Self Reliance in the Azores!

The second week of January, we were asked to travel to the Azores to conduct a Self Reliance Devotional.  There are several branches of the Church on the two main islands in the cluster of islands that make up the Azores.  Antonio needed to travel early to conduct interviews pertaining to the Lisbon Mission (he is a counselor in the mission presidency)  There was a devotional scheduled on each island for the same night so we flew to take care of the one on San Miguel.  There was a good response with about 25 in attendance.  There is a great need for support in the area, both material & spiritual.  We met many wonderful people and we pray this initiative will help them improve their situations.  We will check back with them later and see how things are going for them.

Of course, after making the trip...couldn't help but take in some of the sights.  We have heard so much about the beauty of the Azores.  It is a volcanic island and the flowers in the spring are supposed to be amazing.  However, we arrived a few days after a hurricane had passed by...I'm not so sure that it didn't just circle around and return while we were there!!  It rained like MAD and the wind was CRAZY!  We were there 2 nights and they closed down the airport the day before we were supposed to fly out.  That being said....it was still a BEAUTIFUL place and we did get around a bit in our rented car.  Here are a few of the highlights!

These are in the center of the old part of town.  The use of the black volcanic stone in the buildings with the white is really beautiful.  AND just look at the intricate design in the stone walkway!  Amazing!

I told you it was raining Cats & Dogs!!
Nearly flooded the roads out!

Most of the fencing of the fields are made of black volcanic rock as is many of trim pieces and brick of the buildings in town.  It makes a beautiful contrast to the green of the fields!  You can tell that the majority of those rock fences were put up a LONG time ago.

Not sure if you can see the cow there...We've been told there are more cows on the island than people...that's where all the milk & cheese come from!

Temple in Madrid

You never know until you ask?  Antonio Paulo's family was planning a trip to Madrid so Diana could attend the Temple before leaving on her mission.  They asked us if we would like to attend with them.  Madrid Spain is definitely outside our mission boundries.  We assumed we would be unable to go but decided to ask President Travares anyway.  He gave his permission and we happily accepted.  We were so excited...  We have come to love the Paulo family and Diana and wanted to spend time with them... we would be able to attend the Madrid Temple.. AND we got to see a little of Spain while we were there!  Being in the temple with their family was a wonderful experience.  We had time for a quick bus tour of Madrid and got a feeling for some of what is there.  Basically, we were just so blessed with the whole experience!

 If our faces look frozen into position...they ARE!  It was FREEZING in Madrid!  The coldest we have been since arriving on this side of the ocean.  The wind is blowing and it is about 20 degrees.  This arch is probably the most photograhed place in the city.

This is in a beautiful park in the city center...much like Central Park in New York City.  You could spend the whole day exploring everything to see in this enormous park...we had an hour.

Government building just as the sun was rising!!

 This statue is Don Quixote, if you know your Spanish history.

And NO I'm not the one to ask...don't even think I spelled his name right?

We Offer Our Sincere Apologies

We did it on a whim...not thinking of the consequences!  It was a moment of weakness that will effect the lives of all those who view this blog.  It is odd how something that we have often scoffed at when seeing others use it, could become a treasured item.  Yes!  We are now the owners of a 'SELFIE STICK!"  Sorry, you will probably be seeing much more of our faces in front of otherwise beautiful and ancient works of art!  We will do our best not to become obsessed with it and use it sparingly- feel free to point it out to us if we get carried away!

This was our 'test' shot...so you can imagine the amazing photo shots to come!

Odds & Ends

This house is for sale a few blocks up the street from us....any takers?  Elder Anderton has inspected it more than once as we have walked by.  Looks like there would be a lot of room for company!!

 This is the design of the sidewalk tiles on the busy street around the corner from Av Antonio Serpa.  One of the things I love most about Lisbon is all the different designs in the walkways and plazas.  It took someone a lot of time to lay out those intricate designs of stones one by one!  The city is full of them- beautiful.

This is probably our favorite statue we have seen in Lisbon.  It has to do with their revolution and looks like the final scenes of Les' Mes.  We drive past it on our way to Staples.

 Graffiti is all over the city of Lisbon.  Instead of trying to erase it, the city has instead embraced it and it is just part of the landscape.  These are not the best by far...some of them are true works of art!

 

 When we get home...I'll be open for business!  This will be the true test of our relationship!?!  But, after 3 cuttings, we're still getting along great.

The  Gym we go to 3 times a week...trying to maintain our buff & youthful profiles!

Weird cauliflower/tastes like brocolli!

 Between the gym and all the fruit & vegetables we eat...you'd think we would be skinny as a rail!  Must be the humidity?!?

Ran into some old 'friends' at the mall, and they insisted I take a picture with them!

The WORK in Missionary Work

The Europe Area Manager with Ceu and Miguel the Europe PEF managers

Our office with our wall calendar of monthly events

   Just in case you've been wondering... we do actually have a calling as Self Reliance Missionaries here in Portugal.  We don't just go around snapping pictures of beautiful scenery and interesting Portugal sights all day, everyday.  We have an office right next door to our apartment.  In fact, if you open a door at the end of our hallway...you are in the Self Reliance Center of Portugal!!  Our 'boss' besides the mission president, is a church employee hired to get this new Self Reliance initiative from the church functioning in Portugal.  We are sent here as missionaries to help in that process.  There are other church employees (area managers) and other self reliance missionaries all over Europe, Central and South America, Philippines, Africa and other places.  We regularly have video conferences with the other European managers and senior SR couples.  We have the responsibility of teaching, training and implementing the SR plan to every Stake & Ward in Portugal.  We work directly with Stake and Ward Self Reliance specialists in training them and presenting the program and then following up with Self Reliance 'groups' that are formed in each ward or stake.  We work in the office daily on the record keeping end of it and on developing new areas of self reliance needed, like a class for "about to be released" missionaries and also for newly returned missionaries in the Stakes of Portugal.  Currently we are working on offering an English class for wards & Stakes.  We keep busy with all of that most days and on the other days we help in another office with the Perpetual Education Fund of the church.  We travel A LOT to visit other Wards & Stakes and to the North Mission of Porto.  Most of that visiting and training is on the weekends except for missionary training which is every 3 weeks for three hours on a Monday.  We have callings in our little ward and have been asked to visit less active members.  So...don't get the idea that just because I post other things that we aren't busy doing our job (:  It just generally isn't as interesting to LOOK at!  We love the people we have met in our service and we are learning so much from them. 

Elder Anderton teaching a My Path devotional

 These are My Path Devotionals... or Workshops.

 

A special friend made at an Education group meeting

A few participants of a My Path devotional

 These are our seminars for the missionaries returning home...

We drove to Porto for a seminar with these two sisters...love working with the missionaries!  A real boost for us!

 We are now in the publishing business!  We purchased a machine to punch the holes for the wire binding in our 'missionary seminar' booklet.  We were able to find the plastic for the front cover, and paper for the back cover.  We now assemble them ourselves and the cost has gone down from $9.70 a booklet to $3.50.  That's using the "OLD" noggin!

"Count Your Blessings...Angels Will Attend"

   The words to that hymn have new meaning to me.  The week between Christmas and New Years is usually a week I look forward to every year.  A time to relax, to enjoy the afterglow of Christmas and to spend time with family.  That week here in the mission field has been a real challenge.  We returned from our P day trip on Wednesday only to find there was little work to be done, everyone we contacted was busy with family and that we had a lot of time on our hands.  I had what can only be described as a 'melt down' on Friday, New Years Day.  It began the minute I woke up.  I felt like I had a dark cloud over my head.  My knee and hip were hurting from all the walking we had done on our little trip.  I was feeling sorry for myself, even the elders were busy when we called to ask if they wanted to come for dinner!  I let myself turn inward and that led to overwhelming feelings of loneliness and homesickness, the worst I have experienced since arriving here.  Except for small moments when I have been thinking about home I have NOT struggled at all with sadness or depression.  But Thursday was different...I was crying at the drop of a hat and could literally 'feel' the gloom surrounding me.  That day, as if an answer from my Father in Heaven, a daughter called me out of the blue to chat...not knowing how much I needed someone to talk to that day.  I believe she was prompted and that she listened.   The call was so welcome but I continued to feel overwhelmed with that dark feeling.  It frightened me a little and I knew I had to shake it.  That night as I knelt in prayer, I was prepared to plead my case to my Father in Heaven...to wallow in self pity, and ask for His help.  But, before I could even begin, I was flooded with thoughts and 'visions' of all the blessings in my life...all the things I had to be thankful for...everything I had been given up to this point in my life that made my life so wonderful and joyful.   Those thoughts kept me from asking for ANYTHING...all I could do was humbly THANK Him for all that I had been given. The feelings of self pity, sadness and despair left me!  At that moment, I felt loved, I was filled with a feeling of peace and I knew that everything would be OK, and that I could do what I was called here to do.  I slept well that night and awoke the next morning feeling like my old self again.  Counting your blessings really does have the power to change your outlook on life!