Primary Program

We welcomed Hermana Zuchel (Chile) to Nazca with a batch of cinnamon rolls at our district meeting this week.

By the looks on their faces, I think they were a hit.

The hermanas came over and baked cookies and helped get little goodie bags together for the primary children.

My job was getting the pecans into pieces and ready to go in the cookies.

Taste testing cookies is very important.  Then we headed off to buy the rest off what we needed for the primary children's treat bags.  We had to hurry, the Sisters only had a couple of hours for service.  I'm glad they were willing and able to help us this week.

Out and about we saw these people drying fish eggs (to be used in soups etc).  At least at this place they weren't lying directly on the ground like at other places we've seen.

The board the Sister's alarm attaches to was broken so Curt took another one over and replaced it for them.

This young man was visiting from Cañete and wanted his picture taken with us.  Hermana Russell had taught him the gospel and he knew the Myers so it was almost like running into an old friend.  

A picture of the primary children after their Sacrament Meeting Program.  I wished we could have taken a picture during the program.  They looked so cute with little red, yellow, or blue scarves around their necks.  They recited articles of faith and sang their little hearts out.  Way to go primary (and their leaders).

New Windows

We hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Manuel came to the house this week bearing a gift of chocolates with carmel and peanuts.  Somehow, the container emptied out faster than we could snap a picture!

Help!  The water heater in our shower burned out and my hero came to the rescue with an extra one he'd kept tucked away.  I know it's typical but it still seems a bit odd to me to have electricity in my shower.  I don't think I'll get used to being shocked when I turn the knob or seeing sparks when the water and wires don't meet up just right. Don't get me wrong - I am very grateful for a warm shower and I wouldn't be keen on giving that up!

We went up to see the moon and enjoy the evening skyline.  Our pictures of the moon didn't turn out so well but the sunset pictures were nice.

In the top right is Nasca's sand dune. Claiming to be the highest sand dune, Cerro Blanco is reported to be over 2000 m above sea level and over 1100 m base to summit. Tourists come down here to board down the sand.  That might be fun but the walk up to the top is what I can't get super excited about.

Our landlord came by and they finished getting the alarm installed this week.

It takes 3 keys and a bit of patience to unlock this new metal door.  Not sure about executing a quick exit during an earthquake but robbers wouldn't have such an easy time of getting inside.

President Campana working at the church this week replacing all the windows.  I asked him to smile for the pictures!

The new window frames were too thick.  They had taken those measurements from a job at another meetinghouse.  They didn't fit right in this building so all the new window frames had to be sanded down which made a fairly quick job take all week.  Does the saying "measure twice, cut once" translate?

Our very dusty, dirty family history center.

Stopped to read some of the headlines. (Stopped?! Okay who am I kidding, I wasn't doing anything then anyway)

Outside the rented chapel in Vista Alegre.  In a couple of weeks they will no longer rent this facility and the branch will travel to the chapel in San Carlos (Nasca).

Rosseli brought by a copy of the Spanish/English school assignment booklet she completed. She put a lot of work into it and did a great job!    

Jenny is back! We all missed her!  She had gone to General Conference and visited friends and family in the U.S.A.  

Lucero came by for a little help with her English homework.  One of her assignments was to translate a paragraph from English to Spanish.  We like google translate! 

Lucero brought us cachangas (like pancakes).  If you can't tell our diet consists of lots of treats we are given.  Such generous and thoughtful people!

Tunas

Fernandina came by to have us upload some pictures for her and she left us with a big bag of prickly pear fruit (tunas)  She worked on a tuna farm this week and this box she has is part of her payment.  When she left our house, she was going downtown to try to sell her remaining fruit on the street.

The tuna are different colors and have lots of seeds.  A couple of tuna and a carambola (star fruit) sliced up for an afternoon snack.

The Zone Leaders came from Ica to Nasca for our district meeting this week.

First the date was changed and we weren't told then when we went back again the next day, the time had been changed so we were late.  Sometimes, it almost feels like we're working with inexperienced young adults but they truly are amazing.

Saw what looked like a house fire while we were out walking but we haven't heard any details.  Not really sure what was burning, the homes are made of concrete, adobe or brick.

Another new water town coming up in town.  We wonder who benefits from this one. The last tower was only for one neighborhood on one side of it.

Lunch with the Hermanas.  We'd tried this new restaurant and Curt loves a fish and seafood plate he found here.  It's one of the more "expensive places" it can cost almost $15 for a steak and fettuccine meal. 

Sister Onate is being transferred out of our area and will be serving around Lima.  Leny (from Vista Alegre) came to the bus stop to say goodbye.

Sister Bellitti, Leny, Sister Onate and Joyce before the Sisters jump on the Soyus Bus to head to Lima for transfers.

We're keeping track of the moon so we know when and where we can go to see the supermoon that we've been hearing about.

We were walking home on Sunday and I pointed out to Curt some flowers I thought were pretty.  A man nearby offered me one and then his  wife told him to give them all to me.  Sometimes it is the tiny things that make a big difference in a day.

We detoured around when we saw what lie ahead.  Those effected by all the changes with how the fair operates  were protesting and there were law enforcement out in riot gear.   Error on the side of caution.

A dog sat by us at church in Vista Alegre on Sunday.  It was really good at avoiding swinging feet and little kids - I think it's had practice!  It was a reverent little thing.  It might have been a high priest because it slept through most of the meeting! 

Cakes for a birthday party.

Heading to Ica for our Zone Meeting.  Poor Sister Bellitti, the person in front of her leaned their seat back and she was stuck in there!  They finally had to crawl out and change seats.

They took their bags for an overnight stay with the Sisters in Ica. 

During Zone Meeting, Sister Mostert was reviewing missionary health concerns.  Each group had to either mime, sing, tell a story, make a commercial etc talking about a missionary health concern ie. diarrhea, personal hygiene, water intake, eating habits etc. 

   Our group got to tell a story about getting diarrhea.  We did a spin off of the 3 bears with our health secretary as Goldilocks.

This group ended up having to do a commercial for personal hygiene. Fun Times!

 Our zone this transfer consists of: our hermanas Baderrama (Bolivia) and Mostert (USA), Bellitti (USA) and Onate (Equador) Our zone leaders E' Chicoma (Peru) and Calle (Bolivia), E' Roca (Bolivia) and Wahl (USA), E' Peterson (USA) and Pena (Domincan Republic), E' Vergara (Chili) and Brown (USA), E' Mitchell (USA) and Gastelo (Peru), E' Alcantara (Dominican Republic) and Siesquen (Peru)

We found a car willing to give us a ride back to Nasca - hooray!  No more bus today! Curt's knees were very very happy!

The driver took an older road instead of the PanAm Sur Highway and Curt snapped a pic after we went through this narrow one way tunnel.

Our decorating committee for a Luis' birthday this week. 

As a missionary, I am not supposed to hold the adorable little baby girl running around but I did get a minute to cuddle the new little puppy.

Awwww  Now you can see why I want to hold this precious little girl!  Danna is about 8 months old and the Serveleon family babysit her.

This is Luis, Leonor, Danna, and Leonor's parents.  Mrs. Serveleon made a big dinner and I made a couple of pineapple upside down cakes and cups of jello for the party. 

Agusto, Me, Curt, Luis and the Serveleon siblings (Mirella holding Danna)

As we were out walking by one of the schools, they were preparing to start a parade celebrating their schools anniversary.There were floats, costumes, and music.  The parade routes always seem to go around the Plaza de Armas.  

A cuy character and a group of girls dressed as Minnie Mouse.

Maybe they just had their makeup left from earlier this week's day of the dead activities.

We made a trip down to Marcona this week.  Both of these little guys are getting ready to be baptized.  Curt got visit with one of them in an interview as he's getting ready for his big day.

Since we were already in Marcona, we asked Julio to drop us off at the beach for an hour before we headed home.

It's always fun to explore the tide pools and see what interesting critters we find.

Curt had been following a huge crab around trying to get a picture.

I was entertained and also enjoying the beautiful view.  There is something about being at the ocean and looking out at the horizon. 

Tide was coming in and we had to time our dashes out.  We made it and then I wasn't paying attention while we were walking and I ended up with wet shoes anyway!

Nasca is making huge changes to their fair. We've noticed they started blocking vendors from sites that they'd been using.  This is one of the new areas where the vendors will be assigned to set up. They were out there on Saturday chalking off the areas and assigning spots for the fair on Sunday.  It'll be interesting to see the changes. 

These sweet gals were bringing someone in for a family history appointment.

Families - that's what it's all about!

This lady had a big fire and caldron set up in the street near our home.  Hmmm, what's for lunch?

When you forget your are working on the computer that isn't hooked up to the printer but you need to print out what you've been working on - you adapt!

I had to take this selfie to show off my new shawl!  Sister Yolanda made it for me. What a sweet lady!