Out in the country

"Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing---yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and corruptibleness to the extent thereof." (Doctrine & Covenants 19:38)

"Prayer unlocks the powers of heaven in our behalf.  Prayer is the great gift which our Eternal Father has given us by which we may approach Him and speak with Him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Be prayerful.

You cannot make it alone.  You cannot reach your potential alone.  You need the help of the Lord" (The Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 470).

Guayaquil

I have been doing a lot of preaching in this blog, and not much of showing where we are.  Here are some photos of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Attend the temple

We are very busy in the temple.  Today we are receiving 300 from the Esmeraldas, the furthest stake of the district.

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. . . . Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalms 51:1-3, 10)

"The parable of the Prodigal Son [Luke 15:11-32] typifies the condition of too many of our fellow men, who mistakenly feel that squandering their inheritance in riotous living will bring them happiness.  But it also portrays those who make another type of mistake---feeling that their righteousness makes them superior to their less-disciplined brethren.  Both brothers in the parable desperately need the Lord to free them of their burdens.  This is the message of the parable.

"We learn from this parable that all of us, regardless of our status or condition, have an absolute need of the Lord's saving grace.  We are all dependent on him for peace in this life and for eternal life" (The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, p. 33).
My latest video is about the music of Ecuador:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzioqXTvmc4

Hermano Sánchez taught us important principles.

A sister saw him in the temple, and told him she was upset to see him in a wheelchair instead of walking.  She continued on down the hallway, and he spoke to me: "It is very painful and dangerous for me to walk, but with the wheelchair, I can go and do whatever I need to.  I am very happy to be in this wheelchair!"

As soon as he got a wheelchair, his leg pain was greatly reduced.  It did start up again later, but in the joints, not the middle of the leg.  We concluded that the dead part of the bone does not hurt, and is not irritating the muscle any more.  However, the joints hurt: what could be better news: the most important part of the bone is alive!  Pain means there is life.

I poured him the rest of the juice, and asked, "is the glass half full or half empty?"  He smiled and said that to him is is half full, and he is more than satisfied with it.  He is content to
accept whatever he has and whatever his situation, and to bloom where he is planted.

Tuesday his Bishop ordered a wheelchair from Quito.  Wednesday at noon it arrived.  He attended the temple in his new chair that evening. He left Thursday morning on the bus, and arrived in good health and good spirits to be with his family.

Thanks to the intervention of the temple missionaries, he has an appointment for the surgery he needs.  It is in our nature to help people.  It was good for us to have this opportunity.  We probably won't be allowed to do anything like that again.  This time we needed Hermano Sánchez, and he needed us. wnd we are all better for it.

The Father of My Children

The father of my children............................


Has a brain that sheds inspiration in the middle of the night,
Eyes that see the needs of others and then he acts accordingly,
Ears that hear beautiful music he has composed.
A nose that smells the luscious aromas from his wife's kitchen (especially the bread),
Lips that speak no evil of anyone, only kindness,
Hands that calm the pain in his wife's feet at night,
Feet that dance a jig with so much enthusiasm,
And a heart that feels the love of his family.

by J. Janeen Howard

Good Things to Come

Trust God and believe in good things to come:

Parents

Janeen has been a natural at caring for Hermano Sánchez, because she is a mother.  It was her mother instinct that made it possible to see he had a need, then to organize all the temple missionaries to get him fed, housed, and to the doctor.  Fathers also have instincts and desires for their children.  Lehi and J.F. Smith explain it well:

"But behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot go down to my grave save I should leave a blessing upon you; for behold, I know that if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not depart from it" (2 Nephi 4: 5).
https://beta.lds.org/youth/mormon-messages/video/mothers-and-daughters?locale=eng

"May the fathers in Israel live as they should live; treat their wives as they should treat them; make their homes as comfortable as they possibly can; lighten the burden upon their companions as much as possible; set a proper example before their children; teach them to meet with them in prayer, morning and night, and whenever they sit down to partake of food, to acknowledge the mercy of God in giving them the food that they eat and the raiment that they wear, and acknowledge the hand of God in all things.  This is our duty, and if we do not do it the Lord will be displeased, for he has said so.  He is only pleased with those who acknowledge his hand in all things" (Gospel Doctrine, p. 288) (Joseph F. Smith)

Suffering

"But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).

"We have learned many things through suffering.  We call it suffering.  I call it a school of experience.  I never did bother my head much about these things.  I do not today.  What are these things for?  Why is it that good men should be tried? . . . I have never looked at these things in any other light than trials for the purpose of purifying the Saints of God that they may be, as the scriptures say, as gold that has been seven times purified by the fire" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, p. 203).



As youth, Saul and David were humble and chosen.  Once they had authority they yielded to the temptation to trust in their own strength, which only alienated them from the true source of their power (1 Samuel 9-13, Jeremiah 17:5).


We are reminded the the loss of health, job, and property made us available to come here.  When we arrived, we found that our bank card was compromised, and we had lost much more.  Was all this to prepare us to help Hermano Sánchez who has similar problems?  Or was it so he could help us by his example to see that we needn't focus on our pains, but on staying qualified and active in the temple?  This is the true way to honor and bless our family.

As Dad and I left our Saturday shift (about 5pm) there was an hermano sitting on a bench beside the temple with his head down resting on his arm and cane.  Actually it wasn't just a cane but one that fits around your wrists.  I touched his shoulder and he looked up kind of dazed.  I think he had been asleep.  I asked if everything was alright and the way he said it I knew it wasn't.  I probed him more about where he came from and where he was staying etc.  Come to find out he was sleeping in the bus station in a chair because after he got to Guayaquil some men hopped on the city bus he was on and robbed everyone!  He lost all his money!  He was staying over to see the doctor on Monday and they may take his leg off.  He has osteomylitis and the infection is going up his leg.  He is a young father with two daughters ages 7 and 5.  His wife had to stay home with the children.  He served in the temple yesterday and since 8 am today!  I can't tell you how my heart felt after talking to him.  I sent Dad into the apartment building to find the "super" to see if the man could stay here.  Then the counselor to the temple president and his wife came from the temple and I walked over to tell them what happened to this man.  To make a long story short, he now has a room to stay here as long as he needs it the president said.  I took him a sandwich and fresh orange juice, then here comes the counselor's wife with food from the temple today, and then our neighbor's wife put together food for him to eat!!  I told him he was going to get "gored"!!  Pres. Furhiman gave him $15 to go in a tax it to get his things and to buy his medicine, then he will return to stay here.  He is such a humble, kind and loving man.  I told him that many angels live here and they will take care of him.  At first he didn't want me to do anything but the spirit told me differently!  So, I listened to the spirit!  Now I can sleep better tonight!  

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these (my sisters) ye have done it unto me."  We must always listen to and act upon the promptings of the spirit.  I told him we are all mothers and that is what mothers do.  We care for others!  God bless him.  His name is Hermano Sanchez in case your family would like to remember him in your prayers.

Can you believe we have been on our mission almost a month?!!

Sending lots of love,    Mom

What is our job?

Our service assignment is to be "Temple Workers", which means we spend over 30 hours per week attending to people who travel from far and near.  It is a great assignment.  Not only is the environment beautiful, but everyone is always smiling.  

We are set apart as Missionaries who "should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people. And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another. And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the children of God" (Mosiah 18:20-22). No wonder we are always smiling and/or crying.

Sealing

Last night was yet another great shift at the temple.  For example, a couple came to be sealed to their children.  After they joined the Church and qualified, they brought their children and friends, and it was just like a wedding.  Also there was a wedding, as a returned missionary brought his bride.  Another exciting event was that a woman came to see her mother, a temple worker, who is a nurse.  The young woman is expected to give birth in the next day or so.  As I chatted with her, I discovered that this is her first (and granda's first).  She was praying that all would go well.  All the ladies were touching her and reassuring her, and everyone was smiling.  When her husband arrived, they went downstairs to do confirmations at the baptistery.  Nothing slows these faithful people from offering service in the temple.

The temple is different from a church or chapel.  In the temple, sealers exercise the  "keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" Matthew 16:19. " if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them-Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths..." (D&C 132:19).

To our dear family and friends

To our dear family and friends back in the USA and some in other parts of the world:

We humbly beg your forgiveness for writing one letter to you all about our arrival and  settling in to our new life as temple missionaries in Guayaquil, Ecuador. There is so much for us to learn to be ready to serve the Lord here in the temple. We are busy putting our apartment in order, getting a little rest before Wednesday (6:15 am) when we begin our temple orientation, and shopping for food etc, that our time is very limited to write each one of you separately,  We so want you to describe a little of what our first impressions are of the area and how our trip went, so the only thing to do is write this way for right now.  We love you!

We got up at 2 am Saturday morning because the shuttle was picking us up at 3 am for the airport.  Our flight was to leave at 6 am.  After the shuttle dropped us off and we got into the airport we found out our flight was cancelled due to some problems with the plane!  At least they found out before we left!  The airlines called the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah to ask for a shuttle to come pick us up!  We arrived back at the MTC about 6:30 am.  I was so tired, but we ate breakfast and I went back to our old room where we had been for 2 weeks and just rested the whole day!  Roy ran around doing different things (singing with the mexican Elders and Sisters, getting medicine for my earache and body aches, and preaching to the same group of Elders and Sisters!  Oh, he gave a couple of them a lesson on the harmonica too! They just love Elder Howard!

We repacked some of our things and left a few more behind.  Oh, Roy's brother gave him a suit that he had used on his mission in Nauvoo, but while we were in Provo we decided to buy Roy a new one and a couple pair of pants.  So he gave the suit to one of those Elders he was singing with and he was so happy to have Elder Howard's suit!  It will be used well, Nathan!  The next morning (Sunday) we didn't have to get up until 3:30 am because the shuttle wasn't coming 'till 4:30 am!   This time we actually left and arrived in Guayaquil at 11pm, went through customs (which was a piece of cake and they didn't even look in our luggage!), arriving at our apartment about 1 am (Monday morning)!  I think in 2 days we had only 7 hours of sleep!

What a beautiful apartment we have with a view of the city and foliage that is spectacular!  I just want to sit and look out the window!  Some of the sister missionaries had purchased food for us and flowers which was on the table and counter.  Such a warm welcome we had!  Then Pres. Rojas (temple president) and his wife took us shopping for food later in the day to a HUGE store which is kind of like Wal-Mart, but much bigger and cleaner.  They have everything to buy there except a car!

In the evening we had dinner with another senior couple and then had to go to a meeting with all the senior missionaries and the temple president.  By the time we got back to our apartment I was closing my eyes!  Today they let us have off so we could rest (that is the operative word!) and get ready for tomorrow.  This is a very large temple and a lot of people come on a regular basis to do baptisms and ordinances.  We have 8 senior couples and 3 couples in the temple presidency.  President Rojas and his wife are from Mexico but speak English very well.  Roy tuned their piano this morning and she brought us a lunch of homemade enchiladas and rice!  I made the most delicious smoothie (liquado) to drink, using fresh orange juice, bananas and pulp of guava.  We love each of you very much and hope you feel that love,

The Lord has blessed us in miraculous ways just to get us here and is continuing to bless us each day.  Roy's health is a miracle in and of itself.  He seems to have more stamina than ever and my feet didn't even hurt after shopping for food!  That is a miracle too!

Our neighbor across the hall was a missionary in Albuquerque when I was about 19 or 20!  He ate some of my mother's delicious food and visited our family!  He came back to the area and married a young woman from Ojo Caliente, NM and worked at the telephone company with my father and brother-in-law!  Now isn't that a miracle, that from any place in the world we could have gone we are here and across the hall is a couple that knew my family!  We feel so loved and needed here and pray we can learn quickly all we need to know to do our jobs well. Please keep us in your prayers, we need them!  We will answer any emails we receive from you and hope you will write when you can.  May the Lord bless you in all you do.  

Love,     Elder Roy and Sister Janeen Howard

We ever pray for you.

We enjoyed the temple workers parrillada yesterday and the 4 hours of Salsa Music.

"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father . . . For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost."  1 Thessalonians 1:2-5