November Blessings

The Story of the “The Dead Tree”

When we first arrived at our apartment in Recife, Brazil and were admiring our beautiful gardens, we noticed right in front of our windows overlooking the gardens, a tree without leaves that appeared to be dead.  “Why would there be a dead tree in a garden so beautiful and meticulously cared for?  Maybe they will cut it down soon,” I said to myself.  Each afternoon upon returning from the temple and sitting on our couch I would look out at the seemingly lifeless branches.  “They surely will cut this tree down,” Grandpa said as he gazed out the window at the gardeners working.  “I think I am beginning to see the nodules on the slender branches beginning to swell,” I replied.

Each day I examined the tree hoping to see new life emerge.  Then little by little from those swelling nodules there appeared tiny green shoots that grew and grew producing butterfly-shaped leaves the size of a saucer that seem to close a little at night. 

Then one by one, small pink orchid-shaped flowers appeared covering the entire top of the tree.  I don’t know the real name of the tree, but when we see this tree in Hawaii we call it an “orchid tree”.  It is also sometimes called a “butterfly tree”.   Each afternoon the humming birds come to suck the sweet nectar of the flowers.  Totally amazing, totally beautiful!!

I am so glad there was a gardener smarter than me that knew the potential of this little unpretentious tree.  I leave the significance of this story for each of you to apply.

In November the Primary children in the other ward presented their annual Primary Sacrament Meeting program.  Of course Grandpa and I had to attend.  Our ward has very few Primary children so I am not sure if they ever had a program, at least not since we have been here.  These are pictures taken as the children were getting ready. I could just imagine each one of our Primary Grandchildren giving their parts in their respective wards.  We were well taught by the children that day.   Anyone see a little Brazilian “Ella” in these pictures?

On the 19^th of November the new presentation began at the temple, also involving a new schedule, including an extra session in the Baptistery.  November also brought opportunities of reuniting with some of our former missionaries and our beloved housekeeper from our Belem mission as they came to the temple.  So many special blessings to be thankful for in this Month of Thanksgiving. Yes, we did have a Thanksgiving dinner with Turkey and all of the trimmings with the American Couples serving here, 8 in all, thanks to the Christophersons for putting it all together. We contributed sweet potatoes and our Thanksgiving napkins and cranberries that we brought from the States, anticipating such an occasion. 

We are so thankful for each of you, your love, support for us and for each other.

We are changing our e-mail address to amazondon@gmail.com and would love to hear from each of you in the coming month.