Sunday, August 3, 2013—GP—

Our Temple President, Roberto Ocampo, is 6’5,” very quiet, doesn’t smile much and is very humble.  He speaks just a little English when he has to.  I have not gotten to know him very well.  A couple of months after we got here he started coming out early to exercise but would only say “Buenos Dias.”  A week or two ago, he walked over to me while we were exercising and said he wanted to get better at English and learn to play the piano and asked that we might walk together and speak English.  I agreed to help with the first goal.  

One of my purposes to walk around the compound originally was to speak as much as I could to the natives to improve my Spanish.  Now there are three of my security guard friends plus our temple president who want me to speak English with them.  [hmmm, maybe they don’t like my Spanish?]  It has been fun to get to know him.  He is a couple of years younger than I.  He said this is the first time he has exercised regularly in his life, loves soccer, and used to play it.  

The first counselor is from the U.S. but has spent five missions south of the border.  The second counselor is from Guatemalan, served a fulltime mission in the state of Washington, and lived a couple of years in San Francisco a few years later as well.

Have a great week!

BP--The last two Sundays were supposed to be piano days for me since the High Priest Group Leadership meets at the Church at 5:00 p.m. for their weekly meeting and said it would be a good time to come to practice.  So, I gathered my music and we walked to the chapel only to be disappointed that no one came today and last week the building remained locked.  Practice withdrawal is terrible and I can feel my abilities slipping away.  Patience, Faith, and Hope---