I have not had any spare time lately and my blog reflects
it. Working as an executive secretary to
an area presidency is definitely a full time job (like 10 and sometimes more
hours a day). I have used all my spare
time to try to finish editing my patriarchal blessings book manuscript.
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| Elder Christofferson, Us, & Elder Holland- so it's not all work |
There has been so many wonderful things happened since my
last blog about 4 months ago I do not know where to start. Let me begin with one of the more exciting
ones. We had the “Area Review” for the
South America South Area Nov 14 2013.
This happens once a year when usually an apostle comes down to tour the areas
that have not had a general authority for a long time and have priesthood
leadership and stake conferences with area devotionals and two or three days to
discuss the area one on one with the Area Presidency.
We were blessed to have Elder Holland, Elder Christofferson
and Elder Soares come down. Elder
Christofferson and Elder Soares are the general authorities assigned to our
area. Elder Christofferson speaks
Spanish and always conducts his meetings in Spanish. Elder Soares is from Brazil but also speaks
Spanish well.
Elder Gonzalez asked Elder Holland to address married
couples as one of the devotionals. It
was broadcast to the four countries that make up our area. I am not sure I have ever heard a better
discourse on marriage. Elder Holland and
his wife took up most of the time (Sister Holland understands Spanish and corrected
the translator a couple of times). It
was a spiritual crescendo of their visit.
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| The Sisters' luncheon |
During the Area Review, there was a luncheon for the wives
with all the sisters and area seventy’s wives.
There was a traditional asado lunch with the three general authority
visitors and the area presidency, which I was able to attend.
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| Cynthia singing with the Senior Sisters |
There was entertainment planned for the sisters. First, Joan had been working with her an
autistic sister that comes with her parents.
She had been practicing singing “I am a Child of God” in English. So, they organized a choir with the sisters
to sing some of the verses with her. (Joan said she wanted to work with her so she would have a friend in the celestial kingdom)
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Elder Christofferson and his wife talking with Joan
Elder Gonzalez is in the background with Elder Soares' back to us |
Next, they had a couple do some beautiful traditional folk dance,
a type of zamba and the panuelo or handkerchief dance. During that folk dance, the brethren came
into the sisters’ luncheon and watched and I was able to take some
pictures.
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| Sister Holland in the middle |
Everything was very nicely done and they kept the General Authorities busy without a moment to breath.
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| The secretaries that work so hard to ensure everything goes well |
Later as the Area Review was winding down, the secretaries that
had been helping all came to the presidency’s office area hoping to get a
picture. Elder Holland is very gracious
and when he saw them he said let’s have a picture.
I took the picture and then the secretaries
started all saying the Boyles, the Boyles so we got a picture with them as well (the one above)
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| Hugging and crying |
Afterwards the secretaries all started
hugging, crying and squealing.
Definitely
a once in a lifetime experience!
our friends the Switzers
