Quick but not dirty

We have been tied up the past few days with the preparations and logistics  of a zone meeting of the missionaries of Northern Mozambique--which includes fetching some of them and housing and feeding many others. The weather for this event was horrific with temperatures high and humidity even higher.   Herewith some photos, likely only of interest to mothers of missionaries pictured (well, except for the first one that I thought was a very beautiful picture).



Madonna and child

I'm not quite sure what the word "seraphic" means, but this is new-mother Paula, looking very much so.  We stopped by for a quick visit, somewhat expecting some post-partum blues and physical suffering only days following childbirth, but she was happy, energetic and glowing with enthusiasm for life and the gospel which she is learning.  Baby Debra also shown above, is less serene, but still beautiful, and continues to grow to look more like her namesake every day.

Here are the fourteen young missionaries of the Quelimane Zone (excluding the old missionaries, us, who also are a part of it).  Always being a fan of competition, I created a Christmas scripture trivia challenge for this group.  It was interesting to note that the African missionaries from Cabo Verde were  much better scriptorians than their American counterparts.  The defeated took their humiliation peacefully and philosophically.  As an interesting sidenote, the answer to the question "what did the decree from Ceasar Aufustus require?" is different depending on whether you are reading the bible in English or Portuguese.

Elder Osborn holding forth professorially.

What are the odds of 15 men showing up for a photo shoot all wearing the same tie?  They were fifts from President and Sister Kretly shown to our left.  Which reminds me, I have been giving sartorial instruction to these young men, instructing them that wearing a tie that does not reach your belt shouts to all that you are not to be taken seriously.  (It was my father of course who so instructed me).

We emerged from a lesson the other day to find the back of our truck filled with the neighborhood kids.  A regular problem is for kids, even very very small ones to try and hop on the back of our car as we are driving through rural neighborhoods.  I have a practice which I call "aversion therapy"
 which helps them to break this dangerous custom.

.