Christmas in Germany

When the Advent season opens, Christmas markets also crop up in nearly every German town, large or small. The town squares are lit up and buzzing with activity during this time. Townspeople gather together, listen to brass band music, and enjoy the hearty traditional fare of the region. Vendors peddle baked goods, including gingerbread hearts, sugar-roasted almonds, crepes, cookies, stollen, cotton candy and other sweets. Christmas tree decorations, seasonal items, and handcrafted articles are also sold.

Christmas markets date back to at least the 14th century and were one of the many markets held throughout the year. It was here that people bought everything they needed for the Christmas celebration: baking moulds, decorations, candles, and toys for the children. In fact, until well into the 20th century, the Weihnachstmärkte were the only place for people to buy such seasonal items.

Markets differ from place to place; each has its own regional imprint. The market at Aachen, for instance, is known for its gingerbread men. The regions around the mountain range are famous for their handmade wooden crafts. Augsburg has a life-sized Advent calendar and opens the holiday season with its famous "Angel Play." At the Frankfurt Christmas Market, visitors will find almond cookies.

The most famous Christmas market is the Nürnberger, which is known for its gold foil angels and locally produced gingerbread cakes. At least 375 years old, it is one of the oldest, and with over 200 vendors participating each year.

In the photo: Mena, João and Neia

Ginger project

Nothing makes a more impressive centerpiece during the holidays than a homemade gingerbread house, mom always have a fun time doing this every Christmas, this year is not just one house but a condominium.

At the end of a long day after traveling from the S. Filipe in the Fogo Island to Praia in the Santiago Island and various meetings Filomena takes a break to take a photo with good friends in Cape Verde.

The future is bright

It was great to see so many young adults, some married some single getting together in a reunion to remember a time of service in Brazil, specially to see them make good choices and pursuing righteous goals in life.

When I look at this impressive group of young people I always think that the future is bright!

Titanic

While in Belfast Northern Ireland we visited the Parliament building and gardens and the The Thompson Dock which is essentially Titanic’s footprint..

At the time of its construction The Thompson Dock was the biggest Dry Dock in the world, built for the biggest ships in the world. RMS Olympic was the first ship dry-docked in this dock in April 1911, followed later by Britannic and Titanic.

History at my fingertips

Miguel visited recently the Nauvoo Temple while he was in the University of Iowa. This Temple was the second temple constructed by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. The church's first temple was completed in Kirtland, Ohio, United States in 1836. When the main body of the church was forced out of Nauvoo, Illinois in the winter of 1846, the church attempted to sell the building, finally succeeding in 1848. The building was damaged by fire and a tornado before being demolished.

In 1937, the Church reacquired the lot on which the original temple had stood. The Church built a temple on the original site whose exterior is a replica of the first temple, but whose interior is laid out like a modern temple. On 27 June 2002, this new temple was dedicated as the Nauvoo Illinois Temple.

Chatburn and Downham

These two villages were the scene of the most spiritual experience in Elder Heber C. Kimball's 1837-1838 mission in Britain. Here he had success and baptized dozens of people, and during his last visit in 1838 as the children walked the mile from one village to the other singing hymns and holding hands and their parents called down blessings upon Elder Kimball from their houses.

As we visited the extraordinary village of Downham, that as been preserved by it's owner's pretty much the same way it was in the 1800's you could still fell the peace of that location in the beautiful landscape of England.

Pleasant woods and plentiful springs of water.

In the photo is the Town Hall of the city of Sintra, this town has remained even nowadays the "noble town surrounded by many estates, pleasant woods with plentiful springs of excellent water", referred to by various old authors.

A tourist region par excellence, Sintra is one of the most delightful places to be found in Portugal. With its extensive range of green bills with its crags - the Serra de Sintra - so picturesquely situated and offering stupendous views of the coastline with its impressive beauty, Sintra is indeed "a garden of the earthly paradise".

There is no visit to Portugal without a stop in Sintra, we spent an afternoon here walking the narrow streets and admiring the hand painted tiles.

Resting in a tree

After several hours of walking by the the coast line of Guincho and Cascais, nothing like resting comfortably in a tree!

We completed the first two days in Portugal with a visit to to of our favorite places, including the site of the expo area in Lisbon.

MTC

We spend most of this week at the MTC in Provo, their we met the new Mission President of the New York South Mission, President and Sister Nelson.

The painting in the background of the photo is the original canvas!

Swiss cabin

We visited our old friends the Buckners in their home in South Weber. The Buckners spent 14 years of their lives living in Europe, first in Germany than in France, Switzerland and the UK, we share many great memories in the same places we lived at the same time as they did.

The Spalinos were also at the Buckners, the Spalinos have also been good friends and we lived and worked together in Germany and France!

In the picture Filomena is with Debbie in the swiss type mountain cabin that Debbie remodeled. A bit of Europe in Utah!

Cherries

This last week we began to pick the cherries from our cherry tree, nothing like picking you own cherries!

This tasty fruit has among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants compared to other fruits.

The latest research conducted by the University of Michigan suggests even more reasons to EAT RED and choose cherries for heart-health benefits. Specifically, the study revealed a cherry-enriched diet may help lower body fat, total weight, inflammation and cholesterol – all major risk factors for heart disease.

Top 100 Places to Live

Idaho Falls makes it to the Top 100 Places to Live website. the wonders of Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Parks, the Craters of the Moon National Monument, or Henry's Fork of the Snake River just to name a few of the area's many attributes of this place of the world. Great outdoor activities like fishing, hiking and camping and unspoiled wilderness are among I sure the reasons Idaho Falls was elected to be on this list.

I traveled this last weekend to Idaho Falls and the highlight in the landscape of this small city is the Idaho Falls Temple next to the scenic Snake River. The photo was take with a Canon G9 early afternoon on July 7, 2009.

Not to far from the Prospect Park

The Brooklyn Museum, housed in a 560,000-square-foot, Beaux-Arts building, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country. Its world-renowned permanent collections range from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to contemporary art, and represent a wide range of cultures. Only a 30-minute subway ride from midtown Manhattan, with its own newly renovated subway station, the Museum is part of a complex of nineteenth-century parks and gardens that also includes Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the Prospect Park Zoo.

(The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)

Abigail (Sister Adams) Wedding

New Area Leadership Announced

The First Presidency has announced the new Area Leadership for the 26 areas of the world as of August 1st of 2009. [click the chart bellow to see details]. Dad will be part of the Europe Area Presidency and the family will relocate to Frankfurt, Germany.

Good trip!

This week Mom and I went to Manti, the Temple is majestic, there is a lot of serenity in that historic place. We visited with the youth of the Institute of Snow College in Ephraim, a city just a few miles from Manti!

General Conference

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, general conferences are a semiannual meeting where general authorities and other church leaders preach sermons and give guidance to the members of the church. The April conference is known as the Annual General Conference, and the October conference the Semiannual General Conference. The April conference includes annual statistical and financial reports not included in the October meeting.The conferences have been held in Salt Lake City, Utah since 1848; in the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square before 2000 and in the Conference Center after that.

Here it is the link for the talk of "Gifts to Help Us Navigate Our Life"

Video - New member of the Quorum of the Twelve

General Young Women Meeting

Mom and Ana attended the the General Young Woman Meeting this week. They both came home energized with the talk of President Tomas S. Monson

Draper Temple Dedication

Friday the 20th of March we attended a session of the dedication of the Draper Temple. Ana and Miguel went as well, it was a blessing to be together in the that special event.

It was a perfect day, the sky was blue and the weather was just perfect.

Legacy of a great city

St. George was settled in 1861. Mormon leader Brigham Young sent a group of pioneers to the far reaching corner of the Territory of Utah to grow cotton and grapes and harvest silk.

Today the cotton fields are gone, the wineries are closed and the silk industry has given way to modern, more prosperous businesses.

St. George is a pleasant city which we have enjoyed for a couple of hours, hope we can return again!

Provo Tabernacle

This weekend we were at a Stake Conference in BYU and the general session of conference was held in the Provo Tabernacle.

This is the second time I speak in this historic building which is used for religious meetings as well as many other cultural venues.

A special blessing

Ana received her patriarchal blessing today. A patriarchal blessing is a unique and remarkable privilege that can come to the faithful members of the Church having sufficient maturity to understand the nature and the importance of such blessings.

These privileged blessings are a powerful witness of the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ in bringing exaltation to each of us. Like many blessings, they must be requested by the person or by the family of the one desiring the blessing.
 
To know more about what is this special blessing read this talk by James E. Faust: Your patriarchal blessing

Long Dress

Ana took a long pink dress to the Valentine Ball in School, she is truly looking nice and she was enjoying it!

Big Glasses

The other day we went for a walk arround our neighborhood, it was cold a nice sunny day, just perfect for Ana to try out her new sun glasses, kind of alien type but she likes them!

In the Pacific Ocean

This is one the favorite photos of mom, she enjoys life with things that are very simple, like feeling the cold water of the Pacific Ocean during the winter!

That is the way we all remember mom, happy, smiling and making others happy as well!

San Diego

We had several extra hours and took the time to just walk in the Coronado Island in San Diego, it was wonderful, the weather was just right and the scenery was spectecular, this night photo was taken during dinner from the balcony of the restaurant that mom and I were!

White and Beautiful!

Miguel and Ana went to do ski and snowboard to Park City, they enjoyed that very much, continues to snow here, it is white and beautiful!

Now in 2009

We watched first the the celebration of the new year in Australia and Hong Kong, than in London and at 10PM here in Salt Lake City we watch the ball descend to 2009 in New York City. We are looking forward to the new year and the opportunities and blessings that will bring.

We see this time of João in New York as one of the blessings and wish him a Happy New Year.