Galavanting in Galápagos

Hey all you land lubbers. We landed on Galápagos and thought it was a different island because Baltra (the island we land on) was so green. Usually it is black and desert looking (much like El Paso) from the sky but they have received tons of rain. When we got off the plane, it was wa-a-y hot and muggy and there is a sun that burns like crazy! Once we get off the plane, we get on a bus which takes down a hill to meet the ferry, which then takes us across the channel to another island called Santa Cruz. It is much more beautiful.

The rains had brought tons of critters like mosquitos, grasshoppers, gnats etc. We had a very nice conference and dinner with the four missionaries there (two Elders and a Sr. couple) and then Dad went out with the Elders and I went out with the the Morrises. He managed to come home bone dry and I was wet through to my garments--oh how I suffer, but no one knows because I never complain! The next morning we took a P-day and went to a beach called Tortuga Bay. It was the most beautiful beach I had ever seen--beautiful white sand beaches that were perfectly clean (no litter, no sea shells, no seaweed,--and hardly any footprints.) You have to hike for about 30 minutes to get to the beach so it is kind of self limiting. We hope you enjoy the message we wrote for you in the sand. That evening Dad had interviews and training meetings while I prepared a Primary training (how to teach a song to children) and my talk for the next day. Sunday, we both spoke in church, met with the Sr. couple to discuss their work, and then I did a Primary training and Dad trained the branch presidency and interviewed the elders. We got back home yesterday and this week we are gearing up old missionary dinner, new missionary orientation and dinner and zone leader counsel and dinner.

Be nice as rice and mellow as yellow, hold to the rod, and "oh be wise, what can I say more?"

Catherine and Mel, we haven't heard much from you two lately. Ya alive? Steve, keep us posted on all things Fidel (or Raul, as the case may be), Becca, I'll be expecting immediate delivery of my tootsie pop (I prefer chocolate), and Carolyn, let us know how you like teaching/observing/hating/loving sophomores, or freshmen---WHATEVER! We certainly don't want to rehash ancient history.