September 30, 2015
The administration has changed our P-Day to Friday. Actually, we can take a P-Day any day because
99% of our work is on the phone. But
yesterday we went with the No Am doctor: Gill and his wife Nancy and the
Mission 2nd Couns, Pres Call and his wife, Janet downtown to the
Villa de Guadalupe.
VILLA DE
GUADALUPE: (Mary)
It is a huge complex with both ancient (16th Cent
buildings and a modern cathedral: the
Basilica of Guadalupe designed to accommodate 20,000 people so that several masses
could be performed at once. It has I
think 6 walls of confessional cubicles.
Many had lines of people sitting and standing waiting for their turn to
speak to a priest. We saw a few nuns,
but no priests. It is the WORLD’ S
LARGEST PILGRIMAGE CENTER with 22 million people visiting in
2010.
Why the Basilica
& Plaza: Juan Diego was born
in 1474. He and his wife were among the
first Mexicans baptized by 12 Franciscan Priests. In 1531, Juan Diego saw the Virgin Mary 5
times. She asked him to build a chapel
for her. He took the request to the
Bishop, who put him off at first. On the
final visit, Juan Diego gathered many flowers, wrapped them into his cloak, and
gave them to the Virgin. After this
event, he and the bishop noted that the image of the Virgin was embedded in the
cloak. Juan Diego was sainted in 1990 by
Pope John Paul II. The first miracle
associated with this place occurred when an Indian was accidentally shot in the
neck. After being placed before the
image of the Virgin and many prayers, the arrow was removed and he recovered.
The modern Basilica (built in 1970’s) is huge, thronged with
people. A moving walkway transports
supplicants behind the main front edifice where we could see large bronze
plaques showing various renditions of Juan Diego’s experience and also the
large framed
cloak with the image of the Virgin embedded in it. We walked through this large edifice, and
then out into the huge…absolutely huge plaza, with the old Church and many
other religious buildings.
Everywhere we went, we found small stores selling Catholic
memorabilia---crosses, rosaries, candles, etc.
Additionally, we walked past a large building called a BAPTISTERY, from
which we saw twins and two other baptismal candidates emerge….so cute in their
white satin clothing.
Neal and the others climbed several steep staircases to get
to the top of a hill, on which is another cathedral dedicated to the place
where the flowers were given. I waited
for them at the bottom.
BATHROOM
EXPERIENCE: You know wherever we
serve, I collect these wonderful experiences.
I found that Mexico was very similar to the Philippines in this respect,
although this place was very clean. No
toilet seat, no toilet tissue, plus it costs 3 cents to enter. I would have been fine—I brought toilet
tissue, but Neal had it in his pocket…..It is called “NATURAL CONSEQUENCES”….I
will remember to keep it with me next time.
PILGRIMAGES on
THEIR KNEES:
After our walking tour (we waited for President as he talked
with an entrance guard). The guard
explained that different cities throughout Mexico have assigned days when they
come to the Basilica on pilgrimages.
They have thousands of supplicants that come daily. This culminates on Dec 12 every year. The petitioners approach the Basilica on
their bloodied knees from blocks away.
We saw two young adult women approaching on their knees…one had a cloth
under her to try to pad her progress.
Shopping, lunch,
and grocery shopping
While waiting for President, the rest of us went into a
Catholic memorabilia arts & crafts shopping area…many booths, all Catholic
items. I picked up a small bracelet with
a clay dough face hanging from it, thinking it was so cute. On closer observation, I could see that the
little balls of the bracelet were also of clay.
I couldn’t figure that it was for a baby (as I had supposed
earlier). When I asked, the owner
explained that it was a Rosary for a baby.
The Gills were able to get backpacks (Honduran) for their grandkids—100
pesos.
We then went to P.F. Changs for a wonderful shared
lunch—each couple ordered a main dish.
Just like home…..lovely…even a menu in English…..BONUS!
Then onto Sam’s Club and Walmart for our weekly
shopping. This time we were the first
ones through. Usually, we have made the
others wait.
We now have two doctors on staff: Dr Gill and his wife, who is a nurse; and Dr.
Montoya, who is still a practicing physician at 78 and his wife. Montoyas speak almost no English. Dr. Gill hasn’t been able to have a P-Day for
4 months because they had no Latin doctor.
We get another North American physician, Dr. Harston and his wife June
9. Gills return home to Portland in
July. We will miss them. They are headed for a cruise to New Zealand
soon after they return.
THE WORK: We have been busy most of the time this week,
and have had some really serious problems…again, all from the field. We have very few referrals from the MTC (only
3 this week). Sunday, I got called out
of Sacrament Meeting because a sister was having a panic attack. I tried to talk her down, and we have worked
together a couple of times this week to help her strategize so she can ward
those events off before they become full blown, by refocusing her thoughts. The biggest issue I get from the field and
here too is Anxiety based on Perfectionism.
These are really good girls, who just really want to do the very best
they can. We have had two calls this
week from the field for psychotic episodes….very frightening experiences. Neal has more referrals than I do. He deals with the Elders. most of whom
struggle as I mentioned before coming here.
However, when you realize that we see only about 1-2 per cent of the
total in the field, that is a fairly good average.
Today, the clinic is closed.
People who are ill go to Reception, where the clerk calls and the
doctors then come over from their homes.
Neal is with a client struggling with OCD right this minute. Tomorrow we have a 70 coming to speak. Tuesday night, we had a LIVE broadcast from
the Provo MTC with Elder Holland. He
spoke about becoming Preach My Gospel Missionaries.
Tonight, we have our movie night with the couples. I wish I’d brought more movies appropriate
for the group. Monday night we have
FHE, and Neal and I are going to
be the presenters. We
will do a slideshow about Kenya.
All of the apartments were sprayed, and the mosquitoes have
slowed down a bit. I’m still playing the
piano quite a bit. I really have to
practice because the music is hard. I
just have to laugh. Everywhere we have
served, missionaries will occasionally approach me and ask if I will teach them
to play the piano (like tonight during the 15 minute break). Neal is loving his branch work—the men with
whom he works, and the wonderful missionaries.
