Nuestro Familia y Amigos:
Sister Roberts from our temple presidency sent this video suggestion to us. Dad and I watched it and were both inspired and saddened at how little some of the people here have. In our current barrio (ward) are two people in wheel chairs whose legs are amputated. They have diabetes, but no money for the insulin and other options. The answer was to take their legs. This is in a relatively wealthy area.
The movie itself is upbeat. If you go to the site livingonone.org, you will see ways to contribute, if that's what you'd like to do after watching the movie.
Sister Roberts from our temple presidency sent this video suggestion to us. Dad and I watched it and were both inspired and saddened at how little some of the people here have. In our current barrio (ward) are two people in wheel chairs whose legs are amputated. They have diabetes, but no money for the insulin and other options. The answer was to take their legs. This is in a relatively wealthy area.
The movie itself is upbeat. If you go to the site livingonone.org, you will see ways to contribute, if that's what you'd like to do after watching the movie.
livingonone.org
For the past two weeks, I have been singing "You Raise Me Up," a song I heard the Tabernacle Choir perform on YouTube. It seems very appropriate here, both in helping the Guatemalans to have enough to eat and get medical help, and in our temple work. Here are the lyrics:
"You Raise Me Up"
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
"You Raise Me Up"
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
Dad and I have been on several trips west of Guatemala City. Each time we see several volcanoes to the left of the road after we leave the city. Fuego is usually spewing a cloud of smoke intermittently. President Burk calls it "burping". What looks like lazy plumes to us actually drops large lava rocks on the surrounding area.
This past week was an eruption that closed the airport to air traffic, caused evacuations of the villages around the volcano, and is continuing to coat us in ash here in the city. The volcano is many miles away. Here is the news report:
GUATEMALA CITY, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- A volcano erupted in Guatemala on Saturday, spewing ash for thousands of feet into the sky, halting air traffic as scores of people evacuated the area. The Volcan de Fuego, or "fire volcano," spewed ashes 18,000 feet above sea level, raining rocks and debris on surrounding towns, according to Guatemala's national disaster agency.
Towns in the vicinity of the eruption were evacuated of at least 100 people, and large pillars of black ash prompted a halt to air traffic at Guatemala's La Aurora International Airport. The airport reopened Sunday.
One of Central America's most active volcanoes, the 12,345-foot Volcan de Fuego has had frequent periods of activity, including in 2007 and 2012, when surrounding areas were evacuated of 35,000 people during the largest eruption by the volcano since 1999.
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2015/02/08/Volcano-eruption-in-Guatemala-prompts-evacuations-airport-closure/3441423445388/#ixzz3RfdIYiyW
This past week was an eruption that closed the airport to air traffic, caused evacuations of the villages around the volcano, and is continuing to coat us in ash here in the city. The volcano is many miles away. Here is the news report:
GUATEMALA CITY, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- A volcano erupted in Guatemala on Saturday, spewing ash for thousands of feet into the sky, halting air traffic as scores of people evacuated the area. The Volcan de Fuego, or "fire volcano," spewed ashes 18,000 feet above sea level, raining rocks and debris on surrounding towns, according to Guatemala's national disaster agency.
Towns in the vicinity of the eruption were evacuated of at least 100 people, and large pillars of black ash prompted a halt to air traffic at Guatemala's La Aurora International Airport. The airport reopened Sunday.
One of Central America's most active volcanoes, the 12,345-foot Volcan de Fuego has had frequent periods of activity, including in 2007 and 2012, when surrounding areas were evacuated of 35,000 people during the largest eruption by the volcano since 1999.
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2015/02/08/Volcano-eruption-in-Guatemala-prompts-evacuations-airport-closure/3441423445388/#ixzz3RfdIYiyW
Dad went for the second time to our new Sunday assignment. Four of us missionary couples have accepted the Area Presidency's request that we offer support to outlying wards. You should have heard the stories that came back from the first day, everything from very poor wards to what sounds like a standard ward without music. Dad says they need me for music in the meetings. They had an old boom box they put on top of the old piano that no one plays.
We shared stories over our standing Sunday meal. It was at the Allreds this time. She likes to cook and spoils us with fun things like deviled eggs, pickles and little candy bars for dessert, not to mention her amazing cashew brittle. It makes me nostalgic. Mommy Aloa used to have such fun things at her dinners.
Congratulations to Jed, whose multi-year Facebook project culminated with an official launch this week. I've thought about death much more than ever before as we are daily providing ordinances for those, including our own ancestors, who have passed on. Here is his announcement on Facebook:
Jed Brubaker
It is finally here. Today Facebook introduced Legacy Contacts and updated memorialized profiles. During my six years of research on death and social network sites I have seen the powerful ways that post-mortem profiles can be places for communities to gather and support each other, but until now they were often unmanaged. Legacy contacts changes this. So much work has gone into this product, but it is here.
I feel really strongly about my research serving the communities I work with, so when Facebook reached out to ask if I would be willing to help them take this step I couldn’t say no. I have worked with many people during some of the most difficult parts of their lives. It’s great that my research is having an impact, but mostly I’m grateful to the people who were willing to share their experiences. The most gratifying aspect of these new features is knowing that these changes will make Facebook a more supportive space for people during challenging times.
If you want, read more about it:
http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2015/02/adding-a-legacy-contact/
http://news.uci.edu/featu…/overseeing-your-online-afterlife/
http://www.wsj.com/…/facebook-heir-time-to-choose-who-manag…
We shared stories over our standing Sunday meal. It was at the Allreds this time. She likes to cook and spoils us with fun things like deviled eggs, pickles and little candy bars for dessert, not to mention her amazing cashew brittle. It makes me nostalgic. Mommy Aloa used to have such fun things at her dinners.
Congratulations to Jed, whose multi-year Facebook project culminated with an official launch this week. I've thought about death much more than ever before as we are daily providing ordinances for those, including our own ancestors, who have passed on. Here is his announcement on Facebook:
Jed Brubaker
It is finally here. Today Facebook introduced Legacy Contacts and updated memorialized profiles. During my six years of research on death and social network sites I have seen the powerful ways that post-mortem profiles can be places for communities to gather and support each other, but until now they were often unmanaged. Legacy contacts changes this. So much work has gone into this product, but it is here.
I feel really strongly about my research serving the communities I work with, so when Facebook reached out to ask if I would be willing to help them take this step I couldn’t say no. I have worked with many people during some of the most difficult parts of their lives. It’s great that my research is having an impact, but mostly I’m grateful to the people who were willing to share their experiences. The most gratifying aspect of these new features is knowing that these changes will make Facebook a more supportive space for people during challenging times.
If you want, read more about it:
http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2015/02/adding-a-legacy-contact/
http://news.uci.edu/featu…/overseeing-your-online-afterlife/
http://www.wsj.com/…/facebook-heir-time-to-choose-who-manag…
Many thanks to all of you who are helping Jonathan and Renelle prepare for their coming wedding. Nicole reminded me that this will be the first time in 10 years that we will all be together. We bought our tickets and are really looking forward to being with all of you.
Hermana Brubaker
MIssionary Mom