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.

Happy Birthday, Angela

Dear Angie, 

We have now been in Chile for one year and missed your last birthday also, but we look forward to seeing you, Darin and Gavin in November.

   Here is your report from your blog one year ago:  “For my birthday today, while Ellie was at preschool, Greyson helped me clear out the diseased zucchini plants from our front beds and put down new bark.  Just what I wanted!!  He was a very good (and cute) helper!

A delivery of flowers arrived just after noon from Darin in China who sent his love and wished he could be here.

Tonight, we'd been invited to the Birds' house for FHE and birthday pie. No pictures there, but it was nice!

44 doesn't feel much different from 43. :)  ”

And now our “little” Angie will be 45.  You have had so many fun trips and adventures this past year. Yet, it has also brought a trial of DCIS.  We see in you a greater faith.  Probably more prayers, love, trust and perspective as well.

Looking out our apartment windows has taught us about  perspective.  The view is amazing of the bay and of this beautiful world.  When a sunset would start, we would say, “Look at it now!”

   Wow!!  And then a few minutes later call and say, “Come and look at it now!!”

  The vastness of it all!

  Our view gives us an expanded perspective.  It “elevates” us.  It brings feelings of amazement – even an eternal perspective.

  

Our mission president is always encouraging his missionaries to set goals which will elevate our thoughts and bring us closer to Christ.

Our Zone watched conference together

  These days in the Church  it seems we all are of necessity working on that.  It seems that the women of the Church especially received wonderful counsel and guidance from Conference!!!

“…Attacks against the Church, its doctrine, and our way of life are going to increase.  Because of this, we need women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and who will use that understanding to teach and help raise a sin-resistant generation….”  “A Plea to My Sisters”, President Russell M. Nelson, October General Conference 2015

In his conference talk, "My Heart Pondereth Them Continually", Devin G. Durrant, the First Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, said, “I sincerely pray you will choose to ponder God’s words in an extended and deeper manner.”

He also said, "I believe Nephi was a ponderizer....

ponderizing is like taking a bite of delicious food and then chewing very, very slowly in order to enjoy it to its fullest."
We believe you, Ang, are a ponderizer.... 

While your Dad is able to eat slowly and savor each bite, your Mom still hasn’t learned that skill.  Ponderizing might be hard !   

Here are a few quotes from Brother Durrant:
“If you choose to ponderize weekly, you may feel a bit like a person who has enjoyed snorkeling in the past

but has now decided to try scuba diving.

 

 With that decision, a deeper understanding of gospel principles will be yours and new spiritual perspectives will bless your life.”

"Can you imagine how

your life and your family’s life will be changed

if you write a new verse of scripture on your heart and mind

every week ...?
I promise…

you will experience a feeling of perpetual spiritual purpose,

protection, and power."

Let’s Ponderize….

Happy Birthday, Sadie

Happy Birthday, Sadie!!

This is your special year when you will be 7 on the 7^th !!  We know it will be a very fun day for you.  Please give us a call or send us a note of what you did for your birthday.  It seems not long ago that we went with you to John Jay Park near your home in NYC, and now you live in California.

  Now you have been  on a swim team, participated in your first triathlon with a 25 yard swim, ½ mile bike and ½ mile run in 11 minutes 52 seconds, and have two super cool brothers.  Very cool!!!

Grandpa and Sadie in NYC

  Please, all nietos –  read what we posted last week when Uncle Vance had a birthday.  There is a picture of Great Grandpa Gibson and his sister, Gwen, standing in front of a Model T Ford.  They were little children once.  Your Moms and Dads were little children once – and we, your Grandma and Grandpa, were too,  AND:   

Jesus once was a little child,

A little child like me;

           And he was pure and meek and mild,

           As a little child should be.

So, little children,

Let's you and I

          Try to be like him,

Try, try, try.

Words: James R. Murray, 1841-1905

Music: Joseph Ballantyne, 1868-1944

Being meek does not mean weakness, but it does mean behaving with goodness and kindness, showing strength, serenity, healthy self-worth and self control.  Ulisses Soares,  “Be Meek and Lowly of Heart”  Liahona, Nov 2013, 9.

Here is a quote from this conference:   “I believe that starting a tradition of telling the stories of Jesus to our children and families is a very special way to keep the Sabbath day holy in our homes. …The Sabbath and the sacrament become much more enjoyable as we study the stories of Christ. …” Elder Claudio R. M. Costa of the Seventy, October Conference 2015, “That They Do Always Remember Him” 

 Here is the story you made for your class after your trip to Argentina and Chile last Christmas.  Thanks, Sadie for telling us the story of your trip.  We have enjoyed reading it, and wanted to share it with others:

Happy Birthday, Vance

Happy 38th Birthday on Sunday, 4 October, Vance!!!

Vance, Brady and Patty at Zion National Park

What a wonderful day to have a birthday!! 

Three new apostles chosen and called, and will speak to the world today:   

Elders Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson and Dale G. Renlund.

Enjoy your day.

Elder Robert D. Hales  gave such a wonderful talk in the Saturday session.  Your recent hike to Zion National Park was brought to mind when he quoted, “…Ye shall offer to me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. ..”, because the Spanish word for broken is “quebrada”.

Zion is way more than a "quebrada"

   Many of the dividing lines for boundaries of the wards are “quebradas” (or ravines) that divide the cerros (hills).  Besides the view of the bay, we also see this “quebrada” from our balcony.

In our Stake, we have a Quebrada Verde Ward.  We think of you and your engineering skills with water drainage as we observe these cerros and the interesting problems they cause….

We need you down here!!

 Thanks for all the building projects that have happened around your home and all the opportunities it provides you to teach your sons. 

It has been so fun also to observe a view of a building project going on with the cranes and forms and all just across the way from us.  This apartment building is called the Gran Vista.  They are now on the 17^th floor.

Gran Vista

 

Keep up the good work on those projects (and your sons!!). 

Example is so key.  A Seventy, Bradley D. Foster, used the scripture: “…but what He seeth the Father do.”

Brother Foster also said,

“Today the world fights for our children’s identity and mind.”

It’s never too early and never too late –

Say to your children, “I’ve been where you are; and I know what comes next; and I will help you through it.”

As President Russell M.  Nelson said, ‘We must be engaged in intentional parenting’.”

What a challenging time to be a parent and member of the Church!!!

Grandpa Gibson’s sister, Auntie Gwen, will have her 93^rd Birthday on the 9^th of October.

  We are especially thinking of our 94 year-old Dad with his recent surgery and pray for his comfort and healing.  Bruce was the oldest with Gwenavere Gibson Noble born the next year.

Model T, Bruce and Gwen

  

And then sister, Shirley, then Robert.

  

Later, Carol Jean, the last of the family, was born when Grandpa was 17.

 

What a wonderful General Conference….