Almost Christmas

We had a wonderful Sunday where I understood almost the whole lesson. Don´t get too excited cause the next one I understood nothing.  It isn´t easy but Dad thinks that I am making progress.  I tell him I will probably have a breakthrough about month 18 then go home.  Hahaha. Anyway this is the hardest thing I have ever done and I do get discouraged but I will continue to work hard at it and I know that when the time is right I will have this ____ language down at least a little.
We went to Lisbon on Monday night and stayed in the mission home overnight so we could attend the Mission conference on Tuesday.  It was also the Christmas party and was alot of fun with 127 missionaries.  What a beautiful bunch of young people they are.  We each brought a gift to exchange and stood in circles.  Sisters in a small circle in the middle and Elders ina larger circle and we sang Jingle Bells as we passed the gifts.  Elder Roberts got a plastic bird in a cage that chirps when you turn it on.  I got perfume.  Interesting though we gave a bunch of pens and these great crayola scripture markers and the Elder that got the markers came up to us and thanked us.  I don´t know how he knew since the gifts were anonymous but he was so excited - it was cute.  Our local missionaries have been hinting about Christmas dinner but I haven´t decided yet whether I am going to do that or not.  Probably will.
Elder Roberts got the opportunity to go out on the street with the Elders and set up a table to give away pass along cards and Books of Mormon.  He was so excited.  We have been working with a little girl - 22 - who loves the church.  When they  taught her the law of chastity she was worried because of her boyfriend but the elders explained about being washed clean at baptism and also about the Lords wonderfull forgiveness each week when we take the sacrament.  She loves the gospel and was excited to know that she could be married in the temple for Time as well as eternity.  However, the boyfriend who is in Lisbon wants nothing to do with religion.  So weĺl see how this plays out. I gave up a boyfriend to become a member of the Church but I was only 16.

Best news this week -They fixed our electricity.  Sunday after being in our frigid chapel (no heat at all) we came home and I bundled up on the couch with a cape and hat, my robe, slippers and a blanket to read scriptures.  Dad took a picture and sent it to the office Elders telling them I had asked how much a plane ticket home was.  He got a call back in 5 minutes.  Long story short the electric company came flipped a switch ( it took him 3 minutes or less) and we now have heat.
Oh for the talent show at the Christmas party Dad was a rock and roll snowman.  He was great - pictures to follow.
Well I have to get back to this language study.  I love you all, keep the prayers coming  Love MOM with Dad

I got a new calling

Thanks so much for the email.  I love that you get to go to the temple  what a blessing  we sure miss that  we cant go to Madriď as it is out of the country but there are many great bleßings here.  I love the people in our little branch.  They sing like it is a prayer and it always touches my heart even when I cant understand all the words. I got called to the nursery   1 baby about a year, her mom is a new convert so they ànt her to be able to hear the lessons.  She is a beautiful little girl with dark curly hair and I am excited about it.  I got to help with a lesson for a nepalese couple the other night and it was a great feeling.  They are brand new investigators so i got to teach them how to pray  yeah!  I hpoe you and Rick are planning a misson whenwe return. They make lots of concessions for senior missonaries including naps if you nèd them which I did a few times in the beginning .  WE SURE LOVE YOU GUYS   Kathee  Sister Roberts

Castelo Silves

Yesterday for our P-Day we took the Elders and Sisters to see an old Castle in Silves.  It dates to 1000 ad and was quite interesting.  It sits on a hill, of course and is  surrounded by the town.  It originally had acres of land inside and had it´s own gardens nd orchards.  The giant cistern supplied water for the whole town below.  It has a beautiful view of the town below.  We could walk right on the top of the wall andlook out over the town.

There were little slots for shooting arrows 

and drain holes for water runoff.

It was amazing to see stones that had scrapemarks made by some craftsman so long ago, and think of those people trying to guard their lives from the invading forces.  To us it looks impenatrible but of course it wasn´t. It´s kind of like how we continue to put safeguards in our life but if we don´t trust the Lord they won´t do us any good.

The Sisters and Elders had a great time. One Sister jumped up on the wall for a picture and Gale had to order her to get down.

There was an outdoor sculpture display that the kids loved.

Dad had fun with the elders

out front with the giant statue of a knight

There was a quiet spot that we found for a good pic