Time does fly...

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. 8^th-11^th 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 3^rd 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!!