Templo de Guayaquil, Ecuador

Elder and Sister Howard, Temple Missionaries, Ecuador

This is where we work every day, except Sunday and Monday.  This Sunday we attended the Kennedy Stake Conference in Guayaquil and learned that we should take care of the elderly. Of course, mostly the testimonies were about the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

Elder Howard plays in a string quartet

I tuned the piano and arranged the music for string quartet and piano to accompany the 50 voice Urbanor Ward Choir.  I wish I had a recording or photo.  Everyone really enjoyed the beautiful music.  Since there is no organ, the strings help make the accompaniment better for such a large gathering (900).

Since there was no violist in the stake, I bought a viola, and played it for the conference.  Until now I have been playing second violin, like I did in Deming.  I don't have a bass violin here like I did from 1976 to 2008.  Now I have to teach someone else how to play the viola.  I teach music lessons about 6 days per week now: piano, guitar, violin so far.

We live in the Alojamiento on the temple grounds.  Hundreds
of people from all over the country stay here when they come
to work in the temple, usually for one, two, or more nights.

Here is where I am gathering the arrangements and compositions I create in Ecuador:
http://www.cantos.org/music/ecuador

I have made arrangements for several choirs since arriving, including a choir in Kansas.

My new Viola along with a borrowed violin.

Happy Birthday Cate

Happy Birthday, Cate.  I am glad I got to see you tonight in San Francisco.

Here is my new fishing video: http://www.youtube/drrhoward
I am going fishing next Monday also.

Julian is doing Water Polo and Crew in high school.  It is very difficult compared to junior high school athletics!

Cate is swimming.  She might get into water polo.

Zane plays basketball on Wednesday nights.

Making Mistakes

The plastic bowl melted on the burner

Every ordinance in the temple is officially observed by "witnesses" who listen and watch for mistakes.  For example, any baptism must be repeated if the person is not completely submersed.  Yesterday I was complemented by a brother who was baptizing, as I was able to immediately correct him if he left out a word or made a small change.  He said I was a good listener.  I responded: I recognize the mistakes, as I am so used to them, as I make so many myself.

Did you ever fall out of bed?

When I first arrived I told people that I was a fast learner, because I am not afraid to make mistakes.  I don't worry about what people will think of me or say of my mistakes.  In a new situation I just make as many mistakes as possible, and try to learn from my mistakes.

Cameraman chooses a poor pose

"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seen times?  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." Matthew 18:21-22

It tasted good.  The next day she learned
that it was a mistake to trust the food
bought from a street vendor.

I do make mistakes.  I try to learn from them, but sometimes I just get in the habit of making the same ones over and over.  My father called that "our favorite sins".  I teach my piano students to work and study and change until the section is played without mistakes, then repeat it over and over.  Practice that makes perfect is repeating it after you finally get it right.

It is a mistake to think that every smile
reflects a friendly soul and a safe friend.

Once you can do it right, practice that.  If you notice that others make mistakes, you will be happier if you do not take responsibility for correcting them.  However, if you are the teacher, it is your responsibility to look for mistakes as clues for how to correct the problem.  I tell my music students that I want to hear their mistakes, so I can see how to help them find solutions.

If you repent, you can qualify for the temple

"There are those who will make mistakes.  There are those among us today that have gone astray, but they are the children of our Lord and he loves them.  He has given you and to me the right to go to them in kindness and love and with patience and with a desire to bless, seek to win them from the mistakes that they are making" (The Teachings of George Albert Smith, p. 145).

Jaguar, el Silvestre

My eating habits and tastes are wild

I always introduce myself as "Raul Jaguar, de los jaguares silvestres del desierto".  There are many reasons for my identity as the wild tiger of the desert.  Of course, it starts with my name.  If I pronounce my name for a Spanish speaker (Howard), they spell it as jaguar.  That is how you pronounce my name in English and spell it in Spanish.  But there is more:

silvestre.

(Del lat. silvestris).

1. adj. Criado naturalmente y sin cultivo en selvas o campos.

2. adj. Inculto, agreste y rústico.

I would rather be fishing

To understand it completely, read 3 Nephi Chapter 20.


Behold now I finish the commandment which the Father hath commanded me concerning this people, who are a remnant of the house of Israel.
   And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them.

I really get involved in my work

And the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you this land, for your inheritance. And I say unto you, that if the Gentiles do not repent after the bblessing which they shall receive, after they have scattered my people— Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

I buy musical instruments
(they are the tools of my trade)

 Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.
  And I will gather my people together as a man gathereth his sheaves into the floor.

I adore my wife
with all my heart and soul

For I will make my people with whom the Father hath covenanted, yea, I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass. And thou shalt beat in pieces many people; and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. And behold, I am he who doeth it.

 And it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that the sword of my justice shall hang over them at that day; and except they repent it shall fall upon them, saith the Father, yea, even upon all the nations of the Gentiles.
And it shall come to pass that I will establish my people, O house of Israel. And behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your father Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem. And the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people; yea, even I will be in the midst of you.

I go with my wife to all the world, preaching the Gospel
of the Prince of Peace.

Then shall their watchmen lift up their voice, and with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye. Then will the Father gather them together again, and give unto them a land of their inheritance.

Then shall they break forth into joy—Sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Father hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

 And then shall they say: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings unto them of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!

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.