Moving to Succotz

This past week has been memorable as we finished orienting the VandeMerwe's to the rest of their new areas. Elder Magnusson has enjoyed getting reacquainted with his BYU college roommate of 42 years ago, as they walked from the chapel in San Pedro to the water taxi.  

We rented bikes on Caye Caulker to visit church members on that island.

The entire, dedicated Belize City District of missionaries gathered for their weekly district council meeting. The Corozal sister joined us via Skype.

The Corozal missionaries, Sister Quiroz and Sister Steinhorst, are enthusiastic representatives of Jesus Christ on the northern border of Belize.

Saying goodbye to dear Belize City community members hasn't been easy. Hubert Martinez, (left photo) night security guard at Brodies Supermarket, and has always greeted us as we have gone on morning walks through Brodies parking lot on our way to the seashore. Kenny and his wife (right) operate Kennys Hardware where they have made many copies of  keys for us.

We now live in San José Succotz, in the western Cayo district, three miles from the Guatemala border. Succotz is rural compared to the city life of Belize City. We live upstairs.  

This is the view from our back window.  

Looking out our front window.  The pink Succotz library is on the right, and the village soccer field in the foreground.

It was inspirational to participate in the sustaining of the new Cayo District presidency on Sunday. Amin Salazar of San Ignacio (third from the right) is the new district president, with Luis Peraza of Belmopan (fourth from the right) as 1st counselor, and Gilly Can of Succotz (second from the right) as 2nd counselor. Mission President Eric Adams (second from left) presided at the district conference.

As we attended the Cayo District Conference meeting Saturday night, Sister Flake played a beautiful arrangement of "I Need Thee Every Hour" on the piano.   Enjoy the Tabernacle Choir's rendition of the song in the video.   

You can also see the video by clicking here

"I Need Thee Every Hour" is a hymn I have grown to love on the mission.  Whenever I have the opportunity to play the piano for Sunday services, I try to include this hymn as part of the prelude music.  As I play it through the music, I am reminded that I do indeed, "need Thee every hour". 

1. I need thee ev’ry hour,

Most gracious Lord.

No tender voice like thine

Can peace afford.

CHORUS

I need thee, oh, I need thee;

Ev’ry hour I need thee!

Oh, bless me now, my Savior;

I come to thee!

2. I need thee ev’ry hour;

Stay thou nearby.

Temptations lose their pow’r

When thou art nigh.

CHORUS

3. I need thee ev’ry hour,

In joy or pain.

Come quickly and abide,

Or life is vain.

CHOURS

4. I need thee ev’ry hour,

Most holy One.

Oh, make me thine indeed,

Thou blessed Son!

CHORUS

José Lemus, president of the San Ignacio Branch, has a creative way to let people know that he is a proud member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

I was interested to watch this Mormon Newsroom video about the efforts of hundreds of volunteers who helped those afflicted by Hurricane Michael.  

You can also see the video by clicking here

From mormonnewsroom.org:
“Your faith strengthens our faith, and your devotion makes us want to be more devoted,” said Elder David A. Bednar to hundreds of Church members gathered Saturday evening in Tallahassee, Florida.

President Dallin H. Oaks also offered words of comfort, “Afflictions and obstacles are the reality of mortal life.” ... “If we are faithful and prayerful, the Lord helps us get through them.”

They broke into our car!

Friday night in Orange Walk, outside the church, 4 men with two boys serving as lookouts, were trying to break into our car! In the dark, Elder Magnusson and the missionaries observed them first try to use a Slim Jim, which didn't work thanks to the RAV-4 being late model with electronic doors. The group fled, only to return with crow bars and a rod to pry the window and insert the rod. They were trying to hit the door lock toggle on the arm rest. 

Too afraid to intervene, the missionaries remained in the shadows. But, Elder Magnusson crept forward and took this photo to document the deed for authorities. Suddenly, the leader lying on the windshield with the rod managed to spring the door open! Elder Magnusson ran in from the shadows, and in total disregard for his own safety, grabbed the car keys that were locked inside. Curiously, he profusely thanked these angelic car burglars, and even paid them! As the group disappeared into the night, Elder Magnusson could only stare at the car keys, wondering what had just happened...

* Side note about the above story:  The keys were simply locked in the car.  Elder Magnusson called a local mechanic to help him retrieve the keys. If you read the story closely, that is what Elder Magnusson was trying to say in his "creative way." In his next life he'll be a suspense writer.

A new district presidency for Belize City District was sustained on Sunday. (From right to left) Elder VandeMerwe, 2nd counselor, District President Hilberto Casanova,1st counselor Paul Woods, released District President Elder Magnusson.

We've received a transfer, and are moving to Succotz, two hours west, at the end of the week. We will greatly miss all of our friends in Belize City, Orange Walk, Corozal, and San Pedro. Packing up the apartment reminded us of when we moved from California to Utah 2 years ago.  

We will miss our house, and the views of Belize City, such as this scene out of our bedroom window.  But most of all we will miss the people we have grown to love here.  

It was Branch President Harold Smith's birthday this week. He is a tireless supporter of the missionaries and the Lord's work here.

The bilingual Patriarch who lives in Guatemala City, Ora L. Justice (center), stayed two days with the VandeMerwes, giving patriarchal blessings to the members of Corozal, Cinderella, and Orange Walk Branches, before moving on to the Cayo District. He and his wife joined the Church 41 years ago while living in Puerto Rico, and have been stalwarts of the faith ever since.

Ouch! That hurts! Never fear, missionaries, nurse Sister VandeMerwe is here!

We love serving with and learning from Elder and Sister VandeMerwe. Truly, they were sent to Belize "for such a time as this". (Esther 4:14)

This week our church published this video to remind us that when you’re feeling low and your days are difficult, remember, “the Savior hears the songs you cannot sing. ”Don’t give up. “Believe in yourself and believe in Him.”

You can also see the video by clicking here

This is what the Mormon Channel said about the video:

We all have days when we feel low and out of tune—like we have nothing of value to contribute. We may struggle to avoid comparing ourselves to others. In times like these, we need to remember that we’re supposed to be unique and different and that we too have a special place in God’s choir. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland reminds us, “It is by divine design that not all the voices in God’s choir are the same. It takes variety—sopranos and altos, baritones and basses—to make rich music.”

You fill an important role in God’s choir and can’t be replaced. “Believe in yourself, and believe in Him. Don’t demean your worth or denigrate your contribution. Above all, don’t abandon your role in the chorus. … Stay permanently and faithfully in the choir, where [you] will be able to savor forever that most precious anthem of all—‘the song of redeeming love.’” —Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Belize Welcomes More Missionaries!

Elder and Sister VandeMerwe (right) from Cincinnati, Ohio, arrived this week to begin their mission. But they are not new to us.  Elder Magnusson and Elder VandeMerwe were college roommates 42 years ago. We are so excited to have them here.

Currently, we, Elder and Sister Flake (middle), and the VandeMerwes are the senior couples serving in Belize.

Six experienced young missionaries also arrived this week from El Salvador. Their enthusiasm for the gospel of Jesus Christ and commitment to serve the people will be a blessing throughout the country. 

The plane arriving from El Salvador was a little late, which made it too late for us to drop the sisters off at the bus terminal.  No problem; we enjoyed having them spend the night with us.

When morning came around, we were able to drop them off bright and early at the Belize City bus terminal for their three hour bus ride home to Corozal. 

It's not every day that you get to celebrate someone's 72nd birthday.  But, we were able to do just that with our dear friends, the Bartons.  

Lawrence Craig is the owner of Belargo Printing in Belize City that we frequent. Lawrence recently returned from the Central America Masters Track Meet in Costa Rica where he earned a gold medal in the long jump, gold medal in the triple jump, and bronze in the shot put.

A new self-reliance initiative "How to Start Your Business" kicked off today with groups in Belize City and Orange Walk. Enthusiasm was high today at the orientation.

Attending this baptism today reminded me of my own baptism 54 years ago this month. 

Watch your fingers! A common sight: slicing open coconuts with a machete for the water.  Coconut trees abound in Belize and we're told its liquid is very healthy. 

A highlight of watching General Conference last week was listening to the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square sing the hymn, "It Is Well with My Soul".  We had never heard the hymn before.   As we sat listening to it in the Belize City chapel, it was obvious that it is a beloved hymn of the Belizean saints as several in the congregation sang like angels along with the choir.  We have listened to the hymn several times this past week and, truly, "it is well, it is well, with my soul."  

You can also see the video by clicking here

It Is Well with My Soul

Text:  Horatio Spafford/Music:  Philip Bliss   

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul

It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul

It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul

And Lord, haste the day when thy faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul

It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul

Conference Weekend and More

It's fun to meet new people in Belize City; they're all so kind, friendly and helpful. I needed to have some earrings repaired. Jimmy Medina and his wife, Delicious, operate Silver City, a jewelry shop on the corner of Pickstock and New St.-- they're really good at what they do!

This week a man on a cruise ship from the U.S. had to be taken to the hospital in Belize City (below) due to a medical emergency. His daughter telephoned our mission headquarters in El Salvador seeking help, and my phone number was furnished. It was a pleasure for Elder Magnusson and Paul Woods to participate in giving the man a blessing with the authority of the priesthood.  This ordinance is described below as it reads in James in the New Testament. 

James 5:14-15

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up...

If you're from Belize, you'll recognize the young man on the left.  If you're from the U.S., you'll recognize the young man on the right.  Elder Jenks and our son ran into each other in the Brigham Young University-Idaho library this week. They had met  for the first time last Christmas when Sam and his sisters visited us in Belize.  Elder Jenks was serving as a missionary in Belize City at that time.

General Conference was viewed by all the Magnussons in Salt Lake City, Utah, in Rexburg, Idaho, and of course in the Belize City chapel (lower left). Even our granddaughter was watching and pointed out President Nelson on her TV set. Why did we all view conference this weekend? To hear God's living prophet, Russell M. Nelson, and the apostles give us the guidance that we need.

If you know me, you've seen my recipe blog. On it I also let the world know of my faith. Until this weekend, above the picture of Jesus Christ, I said "I'm a Mormon". But no longer.  This weekend President Nelson encouraged us to use the name of whose church it is when identifying ourselves, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is Christ's church. Mormon is a nickname, I suppose, because of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

The blog before this weekend                    The blog after this weekend  

You can view blog at:  http://magfood.blogspot.com

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Last year I enjoyed passing out Nativity sets to children we met as we were out and about.  In preparation of the joyous Christmas season, I started cutting out Nativity sets again this week.  I like to keep a couple of sets in my purse.  I couldn't  resist handing a set to a young boy who was waiting to watch General Conference on Saturday morning. 

It's fun to watch the children set up the characters of the nativity:  shepherds, wisemen, angels, stable animals, Joseph and Mary, and of course, baby Jesus.

You can get the pattern to the Made by Joel Nativity set by clicking here.