I Looked Out the Window and What Did I See?....

Last Wednesday as we started our day, Elder Magnusson spied a baby crocodile out of our bedroom window (left). We initially thought it was a baby alligator, but after I posted the picture on my Facebook page, a friend informed me that there are no alligators in Belize, only crocodiles. Later in the week, I saw the lizard (right) in a tree and couldn't resist snapping his picture too.

In case you were wondering how to tell an alligator and crocodile apart, here are 8 ways to tell:

      1.  Shape of the snout. The crocodile's snout is pointed and V-shaped, and the alligator's is wide and U-shaped.

     2.  Location. Alligators are only found in parts of the US and China, whereas crocodiles can be found across the world.
     3.  Habitat. Crocodiles prefer water that is more saline or salty than the alligator's preferred freshwater habitat.
     4.  Toothy grim. Crocodiles can't hide their teeth, but alligators' teeth are sometimes hidden when their mouths are closed.
     5.  Size. A full-grown crocodile will likely be several feet longer than an adult alligator.
     6.  Color. Crocodiles are generally lighter in color than alligators.
     7.  Speed. On land and in water, crocodiles are usually slower than alligators.
     8.  Behavior. In terms of aggression, an alligator might seem tame compared to a crocodile.

You can find out more on the topic of alligators vs. crocodiles by clicking here.

We enjoyed seeing this sight when we pulled up to district council meeting this week, as the missionaries were waiting to start their meeting. This is a dedicated group of missionaries!

It's always a joy to attend a baptism.  Ryan was baptized by his dad in Corozal. Ryan's parents were baptized on this same date four years ago.  

All the missionaries who serve in Corozal love the Bejerano family!  (Left) Sisters Kruyer and Quiroz; (right) Sisters Arteaga and Lott

The Flakes joined us in Corozal for the baptism.  

Kayaking in Corozal Bay was a rare treat for us on this trip. The water was serene and clear.

A forehead spot, which turned out to be a wart, was a blessing in disguise because it brought me into the dermatologist.  Then, the doctor was able to detect some skin cancer hidden on my hairline.  He removed both problems on Monday.

Sadly, three members of a family tragically died last week in a house fire in Orange Walk. We heard about it on the news and happened to drive past the scene on the way to a visit. 

We are looking forward to watching General Conference next Saturday and Sunday, originating from Salt Lake City, Utah.   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.  You can learn how to view the meetings by clicking here.  

You can also see the video by clicking here

We saw this on the side of the road on the way home from Corozal.  Is this what you would call a bus stop?

Happy Birthday, Belize!

As promised in one of our past posts, we are happy to report on the September 21st celebration commemorating  the 37th anniversary of Belize's independence.  I snapped some photos of the flags we saw along the way as we drove to the Belize City Branch flag raising ceremony and celebration on Thursday night.  Belize citizens are proud of their country, as shown by the the Belizean flags everywhere.

The Belize City and Cinderella Branch youth did a marvelous job presenting the program, complete with a brief  history of Belize, explanations of the Belizean flag's and country's symbols, and singing patriotic songs.  After we sang the national anthem, a sister complemented Elder Magnusson's enthusiasm for and knowledge of "Land Of The Free." (He admitted he was singing the anthem from the words on his phone)  We first heard the song at last year's commemoration. 

You can also see the video by clicking here .  

NATIONAL ANTHEM OF BELIZE    

LAND OF THE FREE 

  O, Land of the Free by the Carib Sea,
  Our manhood we pledge to thy liberty!
  No tyrants here linger, despots must flee
  This tranquil haven of democracy.
  The blood of our sires, which hallows the sod,
  Brought freedom from slavery oppression's rod,
  By the might of truth and the grace of God.
  No longer shall we be hewers of wood.  
 
CHORUS
  Arise! ye sons of the Baymen's clan,
  Put on your armours, clear the land!
  Drive back the tyrants, let despots flee‐
  Land of the Free by the Carib Sea!  

  Nature has blessed thee with wealth untold,
  O'er mountains and valleys where prairies roll;
  Our fathers, the Baymen, valiant and bold
  Drove back the invader, this heritage bold
  From proud Rio Hondo to old Sarstoon,
  Through coral isle, over blue lagoon;
  Keep watch with the angels, the stars and moon;
  For freedom comes to‐morrow's noon.  
   CHORUS
 

We gathered inside after the program and flag raising for a great meal prepared by the sisters from the Belize City and Cinderella Branches.    

Last Sunday a new branch presidency was sustained in the Belize City Branch.  President Harold Smith is pictured with his wife Elena.  Isaiah Gillett is serving as first counselor.

Also pictured are Elder Magnusson and Paul Woods (members of the district presidency)

Our friends gave us some freshly caught lobster!  This was my first experience of handling whole lobsters.  I did remove the heads before baking them.  I couldn't take the beady eyes looking up at me.

It's always a treat to get communication from our family.   In a WhatsApp message, our daughter declared that our 9 month granddaughter "LOVES this book."

It's a copy of the book that we share as we introduce ourselves and our family to our new friends in Belize.  You can also browse through the book by clicking here.

A General Authority's Visit

Zone conference this week was part of the mission tour conducted by Elder Jorge F. Zeballos of the Seventy. He and his wife (front row, next to us) conducted training with the missionaries, along with President Adams. It was a memorable conference with the Zeballos'. Sister Zeballos related how she was baptized by her future husband in Chile two weeks before he left for his mission.  

Elders Vera, Andreason, Tauala, and Blackburn sang a beautiful quartet, "I Need Thee Every Hour".

All of the missionaries were able to greet and personally meet our visiting General Authority.

Lunch is always a favorite part of zone conference, this time prepared by Sister Flake.  

Elder Magnusson took the opportunity to ask Elder Zeballos about his contribution to the new Spanish edition of the Bible, published by the Church in 2009. It was a treat to see Elders Hoskinson and Eves again (lower right), the current assistants to the president in El Salvador. Both served with us in Belize City. 

Sister Kruyer was able to enjoy a belated birthday celebration with cake, ice cream, and chocolate pudding. She and her companion, Sister Quiroz, spent the night at our house before zone conference.

We have been married 41 years. I started cutting Elder Magnusson's hair even before we got married, and it continues as we're missionaries-- that would be about 385 haircuts!  And, there's even less to cut now!

Elder Magnusson took this photo of Caye Caulker, an island about 3 miles to the south of Ambergris Caye where San Pedro is. Caye Caulker is a resort destination but also is the home to friends of ours. Its renovated, re-opened airfield is visible as a straight line on the south end of the island. The coral, turquoise-colored horizon separated from the dark blue ocean beyond is the Great Barrier Reef.

Recently we have been praying for an extended family member and a couple of family friends who have been going through serious health challenges.  This video gives us hope and peace as Elder Uchtdorf encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

You can also see the video by clicking here

Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. Hope sustains us through despair. We learn to cultivate hope the same way we learn to walk, one step at a time. We grow in our ability to "abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost," as we more perfectly live the gospel.

We hope in Jesus Christ, in the goodness of God, in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, in the knowledge that prayers are heard and answered. Hope teaches that there is reason to rejoice even when all seems dark around us, no matter how bleak the chapter of our lives may look today. Because of the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we may hope and be assured that the ending of the book of our lives will exceed our grandest expectations.

And to all who suffer--to all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely--I say with love and deep concern for you, never give in. Never surrender. Never allow despair to overcome your spirit, for the love of the Son of God pierces all darkness, softens all sorrow, and gladdens every heart. Of this I testify and leave you my blessing in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Boats & Flags

San Pedro is the town on Ambergris Caye, a large Belizean island off Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. We visit our church's branch in San Pedro by water taxi about every five-six weeks. In the pictures below, we have boarded the boat and are leaving the Belize City dock for the early one and a half hour trip. 

San Pedro Chapel is a beautiful place where the Saints worship.

Sunday School is taught by Frank Ross (left), with simultaneous translation into Spanish through headsets.  Class members turn their chairs around to face the whiteboard in the back of the chapel. Branch Council (right) is held after church services, with the heads of the organizations seated in a circle, led by branch President Williams (top of the circle, center).

The 20-minute walk with the Ross family from the chapel back to the boat dock is pleasant along the beach.

September is a big holiday month here in Belize.  September 10th is St. George's Caye Day, commemorating the victory of the native settlers of Belize of British descent and their black slaves over the Spanish at St. George's Caye, an island off the coast. Had the Spanish been victorious, Belize would have ended up being Spanish-speaking, like the rest of Central America! 

Because of the holidays, the national flag is prominently displayed all over the country.  These are the flags I saw today at the Belize City water taxi terminal .  September 21st is Independence Day-- more on that in a future post...

The missionaries gather for district meeting in Belize City, opening their meeting by singing a hymn. Elder Blackburn, our new district leader whose area is Orange Walk, holds the hymn book.

(From left to right) Elder Robles from Florida, Elder Vera from Ontario, Canada, Elder Blackburn from Utah, Elder Tauala from California

The senior couples gather one last time before Sister and Elder Adams (center) return home. The Flakes and the Adams are unusually prepared and dedicated missionaries, for such a time as this.

Saying goodbye at the airport...

When I saw a scorpion scamper cross my living room floor the other night, it reminded me of one of my favorite mormonmessages.

As a seven-year-old boy living in the Arabian Peninsula, I was consistently told by my parents to always wear my shoes. And I understood why. I knew that shoes would protect my feet against the many threats to be found in the desert such as snakes, scorpions, and thorns.

One morning after a night's camping in the desert, I wanted to go exploring, but I did not want to bother putting on my shoes. I rationalized that I was only going for a little wander, and I would stay close by the camp. I told myself that flip-flops were shoes of a sort. And anyway, what could possibly happen?

As I walked along the cool sand in my flip-flops, I felt something like a thorn going into the arch of my foot. I looked down and saw not a thorn, but a scorpion. The pain of the sting began to rise from my foot and up my leg. I grabbed the top of my leg to try and stop the searing pain from moving further and I cried out for help. My parents came running from the camp.

I sulked while my parents loaded me into a car and set off across the desert towards the nearest hospital which was over two hours away. The pain through my leg was excruciating, and for that entire journey, I assumed that I was dying.

When I finally reached the hospital, the doctor was able to assure us that only small infants and the severely malnourished are threatened by the sting of that type of scorpion. He administered an anesthetic which numbed my leg and took away any sensation of pain. Within 24 hours, I no longer had any effects from the sting of the scorpion, but I had learned a powerful lesson.

I had known that when my parents told me to wear shoes, they did not mean flip-flops. But that morning in the desert, I disregarded what I knew to be right. I ignored what my parents had repeatedly taught me. I had been both lazy and a little rebellious. And I paid a price for it.

Disregarding what we know to be right, whether through laziness or rebelliousness, always brings undesirable and spiritually damaging consequences. We find healing and relief only when we bring ourselves to the feet of the great physician, our Savior Jesus Christ. We must cease fighting against God and instead give our whole hearts to Him holding nothing back. Then He can heal us. Then He can cleanse us from the venomous sting of sin.

We See Them Come, We See Them Go

Let's see...the photo on the right is at the Oakland airport in 1977; the photo on the left was taken this past week here in Belize. Wow, what a difference 41 years make.  You can read about our life 41 years ago by clicking here.  

We see them come...we see them go. Below, several elders and a sister missionary arrive from El Salvador to begin their labors in Belize. 

Above, missionaries are preparing to depart Belize.  Elder Wright (far left) is completing his two-year mission and returns home to Canada. The other four young missionaries received transfers to serve back in El Salvador. Elder and Sister Flake (center) brought the missionaries to the airport in a van from the western side of the country. 

Transfer day, which includes a shuttle from the airport by us and/or the Flakes, is always exciting for young missionaries as they meet their new companions and depart to their new locations of service throughout Belize.

Youth and members of the Belize City and Cinderella Branches gathered to bid farewell to Elder and Sister Adams who complete their 18 month mission this week. The Adams oversaw the successful country-wide Seminary program for high schoolers and Institute for adults.

It's always fun to visit the Primary children as we travel to different branches on Sundays.  Here the Orange Walk Primary children are singing happy birthday to Brother Leiva after church.  He is 82 years young today.  

I was impressed as each Primary child sang a solo of their favorite Primary song they learned this year during Sharing Time.  Sisters Novelo and Bartley do a wonderful service to the children in the Orange Walk Branch.  

When we need to stay in Corozal, we lodge at the Tilt-Ta-Dock cabanas owned and operated by Joe and Laura (below left), originally from Georgia.  During our last stay we enjoyed getting acquainted with Jim from Michigan (below right).

 We were enjoying our companionship study.

It was our daughter-in-law's birthday this week.  Zone leaders Elder Livingstone and Elder Andreason helped us wish Makelle a happy birthday before our district meeting.

Elder Magnusson needed to work himself out of a jam...a door jam, that is.  A friend needed it painted and my companion couldn't help putting a brush in his hand.

We were driving on the Northern Highway and happened upon this off-road vehicle being pulled on a trailer, stopped at the police check-point. The officers all gathered to admire it.  I was thinking  this ATV vehicle takes on a whole new meaning in Belize.  (The vehicle was not photo shopped in.)