It has been a while since I have
blogged. I have been busy but not that
busy. I don’t know if anyone reads my blog, but I still want a record of my
time here so I will keep at it.
I
think I am finally adjusted to life here on the Island and I am in a routine
now. I am continually amazed at the
things we can get used to if we are required to. I didn’t think I would ever get used to the
windy narrow roads here but I find myself driving them (on the wrong side) without
even a thought. There is a particular
beautiful view of the ocean at the top of one of the 5 hills we drive over to
get to the church each day and for the first 6 weeks I was here, I couldn’t
help but mention to Ken what a beautiful view it was every time we passed that
particular place.
He said he would know
I was asleep or not paying attention if we ever got to that spot in the road
and I didn’t exclaim over the beauty of the bright blue water and the sailing
ships at that particular spot in the road.
I don’t think I have “exclaimed” even once in the last 4 or 5 weeks. I know it is built into our psyches to adjust
and to get used to any situation we are in for a long period of time but in
some ways, it is kind of sad. I know it
is a good thing to not let bad things continue to cause us mental anguish but I
wonder if it is healthy to be in the middle of so much beauty and get used to
it.
I
was reminded the other day of the
character Emily in the play “Our Town” by Thorton Wilder, who was allowed to come
back to earth for just one day after her death.
She asks after seeing people still alive living their lives with no
passion-“Does anyone ever realize life while they live it…every, every minute?”
Also, I love a quote I found from
Elizabeth Barrett Browning—
Earth’s
crammed with heaven
And
every common bush afire with God,
But
only he who seest takes off his shoes;
The
rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.
I
am working on that one. I don’t want to
go home with any regrets about not living my life here and not appreciating
this time I have.
We have done some more traveling. We were in Puerto Rico for 3 days over the
weekend of Feb. 8th-11th to a mission conference. We left
on Thursday and returned on Monday.
Elder Neil L. Anderson was the presiding authority along with Elder
Rasband and their wives. Most of the conference was in Spanish so I got a taste
of what it is like to be the person not knowing what was going on. I thought that Puerto Rico would be more like
the States as it is a District and just voted to become a state. English is the official language but it
seemed to me that no one in the whole Island spoke English. In the stores I would ask a clerk a question
and they would look at me funny and go find someone who spoke more English than
they did. They also sell gasoline by the
liter but count distance in liters/mile. Puerto Rico also has a huge problem
with crime, drugs, gangs and mafia.
There are some really nasty people living in Puerto Rico. They say there are more CIA and FBI on Puerto
Rico than in any other place in the US or it’s districts. I don’t think they are quite ready to be a
State yet.
We visited a rain forest which was
beautiful and also toured the old City of San Juan which is full of history
dating back to the 1400’s when pirates, other counties and explorers fought for the
right to claim the very fertile and rich in gold and other minerals land of
Puerto Rico and is also the gateway to
the Caribbean. The very old forts were
really cool but what I loved the most was a huge grassy field outside the forts
where many, many families gathered together to fly kites. The trade winds almost always blow through
that part of the Island and it is a perfect place for kites. It was great to see so many people and
families together having fun.
 |
| Brother and Sister Collazo |
The best part of the trip to Puerto Rico
was staying with our host family the Collazo family. Bro and Sister Collazo are natives to Puerto
Rico but moved their family of 6 children to the States 30 years ago. Bro. Collazo baptized our mission President ,
Jorge Alverado when he was a young man.
When he was called to be Mission President, he called Brother Collazo
and his wife to come out and help him. He said President Alverado called him on
the phone and said—“I need you. Can you
please come?” and he came. Brother and
Sister Collazo are in their early 60’s but have that kind of agelessness about
them that some people do. They could be
75 or 50 and I wouldn’t have been surprised either way. His conversion story is amazing. He first came in contact with the Church when
he lived in Jersey City New Jersey. He
described himself as a hard drinking, smoking, partying Agnostic. He said he went to work each day and after
work went straight to the bar and drank until 11:00 each night. One day he found a pamphlet of the Joseph
Smith First vision and after reading it he said that he knew it was true and
that God had indeed talked to Joseph Smith and that there was a prophet on the
earth again. He contacted missionaries
and asked how he could join the Church.
The missionaries came to teach him and when they told him he couldn’t
drink or smoke anymore, he got up right then and dumped all his booze down the
sink, smashed all his cigarettes up and threw them out and never touched either
again. When they told him about tithing
they were worried he wouldn’t like having to give up 10% of his income each
month plus fast offerings. He said he
started to laugh and when they asked him why he told them that before they came
to teach him he was spending 75% of his income on booze and Cigarettes and they
were only asking him for 10%!! What a
deal! When he saw that you wear white to
be baptized in, he went straight out and bought a white shirt, pants, tie and
socks so he would be ready. His
missionary zeal and energy puts us all to shame. He carries around a back pack full of Books
of Mormon to give to anyone and everyone he talks to and always has his
baptismal cloths with him in case he should need them. He lives in Payson Utah now with all 6 of his
Children close around them.
Piano lessons continue to go well. It is funny that in my ward at home I am on
the 3rd string as far as piano players go and yet I find that I know
enough to help others learn and I guess that is all I need. I have 14-15 students now. Some are more faithful than others but all
are excited about learning to play. Most
of my students are teen agers and don’t have the chance to learn music in their
schools and private lessons just aren’t available anywhere. I think in another month I will have 5 or 6
students ready to start playing in Sacrament meeting. Three of the young men will be able to play
on their missions. I am so glad my
mother made piano lessons available to me even though I am sure it was a
stretch financially for them.
 |
| Chantelle and Corin |
Music has
been such a blessing in my life. Ken has
started a Choir and the members are just thrilled. I have sung most of my life and have taken it
for granted. These people have never had
the chance to sing and don’t realized their voices are like instruments that
just have to be tuned and practiced.
They are very musical and love to sing.
The harmonies maybe aren’t just like it is written in the music but it
sounds great. Camile Cox would have a ball here!!
