Happy Birthday Heather

Heather with her dad.

Parque Histórica de Guayaquil

Everyone bought herbs to raise at home

Here is the Passion Fruit!

Veras, Howards, Andrades at the Parque Histórico

"And now my son, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day." (Alma 38:5)

Grandma and Grandpa Howard in Ecuador

Elder Howard enjoys the exhibits

Videos about Ecuador are forthcoming at: http://www.youtube.com/drrhoward

Papaya grow large on small trees

Badea grows on vines

Plant a garden in a small space in the city

There are desert regions in South America

Making juice is our passion

Parenting: Touching the Hearts of Our Youth

Celebrating the 40th

Janeen and Roy Howard, 21 Aug 1970

The week of our anniversary, we worked the morning shift, which meant getting up at 4 or 5 am and staying at the temple until 2 or 3 pm.  Janeen cannot handle a schedule like that, so she has been exhausted.  I have been working extra hard getting the arrangements and rehearsals done for two upcoming stake conferences.  To see the hymns I have prepared for choir, piano, and string quartet lately, see:
http://www.cantos.org/music/ecuador/sagrada.html

Our best friends invited us to a nice restaurant at a big hotel downtown across from the Iguana Park.  Janeen was cheered to be with loved ones: Margarita, Walker Andrade; Emmy, José Vera; Leidi, Carlos Sánchez; and a surprise guest: as the Sánchez rolled up to the hotel, they were greeted by a relative in military uniform who is assigned to that hotel while the Ecuador Vice President is staying there.  The soldier pushed Carlos's wheelchair, and we made sure he had a great dinner.

Hermano Sánchez finally had his surgery that had been put off so many times.  He was released from a 4 week stay in the hospital on Friday, and was anxious to get out.  The timing was perfect.  He has 10 more surgeries scheduled to rebuild his femur.  In the meantime, he is well appreciated as a leader wherever he goes.  For example, he has been elected as the president of the Machala Disabled Citizens Association.

Janeen was relieved of her suffering Friday night by taking time to love and be loved by friends.

Singing with Emmy, Margarita, and José

Saturday morning it was tough to get up at 4 am for the extra session requested by the Durán Sur stake.  However, the Quito stake that was scheduled for baptisms did not arrive, and we had a relatively slow morning, so we were offered the opportunity to go home at 9 am.  Janeen was uplifted and revived by passing this chance for rest on to another couple she thought needed it even more.

She spent the afternoon with beloved friends who needed her attention, while I was taking care of music duties at the Puerto Liza stake,

We were blessed on our anniversary by actively serving others.

Sarah and Zane in California

Sunday of our anniversary weekend starts early when the driver comes by for me and the string quartet and piano player I recruited for stake conference.  At least the piano is tuned (last Thursday after 2 hours of group piano lessons).  In the afternoon we attend our ward, and then choir/string quartet practice to get ready for the Kennedy Stake conference.  We are also invited by some other friends, the Pinos, for a celebration lunch on Monday. and a walk through the Ecuador National Historical Park on Wednesday with the Andrades.

Roy and Janeen Howard, 21 Aug 2010

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)

"Only those who know and love God can best love and serve His children.  For only God fully understands His children and know what is best for their welfare.  Therefore, one needs to be in tune with God to best help His children.

The Urbanor Ward Choir preparing for Stake Conference

"Therefore, if you desire to help your fellowmen the most, then you must put the first commandment first" (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 352-353).

The Temple has been cleansed

The Guayaquil temple has been closed for two weeks of cleaning.  Now it shines inside and out, a beacon to illuminate minds and fortify souls and to strengthen families.

2 Chronicles 29–30.   Hezekiah... reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem... And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord... in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them....

And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together... And said unto them, Hear me... sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place...

Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us...

My sons, be not now negligent: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him.

Then the Levites arose... And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the Lord.

And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the Lord into the court of the house of the Lord...

 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the Lord: so they sanctified the house of the Lord in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end...

Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the Lord, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof... have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.

And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets. And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.

And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped. 

Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord.

And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.