September 29, 2013

The rain has come to Portugal.  We have had some rain every day since Tuesday.  It is a nice change and we need it, but it does make it more difficult to have our daily walks.  

On Monday I conducted and gave the inspirational thought at our devotional.  I talked about the importance of preparing ourselves to receive the messages and revelations that can come to us through General Conference. 

We learned this week that Elder and Sister Markham, who have been waiting in SLC for 5 months to receive their visas for Brazil , have been re-assigned to Portugal and will come as soon as they receive their visas for Portugal.  It must try a person’s patience to wait that long to reach your destination.  We hope that they don’t have to wait too long this time.

Mike’s leg seems to be doing some better, but Sister Fluckiger made an appointment for him to have a consultation tomorrow in Lisbon.  It will be great if there is something that can be done to help him.

Miguel Adriano invited us to visit three sites with him, his wife-Deanna, his son-Daniel and Daniel’s girlfriend and soon-to-be missionary, Lorena.  We made a few contacts early on Friday and then left for the Caves of Mira de Aire.  I was expecting to walk through a long dark cave and see some nice views.  This was an amazing place with stairs that just kept going down (25-stories’ worth). We were told there are over 800 steps going down.  It was very beautiful and different from anything I had ever seen before.    The pictures which didn’t turn out so blurry are posted on my Facebook site.  To our delight, there was an elevator to take us back to the top.  There was a nice restaurant on the site, so we had lunch there before continuing on to Óbidos. 

Óbidos is an interesting hamlet surrounded by 45-foot walls (which you can walk around).  There are quaint little shops, restaurants, old churches, a castle, etc.  and it is a very interesting place to visit. It is known as the “Wedding city.”  This is because King Dinis brought his new bride, Isabella,  to Óbidos shortly after they were married.  She liked the village so much that he gave the village to her as a wedding present.  Afterwards, it became traditional for all of the kings of Portugal to bring their new brides to Óbidos for their honeymoons.

Another interesting story about Óbidos tells how King Alfonso Henriques (Portugal’s first king) captured Óbidos from the Moors.  On January 11, 1148, Alfonso led a frontal attack on the front gate which is opposite the castle.  The Moorish ruler huddled in the castle and watched the battle at the other end of town.  Meanwhile a band of Alfonso’s men snuck up the steep slope behind the castle disguised as cherry trees.  The doomed moor ignored his daughter’s question when she turned from the rear window and asked:  “Daddy, do trees walk?”  He should have listened to her because they captured him and the city.  Elder Henry gives a little more history on the picture site on Facebook.

When we left Obidos, we drove to Azenhas do Mar and watched the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean.  It was a gorgeous site and we enjoyed that very much, too. The village sets on a high cliff over the ocean with wonderful views, but a little scary to live so close to the cliff. Deanna brought along snacks to keep us from getting hungry and we had a most enjoyable day with our friends.

Today we were very involved in the proceedings in our little ward.  Elder Henry had been asked to give the 5^th-Sunday combined RS and Priesthood lesson.  He gave a wonderful lesson on Covenants that was very much enjoyed by the ward members.  Then the next period he taught his Gospel Essentials Class.  I led the music and prayed in the first meeting, led the music in Sunday  School, and gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting.  My topic was on teaching the gospel to our families in the home and I focused on the nine principles mentioned in the Family Proclamation—Faith, Prayer, Repentance, Forgiveness, Respect, Love, Compassion, Work and Wholesome Recreational Activities. Note from Elder Henry:  Sister Henry gave a wonderful talk of about 20 minutes in perfect Portuguese that was very well received.

Caves at Mira de Aire

Elder Henry, Miguel & Deanna Adriano, Lorena, and Daniel Adriano

Obidos

Azenhas do Mar

September 22, 2013

Time is racing by.  We had a busy week at the office.  Many of our participants have loans which are still located in other countries.  At times we contact them to see if they would like to move them to Europe.  Some want them left in their original country because a family member is paying it.  I contacted a young man from Venezuela this week and he said he wanted the loan moved and then he is going to pay it off.  We told him if he paid it off in one payment he could deduct 10 percent and his response was that he wants to pay the entire balance.  We have had several who have paid off their loans recently, including some who hadn’t paid anything for a long time.

There is one couple, and perhaps a second, who are trying to get their callings changed from Brazil to Portugal because they have been waiting so long for Visas. They have been trained  with PEF and the new  Self-Reliance program and have been spending their time at the Church Office Building in SLC.  We are hopeful that they will be able to come and take our place and help out in this mission, as they are badly needed here.

Elder and Sister Johnson invited us for dinner last evening.  They had some things happen and she didn’t have time to prepare the meal she had planned, so they took us out to dinner instead.  We really enjoyed our evening with them.  They took us to see several sites and we had a nice visit.  After dinner we went back to their apartment for dessert.  We are sad that they will be going home in about a month.  We have at least one trip planned with them in a few weeks and we want to take them out to dinner before they leave.

I am preparing for a spiritual thought for our devotional tomorrow morning and a talk in Sacrament Meeting next Sunday.  My talk subject is Teaching Children in the Home, so if anyone has any great ideas you are invited to pass them along to me.  I have my ideas mostly prepared, but can always use help.  Mike was asked to give the 5^th-Sunday lesson next week, along with the class he gives each week for the investigators and new members.

Joseph Smith was taught from his youth the ways of the Lord.  When asked how he led the Church, he explained that he taught correct principles and the members governed themselves.  Our living apostles and prophets are still teaching correct principles.  The question is :  Are we using these principles to govern ourselves?    General Conference is coming up soon and I hope that we will all take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to hear the teachings of our prophet and apostles.  This is always such a special privilege we have to hear from the Lord through His special witnesses.  We love General Conference and don’t want to miss a moment of it.

We send our love to all of our family and friends.  You are the best!

Building the scaffolding to paint the apartment next to ours.  These young men end up about 12 stories above ground and it seems very frightening to me.

Now the netting is added and ready to be painted.

Campo Pequeno where Portuguese bullfights are held.

Interesting statue in Lisbon

Fountain overlooking a park in Lisbon.

September 15, 2013

The week went by in a flash.  We were kept quite busy with our contacts in the office.  Mike had some new-loan interviews with the new school year beginning soon.  The young people in our area will begin school again this week.

Today we had another baptism in our ward.  Jose Manuel Pinto was baptized after our block of meetings.  It seems that he was introduced to the gospel by our friend Maria Cidalia, who lives in our apartment building.  She normally attends the Miratejo ward, but was at our meetings today to be there for the baptism afterwards.  Maria is a fairly new member herself, and says that she has been talking to people she meets and giving them pass-along cards.  So many times the new members are the best missionaries.  Paula Tavares, who was baptized a few months ago, is always bringing people to church.

Inacio and Manuela Tavares (a different family) from our ward went to the temple in Madrid this week for the first time and were sealed together as a family with three of their children.  Brother and Sister Lima took them and they spent several days at the temple.  They were delighted with the experience they had and Inacio bore a very sweet testimony today in Sacrament Meeting regarding the temple.

For our Preparation Day yesterday we went to the Park of Nations in Lisbon and visited the Oceanarium there.  It is proclaimed to be the largest aquarium in Europe and the 2^nd largest in the world.  The tickets  only cost us 11 Euros each, which is a steal compared with the cost at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  It was an interesting place to visit and we enjoyed it very much.  I took lots of pictures, but many didn’t turn out very well because I was taking pictures through the glass and the fish were usually moving.  This aquarium is located in a part of Lisbon which was renovated for a World Exposition in 1998.  There are some very modern-looking buildings and structures in this area.  I will post some pictures on Facebook.

Elder Quentin L Cook said, “The Church is a refuge where followers of Christ attain peace.  Some young people in the world say they are spiritual but not religious.  Feeling spiritual is a good first step.  However, it is in the Church that we are fellowshipped, taught, and nourished by the good word of God.  More importantly, it is priesthood authority in the Church that provides for sacred ordinances and covenants that bind families together and qualify each of us to return to God the Father and Jesus Christ in the celestial kingdom.  These ordinances bring peace because they are covenants with the Lord.”

I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ here on the earth.  I know that God our Father and Jesus Christ live, that they love us, and that they want each one of their children to return to their presence.  This life is a test to see how we will follow their plan for us.  It is especially important that we serve one another to the best of our abilities and show a love for God and all of His children.  We all have good days and bad days, but we just need to keep doing the best we can.   Each day is a new opportunity.

Oceanarium in Lisbon

Modern buildings in Lisbon

María Cidalia and Jose Manuel Peralto Pinto at his baptism.

September 8, 2013

We had a rewarding week at the office.  Elder Henry has been making lots of phone calls to the participants who haven’t had a voice contact for some time.  We usually only call the participants on the phone who are on the High-Priority Contact List each month or others who may have a special need.  The remainder of the participants are emailed , texted, or contacted on Facebook.  He has had some positive responses and many have said how much they enjoy my inspirational texts.  This is great because I have sometimes wondered if they even read them.  Tanira spoke to me and told me how much she enjoyed the messages and, being far from home, they help her to feel loved and seem to come at the time she needs them.

We checked out another apartment this week for the Elders  who live in Monte de Caparica.  Their present apartment leaves a little to be desired, so they were very happy to see this one with us.  We are hoping that the mission will decide to change their residence. 

Wednesday evening we were invited to the home of President and Sister Fluckiger to have dinner and meet our new missionary couple, Elder Donald and Sister Vickie Phippen, of American Fork.  They are neighbors of President and Sister Dansie from our mission in Brazil.  What an enjoyable evening we had getting acquainted with them, visiting with the other couples, eating a nice dinner, and having a short meeting together.  We have really enjoyed our associations with the couples who have and are now serving here in Portugal.  The Phippens are serving in the Azores, so we may not see much of them.  This is their fourth mission.

Two couples who are awaiting visas to serve in Sao Paulo, Brazil, contacted us and are considering coming to Portugal instead.  One couple has been waiting 5 months and the other 9 months and they have become great friends.  They say that they are a package-deal.  They want to serve in the same place.  Elder Henry wrote a long email to answer some of their questions and I became their friends on Facebook so they could look at some of the picture albums I have posted.  We are crossing our fingers that they will come here because so far there is no one coming to take our place.  They have been trained for PEF, so that is good.

Elder Henry’s leg is continuing to be uncomfortable for him.  He is icing it when he is able and that seems to help the swelling.  He hasn’t been able to walk with me in the mornings much.  He did walk a little yesterday morning at a slower pace because he doesn’t want to make it worse.  If you can remember him in your prayers, it would be appreciated.  He would really like to remain physically active.

We have very much enjoyed our mission and encourage any couples who are able to take advantage of this marvelous experience awaiting you to serve the Lord in this manner.  YOU ARE NEEDED!  The gospel is true and great blessings come from serving, even with all of our imperfections.  We are so grateful for the Savior’s atonement.  We need it so very much!

Our group of couple-missionaries with President and Sister Fluckiger.  Starting from the left are the Roses, the Phippens, the Fluckigers, Henrys and the Sommers.  (The Johnsons had family visiting and couldn't come.)

Maria Cordon (Sister of Luiz Silva from our office who moved to Germany) was visiting our ward today from Pleasant Grove, Utah.  She lived in Caparica Ward, served a mission here, then moved to the US, married and stayed there.  She gave a wonderful talk in Sacrament Meeting about temples.

September 1, 2013

Wow, another month begins!  The time is passing so quickly.  When we arrived at the office on Monday we had a message from Roseane, one of our PEF participants, and it sounded urgent.  She was actually wanting to know how to pay off her loan, which she did after we talked with her.  Bernadette in Cyprus also paid her loan off recently.  Many are very diligent in making their monthly payments or even paying ahead.  We are so proud of the efforts that many are making to fulfill their commitments and better their lives.

Our upstairs neighbor, Maria Cidalia, rang our doorbell after we were in bed one night and brought us another big bunch of fresh fish, tomatoes, onions and cabbage.  Since we had just had two fish dinners in the last short while, we decided to share with two needy families in our Caparica Ward.  They seemed very happy to accept some fish and cabbage.

We received a late call on Friday evening that there would be a baptism on Saturday morning.  So after we walked, I made Congo Squares and we got ready to head out to Caparica.  Maria Jose Vital Pedroso was baptized by Elder Bascom and then wanted Elder Henry to confirm her today.  He has been her teacher in the Gospel Essentials Class.  He gave a very nice confirmation blessing, as well as bearing a wonderful testimony in Fast and Testimony Meeting.  How grateful I am to have a companion with a strong testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  This is, and always has been, very important to me.

Mike’s leg was very painful yesterday, and he thought that heat might help it.  So, I heated a small towel in the microwave for a couple of minutes and he wrapped it around his leg.  About the fourth time I did this, I turned around and saw fire inside the microwave.  I stopped it, beat the towel a little and then removed it from the microwave to the sink.  Now, when I tried the microwave this morning just to see if it would work, flames started again with nothing inside the oven.  Well, it WAS nice having one for MOST of our mission.  It was a used one to start with and would only work by setting it in 30-second intervals.  On our last mission of 23 months we didn’t have one at all, so this was an improvement.  We have been very blessed and well taken care of.  We can’t complain.

I will close with a wonderful scripture found in Helaman  5:12  “And now, my sons (and daughters), remember, remember, that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” I believe this!

Some of the ladies from our apt. building sit on the cement curb and visit in the evenings.

Elder Lima, Mary Jose Vital Pedroso at her baptism and Elder Bascom 

Enjoying the water at Caparica!

Just a small section of the beach at Caparica.  It seems that everyone goes to the beach for vacation.  This little place is swamped with visitors during the summer and many beaches in Portugal look similar to this.