Great Examples...

President Resendes of the Ponata Delgada Branch. So busy with work, home, family, yet arrives to help the youth with their own family search inbetween a very busy work schedule,  He lives 25 minutes from the church by car.

Donaria, The young Womens' President.  She has been a member for just over a year and 1/2.  She hugs the whole world and each young woman with her way. To hear her speak is like hearing a poem with every inflection of voice to hold your heart and attention.

Random:  The afternoon before my Father's funeral was spent trying to find a dress. My Mother and Sisters always look so beautiful and I wanted to do my best. Shopping for clothes is one of my least favorite things to do...and always the last thing I think of and so I wandered in and out of stores trying to focus, with no success.  

(I remember when Aunt Maxine came the night before I was to speak at BYU-I Education Week.  She brought me three outfits on hangers from her closet and told me that I should wear this one for my Thursday presentations, this one for Friday, and this one for Saturday.  I had spent my time preparing 9 presentations and had forgotten all about what to wear. The moment I remember is opening the door and there she was. She just showed up... an angel in my life).    

Anyway, fast forward years and after 3 hours of trying on clothes, I decided that I was just wandering and wasting my day. On my drive home, I passed the Retirement Center and decided to turn around and go visit my sweet friend who lives there and loves company almost as much as I love her.  We visited. She showed me the lastest greeting cards that she had designed.  She then asked me how my day was.  I explained my sadness and how I was missing my Father..  I told her of my gladness that he was now with my mother forever! I told her about my afternoon and how hard it was to find the right dress.  Her eyes smiled!

At once she had me open her closets and insisted that I try on so her dresses.  Many times in life, when we try our best to cheer others, they end up cheering us instead.  Putting back the dresses carefully, except the blue one we choose for me to borrow, which I folded and took home to wear the next day with my gratitude, I thought of many wonderful people in my life that I want to be just like someday. 

Sister Resendes brought the cartoon drawings of her son painted on wood, from off the wall in her room.  He painted them them many many years ago.  Still her treasures.  Mothers are like that.

Bernadino e Maria da Paz come most Saturdays to clean the church and ready it for Sunday meetings.

It is alot of work.  Plus, the time and gas money to get there.  Maria told me that she loves to do it because she is giving her time to Our Savior and that makes her happy when she cleans His Church.

Paulo is a counselor in the Elder's Quorum.  He comes to help in the van that Bernadino drives. The van that breaks down and is still running by faith and prayers at times.  Bernadino fills his car each Sunday many do not have cars.  

Lucia is our Relief Society President.  Always smiling and trying to lift others.

Arnaldo and Rogeria are cream of the crop.  Quiet and faithful and easy to be entreated.

Grandpa is amazing as he reads and labels maps and in his efforts to find every member of the Branch. We love to visit with anyone who wants to know more about Heavenly Father's Love for all of us. 

I will try to do better about showing some of the places we see in this Beautiful land. I know we live in a postcard of  a place.  But, it is always the people that we love and want to remember.  Just wanted to show you some of them.   We love you!