Too much to tell!!

Well, we've been busy, busy since the last time I blogged. Let's see - where shall I start.

December 25th a trip to work some rural territory was organized. It's actually right here in town, just a 10 minute walk from our territory and you're in the country on dirt roads. The congregation there is called Vista Alegre (Happy View), which is also the name of the area. It's a small congregation with just one elder, but with a lot of territory to cover. About 30 from our congregation went and we had a great time. It was exhausting, but the hiking wasn't as difficult as some of the rural territory trips Charley and I have been on in previous visits.

We probably did more walking than preaching, but that's just how rural territory is. We began at 8am and then stopped around 1pm for lunch in a small town along the way, then continued on until almost 5:30pm. We just barely got done before dark. 

Here are a couple of pictures. To see the rest of them, click here.

So we all got home pretty tired, and were all sore the next day! But I had studies to do so we had to go out even though we were really tired!

On the 31st we decided to go to the Laguna de Apoyo for a swim. It turned out to be the coolest day we had in December and it even rained on us a bit while we were in the water! So it was a bit chilly (definition of chilly is 75 degrees!) but we had a good time. We took a few from the congregation. We also planted flowers in the morning at the hall before we left, but I forgot to take any pictures of that. Here are a couple from the Laguna. To see the rest, click here.

The girls - Escarlet, Carolina & Rachel

The boys - Charley, Pedro, Jorge, Edward & Hesvan

So those were two very different, but fun days we've spent lately.

Besides that, just been busy with field service. My studies are all doing well, and I'm getting to the point where I might have to give a couple of them away. I have more than I can keep track of it seems! I've been teaching a lot of them how to study their book, and I bought a bunch of pens and highlighters so that nobody has an excuse not to! Right now I'm doing a whole chapter together with most of them before I try to get them to do it by themselves. 

One of them, Javiera, got ahead of me and had prepared her study when I arrived this week without me even asking her to! And another, Carla, I'm pretty sure will prepare for next week on her own. She always does the homework I give her. A recent homework I gave her was to read the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapters 5-7. She had taken some notes on it when I went back the next week, and she was saying how much Jesus advice about not worrying about material things had helped her. Here people celebrate Christmas on the 24th and midnight, and then on the 25th it's customary for everyone to wear new clothes. But she said that what she read in the Sermon on the Mount made her realize that it didn't matter what we wear, so she didn't worry about getting something new. It was really nice to see how she benefited from the Bible's advice.

Another study who I've talked about before had us over for lunch last week just to show their appreciation for having met us and for how we've helped them to learn more about the Bible. Here's a little shot of us girls after lunch.

Jessica, Mirna, and Juliana with Brenda and me.

Today I'm taking wedding pictures for a young couple in Piedra Quemada where we served last time we were down here. It's our first Nica wedding, so I'm excited to see how it all goes. From what I understand some things are similar to British weddings. I'll have photos to share of that no doubt, since I'm taking them!!

We had a lovely pioneer meeting last night with our local elders. They combined the two congregations for it, so there were 20 pioneers there - 6 from our congregation, and 14 from South congregation. The foreigners, Charley & Caleb, were chosen to conduct the meeting and they did a very fine job. And afterwards we had snacks and pop and got to socialize a little and get to know some of the South congregation pioneers.

Charley & Caleb conducting the meeting

San Sebastian & Sur pioneers

Snack time!

Well, that's the latest I guess. There are so many other experiences that we have on a regular basis here, but there just isn't time to relate them all. We really are enjoying our ministry here and have seen Jehovah's blessing on our efforts. Thank you all for your support - your emails are always a source of encouragement to us. Keep up the good work wherever you are too. One of my favorite scriptures was in this week's Bible reading - Malachi 3:10 - Bring all the tenth parts into the storehouse, that there may come to be food in my house; and test me out, please, in this respect,” Jehovah of armies has said, “whether I shall not open to ​YOU​ people the floodgates of the heavens and actually empty out upon ​YOU​ a blessing until there is no more want.”