Here in Cali

We spent this week sleeping in our own bed...or wishing we could sleep more in our own bed.   The days seem long.  The sun goes down promptly in Cali between 6 and 6:30pm and there is still a lot more to do before retiring for the day.  This week we had 4 zones to have interviews with President Prince.  That is 48 missionaries at about 20 minutes a piece...you can do the math.  Thursday, President Prince traveled to Popayán (about 2 1/2 hours from Cali) to do interviews of missionaries along with doing Temple recommend interviews and new missionary interviews for the district there.  (He left at 6am and returned home by 10pm...long days.)

While President Prince is doing interviews there are missionary apartments to be inspected.  We have some work to do...the scripture comes to mind about needing to "first clean the inner vessel..."  I did threaten to take pictures and send them to one of the missionary's mothers.  His response was, "My mother would kill me!"  I think I have found the incentive I need!

For family night we took a walk to the "Parque de los gatos" and stopped in for ice cream at Ventolinis.  Each gato is different and it was a pleasant diversion to walk through the park and read the story about the "Gato del rio".  The park is on the Rio Cali.

Our week finished up with zone conference for the 4 zones in this area-Calima, Villa Colombia, San Fernando, and Popayán.  It was full of learning, eating, playing, picture taking, some friendly competions and most of all the spirit of missionary work.  We really love these missionaries! Our meeting started with some lucky Latin missionaries being chosen to give testimonies or short talks in English.  Our meeting is instantly flooded with the spirit as they give simple testimonies and express their love for the Lord in a language that is new to them.  I can't keep back the tears as I listen...I KNOW how hard it is to express yourself in a new language.  Well done, thou good and faithful servants!!

And let's end the week with 2 baptisms Friday night complete with missionary chorus, followed by a pizza party with the office elders with none other than Domino's Pizza! We were happy to eat some good ol' fashioned American food!