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 2^nd 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 (16^th 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.