Thanksgiving in Recife

Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Recife.

But I invited all the senior American missionaries

to come and celebrate with us after work on

Thursday the 28th

We have a table, chairs, and dishes for four
in our apartments

Claudia and Don Andrews

(our new American missionary couple)

brought their table, chairs and dishes

 and we put them together.

Claudia had brought the napkins from the States

Vernon went to the store on Monday and Tuesday

for last minute shopping for all the trimmings.

Turkey is pretty expensive here

so the Andrews contributed money 

for the holiday bird, made the sweet potatoes

and had brought a can of cranberry sauce 

from the States.

After work Tuesday I cooked the turkey 

de-boned it, and stewed the carcass
and made gravy.

After work on Wednesday

I made the dressing
and put it in the Andrew's frig.

After our shift ended at 2:45 on Thursday

we cooked the dressing in our little oven

and made up some of our microwave apple pudding

and warmed up the meat.

Vernon made his wonderful mashed potatoes

cut up the brocolli and carrots

and the fruit 

We brought the desk in from our bedroom 

to hold most of the food.

The fruit plate, mashed potatoes and gravy 

were on the counter and stove top

Vernon and the Andrews waited their turn

while the rest of us filled up our plates

The Brazilian touch was the Guarana

a traditional soft drink.

Maria Rodrigus (left) is sister Gayla Hansen's
companion. She is Brazilian but lives in Canada,

and speaks English very well.

They celebrate Thanksgiving but on a different day.
She brought the rolls.

Gayla made the pumpkin pie 

and brought vanilla ice cream

whipping cream is hard to find here.

Layne Anderson, at the end of the table,

managed the cafeteria for a prison in Idaho

at one time and loves cooking.

He made a special cake and his famous

sweet pickles and 

some homemade cranberry jelly. 

Pat his wife made the glazed ham and

put together a lovely vegetable plate.

It was a great feast!

Maria and Gayla washed and dried the dishes,

while I divided up the food 

to send home with everyone. 

The best part of the Thanksgiving meal is:

"Left Overs"

After everything was cleared up and put away

we sat around the table

and each shared five things we were grateful for.

It was like a testimony meeting.

The evening was wonderful 

it was all in English 

except for the blessing on the food 

Vernon gave that in Portuguese.

We shed tears as we expressed our love

and gratitude for our families, 

the technology that enables us to stay in touch

the opportunity to serve in the temple, 

for the Father's plan of happiness 

and his protecting care.

We were all grateful for our health. 

our wonderful companions,

the guidance of the Holy Ghost, the scriptures 

and the atonement of our Savior,

Jesus Christ.