It's Heating Up in Belize

This screen shot of my weather app was taken on Thursday of this week.  All I can say is, "please pass the water!"  

The Santa Elena Branch Relief Society held a successful Women's Retreat this week... 

...and no, we were not photoshopped into this picture! We're standing outside of our conference room at the Maya Mountain Lodge in Santa Elena.  

I was asked to teach a class on ministering, Elder Magnusson on self-reliance, and together we taught a class on successful marriage. Other classes taught by the RS presidency and branch presidency included domestic violence, self-confidence, home safety, and women's health.  We also enjoyed the delicious luncheon and getting-to-know-you games.  

The organizers were Relief Society president Kay Pérez (right) and secretary Stacey Cadle (left)...and yes, that watermelon tasted as good as it looks. 

Margaret Robinson has been a Catholic missionary living in other countries of Central America and now in Belize for many years. We met Margaret on one of our morning walks. What a wonderful humanitarian and follower of Christ!

This lovely young girl came up to me while I was playing prelude in San Ignacio Branch last Sunday. She reverently stood by my side and watched me play until it was time for church to start.

We enjoyed attending the baptism of the son of Noel and Janet Chi Saturday afternoon.  He has grown and matured so much since we moved to Succotz just 6 months ago.

One of the Bible stories we studied in the "Come Follow Me" manual this week is found in Luke 10:25-37.  The parable is of the Good Samaritan.  I'm inspired by the message and the portrayal of the parable in this video.

From the manual:
It is helpful to remember that the parable of the good Samaritan was Jesus’s way of answering a question: “Who is my neighbor?” As you read this parable, keep that question in mind. What answers do you find?

By Jesus’s day, the animosity between the Jews and Samaritans had lasted for centuries. The Samaritans were descendants of Jews living in Samaria who had intermarried with Gentiles. The Jews felt that the Samaritans had become corrupted by their association with Gentiles and had apostatized. Jews would travel miles out of their way to avoid passing through Samaria. (See also Luke 9:52–54; 17:11–18; John 4:9; 8:48.)

Why do you think the Savior chose a Samaritan, someone who was hated by the Jews, as an example of compassion and loving one’s neighbor? What does this parable inspire you to do to show more mercy to others?

I enjoyed seeing the perspective of this parable from a child's eyes.  In this video, the children were asked to tell the story of the Good Samaritan in their own words.

The Good Samaritan by Dan Burr

Our daughter, Lisa, sent us this picture of the eggs she dyed for Easter.  Our friend taught us how to do this method over 25 years ago.  You make them using eggs, onion skins, leaves or flowers, an old nylon stocking, and string.  You can learn how to do it by clicking onto my recipe blog here.

As you can see, each egg is beautiful and unique...just as we all are, as children of our Heavenly Father.