This morning we were checked out of the hotel, loaded and on our way to Duvergé by 8:00am. The drive took exactly an hour so we were on time for the Duvergé block of meetings that should have started at 9:00am. Unfortunately there weren’t enough members to start the R.S. & Priesthood meetings until 9:30.
Hno. Tomas Moquete asked me to give a talk in Sacrament meeting because one of the assigned speakers didn’t show up. I was delighted to accept the assignment because I was prepared for just such an occasion. Before we left the capital something said to me, “Be prepared to give a talk” so I brought my talk with me that I gave in the capital at the Los Arroyos Branch in August. As missionaries we have these little “Tender Mercies” quite often. It isn’t a big miracle but a miracle none the less.
And speaking of impromptu talks … like any good missionary I could have given a 20 minute talk “off the cuff” without any difficulty. But a “Good Talk” with lots of preparation on the importance of holding Family Home Evening would be a lot better. I wouldn’t have remembered all of the scripture references, anecdotal stores, quotes by General Authorities, etc. on guiding our family though perilous times and teaching our children correct gospel principle in the home if I hadn’t been prompted to bring my talk with me.
Our visit in Duvergé was just like old times when we used to travel to Duvergé and Neyba to conduct Sunday services every week. Many of the Branch members were looking forward to Hna. Johnson and I coming. Many members came out to Sunday services that might not have. There were over 40 in attendance this morning, a very good turnout for the Duvergé branch.
This morning on our way to Duvergé we were driving through the little town of Cabral when a pickup truck rounded the corner in front of us loaded with suit cases. I said to myself, that’s got to be the “South Ayudantes” (formerly known as the South AP’s) moving Elders for “Traslados” (Transfers). I was right. I slowed to a stop and they recognized our car and stopped to talk to us. Hna. Johnson and I gave the “Ayudantes” and their passenger, Elder Woodward, a loaf of “Conference bread” each. They were very appreciative; the Elders love conference bread, especially since they’ve been on the road since very early and had no breakfast.
This afternoon we were driving back to the capital and the chance encounter with the “South Aundantes” happened for the second time, this time in Azua. This was another one of those “Tender Mercies” we experience now and then. The South Ayudante’s tarp wasn’t big enough to cover all of the suit cases and other personal items in the back of their pickup and it had just started to rain. It was truly a miracle that we came across each other. We were both traveling the same direction when they noticed us just ahead of them.
It was starting to rain pretty good so the 4 Elders in the pickup sprang into action and loaded our little Toyota Corolla with as much of the luggage and other personal items that they could stuff into every corner. Now that the load in the pickup truck was much smaller their tarp fit over everything left. Within minutes it began to rain very hard and didn’t let up for an hour and a half, all the way into the capital. There would have been a lot of very wet suit cases, ruined electric fans, soggy pillows, etc. if we hadn’t experienced this little “Tender Mercy”.
Back in our apartment I spent 3 hours cleaning the two large sea shells we bought from the fishermen in Oviedo yesterday. One of them still had the dead creature inside and the tropical heat made him very “Ripe”. That is to say the sea shell really stunk badly. The process took me three hours to clean and deodorize both shells; it was a lot of work. But now that it’s done, the shells are beautiful.
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