October 8, 2017

October 8, 2017

This past week or so we visited Galeana, Chilpancingo, and Iguala and taught them apple muffins and peanut butter cookies.  Those people are so fun to be with because there’s a bunch of them who come to the classes and they seem to be really interested in learning.  And what’s even more exciting is that altogether we had seven investigators come to learn, some at each of the three classes.  Anyway, I have really grown to love these ladies…they’re so gracious and friendly and welcoming.  Pop always entertains them with his dry wit, and I guess I entertain them with my bad Spanish. 

While we were in Iguala one of the sisters told us about a man in the Huitzuco branch who had recently lost his job and didn’t know how he was going to provide for his family.  We had visited this branch about a month and a half ago and taught them, among other things, how to make Kettle Corn and banana bread muffins, but this is one group of people who really didn’t seem very interested in what we were teaching.  Along with cooking, we always emphasize the importance of self-reliance in case of JOB LOSS or an illness or accident which would prevent them from working, and try to give them a vision of what they could do with the skills we teach them.  In Mexico it’s extremely easy to start a business because there are no licensing requirements, no health department issues…everyone makes stuff at home and sells it on the street corners or sidewalks.   It’s what they do.  So, to continue my story, the sister who is telling us this story said that her husband is the High Council adviser to this branch and was aware of the man’s job loss AND aware that we had taught them, so he suggested that he start making Kettle Corn, bag it, and take it to the park to try to sell it.  What do you know…that’s what he did and sold everything he made.  Apparently he is making and selling the banana bread muffins also and is now able to support his family!  Isn’t that awesome.  We’re going back to Huitzuco in a couple of weeks and I’m anxious to be able to talk with him, AND teach them some other recipes.

Another sister in Iguala brought to the class a bunch of stuff that she had made (I’ll attach a photo of her).  She was so proud of herself, and so was I!  Her cinnamon rolls looked better than mine!!  No kidding.  I have to say, though, that the banana bread didn’t taste that great, but she thinks it did.  I’m certain she substituted plantano for the sweet and moist bananas which we told them not to do, but they’re cheaper.  What matters is what she thinks about them.  She also loves using the cardboard food dehydrator Dad taught them how to make and use and brought a couple of bags of dried apples.  It’s so fun seeing these people just trying to improve their standard of living and those who do try, have been successful.

One more update on our Hermana Eugenia from Pinotepa (actually, I hope there’s many more!).  We spent the afternoon with President and Sister Avila last week who told us that while he was interviewing Eugenia to receive her temple endowment (she’s only been a member for a couple of years) she told him that her baking business has totally changed her life.  Not only did she earn enough money from her business to buy an oven, but was able to buy a brand new one AND 18 molds for breads and muffins.  It’s a commercial oven because she has dreams of having a pizzeria someday.  We were certain she had to buy a used oven because surely she couldn’t afford a new one, but somehow she did it!  She told President that she went to the store to find out how much the oven she wanted was going to cost and kept watching it and when it went on sale, she bought it!!  She’s asked me a couple of times for a pizza recipe, but I don’t do homemade pizza….so if anyone has a good one, please send it to me.  I know I’ve talked a lot about Eugenia, but Dad and I are so pleased to see her progress so much in such a short time.  When we saw her in Pinotepa a couple of weeks ago, she couldn’t keep the big smile off her face, and her daughter also, who is learning right along with her mom.  The other part of her story is that it’s an 8 hour bus ride from Pinotepa to the temple and bus fare is not cheap for them, so she’s saving her money to go to the temple also.  She was sitting on the front row in the chapel last June during our last District Conference in Pinotepa where the topic was temple attendance.  Afterwards she showed me the notes she had taken and decided then that she was going to go to the temple…she was one who received a beautiful picture of the Oaxaca temple to hang in her house as a reminder.

We looked at our calendar and realized that we had to cancel five classes over the last month because of the earthquakes, one because of the danger from the cartel, and another for unknown reasons, so we are very happy to be busy again.  We have been blessed to teach, to travel safely, and to be healthy.  We love interacting with the people and the missionaries, and are so happy to be in Cuernavaca.  Although the cockroaches in the fridge are so very disgusting!  I’m not kidding…one day I opened the fridge door and where there was a gap in between the gasket and the metal door a cockroach family had moved in and had all kind of babies! We’ve tried everything to get rid of them but the only thing that work is Raid and I’m sure it’s killing brain cells!

We love you all.  And love serving the Lord.  

As you each meet life’s challenges that can be very daunting, discouraging, and difficult at times, the victory will go to the one who follows the example of our Savior Jesus Christ and chooses His way.

We love you all, and love serving the Lord.

Love, Mom, Non, Chrys   

I like this quote from Victor Frankl:

"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms — to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."    

Photos 1 Hermana in Iguala who made a bunch of stuff, photo 2 my disgusting  refrigerator cockroaches