Breaking Belize News......

The Belize Breaking News of the week is the moderate temperature! This week has been in the low 70's and it rained hard first of the week.  We had a speck of actual coolness in the air as we went on a walk early Friday morning. It was funny to see the locals and school children standing at the bus stops wearing hoodies or sweaters, nearly all of them. And we were walking by them feeling like true freedom had arrived to Belize.  We've had windows open while we've slept this week. A church member told me that Belizeans are amazed at the tourists from the U.S. walking around in Nov and Dec in short sleeve shirts and shorts having a wonderful time, and they are bundled up in sweaters and jackets feeling cold in the 70 degree weather.

Were we really in a speedboat on the streets?  Nope, this was taken in our pickup truck as we navigated a flooded area on our way to Zone Conference.  

Speaking of Zone Conference, we had the opportunity to house the sister missionaries the night before our meeting.  It is always a pleasure to have them here.  They remind me of our own daughters and it was fun to make a home cooked meal for them.  We also had some friends from the branch over to join them for dinner.  

Also arriving in Belize City on Monday night was Elder Cordón and his wife along with Pres. and Sister Adams.  Elder Cordón (front row, right), a native of Guatemala, is a member of the Seventy, and counselor in the Central America Area Presidency.

Elder Cordón invited the church leaders of the Belize City area to dinner so we could share the strengths and challenges facing families in Belize.

Elder Cordon then told us that what will preserve families and the children now is everyone studying the Book of Mormon daily as families and individuals. It was a powerful, direct message over the dinner table.  Elder Cordón's direction--which actually is President's Monson's-- is that we need to be focused on studying the Book of Mormon daily as families and individuals.  This will preserve our faith in Jesus Christ as well as fortify our children. 

Tuesday morning was Zone Conference training with all the missionaries serving in the country of Belize.   

We were well taught by Elder Cordón, President Adams, and the mission assistants.  

On Saturday we attended the Seminary Super Saturday activity.  Seventy youth from all over Belize gathered together in Orange Walk.  The theme of the conference was: Put On The Armor Of Righteousness - Fortify Yourself Against The Adversary

The Youth found messages from the scriptures on being strong as they build "fortresses" and experienced an "attack" on their own "cardboard" fortress that they were defending.  

This week we have continued to visit with our investigators and teach them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have enjoyed reading and discussing the scriptures from the Bible and Book of Mormon with them.  President Hinkley promised that as we read The Book of Mormon, "...there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."  

Service in Action

Elder Magnusson accompanied the amazing Belize City priesthood quorum in action giving valuable service to an elderly member. His outdoor stairs had collapsed from age and weather. The six of us arrived thinking we'd just prop them up. Yet, with their creative skills as fishermen and builders, these faithful brothers re-built the stairs and landing with the timbers, posts and boards that were in the yard. And, this was done in the rain!

On Tuesday, we traveled to the island of San Pedro by water taxi for mission business.  It's an 1 1/2 hour boat ride to get there.   I enjoy watching the passengers on the boat.  There are workers that travel there who help with the tourist and construction industries that are deep in thought as they travel to the islands, while others are tourists excited to swim and snorkel in the beautiful tropical waters.   When we showed the pictures and video of our trip to our children, their response was "ah, you guys kind of stick out..."  Yep!

Click onto the arrow below to see our water taxi speed through the water...

We have shown the video below to 3 families as we have visited this week.  The video talks about a Jamaican man who tells his experience of learning about and reading the Book of Mormon.  He recognized that the words in the Book of Mormon are Christ's teachings.  The families we visited could also relate to him because they have had similar experiences as they have been reading the Book of Mormon for the first time.

You can also see the video by clicking here.

Here are some quotes from the movie:

From Alma 40:11-12
"Behold it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirit of all men, as soon as they depart this mortal body, yea, the spirit of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass that the spirit of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all of their troubles and from all care and sorrow...."

When I read that, those words, I felt the Spirit. And if I can try to describe it, it was a feeling of peace. My mind was enlightened. I felt like it was true. Where I'm from in Jamaica, it's very superstitious place. It was very unpleasant thing to contemplate death. The scripture points out to me that it is a part of God's plan. There is a place prepared for people that die. And I'm happy that I was able to come to that knowledge, and I've got the Book of Mormon and that experience to thank for it.

From Alma 7:11-12:
"And he shall go forth suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind, and this that the word might be fulfilled which sayeth it will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death that he may loose the bands of death which binds his people. And he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people."

This verse of scripture is saying there that Jesus Christ has taken upon himself my sicknesses, my pains, my challenges, which puts him in a position to understand me better. When I read the scripture and it really touched me. I just felt like I wanted to be a good person. It left me with the feeling that I never want to do another bad thing for the rest of my life.

From Moroni 10:4-5
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that you would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if these things are not true. And if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent and faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

I came to a knowledge that the book is true I would say gradually. It came through little experiences here on that page, and a little experience there on that page, and always accompanied by the Holy Ghost. The way the Book of Mormon has changed me the most, it has filled me with the desire to become one in Jesus Christ. What the Book of Mormon does is it makes me want to share it with as many people I see on the street. I want this book to fill the world...

Third Month in Belize

Meet our crabby neighbor.  Often at night we see him and his other crabby friends on the street.  Unfortunately, sometimes they don't look when they cross the street and they will get run over by a car. Belize City was built on swampland...hence lots of crabby neighbors!  

 

These are our fun neighbors.  We have spent a couple of game nights together and look forward to many more.  Today we taught them how to play Yahtzee.

Tuesday we drove west to San Ignacio where Elder Magnusson needed to do some business that night.  Elder and Sister Flake live there and took us over the border to Melchor de Mencos, the town just inside Guatemala that’s part of our mission.   

This is a picture of us going through customs at the border.  Right above Sister Magnusson's head you can see the "Welcome to Guatemala"sign.

Elder Flake had arranged for a member to drive us around to see four member families. These visits were all in Spanish since we weren’t in Belize anymore. We had a taco lunch at the missionaries’ favorite spot, and went through the chapel that was dedicated a couple weeks before we arrived— a gorgeous meetinghouse the locals are proud of.

Back inside Belize, we stopped at the Xunantunich ruins, that sit atop a hill near the border, overlooking the whole area. Really an amazing thing to see these ruins and imagine what Mayan life was like here. After crossing over a river on a ferry, it was a mile walk to get there, all up hill, but worth it. 

On our hand-cranked ferry ride

Our beautiful view on the walk to Xunantunich.  

Here are a few pictures from the ruins.  The first picture is the expansive view from the top of the highest temple, named El Castillo. In the middle bottom picture you can see a little white speck, to the right of the middle.  That is Elder Magnusson standing on the very top of El Castillo.  

This past Sunday I was able to help with singing time with the children in our Spanish congregation.  The only thing is I don't speak Spanish. (I can understand a little bit of Spanish) Fortunately, the children can speak both Spanish and English.  They have learned the songs in Spanish that they are going to sing for the Sacrament meeting program in a couple of weeks and they just needed a review.  You can read about my experience by clicking onto our family blog here.  

The best news of all, it's getting cooler! It's getting to be around 79 degrees at night-- Break out the jackets! (Opps...we didn't bring any...)

Our Travels for this Past Week

On Saturday we traveled to the island of Caye Caulker via water taxi.  

Our purpose was to visit the 8 families who are members of our church that live on the island.  The mode of transportation on the island is either golf carts, bicycles, or walking.  The roads aren't paved and it is long distances between houses.

Elder Magnusson was intrigued by the golf cart fire truck for the island.  

On Sunday we visited the Sunday Service in Corozal.   We drove past the small ruin of Santa Rita that is located on the hill in town.  

We are coming to see that one of the main purposes of this mission is to visit people, one by one, as the Savior did and invite them to receive the blessing He has for them.

Elder Bendar wrote the words and Paul Cardall the music to the song, One by One, which often comes to my mind  as we do our visits.  Nathan Pacheco, Lyceum Philharmonic performs the  beautiful song in the video below.  The video portrays different ways we can reach out to others, one by one.

You can also see the video and learn the backstory for the song by clicking here. 

I especially like the third verse:

One by one, one by one.
Christ looked around Him and saw their tears.
One by one, one by one.
In His compassion, He calmed their fears.
Jesus Christ healed each one brought forth unto Him.
Then He blessed each precious child and prayed for them.
The angels descended from heaven above,
Encircling those little ones; each felt His love.
One by one, one by one.
He intercedes for each daughter and son.
One by one, one by one.
Strength from His grace gives us pow’r to become,
One by one.

Our grandson was blessed on Sunday in Salt Lake City and we enjoyed receiving this picture after the Sunday service.  We were happy to hear of the aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-law family members who were able to be there.  

There is a pink eye epidemic going around Belize. Instead of handshakes, we're bumping elbows. 

Living Prophets and Apostles Speak to the World

This past weekend we had the wonderful opportunity to view General Conference which was  broadcast from Salt Lake City to our worldwide membership.

lds.org explains that "general conferences are the semiannual worldwide gatherings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Church members gather to receive guidance and encouragement from Church leaders about gospel living, based on the teachings of Jesus Christ."

President Henry B. Eyring said:  "Gathered in this meeting, which stretches across the world, are millions of disciples of Jesus Christ who are under covenant to always remember Him and serve Him. By the miracle of modern technology, the separation of time and of vast distances vanishes. We meet as if we are all together in one great hall."

As we gathered with about 100 members of the Belize City branches I too, felt as if we were all together in one great hall.   We were able to watch along with millions of members in 197 countries in 95 languages through the miracle of modern technology.

This was our view from the Belize City chapel.

This was the view from Dave and Janelle's home in Rexburg, Idaho as they gathered with their family, Sam, and friends for scones before conference.   Renee, Dave, Rachel, and Lisa watched with my brother and wife, Craig and Lynn, in Sandy, Utah.  Bryce and Kristine watched from their home in Camp Pendleton, California.

This was the view of conference from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.

After the Sunday morning conference session, we were able to feed the missionaries lunch here in our home.  They are always a joy to be around.  

One of the talks which touched me was in the Saturday afternoon session of Conference where Elder Rasband, one of the Twelve Apostles, talked about "divine consequences".

"Significant events unfold in the gospel and in the Church that further the kingdom of God on earth. They are not by accident but by God’s plan. …

… What may appear to be a random chance is, in fact, overseen by a loving Father in Heaven. … The Lord is in the small details of our lives, and those incidents and opportunities are to prepare us to lift our families and others as we build the kingdom of God on earth. …"

His words reminded me of many "consequences" that have happened to us here as we have had the opportunity to meet and teach some of our brothers and sisters in Belize.  We have just happened to meet people at bus stops, in our neighborhood as we go on walks, as we are doing our errands, etc.  As Elder Rasband explained, these meetings aren't by chance.

This is a short clip from Elder Rasband's message where he talks about his "chance" meeting with someone whose life he has touched.

And then there were four!  (senior missionary couples)   Last Tuesday we were blessed to pick up Elder and Sister Gotcher from the airport as they begin their mission here in Belize.  They will be serving in Belmopan.   This is their third mission as a senior couple.  Their other missions were to Indonesia and Kenya. 

Elder Magnusson welcomed home Elder Woods at a branch activity who just returned from his mission to the Dominican Republic.

Ever since I got my mission call, I wondered who I would get to cut my hair in Belize.  As I talked to several senior sisters who have served here in Belize in the past, they told me they just had their husbands cut their hair, or they let it grow out to put up in a pony tail.  I decided to go ahead and let my hair grow out.  Well, that lasted 4 months.  Because of the heat and humidity, I figured out that long hair and me were not a match.  I feel blessed that I found Laura who did a marvelous job of cutting my hair this past week.  Laura is another one that wasn't by chance that I met, and is  one of my new friends here in Belize.  

Elder Magnusson went for a jog this morning. It started to rain...then pour. Such is life here! You are wet from the rain or from the humidity.