Love and Happiness

"The world today speaks a great deal about love, and it is sought for by many.  But the pure love of Christ differs greatly from what the world thinks of love. Charity never seeks selfish gratification.  The pure love of Christ seeks only the eternal growth and joy of others" (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 275).

"The world today speaks a great deal about love, and it is sought for by many.  But the pure love of Christ differs greatly from what the world thinks of love. Charity never seeks selfish gratification.  The pure love of Christ seeks only the eternal growth and joy of others" (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 275). 

Cate and Julian stick together

Julian is teaching physics today

Cate learns from her big brother

World's greatest big brother

When there is love, it shows

"Where is happiness, real happiness? Nowhere but in God. By possessing the spirit of our holy religion, we are happy in the morning, we are happy at noon, we are happy in the evening; for the spirit of love and union is with us, and we rejoice in the spirit because, it is of God, and we rejoice in God, for he is the giver of every good thing. Every Latter-day Saint, who has experienced the love of God in his heart, after having received the remission of his sins, through baptism, and the laying on of hands, realizes that he is filled with joy, and happiness, and consolation. He may be in pain, in error, in poverty, or in prison, if necessity demands, still, he is joyful. This is our experience, and each and every Latter-day Saint can bear witness to it" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, p. 183).

Mingle

All together, singing in the kitchen with
Sister Howard and the Missionaries
of the Temple

"And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practice virtue and holiness before me." Doctrine and Covenants 38:24

Mingle for music and meriendas
A few of Elder Howard's Violin and
Viola students

"Mingle together as opportunity affords.  It is important that we do so.

We need others to talk with, to share our feelings with, with whom to share our faith.  Cultivate friends.

Begin by being a good friend to others" (The Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 429).

Jesus Christ

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!  For we saw him, even on the right hand of God, and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father." Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-23

"We know that salvation is in Christ; that he was the Firstborn Son of the Eternal Father; that he was chosen and foreordained in the councils of heaven to work out the infinite and eternal atonement; that he was born into the world as the Son of God; and that he has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. "We believe with perfect surety that Christ came to ransom men from the temporal and spiritual death brought into the world by the fall of Adam and that he took upon himself the sins of all men on condition of repentance. . . . and that building upon the foundation of the atonement of Christ, all men must work out their salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord. "We proclaim that to gain salvation men must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of their sins, be baptized by immersion by one who has authority, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and then press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, keeping the commandments and enduring to the end" (Joseph Fielding Smith, Ensign,June 1971, p. 3).http://mormon.org/jesus-christ/

A Voice of Gladness

Howards and Veras at Las Playas

"Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness!

Veras, Howards, Andrades,
Las Playas, Guayas, Ecuador

A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings from the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy.

We stayed at the home of
Margarita and Walter Andrade
for New Year weekend

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth!" (D&C 128:19)

We appreciate the smiles and
encouragement of Emy and José Vera

"We like enjoyment here. That is right. God designs that we should enjoy ourselves. I do not believe in a religion that makes people gloomy, melancholy, miserable and ascetic. . . .

Hermanas Vera, Howard, Andrade

I should not think there was anything great or good associated with that, while everything around, the trees, birds, flowers and green fields, were so pleasing, the insects and bees buzzing and fluttering, the lambs frolicking and playing

.

"While everything else enjoyed life, why should not we?

Sister and Elder Howard enjoyed their
time at the beach.

But we want to do it correctly and not pervert any of these principles that God has planted in the human family" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, p. 97).

Happy New Year

el Hombre Viejo will be burned at Midnight

We celebrated the New Year with the Andrade and Vera families in Las Playas.

... put off  the old man...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Marvel not that a man must be born again (John 3:3-7).

The burning of the old year is a great
celebration...

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him (Colossians 3:8-10).

Celebrate a  New Year with a new
chance for a life of joy

 ...our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin (Romans 6:6).