Mission Adventures in Cape Verde: Busy week and weekend

A week ago we had a special FHE at our apartment. We invited President and Sister Mathews and Elder and Sister Carnell to come over for Mexican food. We had such an enjoyable time eating and chatting with them. This is our balcony. You can see Elder Alvarez reflected in the window :)

Last week we went to teach the first Temple Preparation class to Pipinha and Celino. It was such a wonderful experience. The Spirit was very strong. Celino works as a guard at the Red Cross offices, so he has plenty of time on his hands, and he loves to spend it reading the Book of Mormon. Pipinha is a waitress at a restaurant, and wants to put the scriptures on her phone so she can read them on her way to work and back. They are so ready to be an eternal family! They have a lovely home that they have built up, furnished, and beautified room by room as they were able.

This past weekend we flew to the city of Mindelo on the island of São Vicente. It is a beautiful little touristy city with a beautiful white sandy beach and lovely people. Our main responsibility there was to represent the mission at the stake conference in which Elder Homer was presiding. He is from the United States and lives in Switzerland. Elder Alvarez spoke in the Saturday evening session.

Sport fishing is very popular here.

Walking to a restaurant on Sunday, after conference.

White sandy beach.

We were fortunate that Elder and Sister Carnell were also there for the weekend. They were able to show us where the best restaurants were, and also the chapels where we had stake conference.

On Saturday we had stake conference in this chapel just a few blocks from our hotel, but on Sunday we met there with other Church members to be picked up by a bus which took us to the other chapel on the other end of town. Here we are waiting for the bus with missionaries and members.

The conference was wonderful. The room was totally full. Probably over 800 members, plus the meeting was broadcast to the branches on two other islands nearby.

This sweet lady was so excited to take a picture with Sister Alvarez. She waited and waited for E. Alvarez to come with his camera. She pulled out a page that she had with the pictures of the First Presidency and all the General Authorities, and touched her heart with her right hand. She isa very loving sister.

During the conference, this sweet elderly lady walked up to the front row of the chapel looking for a place to sit, and another sister gave up her seat for her on the very front row. This sister apparently has some degree of dementia. During the conference she did several things that normally would have been very disruptive, but everyone was so loving and patient with her. We have been so impressed that people are not judgmental at all. They love and accept everyone. There is a "Come as you are" mentality, and everyone is embraced and welcomed.

The bus ride back to the hotel was interesting, to say the least. The driver was going really fast, and the road was bumpy and curvy and the bus was very full. But everyone had a good time.