We are going to our first temple wedding in Uruguay tonight. One of the girls who has worked with us in the office as a volunteer is marrying her returned missionary at 7 pm, and then they are having the reception at the chapel next door. We attended the legal wedding this morning, as everyone in Uruguay must first be married by a judge. Odd as that might seem, it was quite nice. The judge talked about the importance that the government of Uruguay placed on marriage; that it was a thing that strengthened the community and the family. We found that refreshing. She then asked the groom first, whether he would take the bride, reversing the normal order. They both seemed so young to us, but as it turns out, he is 26 and she is 23. It was fun, and we hope to have pictures of the bride and groom for next week.

We went to the symphony last night at the oldest theatre in America, the Teatro Solis. It is a magnificent structure, and acoustically it is a marvel. The highlight of the night for me was Rimsy-Korsakov´s wonderful symphony ¨Sherezade¨, based on the 1001 Arabian nights. It is my newest favorite piece of music. Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and now Rimsy Korsakov make me believe that Russian composers are the best.

This is the interior of the theatre, looking toward the back.

These are just a couple more examples of our Uruguayan food. Notice the thick crust on the pizza. They don´t make it any other way, and although I enjoy it, I don´t eat it often, because it is just too hard to get it through the lapband. I had thought about loosening the band before I left, because I knew that the less processed Uruguayan food might be a problem for me. I left it alone, and it probably has been a blessing, because I already would have gained 50 lbs, and as it is, I am only up about ten.

Uruguay is most famous for its meat. This parilla gives you an idea of what is available here. It isn´t much cheaper than the states, but it is very tasty, and there is a greater variety in the types of meat that are consumed. If you look closely, you will see that they use the whole cow.

Speaking of food, I need to tell you a funny story. We laughed so at our 3 year old granddaughter Libby when I told her that she was the only girl that I adore, and she said, "I not a door....anymore!¨ We now sympathize with her. In church this week, one of our friends had a son who was receiving the priesthood. Betty sat with the mother, at the beginning of the priesthood meeting, for the ordination, and the mother said, ¨Gracias por su apollo" (Thanks for your support). What Betty heard was "Gracias por su pollo¨, (Thanks for the chicken). She sat there for several minutes trying to remember giving the lady a chicken. Betty is not a door...anymore.

I had hoped that this photo would be clearer, but perhaps you can click on it and enlarge it. This view of the Plaza de Independencia actually shows where we work. The building on the far left is the Radisson Victoria Plaza Hotel, where Bush stayed on his visit here. To its right are two white buildings, and our building is the second. It is called the Plaza Mayor.

We would love to give you a list of Wilford Woodrufflike missionary experiences every week, but our work, while satisfying, doesn´t usually involve moving mountains, or leaping tall buildings at a single bound. We come to work every morning, try to be of help to the people, do some visiting, and then come home and sleep very well. We are given greater responsibilities week by week, and we are developing the new skills to accomplish them, and perhaps, at our age, that is the real miracle. The trick is not just doing what the Lord commands, but having faith that He will prepare the way, and He does.

A few final points:

1. One of our good friends down here, Mirna Orgambide, who I was able to baptize 40 years ago this Christmas, had a stroke. Mirna has been a less active member, but is one of the best people we know. She is 68, but we think her prospects for recovery are good, and we have been visiting the hospital all week. Shoot a prayer her way for us, if you would.

2. We are going back to Teatro Solis in December for the Opera/Ballet of La Traviata. If all of this sounds overly cultured for us, it is. However, our favorite activity, going to plays, doesn´t work due to language difficulties, so we are somewhat limited to music and dance. The audiences here are highly cultured, and we have had to learn to watch them, to know when we are allowed to applaud. There was no whistling, and no one yelling ¨woo woo woo.¨ In other words....there were no other Idahoans in the theatre.

3. I had a young, unemployed man, a frequent visitor to the office, who had begun to misbehave in here. After some thought, I decided that if the Lord had wanted somewhat to be polite to everybody who came here....he would have sent somebody polite to this mission. End of problem.

4. Betty is not annoying me near as much as she did at the beginning of our mission. She is making real progress.

5. ¨The gift of the Holy Spirit....quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them by the gift of wisdom to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates, and matures all the fine toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty, of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation, and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.¨ Parley P. Pratt. Key to Theology, pp 96, 97.