One fateful statement

We had been here about two weeks when Robert made the fateful statement. "Hey I think we have caught up. Things should go more smoothly now." Two minutes later we received a phone call from President. Sister Oliveira was still in Portugal having medical test. The results were in. She needed surgery - now. President said he was leaving the next morning and we needed to check our email. The email started with him, went to President Texeira, the European Area President, then to Elder Rasband, of the Presidency of the Seventy, and then to Elder Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve. It was the approval for Robert to be acting mission president until President returned.
So now we were scrambling to determine what of the financial stuff I could do with my limited Portuguese so Robert could focus on the missionaries. For the next few days we just ran!
The first morning I paid three bills at three different places and was able to muster enough Portuguese to do it right. Robert said he was not surprised. He has always felt I could spend money in ANY language. HA. The rest of the afternoon I spent at a doctor's office with one of the Elders, while Robert welcomed two new missionaries to the mission. Later that afternoon two more came.
The next day President called in a panic. He had forgotten that this weekend was the Mindelo District's Priesthood meeting. He told Robert he would need to do some interviewing for Priesthood advancement and would be speaking at the meeting. Now we were scrambling for plane tickets.
The next day, Friday, the Assistants were able to get a plane ticket - A plane ticket. Robert would go alone to Mindelo. No worries. That night we had the privilage of taking Sister McKnight out for her farewell dinner in President's behalf. That was easy duty. It was at a very nice place in the same building as President's condo.
Saturday was not much of a P-day but we managed to get groceries bought and laundry done enough that Robert could pack. (Hey we don't have dryers here) He left shortly after the baptism where 6 people were baptized.
Sunday he did the interviews and spoke at the Priesthood meeting. Puling a talk out of your hat is one thing. Pulling it out of your hat in Portuguese is another but he did well.
Monday I did all I could in the office and took Sister McKnight out to buy some souvenirs for her grandchildren. Robert was still in Mindelo doing interviews with missionaries until that evening when he flew to the Island of Sal and meet with the missionaries there. He came home that night.

Tuesday was a Zone Conference for the Santiago South Zone here in Praia. Robert spoke while I went to CV Movel. I had to buy some things for the phones called Sim Cards. You put them in the phone to activate the phone with a phone number. I needed ten of them. I went in and said, “Eu presico dez sim cartoes.” Now you say sim in Portuguese something like you say sing in English. And cartoes is pronounced something like cartowns. I worked so hard to say it in perfect Portuguese and once I did the clerk smiled and said “Sim Cards” just like you would say it in English. Apparently they say Sim Card. I said, “Como se diz?” pointing to the cards to verify and she said, “Sim Card.” We both laughed. While there I also handed her a written request for the phone records of a certain missionary. That was no laughing matter.

The next morning started with Robert calling the Zone Leaders in Mindelo and sending them to collect said certain missionary's phone. That was a real drama but they have to learn to live by the rules. I was also having drama of my own. I spent the afternoon trying to place an order of supplies for the mission. Nothing was working right. I finally emailed our friend, Florian, in Germany. He came to CV last November to train us all. I told him how nothing was working and I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. I felt so stupid. He told me that all the glitches were because I needed to change the country from US to CV, an option down at the bottom of the page. I tried and tried but I couldn’t get it to work. He wrote me back about an hour later to say that the tech guys said it was happening to everyone and that it was not my fault. He told me not to despair. He is such a nice man. I guess I will try again tomorrow.

Thursday I did get the order off and we finished as much of the finacial stuff as we could with all the interruptions. Robert recieved 50 phone calls that day. I didn't believe him so we counted them on his phone. Exactly 50! So many pulls. But one call was to tell us President and Sister Oliveira would be returning Sunday!!She was doing much better.
Now we just needed to get through the weekend which would be spent in a very special way  - a trip to Boa Vista.