On a Miracle Streak

We are on a miracle streak so it seems.  We saw more of them this week.  Two of them started the week off.

Sunday we were still in Puerto Maldonado a bit discouraged due to the poor outcome of our scheduled meetings on Saturday.  But Sunday was a complete 180 and by the end of the day we were shaking our heads amazed at the outcome.  After Saturday we were concerned about how much work it was going to take to get the leaders and members on track with the self-reliance program.  By the time we left Puerto mid-day Monday, almost all aspects of the program were in place.  How did that happen?  The only explanation is a miracle from our point of view.  And probably the hard work of our area manager helped.

We attended church in the morning at two branches that meet in the same building.  Our area manager spent the time after sacrament meeting of the early branch in meetings with leaders.  By the time the late sacrament meeting was over he was still holding meetings.

When we came to the church for our 5 pm leader training, all branch presidents were in attendance along with all members of the self-reliance committee and elder's quorum presidents and relief society presidents.  Wow, much better attendance than the day before.

 Above on the left is our SR Area Manager with the members of the self-reliance committee for the Puerto Maldonado district.  Below are the leaders in attendance.

We started off our part of the meeting by showing the self-reliance video Bishop Diaz.

In the video, this bishop says 40% of his members are not self-reliant.  We then asked these branch presidents what the percentage of members in their ward is that are not self-reliant.  Here are the answers they gave us.

Do you see the percentages to the left?  There are five branches in this district and those are the five answers we got.  The president who told us 25% really didn't have a good idea what self-reliant meant so he may be underestimating his members.  I was surprised to be told such high numbers.  So these self-reliance programs can definitely help the members it would seem.

We told them the three main objectives of the area presidency and leaders of self-reliance is that all stakes and districts have 1- a functioning self-reliance committee, 2-a self-reliance center available to provide support and help to their members, and 3-self-reliance workshops being offered on a regular basis to their members.

We went over what constitutes the committee and we gave an overview of the workshops but we didn't talk much about the center.  After Saturday we thought it would take awhile before they would be ready to implement a center.  We thought let's get the committee going and the workshops going and then we will tackle the center issue.

Well, the area manager took over after we did our part and he had other ideas.  By the end of the meeting, he had a couple of volunteers to work in the center and Monday morning he trained them on what to do.  This new area manager doesn't let moss grow under his feet!

Right after this meeting, we held a Mi Camino fireside.  We did our typical presentation at the beginning, our manager did the budget section and the local leaders did the rest of the fireside.  But at the end when it is time for them to form workshop groups, this new manager handled it differently.  He had them go to different areas of the chapel according to which workshop they were interested in and then he had the group members choose someone from the group to be the facilitator. Now that was a different approach.  He then asked the facilitators to stay afterwards for a brief training.

 Here are a couple of the groups consulting among themselves about what day and time they wanted to meet.  Below is Jorge Ramos, the area manager, explaining to the group how to pick a good facilitator.

 Below is a photo showing all the group elected facilitators.  We ended up with six groups.  They each announced which group they were facilitating and when and where they were going to meet.  All the facilitators seemed excited to serve.

We gave a quick training after the meeting and didn't end up back to the hotel until 10 pm and we still needed to eat some dinner.  So we had a late dinner and went to bed.  Definitely, the missionary curfew was not kept that night but then it isn't strictly applied to senior missionaries anyway.

When we met our manager Monday to head out to the airport he reported to us his additional work Monday morning and we were amazed.  All three objectives had been met.  The committee had been formed (but we know that doesn't necessarily mean it is functioning), workshops were organized and plans in place for them to start and the two volunteers for the center were excited to start helping their fellow district members (that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen either).  But we left Puerto Maldonado with a lot more hope for the work there then we had the first day of our visit.  It will be interesting to see if this new manager's approach really works or not.

While we were in the Mi Camino workshop, we got an unusual phone call.  Since it was not during our presentation we were able to take it.  I found myself talking to a gringo from the states, a Steven Crandall.  He explained that he and his wife had come down to pick up their "son" from his mission in Bolivia.  Now this "son" is sealed to them in the temple, but not officially adopted by them.  I know, it is an odd situation, don't ask me to explain it.  I didn't ask questions.  Since he is not officially adopted to them, they found out they could not bring him back to the United States with them as they originally had hoped.  So they were in Cusco until Wednesday when their flight was scheduled to leave trying to set him up so he could be "self-reliant" after they left.  They had talked with President Harbertson and he had recommended they contact us since after all that is what we do, help people be self-reliant.  We had three days to help this boy find a job & find a place to live.  My first reaction was "You have got to be kidding."

Luckily while I was on the phone with them, the spirit "brought all things to my remembrance" and I recalled that Fundet (an organization the provides free training to returned missionaries and free room and board while training) was currently recruiting for three possible job careers - Logistics, Microfinances and Telecommunication & Internet Installation.  I told them about Fundet briefly and told them I felt that would be the best answer for their "son" but that the deadline to apply was tomorrow, Monday.  So I gave them a few phone numbers to call and we set an appointment for Monday afternoon, the earliest we would be back in Cusco.

Our meeting went well.  The RM, Hilario Salas, actually knows enough English since he lived in the states for 7 months before his mission with the Crandalls to score an Intermediate Low on the English test they take at the end of their mission.  This would qualify him for Pathway if he wanted to do that.  But we didn't talk a lot with him about that as we were pretty sure our group was full for the year.  Hilario wasn't real happy about not being able to return to the US, but we were able to convince him that Fundet was his best option and get him to commit to that program.  This gave a lot of peace to the Crandalls.

We also invited them to our apartment for a family home evening that night where we used one of the self-reliance principles, "Resolving Problems" as the lesson.  It seemed the most appropriate.  I think that helped him make his decision as well.  He did have a friend that he knew from the orphanage where he lived before staying with the Crandalls that was also committed to Fundet so I think that helped sway him in that direction.

During the family home evening I learned that Steven Crandall had an older brother that had served in El Salvador at the time the mission was closed down exactly when I served.  As soon as he said that, I remembered I HAD known an Elder Crandall on the mission and it clicked for me why he seemed familiar to me.  I had been trying to place where I might have known him but it is because he looks like his brother!  What a small world!

This experience with Hilario and the Crandalls was the second miracle we saw this week.  The fact that Fundet had three options for a career right at the moment this RM needed the help was amazing.  Fundet is not always recruiting.  Maybe every 3-4 months they may be looking for candidates sot he timing was fortuitous.  And normally they recruit for one specific career at a time, not three.  It was a life-saver for the Crandalls.  They felt like they could now leave him here in Peru and not be stressed about his future.  It still isn't going to be easy, but Hilario has better possibilities than I at first imagined, if he will apply himself.  One of the principles of self-reliance is individual responsibility.  Each person has to gain self-reliance for themselves.  We can't give it to anyone.  Just like eternal salvation.

And so we entered September.  Wow.  Another month gone.

Here is a photo of Hermana Hoskins and her latin companion, Hermana Corchea.  For about a month now we have been using A&W root beer as an incentive to learn English.  We select one companionship each week to receive a can of root beer based on which latin missionary seems to have improved the most during the week.  So it motivates the gringo to study with their companion and help them learn because they want to share that can of root beer.  The latins are not keen on the flavor of root beer usually but they don't know that until they try it, but most of the gringos will do anything to win that can of root beer.

Our English classes for the members have seen a spike in attendance ever since Pathway was approved.  Now members are more motivated to learn English because they want to be able to participate in Pathway next year.  Dave handles most of the English classes as I have to help out with the self-reliance workshops and the center in the evenings.  But he thrives on being the center of attention and loves to joke and tease the members as they learn.  And they love him.  They think he is a fun teacher and enjoy the classes.

 As the week went on, I felt progressively worse but hoped I could hold out until the next week as we had a very busy weekend scheduled.  But it wasn't to be the case.  Friday morning I woke up miserable.  But that evening was my piano recital!  I had postponed it and postponed it.  I wasn't about to cancel it at the last minute.  I had groomed and worked with my students for weeks. They were ready.  I stayed home all day and somehow was able to make it through the recital.

It was the first time for all of them to play in front of people.  They all came dressed up in their Sunday best.

Here is the group at the end of the recital.  Front row L-R:  Lynn, Luz, Dianeth, Dallin, Moroni  Back row L-R:  Sherlene, Olga, Sariah, Britney, Luciana, Yeni & Miranda.

All but one of my students showed up and played.  And I was quite pleased how well they did.  Some did better than others, but everyone performed well.

Olga, one of my adult students had just recently started lessons and had only two lessons under her belt and yet she was willing to play Old MacDonald.

 I love these three sisters that come for lessons.  They are the sweetest girls and they help each other out.  The oldest, Sharlene is developing her talents well.  She comes and practices on the Tullumayo piano after she comes to our English classes.  She is making some good progress.

 I started out teaching Dallin but the mother, Yeni, was so eager to learn as well and I found she had a natural gift for the piano so of course I made time to teach her as well.  She was probably the most nervous of them all.

Sariah Bornas Pinto is my most advanced student.  She already knew some piano when we started.  She is pretty dedicated about coming to practice as well.  She was able to play How Firm A Foundation out of the Simplified Hymnbook.

Each student played two songs, a hymn and a fun song.  Most are early beginners, but the parents were so proud.  They took photos like crazy all the time with big smiles on their faces.  It was fun to watch both the parents and the students.  The parents were so grateful to me for teaching them.  They even surprised me with a half dozen red roses!  How sweet of them.

Piano Recital program

I hope to do another recital, early December so they can all play Christmas carols.  Hopefully this recital will encourage them to practice even more.  Only three months left.  Most will have to keep up the practicing on their own after I am gone if they want to be able to play the hymns in church.  Hopefully a few will.

Saturday we had scheduled a trip to Sicuani to help the members fill out their applications for the Perpetual Education Fund and meet with the Self-Reliance committee.  I woke up sicker than a dog. I was pretty miserable.  There was going to be no way for me to manage to go out there.  The question was - Could Dave handle going out their on his own (answer - yes) and did he have enough Spanish to be able to communicate with them (answer-pretty much) and could he handle showing them around the PEF website and take them through the steps to apply (answer - not on your life).

What to do?  Sicuani is one of the areas that really needs help so we didn't want to postpone.  So I spent the morning typing up in Spanish step by step instructions for filling out the application on line and printed out a few copies.  I walked Dave through the steps and then he left the phone with me so he could call using one of their cell phones if he ran into trouble and off he went.

Before he left he and Elder Johnson did give me a priesthood blessing.  And I'll be danged if I didn't start to feel a difference right away.  Not enough to have traveled with Dave, but enough that allowed me to prepare the material I needed for our Pathway fireside the next night and I had the best night sleep in days.

A perk I had from being sick was I was able to listen to the BYU vs Nebraska football game via the internet while preparing our fireside materials.  So I may not have seen the miracle pass at the end but I heard it.  So not only are miracles in the air down in Peru but apparently in Nebraska as well.

Dave got himself to Sicuani using taxi & bus services, found the chapel and hotel on his own and worked with the young adults.  I did get a handful of calls but for the most part he took care of everything.

Something Dave saw while he was in Sicuani this last weekend.

In honor of Alyssa & Spencer's days with American Fork Marching Band.  I don't think these guys down here in Peru can hold a candle anywhere close to AF.

Dave said no one showed for the Self-Reliance committee meeting which was a shame as we had hoped to inform them about Pathway and set up a date for a informational fireside for the members out there.  We will still need to make that happen before we leave.

Spiritual Thought for the Week:  I think it is time for one of Dave's favorite scripture quotes.

"What power shall stay the heavens?  As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints."  D & C 121:33

And we may add 'pouring down miracles from heaven'.  This is the Lord's work.  He is in charge.  We are only instruments in His hands.  Hopefully, in tune instruments.