Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to our angel mothers! 

Can you guess whose mother is who's?

...AND I am grateful for my children who call me Mother, or Ma for short.  I love them dearly and am thankful for their support while we are on our mission.  

On Saturday, to celebrate Mother's Day, the Belize City Branch Young Women treated the mothers to  pedicures, manicures, and makeup make-overs.  And did we feel pampered!  

Afterwards, the Young Men, Young Women,  and fathers served dinner to the mothers.  (Notice the fruit sticks and the cream cheese filled chocolate cake)  Delicious!  

Earlier in the week we had occasion to visit the island town of San Pedro. It's an hour and a half ride by water taxi.  We like to ride on the top where it's open and breezy.  

We met up with the Elders at the San Pedro chapel located about a 20-minute walk from the water taxi.  

The San Pedro chapel is simple, functional, and a source of pride for the local members.

We joined with the elders and sisters in district meeting via Skype as we connected with them in Belize City and Orange Walk. 

The condition of missionaries' shoes is always an amazement because they are walking all day and evening, in all road and weather conditions.  They are illustrative of the Lord's declaration to Isaiah "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him (and her) that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace...that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"  

We enjoyed visiting with Manuel and Elsa Velasquez, originally from Honduras.  They live in a beautiful home in San Pedro with an immaculate yard, no doubt because Manuel is a retired gardener. 

Back in Belize City we visited with Silbert and Jennifer Gordon.  They just returned from being temple missionaries in the Guatemala City Temple, the first senior missionary couple to serve from Belize. 

Silbert is a master wood craftsman, having made all the mahogany furniture in their home.

In a few weeks we will have one year left on our mission. We've learned much. We've learned that the Lord is in charge of His work, that missionaries can be led to whom to see, what to say, how to help, and even--when it matters--when to arrive to see someone. 

We've learned that senior couples just draw on their life's experiences and add greatly to the preparation and enthusiasm of the young missionaries. We've learned that angels are round about us, protecting us, likely when we don't even know it.

We've observed that those members of the church who exercise faith to keep the commandments and live their covenants are blessed with sufficient for their needs, and can live comfortable lives even in surrounding, challenging economic circumstances. 

We've learned as a couple to depend even more on each other's gifts and talents.

We've come to see the Book of Mormon in a greater light, that it is the instrument that brings all people to Jesus Christ. It invites the Spirit into our lives as we study it daily.

Again, why are we on this mission?  To share the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. Enjoy this new short video our church produced explaining what we believe.

To end this week's post, I will share this picture I took one day as we were leaving a roadside eatery.   I hope we didn't eat his sister for lunch!

Laboring in the Lord's Vineyard

Last  Monday we accompanied the sisters serving in Corozal to the Altun Ha ruins.  It was their first time seeing our favorite ruins.  They were impressed with the majestic sites.  

They enjoyed taking lots of pictures--including this one.  (unbeknown to us).

It’s not enough to climb up the ruins… sometimes we have to climb to get into the front yard of someone’s house!  Actually it’s due to road and sidewalk construction in this part of town. On this particular visit we thought of the message of one of our beloved hymns: When thorns are strewn along my path, and foes my feet ensnare, My Savior to my aid will come, If sought in secret prayer.

A men's choir from BYU-Idaho performs this message from the hymn "Secret Prayer"

You can view the whole hymn by clicking here

As we visit people, many times they don't have a specific address.  To get to their house we are given instructions like this: (actual directions)  ...you go past the next roundabout.  Then as you pass 3 speed bumps, you'll see a yellow house on the left.  Take that road to the left. My house is the second house on the right, with 3 cars in the yard.  It is the pinkish cement house.  I snapped this picture as we were taking "that road to the left"  We did find the house after having to call the brother only once.  (we turned at the wrong yellow house the first time).We had a wonderful visit with this faithful member who catches the 5:30 a.m. bus to make it to church by 8:00 a.m.

 It was great to see so much family support for this young boy's baptism this past week.

Zone leaders' training is held monthly by way of Skype with El Salvador. It's nice to break for lunch with our Zone leaders and senior missionaries!

Ministering to others in the Savior's way is a wonderful opportunity members of the church have. As senior missionaries serving in Belize we are honored to be able to train our leaders and other brothers and sisters on how we organize ourselves to minister effectively.

"…May we labor side by side with the Lord of the vineyard, giving the God and Father of us all a helping hand with His staggering task of answering prayers, providing comfort, drying tears, and strengthening feeble knees."  Elder Jeffery R. Holland

"Our message to the world is simple and sincere: we invite all of God’s children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the holy temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life." President Russell M. Nelson

When the family gets together it's nice to get pictures from home.  My brother Douglas was in Utah to attend his son-in-law's graduation.  My brothers Craig, Douglas, and Russell gathered at Craig's house along with their wives, some of our children, and some of our nieces and nephews...  

I can't end a post without a picture of the beautiful Belizean clouds.  This is the scene from a morning sunrise on one of our walks last week.

Picking Up Where We Left Off

As you read in our last post, we were able to travel to Montana to attend our son's wedding on Saturday.  On Monday, were surprised to wake up to snow!  On our drive south to Utah, we thought of of the contrast of weather between Montana and Belize!

Another highlight of our trip was seeing Elder Magnusson's mother.  She'll be celebrating her 92nd birthday next week! She served a mission with her husband 29 years ago... an example to us!

When we returned to Belize it was fun to see the pictures from the Belize City Branch Primary activity that took place while we were gone.  We were sorry to miss out on the fun!

The Belize City District Conference took place this weekend. Some of these sisters traveled to Orange Walk with me for the Saturday afternoon session. They chatted in Spanish during the hour drive.  I understood...muy poco!

The Sunday session took place in the Belize City chapel. The Corozal Branch choir, the speakers, the feeling of the Spirit as the gospel was taught were the highlights.

The choir's closing number for our Branch Conference was "A Child's Prayer", sung just as angelic as this choir at General Conference last year.

You can also see the video by clicking here.

The baptismal service for 13-year old Areana was held following the district conference. Areana's grandmother, Yvette Young (in pink), even spoke in district conference, bearing a strong testimony on how being a full-tithe payer is a blessing to her.

Last week Elder and Sister Adams led youth representatives from all the branches in Belize in planning their respective boys and girls camps to be held in August.

Amaurie and Elida Segura are pioneers of Church leadership in Belize City.  Brother Segura is Elder Magnusson's companion for ministering visits.

Lds.org says this about a new Mormon Message that was posted on their webpage:  President Russell M. Nelson teaches that just as the woman who was healed by touching the robe of Jesus, we can receive strength and direction by reaching out to Him as well.  A very good message, indeed. 

You can also see the video by clicking here.  

I did a double-take at this photo of Sister Gillette (left) with my daughter, Lisa, taken at the Tulip Festival in Lehi, Utah.  Sister Gillette served for many months in Corozal, Belize before returning home at the end of her mission.  She recognized Lisa from pictures we'd shown her of our family and went up and greeted her.  

I have posted many pictures of the beautiful clouds that we have seen since arriving in Belize, but never one from above the clouds.    

Belize to Billings and Blessings

Since we left for our mission last July, we have had many "mission blessings".  

Our family is growing...  

We have added three new grandchildren...  `

Saturday, we added a new daughter!...

Our children love each other...

And, Sam and Makelle were married for time and eternity in the Billings Montana Temple!  

Thanks, Sam, for giving us the opportunity to come to Billings, Montana--Makelle's hometown--to attend this wonderful event. 

While it's an 18-hour journey from Belize City to Billings by airplane and auto, this is one of the greatest blessings for us on this mission and one we wouldn't miss!  

Why did Sam and Makelle choose to be married in the Temple? The answer to this important question is one of the very reasons why we are on our mission.

Watch the short video below to hear why eternal marriage is so important to us, and not just marriage "until death do us part".

You can also see the video by clicking here

As we were traveling from Belize to Billings, President Russell M. Nelson was making a world tour meeting members and missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England, Kenya, Zimbabwe, India, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Hawaii.

One of President Nelson's quotes from mormonnewsroom.org :
“Our message to the world is that Jesus is the Christ and that His way of life is the way of joy and happiness not only in this life but in the life ahead,” said President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as he arrived in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city, Monday, April 16, 2018.

Enjoy these amazing newsroom videos that highlight President Nelson's stops on his worldwide tour:

This is what True to the Faith says about our belief in Prophets:  

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are blessed to be led by living prophets—inspired men called to speak for the Lord, just as Moses, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, Nephi, Mormon, and other prophets of the scriptures. We sustain the President of the Church as our prophet, seer, and revelator—the only person on the earth who receives revelation to guide the entire Church.

Our Heavenly Father Knows His Children

Early Sunday morning we headed out to attend church in Corozal (two hours north on the Mexican border)  Before we left, we read on the weather app that heavy rain fall was in the forecast.  Although we had storm clouds all along the way, we were happy to get only a few drizzles here and there.  As we pulled into Corozal, we were taken back at the beautiful view of the gray rain clouds against the coral green Caribbean Sea.    

As we drove home from church, we took these pictures with Sister Arteaga and Sister Kendall at the Santa Rita ruins that are located in town on a residential street.  

On Monday we had a preparation day treat as we took the Orange Walk Elders Reyes and Barlow to the Altun Ha archeological site. A feeling of reverence encompasses these ancient cities as we imagine the inhabitants here and their way of life. 

It was much drier now than when we were here last.  Elder Reyes was going to give the first discussion to the baby crocodile we came across, but the crocodile wouldn't listen.

It's always a pleasure to host guests in our home. Brother Justice from Guatemala was here on an assignment from the church. We enjoyed getting to know him.  He and his wife joined our church over 40 years ago in Puerto Rico. This came after searching for Jesus Christ's true church that taught gospel principles that have been restored to the earth.

Yep, even missionary houses have break-downs at times. Here our skilled Belizean plumbers get us going, or at least showering, once again.

The following videos are ones that I showed to friends we visited this week.  They both have powerful messages. The first one is about our Savior's love as He wants to forgive.     

You can also see the video by clicking here

 The Mormon Channel says this about the video:  A former addict and repeat convict shares his experiences with the Savior's ability and willingness to forgive him again and again, even when he felt undeserving. The mission of Jesus Christ was to atone of our sins and provide a way to repent and be forgiven.

This feature film reenacts the true events from 1820-1844 surrounding the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

You can also see the video by clicking here

I snapped and sent this picture of the view out my front door to my sister-in-law, Lynn, after she sent me a video of the snow fall they received in Salt Lake City, Utah on Thursday morning.  I told her that yes, it is beautiful here in Belize, but the photo doesn't show the humidity! 

Dangria Welcomes Missionaries Again

Dangriga just received missionaries again after 8 months. A rented house serves as the chapel in this coastal town, a two-hour drive south of Belize City.  Elders Livingston and Alcantara are excited to meet their new neighbors!

Zone conferences, held every 6 weeks, are well anticipated by the missionaries in the country. There are now 20 young missionaries serving in Belize.

 We were well taught by our zone leaders, Elder Jenks and Elder Eves, as well as by President Adams.
Role playing on how best to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ...

Sister Kendall received a birthday package, as Sister Arteaga looks on.

Elder Reyes was happy to get a new pair of shoes sent from home to replace his old ones that had  a hole through the bottom.

When we were at zone conference, I found out that one of our missionary's father was featured on the I'm a Mormon series.  It was fun to look up the video about Elder Watt's father.

 You can also see the video by clicking here

This is what mormon.org said about the video:  Mormon researcher Ryan Watt's passion for finding a cure for Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's, and Parkinson's diseases is personal. It's fueled by his family & his belief in Jesus Christ.

Helping members of the church help themselves is central to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elvis Gomez (center) and Daniel Hernandez (far right), church directors for self-reliance and the Perpetual Education Fund, visited this weekend from Guatemala City to train interested members in successful career preparation and seeking educational opportunities. Their workshops were held in Orange Walk and Belize City, setting the stage for more to come.

Happenings in our neighborhood:

The mail is delivered differently in Belize than in the U.S.  I asked if I could take a picture of our mailman.  He was happy to pose.  

A lineman on the street in front of our house climbs the pole free hand with spikes on his boots to make a repair.

Being a city girl, I couldn't resist taking a picture of this chicken as we left the yard of one of our member's house.

Resurrection, Revelation, Reflection

Yesterday morning my mind went back to another Easter morning 12 years ago.  I arrived in Utah the day before because I'd received word that my father wouldn't live past the week.  He was in the final stages of Alzheimer's.

It was good to greet my father Saturday and see his eyes light up when I walked into his hospital room.  That afternoon my mother, brothers and their wives, his grandchildren, and I gathered around my Dad.  We visited with him, shared memories, and said a prayer together.  When I went back to the hospital the next day, my Dad was non-responsive.  In Sunday worship services that Easter morning we sang the hymn, He is Risen!  As we sang, my eyes filled with tears as I realized because Jesus had risen, so would my father.  I will be with my father again.  His death will not be the end of our relationship.

My father, and our son Sam

Click the arrow to hear the song, "He Is Risen"

Yesterday, my testimony of eternal life was strengthened as I listened to the First Presidency share their Easter messages at general conference.  Take a moment to listen to a few of their thoughts about Easter in the video below.  

President Russell M. Nelson

Without our Redeemer’s infinite Atonement, not one of us would have hope of ever returning to our Heavenly Father. Without His Resurrection, death would be the end. Our Savior’s Atonement made eternal life a possibility and immortality a reality for all.

President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor

Today we join other Christians in celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the literal Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a pillar of our faith. Because we believe the accounts in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon about the literal Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we also believe the numerous scriptural teachings that a similar resurrection will come to all mortals who have ever lived upon this earth. That resurrection gives us what the Apostle Peter called “a lively hope” (1 Peter 1:3). That lively hope is our conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity but merely a necessary step in our Heavenly Father’s merciful plan for the salvation of His children. 

President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor

I thank our Heavenly Father for the gift of His Beloved Son, who came voluntarily to earth to be our Redeemer. I am grateful to know that He atoned for our sins and rose in the Resurrection. Every day I am blessed to know that, because of His Atonement, I may someday be resurrected to live forever in a loving family.

Speaking of general conference, it was fun to get pictures of our children and their families as they watched conference in Idaho, Utah and California.  We sent them photos of us watching from Belize.  

Renee and family in Utah

(from left) Rachel, Janelle, Lisa, Sam and families in Idaho

Below: Kristine and family in California. Elder Magnusson and I in Belize

 Above are the two branches watching conference in the Belize City chapel in English and cultural hall in Spanish.

This picture was taken in-between conference sessions with the missionaries and a couple of members.  

We learned that Belizeans take the meaning of Easter seriously.  I should have figured something was going on when we stopped by the market Thursday afternoon to pick up some watermelon.  It seemed as though all of Belize City was shopping for food at Publics Supermarket.  Their grocery baskets were filled to the brim and every check-out register had long lines. 

The next day, Friday, as we drove in town we noticed that the streets were empty and stores closed. Completely, even the gas stations. The busy boulevard below is usually teeming with pedestrians, vehicles, bicycles, and shoppers, all hours. We're told it's against the law in Belize to do business on Good Friday, out of respect for Jesus' death.

As we were telling the Flakes about our experience on Good Friday in Belize City, they described what they saw in the streets of Benque on Good Friday. Belizedestinations.com describes the sawdust covered streets and the Passion of Christ Parade the best:

The Passion of Christ parade is held on Good Friday every year, in Benque, Belize, on the border of Guatemala. From early morning, families start decorating the steps to the church and the streets with intricate designs, using colored sawdust. By afternoon, they are completed and people walk the streets to admire them, before Christ carrying the cross is reenacted on the sawdust covered streets.  

The Flakes took these pictures and sent them to us. I couldn't comprehend how the beautiful colors of sawdust were laid on the streets of Benque until they sent the second photo (right) and I saw that the colors were laid with stencils.

Teaching Yvette Young in front of her small, outdoor restaurant. Sister Young joined the church two years ago. She lives by faith, honoring the Sabbath Day by closing her business on Sundays.