2/28/2013

     The professors here are on strike - they want  a 100% raise.  Their economy here was headed down the same trail as ours in the US but the new president really seems to be making a difference.  It is just that people don't like it because they like what they have had.  We have seen so much illiteracy and poverty that you would think the country would be for spending the money they promised on education - as he is doing.  It looks like one of the few ways to really help the people make better lives for themselves instead of following in their parents footsteps of poverty.  We would love to see our little kids here be better educated than their parents!  There is so much complacence here. " We just do with what we have - why try to do better .
    Scott and I have become salsa gurus.  I  usually eat it in some way three times a day and he loves salsa and chips. So we are always making fresh salsa.  He's cutting up some peppers and onions now before he goes to the temple - I'm not going to tell him his hands will stink the whole night!
    I didn't blog yesterday so will add about our trip to Los Llanos.  It finally hit me as I walked out the door of the church there and the country atmosphere, the goats tied to rocks by the building, chickens clucking and running around that the reason it feels so comfortable there for me is it is like where I grew up!  There is just a feeling in the country that is not in the city.  Anyway, this tan goat was hilarious as tried to get him to look at me so I could take a picture.  They say he gets bored on Sundays and tries to come into the building - the two doors are always open.

 These other two were much quieter!  You can't really see the chickens in the background but I love seeing them running around.  The musical cart-taxi passed a couple of times during the lesson - which is always fun but I guess it would have been inappropriate for me to leave the keyboard and go out to take pictures! Will see it again sometime on our trips out there.  The people are great.  In Santo Domingo one of the women students stayed after to tell us how much she appreciated the opportunity to learn to play because she could never afford the expensive it is here to take lessons or have her children take lessons.  That warms my heart because that is what is important to me - for us to give them opportunities that they would not be able to have.
  We also went with Yturraldes yesterday to the Colonial Zone to see a replica of an old ship like the one Magellan sailed on.  It was actually beautifully finished with polished wood inside.  When I went to take a picture, I had forgotten to put the media stick back in my camera.  Sister Yturralde said she would send me some pictures so I will put them on when she does.  It was a fun experience and not too many people out and around early in the morning.
   Just got back from the temple.  The Mahon's work at the Institute where we teach.  The professors have been on strike and the Institute is just across the street from the college.  On Tuesday they got caught in a riot with black masked people and smoke bombs etc. She said it was really scary.  The past two days the roads have been closed so we couldn't have gotten there.  Guess someone was killed there in the rioting this week.  I am surprised that hasn't been in the newspaper. That is maybe a mile from us and we have two colleges within the block next to us but haven't seen problems here.
 Now that is unusual!  Scott did here shots the other morning at 3:30 but couldn't see anyone around outside.  That's probably because they were laying dead in an alley somewhere nearby!  

2/26/2013

       My years stash of medicine is about gone so we had to figure out how to get some here.  It was quite a process but the health insurance said it is possible to get them all  - we just have to find out where.  I shopped at National while Scott waited in line at the Pharmacy.  Then we both waited another half an hour  for them to get it together and still couldn't get two of the medications there so have to find them at some other place. 
       Got the washing all caught up today so we have clothes hanging all over!  But at least I have found that Clorox 2 really helps clean the clothes better. 
     We had a lesson tonight at the Gasgue chapel that has 30 people signed up for it.  We will split the class next week so will be going there Tuesday and Thursday nights.  The mission home office is right next to the chapel so we get to see the Eickbushes ( senior couple who work in the mission office)

They are leaving in two weeks but he is a surveyor and has promised to come do some work for us when we get home.  They live in Utah county.  We have been blessed with many wonderful friends here. They discovered an IHOP here so before they leave we are going out to dinner there.
  We made salsa today and we were eating some with supper when the Yturrales dropped by on their way home from the temple.  The ate salsa and chips with Scott then went up and got ice cream for root beer floats - Scott and Elder Yturralde's favorite treat.  It was nice to visit with them for a change.  Usually when they are home from work we are working but tomorrow is their national day of independence here so we are going to see this old war ship in the morning.

2/25/2013 It's been a year!

      Wow - it has been a year since we arrived here in the Dominican Republic.  How grateful I am that we are on this side of the year and not just arriving.  It is so nice to know what we are to do and be able to work on it instead of wondering just what we had gotten ourselves into.  It has been a year of testimony building as we have seen the Lord's hand in our work time and time again.  If He leads you to it, He will lead you through it!  Don't know where that quote came from but it is so true in every aspect of our lives.  Family Home Evening tonight  was a welcome for the Kanyangas and the Malans. 

   The Kanyangas are originally from the Congo.  He was a teacher there and exiled from the country.  His wife did not know if he was dead or alive or where he was for three years.  Somehow he ended up in South Korea.  After being there for three years he finally had enough money to contact her to tell her he was still alive.  Four years later he was able to send for her and the kids so they could be together.  All this time she had no money and supported her family by making and selling a type of bread.  Listening to their story of no food, no mattresses to sleep on, made the rest of us feel like a bunch of ingrates!  They are an amazing couple and will be a wonderful addition to the temple workers.  They both speak French and they were so in need of French speakers to work in the temple.

   This is the Malan's fourth mission.  They were here 10 years ago working in the temple and were called back to work there again. On their last mission they had about two months left and he had a massive heart attack - in Ecuador.  The doctor told him he wouldn't live but decided if he lived two more weeks he could fly back to the States for surgery.  He obviously lived!  His wife's health has been problematic but they had both felt they should put in their papers and go on another mission so here they are.

   Now which couple looks the happiest???  The Shavers who are leaving in two weeks.  She talked in Spanish (one of Scott's students).  They are good friends and we will miss them - despite their trashing Utah Mormons!  They are from Idaho.  He is the medical doctor here but was really a radiologist at home.  It is becoming more clear all of the time that it is not going to be easy to leave all of the people we have grown to love here when that time comes.
   

2/24/2013 Oriental Piano Recital

     We had no power when we got home last night so didn't get blogging done for the day. Saturdays are such busy days!  After the first two lessons that have taken all morning - we are ready to go home and rest but that doesn't happen.  At La Caleta we found a couple of ways to help the kids reach the keyboards:

The first one was the stand that went behind the pulpit for the bishop. etc to set on. Scott had them help him move it down and so they could set higher to play the keyboards.  Worked really well!  The next was a bunch of hymn books that actually didn't work quite as well since the kid with the grey shirt ended up on the floor.  But" whatever works" is the key to working here! 
   At the Los Molinos ward we didn't have enough tables so we improvised by using chairs for tables and getting the little chairs from the Primary room to get them at a better level to play.

  Then we got to Hainamosa where there was no power again.  We started a new class there a month ago.  Each week we have new students.  This week we had 17 students - 3 were members of the church.  The problem with that is this program is set up to help members learn to play so they can help their wards.  So what do you do?  We couldn't have our second class because there was no power to play the keyboards.  Scott was so frustrated.  It's so nice not to be in charge.......We will have to get ahold of the stake president and see what he wants to do.  At least we were home before dark!
  Today we went to Sarah's going away meeting instead of taking the little kids to church.  Katty has the flu and has been really sick.  You never quite know what to expect here.  Pres. Sivac and his wife were at the meeting and actually took all of the time.  Sarah and some guy sang a number.  She has a very nice voice.  Just love that girl!  She will make an awesome missionary.  Then we came home and had lunch and got everything ready to take to San Cristobal and Oriental for the recital.  By the time all of the students arrived we only had 45 minutes before we had to leave for Oriental.
   Our first recital - a learning experience!  How kind the Lord is to help the kids learn even though we don't even resemble music teachers.  However you would never know that if you listened to Scott teach!  When we got there a few of the students had decided they wanted to do the recital in the Chapel on the piano/organ.  Others didn't like that idea so we took a keyboard in and set it up.  Well I had never played this piano and I was to play the opening and closing song.  What a wash..  The sound of the piano was weird and the organ was much worse.  It completely threw me off.  Should have had Scott play!  The kids did pretty well though.  The whole stake presidency was there along with parents, relatives and friends so it was a nice crowd.
  Gathering for a prayer:

Picture with the stake presidency:

   It is great to have that over - just sad that we won't see these kids anymore.  We are starting another class next Sunday there.  It was interesting that when the stake president handed them their graduation certificates, their parents came up on the stand to have their picture taken.  I have never seen people who like their picture taken as much as these Dominicans do!  It was great for us though.  Now we will get them developed and see if we can find some way to get them to the kids.  At the end of this day we are relieved and now know what to expect from a piano recital here. 

2/22/2013

      Had an opportunity to catch up on studies - if there is such a thing as catching up.  As we meet more senior missionaries who have served three or four missions in Spanish speaking areas and still do not feel they know the language I realize  that learning a new language takes complete immersion in it - as the young missionaries have.  So I'll just learn all I can and quit stressing out!
      Scott went to take our pictures and passports to have our visas renewed this morning and didn't come back, and didn't come back until I thought he surely must be in trouble somewhere.  But no, he shows up finally and had been grocery shopping all by himself!  He even remembered my grapefruit.  Perhaps he can be the lone shopper from now on...  Then I can get more things done in our "office" at the apartment  He says now I can't leave and go home because we have no visas.  As if I would do a thing like that!   (tempting as it may be at times).  There is always more to do than there is time for and we don't even have the constant interruptions we used to have.  It could be that we are just getting slower........
      We had Spanish classes at 4:00 and 5:00.  I have really enjoyed Elder Marino's class.  Scott's class is kind of hard at times though.  Guess you never grow if you aren't challenged, darn!  It is a fun bunch of people in the classes.  We have really enjoyed getting to know the Marinos.  She is such a character - reddish hair and beautiful bright blue eyes. He was raised in Mexico so has many interesting stories about the language there.
    Went to the temple after Spanish for the 7:00 session.  There were lots of people there and quite a few that we knew from lessons and visits with the stake presidents.  They were having a special youth conference at the Casa so we ran into the twins and Camila from the Oriental Stake.  Was a great time to remind them of the recital on Sunday.  They seem to be calm - just Scott and I are nervous!!

2/21/2013

An early morning trying to get a program ready to take to the printer for our recital on Sunday.  Scott took them to the printer across the street and had them printed and the certificates printed.  That is a load off my mind!! Then we went to Price Mart to pick up the things we needed from there.  Scott and Pres. Diaz decided that this should not be a food event so we just picked up some oatmeal cookies ( the boxed kind - not the nice fresh ones!) and Hermana Alcantara is supposed to bring the drink. You just never quite know what will happen here so we are going prepared......
   We got home from Price Mart just in time to get ready for our lesson at the Institute.  The professors are still on strike so we were missing half of the class.  That makes it difficult as they continue to go ahead of the others. Then you are teaching two or three different groups at different levels.  I dropped Scott off a the temple to do the 5:00 session while I came home and got something to eat and got my things to head back at 6:30 to do the 7:00 session with him.  It was a big session with Pres. Olivert and his wife, our student Paula's parents, some people from other areas that we have seen.  Paula was outside waiting for her parents.  She is in the recital class for Sunday but says she hasn't been practicing.  Why is that not surprising? Just can't worry about it though.

2/20/2013 Los Llanos

     A morning Institute class was interrupted by the fact that the college professors are on strike and so the kids did not have class.  They don't have the money to come in just for one class so we only had eight students there.  It was very nice have the time to work more individually with each of them.
These kids are just starting the keyboard class.  Got home in time to have lunch then leave to pick up the Leavitts for a trip out to Los Llanos for our first lesson there.  It is an hour and a half drive to get there with roads that rival the Hianamosa highway -  bad!!  It was fun to spend time with the Leavitts though.  Here is their church which is also the community center:

The area on the left hand side of the picture was some kind of a garden.
We got there before anyone else (except a man named Confessor).  I thought that must be part of a job with the church out here because who would name their son Confessor!  When some young boys came Scott entertained them with his now famous string trick:  even he can't figure out why it works!

  

In this group there are as many non-members as there are members.  Don't know why they want to learn to play the hymns but it can only be a good thing for them.    Many in the class are under 20 but there are four men over 40 in there.  One who is probably close to 80.                                                  It was much harder for them to pick up the rhythm.

 

Here are the Leavitt's - grateful that they didn't have to teach !

We have been out to this ward twice before - just visiting.  This is the ward where we gave the little girls gum and one of those girls is actually in our class.  Then there was the older teenage boy who wrote me a note about how clean of a boy he was and could we find him a job who came around to the window by the keyboard and was asking me if I remembered him.  How could I have forgotten because I never did really know what he meant by "clean" and certainly didn't want to ask.             

As we were loading up to come home the missionaries from the Piantini Ward called to see if we could come to a lesson they were having with the Denish's at 6:00.   We were in one traffic jam after another as we hit the city so didn't get back in time.  I told them we probably wouldn't be home and to call the Yturralde's but they didn't so hope everything went well.  Reetha's husband is home for the week so it's a good time to have a lesson with them. 
   Tomorrow morning before lessons at the Institute we have to get the programs for the recital on Sunday printed off along with the certificates.  Since we have a lesson in San Cristobal and can't get to Oriental until just before the recital we are just going to pick up some dry old cookies from Price Mart for refreshments.  But since we had to have the program ok'd by President Diaz this morning at the institute, I haven't got it all together so I have much to do tonight!