I can't think of a good title today

So, here I am again, in front of the computer, trying to remember all the things that over the last couple of weeks I thought "Oh, I'll have to blog about that". I really need to start making a list as I think of things.

I've shared a lot of pictures, but it's been a while since I've shared field service experiences so I'll do that in this blog mostly.

Our new territory is very productive and I'm getting some studies established now. One of them, Yolanda, was given to me by a sister who used to work the territory that now belongs to us. For 15 years she's traveled to Costa Rica for work, but she's been home in Masaya with her sons now for a year. She's one of those examples of why we keep going to the same houses year after year. Now that she's at home, and has more time on her hands, and has had some personal problems, she's started to become aware of her spiritual need. The first time I visited her we sat down, she chose a chapter in the Bible Teach book, and we started studying just like that. 

She really appreciates what she's learning. This week we started Chapter One and I showed her how to underline the answers and make notes on the scriptures in her book. She did a very good job. I also had taken her one of the Keys to Family Happiness articles that we had a while back and she was telling me how she reads it over and over again, and how much it has helped her with her family issues she has at the minute. She opened up to me this week about other problems, and a difficult decision that her family has to make. It's amazing how holy spirit helps you find bible principles to be able to give good advice. 

Another new study I have is Yahosca. I met her the very first day we went out door to door in our new territory. She's only off on Tuesday's and we started out talking about prayer using the Would You Like to Know the Truth tract. Then we moved on to Chapter 17 in the Bible Teach book about prayer. We did most of that chapter at her front gate, through the gate! Then for a few weeks I couldn't catch her, well, she was there, but for some reason never available. I started to think maybe she was avoiding me. But this week she actually invited us in, and we sat down and did the first 10 paragraphs of Chapter 1 in half an hour. She's really intelligent and responded really well to the information. So, hopefully that will become a more established study now. It was so nice to get to sit for a while too!!

I also have a lot of doorstep studies with the Good News brochure. What a fantastic tool that is for starting studies and having meaningful conversations with people. I'm visiting regularly about half a dozen people and having 5 or 10 minute studies with them in the brochure.

I'm also still conducting some studies in our previous territory. Not for much longer since we won't be around for a while, but at least for the next week or two. Carla who I've blogged about before is doing really well. I hadn't done a very good job of helping her memorize key scriptures in her study. That's one of things we were reminded of at the pioneer meeting by means of a demonstration about conducting progressive studies. So, better late than never, I'm starting to make a point of doing that with my students. Carla has an amazing memory for scriptures. So far she's learned Psalm 83:18, 2 Timothy 3:16 and the last one I left her was Psalm 37:29 but she couldn't study this week so I don't know if she learned it, although I'm pretty positive that she did. 

She's thoroughly enjoying everything we've studied about what happens to the dead and the hope of resurrection in Chapters 6 and 7 of the Bible Teach book. We haven't finished Chapter 7 yet but she's been fascinated by it all. She loved the information on Hades, Sheol and Gehenna and then the section about Judgement Day in the appendix of the book. Like many people, she thought that it was a 24 hour period where everyone is judged for life or destruction. So she really enjoyed what she learned. She shares it all with her husband too. She's started showing some interest in coming to the meetings, although it hasn't happened yet, but we're getting there!

One of the little girls I used to study with, Laynori, went out in service for the first time last week with her grandma. She had a GREAT time and she didn't just tag along, she preached! She just turned 8 and is such a little adult! She used the presentations that we have practiced when we play "preaching" at the end of her study almost every week. Her grandma said people paid rapt attention to her as she's such a little thing, and people are always amazed to see how well trained our little ones are. 

And my study Noelia is doing really well. She's studying twice a week at the minute and is progressing really well. She's still a bit of a rebel at times, but she's made a lot of changes in her little personality! I think back to when I first started studying with her and could hardly get her to say anything or come to the meetings. And now she's just amazing. She doesn't miss a meeting - and she goes all by herself too. (Kids here are amazing - there are SO many that come in the truth by themselves in their early teens). She answers the questions in her own words when I study with her, she never reads from the paragraph. And she says things with such a serious little voice and face, like she was 45 instead of 12 years old! So, Sunday morning before her meeting (she's a study in the other territory) we're meeting with the brothers to see if they approve her to become a publisher!!! So, we'll see what happens. She gets very nervous, so we'll see if she manages to actually open her mouth when they ask her questions! 

So, we're very excited about our visit to the States, although at the same time it means leaving all these wonderful people behind for a couple of months, but this is Jehovah's work not ours, so those with a sincere heart will continue to study with others while we're gone.

Oh, and speaking of this being Jehovah's work, I had a really interesting experience the other week. To try to make a long story short, since this blog is already long enough, well, actually, no, I have to tell the details to show the amazingness of how this all happened!

So, a couple of weeks ago Charley gave a talk at Coyotepe congregation. We went to our meeting for the talk, then we left and got something to eat, Charley got some coffee, and then went off to the other hall. I didn't get any coffee because it keeps me awake if I drink it after about 4pm! However, I'd forgotten that this particular night Charley had night-watch duty at our Kingdom Hall, and I got peer pressured into going with him - the brother organizing the schedule said, "All the other wives are going with their husbands". Ok, ok, ok, I'll go! So after the meeting we were about to leave, but got talking to a young brother Charley had just gone to pioneer school with. (This is all relevant, bear with me). So, we didn't end up leaving that hall until 8:30. On the way to night-watch duty I decided I wanted coffee - since I didn't need to sleep! We weren't sure we'd find anywhere open, but drove past this new place in Central Park. So, I ran in there to get my coffee.

I think I need to start a new paragraph! So, this tall, middle-aged white guy walked in the same time I did. We both ordered our drinks, and then he said to me in Spanish "Do you speak English". I said I did and we started talking. He told me he used to teach English in Ecuador, and now he'd been in Masaya 4 months and hopes to stay through the end of the year at least, etc, etc. Then he asked why we were here (I'd already mentioned I was a JW but I don't think he caught what I said), so I told him. And he was like "You're a Jehovah's Witness?!?!?! Oh wow, I used to study with the witnesses in English when I was in Ecuador, but since I've come here I haven't seen any English-speaking witnesses and I really, really want to continue my bible study". I was just like - WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! So, after a lot of chatting (it was obvious he hadn't had chance to speak English to anyone lately!) we exchanged contact info and I passed on his name and number to the Granada English congregation and they promised to get in touch with him!!!!

It was just amazing - there were so many reasons for me NOT to be in THAT coffee shop at THAT precise moment. When do I ever drink coffee at night? When do I ever do night-watch duty? Why did we stay talking so late at the Kingdom Hall? Why didn't I remember that I could drink coffee that night until AFTER the meeting? I look forward to seeing the English brothers in a few weeks and finding out if they managed to get anything set up with him.

So, there are some service stories. Just a few!!

This past weekend we went to Las Banderas. Charley gave a talk there. It's where our friends Philip & Luisa Robleto serve as special pioneers. Philip's mam, dad, and little brother are the family that moved down here in 2009 and we came to visit in 2010. So we have a special connection since they're the reason we ended up in Nicaragua really. We had a really good time with them. We stayed the night, and they were super hospitable. Philip even made us breakfast in the morning before he left to clean the Kingdom Hall. And Luisa made PIZZA!!! It was soooo good, and a delicious salad. It was nice just to hang out with them. Then when we finally got moving Monday afternoon we went to El Crucero where his parents live, and had lunch there, and sat around at their house. El Crucero is high up, and it was really cold - must have been like 75 degrees!!! But it was really windy, and rainy, so it felt really cold. 

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

Charley, Philip, Mario Jr, Luisa, Mario & Wanda - and the pizzas!!!

Philip and Luisa's pelibueys.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Outside the Robleto's house. It felt good to drink warm milk that evening!

And here are a few pictures of our day so far. It feels good to be productive. This afternoon I'm going for my desperately needed haircut - YAY!!!!

Pencil sketch of Charley gardening - I wish I could actually draw like that!

Two loads of laundry on the line and a third one in the washing machine.

Charley putting the repaired tire back on the truck.

Well, hope you are all well. This next few weeks is going to be hectic for sure. Trying to get our calls and studies left with others, getting bits and pieces to take back to the states, packing, and our landlady and her oldest daughter are coming, and we're off to El Salvador for the English convention and..........and.....and.........you get the idea!