Carnival and Breadfruit

Hello all!  February seemed to fly by for us. We adapted well to our new schedule and as of now we are going to be on the same schedule for the month of March.  We are told that the weather has been very hot here, but since we are in the temple until 2:30 in the afternoon, we really haven't noticed.  In fact the warmth always feels so good after being in the air conditioning all day.

We are almost through the "Carnival" festivities.  Our temple president asked us not to go out of the compound Saturday through Tuesday just to be on the safe side.  Two Saturdays ago we took a bus to the older part of the city to attend a forum at the major bookstore in town.  On the way we passed the park where we use to walk for exercise when we were here before.  They were in the midst of having Carnival festivities there.  On our return from the bookstore on the bus, at almost  every stop, groups of young people were getting on, one even holding a bottle of vodka, asking the driver if he was going near the park.  At each stop the youth became louder and louder as their friends boarded the bus.  We thought, "Oh, this is trouble!" They finally got off as we neared the park.  The bus driver had to stop at an intersection to wait for a band playing Carnival music and a large group of people marching down the cross street, probably a club since they all wearing the same shirts.  My thoughts went to a complete contrast as I remembered the youth that had come to the baptistry the day before, clean, pure and dressed in their Sunday best.  My heart ached for those young people getting off the bus in the midst of all of the confusion of the day, who don't have any idea who they really are.

Again in complete contrast, last night we were invited to speak about Family History and the Temple ordinances to the young women in one of the stakes here who were at their retreat.  During this time of Carnival, all of the Stakes provide retreats for the young men and young women to get out of the dangers associated with Carnival.  The first picture is of the Young Men playing around the pool at their retreat and the second and third are at the compound for the girls.  The activities there are much like we provide for girls camp. So uplifting and beautiful!  Before we spoke, the young women greeted us with a special musical number and provided us with a supper of a green salad, rice, a tasty chicken tart, as well as freshly made pineapple juice .  Of course we enjoyed the enthusiasm and the hugs of these special young ladies. I always tell them how much I love their hugs because I miss the hugs of our family so much.

 

We recently had a new couple from Farmington, Utah join us here.  One of the first things they asked about was, "is Recife safe"?  Our reply was that you had to be careful about being on the streets at night, and stay out of the areas that are known to be violent, but generally, no problems.  Then last night as we were returning from our outing at the girl's retreat chauffeured by a counselor in the stake presidency, when stopped a stoplight, there was a shooting right before our eyes.  Two guys on a motorcycle in the lane coming toward us, pulled over and took a shot at two other guys on a motorcycle who were in front of us.  Fortunately, the light had changed and traffic had begun to move through the intersection, so as near as we could tell, the shot missed and the riders took off down the street. We just stopped and stayed at the intersection as the shooters did a u-turn and went off towards the other riders.  We later thought, "Where were the police"?  Oh, we passed them about two miles further ahead. They were standing next to their car in a parking area watching people walk by and chatting with one another.

Now a word about breadfruit... Some of the couples went to an area of the Atlantic Forest outside of Recife for a day of relaxation, and brought back breadfruit, bananas and avocados that they had picked.  We consequently awoke the next morning to find that we had received a few avocados and a medium size breadfruit (about the size of a basketball) at our front door.  The breadfruit was a challenge.  We asked a couple of the Brazilians how to tackle this prickly looking fruit and was told by one to treat it like a squash, baking it in the oven (which we don't have), and the other to cut it like a cantaloupe and just "scoop it out" as we would a pumpkin.  The "stuff" that was scooped out is what you would eat.  So, we let it set for a a few days and finally decided to give it a try.  What we found was that the husk or rind was extremely thick and difficult to cut. We also discovered that there was a layer of latex consistency sticky glue between the husk and the fruit.  The edible fruit was a slimy pod surrounding a large seed, about an inch long.  Tasteless is about the best way to describe it.  The glue was another thing... it appeared to something that the natives would use in building their huts or canoes, and because it stuck to our hands, knife, faucet and everything else that was touched, we wished that we had brought some "Goof-off" with us.  Nothing would cut it except Mennen's aftershave lotion and elbow grease.  At any rate, it was not worth the effort and ended up in the garbage container outside. If you are interested, want to see a picture and want a good laugh see:

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970203752604576645242121126386

We look forward to this month of many birthdays and talking to many of you on the phone.

February has been a month of changes in our schedule for us.  Our shift at the temple was changed to mornings, at least for this month.  We weren’t sure how that would be after being on the afternoon and evening shift for 2 months, but we are adjusting to it.    Don’t know yet if this will be for the month of March also or not.  At any rate, to give you an idea of our schedule this is what our week looks like:

  Monday is our preparation day, which usually involves doing any necessary shopping, household chores, as well as trying to also mix in a fun activity.  Last week we introduced all of the American couples to our favorite Chinese restaurant as there were two of us who had birthdays the previous week.  It was doubly good because on the way home, we discovered a Mexican restaurant that we will try some Monday. I had a great birthday with a Chocolate Mousse birthday cake to top it off - second only to Donna’s “Magelby’s” chocolate cake.

Monday is also a day to do a little baking when I can.  I am still working on getting a small oven but in the meantime, going up and down the stairs while trying to bake cookies or muffins, I figure is working off the calories that I might gain by eating them.  Dad is so skinny now he doesn’t have to worry!  How about that!  I have already had to take his pants in a couple of inches.  The evening is our time to catch up on BYU sports as well.

   Tuesday – We enter the temple with one of the members of the presidency at 6:00 am, dress and then serve at the reception desk until about 9:00.  Then we do our assignments until about 2:45pm when the next shift comes on.  The President has been working hard to get local stakes, as well as the stakes that come via excursions, to provide people to help.  This past week there were so many officiators available, we had to just step back and fill in where and when we could.  It’s a good thing but makes for a long day when you are not completely involved.  This map gives you some idea of the huge area this temple serves.  The red circles are stakes (70) and the blue circles districts (8). 

   Wednesday – We are back in the baptistery which we enjoy so much.  By the end of the week we are really getting acquainted with all the youth and hate to see them leave.  One of the excursions this week was from Belem, so we especially enjoyed them being here. 

   Thursday – regular assignments.  After our shifts on Tuesdays and Thursdays, it’s time to do our washing.  We sometimes try to have a date night at the shopping mall that is located just behind the temple, to hear the pianist and have a treat.

   Friday – Baptistery

Saturday – regular assignments, but we get off at 12:30 because the temple closes at 6pm. In the evening, we usually try to catch up on BYU games that happened during the week via BYU-TV.

   Sunday – Church at 3:30 to 6:30 pm.  We weren't too sure about that schedule but it does give us a chance to sleep in a little after rising early all week.  We also have time to read, write in the Blog or journal, and still have time after church to talk to some of the family. 

  Yesterday Dad woke up with Açai on his mind, so for lunch, we went to a little place called Ponto de Açai. As you can see, he got his fill.  There was a TV crew doing a story for one of the local stations on Açai.  So who knows, Dad may be on TV one of these days.  If you don’t know about Açai, look it up on the internet.  It is a berry that grows on a specific species of palm tree here in northern Brazil, usually in the Amazon region.  Very high in iron and leaves your mouth and teeth blue for a short time.  Dad says it is delicious.  Me, I’m not so sure, so I had a strawberry, pineapple and orange smoothie. 

Happenings

The other day I looked out the window into our temple garden filled with families enjoying the beautiful sunshine, the fountain and the surrounding gardens.  On the mound that surrounds the fountain and where the children like to run up and roll down, I saw two little boys about the size of Ella, ascending the mound and then running down the other side as though they were chasing something, like little boys like to do when they see a bird or squirrels.  This time, it was little monkeys, I discovered as the monkeys scampered up the nearest tree.  This past 2 weeks the property in back of us, which was filled with tropical trees and accompanying birds and animals, sadly, was cleared to make way for who knows what? Yet to be determined.  But I guess the monkeys decided that our garden looked like a place to investigate for a new home.  I haven't seen them today so maybe they moved on to a more dense forest, we shall see.

From Internet

When was the last time you remember attending a Sacrament Meeting at 6:00 PM?  There may even be some of you who read this who never have done that.  I had to look it up myself to see when we actually started on the "Block" schedule.  It was in 1980 that that change was made.  Why do I ask such a random question?  Yes, being the beginning of a New Year we are probably all changing our meeting times.  We now meet from 3:30 to 6:30 PM, Sacrament Meeting being last.  We have 3 wards in our building and we moved from the middle to the last hour which, here, happens to be 3:30.  Why?  The 1 o-clock hour, which is normal in the US, is right in the middle of the lunch hour for Brazilians and there is no way they would get a congregation together during that time.  Even at the temple everything slows down for the ritual "almoco", Lunch Hour.

As you have often heard us say, "Every day, an adventure!"

2014, A Time of Reflection

I really can't believe it has been a month since I wrote on this blog.  There have been may challenges and opportunities as we have adjusted to the new hours, both for the temple schedule itself as well as our personal schedules.  Previous to this month our shift was in the morning. The beginning of December, we moved to the afternoon and evening shift.  We thought we would change back to mornings at the beginning of the New Year, but on receiving our schedules this past week found that we will still be serving from 2:00 to 10:00 PM.  Either time is good for us. but I do miss our date night on Thursdays at the Mall having a treat and listening to the Piano Man who plays there.

We just finished watching the Rose Parade via Internet and as BYU-TV would say, "Seeing the Good in the World."  Denise called and we shared the parade as we watched it together.  So Grateful for so many blessings in my life and for his wonderful tradition in our family stemming from our being raised in Southern California. It always brings back so many good family memories.  Yesterday, we had a wonderful New Years celebration here with our temple family, although being the "oldies", we left before the New Year arrived. But the best part of the holidays has been being able to be close to our family through today's wonderful technology and through the gospel that binds our hearts together even though we are many miles apart.  We are so grateful for each of you, our loved ones, for the many blessings that have been ours over these many years.  It seems the first of the year is a time to look back as well as look forward.  In looking back and "remembering", my heart is full because of the many blessings afforded to each of us as a family and, as we look forward, we are anxious for the adventure in each day, for the opportunity to yet learn new things and continue in our daily efforts to change and improve and ever continue to try to emulate the perfect example set for us by our Savior, Jesus Christ.  As Pres. Monson said in our last General Conference, "This should be our purpose, to persevere and endure, yes and also to become  more spiritually refined as we make our way through sunshine and sorrow." May this be our beacon call in this New Year, 2014.

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.

Always Learning

Just returned from doing our laundry.  With 3 washing machines and 4 dryers I can have it done and folded in about 2 hours.  Sweet!  So I thought I had better get going on an, albeit short, blog today.
The past week went well.  Everyday there is something different to be entrusted with and to learn about.  The baptistry is a work in progress as there are so many variables to deal with.  But we are getting more comfortable with the routine and enjoying it more and more each day.  I will say this, it is a challenge physically with all of the clothes and towels to fold and hang each day.  I was helping Sister Chrisopherson this morning get things in order and she hung 100 baptism jumpsuits while I folded towels, floor rugs, mens shorts etc.  Tuesday morning being the first of the week is always the hardest.
A wonderful surprise this week was a gift of a piano from our Temple Presidents wife.  This beautiful piano has been sitting in the original apartment downstairs from us that has housed the previous Temple Presidents and their wives.  Our temple president decided that they wanted to move to the third floor where a new apartment was prepared for them.  They are renovating the old apartment and will turn it in to a computer center for the young people who come on the caravans so that they can do extraction and other work on the computers when they are not in the baptistry.  Neither the temple president nor his wife play the piano so Sister Pizzerani asked if I would like to have it in our apartment.  I substituted 2 Sundays in Sacrament Meeting when Sister Christopherson was taking a trip during the temple closure and she probably figured I would inherit that job when the Christophersons leave next June and need to have a piano to practice on.  Anyway I am thrilled to have it.  It is a beautiful addition to our home and even though I am not as good as my girls who do play I so enjoy practicing each day.

Any of you who have seen the movie RIO will remember the little monkeys in that show.  Yesterday as we were walking to the store I looked up and there were 3 of those pesky little creatures running along the telephone or power lines.  Only in Brazil!  Tchau for now. Te amo.

Our Place of Refuge and Beauty

Celestial room Stained glass windows

We thought you would like to see some pictures of the temple and our beautiful garden of Eden.

Walkway to the temple

Walkway to the World

Antirrhinum garden outside our window

Mangos beginning to grow

Our Apartment building.  Bottom row 2nd and 3rd
windows from the right is ours, #204

Inner Courtyard, Apts. on left.

Bedroom

Dining/Living room

Even have a dishwasher!

As the sun has settled down in the southern hemisphere, and daylight savings time has once again affected life in the United States, I was thinking about “light” today in our fast and testimony meeting.  We heard wonderful, stirring testimonies from members who accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ from two to twenty-six years ago.  Many commented about the light that warmed their souls as they came into the meeting houses for the first time and felt the love of the Savior and the members, which light continued to be present as the missionaries taught the Gospel to them.

I bear testimony that the Light of Christ is felt daily in our lives as we accept and live the principles that the Savior taught.  It is that Light that gives brightness to the heavens and earth.  Good is light; evil is dark.  Those who do evil things have no glow and most of their evil acts are performed in the nighttime. Our grandson Chase, asked about Halloween in Brazil and I explained that for the younger children, it usually is a party in their or their friend’s homes.  They do dress up as is done in the U.S., but trick or treating is not done much unless they live in high rise condominiums or apartment complexes.  The streets are much too dangerous at night!

This week was wonderful, and we enjoyed many spiritual experiences.  Our assignments included coordinating the work in the baptistery on two days.  Many young people came from faraway places to be able to perform the ordinances of baptism and confirmation, and much work was accomplished. Because of time restraints and space limitations, the groups are limited to 30 young men and 30 young women in separate sessions.  Obviously, the smaller the group, the more ordinances each individual can perform, but that doesn’t keep the larger groups from coming. 

We also coordinated the adult endowment and initiatory sessions for our shift on the other three days.  The temple was filled with delightful members from as far away as Fortaleza (12 hours), Maceio (6 hours), as well as members within a few miles from the temple. We had the opportunity to meet one of our dear missionaries who served with us in Belem – always a highlight.

Now, what does that have to do with light?  A bus, chartered by members from Maceio which was traveling through the night to get to the temple, was stopped by “highway robbers” who forced the bus from the highway onto a dirt side road, and robbed all of the members, taking money and jewelry.  No one was injured and it did not keep the members from enjoying their day at the temple – where there is LIGHT.  The thieves, who work under the cover of darkness, cannot dim the light in the eyes of those who are following the Savior and doing His work!

We love Brazil, but we also understand that there are many who, because of poverty and vices, steal and rob from others who have the appearance of having more luxuries in life.  We are grateful to live in the gated security of the temple complex, and never venture out at night.  We love the Savior and are thankful to be able to serve Him and his wonderful, committed people in northern Brazil.

Our love to each and every one of you.