Pictures of Brasilia

A couple of weeks ago we took two sisters who where going home to take pictures of Brasilia. So we took a few at the same time. This is the senate the dome and the congress the bowl and the office building in the middle. It is very pretty.

The next picture is the cathedral of Brasilia. It is very modern as is the whole city. The third picture is me inside the cathedral with a few friends. Fourth me on my knees, this was very hard I guess I needed to be more humble. The last picture is of the Brasil flag. It is huge you can see how big it is in the picture of the congress. Sorry but I can not seem to get these pictures in the right order but I think you can see what they are.

Piranha

We have in the ward a young man Issac Kain, who works for the American Embassy. He is 32 years old and was called to be the Elder's Quorum President. He is a very nice kid and I quite like him. Last week we took a pair of sisters who were going home to his house for dinner. While there I saw a fifteen inch piranha in his house. He told me he got it in Manuaus and that he was going to Manuaus the next week. Well he brought it back with him and I now have a 15 in. Piranha. Way cool. And now for the rest of the story. Our bishop has been having problems with depression and has not been out to church much in the last year. Some of it has been he had to work on Sunday but a lot of it has been depression. The Stake President knew that something had to be done but told us in High Priest Group that Salt Lake was taking a long time approving the name. They had to wait. Well last Sunday the whole Stake Presidency was at our meeting. Word was out that the name had been approved and we would get a new Bishop. Everyone was guessing who it was going to be. My bets were on the High Priest Group leader. He also works for the American Embassy. The church does not like to make Americans bishops but it has been done in the past. Well the time comes for the Stake President to call the new Bishop. He names Issac Kain, our young Elder's Quorum President. Everyone was shocked. Not that he was not worthy, but that he was so young and had just been called to be Elder's Pres. He got up and said that he was the last one who he would have thought of. But he is a good young man and will do a good job because he is so humble. I am really looking forward to his being Bishop. The Stake President said that SLC had turned him down because he was an American, and so young. Well the Stake President held his ground and SLC approved. We have such a good Stake President. While I talked to the Stake President I asked him if he had heard any thing about me, he stated that he had not. But it was also announced that a temple will be built in Manuaus. That is great.

Nathan's Birthday

The last born. We were at St. Marks hospital for Nathan. Mother was having a hard time, with the birth. Then by inpiration the nurse took Mother's blood pressure, (I never remember a nurse doing that before) and it was sky high. I remember the doctor saying the had to stop the labor, until Mothers BP came down. While I was in the room with them when Nathan was born I did not really see him being born. I was busy trying to keep Mother calm, so her blood pressure would not come back up. Nathan was the first baby where Mother had any drugs for pain. All the rest of you were born with out drugs. After it was all over the Doctor came to us and said we had better not have any more kids or JoAnne could die. He said she came real close with Nathan. So that ended our child bearing days. What a joy it was for me to have all you children. While it was very important to be there when all of you were born, the most important thing was to be with you as all of you grew up. I hope I have done a good job being your father. I think of all of you every day. And have your whole lives. Your welfare was the most important thing in my life. We pray for each of you each day by name and for each of your children by name. I LOVE YOU ALL
dad

Gideon's birthday

Gideon was born during conference. In fact he was born during GBH's talk. We were in the new birthing suites at the hospital. It was like giving birth in your home. The delivery roomed looked like a regular bed that converted to a birthing room in minutes. We were only in the hospital minutes with Gideon. He was after Amy our second fastest birth. He had a special spirit about him as a baby, and todderler. He was always talking to me about when we were on a mission in Brasil. It was kind of weird how much he knew about Brasil. We had a hard time coming up with a name for him. We went weeks before we could come on a name. Finally the OB GYN doctor told Mother how about Gideon? we both like the name, and he had a name. A woman in the ward after we named him told me that she did not like the name Daniel. That seemed a little strange to me, but years later Bishop Peterson called me to be a concilar in the Bishopric was her son and lived in Canyon Rim ward when Mother was a young woman. I love you all.

Jethro's Birthday

Jethro was born in SLC at the university of Utah hospital. We had just come back from Missoui broke and so we went to UofU. It is a teaching hospital so there were hundreds of interns there to attend the Birth. It was quite different from the small hospital in Missouri. Jethro was born with a little breathing problem. He breaths like I do heavy. So they took him to Baby ICU for care before we could hold him. I think it was the strictest hospital we had been in. In a few hours he was back with us and all was well with him. He was such a cute little baby. We named him Jethro after Reuel in the OT. Exodus 2:18 and Dean after his grandfather J. Dean Gerstner. Mother was having a hard time producing milk and he nursed the shortest length of time of all you kids. Once he got on the bottle he became a little ball. He was so cute. I love you all.

George's birthday

George was also born in the same hospital that Rebekah was born in. This time though the regular doctor was not there. He had a fill in. George was born I think in the middle of the day. When he was born I could see that I had my first boy. What a joy for me. I guess we broke the mold with George because all the rest of the babies were boys. I was so happy. We named him George after my father and Benjamin after the last son of Israel in the OT. I of course had to do things right and on the eighth day we had him circumsized. I was there to watch it and it was very interesting thing. They put him on a little board, that had been cut so his legs would be spread and the stapped him and and did the deed. He was not very happy about it, but it was over in a few minutes. The doctor was not a rabbi, but if I had known one I would have had him do it. I love you all.

Rebekah's birthday

I had planned to do one child a day, but I am going to go ahead and do more each day. We were living in Missoui when Rebekah was born. I was sure that Rebekah was a boy. We still had to wait until the birth to find out. Our doctor's office was about a half an hour away from our house. It was down a dirt road and over a creek. We were living in a trailer house when she was born. It was again early in the morning when we arrived at the doctor's office. He had about a two or three room little hospital at his office. Before Rebekah was born it was the Doctor, Mother and me. The nurse had not arrived yet. As she was born remember I was sure by revelation that she was a boy, the Doctor said she was born without a penis. All I could think of was that he was deformed. It did not enter my mind that it was a girl. I was crushed. But since I was the only one there I had to weigh, do the foot prints, and clean her up all by myself while the Doctor was working on Mother. It took me a long time to get over not having a boy. I did not feel like blessing Rebekah until about two months later. But Rebekah made up for her "rejection" of her father by being the best baby we had. She slept through the night from almost the first night, and would lay in her crib until we came to get her in the morning. What a joy she has been in our lives. The cutiest thing was the way she would suck her thumb. She would put her thumb in her mouth with the palm facing up and play with her eyes with her fingers while sucking. She loved her thumb. In fact she was quite old before she stopped sucking it. I love you all

Amy's Birthday

When Amy was born we were living in Hyrum Utah. We were in a little house with a second story. It was cute but very small. In the middle of the night JoAnne woke up in pain. We had arranged for a neighbor to come and stay with Andrea and we were on our way to Logan. Mother was very agitated and yelled at me for going so fast. but there was good reason. The labor pains were very close together. When we got to the hospital the nurse took a look at JoAnne and yelled for help fast. They put JoAnne in a wheelchair and rushed her to the delivery room. They said she had to wait until the doctor got there. What seemed like a long time, was really only a few minutes the doctor arrived and in just a matter of minutes Amy's head cleared the birth canel and she let out a cry. She had been born and there was no stopping her. She really made a lot of noise and you could tell that Amy was going to be different. That is the thing I have learned about each of you kids, is that you were each born with the personalities you have. As long as Andrea took, Amy was just as short. I do not think we were in the hospital more than a half an hour and Amy was here. The one memory of have of her is the first time I picked her up and held her to me she put her hand around my neck and gave me a hug. I was in love with Amy from that moment on. I am very glad I am writing up these little stories. Because other wise they will be lost. I love you all.

Andrea's Birthday

This week I am going to write each day my feelings of the days each of you were born. Your mother and I had a paper route. On the 23rd of July mother woke up with labor pains. So we got up fast and mother drove the car as I threw the papers. Each time I would come back for more papers I would check how far apart the labor pains were. We would go on. As soon as the route was finished we went home and got ready to go to the hospital. Andrea you took your time in coming. We had to talk the doctor into letting me attend the birth. I was dressed in full surgacial clothers. from head to toe. I stood behind the doctor like I was an umpire. I had to assure him I would not faint. (after all I was a meat cutter). Finally the labor was over and out came Andrea, back in the old days there was no way of knowing what sex the baby was, so it was a joy and a surprise for both of us. Andrea you were so small. And yet so big (I could not believe you came out of such a small area) at the same time. They did not let me hold you until you were all weighed and cleaned. I was so overjoyed, I had wanted a baby for so long, and now I was holding you in my arms. I will never forget what it felt like.

Happy Mothers Day

I want to wish all the mothers in my family a happy Mothers day. I love you all

The Chamerlands

Lloyd and Nola Chamberland were friends of my parents. In fact Lloyd was a 70 with my dad and they spend many hours together doing missionary work. Lloyd was a little different. He was a very nice man and had three kids, but because he had epilpecy he could not drive. His wife did not drive either and so they walked where ever they went. Including 3 miles each way to church two times each Sunday. Daddy loved the Chamberlands and when ever he did not have to work on Sunday would give them a ride to Church. Lloyd was also Mother's home teacher after Daddy died and she also loved him. Well it soon came time for Lloyd to join the rest of the human race and die. Nola was an even more simple woman than Lloyd. He had kept all the money and she knew nothing of it. When he died she was left alone, and took it very hard. She said she kept praying to God to take her that she did not want to live without Lloyd. One night her sister was spending the night with her and she had a dream.

In the dream a woman dressed in white came to her and touched her on her shoulder. She motioned to Nola to come with her and told her that she had come so Nola could understand why Lloyd had died. She led Nola down a long hall and they arrived at a meeting room. The woman opened the door and inside were people sitting listening to a speaker. The speaker was Lloyd, Nola said she did not know anyone but did sse George Jones on the stand with Lloyd. The woman then asked Nola if she still wanted Lloyd back and she said no that she would manage without him.

Aunt Wanda got Nola to write down the dream for me, and it was in my scriptures but I can not find it. I thought I had better write it down before I forget it. I know this dream is true and not only did it help Nola but also me.

I have to relate the rest of the story, when I was 16 we built our chapel in San Bernardino. I am not proud of what I did but we were using a bucket chain to pour grout in the wall of the chapel. We as young teenagers were up as high as we could get and just below me was Lloyd Chamerland. These buckets of cement were some times too full and some slopped out and fell on Lloyd. Well I motioned to my friends to watch and each bucket got tipped just enough to splill a little cement on Lloyd. He had on bib overalls and we tried to get it down the bib. Well by the time we were done Lloyd was covered in cement. He never said a word. After my mission I felt very guilty for treating Lloyd that way. And I appoligised to him. He did not even remember it happening. I am sure he did but that was the way he was.

I found out that Lloyd was from Orderville, Ut. where Alan DeMille was raised. One day Alan put up some pictures of old Orderville with Thomas Chamerland and his 28 boys and 23 girls. Fifty one children. Lloyd was one of the youngest. Thomas had a few wives, but he was always my hero after that. Fifty one would have been great but I am most grateful for my seven. I love you all. All 21 of you.

Old stories

This morning I remembered a story about little Sarah when she was about three. George was taking JoAnne and I to the airport for a trip to see Rebekah in Glendale. We were stuck in traiffic, and going about 5 miles per hour. George looked in the rear view mirror and saw Sarah picking her nose. He asked her very nicely to stop, she did for a few seconds and looked over at me and asked "Grandpa do you pick your nose? " Needless to say I was taken aback I told her I had been known to a time or two. She then procided to ask JoAnne if she picked her nose. I had a very hard time NOT laughing out loud, until I was out of little Sarah's ear shot. This is one that I have remembered for a long time. Another just came to me and I think all of you will get a laugh out of this. I was babysitting Jonah one evening in Citrus Heights. He had an accident in his pants, and I put him on the toilet and told him to finish defecating and I would finish cleaning him up. The poor little boy looked up at me and said what is decating? We just call it poo. So much for teaching them while they are young and they will not depart therefrom. These grandchildren I really miss. We spend each Sunday sitting behind a family with little red headed boys like that couple in Fallbrook used to do to us. I can't remember their names. Hibbert? I would ask them why do you sit behind us we make so much noise. And they would reply we just enjoy seeing your little children. I feel the same way now. How grateful I am for God giving us little children. There is another one that just came to my mind. When Jethro was about 3 he was a wide as he was tall. Just a cute as a button. Our old bishop in Canyon View ward would always call him George. It really made Jethro mad. He would do it every sunday until Jethro clinched his fist and pointed it at the bishop and said you call me George one more time and I am going to pop you in the face. Jethro was alway Jethro after that.
I love you all.

Sunday

We had a very nice meeting today. I really enjoy going to Church down here. The people are so humble. Our high priest group leader is a policeman from the American embasey. He has been all over the world and married a girl from Soracaba, my first ward I worked in Brazil. She was not born yet when I was there but her mother remembered me. We had our first home teacher since 2001 and it was good to have someone. Everyone here treats me as if I have lived here my whole life. Sunday school was taught by a woman who was a member in the Sao Paulo ward I worked in second. She has been a member for about 48 years and her son is our home teacher. She gave the lesson on John chapter 9 about the blind man being healed on the sabath. It also was very good. Then we had fast and testimony meeting. One man got up who had been baptized within the last year with his family and said that his family and wife were leaving him because of the Church. But he knows that it is true and he is continueing to come to church. what a man of faith. What a feeling of love was in the meeting. I know the Gospel is true and am thankful for what I have. It is so very important that we all remain true to God at all cost.

WOW it has been almost a week.

I can't believe it has been almost a week since I posted. Something Amy E. posted on her blog made me want to expaind on. She was looking hot yesterday and everyone was comlmenting her on how she looked. Then she said that it was God helping her to feel good. Read her blog. I wrote back about how your Grandmother Jones taught me a valuable lesson. She was such a loving person and her faith in God knew no bounds. Nobody got anything past her but she loved her children to her death. She took very suttle ways to let her waywered children know they were out of line. Many time she would tell Uncle Ross while he was living with Aunt Beverly (not married yet) that she had put $10 into his missionary fund. Ross was not going on a mission but she never let him forget that. Now to the point of this blog. Grandmother loved to go to garage sales. She very seldom bought anything expensive. She would find something and ask me what I thought she paid for it. I would always say 50 cents becasuse she would not pay more. She would buy a sweater that had be hand knit and unravel it so she could get cheap yarn. She would always say some old grandma knitted this and no one cared about it. Refering to herself for always kniting somehting for others. When she would get one of her treasures she would always say God helped me find this today. I would respond in my self-righteous matter that God did not care what she paid for this treasure. But oh how wrong was I. I was reading in the D&C one day when I found this. And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled save those who confess not his hand in all things and obey not his commandments. D&C 59:21 When I read this I knew what my mother had been teaching me all these years. She gave credit to God in all things. She was thankful for everything. She was never a rich woman in terms of worldy weath but she was so rich in terms of eternal life. I am so grateful that she is my mother. I am looking forward to the day when I will see her again, as well as my father. My father was different than my mother. Very stern and very straight line. He was always reading. Always things of the church. and always the scriptures. Knowone knew the scriptures like him. Plus he loved to teach the Gospel to others. I wish I was half the man he was. If he had a fault it was that he could not express his love for others in words. I knew he loved me but did not say it until I was a junior in high school. But even that taught me something important. that is why I always tell you kids that I love you. I want you to know and hear from my lips those words. That love extends to your children also. And my love for Lilly and Jack is just as strong as it is for any of the other grandchildren. I love to see pictures of them, and it was such a joy when I was able to see them on video. When Sarah sang I want to be like Jesus I cried the whole time. Such a sweet innocent love did she have. Just like all of the other grandchildren. Thank you all for living the lives you live. I have to laugh for 200 comments Andrea got on her ipod blog. Amy I am so happy for your weight loss. Rebekah your cute posts on Nya, and 100 list. I learned things about you I did not known. George wow what menus. Jethro what a great teacher you are. Gideon working hard in college, and Nathan thank you for asking about the 2nd coming. I love you all.
Dad

Saturday

Today we awoke to another beautiful day in Brasilia. It is so nice here. Yesterday we took a 48K drive into the country. We were going to Gama to see a slaughter house that was for sale. I guess I have never got the meat out of my heart. It was a very pretty drive. We got to Gama and met the old man that had the slaughter house for sale. I was expecting a run down joint, but to my surprise it was very nice. Tiles on the walls to keep it clean, and rails that were the right height. He was very talkative and we were there for more than 3 hours. We heard his whole life story and then some. But it did bring back old memories. The meat inpectors receive a little money on the side, about $50 per week to help in the inspection work. They start the kill at 5:30 and the inspector comes in at about 9:00. Not quite USDA but it is some thing I could live with. It was fun to find out how things are done down here. I am sure we are not going to do anything but we had a nice trip. He showed me the water treatment setup they had, which was nice, and then he told me that the water in the third lagoon you (I would not) could drink from. That reminds me of a story that happened on my mission. We had this place we ate everyday. We did not drink the water there, the husband of the woman who was our cook did not like that. One day he got a glass from the kitchen and dipped it into the cistern for their water and held the glass up and said. "Agua pura" "Clean water" very proudly. When I looked at the glass and it was a milky white. I wish I had had a microscope, it would have been fun to see the number of God's creatures that were in that water. We drink filtered water even now down here.

The first picture is the hide room it was a LITTLE ripe. The second is the front of the slaughter house (they love blue here and it could be a sign) and the third is the kill floor. Nice place.

I am continuing to do temple ready stuff for our names. There is a lot of work that is done, a lot that still needs to be done. Thank you all for wanting to get the names done for us. I remember what a great time we had in San Diego temple doing baptisms. I have found a few more generations back some into the 1500's. these people I know loved their children and grandchildren just as much as we do, and I am spending about 3 hours per day doing this work. The real work was done by Aunt Wanda and Uncle Ross. Wanda had all her stuff on paper and Ross entered it all into the compture. About 1,200 names. That was a lot of work. All I do is search the IGI and get what has already been done. I does take time but it is work that needs to be done if we are going to get our familes linked together. Those of you who have sent in your families names thank you. Those of you who haven't I know who you are and where you live I just do not know your childrens birthdays. I love you all.

Genealogy

I just got an email from Uncle Ross. I have done a bunch of names by searching the IGI and sent them to Ross. He ran them through temple ready and came up with 334 names and 102 familes, that work needs to be done on. So call Uncle Ross and get some names. 909-862-9756 or Aunt Dawn at 801-292-1524. Most of the work that needs to be done is sealings.

The Second coming

I got an email yesterday from Nathan asking questions about the second coming, I though I would post it. This is my opinion, but it comes from years of reading the scriptures. One important thing about the scriptures is that they have to agree with all other verses. That is why you can not take one scripture out of context and make it say what you want it to say. Many people do this but other scriptures belie the point. I will point out below where this is the case.
The Second Coming materials are all through the scriptures. And because of that you can not go to one place to find all that is there. But that being said there are groups that contain more 2nd coming stuff. The books of Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Revelation, D&C 29, 45, 84, 88, 101,103,105, 133. 1 Nep 11-15. Matthew 24 and JS Matthew in PofGp. That is a lot of reading to do but you also need some keys to understanding it all.
These keys are taken from Avarham Gileadi
Spirit of Prophecy this is using the Holy Spirit as you read the scriptures. 2 Nep25:4, Rev. 19:10 testimony of Jesus, 2 Peter 1:21, and 1 Cor. 2:11 This includes prayer, about what you are reading.
Letter of Prophecy this is reading and understanding the scriptures. 2 Nep. 25:5 this takes a great deal of time. But as you apply these 4 items to your reading you will be able to understand far better in a very short time. I get new meanings from the scriptures each time I read them.
Searching this is what it says it is, searching going over the scriptures time and time again. Looking up cross-references and making your own. When a reference is given read the whole chapter to get the feeling of the verse. 3 Nep 23:1-2
Type and shadows this is a little more complicated. If the scripture talks about Babylon, it can be the city of Babylon, or the state of being of Babylon, wickedness. Likewise if they talk about Zion then that is a state of Righteousness, as also a physical place called Zion, in Jerusalem or Independence, Mo. 3 Nep 23:3, 2 Nep 11:4
Now to finally answer your question.
I have made a few changes from the letter I sent to Nathan. D&C 1:37-38 "Search these commandments for they are true and faithful and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled. What I the Lord have spoken I have spoken and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by my own voice or the voice of my servants, it is the same." JS Matthew 1:28-32 talks of wars and rumors of war but the end is not until the Gospel has been preached to all the world, then the abomination of desolation (Daniel 12). Then Christ will appear. See also JS Matthew 1:37 "And whoso treasureth up my word (Scriptures), shall not be deceived, for the son of Man shall come and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds and from one end of heaven to the other"

1. Ezekiel 38-39 talks about a war from the neighbors of Israel. In that war God will destroy 5/6 of the army that attacks Israel. The Jews have won all their wars with the help of God but from their viewpoint it is they that did it themselves. 80% of the Jews in Israel are not religious. The Jews will be loosing the war and then nature; earthquakes, hail etc will destroy this army. As you read these chapters see how they learn to believe in God. They have to believe in God before they can believe in Christ. These wars we are seeing in the middle east are to be watched but until we see 5/6 ths of the attacking army killed it is not Ezek. 38-39.

2. The Jews will then realize that God won the war and will give him credit for it. They will then rebuild the temple. The LDS church will not build the temple, as a lot of us believe because it will be a temple where sacrifices are performed. See Matt 24 and Daniel 12. Here is an example where scripture from different books of the scriptures clarify the meaning of the verse. A temple will be built in Jerusalem the Church builds temple so me must do it. No we do not build sacrificial temples the Jews do. Our temples are Melchizedek Priesthood temples and theirs are Aaronic Priesthood temples.

3. This temple will be built and 3 1/2 years after they are using it the antichrist will come and stop the sacrifice in the temple. This is known as the Abomination of Desolation in Daniel 9,11,12. Just a word about this antichrist, JS Matthew (PofGP) verse 22 says "For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenat." In Matthew 24 in NT the "elect according to the covenant" is not there. That means that we (LDS) who have convented with God in the temple could be deceived. You can imagine what the world is going to be doing.They are going to be following the antichrist. Rev. 13
During this time frame things will be happening with the Church as well as in the world. I have put them it the order I have because to me that makes most sense. But the order may be different. The temple has to be built in Jerusalem to set in order other things. But all of these things will need to happen before Christ comes.

4. A man will be called in the church to set in order the house of God, D&C 85. He is called the one might and strong. Part of where the Church is not in order is we are not living the Law of Conscration or the united order. A reading of the D&C will show how much time Joseph spent on the Law of Conscration. D&C 42:70-73 and a lot of verses after these verses. We have to be living the full laws of God in Zion. D&C 105:5

5. We as a church will return to Jackson County Missouri and live the united order. This is Zion. We have to be living in Zion before Christ comes. Becasue we will be caught up to meet the Zion of Enoch at Christ's coming. Moses 7:62-63

6. The ten tribes will return from the North Country to Zion in Jackson county Missouri. D&C 133:26-35 they will bring their scriptures with them. They will have prophets among them who will lead them back to Missouri. See number 9 below.

7. 144 thousand high priests Rev, 7 and 14 will be called and sealed on their foreheads (Ezekiel 9:4) to preach the Gospel to the entire world. There will be 12,000 from each tribe of Israel. That means the Church could have upto 24,000. (Ephriam, and Manssah)

8. Christ will also appear at Adam-ondi-Ahman in Missouri during the seven years after the temple is built in Jerusalem. Daniel 7 and D&C 116 and all priesthood keys will be returned to Adam who will then give them to Christ.

9. Two prophets who will be Jews (D&C 77:15 and Rev. 11) will preach in Israel for 3 1/2 years. In the end they will be killed and their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 days. Then they will be caught up into heaven. Contrary to what some members of the church think, God can call prophets whenever he wants, to be a prophet does not mean they have to hold all the keys. The president of the church holds all the keys. But these prophets will preach to the Jews.

10. The war of Armageddon will be fought at this time. (Rev. 16:16-21) People falsely say other wars are Armageddon, including Ezek 38-39, (different people and different ending) but this war all nations of the earth will fight against Israel. God will win.

11. Christ will then appear on the Mount of Olives and an earthquake will divide the Mount of Olives in two. Zechariah 14:4 and they will ask what are these wounds in hands and feet. Zech: 13:6 and D&C 45:51-53

12. The saints in Zion will be caught up to meet the Zion of Enoch with Christ. This is why we need to be living the united order and a Zion life to be caught up.

Well there it is in a nutshell. There are many more things that go on but these are the most important. I hope I have answered your questions.

A Little History

George and Amy put up a blog so now the whole family is blogging. Their last post had some very cute pictures of Sarah and Kate when Kate was a baby. I know that I have told this story a million times, but I want to put this down as history. When Rebekah was born we lived in a two story house in Wentworth, Mo. All the bedrooms were up stairs. Amy being the little mother that she was would get Rebekah out of bed. Here is this little two year old lifting a baby who was half Amy's size over the crib bars and into her arms. We told her several times she was not to do this. I got more response from the wall because the wall did not take Rebekah out of bed. I also told Amy that she was not to carry Rebekah down the stairs. Well one day as I was going up the stairs I saw Amy with Rebekah in her arms. Seeing me Amy paniced, and started to fall down the stairs. As I watched my two youngest children go tumbling down the stairs I was heart broken. But Amy had clutched Rebekah so tight in her arms protecting her from injury, while she took the brunt of the fall. I have never forgotten this story until today. My how it broke my heart. But Amy is no different today, she still cares for her brothers and sisters.

My Day

My day started at one in the morning when I woke up, and did not go back to sleep tell 4:00. But during that time l learned how to bend spoons. If any of you are interested to know I can send you a file so you can learn. I then set up one more pair of parakeets. we now have 3 pair, one has 4 egg another has 3 and 0 eggs. at 1:00 p.m. I laid down for a nap and woke up at 3:p.m. then I got really sick, I ate and that made me feel a little better. Then I went back to bed at 3 and slept tell 8. I think I am going through my second childhood. Tomorrow is my acupunture session, that will make me feel a little better. I was very glad to see George and Amy' s new blog. I really think these keep us more informed of what is going on. Our ward started reading the BofM again. So we started reading during lunch time. We are also in the book of John and I did not want to stop reading that so we are reading another book at the same time. I am also reading from the Old Testiment in Hebrew. Since we have been reading the scriptures in Portugues it has help me in this language. So why can I not learn Hebrew the same way. I am not very good at it yet but I have a place that has the OT in Hebrew so I read along with him. I am able to keep up most of the time, and it will help me with the pronuciation. I am going over and over Gen 1, then as I get better I will read more. I have a program that I have had for years (PC Stufy Bible) that has Hebrew letter, English translation, strongs numbers and transliteration. So now all I need now is practice.

New House 2

On the road coming to our land, is a BLUE house, I aways thought it was too much. There are some really pretty light greens and orange houses down here. I was hoping for that. Guess what I got? The pictures are not quite right but they will have to do.
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!!!!! BLUE !!!!!!!

New house

Well we are just about done with the house. Mother picked the color of the paint. It is not quite what I wanted but we will live with it. The bluest part is the old porch, new living room.
Here I am standing by the front door. It is a sliding door so that will be nice. It also has a glass panel that we can let the air come in. The picture on the right is the new living room. We took the window from the old house and moved it to the front of the new part and left it open so we can see into the living room from the kitchen.

Here I am looking out the new window in from of the house. They did a really nice job. That is tile you see on the floor. Every house down here has tile on the floors. The wall are built out of 8x8x4 inch red tiles then cover with plaster.
The only wood used is for the roof. There are so many termites down here that the house would be eaten in weeks if they were made of wood like the US.
The picture above really shows how blue this house is. Uncle Duane painted his house this blue and Aileen made him paint it over. It is kind of pretty, maybe I will paint some dolphins on it and become an enviromentalst.

Genealogy

As you all know I wrote a happy birthday letter to Uncle Ross. I also sent him the genealogy files and he in return sends me back his work. He said he had only done a little but there were over 1000 names. So he has done a lot. That his way I asked you for your information because you kids are there but not your kids. Your trip to SLC really hit me hard. Seeing all of the grandchildren except Kate made me want to make sure that all of our people had their families sealed to each other. So I have really been working hard on it. About three to four hours per day. There is a lot of information that we have, but a lot of duplicate temple work done. So I am going through the IGI files and making sure that all is correct. It is not hard work but very time consuming. I have a program called PAF Insite. It searches the IGI files in SLC from Brasilia. It is really cool what it can do. Then when I have found 3-30 names I have to look at each one and make sure that they are related and get the information. Some names have been done 5 or 6 times. So I record the earliest date but save all the notes of the other temple work done. That way when Dawn and Ross get the temple ready stuff they will have the notes to prove who was whom. (sorry Jethro) I was not an honors English student. I also have been trying to do a little blog each day. I am liking this quite well. It is like a journal.
Also on the 24th of April I will be a father again. We have one pair of parakeets with four eggs all fertile. I know that is counting my parakeets before they hatch, but it is fun. I may let Ana hand feed one so she can get over Rondzinho. By the way how is he doing?

Sunday

Today we had a very good Sunday. In priesthood meeting we talked about service. Our bishop here needs help with his house, so for the past few weeks we have giveing money because we need to hire professionals to work on the house. So we raised the money but I felt we needed to also be there in person to help him also. Some members of the quorum said he was embarrassed, and then the talk went from there. Well it came to me that while Jesus helped everyone in need he also allowed people to help him in need. The example is when Mary Magdalena pour oil on his feet and wiped them with her hair. (Now she did that so she would have claim on him in the resurrection (she being his wife)). He still allowed it. Even though Judas was against it. We also need to allow people to help us in our needs. I love going to Church to hear important examples of love taught. After I talked in priesthood, they are going to have a work project at the bishops house. I remember what Jethro told me a few years back, how he hated to go to our little service projects, but when he grew and saw what it did for those who were served he changed his mind. I hope all of you (which I do see in your lives) will continue to serve your fellowman. For when you do that you are only in the service of your God.

Scroll down a page and you will see the free PAF download.

Geneology

Well I have been working on the Norway geneology. Some lines I have it back to 1600's. What I am trying to do most though is to make sure that all the families and children are tied together. When everone but Kate was in SLC and they called us on Video, I was able to see all of the grandchildren. What a joy it was to be able to see them. They were not too interested in talking to me, but I enjoyed every minute of it. It was really nice to have Sarah sing "I am trying to be like Jesus". Well that experience taught me that our people loved their children and grandchildren as much as we do. So I am trying to get them all together. If any of you want the files then just let me know and I can email them to you. You go to the www.familysearch.org file and get the PAF program. It is free, then you will be able to read them. I hope this link works because I will use it. I love you all. Dad

Well as of yet I cannot get pictures to work so I will just write a little.
we are moving the first of the month to our little farm called Mormolandia.
four of our five neighbors are membes of the church. plus there are about another
10 families that live out there. We are moving so we can be out in the country, Ana's
mother will live in this house, and we will rent out the apartment. It is very nice out there.
We built on the house a little living room. turned the porch into the living room. We have
a hard time getting out there. But it looks like we will be ready soon. Thanks for the
comments girls.

My First

Well this is my first blog. I am Reuel Jones and my wife's name is Ana Cristina. We live in Brasilia, Brasil. It is beautiful down here. The climate is like San Diego. I will put pictures as we go.