Christmas...Lollipops...Gratitude...

For me, this is one of the moments that I will remember when I think of Christmas 2012...
 

We were busy loading the empty pans from all of the pies and real mashed potatoes and gravy etc. into the car. We had just enjoyed a grand Christmas luncheon that Pres. and Sister Oliveira give for the missionaries! (It is always special when they visit Fogo). We had sent all of the missionaries home with enough yummy food for another dinner... and we were about to take a deep breath from the decorating, baking, and preparing. We were bent over the trunk of the car ready to go home and start the clean-up and dishes...when a few children gathered to see what was going on. I remembered some suckers that I had used for decor. The little group started with three then four then these six and in the end, they had run to gather their neighbors and I was glad to have just enough for the children that came out of no where! 

The smiles and gratitude on their faces made my Heart Celebrate! Truly these little people gave me the best gift of all. I will be more grateful. 

We are grateful for each of you...our parents, children, grandchildren, and friends, for the Gospel plan of Happiness forever...and for the Eternal blessing of the life and love of our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom we are celebrating!  He offers us a fulness of Life ...and more than we can even imagine... and the best part: Noone needs to be left out of that Joy, if we choose to keep our covenants and to love each other.  Every one can decide! I really love that!

We love you and wish you a Very Very Merry Christmas!!!

Our little Christmas tree has scriptures about Light (Truth) and Love...Seems to me, that those are the most important gifts we can receive and share... and for those I am grateful...And for Elder-Potato-Peeler-Man of course!!!

Christmas and Decorations...

It't beginning to look alot like Christmas...

This week we are seeing Christmas decorations going up in the different zones of the city!  From used water bottle trees to tinsel strewn on wires, the neighborhoods are thinking Christmas Time!  I have been reading Talmage's: Jesus The Christ little by little and that has made this humble place and Christmas time extra special for me.  

Edy just came to invite us to come see what they have done in their zone!  He also came to wash the car.  Saturday, he needed 200 escudos for a haircut and clean shave as he was going to be sustained as the 2nd counselor in the Sao Filipe 2nd branch and wanted to look just right.  This is him just a couple of months ago, learning to tie a tie.  Several months ago, he used to come visit Grandpa each Tues. at 10 am.  He wanted to give up some traditions, and habits in his life.  He is now preparing to serve a mission.  He will do a great work. 

I watch these young people smile when they receive a white shirt.  They shave and trim their hair to look the best they can, and then add a tie for decoration.  As we see the few Christmas lights and the many handmade decorations, I see how Decorations really do represent Celebrations of things we value.

Oh, and I will not make fun ever again of having a tablecloth (rough cut or beautifully embroidered) in Relief Society... after this singular sight yesterday...because... I know... what it means...

It's beginning to feel alot like Christmas!

Family Night for Lucindo

Wednesday after Wednesday,  Lucindo Aderito Rodrigues Teixeira showed up at the young adult center to do family search with his 30 minutes on the computer. The center fills with young adults waiting for their turn on the computers, playing ping-pong, Uno, visiting, studying, applying for the Perpetual Education Fund, and emailing.  But for Lucindo, the need to search his genealogy and record his family names is paramount.

Lucindo had a free evening 7 months ago...(most evenings are free in Fogo and the people sit in front of their cement houses and visit into the night.)  Some of his friends were walking in front of his casa that evening... and they began visiting.  He wondered what their plans were and they invited him to attend something called: Family Home Evening (Noite Familiar).  That was last January.  Tomorrow night, Lucindo will begin teaching his Institute class.  He is excited to learn more about our Savior in studying the New Testament this semester.  As the Elder's Quorum President, he understands the importance of helping others learn as well.

He carefully takes the folded paper from his pocket, information that he has borrowed from his uncle.  Lucindo is second to the youngest of eleven children.  His Mother passed away when he was 5 years old and his father too, when he was 16 years old.  Lucindo is the only member of his family who attends church. He was baptized on Feb 25th, 2012 and has 5 months before he will be able to go on his mission and to the Temple to give his parents the opportunity of being sealed together forever.  His eyes light up when asked about his interest in Family Search...he says it is  because he has the power to bless his family forever.

Lucindo (on the right), with his friends...one already serving a mission in Mosambique, one on his way to Brasil, and the others waiting until they have had enough time in the church to put in their mission papers.  

Lucindo credits a Family Home Evening in January for the beginning of his conversion.  He has never had one with his own parents or brothers or sisters...

but if he has anything to do with it...He will...   He will! 

Dead Dog-Tired Question...

"Do you ever want to just sit down for a moment and like stop teaching the gospel because you are so tired? "

We laughed when we read your question my artist, piano player, singer, swimmer Hailey K!

and the answer is: YES!!!  Sometimes when we come home and I see the neighborhood dog sleeping, I think:  That's just how I feel!  (He always sleeps like this and always in the very middle of the road and I always think he's dead, but when we get closer, he just looks up, one eye at a time, and saunters slowly to the side.)  Being dead-dog-tired is one thing that missionaries really like and remember.  It feels so good to kneel down at night and after prayers just fall into bed. It takes about 3 seconds to fall asleep after those extra busy days! 

There must be a great reason why important things take time and require hard work.  I know all of your piano practicing makes you tired, but it is so much fun to learn a new piece and to become excellent!  (Your smile at your piano concert winked that to me!)  I know sometimes your Momma gets tired from getting up at night with little Lincoln man, but like most moms, she can't wait to go see that smile again in the morning! Your dad works so hard and he has to be tired too, but he loves to bless your family with food and clothes and a beautiful home from all of his work.  I can only imagine how tired you must be after a swim meet...when I was your age, I loved to dive over and over and do flips off the diving boards...and I loved to lay on the warm cement afterward near the pool and just close my eyes for a while...but then I was ready to climb back up and dive again!   Missions are like that. Every day is spanking brand new and I can't wait to see it unfold.  Staying  busy is great for me so I don't have time to think about missing you so much!!!  But there is time to rest and to eat and to exercise and study too.  I haven't put up photos of us sleeping...but we do...just not in the middle of the road...because that spot is already taken!!  ha!

I have to show you something that I never get tired of.  

A couple of months ago, we went to a branch on the other side of the island.  Grandpa had some interviews to do and I visited a Seminary class.  The teacher is a new member and thought she would fill the chairs by inviting all the children on the road in front of the church as well.  There was a five year old in Seminary, 2 eleven year olds, a 7  year old and some regular Seminary kids too.  The teacher was prepared and everyone of the kids just sat there listening quietly for the whole hour.  Two weeks later when we pulled up in front of the church, I saw these, 12 and 11 year old, boys just sitting on a wall studying from the New Testament Manuels that the teacher had given them. She didn't know that they had to wait until they are 14 to be in Seminary.  We invited them into the church to be more comfortable and asked how their day was coming and they were excited to quote some of the scriptures that they had memorized, then they forgot I was even there and continued studying.  Derlei was helping Meni fill out answers in the manuel.  I listened to them as they taught each other the scriptures.  I really love that.

A week later, we returned and Derlei brought me an orange.  It was his Baptism Day!  He loves the scriptures and can't hardly wait to be in Seminary when he is old enough.

I love to watch the Institute students teach each other as they study the scriptures too.  It is really interesting and inspiring for me to see these young men and a few young women...come twice a week to learn about the New Testament and some come back twice more a week to take Missionary Preparation classes.  They push half of the ping pong table up to another table, sit around it, and they just study the scriptures.  

The gospel is fairly new on this Island.  Many of these young people are the first members in their families.  They love to find out what it is all about.  I have a notebook full of their stories...many of them talk about how thankful they are to know about The Plan of Happiness because it has changed their lives so much.  They like to read a scripture and then talk about what it means.  So some days, I do get tired, but every morning it is fun to see if I can read my scriptures with new eyes, just like these pioneers.  I love to learn!  I love to see people smile when they understand a new truth... (and I love to sleep!)   Life is good!

A quick emergency answer for Alexa for tonight....

Dear Alexa, This photo of some of your cousins will make you smile everytime you think about it!  They would never want you to be afraid!!!  

Alexa asked:  one thing im always scared aboute is my friends ceep telling me that ther is a monster under my bed. what shood I do? do you no what to do? 

First of all, friends should not try to make you feel afraid, they should try to help you feel happy. Tell them that you hope they really will be good friends and not try to make you afraid.  Second, You shouldn't worry at all about monsters in the closet or under the bed or in your ear.  There are no such things as monsters except in Monster Inc.  But, if you find one, I hope it is green with purple dots and I hope it brings you presents like 3" by 5" cards or carob peanut clusters or something great!  And if it does...please share with me.

But really, I know this is serious, because I used to stay awake on guard about questions like this one.  When I was five...I used to be afraid to kneel down at night because... what if something really was under my bed?  One Sunday, my Primary teacher told us a story about President David O. McKay when he was little.  And do you know what?  He was afraid in the dark too...but he learned about faith and he decided to test it out.  So, he knelt down and said his prayers and then he climbed into bed and he slept so good.

When your Uncle Jason, was about 4 years old, he used to be "skeared" at night.  One night he had tears in his eyes and told me he was "skeared".  He was up on the top bunk...so he didn't have too worry about things under his bed, that would be his brother!  But, he really was scared and I know that's a real thing.  We said a prayer with him and he felt calm.  We told him that all he had to do if he woke up during the night was say a little prayer and he wouldn't be afraid anymore.  He said he would try. The next morning, he had a big smile on his face.  He had tested the promise.  He said, "I woke up and was skeared, but then I said a prayer and went right back to sleep." He has great faith now and he knows he can trust Heavenly Father's promises if we do our part. Faith means you try something out and then you know it is true.

So what is the promise and what is our part?  I found the best scripture ever and you will love it!  Get your favorite color of scripture marker and get your Book of Mormon and find Alma 37:37 (easy to remember for me...I like 3s and 7s ...and you just put those together two times.   ALMA 37:37  (page 303).  This scripture verse helps me alot. When you read it you will be able to sleep so good. Maybe you could write it down and put it right by your bed on the wall or dresser or something.   The scriptures tell the truth and so you can trust them.  Tell me what you think.  Love you Honey...  Sweet Dreams!

whistler boy...

This photo was taken from the car in passing...and it came with a nice surprise. 

Because:

At first, in the tiny camera lens, the lava rock landscape, donkey, jacket, everything... was gray.  Later however, as I down-loaded the photo, I discovered... a young boy whistling.

Really.  Whistling on a hot dusty day while on his way to get water.

I remember my father whistling.  My sister, just younger than me, whistles. My sweet husband whistles, and this young water boy whistles.  A whistler is a special person...one who carries a tune at all times.  Regardless of circumstance, weather or reason, a whistler has music going on in the background of his life.  He uplifts... and is uplifted by little happy strains.  Do sad or cynical people whistle?  I think not. This special music must come from smiles drawn into an accoustic circle.

I had to find out about this young  boy.  Which I did...a few weeks later.  I asked some of the kids (in a branch in the small town by where this photo was taken), if they might know the boy beneath the cerelean sky in my photo. Yup!  He is 11 and he whistles.  He is optimistic. He likes school.  He is nice to everybody.  They volunteered all of that and they told me his name.

There are so many wonderful, positive, happy, grateful people in this world, even on the hot days, even while hauling water.

I cannot whistle...but close to 9 years ago, my next-field-neighbor in Kooskia (she was very old and feeble now, but as a young medicene woman years before, was often called upon to give names to the children from her tribe).  On our last visit...she said she had been thinking about a name for me.   This beautiful weather lined Nez Pierce woman held my hand; her slow words reflecting her old age and her thoughtfulness.  "White Swan" was the name she had chosen. "Tundra swan only more beautiful" she spoke softly as I sat on her bedside.

 I looked up 'Tundra Swan'...they used to be called:  The Whistler Swan.

I like that.

New Fogo District Presidency

Luis Veira -1st counselor   President J. S. Benedict    Carlos Abreu -2nd counselor

What a Special Day!  Wish you could have heard Grandpa give his talks in the two sessions of conference today.  One in Sao Filipe and the other in Cova Figueira.  President and Sister Oliveira are here and our visiting area authority is Elder Boutoille from France; (who set dad apart and gave him a beautiful blessing).  Each of them inspire us with their kindness and their countenance. How great to work with good people.  

This new Presidency will be a blessing.  Pres. Veira,1st counselor, whispered to me:  "We get to work beside him (grandpa) for a year...but you get him for eternity!")  

Caitlyn's Question...

   Dear Year-Book-staff-writer,  Caitlyn-Clogger-Girl!  Love the colors and options of your question!  (couldn't resist the ornament ear-rings photo with your sweet Momma as well since we are getting closer to Christmas time!)

 In Cape Verde is it easier to teach the gospel to: 

A. Men 

B. Women

C. Children 1-8

D. Children 9-13

E. Teens

F. Grandparents

G. The whole family together 

you can say multiple answers like B. and C.

*****************

Ok, so my answer would be.  A,B,and E. But, the answer we would like the most would be G!
 The reason that it is easier to teach the young people is because most of the people on the island are young people.  (most of the members here are under age 30).  Alot of them are preparing to serve missions.  It would be awesome to teach families together and the missionaries always try to do that...but most of the families here have part of their families or one of their parents who live in America (usually around Boston).  That's why it is difficult to find whole families to teach.   A long time ago, there was a famine here and so some of the parents went somewhere else to work so they could send food and money back here for their families.  It is a tradition that keeps going....but, now it is a sad tradition...because it splits families apart and that makes the children sad.  In America, people get $8 an hour for work and here they get about $1.25 an hour. Over half of the Cape Verdianos don't even live here!

This is a photo of some of the young men that are preparing to be Missionaries.  We have six more young men and 5 more young women who are preparing to serve.  They are changing their traditions little by little and they are going to school and they want to have marriage and families.  They tell me they are going to take care of their families, and not split them up..."abandonar" (to abandon or leave) because they want their children to be happy.

Silas asked Grandpa to help him with his mission papers yesterday when we were in his branch.  He is a wonderful young man, serving as the 1st counselor right now.

We love you Caitlyn!  Send us some of your writing by email!!! 

click click clickscribble scribble snap.

Humanitarian Helping Hands...

This morning the School Superintendent and helpers came to our apt. to receive over 600 school kits.  Can you imagine the excitement for so many children who wish for one pencil of their own...to have a backpack with not just one piece of paper...but real notebooks for school!  It will enable some children to go to school.  Education is so important and The Church of Jesus Christ reaches out to the whole world.    

We also have Hygiene kits in our apt. for the many families (close to 1,000) who will receive water lines to their homes because the Church is helping the government supply the lines to the homes and the training as well in hygiene and water conservation and usage.  The Church has donated many wheelchairs as well as clothes and food, medical supplies and schooling to those in need.  The Humanitarian missionaries help with the physical needs of people. That would be a great mission too and it has been fun to see a small part of their work in these projects here in Fogo! Our friends, The Brodericks are the Humanitarian missionaries right now for Cabo Verde.

Grandpa and Andrade, (a great young man, and a prison guard, who was baptized a few months ago.) 

 Saturday we gave hygiene kits to each of the 103 prisoners here (a towel, two bars of soap, 4 toothbrushes, (the good kind that Ashley likes!), combs, and toothpaste in each).  We spent the morning visiting at the prison.  Our young single adults (just over 40 of them) had a program and activities planned for the visit. The prisoners were very kind and appreciative.

Grandpa talked to them about making wise decisions.  He said that having a good and happy life is a choice each of us must make for ourselves!  Lucindo, also spoke about joining the church after he was released from Prison and the difference it has made in his life.  He is completing his paperwork to serve a Mission.  

Daily Work...

Magnificent!

We are thankful for this incredible experience to serve a mission together in Cape Verde. What a blessing in our lives! We love you and hope your days are wonderful!

We love reading your emails when you get a moment to type. With love,  brenda7k@msn.com

Schematics for our roller-coaster lives...

Hey my Ethan-Engineer-Man!  We liked your question: What are we teaching the people here on our Mission?  We also liked Asher-Reader-Man's request for us to "come to your house and for you to come to our house for dinner".  Thank you very much for your emails.  They sure make us happy.

Do you remember when you were building your roller-coaster and you had pages of plans so it wouldn't get all messed up?  I loved observing you. It was alot of work, but you knew just what to do, and when something didn't fit, (or was way upside down!) then you could figure out what went wrong and redo that part...all because you had the right plans to look at.  When you think about it...everyone in the whole wide world is building something.  Every single person is building a "life" ...the one that they will have for ever and ever.

On our mission, we get to teach people about Jesus. He loves all of us and wants us to build the very best and most happy life possible, which is called a 'Celestial' life.

'Schematics' is just another great name for 'plans'. Schematics teach us how to put things together in the right order.  Some people already have the Celestial Schematics, but there are lots of people who don't even know that those plans exist.  Missionaries get to take them the plans!  Guess what the plans look like?  They are the scriptures! You have the plans right on your dresser!  When we follow the scripture schematics, then our spirits smile.

Jesus created this world so everyone could learn about Heavenly Father's plans and try them out! You should see how happy people are to know that Heavenly Father has already designed a plan for all of His children.  He will help us make awesome designs in our lives.

Ethan and Asher...You will love being Missionaries!  

We love you so so so so so much...and we miss you...and when we get back...we will come to your house and you can come to our house...and we will build lots of stuff!  (in fact, just ask your mom...maybe she will let you just move in!)   Hugs and High-Fives!

Holidays and Celebrations...

McKenzie, piano player, ice-skater, wonders: "What holidays do people celebrate and how do they celebrate them? 

Hi My Kenzie! What a great question.  I love your family tradition of making gingerbread houses... MMMM-Yummy... the smell and taste of fresh out of the oven gingerbread!  

The traditions here are fun to know about too.  You'd like their Children's Day in June!  It is a day when children receive small gifts.  The children here do not usually celebrate their Birthdays.  One young man told me it is because they do not have money to buy a Birthday cake...so I think that Childrens' Day is when everyone celebrates together instead. 

Carnival is in February and the children dress up for a parade.  Every island does it a bit different.  They don't have Halloween or Thanksgiving here like we do there.  Memorial Day is November 1st and it is called 'All Saints Day'. The last whole week of April they have lots of contests and fun...like horse races, contests of checkers, chess, who can grow the biggest vegetables etc.(kind of like a county fair I think).  We were on another island when they had that...so I will try to pay better attention next April.

It will be fun to see what Christmas is like here. It's coming very fast and I will let you know what we discover! 

This is a list of holidays in Cape Verde.

Date	English Name
January 1	New Year's Day
January 13	Democracy Day
January 20	Heroes' Day
February	Carnival
May 1	Labour Day
June 1	Children's Day
July 5	Independence Day
August 15	Assumption (Day of Our Lady of Grace)
September 12	National Day
November 1	All Saints' Day
December 25	Christmas Day

There are also many Catholic  'Saints Days' (about 12 more)  which means...they have alot of days where they celebrate people from long ago that were special.  The sad part is...instead of doing good things, those parties usually turn into drinking alcohol and then forgetting the people that they are celebrating.   

The good part about the regular Holidays is that families and friends get together (just like in America) ...and the Cabo Verdianos love to sing and share their food and visit... and often clear into the night we can hear their music and happy voices.   

What are some of your favorite Holidays?  
What family traditions do you like most?

scripture study...

Dear Grands!!!    Our Internet has been down this week and we have been traveling...so I missed a post on Monday. So, maybe I will quickly show you what I have been doing in little moments here and there. You know that I Love Color like most of you do.  You know that We all love the scriptures.  So...

I like to try new ways to remember and think about the scriptures.  See what you think.  It is very fun and easy.  I feel much better prepared for those talks that come (often at the last minute).   I think preparing for a mission is really fun when you are loving the scriptures alot.  I imagine that Nathaniel would do his scripture circles mostly green, and Jase mostly blue and Audrey mostly Pink and Uncle Bruce mostly orange!  It's kind of fun to try.  I'd love to hear about your ideas too!

Isaiah 32:17

Looking over the balcony, I could see our young neighbor...creating mudpies...and at once...those peaceful, summer-days where time stood still for dreams and definition washed over me. 

I loved Pres. Uchtdorf's talk in conference.   

"When we are young, it seems that we will live forever. We think there is a limitless supply of sunrises waiting just beyond the horizon, and the future looks to us like an unbroken road stretching endlessly before us."

Isn’t it true that we often get so busy? And, sad to say, we even wear our busyness as a badge of honor, as though being busy, by itself, was an accomplishment or sign of a superior life.

Is it?

I think of our Lord and Exemplar, Jesus Christ, and His short life among the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished.

I can’t see it.

Instead I see the compassionate and caring Son of God purposefully living each day. When He interacted with those around Him, they felt important and loved. He knew the infinite value of the people He met. He blessed them, ministered to them. He lifted them up, healed them. He gave them the precious gift of His time.

We shouldn’t wait to be happy until we reach some future point, only to discover that happiness was already available—all the time! Life is not meant to be appreciated only in retrospect. “This is the day which the Lord hath made … ,” the Psalmist wrote. “Rejoice and be glad in it.”⁶

Brothers and sisters, no matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it.

My young neighbor didn't know that she was being observed, for great designs and mudpies must not be interrupted...nor does she know that her perfect circle design is significant beyond art, nor that she gave me moments of joyful reflection and grateful contemplation...all while I was hanging wet clothes on the line...

Are you having fun?

Our sweet ballerina Alexa sent us a wonderful drawing a few weeks ago and a great question!  "Are you having fun?  I know you are.  But, are you?  Color in a box...yes/no." 

Dear Alexa,  YES!  We are having Fun!  Not like at Lagoon sort of Fun...but more like when Lincoln learned to walk and you all smiled type Fun.  Not like going Trick or Treating type fun...more like Family Home Evening treats type of Fun.  (Grandpa likes driving on the bumpy cobblestone roads...so maybe it is a bit like the fun of Lagoon on those days!)

Remember the day your Momma was in the hospital when Lincoln was born?  We all wanted to clean the house to make it extra sparkly for her smile because she would soon be home?!  She had already done most of the work, so it was just your own bedrooms that needed a tiny bit of help.  Well, actually alot, after all the playing and making tents and stuff! At first, it looked like alot of work, but once we got up the courage and started... it turned out to be fun!  I think missions are kinda like that.  We know that if Heavenly Father's children have clean lives then that will make Him very Happy when He comes again.

Cleaning a room and cleaning our lives takes alot of work and some courage!  But, you probably remember that once we decided to pick up everything green, then everything yellow, then everything red, the time went by soooo fast.   Plus, doing it together meant we could tell stories, pretend we were stocking store shelves, and laugh.  The room was quickly clean and it was fun, but mostly made us happy because we did what we knew we should to help. I remember your smile after all of your work.We were happy because we knew how happy your momma would be too!  When people read the scriptures then they want to work on one thing at a time as well.  Maybe they will get married or maybe they will stop smoking, or maybe they will be kinder to their brothers and sisters or maybe learn to pray or maybe we can be more thankful...and soon our lives are clean and we are happy.  That is the Fun part of our mission...when we get to see people's spirits smile. You can see it in their eyes. That kind of sparkle doesn't happen without being clean inside.

I missed watching your swimming lessons this summer, and I missed making our smiley pancakes, and I missed your Ballet recital and our coloring times.  But, we will be back and do all of those fun things!  Right now, we live in a place where they don't even know about Ballet recitals, or smiley pancakes.  It is fun to learn about their ideas and to tell them about Jesus and about Heavenly Father's plan. They ask all kinds of questions about why we are here on the earth, where we came from, and what happens after we die.  And it really really makes us happy to see them smile when they learn the truth.   Sometimes people are so happy that they get tears in their eyes when they find out that Families can be Families forever and ever.   Happiness is the kind of Fun that keeps going!

Another fun thing here is to watch the children.  They make their own kites, and they like to roll tires around, (they don't have bikes, but sometimes they find old bike tires and they use a stick to roll them around) and they love to color when someone brings paper and crayons, and they love coming to Primary.  They get so excited when I take their photos because they love to see what they look like and they giggle. How fun is that? I think you would like it here. You already know that Grandpa always makes life fun!  Plus, sometimes we make Pizza!!!

We love you so so so so so much!  Thank you for your drawing of some of the beautiful planet creations.  It's awesome that Heavenly Father made Everything and all of the colors...just because He loves us. Your drawing is hanging up in our apartment so we can see it everyday. And for us...that is really FUN too!

Ok, so are you having a fun and happy day?  I know you are...but are you?  Leave a Comment...YES OR NO!   

There will be Wonderful Surprises...

Yesterday, in Relva, we were able to watch the final sessions of conference.  We were touched by the talks given about discipleship and the blessings of the Atonement.  We are thankful for the Plan of Happiness and humbled by the things we are learning about gratitude, both from our beloved Prophet, and from the wonderful people around us. These young women will walk just under 2 hours each way to attend church.

 “To believe in God is to know that all the rules will be

 fair and there will be wonderful surprises”

Elder Marion D. Hanks