Happy Birthday, Clark

Dear Clark,

You are going to Kindergarten already, and now you are 6!

 We hope you have a great Birthday.  You will probably be eating some cake, too.  Right?  Hey Clark, you know what? – You are going to really like being 6 for this whole next year.  We remember when we were 6, and it is lots of fun.  …So when it is not your birthday – like tomorrow, or next week or next month – what do you do on a regular day?  We remember going to the park with you.  Do you still like to climb as much as you used to?

Have you been on any good hikes lately?  Seen any good movies?  Are Legos fun to build?...

So, here is what we do every day.  We ride the bus to the cemetery.  Last Friday, as we just arrived at the bus stop, our bus pulled away.  We would have to wait for about 15 minutes.  Then one of our “regular” drivers comes barreling down the street, as if he was going to pass up the whole stop.  They do this sometimes when they are jam-packed full.  Then he slammed on his brakes and stopped about 100 feet past us.  Four of us went down to where he stopped.  He signaled a “NO” to the other two and signaled us “ON”.

So, we hopped on.  Then he raced ahead full steam and we were the only ones on the bus!  He took our bus fare but did not give us a ticket and explained:  his car wouldn’t start that morning and he arrived late so he had to race across town with an empty bus to start from the other end on time.  You can’t imagine the ride we had that morning – driving in the middle lane/passing up passengers/running yellow lights (they hardly ever do that, amazingly)…!  And to top it all off, he took us via the coast for the last several miles, circling around his regular in-town route.  Wow! …fastest and least crowded ride ever!!

The mint man looks for us at one certain stop.

He is retarded, and everyone goes out of the way to help him.  He is out there doing all he can to support himself.  He is a good worker, and he always practices his few English words on us!  He says, “Goodbye.  I will see you tomorrow.”

When we get to the cemetery, I climb the ladder to get down the book we will need.

I dust it off and we begin to take pictures of EACH page.  On the computer it shows our pages.  Here is where we just started and are on page 6.

This one ended up to be 2713 pages.  That means we took 2713 pictures for that book.  It took about four days to do it.  Other books are cleaner and only 500 to 800 pages.  We do those in only one day.

So, Clark; do you still want to be a teacher?  If you do, that’s great.

Jesus was a teacher.  He taught by telling stories.

 

We have a story for you to tell your family.  We remember how you like books and like to tell stories.

This story is about a boy who had a brother named Kent.  Imagine that you are the boy, and Logan is Kent.   Here is how the story goes:

In the story, you are afraid – and Logan would not wake up to help you feel better.  And then “… I had an idea! On the dresser by my bed was a picture of Jesus that I had gotten in Primary. Slowly I reached out and propped up the picture. The light from our nightlight seemed to make the words at the bottom of the picture glow:  ‘I am the way. Come and follow me’.  [Then]… I rolled onto my side so that I could see the picture and read those words again and again.

I looked at Jesus’s hands and thought about how He blessed little children.

My stomach stopped flip-flopping.  I looked at Jesus’s feet and thought about how He went to find people who needed help.  My heart stopped thump-thumping.  I looked at Jesus’s face and thought about how He knew my name.”

"Jesus at My Bedside", Craig Harmon and Marissa Widdison    (Based on a true Story)     Friend, December 2010

“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:36).

Poem: Near to Jesus

How can I feel near

To Jesus each day?

By reading the scriptures

And kneeling to pray.

How can I serve Him?

That’s easy to see--

By doing kind things for

My dear family.

How does it feel when

His Spirit is near?

I feel peaceful and calm,

With faith and not fear.

How can I show Him

That I love Him too?

I try to be like Him

In all that I do.

By Barbara Wren Tuttle

It is wonderful that Jesus and our Heavenly Father know our name.  It is wonderful that somehow Heavenly Father can hear every prayer in the whole world.  They love you  and we love you too!

Happy Birthday, Ellie

Dear Ellie,

We can’t believe that you are now 6!   

You are a sweet and most wondrous 6!!!

Have a fun day today.  We love you.

Grandpa and I want you to know that you have taught us of the “good, bright, hopeful things of life” and of “the wonder of being alive.”

 

It is Spring here and the peach blossoms are out and we have many avocado trees

We have just found out that avocados are really a berry that grows on trees.  We learned that (and about fig trees) from Ana (91 years old) as we walked her home from church.  We walk up a steep street and down a steep street and around a steep curve and she would point her cane to the peach blossoms, the fig growing and the arbol de palto with the palta (avocado) now growing.  She has a Christmas cactus blooming that she started from a small sprout.  With her cane she tried to knock down a geranium start growing on a high wall so she could take it home.  She taught us of the wonders of the world too! 

The figs and the avocados are growing

The ice cream men hop onto the buses at the stops and try to sell their chirimoya ice cream bars - which we haven’t tried yet, but many people choose it over the other choices.

They say the chirimoya doesn't taste very good if you eat it plain,

 

 And a member in our ward is selling lúcumas (from a tree in her yard), which are also used to make desserts.

 In this October General Conference, President Uchtdorf told a story about an 11year-old girl named Eva who spent the summer with her Great-Aunt Rose.   Eva did not want to go, but then she was glad she did. 

This is what Eva learned from her Great-Aunt:

It is fun to read your scriptures out loud, and her Great-Aunt Rose when she read them “…sometimes made comments like ‘Oh, he shouldn’t have done that!’ or ‘What wouldn’t I give to have been there!’ or ‘Isn’t that the most beautiful thing you’ve ever heard!’ ”

Great-Aunt Rose knew Heavenly Father “as a friend.”

And every evening as the two of them knelt by Eva’s bed to pray, Great-Aunt Rose would say the most beautiful prayers, thanking her Heavenly Father for the blue jays and the spruce trees, the sunsets and the stars, and the “wonder of being alive.”

The daisies are saying their prayers when we go to work in the morning

And when we come home, they say "welcome home"

   

Grandma likes to "snap" the snapdragons and is amazed that everywhere lilies grow

The nasturtiums flourish on the sides of hills and we don't know the name of this little bell flower

This "helicopter" tree was at the Temple in Santiago as also these beautiful shrubs

To be happy!!!  Her Great-Aunt had a picture on her wall that she gave Eva when Eva was older which showed a happy girl (wearing a pioneer hat skipping along a path).  It reminded her of the trials the pioneers endured and who said,  “but with joy wend your way….”

  

President Uchtdorf said, “God didn’t design us to be sad. He created us to have joy!  So if we trust Him, He will help us to notice the good, bright, hopeful things of life. And sure enough, the world will become brighter.  When we love God, we want to serve Him. We want to be like Him. When we love our neighbors, we stop thinking so much about our own problems and help others to solve theirs.”

Happy Ellie and her new haircut

Great-Aunt Rose taught Eva about Faith, Hope and Love.  

President Uchtdorf  said in his talk, “As you walk along your own bright path of discipleship, I pray that faith will fortify every footstep along your way; that hope will open your eyes to the glories Heavenly Father has in store for you; and that love for God and all His children will fill your hearts.”   "A Summer with Great-Aunt Rose", President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency General Conf October 2015

We are so blessed to have such wonderful children and grandchildren.  We are so blessed to have the Gospel in our lives.

...thou shalt be like a watered garden,

 and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” Isaiah 58:11

Happy Birthday, Aaron

Hello, Aaron;

Your 8^th Birthday Countdown:  1 day!

Your Baptism Day Countdown:  3 days!!

  How blessed you will be to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost is a special gift that will last way longer than any regular old present.  He wants to be your special helper and guide for the rest of your whole life.  On Sunday, you will be entering the “gate” and starting on the path.

  And here we are in Chile.  We would love to be there to see you baptized.  Please record your special feelings of that day.  We love you very, very much, Aaron.    

The port

Small passenger boats with Navy ships in background

All heading back home

  So down here the Chilean Navy (armada) and some ships from the USA (including the USS Washington aircraft carrier) have been playing like there was a war down here – to see if they could work together and get things done.

 So the “war” ended today, and all the ships have been coming back to their regular ports.  They have special (water) parking places where they dock.  But the docking places are very crowded, and some of the bigger ships can’t ‘park’ on their own.  Today we saw how they do it.  The big ship stops, and two powerful, but little “tug boats” push and pull the big ship into its docking place (berth).

  We thought how the tug boats are like the Holy Ghost – small, but super powerful.

  He (the Holy Ghost is a spirit person) can HELP you get out of tight situations, SHOW you the right way to go, REMEMBER things, DECIDE the best thing to do, PROTECT you, and lots of other things.  What a GIFT!!

  These quotes are from the Conference talk by Elder Lawrence:

“As we travel along that strait and narrow path, the Spirit continually challenges us to be better and to climb higher....”

“The Holy Ghost makes an ideal traveling companion. If we are humble and teachable, He will take us by the hand and lead us home.”

Great traveling companions too!

“The Holy Ghost really does give customized counsel. He is a completely honest companion and will tell us things that no one else knows or has the courage to say...”

Going to Church every week and partaking of the Sacrament is how we stay on the path

“The Holy Ghost doesn’t tell us to improve everything at once. If He did, we would become discouraged and give up. The Spirit works with us at our own speed, one step at a time....”

“The Spirit can show us our weaknesses, but He is also able to show us our strengths.

Sometimes we need to ask what we are doing right so that the Lord can lift and encourage us.....”

“Heavenly Father knows our divine potential. He rejoices every time we take a step forward.  To Him, our direction is ever more important than our speed.”
"What Lack I Yet?", Elder Larry R. Lawrence, Of the Seventy, General Conference October 2015

Happy Birthday, Drew

Dear Drew,

HAPPY 5^th BIRTHDAY!  We know that this past year you have become a terrific helper fixing things with your Dad.  Way to go!!!  We were also remembering how you won the contest that Uncle Brett made – to see who could guess best where we were going on our mission.  And you won!  Winning is fun - and being a helper is fun, right?        RIGHT!!

Drew received a gift card for being a winner!

Ask your Mom and Dad about Elder Ballard’s talk about ships and boats from General Conference.  Last week here in Valparaíso, the Bay was full of Chilean Navy ships AND submarines AND the USS George Washington (CVN 73), an aircraft carrier from the United States.  They were all involved in a joint exercise.  It was very fun to keep an eye on what they were doing every day.

The George Washington was deployed to Valparaíso as a part of Southern Seas 2015

 

Here are our favorite quotes from two of Elder Ballards’ talks on THE OLD SHIP ZION:

“… one of the experienced river guides reviewed important safety instructions, emphasizing three rules that would ensure… safe travel through the rapids.

‘Rule number one: stay in the boat!

Rule number two: always wear a life jacket!  

Rule number three: always hold on with both hands!

He then said again, with even more emphasis,  ‘Above all, remember rule number one: stay in the boat!’ ”

“Stay in the Boat and Hold On!”, Elder M. Russell Ballard, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2014 General Conference.

Some boats are small like the tube you and Greyson were riding in.  Way to hold on with both hands!  Your family’s side-by-sides are kind of like the tube – you have to stay on them by holding on with both hands – really hold on tight!!  There are also bigger and really-really bigger ships.  They are almost like cities because they hold so many people.  But even with big ships you have to stay on board, or you won’t get where you want to go.  That is what Elder Ballard was talking about:  staying true to the church – like staying on a big ship – to get back to live with Heavenly Father – where you want to go.

In  his talk  this October,  Elder Ballard talked about ‘The Old Ship Zion” again and said, "...let us stay on board and remember that, by definition, a ship is a vehicle, and the purpose of a vehicle is to take us to a destination."

"Our ship’s destination is the full blessings of the gospel, the kingdom of heaven, the celestial glory, and the presence of God!
God’s plan is in place. He is at the helm, and His great and powerful ship flows toward salvation and exaltation. Remember that we cannot get there by jumping out of the boat and trying to swim there by ourselves."
"God Is at the Helm" , Elder M. Russell Ballard, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2015 General Conference

WE'LL ALL STAY IN THE BOAT AND HOLD ON!!!

Happy Birthday, Darin

Dear Darin,

What adventures will the next year bring?  Enjoy this 45^th birthday and year to come!  You and Angie and family enjoy adventures and have taken many a journey.

Trip to Venezia

   We love your pictures of those trips.  And all those work-related trips to China

are turning you into the professional international traveler – all to check on and perfect your warmers!  They are beautiful!!  You are an excellent potter and designer.  We are amazed by your skill.  We love you and appreciate your ability to create family moments and memories.  Somehow you have even managed to adopt a dog for the gang!  Even more amazing is how you keep Angie happy with the new addition!!  As they ask the magician:  “How does he do that?”

The shipping port here, Terminal Pacífico Sur (TPS), is a big deal for Valparaíso.

 A week ago they sponsored their annual half marathon.

They are managed by a German group and provide many jobs and are well organized.  Our trips to the cementerio every day take us past this very amazing part of the city.  the huge cargo ships dock to discharge and take on containers.  On the docks and on the ships, they stack the containers 7 and 8-high.  Quite impressive.

Hamburg Süd always has many containers.  A few others are Cronos based in Greece, China Shipping based in Shanghai, Yang Ming based in Taiwan, Hanjin based in South Korea and way more.

Does some of your product make such a trip? …or does it all fly?  It is so fun to watch these huge container ships being led in and out of the bay by only one tugboat and some smaller craft that seems to be jutted up pushing right on the tail of that huge ship.  And they head out on their journey….

We love these pictures as you head out on your journey and then come home.  Do they sing you the song, "We're so glad when Daddy comes home?  Glad as we can be...."

Goodbyes are tough!

Here is a quote from Elder Ballard in his talk a year ago after speaking about our mortal journey, “…how do we stay on the Old Ship Zion?  Here is how. We need to experience a continuing conversion by increasing our faith in Jesus Christ and our faithfulness to His gospel throughout our lives--not just once but regularly.”

“Stay in the Boat and Hold On!”, Elder M. Russell Ballard, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2014 General Conference.

And some quotes from Elder Maynes’ talk  from this October Conference:

“Like the clay on the potter’s wheel, we must be centered as well.
Our core, the center of our lives, must be Jesus Christ and His gospel.
Living a Christ-centered life means we learn about Jesus Christ and His gospel and then we follow His example and keep His commandments with exactness.

The ancient prophet Isaiah stated,

“But now, O Lord, thou art our father;

we are the clay, and thou our potter;

and we all are the work of thy hand.” Isaiah 64:8

If our lives are centered in Jesus Christ, He can successfully mold us into who we need to be in order to return to His and Heavenly Father’s presence in the celestial kingdom. The joy we experience in this life will be in direct proportion to how well our lives are centered on the teachings, example, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.”  "The Joy of Living a Christ-Centered Life", Elder Richard J. Maynes, Of the Presidency of the Seventy, General Conference October 2015.