Suriquina Sept. 9, 2012

We traveled to Suriquina on Sunday to train some of the members of the branch there.  We arrived a few minutes before Sacrament Meeting was supposed to start.  The Branch President and one other sister were there.  These are the two children and 1 of 4 sisters that were in the meeting.

Here are two more of the sisters.  The lady in blue has a baby with her.  She carried him on her back as she "led" the singing.  Elder Dibb, the taxi driver (Jorge) and the Branch President were the only priesthood there.  So Elder Dibb blessed the sacrament, both bread and water, and Jorge passed the sacrament to 4 sisters, 2 children, myself and the priesthood.

The sister holding the child is the Relief Society President.  She gave a talk.  I gave a talk, and Elder Dibb took the rest of the meeting. Then the Branch President stood up and summarized our talks in Aymara.  (The language that most of the adults speak.)  I also played the keyboard for songs.  It was quite an experience.  Sister Dibb had never been in such a small sacrament meeting.  We took some time after the meeting to help set up some visiting teaching.  It is very difficult when people live so far apart and don't have any transportation.  When Elder Dibb was on  his first mission, he had the same kind of experience.

The sister on the right looks like she is asleep.  They all looked that way as we were giving our talks.  We must not have been very inspiring.

The branch president rides this bike for one hour from his home to the chapel over very rough, rocky roads.

The R. S. President, Hermana Poma wanted to learn to play the keyboard.  We brought one, along with the Church Keyboarding Course.  We learned a few things at the church, but wanted to take the keyboard to her home so she could practice.  She has to walk about 1 hour to get to the church, so we had the taxi driver take her and the keyboard to her home.  It consisted of several rooms around an inner court.  This is a picture in front of the door to her bedroom.

This a a room with a special kind of roof made of barley straw.  This is inside the compound.  We are planning to return to help her with piano soon, so hopefully we'll get more pictures.