Beautiful weather in PR!

I am so grateful for the continued cooler weather - this is definitely the prime time of the year for a visit to the Islands!  It is usually low 80's during the day and 70's at night. On Jan 8-10, we had a Senior Missionary Conference that began with dinner at the Mission home on Thursday evening followed by breakfast & lunch , interactive program, sightseeing at El Moro and dinner at Raices Restaurant in Hato Rey on Friday.  The gathering continued through noon on Saturday.  This was a great socializing/fellowshipping opportunity for all of the Senior Missionaries in the PR San Juan Mission.  Those couples assigned to the Islands were able to fly in and join us:  Elder/Sister Ray - St Kitts/Nevis; Elder/Sister Wright - Tortola; Elder/Sister Starr - Antigua; Elder/Sister Berger - St. Thomas and Elder/Sister Larsen - St. Croix. Sister Boucher, wife of the Mission President, outdid herself again providing all of the food except for the Friday PM dinner. 

We welcomed more new missionaries on 1/13 and sent home more outstanding young folks on the 15th.  Included in the 'young' missionaries returning home was my good friend and occasional companion, Sister Kathie Allred of Sparks, NV.  We always joked that we were companions only when we wanted to be since we each had our own apartment.  I am grateful for the eternal friendship that we continue to enjoy.  We were, also, sorry to see Elder and Sister Wentzel leave us on the 22nd.  They have been a great strength and Sister Wentzel is "Queen of Photography"!!!  I look forward to seeing them again, as well! 

I was asked to accompany the Stake choir again for Stake Conference on 1 March, so will be spending Sunday afternoons with them for practice.  It is always interesting since the practices are in Spanish - my 'emergency Spanish' skills generally serve me pretty well.  Otherwise, I continue to serve as Primary pianist in my ward.

Nothing major on the medical scene - just the usual rashes, sprained ankles/knee pain,GI upsets, ingrown toenails, allergies, etc.  We had some missionaries with suspected food poisoning, so they were miserable for a few days.  No recent cases of Chikungunya - approximately 40 total in 2014.

I usually try to attend at least one baptism each Saturday and, generally, find some missionaries who are ready and willing for some "Wendy's Therapy".  The AP's send a weekly email to the Sr. Missionaries with a schedule for the baptisms for the weekend.  We enjoy the opportunity to show support for the local units and missionaries. 

A Caribbean Regional Conference will be broadcast for SLC on Sunday, Feb 1st at the Stake Centers.  We are looking forward to that as well as Stake and General Conferences in the near future. 

El Moro

Another View

Great Puerto Rican restaurant in Hato Rey, a San Juan Suburb

L to R: Sis/Elder Porter, Elder/Sis Starr and Elder Lee

My dinner - Mamposteo Rice and Churrasco Steak with Chimichurri sauce

Baptism in Isabela with Sisters Rivas/Shaeffer

More random photos......

Windmills in Santa Isabel - south coast

Brother Steve Kingston - Cornish Game hens for Thanksgiving

View of the Atlantic Coast from Arecibo Sisters Apartment

Lunch with Elders Denton and Paredes in Mayaguez with Kris/Family

Grandkids swimming in pool at Rincon Guesthouse (taken from 3rd floor)

Feeling guilty...Need to update :o)

Yep - I am feeling guilty....so much fun and not sharing it with you!  Time is flying and I am down to about 6 months left on my mission.  Thanksgiving and Christmas have come and gone with many choice experiences.  Elder/Sister Hugo Martinez of the Area Presidency were here on a Mission tour, we had a fun day on Thanksgiving and Christmas with the other Senior Missionaries, Elders/Sisters came and some went home, Kris/Family came to visit for Christmas and lots of sightseeing & beaches, and we enjoyed Puerto Rican Christmas music, lights and fireworks!  I will share the story in photos, mostly!  To add to the fun, Kristian was bitten by an Iguana at El Morro in Old San Juan.  We had the opportunity to have dinner at the mission home with the Mayaguez Zone so the kids had many opportunities to enjoy the missionaries, young and old!  Photos loaded out of order - sorry!  Have more that I will try to load - Happy, Healthy New Year to all!

Two types of Mofongo - not my favorite!

 


My 'Christmas Tree'

Lunch in Old SJ - Elder Scott made the whole family crowns from Palms

San Juan vs Santurce - PR Baseball

Rincon Lighthouse

View of the Caribbean from Rincon

Thanksgiving Parade at Kingston's in Dorado

Casa Febus Christmas Décor Shopping

Lions in Ponce - usually scattered around the park/city square

More Lions.....

Caguas Carousel

Kristian on Christmas Day - after the movie

More Casa Febus...

Kingston home - Thanksgiving - Mission cars - many white ChevCruzes

And nearly another month has passed!

10 months quickly completed and 8 to go!

The good news is that it is starting to cool down a bit!  Down to mid 80's during the day and 70's at night.  It is getting to the point that the new Senior missionaries are not doubting their decisions to serve here and we can sit comfortably in our living areas with just a low fan. The natives will be wearing jackets soon and we will be rejoicing in the beautiful weather!

We welcomed another new group of missionaries on Oct 21st and said a sad good-bye to some great ones on the 23rd.  Since then, I have been pretty busy with miscellaneous missionary health issues - lab/sonograms/CT/ingrown toenail surgical treatment.

On Halloween, our ward hosted a Trunk-R-Treat and chili dinner at the Church.  We had great attendance and it felt like 'home'.    I have been busy playing piano for primary programs and the Stake choir for Christmas.  Last Sunday, I sat on the piano bench a total of 4 hours - played for a sacrament & Primary program in one ward and then on to another choir practice.  A Senior dinner at the Mission Home was a great reward at the end of the day.  I have attended quite a few baptisms across the island on Saturdays.  Last night was dinner at Macaroni Grill to celebrate Sister Boucher's birthday.  We had already celebrated Sis Lee and Sis Eakle's birthdays at P.F. Changs on Tuesday at Plaza Las Americas (home of the largest J.C. Penney store in the chain).  

I forgot to tell you about an interesting experience - one day I was walking into an elders apartment and felt something on my head.  I thought I had just walked under a pull chain for a light.  One of the elders said, "Sister Heidenreich, you have a lizard on your head!"  I calmly brushed off a little gecko - after he visited us for awhile, he was later found deceased under their refrigerator.  My only regret is that it was a missed photo opportunity.




Windmills in Santa Isabell



Caguas Missionaries at a Baptism (the 4th Elder was pianist)

Elders Lugo and Deaver at KFC after a baptism in San German



Fall Senior Dinner at the Mission Home



Happy Birthday, Sister Boucher (Macaroni Grill)

Lotsa photos again!

Not sure of what exactly has kept me busy lately, but I have tried to take photos of every new place.  In addition to assisting missionaries with health needs, we had a fun humanitarian project to make heart shaped pillows for donation to ladies who have had breast surgery to help support the affected side.  This week, my niece, Heidi, has been visiting from Salt Lake City and time has really flown by.  The photos will show some of the awesome sights we have enjoyed.  We have had a total of 25 cases of Chikungunya and one recent case of Hand/Foot/Mouth virus - not a fun time for these poor, hard-working Sisters and Elders.  Now this week - 3 sisters in the same apartment have head lice that one of the sisters got while visiting a family - of course, all of the sisters have long hair.  It has been fun to get many Facebook friend requests from 'my kids' who have gone home.  Each has a piece of my heart - truly an amazing generation!  It is still quite warm, but we missed the latest tropical storm/hurricane.  Unfortunately, Pres/Sister Boucher were not so lucky.  They were in Antigua for a Branch Conference on Sunday and planned to return on Monday.  When I spoke with Sister Boucher this afternoon, after no electricity at the hotel in Antigua, they were able to catch a Jet Blue flight to St. Maarten today and were to board another flight to San Juan.  She is not planning to sign up for any more island visits for a while.  Of course, General Conference was amazing and the missionaries really enjoyed Elder Bednar's talk.  I watched it at home on Saturday and Sunday AM, went to Caguas for a cook-out at the Wentzel's with the Caguas Zone missionaries, and then watched the closing session at the Caguas Stake Center.

Monday, the 13th, was "hump day" as I reached the 1/2 point in my mission.  I have become the Old Timer in the Mission Office and am looking forward to the same beautiful weather that greeted me in January.

Heidi and I celebrated with lunch at Senior Frog's in Old San Juan. On Monday afternoon, we took a drive to Aguas Buenas so Heidi could enjoy the roads in town which rival...or exceed...San Francisco in the roller coaster effect along with a quick visit to downtown Caguas and dinner with the Wentzels.  On Tuesday, we headed West to Rincon and spent a very relaxing time at the beach and a Bed/Breakfast.  Today, after some quick shopping, we headed east again through San Sebastian to the Arecibo Observatory which is always interesting even though this was my 4th visit.  Tonight was dinner at The Crepe Maker which is always yummy and Heidi will fly home tomorrow. 

Drive from Aibonito to Aguas Buenas

As above.....

Cemetery in Comerio

View from El Yunque rainforest

Coco Falls in El Yunque

El Morro in Old San Juan from Catano Ferry terminal

Heidi at Senor Frogs

The Atlantic Coast at Isabella

Stone Carving of the face of a Taino Indian, indigenous to Puerto Rico/Isabella

Shore at Rincon, PR

Heidi and I sat on the beach near the water and watched a few surfers - beautiful site and breeze!

Rincon Lighthouse near sunset

This and the following were taken from the Lighthouse area at sunset - breathtaking beauty!

Mango Beach Gift Shop