Hiatus to the Good Ole' USA!

Meeting Miles for first time

Hola to all . . .                                                                October 24, 2013

We are back from an awesome "hiatus" to the good ole' USA!   Enjoyed everyday so very much and have returned to finish up our last 3 and a half months feeling refreshed, revived and blessed for all we have!   It was wonderful to spend a few days in 3 of our kid's homes.

Chase w/300 stuffed animals as part of Eagle Project

We loved participating in their everyday lives.  While we were in Arizona, Chuck had the opportunity to give Chase and Briley their patriarchal blessings.  This was indeed a memorable experience.  Chase was working on his Eagle Project - collecting over 300 donated gently used stuffed animals for prizes etc. for a health fair he participated and worked with.  We hear it was all a big success!  It was an awesome drive to St. George we were reminded of the gorgeous American west and wide open spaces!

Meeting baby Miles that was born in July was soooooo fun - at 3 months he is smiling, "talking" and generally full of cuteness!   Then on to Pleasant Grove for watching more soccer, flag football and enjoying family. 

Kayl learned my talent well . . .

We have replacements!!  Jay and Rosalind Sorensen from Lynnwood, Washington.  They were invited and able to attend the annual training for two days with us in Salt Lake City.  We were able to visit with them and talk about all their concerns and about the auditing assignment.  They are wonderful and we are sure they will hit the ground running and be ready for us to get out of the way!
   

The two days of training and learning about the changes in procedures was really a boost to our work.  For example . . . there will soon be a "practice audit" online for training of leaders.  What a great help that will be.  We were with 15 auditor couples from all over the world serving in the different international areas.  All meetings and meals were on the 9th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building with the temple looming out the window . . . glorious!

We just had our monthly Area Audit Committee Meeting.  Chuck makes the agenda and moves the meeting along with Elder Zivic of the Area Presidency, Jerald Taylor the Area Controler and Lorenzo Castillo works with MLS (Member Leadership Services.)  So many acronymns!  He is always glad to have that meeting finished.  He keeps a "concern log" of the problem issues that we encounter and that is usually where the most time is spent discussing the items and what action to initiate taking care of the situation. 

I have been asked to be one of two assistants to the coordinator for the Family Home Evenings that we hold together as senior couples.   There are often about 60 of us.  We gather as one large group and then sometimes as small groups of 4-5 couples in an apartment.  It is always great fun.  We are planning a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving.  I brought back a suitcase full of table covers etc.  Also, 90 baby receiving blankets for a service project we are doing for Christmas at a hospital that they say has 90 babies born a day.  That sounds like a lot to me . . . whatever, we are going to take that many "gifts" for the Christmas babies.  Will wrap a onesie, 5 diapers, soap etc. in the blankets and take them around to the mothers.  Fun . . .

We are eager to have visits next week from Justin/Lori and Jenna.  Thanks Lane for making this happen for Jenna - it will be happy times!  It is still warm here - continue to sleep under the ceiling fan and no sweaters or jackets needed - ever - except when air-conditioning is too cold! 

Now that's a Great Pumpkin! 

Mucho mucho mucho love to all . . . we think of you and your concerns always!  LOVE - Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa    XOXOXOXOXO 

  

     

Before the Deadline

Hola again from us . . .                                            September 30,2013

The Audits are finished 100% before the deadline and we were second in the world - Mexico always seems to beat the Caribbean and they have 5 times the number of units!   We are glad to get 100% in - many areas don't get that done.   Then it all happens again starting in January.  Now we are preparing for our 7 Assistant Auditors to gather here in November for a seminar.  We did this last September right after we arrived - so it isn't quite the "unknown" that it was then.  We just have to figure out the travel, meals, agenda for training etc.  We think there will be two visitors from the Auditing Department in Salt Lake here to contribute and observe.

Chuck flipping burgers and hotdogs

 for the DR East Mission lunch.

Last week we went to the East Mission Office to help with a bar-b-que lunch they were having for about 50 missionaries.  They regularly do this when asked - this time it was for two districts that were gathered.  Chuck was helping cook/flip the burgers and hot dogs - it was HOT!   They gave them a burger, hotdog, bag of chips and Klondike ice cream bar and they were happy campers!    A couple of elders that are avid BYU football fans had to stand on the stage and sing the Ute fight song . . . they lost the bet.  It was a fun time! 

We fly to Arizona this Friday and will enjoy being with Jason/Angela and family a few days.  We have some doctor appointments and will then drive to St. George and the Jera/Jordan house to meet newest grandson Miles at 3 months old and on to Pleasant Grove to be with Jenna/Lane and then our annual training in Salt Lake - which is the reason for the trip.  We are excited to be able to see all our "kids" except the Florida ones on this jaunt home.  We are really looking forward to it!!  One thing we will be hauling home is a 4 foot carved mask that we bought . . . Chuck thinks it won't be "any problem at all" . . . . we'll see!

Our work/life seems to be pretty routine these days with our schedule the same each week . . . which is good and we love all that we are involved in and the wonderful people we associate with.   

Broken helmet "fixed" with a rubber band.

It will be great to watch General Conference this weekend.  For our friends that have never seen a session of General Conference of our "Mormon"  faith - it is held twice a year in Salt Lake City and you can get full coverage at http://www.lds.org/.  It is always uplifting and timely for our day - teaching about gospel principles and encouragement in living the commandments given us by a loving Heavenly Father.

Cycle with a load of mops.

LOVE TO ALL . . . hope life is treating you well with wonderful blessings to recognize in your daily lives!!   xoxoxoxo Lots of Love . . . Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa  xoxoxo

Chuck with Oswaldo - the day guard for our apartment building.  He is a wonderful helper to haul groceries etc.  Chuck teases him that he prays always for rain so he can wash our car! 

   

  

Family Elders

45th Anniversary - the office people  were so fun to stop, visit, get candy and think it incredible to be married so long!    

Hola family and friends . . .                                               September 15, 2013

The audit period is coming to a close and we are looking good - West Indies, Haiti, Santiago DR, East DR are all finished.  Puerto Rico, Jamaica and West DR are almost there. 

We are still really warm here in the DR and ready for cooler weather . . . however, we haven't noticed a whole lot of change this last year in the temperatures.  It seems to be more which fruit is in season! 

There was an outbreak of cholera that the Crismons (Welfare Couple) have been dealing with and trying to have some buckets put together of cleaning supplies for families - possibly 3,000 of them.  It is in a very poor area that the people struggle to have clean water.  It seems to drag on as they try to work with the agencies here.  Sorta scary stuff . . .

Their is a team of doctors/specialists here from the states this week to give Neonatal Resuscitation Training.   Dr. Jensen is the head of the team and we worked with him in Argentina.  Such wonderful people that donate their time and knowledge to come and help others.  We had them over for dinner and it was a fun visit! 

It is a joy to be here to welcome Elder Neeley and Elder Buehner to serve as missionaries here in the DR.  Elder Neeley is the grandson of my cousin and Elder Buehner the grandson of my brother.  Fabulous young men - happy and excited to serve and working hard to learn the language and all else they need to know to go out and teach the gospel when they leave the MTC.  Elder Neeley and his companion have been assigned to us on Mondays for their 4 weeks of training to teach in Spanish.  It would of been great to have Elder Buehner also - not to be - he is on a different schedule.   We will try and keep them supplied with some treats! 
  

Us with Elder Buehner

Us with Elder Neeley

We visited some underground caves with the Dunfords about an hour out of the city.  "Cueva de las Maravillas" was really pretty and interesting - such a marvel what can occur under the ground.  The caves were discovered in 1926 but just opened to the public in 2003.  There were many Taino Indian drawings - we have to admit to questioning some of their validity . . . but, the caves were gorgeous with well lit paths and railings.  

It was sad to learn of the missionary from here in the DR that was killed while serving in Colombia.  His stake president works here in the office and said his family was of course devastated.  He was their youngest child.  Chuck had sat in church by the DTA (Director of Temporal Affairs) for our area the Sunday after it happened and he reported having been up most of the night trying to arrange for the body to be returned home.  Hard, unexpected things.   

I have been asked to serve on an Area Communications Committee - I have to admit it seems a little overwhelming - but there are people coming from Salt Lake City to train in what they would like to see happen.  All I could say was . . . "I will try."  They said they needed my English input . . . ya think, it certainly wasn't for my Spanish! 

We know fall is in the air for some of you . . . ENJOY!  LOVE TO YOU . . . be good to each other  XOXOXO Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa

I need a recipe for what to do with a cow head . . .

The guys on cycles scoot in, out and around and squeeze through traffic  . . . this guy came to a fast halt! 

Los Butterflies

Us at the Mirabal Sisters Museum.

Hola all . . .                                         August 30, 2013

Audit report . . . 80% of the Caribbean Area units have started their audits and 65% are finished!  They have a couple more weeks to complete them. 

The experience of visiting The Mirabal Sisters Museum is one of the most interesting we have had.  It is dedicated to the memory of 3 sisters that are heroes in the Dominican Republic.  These women showed great courage as they took a stand against the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the underground movement against his regime that represented the Dominican people in their quest for freedom.  "Los Butterflies" was their underground name.  Their story is depicted in the movie "In the Time of the Butterflies."  They died as martyrs November 25, 1960 when an accident was fixed and they were taken to a field and killed.  Trujillo was ultimately assassinated on May 30, 1961.  A fourth sister Dede is still living - she is 87.  She raised her own three children and also the 6 children of her sisters after their death.  The Mirabal family home is now the museum.  Dede often receives guests and school groups at the museum.  There are wonderful manicured grounds with lovely flowers and huge trees around the home that cause it to be an inviting and peaceful place of reflection and full of butterflies!

Obelisk that Trujillo built to himself -
now the people have painted it as a monument
to the Mirabal Sisters.

We left our apartment Sunday morning at 5:30 a.m. to pick up Lorenzo Castillo who is one of our bosses in the office finance department.  We were headed 2 and a half hours away to the Sabana de la Mar Branch of the church.  There are many concerns there and not just with the finances.  We can empathasize with these outlying areas having lived in rural Arizona for 33 years.   Wednesday Chuck and Lorenzo went back to try and meet with the Branch President and verify some of the expenses in question - he was not willing to meet with them.  The missionaries took them around to try and talk to some of the people.  It appears this situation will not have a good ending. 

The first ever multi-stake youth conference was held in Haiti last week.  There are 4 stakes of the church in Haiti.  Almost 400 youth attended with 75 leaders that were mostly young single adults.  The site itself was a miracle to obtain - after almost a year of trying to get permission to use the government owned and operated facility.   It was a fantastic opportunity for them to have fun together and feel the spirit of the gospel with their peers.  Only the area presidency went from here - without their wives.

Serving a mission causes us to miss many family events . . . this week it is the 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration for Dick and Nancy.  We know all those gathered will have a great time . . . remembering . . . . XOXOXOXOXOXO

One way to take two cows . . . somewhere - they were alive! 

Rice field workers - beautiful - looks like a pretty daunting task!   

Love you all sooooooo much and pray for/think about you daily!!!!  LOVE, Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa    

25% Audits Complete!

Hola to family and friends . . .                                                     August 16, 2013

We are in the mid-year audit cycle.  Out of the 15 areas of the church throughout the world - as of a couple of days ago our Caribbean Area was leading with about 25% of audits completed.  We have about 409 units that need to file an audit - stakes, districts, wards and branches.   Lots of work going on by the leaders to make it happen!   We were in Bani last Sunday with Rolando Marte helping with their audit and doing training of the District Audit Committee.

Our friends the Rees' are headed home Tuesday.  We admire them so much for the work they have done here in Santo Domingo with church music.  He is a rancher from northern Utah and not a musician - she says she played piano a little.  There is a great need here for people to lead music and play the piano in the congregations.   They have truly magnified their calling.  He taught himself to play a few hymns on the keyboard and then to teach classes - he does have fluent Spanish.  He was known to bribe w/chocolate!  They have taught 14 groups the 6 month course - about 230 students from ages 10 to 70.  They started with the conducting course and then a smaller percentage learned to play a hymn - all of course with varying degrees of success!  Last Sunday evening we went to a recital they held for a group of about 20 students finishing a course.  It was fun to hear the students and the Rees' were like proud parents!  WELL DONE . . . now home to the cattle!

Rees' with their kids before the recital

Chuck was out driving with Ray Johnson - serving here as a lawyer in the area office.  They got stopped by the police for running a yellow/red light.  You have to understand the driving here is  c r a z y  and the rules are pretty much just "suggestions" - however, if the officers are hungry or bored they will look for someone to stop.  At first the amount was 5,000 pesos - $125.00.  Chuck got it down to 800 pesos - $20.00 . . . he after all was feeling guilty.   The officer wouldn't take the money from his hand or even when he sat it on Ray's leg.  He wanted it to sit on the seat and then he reached in with his hand to pick it up under his cell phone - so others wouldn't see him taking a bribe.  My question is . . . who was the one being bribed . . . hummmmm?

Anna - our friend on the corner selling papers

Every morning we buy a paper from Anna down on a corner by our apartment - she is always chatty and friendly and glad to have a little package of cookies we give her.   She has given us mangoes, avocados and cantaloupe on occasion that she picks out special and says to eat that day!  She is usually happy and is a fun greeting to our day. 

The Crismons have returned from being home with her broken hip - we are glad to have them back as our office partners!  They are the Area Welfare Missionaries so are in charge of some emergency relief projects.   This last week we were down in the large meeting room helping them pack 250 kitchen kits.  These are to be given when a family loses their home through flooding, hurricanes or whatever.  They would be awesome to receive if you had that need.  Items are packed in a five gallon air-tight bucket and contain:  4 plates, 4 cups, 4 small bowls, utensils for 4, two large cooking spoons, large pan w/lid, mixing bowl, can opener, lighter, candles, small metal pitcher for hot water, a sieve and a roll of toilet paper.  They figured the cost of each bucket was $34.00.   It was fun to help get these ready to go if there is a need. 

250 Humanitarian Kitchen Kits line the halls

MTC Elders getting some of the white shirts and ties sent from Jenna's ward

Summer is flying/flown . . . lots of memories we have loved hearing about!! 

LOVE AGAIN TO ALL XOXOXOXOXO  

Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandpa and Grandma

800 Chicken a Day

Us with Dick and Nancy in beautiful green mountains of a drive to Constanza.

Hello to all . . .                                                            August 2, 2013

We had a wonderful visit from Dick and Nancy (my brother) - it was a long and tiring trip for them but we had a great few days.  They got to see some sights and some of the island scenery.  I think they especially enjoyed seeing things that their grandson Jed Buehner will be around when he arrives here for his service in the DR East Mission and his time at the MTC.  When we were touring the area office our friend Henry even looked up Jed's info for them.  He is the guy that handles visa's etc.  It was fun to see his name on the records as "arriving!"  Thanks kids for the effort to come visit us!!!

The week before we were at an event "Clog America" - a dance group from the states that put on a great show at the Ministry of Culture Auditorium.  Chuck got his "pocket picked" as we were leaving.  At least we think that is when it happened - we remember getting jostled at that time.  He didn't realize it until we got home and he was taking things out of his pocket.  He went back and looked in the car and I went to check the computer and we already had two fraud alerts from the credit cards.  Such a pain!!  They were good . . . 

I wrote about our trip to Sabana del Mar last time but there are two more things I need to remember about that little jaunt.  We were sitting outside at a big round picnic table for dinner one evening and thought we had bad mosquitos around our ankles and feet so we went inside.  Turns out we were FLEA BITTEN - we each have at least a hundred bites on our lower calves and feet . . . miserably itchy!!!

Guy picking up his chickens from the store . . . .

That "hotel" where we stayed looked out on a street with a chicken store.  We watched as motorcycles and scooters would come and get black bags of chicken - five dead and defeathered chickens in a bag tied with their feet together and sticking out.  Some bought up to 8 bags.  It was the market where restaurants etc. went to pick up their chicken to be used that day.  Some of the men from our group went over to investigate and said it was quite a sight behind the store where they were processed . . . they sold over 800 chickens a day out of the place!   Ugggggg . . . . .

Last weekend there was the first ever encampment that would be the equivalent to a Scout Camp in the states - it was held at the church family camp here - Bonao.  They had 600 young men age 12 and 13 with 150 leaders.  Our friends the Dunfords got to go as their assignment with Public Affairs to document the event.  They report it was a fantastic experience and memorable for the young men.  Leaders had planned all year to make it happen and it was worth it!

Sunday we picked up our assistant Rolando Marte and his wife Fanny to go to San Juan de la Maguana for their Branch Conference and then some training of leaders.  We were invited to the District President's home the Segura's for lunch - always an interesting experience.  His wife was a delight to be around - very happy and positive.  She is also legally blind but we didn't realize it until halfway through lunch.  They continue to work on the building of their own home and were very proud of it being "the prettiest one on the street!"  The oldest of their three children was just home from the encampment at Bonao and had a great time!  San Juan de la Maguana is 3 hours away . . . it was a long day! 

Segura family in San Juan de la Maguana - she is legally blind -
Fanny and Rolando Marte on the left.  Notice their finished ceiling.

Chuck was having some discomfort in his back in the kidney area.  He has had kidney stones in the past so discounted it being that as he knew what they felt like.  After a med series from the area doctor of anti-inflammatory and another of cipro it was decided to get a CT scan of what was going on.  He of course had a blessing from good brethren.  Turns out it is kidney stones rolling around  - we were grateful it was that and not something more worrisome.  Now he gets to wait . . . for them to do something!!!

Love hearing from you when you have time . . . KEEP THE FAITH AND LOVE TO ALL  XOXOXOXO - Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa

Daughter's home of the man that took us on the Haitises Park boat tour.

  

Happy Birthday, Love Miles

Hello to all . . .                                                                            July 19, 2013

Vickie's desk decorated for b-day

Miles at 6 days - what a cutie! 

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY MILES JOHNSON GUNTHER 8lbs. 3 oz. - 21 inches born July 8th my birthday!  Thank you for the very thoughtful birthday gift Jera!  It was wonderful to have the technology to know in real time the progress of his arrival - such an exciting miracle!   Sooooo, boys and redheads surge ahead in our grandchildren count . . . we actually aren't real sure about the redhead but I am going to count it for now!  It is so hard to not be around for these special events . . . but they seem to manage fine without us and we are rejoicing in our posterity!  Thank you Hancocks for helping the Gunthers!  Aching to hold him . . .

Stirring the sancocho soup

We joined one of our assistants Rolando Marte and his family for a celebration of his son's wedding.  It was a gathering at his mother's home in San Cristobal about 20 miles out of the city.  It was a joyous occasion and they were eating sancocho . . . a stew type pot of meat and vegetables they were cooking in a huge pot over a fire in the backyard.   You put some rice in a bowl and pour the sancocho over the rice - tasty!  Chuck thought he had some "parts" in his bowl.  I took my chocolate cake and that was the food for the day for probably 50 that were there.  So, from a 9x13 pan we would usually serve 15 or so . . . well they served everyone from that cake with a good size corner left that Rolando's sister was "saving!"   I know Chuck wondered "what's the point" when he saw his one bite portion on his plate!  Dominicans don't eat near as many sweets as we do . . . however, the candy sure disappears when I put it out at the office!

On Mondays we have been goingto the MTC and have two sets of three elders that are "teaching" us in Spanish for their training.  They are doing sooooo well to be so new and Chuck pushes them pretty hard - can see their brains spinning!   It amazes me since I don't seem to grasp language nearly like they do!   One of them just graduated high school . . . they are awesome missionaries and fun to be around.  They are only here in the MTC 6 weeks!

Tuesday we felt a slight tremor of an earthquake . . . now that sounds scary and I hope a big one doesn't hit . . . but we both noticed it sitting at our desks at the office for just a couple of seconds.  It was over before you realized what was going on.  Hadn't ever experienced anything like that.  It would certainly be unsettling if it  happened often.

We left yesterday morning to go to Sabana del Mar with a group of missionaries including the Haws that serve with Humanitarian Services.  We went to a hospital that they were exploring a project to help with some needs they are requesting.  It was interesting to visit the rooms and be shown the hospital and meet some of the patients.  There is such a difference in the quality of care from what we would expect at home.  We visited with a new mother that had a small baby laying by her - he was very small.   We spent the night in an "interesting" little hotel . . .   Elder Haws plans to write a book one day - he says it will be a very short book and the title will be "The Power of Low Expectations!"  We decided that would be the name of this little getaway - we had a great time!  We also took a boat ride into the "Haitises National Park" - lots of mangrove trees and a couple of caves.  It was a really fun day.

On the boat in Haitises Park

The summer is flying . . . we love you all so much!  Hope life is being good to you LOVE, Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie and Grandma and Grandpa   XOXOOXXOOXOXOX

Just a regular egg to show how big the mangos are!