Introducing.........(drumroll)......the new Rachel

So, a new service year is already 8 days old, and it's been a great first week.

Pioneer School - what can I say?! It was FANTASTIC. It was my third time going, first time in Spanish, and I loved every minute of it. Jehovah keeps sending me, hoping that maybe this time I'll put something into practice! The new format of the school is wonderful and there were so many good reminders. So many things I need to work on. I like to think I came out a different Rachel, and hopefully I can maintain that for longer than 3 weeks!

I got to attend with some old friends, but mostly made lots of new friends. And we all will be at the same Regional Convention in November so it's going to be wonderful to catch up and see how everyone's getting along three months after school, and I'm just looking forward to knowing more people at the convention and meeting their families too.

Our instructors were just wonderful. We had our Circuit Overseer, and a brother who has been a missionary with his wife in Nicaragua for 14 years now. They just graduated from the Bible School for Christian Couples back in November last year (they never went to Gilead), so I like to think he used some points learned in the school with us. 

There were two pioneer school classes, and Charley had the privilege of being the School Coordinator, so he was there every morning making sure they had what they needed for the day and running little errands. That kept him busy while he was still finishing up his service year. I'm proud of all his hard work. He got his time in on the last day of the year! 

Here are some pictures from pioneer school:

My view from the back row. They seated us by height, so I was the very last one!

Henry, Francisco, William & Gilberto

Xochilt, Abigail, Martha & Ana Rosa

Scarlett, Karla, Felipe (CO) & Daysi

Maryoli, Nohemy, Matilde & Amalia

Aldo, Nelson, Frederick (instructor) and Victor

Brett & Cathy and Roberto & Eliveth

Kathia, Maryin, Sara & Victoria

Tania & Cristian and Hector & Eveling

Luilly & Kenia, Jose and Francisco

Yamil & Flor, Anielka and Catalina

Lunch overseer and his two helpers who came and helped serve lunch every day for the two weeks that the pioneer school classes were held.

This was what an older brother said when asked to comment on the school! He said, I'm just going to say one word, Tank You! It sounded like one word when he said it I guess!

Missionaries, he was our instructor

The official class photo

We all got our pictures taken individually, or as couples, with the instructors too

We had quite a few couples in the class, as you can see in the photographs, which was really encouraging to see. Charley went last year, so maybe next time around we'll go together if he's willing to wait another 5 years!

Hmmmm, what else? So, the day after Pioneer School ended Charley gave another talk (second one since we got back) so I got to see three sisters from my class again! It was a nice little congregation, we enjoyed visiting them.

So, the year started out really well. At the Laguna Beach Club!!! September 1st was a Monday, which is most needgreaters day off, so a group of us went to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the lagoon. It's such a beautiful place. It started raining though, so I never got a picture of us all there!

As far as service, I have a revised schedule, and so far it's working out well. I decided during school that part of my reforming myself would have to include giving some studies away. I just had too many to be able to dedicate the necessary time to preparing and caring for each one of them. So I've been working on reducing them this week, leaving some with the sisters who took care of them while I was gone.

We also enjoyed a trip to San Marcos English group this last Saturday. Charley gave the talk there. He's given lots of talks since we got back, yes!! He spent the whole talk thinking in Spanish he said, so he struggled to get his thoughts out in English sometimes! But he did really well. We took a couple of friends, including Cherub who is back in Nicaragua again to serve up north. Two young, Danish sisters had us over for dinner afterwards and we had a great time, good food, good company. That's one thing we love about going to visit the English! They tend to do hospitality. Not that we're in it for the food! But it's nice to get to spend a bit of time with some from the congregation afterwards. That's not a habit in Spanish. In fact, usually the speaker just comes on his own, gives the talk, then leaves. So Saturday was a real treat! I took pictures, but on another friend's camera, so I don't have them yet!

Well, we're off to eat pizza with some friends now. Our friend, Veronica, is leaving Nicaragua to search out other fields, so we're going to spend a little time with her this evening.

Hope you're all doing well and enjoying the new service year.