July 2nd, 2017 - Mission Update

We are definitely not very good at keeping this blog up—especially when it is my (Kaye’s) turn to write!!  We went on another tour down south to the areas of Itabuna and Ilhéus a couple of weeks ago—we still need to get down to Porto Seguro this week or the next to finish up getting to all the mission houses for the second time.   We are still convinced we have the greatest missionaries ever and we absolutely love visiting them.  Below is a picture of Ilheus’ beach—a storm was rolling in here… 

We are heading into winter and the heat is getting a little more tolerable for us—it rains about once a day and then clears up.  Here is a beautiful picture we took off the balcony of our apartment  the other day. 

They had Festa Junina—June Festival—It is right at the beginning of winter and it is also known as festa de São João, (Celebrating the birth of John the Baptist).  They have special costumes, hats, food and dances that they do for this festival.  Men dress up as farm boys with large straw hats and women wear pigtails, freckles, painted gap teeth and red-checkered dresses, all in a loving tribute to the origins of Brazilian country music, We were coming back from Itabuna/Ilhéus on a Friday afternoon and all of these tiny little towns were all decorated up and streets blocked off for the big festivals!!  We went to the ward party—Festa Junina—we stayed until the dancing began and then took off before Paul could show off his “dancing” talents—and No—we did not dress up!  Below is a picture. The party was just getting started—when we left the dance floor was full.  The firecrackers were endless that weekend!  They also build these fire forms—always the same and then at night they all light them—looks kind of cool!

  

Below are a couple of our good finds—although Paul was not real happy with the amount of icing in his golden Oreo—we call these thins in the United States!  They were still good.  The other is Kibon—ahh—yes—they sell these Magnum bars where there is a Kibon sign—fortunately there is one right down the street from our apartment and Paul is very good about keeping me in supply!  He tells the gal that is always the checker that they are ALL for his wife—I don’t think she believes him!  They are a little bit of heaven…  

This last picture was taken one afternoon while we were out helping our office Elders find a new apartment.  Sorry it is such a poor picture! They have these cute little monkeys all over the place. This one was scampering along the telephone wire.   We are close to the zoo in this picture—so maybe it  was an escapee!  

We hope everyone is happy and healthy and having a wonderful summer!  We love you all and miss you and think about you and pray for you!  Please continue to take care of each other.  Paul and Kaye