are both dark but he is really dark brown.  Here is a picture of their family:

They did like the poppy seed chicken but wondered where the wine was.  When Scott told them that we didn't drink wine he was shocked.  They are among the wealthier Dominicans.  The did want to see the video then wanted to take it home.  There is something not quite happy in their marriage so I hope they can get it straightened out.  Maybe they aren't even married, who knows.
   We probably spend as much time here doing missionary work as we do music. We are blessed to have the time to meet people here and be a part of their lives.  As Joel's family was leaving our neighbor, Patricia, was coming home so Scott invited her in for dessert.  She had some questions about the Book of Mormon he had given her to read.  And miracle of miracles my skpye worked for a few hours and we got to talk to Megan and Alysha.  Scott thought it was just a tender mercy for me because I hate to be out of touch with the kids and was especially worried about Stan and Sue.
   On Saturday we traveled out to do lessons at Hainamosa.  They have about 50% of the signs back up. This is a huge sign and my favorite!

So many interesting pictures.  Everywhere we go they have these Goma shops  -

 Yup  - they are tire shops.  And from the looks of the tires they must be used tires or/and stolen tires.
The "moto" is a very useful and cheap method of transportation.  They use them as taxis:

These are not big motorcycles but they carry alot of weight here.  Usually they are moving through stopped traffic so fast you can't get a picture!  Scott says this is just half a load of Dominicans.
   When we got to the church they were having their stake conference meetings which no one had told us about so no one showed up to the lesson.  But on the way home we had fun passing some interesting things:

This is a furniture delivery vehicle!  The inside was jammed full of the rest of the set.

This is a normal small truck bed filled with as many people as they can cram in or hang out of. These people have total disregard for personal space or safety.

   We passed another horse/cart street vendor on his way home for the day.  This horse looks to be in pretty good shape!  They put plastic plates on each side of the horses head so he won't be frightened by the traffic.  Most of them are just too weak to care.

8/30/2012 Another lapse in internet service

    Our internet just came back on so I can try to catch up on skype.  On Wednesday we decided to go to the temple so we could see Romney's talk on Thursday evening.  Hermana Mahon sat by me and I forgot she knew less Spanish than I do and she didn't have headphones for English. I thought she was just dozing, like my daughter Jamie, when she didn't respond to anything then I finally realized she didn't know anything about what was being said.  What a idiot I am because I could have helped her a little.  Anyway we didn't mind coming home late because we had no internet to check on the kids or the news or blog.  We are just hoping they get the internet fixed for Thursday night. 
     Thursday is always a busy day but I had a chance to cook some poppy seed chicken for the first time since we have been here. It tasted so good!  The internet man is supposed to come today but hadn't come by the time our music lesson started so I sent Scott by himself - which he was not too happy about.  So I missed music lessons, two Spanish lessons and still he hadn't come.  Sister Yturaldie has called them a dozen times to report our outages and they say they are coming. Ha!  The Dominican manana means about anytime they get around to doing it. 

   Sister Mahon called to say she would be here to cut Scott's hair in an hour.  In her business she charged $40 for a man's hair cut but is doing it here free for the missionaries.  Looks nice, huh?
Sitting on the couch is her husband who played polo for 22 years in Chicago.  It has been fun getting to know them.
    After they left we called all over to see if anyone had internet and would be up until 11:00pm. We finally found they had some service at the Casa so the Ytualdies and Rees' climbed in the car at 10:00 at night and went to the Casa.  There are always people staying there who come from different areas of the Caribe to do temple work.  If they have young children one can tend while the other goes.  We searched around for the best signal and finally found a weak one that wouldn't let us listen.  We pulled the overstuff chairs from the waiting room into the hall because that was the best reception.  And we thought at 10:00 at night there wouldn't be anyone around.  Were we wrong!  Have to remember we are in the land of late night people.  Family after family came out of the elevator and into the kitchen area until well after 11:00.  We did get to hear the speech and thought it was very good.  Of course Romney is our kind of guy!  At 11:30 pm the MTC/CCM here was filled with new missionaries just coming here to be trained.  They looked pretty spry for just getting off the airplane.
 Brought back old memories of landing here in the DR and getting off the plane wondering just what our lives here would be like and what we were really supposed to do.  We're still wondering if they got the right people for this job!