Epistle

Thanks for the Valentine messages. We have 4 couples scheduled to come here but they, including our friends the Skousen's are hung up because of the new requirement to have an FBI clearance due to the terrorist event on Christmas Day on the aircraft that was inbound into Detroit from Amsterdam. So We will soon be hurting a lot for sufficient people to run the temple whereas the Picards from France and Guillens from Murcia have left and the Clementes from Alicante are soon to go and Perez keep saying that they will be going also. The dollar has gained some strength since we have been here and the 300 euros we usually get has gone down in price from $ 443 to $418. That has been a pleasant surprise.This winter is as cold as ever and we wimps from Arizona are getting tired of it. We have enjoyed knowing the Moores and other obreros who are here. Serving in the temple has been as wonderful as ever. We are scheduled today to speak in the CCM. We are excited about this opportunity. However we will be speaking to only 5 missionaries, 4 French and 1 Portuguese. Some of the other senior missionaries are going with us for moral support. We had a very busy day yesterday and it seems that the weekends right now are the best and busiest times. As Veil Directors last week Sandy & I had double sessions at 9:00 and 11:00 which as you know gave us some fun challenges , but it was a piece of cake. Brother Retuerto( Flt. Attendant with Iberian ) and Sister Zaldivar had their daughter sealed to a Swedish young man yesterday. We really feel needed and like we are doing a worthwhile thing in our lives right now. Where else except in the Church. We feel the tender mercies of the Lord every day. We are so blessed and try hard to have an attitude of gratitude.We appreciate you for what and who you are and love hearing from you. We went to the Cuatro Caminos Ward to do a Music and the Spoken Word program to help the missionaries there. We had fun working with Patricia Cerro who has a beautiful soprano voice and her friend who has been a member for only 9 months was our narrator. He seemed to get more out of the experience than anybody . He and I did some baptisms in the temple that morning. We have been talking to him about going to the temple for his own endowments 3 months from now. He is a great guy of 32 years age and his name is Hugo Morelli. I've got to run and play for our ward primary prior to going to the CCM sacrament meeting so better end this epistle. Have a great Sabbath !!!

Portugal and other Pics

Happy 2010

Happy New Year!! Thanks for remembering my birthday! Can you believe you are the son of a 70 year old mom? I am so blessed and well cared for by my wonderful family. Thank you for all you do and the way you do it. The temple has been busy even to the point that we had to work a double shift. This week a group of adult singles from our area have been here all week doing temple work during the day and having activities at night. They have been so faithful and seemingly tireless. We enjoy being busy!! Just a thought for you....our President gave us a FHE lesson this week on the Plan of Salvation with how temple work fits into the plan. He had some really interesting points that were a bit new to me. I found out after the lesson that he had taken some of his lesson from the teachings of Brigham Young. If you have your manual on BY look up what he had to say about temples. It was very interesting. We have been pretty much homebound for the last week because I was suffering with a cold and the weather has been cold, rainy and snowing. It is so funny to me to see people walking down the street with an umbrella during a snowstrom. I just do not remember ever using an umbrella during a snowstrom. The temple will be closed for 2 weeks starting next week so we are going to Portugal to visit a friend and do some siteseeing.

12 days...

Wahoo!! Thank you, Thank you , Thank you for the wonderful packages containing the 12 days of Christmas. We will be opening one a day for the next 12 days. Wrong, we have opened it all and really enjoyed your efforts. We are so pleased and happy to receive the super surprises in each package for each of the 12 days. Mom picked up a bad cold yesterday and wasn't able to go to the temple with me today . That is the first time that has happened and it was very depressing for both of us. I have to say you really made our day . We are so grateful for your unselfish efforts. It looks like it took just a little over 10 days to get here. Granpa really likes the oatmeal packages which they don't have over here in Spain. Somebody had a great idea. Of couse you what Grandma likes the best. We both are impressed with the time you had to expend to make the 12 days possible. We also did the 12 days for some friends over here and they seemed to really thrive on this effort on their behalf. It makes you feel loved and cared for. We love you and appreciate all you are doing and have done. Here is or wish to you for a HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!

Missionary Christmas Party

Christmas Eve and FHE in the President's Apartment

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Here we are on a quiet Christmas Morning , thinking about our family at home and hoping all is well this morning as you wake up to celebrate the Birth of Our Lord and Savior, Creator of the world the person who came to earth to redeem us from our sins and break the bands of death making it possible to live forever if we will simply try to live his gospel and reap the blessings that he promises us ultimately all that our Father in Heaven has with eternal life beside our Savior and loved ones. This keeps us trying as hard as we can to serve our Heavenly Father with all of our heart, might,mind and strength. We love Jesus Christ and know that he loves you for keeping on trying to do what's right. Reach out to others and feel the magic of Christmas love. Remember, don't give up, keep on trying and all things will work out for your good.
We hope you have a very Merry Christmas!!! We love you...Thanks for being you !!!!!