portugal experiences

We came home late last night from Beja.  When we walked into our apt/home, I received a text from our neighbor, Paula.  She asked if we were home yet?  She is going through a rough time and when she found that we were home, soon a little knock on our door, and there was my friend with warm banana cake for us.  We visited in the stairwell and I saw tears at her sadness.  I gave her a big hug and we cried together. Some days we all feel to cry.  Most days we see Paula's smile:    People were kind to say that they enjoyed our talks in the Beja Branch.  Over 40 people came to the meeting!  We are working in Beja now as well as Evora. We spent our day out searching for lost members after a nice visit and meal at President Paulo Santo's home with his beautiful family.  The elders in Beja had a transfer and also an appointment to teach Lidia.  She had also attended church in Evora 2 weeks previously and so we already knew her. We...

We were walking north on the sidewalk in front of our home on February 26. Hercinio (air-seen-yeo) was walking south on the same sidewalk on his way to the Pingo Doce Grocery store.  We said 'Bom Tarde', (Good Afternoon) like everyone does and he stopped to talk to us, not like everyone does. That's when we first met this gentleman of faith.  He told us that he was studying at the university here and is from Guinea-Bissau. He had just arrived in Evora the past few days and was staying with friends just around the corner from our apt. until he could get into his apt. We told him that we are missionaries and that we have a wonderful message to share about Jesus Christ.  He wanted to hear more about the message.We set an appointment to visit more on the next afternoon, but continued visiting a little  and when we asked what he was studying, we found that he was in the medical field and we asked if knew a man named Vadinho that is also studing here in the medical field....

Two Glorious verses of scripture are found in Malachi...the very last two verses in the Old Testament. They along with 1st Corinthians chapter 15 in the Bible, explain the importance of each child of God and with the restoration of Jesus Christ's original church, we learn how every person who has ever lived on this earth will have an opportunity to accept Heavenly Father's plan of Happiness. We love that not even one will be left out of the invitation to follow Jesus Christ. We love that each of us can decide for ourselves what matters to us most. Vadinho was so excited to learn about the blessings of The Temple.  Elder Benedict helped him understand those scriptures even before Vadinho was baptized on February 12th. Little by little they have spent time learning about his genealogy.  Families are Forever!      Vadinho was thrilled that he could take the name of his father to the Temple to be baptized as a proxy for him. We explained that his father would s...

  March 4. 2020 was another extra special day in our Family.  We experienced the marriage of our grand-daughter Hailey K!  She was married in The Payson, Utah Temple. And again these are the days that I swallow a few tears for missing family. So many good things are happening here and we are staying busy...and we will update more next Monday...but for today's post...we celebrate Hailey K's Marriage. We know there are families all over the world that have not heard about the significance and Eternal nature of being married in a Temple of God.  Both Reese and Hailey K have served missions and understand why we are here.  What a Glorious day!  We are so thankful for technology as we got to see them come out of the Temple and to tell them of our love.  Families are Forever!!! Love!