5/16/2013

What a relaxing day! We went to the temple early and were home before noon.  I finished the programs - well almost finished- before the power went out.  Had clothes in the washer so they had to wait. Boy I am going to be disappointed if my washer at home doesn't wash better than the one we have here.  Anyway the power came back on within a couple of hours so I was able to finish the programs and Scott took them across the street to have them copied for both recitals this weekend.
   When we got to Santo Domingo for our lesson tonight they were having a stake baptism in our room.  The font is by the other room we could use so one of the leaders in the stake took us into the high council room.  Most of our students were either at the baptism or home studying for their final tests.  We had my favorite mom, her son, and another young girl. They were almost lost in the depths of the huge table:

How nice it was to have so much one on one time to help them.  Sister Santos is carrying a lot of pain around because she is divorcing her husband.  She said for sixteen years she had done her job and his job too plus took care of their three kids and she just did not love him.  She feels a lot of guilt because she says he is a good man.  There are many fairly decent men here who do nothing but sit around and send their wives to work.   She tried to help us with Spanish as we helped them with their playing so it was a great trade off.  She is one of the many people here who have made our mission a great experience.  

The most exciting thing:  We walked into the high council room and there were hymn book setting on the table.  Scott said we should look around for my hymn book that I have been lamenting the loss of for months now.   Well right in front me was my hymn book.  I couldn't believe it!  We have looked everywhere for that book.  It is a Spanish book in which I have written all of the titles of the hymns in English under the Spanish titles.  Plus in the front it has the songs indexed in page numbers in both English and Spanish - so handy to have when you are trying to find a song in Spanish.  There have been so many times since the loss of the book that I have been asked to play and have no idea what they are singing until I have played a couple of measures.   I am so very grateful to have it back....



5/15/2013

We attended a fairly prompt temple session on Tuesday. Only started 20 minutes late.  Here if they know there is someone in the dressing room getting ready they will hold up the session until they get in the chapel.  When we finished we drove home then out to PriceMart to pick up some oatmeal cookies and pop for our recital.  Scott buys these cookies all of the time (says they are his dose of the oatmeal for the day). Got home in time to work on the recital program before our night class at Santo Domingo.
 This morning Scott went to the Institute to check on our classes - both have been moved to Friday.
I continued to work on the programs and finally got one done.  It's all of the changes that are made by the students and trying to make sure every word in Spanish is used right that drives me crazy!
   Leavitt's went with us to Los Llanos.  That's much more fun! I know someone besides us must be praying that we will be safe because otherwise we would be dead on these roads somewhere.  They always say it is unsafe to be out at nighttime but that is when most of our lessons are.  I know the Lord protects us because we are doing His work.  But then He doesn't bless stupidity!  The roads were covered with water so all of the big holes in the roads weren't visible.  Oh well....
   We brought the Leavitts back to the Casa and headed out to Las Caobas.  That is usually only about half and hour drive but when the traffic is bad it takes much longer.  The great thing is we changed the class at Los Llanos so we could teach two classes on Wednesday night at Las Caobas.  The Las Caobas class of 32 was just toooooo much.  Tonight it was a zoo!  Kids running in and out, students leaving and going from table to table because they had nothing to do while the other two kids sharing their teclada were playing, big boys not in the class sliding on the floor up to the stage to see one of their mother's.  All in all I just wanted to scream..  Scott is much better at confusion than I am but tonight was a bit much for him also.  It will be much better with the two classes - though they still will be big classes.  The traffic was much better on our way home.  It will be nice to climb into our rock hard bed.

5/13/2013

    We survived another weekend.  It seems like just yesterday was Sunday then before you know  it is time to start the marathon weekend again. We began Saturday at 9:00am as we headed for La Caleta.  Every time we go out there I am reminded that it won't be long before we take the airport exit instead of the La Caleta exit.  The kids were sitting out of the church grounds on the curb waiting for us because they could not get into the church yard.  My grand kids love machetes.  We have seen them many times here being used to cut brush and bush growth off the mountain side but edging a flower bed with a machete is quite a trick:

  The lesson went well and all of the kids were there on time - quite an unusual event.  We left for Los Melinos - eating lunch on the way.   The dad of the two little girls that play so well if finally back from some kind of a business trip so it was fun to see him again.  The mom of the oh-so-cute baby brought us a chocolate dulce.  It was all wrapped up so and looked a little like a bundt cake so I assumed it was flan. (Their favorite dessert here) It turned out to be a delicious chocolate cake that Scott keeps frozen so it will last longer.  These people are amazing.  They may have nothing but want to give you what they do have.
  So we have two recitals this coming weekend so we had practices today.  Oh my!  At Hainamosa the recital students all showed up at different times and the chapel was full of priesthood meeting guys.  We had the program and were just going to run through it with them so they knew what to do since they had no idea.  Well that didn't work very well!  Couldn't get in to practice on the piano in the chapel nor could we get the kids all together at one time.  It's enough to give you ulcers...
But the Dominicans never worry about things like that.  Anyway between the two classes there we didn't get home until 9:00pm.  I don't know if it was the heat or what but we were both exhausted.  We pulled into the parking lot and just sat in the car hoping we would be miraculously transported into the apartment.  We looked at each other and said, "Let's go to our own ward tomorrow."  We were both too tired to even think about taking 4-8 kids to church before our lessons on Sunday. 
     Sunday - Mother's day.  Mothers are so very important in the formation of a normal, healthy society and a happy family life.  It seems like a thankless job sometimes but I treasure being a mother to our ten kids more than anything.  We are so grateful for the good mothers our daughters and daughter-in-laws are! 
It was very nice to hear a Sunday School lesson in English and see many of our missionary friends that attend this ward.  Grabbed some lunch and studied on our way to San Cristobal.  These students are the other recital this coming weekend.  These people really are not ready for a recital but the Bishop wants them to play because it is their ward conference.  Well that would be fine but many of them had changed their minds about the numbers they wanted to play; and couldn't even play them.  Of course that isn't a problem for them.  We are the only ones that worry about that kind of a thing here.  I can't even imagine how this is going to turn out.
 Carlos and Lucianny are brother and sister and two of my favorites.  Their parents were in the class but quit after the conducting class:

          

What a joy this class has been!  Bishop Polanco probably sets the tone for the attitudes of these kids and he is wonderful.  He must have had a difficult Sunday though because he was about an hour late and came in looking pretty disheveled.  Heaven only knows how this recital will turn out.  I'm hoping it's like those Primary programs you practice for and the kids are terrible at the rehearsal but actually do a great job.                                                                                                         

We were discouraged until we got to Oriental to teach and their stake president had purchased 10 new tables for the keyboards to be set up on.  So the classroom was all set up and ready to go.  No using chairs for tables this week!  Three of our former students were there helping us so it was so much easier than it could have been.  Each time I stopped to listen to someone playing a piece I was amazed how well they were doing.  Then I just got this warm feeling of peace in the storm of 17 keyboards playing and I knew that the Lord was blessing these students as we had asked Him to do.

 

That's the two sides of the room - five tables on each side.

 

One thing I forgot to mention is that Steve Spencer from Felt and Spencer rehab-where my volleyball girls spent half of their life- is here with another doctor doing a wheelchair training.  It was fun to see him here.  He comes down to the Caribbean often to do volunteer work.                                               



                                          Now who do you think was having the most fun?

           Ruckers invited  the Yturraldes, the Buttons, and us to dinner tonight.  It was a welcome change from the computer work I have been doing all  day trying to get the programs and the invitations made so we could take them to Hainamosa and San Cristobal this weekend.  Still have to put in a new ink cartridge and print off some invitations. 
           Scott went to the temple this morning while I worked on the music things.  I woke in a panic this morning thinking this Saturday and Sunday were the recitals.  Ten minutes later I realized that they are next week - what a relief!

5/7/2013

      Monday is our weekend!  - That is if we don't have all- morning meetings, and we didn't today. Spanish classes and Family Home Evening don't start until afternoon so it was wonderful to have the morning to study and relax a bit.  At least this week we didn't have a "Choir Festival" meeting.  That has the potential of being such a great thing for the people here.  They love to sing and it doesn't take as much effort as learning how to play the piano.  Getting the music people  in place  and training them will be one of the biggest challenges.  In our FHE we talked about our ancestors and how they came to join the church.  Scott and I realized that we need to do some serious genealogy work when we get home.
       Tuesday was our morning at the temple. There was one car parked in the temple parking lot besides ours so we thought we would be the only people there.  But just like at the churches that look like no one is inside because there are no cars out front, there were people inside. I keep forgetting that many of these people come by public transportation because they don't have cars.
       Tonight was our lesson at the Santo Domingo stake.  Supposed to begin at 6:30 - no one came until 7:15.  One girl came at 8:00.  I do know that if there is even  one student there it is worthwhile.
We are trying to adjust but sometimes it is frustrating!!
       I was helping three girls by the window when I noticed a man looking in the window.  Thought he was one of the building people.  He opened the door and came over to me with something in his hand.  Scary looking guy!!  Then he went out but stayed on the balcony by the room we were in and kept looking through the window and door window.  When I opened up the paper it had his name and two phone numbers on and said he worked at the University - but that's all. One of the girls was shivering and said "He makes me afraid."- like I wasn't afraid!
    Well you all know how brave I am - Scott had to go back down to the car to get some cards and left me in the room with six teenage girls.  I asked him to talk to the guy and see if he could get him to leave.  Then one of the girls said,  "You don't talk to people like that.  They want money and will hurt you get it."
     So I had my trusty music baton and stood in front of the door so he couldn't open it - like that would have stopped him!  I was on my way across the room to get a broom, which looked like a better weapon, when Scott came back in.  The guy was standing outside the room so Scott said he just handed him some money and told him to leave then followed him down the stairs and out of the yard.
We all breathed a sigh of relief.
      Here we are at home again.  Grateful for another day to serve the Lord who has given us so much.


 

5/5/2013 Saturday and Sunday marathons!

      

  We arrived at 10:00 am at La Caleta to teach and found one of our students asleep on the church's keyboard!  Now that is a serious student..There was no power and no water and it felt like a sauna, but other than that it was great.  Most of the students were there but with no power you can't play the keyboards so Scott did some board work with them on recognizing the keys by name and location.  Some of the kids pick that right up and others struggle.  This is the only group, other than the Institute classes, that doesn't have adults in it.  A few started but decided they would never be piano players and quit.  No power meant no fans to circulate the hot air.

  

Each week we pass this guy selling crabs in the street - such an interesting display.

   At our next lesson, Los Melinos, the metal thing they call a gate was locked.  We were a little early but as time went on and no one came to unlock it one of the students left to find the guy with the key.

As we sat outside the gate there was a group of young boys playing on the rocks by the gate.  They always want you to take their picture, so I did..They are cute kids!  You can't help but wonder just what their lives will be here.

So when we finally got into the little parking area in front of the church - no one must drive to church here -one of our bubbly little students was posed in front of the church door:

Pretty doors don't you think??  This is far from a nice looking church on the outside but the inside is nice and spacious.  Between the rooster crowing and the music blasting from the little store across the street it was hard for an ADD person like me to stay focused on the lessons.  To be honest, I will miss those sounds just a little bit.

   Well when we did get into the building guess what??  No power - so no keyboards - and no fans working.  The building wasn't quite as hot as the last one but I could hardly wait to get home and shower.  On these busy days I am so grateful we had the opportunity to get away for a little while with the kids when they came here.  I'm ready for another vacation but we have to much to do!

In this class we have three young girls who can outplay any of the other students and so when Scott was doing the lesson, on the board again, he just called on the older ones who weren't as quick.  It was hilarious to watch them try to get his attention to call on them because they knew all of the answers. 

    On the road again.  This time to Hainamosa.  Every church here is behind locked gates but this time the gate was open AND we had power!  We had more students than tecladas.  Hot, hot, hot

in that big room because it has no fans.  The older class came to practice for their recital - they never want to leave.  Finally two hours later they wanted to lock the building so kicked us all out.  Hooray!

We have certainly come to love Brother Felix who has worked so hard to be able to play a couple of simple songs.  Scott was absolutely determined that he was going to be able to learn and just kept with him week after frustrating week.

     SUNDAY:

  Off to pick up the kids.  It was even the same bunch we had last week - that is unusual! 

How special these kids are.  Olgalidia said William is not doing very well in his new venue of fruit and vegetable selling.  We want to have the kids here again before we leave.  It would be fun just to have William's kids and a couple of the cousins but as soon as they tell everybody in their neighborhood they are coming there are four to eight more added.  So we end up with kids we don't even know - like the little five year old boy we take to church every week.  Have no idea who he is or where his mother is but he climbs in the car every week.  It was a calm sacrament meeting with just four kids!

   In Relief Society they asked me to say the closing prayer - of course I didn't realize that because I can rarely understand what they are saying so was reading my scriptures instead of listening.  Suddenly I realized everyone was looking at me and couldn't figure out why.  Oracion?  Finally I

understood.  I was going to say it in English but decided to try Spanish.  Now I am a witness of the "open your mouth and I will fill it"  scripture!  Actually after the prayer all thirty women were clapping for me - it was nice of them to care.

   We had half an hour at home before our lesson at San Cristobal which is forty five minutes away on a good traffic day. This is the other class getting ready for a recital so they just worked on the songs they were going to play.  Sure love this class!  I think they are my favorite group.

    Then load up, head out to another lesson in Oriental.  This is a huge class and if it weren't for two of our graduated students we would never have been able to help everyone.  We had 17 tecladas and 24 students using classroom tables and chairs stacked on top of each other to make tables.  Thank heavens for a big auditorium with air conditioning.  At least it was structured commotion.

     And now, eleven hours later, we are home.  Hurrah!  For a tasty supper of chicken gizzards....













5/3/2013

   A day behind, as usual!  Thursday morning we went to the temple and were in a session with all of  the sister missionaries.  The temple coordinator asked if we could come and be there in the session with them on Thursday mornings.  We have been there the last two weeks but I didn't realize they get to come to the temple very Thursday.  That will be fun to be with them.  And I am excited to know that we will get to see Bailey Ferris at least six times while she is at the MTC here.
   Last week at Los Llanos it rained before we got there so it was muddy.  Our car looked like we had been out driving around in a mud pit but Scott didn't think it was dirty enough to wash. Ha!  He kept hoping it would rain and wash it off but for an entire week it didn't rain that hard.  He promised to go get it washed if it hadn't rained by the day after Los Llanos lessons.  So  when we got home from the temple on Thursday told me he was going to get the car washed.  Five minutes later he was back.  He said he had taken the car to the car wash - to look out the window and I would see it.

Next to our apartment building there is an empty lot that the Marriott Hotel next to us use to  park their cars.  They also have guys that was the cars so Scott called to one across the fence and asked if he would wash our car - so there it is - sparkling clean for $5.00.  Quite a car wash!
   After the temple we had a lesson at the Institute.  They are out of school for two weeks but some of the kids wanted to come anyway.  We thought we would continue teaching the two classes of students we have this summer session.  However as we were ending two people came in and said they had signed up for the new class and new six or so others who had also signed up.  So we're not sure exactly how that will pan out. We left there and went to Santo Domingo Stake for another lesson.  There is a woman in this class that I just love.  She is so appreciative but she is the one who rounds up five of the students and makes sure they are at the lesson. Next time I am going to get a picture of her.
   They are having a big book fair here that is about a block away so every time we come home we are caught in traffic for some time. The church has a booth there about family values that they have gotten a lot of good publicity on.
   So Friday - free day - today.  Of course that means time to wash and clean, etc. It is so humid here that things take forever to dry.  (Don't have a dryer)  Had a Spanish class this afternoon with the Marinos.  Then came home and had the Yturraldes down for rootbeer floats and a card game.  Elder Yturralde is finally feeling better but has to be careful about what he eats.
  We have wanted to get a picture of the family moto here and Elder Leavitt finally got one:

 If they are too poor to own a car many of them have motorcycles that they use to transport the family.   It is amazing how many they can fit on a motorbike!  Many people don't have any kind of transportation.