tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51415442982028135052024-03-12T17:07:48.636-06:00Los Sandberg in MexicoHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747436597003470554noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-86673100806647392612016-06-11T08:06:00.002-05:002016-06-11T08:06:22.482-05:00June 8, 2016 Last BlogJune 8, 2016<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear Family and Friends,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The time has come for the last entry for Los Sandberg in Mexico Blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We had many goodbye events. Some missionaries and we went to a very typical old style restaurant.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dlGpSk1fuoI/V1jNrwJr54I/AAAAAAAAKdU/yVj-UeAjIJknwvuBED0BNTVqUl5rdc-6wCLcB/s1600/20160518_181043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dlGpSk1fuoI/V1jNrwJr54I/AAAAAAAAKdU/yVj-UeAjIJknwvuBED0BNTVqUl5rdc-6wCLcB/s640/20160518_181043.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Very good food and they had singers wandering around. Check out my pretty wife singing along.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwohHc324ffHAw-2DFKsOodDZGfBQoLj0g0_owx74xBHy2oakdFgY0SonHCDLL05Gw-Gww4eQSVDwUXgfBL-Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Roland Reyes is a member of our ward. He was stake president a while back and Kevin Wagner, son-in-law of Michelle's sister Patricia and her husband Leo, was his counselor in the stake presidency. They wanted to invite us to eat at their place before we left. Very nice home.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n7P8QJfuLH8/V1jOeFqWLZI/AAAAAAAAKdg/vpHpEPkwphkY0DwRJL_eAwa-3zjhjt_bQCLcB/s1600/DSC00808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n7P8QJfuLH8/V1jOeFqWLZI/AAAAAAAAKdg/vpHpEPkwphkY0DwRJL_eAwa-3zjhjt_bQCLcB/s640/DSC00808.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">Michelle's class, where she taught Spanish and English to those who wanted to learn either language, brought a pie to the last class.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tXlEGKrKL2Q/V1jSBoC_r5I/AAAAAAAAKds/_g63rv3KSKEXOxok7wgjbY7WBz7orMyWgCLcB/s1600/DSC00796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tXlEGKrKL2Q/V1jSBoC_r5I/AAAAAAAAKds/_g63rv3KSKEXOxok7wgjbY7WBz7orMyWgCLcB/s640/DSC00796.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My nephew Matt Sandberg - son of David and Marie Sandberg - and his family took us out to a very nice restaurant.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-96VQb_JGbZQ/V1jSTawuIQI/AAAAAAAAKd0/JbhV2Jdc2ecXWz7LOOtxCGamlsAqF6b8QCLcB/s1600/DSC00830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-96VQb_JGbZQ/V1jSTawuIQI/AAAAAAAAKd0/JbhV2Jdc2ecXWz7LOOtxCGamlsAqF6b8QCLcB/s640/DSC00830.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The restaurant had a beautiful plaza in the middle.</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bgp-6mO1P0E/V1oR_hYUcrI/AAAAAAAAKfI/vGleVOMPM6gHUfAp1miwLA72mIMCptAYQCLcB/s1600/20160528_180909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bgp-6mO1P0E/V1oR_hYUcrI/AAAAAAAAKfI/vGleVOMPM6gHUfAp1miwLA72mIMCptAYQCLcB/s640/20160528_180909.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We also had one last picture with them at the church. It was nice to have some family in Mexico with us.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WV7AGX_C_V4/V1jSqy78ZxI/AAAAAAAAKeA/0IS3yOr4uaMO3tr4jWORWGxsrODcFcF2ACLcB/s1600/20160529_162647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WV7AGX_C_V4/V1jSqy78ZxI/AAAAAAAAKeA/0IS3yOr4uaMO3tr4jWORWGxsrODcFcF2ACLcB/s640/20160529_162647.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We worked a lot with the membership department, and they invited us down to their area for a yummy brunch.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J8YQVbbh7Hk/V1jTbZc5e-I/AAAAAAAAKeY/I1YAwJu5P4Ex2Z8L7BGIZGi29BOqi8mQACLcB/s1600/MLU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J8YQVbbh7Hk/V1jTbZc5e-I/AAAAAAAAKeY/I1YAwJu5P4Ex2Z8L7BGIZGi29BOqi8mQACLcB/s640/MLU.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We had a nice exit interview with the Area President and then a lunch for saying goodbye to us and several others who are leaving. That is the Area President, Benjamin De Hoyos, who is being transferred to Salt Lake City and Elder Paul Pieper who will be the new Area President.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QlgGkdDWb8g/V1jT9pYt-HI/AAAAAAAAKek/R_uOJGapS9I5owIF0pXQpLQ6fd6t5mBcwCLcB/s1600/20160526_132845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QlgGkdDWb8g/V1jT9pYt-HI/AAAAAAAAKek/R_uOJGapS9I5owIF0pXQpLQ6fd6t5mBcwCLcB/s640/20160526_132845.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That is everyone who was at the luncheon, including the wives of the area presidency.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8f4SRlkmTCY/V1jURIkxP-I/AAAAAAAAKew/jDpz5nui6h4R4IdEOPIobpboSqbUBFa3ACLcB/s1600/DSC00807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8f4SRlkmTCY/V1jURIkxP-I/AAAAAAAAKew/jDpz5nui6h4R4IdEOPIobpboSqbUBFa3ACLcB/s640/DSC00807.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The senior missionaries took us out to eat at a restaurant and gave a special FHE farewell for us that </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">included a recitatio</span>n of an original acrostic prese</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ntation in Spanish (<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">An </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">acrostic</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;"> is a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poetry" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Poetry">poem</a>, <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">or other form of writing, in which the first letter or syllable or word of each line or </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paragraph" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Paragraph">paragraph</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">, or other recurring feature in the text spells out a word or a message). </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;">In Spanish there were 8 sentences about us, each sentence beginning with a letter in our name. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;">S A N D B E R G.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">And an original song for us.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwxHZqjRqOa7Pgr9D7YEVoVbtfhLkiRRWGVnic-72DzRZGoEfYrHctoB-YO7desVCZbe96SIREjX0Pdi23WaA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">We went down to see the list of all the senior missionaries in Mexico. Our name was on the top, the next to go home!</span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TsP-7sFnz7k/V1oUL2Pw1fI/AAAAAAAAKfU/ZTvo9DdnwWUq65DWj3v5fJfb00sh_OdVQCLcB/s1600/DSC00834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TsP-7sFnz7k/V1oUL2Pw1fI/AAAAAAAAKfU/ZTvo9DdnwWUq65DWj3v5fJfb00sh_OdVQCLcB/s640/DSC00834.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Michelle wanted a pictures of her eating her last good Mexican mango and tamale. It was a blackberry tamale. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iPzv98816_4/V1oUwjoMtbI/AAAAAAAAKfo/_awaGQeTH4UkMiX1srWRLbAbVtItwHKiACLcB/s1600/DSC00844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iPzv98816_4/V1oUwjoMtbI/AAAAAAAAKfo/_awaGQeTH4UkMiX1srWRLbAbVtItwHKiACLcB/s640/DSC00844.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">I made a last appointment to the dentist because it is cheaper. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Right now they say the city has the worst pollution it has had in 14 years. They have put in restrictions; depending on our license plate, you can't drive one day a week and 1 Saturday a month.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8RmOMoB7JU/V1oVzJ0wRsI/AAAAAAAAKgQ/FXEb976ea5oRullZNumcOdL-GysZxo7KwCKgB/s1600/20160530_121130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8RmOMoB7JU/V1oVzJ0wRsI/AAAAAAAAKgQ/FXEb976ea5oRullZNumcOdL-GysZxo7KwCKgB/s640/20160530_121130.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">This picture is just to remind you that in Dec - Jan we had some very clear skies.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6j-k554_foM/V1oWznDsMPI/AAAAAAAAKgg/zaQ4JqJ5V-8biRZoW_eWwKWZ1xJ6d8jggCLcB/s1600/Volcanos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6j-k554_foM/V1oWznDsMPI/AAAAAAAAKgg/zaQ4JqJ5V-8biRZoW_eWwKWZ1xJ6d8jggCLcB/s640/Volcanos.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Then there was nothing left to do but pack the bags. (I had to buy an extra bag.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then a 4 hour non-stop flight and we were in Salt Lake City with a nice greeting.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_c9r0oKYkMo/V1oVb8-PVQI/AAAAAAAAKf8/7Rl6Ph--u0kKS9fik1IPdu-2_9yS3EVZACLcB/s1600/DSC00853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_c9r0oKYkMo/V1oVb8-PVQI/AAAAAAAAKf8/7Rl6Ph--u0kKS9fik1IPdu-2_9yS3EVZACLcB/s640/DSC00853.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is SO quiet here and no traffic. This is a walk at 8:00 am on the main street by our house. Big change from Mexico City.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFEx228A8Fg/V1wKpKh88vI/AAAAAAAAKg4/AQh9OwJFLpUvcg6FLOSEosePwICYGwpTwCKgB/s1600/20160603_081305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFEx228A8Fg/V1wKpKh88vI/AAAAAAAAKg4/AQh9OwJFLpUvcg6FLOSEosePwICYGwpTwCKgB/s640/20160603_081305.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Big change from Mexico City traffic!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Well time for looking back and summarizing the experience.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">I had some expectations before the mission.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">1) I thought it would be great for Michelle to serve in Mexico. To me it seems she enjoyed it far more than I expected. She loved seeing the sites she knew from before when she lived there, meeting people, and speaking Spanish. She processed and translated to English about 3000 missionary recommendations. She said the thing she enjoyed most was calling the stake presidents on the phone and talking to them.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">2) I thought I would enjoy working in the Area Office as an executive secretary. That was generally better than I thought. I was repeatedly inspired by what is happening in Mexico. I got to see the best things going on in the Church, including somethings not yet announced, and also the worst things happening in the Church of over 1,000,000 members 230 stakes, 34 missions, with 13 temples.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">3) As you know Michelle was born in the Mormon Colonies in Mexico. I was absolutely amazed how many people in Mexico know about, have had experience with, or have roots in the Colonies. So many people know about about the Colonies and the Hatches and Lunts. While there we had 3 senior couples where one of the spouses were born in the colonies. But at least 14 of the other couples had ancestors from the Colonies, most of who left during the revolutions.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">What was hard.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">1) I did not find it hard to be in the office at 7:30 most days.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">2) We had such an active schedule we had trouble sleeping some times.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">3) Understanding Spanish was harder than I thought. In Mexico they speak faster than in Guatemala. I think the things I liked least was calling stake presidents and speaking in Spanish, but even that got better, pretty good at the end.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">4) There were some tough days and some days with tears, but there were tough days and tears at home before we left and I expect there will be more.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">What will I miss. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">1) Having something important for the Kingdom to do everyday; being in the "know".</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">2) Watching the almost weekly broadcast from SLC for all General Authority Seventy Training.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">3) Attending meetings when the apostles from SLC came to do training,</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">4) The top quality managers in the area office.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">5) Interaction with the other couple missionaries. We did lots of fun things together.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">6) Mexico City and the country of Mexico. Large and varied and very interesting.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">What I learned, again.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">1) Our leaders sometimes seem to wander around in making a decision, but in the end the inspiration comes.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">2) General authority wives are more than average confident, with opinions of their own, and willing to speak up. Maybe that kind of wife is what is needed for us men to progress.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">3) The Lord can and does do his work, sometimes not obviously, but He gets it done, sometimes in spite of us.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">And finally, a spiritual thought.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">I hope I remember the Mexico Area Plan. This was for all the members and many stakes passed out a copy to ever member. Here are some highlights.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">It started with an introduction:</span><br />
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<i>Introduction:</i></div>
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<i>Over the past 135 years the Church in Mexico has grown in strength and maturity, thanks to the faith and sacrifice of members from both in and outside the country. (</i>I know many who have served missions in Mexico). <i>Ancient and modern prophets have prophesied of the essential role that the saints in Mexico will play in bringing the gospel to all nations. </i><i>To achieve this, we will need greater faith, sacrifice and commitment. Now is the time to take our place in the establishment of the Kingdom upon the earth. </i>(I could see and feel the members in Mexico moved by this introduction, let's stand up, do more to help the kingdom, we can do it.)</div>
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<i>Vision</i></div>
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<i>We will help hastening the Work of Salvation by increasing our faith in Jesus Christ. We will make the sacrifices needed to become temporally and spiritually self-reliant, to provide for our own needs and to support the growth of the Kingdom throughout the earth</i>. (One of the goals for Mexico has been to provide from Mexico enough fast offering funds to meet all the needs in Mexico. There has been a significant increase and Mexico is now very close to meeting the need.)</div>
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<i>Areas of Emphasis</i></div>
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<i>The members and missionaries, working together, will increase our faith in Jesus Christ to be self-reliant. To this end, we will: </i></div>
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<i>• <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fast faithfully, donate generous fast offerings, and be full tithe payers.</i></div>
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<i>• <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, participating worthily of the Sacrament and keeping the </i></div>
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<i> Sabbath day holy every week.</i></div>
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<i>• <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Find the names of our own ancestors and complete the temple ordinances in their behalf.</i></div>
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<i>Promise</i></div>
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<i>As we strive to increase our faith, worthiness and obedience, the Lord will open the windows of Heaven and provide for the temporal and spiritual needs of our families. We will feel the joy of serving others and be blessed with many new friendships. Our family relationships will deepen and our families will be protected from the spiritual scourges of today’s world. We will receive peace in our hearts and strength in our souls to face our daily problems. Our faith will help to hasten the Work of Salvation in all nations of the world.</i></div>
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I believe this plan, vision, and promise applies to me, really to everyone.</div>
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I enjoyed my mission. I am so glad that we went. Someday when I am old, or maybe better said, when I am older, I will sit in my rocking chair and stare out the window and review my life. I will think of some good things, and my mistakes, and then I will say, something really good I did was serve senior missions and especially I did a good thing in taking Michelle on a senior mission in Mexico.</div>
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Thanks family and friends for your interest and comments. It has been a wonderful experience for me to write down my experience. God lives. He has a plan for each of us. When I live the Gospel principles my life is better, no doubt about it. Love you and hope to see you soon.</div>
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ex-Elder Grandpa and ex-Sister Grandma</div>
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Gilbert and Michelle </div>
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Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-1479683472340743942016-05-28T09:24:00.000-05:002016-05-28T09:24:15.242-05:00No hay quinto malo - The fifth time is never badDear Family and Friends,<br />
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Someone here in the office asked me if we would serve another mission. I said that would be our 5th. He said that here in Mexico we say "No hay quinto malo." (in English) "The fifth time is never bad." Well, it is not the time to think about a 5th mission.<br />
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We expect to do this last post on the blog before we leave, and then a summary after we get home. We arrive home next week.<br />
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First I want to do something I have wanted to do for a long time - a little geography quiz about Mexico.. Without looking at the answers below, answer to yourself these questions.<br />
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Which is further North, Dallas Texas or Tijuana Mexico?<br />
Which is further North, Miami Florida or Monterrey Mexico?<br />
Which is a longer flight from Mexico City - Tijuana or Salt Lake City?<br />
Which is further North, Mexico City or Miami?<br />
Which is further North, Mexico City or Cancun Mexico?<br />
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Then look at the answers<br />
Dallas<br />
About the same<br />
About the same - 4 hours direct flight<br />
Miami<br />
Mexico City<br />
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Kind of amazing.<br />
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Anyway, we got to go to the National Congress of Mexico. They call it the Chamber of Deputies or House of the people. The Church here is helping organizing a Non-Governmental Organization to advocate for religious freedom and the family. <br />
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They had their first meeting in the building where the National Congress meets. The Nation Senate meets in a different building.<br />
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Here Michelle and I are entering the building.<br />
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You can see the building in the background. Then this is what the building looks like on the other side.<br />
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Always being interested in politics, I really enjoyed it. This is one of the halls inside.<br />
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We didn't go where the deputies have their official meetings, but to one of the rooms in the buildings.<br />
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They were so well organized; 5 different religious leaders spoke, They were openly against gay marriage and were very pro-family.<br />
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This says the first meeting of legislators and interreligious councils. Below is the Church's director of public affairs being interviewed by some press.<br />
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Below is Elder Dallin H. Oaks; he was the main speaker. All the speakers were introduced by a deputy from the Congress. Elder Oaks was introduced by one of the leaders in the congress who is a member of the Church.<br />
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Afterward they served us a nice buffet lunch, and we ran into some people who know Michelle's family, like happens everywhere.<br />
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This is Marco Antonio Flores who was my brother John's classmate at the Church school Benemérito, and is close friend of the Wagner family. His wife is the sister of Elder De Hoyos, our area president.<br />
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Oh, we had a talent night at our Senior Missionary FHE. I wiggled my ears and played the boogie woogie on the piano. (Not at the same time)<br />
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One of the missionaries, Elder Longhurst, played the saw. Check out this short video.<br />
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One Mexican Mother's day - 10th of May - we were awakened by a group of missionaries serenading us, singing a traditional song, Las Mañanitas, and the group included the saw!</div>
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Rainy seasons is approaching. We do have rain and hail.<br />
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We also went to visit Sara Osnaya Flores. When Sara was 13 she went to the Colonies to go to the Academy. A mission president here at the time made arrangements for 13 youth to go to the Colonias, learn more about the Church, and learn English. Sara lived with Michelle's family for two years and later stayed with other people until she graduated. Michelle's mother taught her to play the piano. Here she is with her children.<br />
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Since she played the piano when she returned home, she has often played in church and all of her children play the piano. Boy did they treat us great - wonderful meal! Like good Mexican hosts, they could not have been more gracious and kind and considerate.<br />
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They had a special basket for the ladies; that is Sister Longhurst with them. And they also gave a large bouquet to each of the ladies. <br />
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Then we went to what they said was the first church built in southern Mexico. And Sara's brother showed us many pictures of the early days and the first missionaries.<br />
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Including a picture of Michelle's Aunt Reah who served there years ago as a young missionary.<br />
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We do have some fun FHE times. Onc the lesson was on being childlike, and afterwards we played some games children pay. This is Michelle playing jackets.<br />
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And the Elders playing marbles.<br />
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We have been working on our "bucket list", things we decided we wanted to do before finishing the mission. We went to the World Trade Center - Mexico. It is a revolving restaurant at the top of the tall building that turns all the way around in an hour.<br />
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They made Michelle's salad table side.<br />
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The meals looked like this.<br />
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This is how I got my pina colada ice cream.</div>
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And now we are training our replacements, George and Judy Sloan from Mesa, AZ. We picked them up at the airport.<br />
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Because Mexico City is very crowded and land is expensive, to expand the roads costs too much to go wide, so to get more traffic lanes, they go up--two story freeways.<br />
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And the final thing on my "bucket list" was to visit Chapultepec Castle. This castle is on a hill in Mexico City. The name in Nahuatl and means grasshopper hill. They say the Aztec kings liked to leave the crowded center of their city on the island in the middle of the lake and come to this hill which was outside the city.<br />
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The Spanish leaders used it and Maximilian, emperor of Mexico set up by France, used it as his palace, and some Mexican presidents used it also They say the Chapultepec park that surrounds it is the largest city park in the world.<br />
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e approached the park by going through the monument to the 6 children heros of Mexico. The castle, which can be seen in the background, was used as a military academy during the Mexican - American war in 1846. The US military entered Mexico City, and when the US was winning the battle for the castle one of the teenage cadets wrapped himself in the Mexico flag and jumped from the castle to his death to save the flag. 5 other cadets jumped and now the 6 cadets are heroes. Thus the 6 spires in the monument.<br />
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This in on the outside of the castle.</div>
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This is one of the rooms which has a grasshopper in the stain glass window.<br />
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Many of the rooms are like this.<br />
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There have been many remodelings over the years. This is now kind of a sun room, with some of the Greek Goddesses depicted.<br />
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Personally, I like the gardens and being with my wife, she is kind of a modern beautiful goddess, no?<br />
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Then we walked through the Mexico History Museum which spirals down with many displays.</div>
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This is the display of the Battle of the Alamo.<br />
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I really enjoy history and politics. <br />
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As I said, the name Chapultepec means grasshopper. Well a few days later one of the couples that went with us to the castle brought me this, sauteed grasshoppers! As we have said, we need to think of a mission as an adventure, so I ate one. Salty and crunchy. OK, but won't buy any to eat.<br />
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Well in summary, we have had a grand experience in Mexico.<br />
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When I (Elder Sandberg) came I had some expectations<br />
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1) Michelle would really enjoy it in Mexico. That has been FAR better than I thought. She has just loved being in Mexico, talking Spanish, meeting people, SO MANY people know her family the Hatches and Lunts. AND THE MORMON COLONIES - We have 8 anglo couples here in the office and in every couple either the husband or wife has an ancestor that lived in the Mormon Colonies in Mexico where Michelle is from.<br />
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2) I expected to enjoy working as an executive secretary to the Area Presidency. That has been everything I expected and more. I have heard about the very best things happening in the Church in Mexico which brought tears to my eyes. But I have also heard about the very worst things happening in the Church in Mexico; that brought tears to my eyes too. Glad, very glad, for the experience. <br />
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I understand my wife and Mexico better; that is good.<br />
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And finally, my testimony that God directs His work is stronger than ever. I am inspired how sincerely and continuing the Area Presidency acts on directions from the First Presidency. They take that direction as very important prophetic direction. I wish I had done that more as a Church leader. And I am inspired watching the presidency make decisions. Sometimes they kind of go around and around, but then the inspiration comes, they make the decision, and they are always all in agreement.<br />
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This is the Lord's work, He can do and does do His work, sometimes I think in spite of us.<br />
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We love our family and friends and look forward to arriving home.<br />
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Elder and Sister Sandberg<br />
(It will be sad to put away the name tags.)<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-14873683477328357832016-05-02T20:36:00.000-05:002016-05-02T20:36:38.999-05:00Historical sites and Visitors part 2Dear Family and Friends,<br />
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We had the chance to visit a town about 2 hours north of the city called San Marcos. Some of the very early members of the Church were baptized there. Michelle visited there when her father was mission president 62-65.<br />
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First we stopped in a small town call Conejos - which means rabbits. I don't know the origin of the name, but some of the early members build most of the chapel there using local stones.<br />
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This is the side of the building. The building has been upgraded over time, but the original rock is still there.<br />
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Inside the building is the same rock, and above the chapel door you can see they have some stones in the shape of rabbits.<br />
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Look at the black stone on the lower left just about the white ledge with the black sign. From that black stone the first stone to right is a rabbit, a reddish color. Along the ledge from that rabbit, the second stone is another black stone. Above that is a second rabbit, also reddsh. Interesting.<br />
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There are 4 wards in that little town now. We just asked around until we found some members who went and got the key and let us get in. They have a big, beautiful, modern stake center there also.<br />
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Then we visited an archaeological site in Tula. It is very much a desert in this part of Mexico.<br />
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It is famous for it's large statues. To notice the size, see the people in the picture.<br />
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They have lots of carvings of snakes eating skulls.<br />
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Some people speculate it represents the feathered serpent so common in carvings here. Some members think it represents Christ and these carvings represent Chris overcoming death.<br />
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They had some big buildings there with many columns, reminds me of some buildings in Europe.<br />
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Then we sent to San Marcos. Rafael Monroy and Vicente Morales were early Church leaders there who were shot by revolutionaries in 1915 when they refused to deny their religion. Elder Montoya who served with us in the Area Office is a descendent of Rafael Monroy. We have met many Church members who are descendents of these two men. They had a big reunion in San Marcos last year for descendents of the two, 2015, 100 years after they were shot.<br />
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Michelle remembers visiting San Marcos several times and eating with the family, the Parra family, who lived above this store in San Marcos.<br />
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Sister Parra was a daughter of Monroy. Benjamin, her son, was an assistant to Dr. Hatch was he was mission president.<br />
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They have a nice chapel there, built in 1951. <br />
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With an interesting door post.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6zEymTt1M1o/VyVIh3wpnaI/AAAAAAAAKTY/1A76LytGdrUgR67aAXPMAXM2xTvNQDJjQCLcB/s1600/20160324_150205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6zEymTt1M1o/VyVIh3wpnaI/AAAAAAAAKTY/1A76LytGdrUgR67aAXPMAXM2xTvNQDJjQCLcB/s640/20160324_150205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And an interesting window in the chapel.<br />
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There have been many good and faithful members in Mexico for years, and now good members, multi-generational members.<br />
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AND we were very glad to have our daughter Kristin, husband Tyler, and children Tanner and Lindsey visit us, Her 2 older children did not come, one is on a mission.<br />
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They climbed the pyramids and did many of the fun things we have put on our post before.<br />
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As we were visiting sites, as often happens, a young man came up and wanted to talk. As part of his class at school to learn English they have to ask some questions to a North America. Here is a picture of a young man asking his assigned questions to the Pruetts. Like, "Where are you from?" "Do you like Mexico?"<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UQS75MjecDo/VyYIQ5IJ4UI/AAAAAAAAKT8/tBvEe59QQK082nP4nRejT88ZJdhkgtmmwCKgB/s1600/20160404_121052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UQS75MjecDo/VyYIQ5IJ4UI/AAAAAAAAKT8/tBvEe59QQK082nP4nRejT88ZJdhkgtmmwCKgB/s640/20160404_121052.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This time we had lunch at the pyramids, in a cave. Nice cave.<br />
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I am STILL blown away, even after seeing it several times. by the National Folkloric Ballet. Now they start the program with the drums.<br />
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Our seats were just back of the center aisle, as part of the program they come out in the audience and dance in this aisle. This video will show you the energy in most parts of the program.</div>
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It was fun to be with the grandchildren in this very large city, Tanner wanted pictures of the traffic.</div>
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In the National Anthropology Museum there a large drawing of how they think Mexico City looked when the Spanish arrived. It was on a island.</div>
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We read once that when the Spanish arrived they wrote things like, We have with us soldiers who have visited the greatest cities in the world, like Paris and Constantinople, and nothing was is as grand as this city. And Cortez conquered it with several hundred soldiers. He made allies with the tribes that the Aztecs had conquered who helped him, and the Aztecs at first thought Cortez was the Feathered Serpent God who had visited the Aztecs years ago and had promised to return. So they did not fight at first. </div>
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On the Mexico flag is a picture of an eagle with a serpent in his mouth perched on a cactus.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Li3izcrTaoE/VyYWvA7UlZI/AAAAAAAAKVw/Le4XW9jkkKENcpp2vUEdpI5aNYOWmD2qwCKgB/s1600/Flag_of_Mexico.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Li3izcrTaoE/VyYWvA7UlZI/AAAAAAAAKVw/Le4XW9jkkKENcpp2vUEdpI5aNYOWmD2qwCKgB/s640/Flag_of_Mexico.svg.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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In the museum they had a large stone with the symbol of the eagle. The story about the eagle is a very important part of Mexico history.</div>
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Can you see the eagle in the stone. The story, legend, goes that years ago the Aztecs were looking, wandering around, looking for a new home and their "prophet" said where they found an eagle on a cactus with a serpent in it's mouth, that should be their new home. They found that eagle on the island in the middle of the lake and that became there home and eventually they ruled most of central Mexico. </div>
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However I am reading this book, almost finished, en Spanish.</div>
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It says the Aztec came from the North, Tula, where we visited and they originally arrived to be warriors for a local war lord and they did so well he gave them the island as a reward, not too good a place, needed boats to get there but the Aztecs built causeways. The Aztecs were good warriors and started conquering their neighbors and later their former employer, the war lord. Then to justify their conquering everyone, they invented the eagle story to justify their conquering, it was the will of the Gods. Kind of like the US Manifest Destiny if you remember that part of US history.</div>
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We also visited the National Cathedral in the main square. Very large with several altars inside.</div>
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And for the first time we visited some of the ruins of the Aztec pyramid that the Spanish tore down to build the National Cathedral.</div>
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This picture is on top of the ruins, and you can see the current cathedral in the background.</div>
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They said that Hernan Cortez, the main Spanish conqueror, himself laid the first stone of the National Cathedral in the 1500's.</div>
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In these ruin was a image of the feathered serpent god, Quetzalcoatl.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7ZXdKPR40c/VyYQg35RAFI/AAAAAAAAKVc/IuVOmqybuUQG-dLVZvonkEnmq7Kx9G9kgCLcB/s1600/20160406_123259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7ZXdKPR40c/VyYQg35RAFI/AAAAAAAAKVc/IuVOmqybuUQG-dLVZvonkEnmq7Kx9G9kgCLcB/s640/20160406_123259.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And then we did something that is on my "bucket list" something I have wanted to do before leaving Mexico, visit the Presidential Palace, which is there on the main square. The President does not live there nor does he come there except for special occasions.</div>
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This is a picture, not mine, of the outside, Below the flag on the 3rd level is a balcony where the president leads the nation in the grito - cheer. Viva Mexico - Hooray for Mexico.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--XaoNTnnOhY/VyYNBFpmqVI/AAAAAAAAKUs/E4bUHzYjzsAgGXMPPUaMUFra5ajsNPzeACLcB/s1600/Palace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--XaoNTnnOhY/VyYNBFpmqVI/AAAAAAAAKUs/E4bUHzYjzsAgGXMPPUaMUFra5ajsNPzeACLcB/s640/Palace.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is what it is like inside.</div>
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It has many very large murals painted by the famous painter, Diego Rivera, telling the history of Mexico.</div>
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WOW, lots of detail.</div>
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This one shows in the background the Mexico City of the Aztecs.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xzSm8gTGQU8/VyYPH1FQLWI/AAAAAAAAKVI/KNpImH2h1G49alq9P3MAa0IF5d8kJ6KGACLcB/s1600/20160406_145731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xzSm8gTGQU8/VyYPH1FQLWI/AAAAAAAAKVI/KNpImH2h1G49alq9P3MAa0IF5d8kJ6KGACLcB/s640/20160406_145731.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And we got to visit the old parliament chamber. Notice how it appears like a European design. Those are seats, two rows, along the edge of the room.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7vAnFHs325k/VyYPjFObOuI/AAAAAAAAKVM/ttMGweWGle8o-DDa5LIsWBafx6d8S1KZACLcB/s1600/20160406_150030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7vAnFHs325k/VyYPjFObOuI/AAAAAAAAKVM/ttMGweWGle8o-DDa5LIsWBafx6d8S1KZACLcB/s640/20160406_150030.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Later we actually got to visit the current Chamber of Deputies, the house of all Mexicans, as they call it, but that will have to wait for a later post.</div>
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I wanted to go up to the 3rd balcony, overlook the main square, the Zocalo, where the president speaks, but tourists were not allowed up to the 3rd level; is was a very interesting visit.</div>
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Then all too soon it was paletas, and the Pruetts were gone.</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ymfe0fiTAm8/VyYQDA_ZMiI/AAAAAAAAKVU/lJZ-q2-FOYkElIwat0jDaAUjlJUF3oguwCLcB/s1600/20160406_193753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ymfe0fiTAm8/VyYQDA_ZMiI/AAAAAAAAKVU/lJZ-q2-FOYkElIwat0jDaAUjlJUF3oguwCLcB/s640/20160406_193753.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Well, time for a spiritual thought.</div>
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Supposedly President Hinckley once said that if you are unhappy with something going on in the Church, just wait awhile. It will get better. Don't know if he did say that, but my thought is based on the concept.</div>
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A few months back the Church had a broadcast for all the mission presidents and then a broadcast for ALL the missionaries in the Church. You could read about it in the papers. The theme of the meetings was <i>Preach Repentance and Baptize Converts.</i></div>
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Recently I was in a class where the question was, what is repentance? These were some of the responses. In Mexico repentance is when you get married so you can get baptized. Recognize, remorse, repent to authority, restore the wrong, repeat no more. Repentance is what happens in the bishop's office, and we good guys wanted to stay out of there. In Mexico repentance is when you go to the priest, confess, and he tells you what to do - often includes a certain number of prayers to Mary - and he tells you when you are forgiven. </div>
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Where is Christ?</div>
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I was "unhappy with something going on in the Church" but not being in charge I "just waited awhile" and sure enough "things got better". One of the points the instructor was planning on making was repentance is all about Christ and the atonement and daily repentance by everyone and taking of the sacrament. It is all about Christ. </div>
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So, my thought is if you are unhappy about something that is going on in the Church, wait awhile, it will get better. It may not get better there in the same the class, but give it a little time. We are all imperfect and God is working with all of us, or as it says in the Book of Mormon, aren't we all beggars before Christ?</div>
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Elder Gilbert / Sandberg / Dad / Grandpa</div>
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(I am not saying anything about going home - don't want to get trunki)</div>
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-89033657322518099372016-04-01T08:19:00.004-06:002016-04-07T07:21:45.760-05:00Visitors and Holy Week in Mexico - Part 1Dear Family and Friends,<br />
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Well it is Holy Week here so the office is closed for several days and the Area Presidency is leaving for General Conference so we have a little extra time in which we can write an update on our blog.</div>
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First, we were excited to have our two daughters, Kristin and Karen here. They were here only over a weekend but we had a great time. <br />
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We went to an art museum in this interestingly shaped building. It was donated by Carlos Slims, one of the richest men in the world who lives here in Mexico.</div>
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Multi-story, an impressive museum.</div>
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We did many of the things our visitors enjoy. The bread store, panadería.<br />
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We enjoyed going to Church where my nephew Matt Sandberg and his wife Jessica attend.<br />
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And back to the National Folklore Ballet. Love that.<br />
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They changed the Ballet, This time it started with drummers on the stage and in the balconies.<br />
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I especially enjoyed it that once at lunch, we took turns sitting at separate tables which was a good chance to talk one on one.</div>
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We attended a session in the temple where I did some ordinance work for the husband of my Grandmother's aunt. His name is Frans Gustafsson Lundblad, born in Almeboda, Kronobergs, Smaland, Sweden in 1844!<br />
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And we went to the Visitors' Center at the temple. They have a great display about the history of the Church in Mexico. Including a portion about the Juarez Academy in the Mormon Colonies.<br />
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Recently I learned that this building in the picture is an important historical site for the Church. It is placed as a level 1 site, among the highest, most valued and protected by the Church. The room on the lower left of the Academy was my room, where I taught English for 1 year.<br />
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Notice the basketball shirt in the picture - Lobos - The wolves. I teased Michelle that it is her Jersey, but really it isn't. If it were the jersey of a women, it would say Loba - female wolf.<br />
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And of course, Paletas - must have when in Mexico.<br />
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It was a very good trip.<br />
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Some interesting things. Mexico uses lots of limes - they add the juice to soup, fruit, on most foods.<br />
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We recently had some unusually strong winds in Mexico City. They said 600 trees fell down.<br />
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The winds they said were 80 kilometers per hour--50 miles per hour. Maybe there is a talk in there. If we experience the strong winds of life we grow strong like the trees in Colorado where there are 100 mph winds and trees don't fall. We can grow to be strong if we are not now.<br />
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On a recent Saturday we took a trip to Puebla, a city about 2 1/2 hours east of Mexico City. Mexico City is on the west side of the volcanoes, Puebla is on the East side. In this country things kind of shut down for about two weeks around Easter.<br />
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The legend is a brave Aztec warrior and a beautiful princess were in love and the warrior went away to battle. While he was gone his competitor told the princess her Aztec warrior had died in battle, and she died of a broken heart. But he had not died and when he returned he laid the princess on top of the mountain. He later died and was put on the other mountain. Now he is a volcano and every now and then he lets off a puff of smoke to remind everyone that he still watches over the princess.<br />
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Puebla has a interesting main plaza, like every town does.<br />
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Always a church on the main square. This one seemed one of the largest.<br />
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Close to Puebla is Cholula, which Google says in the largest pyramid in the world, not in height but in volume. And of course, the Spanish built a church on top.<br />
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The was a battle in Mexico against the French, called the Battle of the 5th of May, that took place close to Puebla. We saw the fort where the battle took place.<br />
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Here is a painting of the battle.<br />
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It was a great success for Mexico. <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">There were a total of 10,540 soldiers in the war. 462 French soldiers died in combat. Only 83 Mexican soldiers died in the battle. The French did take the fort later.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The highlight of the trip was a stop in a small town called Cabrera. One of the missionaries serving here, Sis. Longhurst, from the Mormon Colonies, knew this small town. She did service there 40 years ago as a student with some BYU students. We went there so she could see the place.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">First on the internet we found the chapel and saw some cars locked inside the gates. We knocked a few doors and found a Mormon who took us to the brother-in-law of the member Sister Longhurst knew best, America, was her name.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">He took us to the house of his brother, the wife of America. This brother knew Michelle's father.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The man in blue is a THIRD generation Mormon. The wife of the man sitting, America, was not there;, she was on a temple trip. When Sister Longhurst was there, there were no paved roads and everyone went to Church in the neighboring town. Now there is a chapel and 2 wards. The cars were locked in there because people here on a temple trip and had met here before going on a bus to Mexico City.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">On their wall in their home, the members we met have a picture of the temple in Mesa.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">They told us about their trip to Mesas, years ago. The bus broke down, lots of problems. But so glad to be sealed. Inspiring how the Church has grown.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">When Sister Longhurst was there the town had open fields of flowers being raised to sell in the markets. The town is fed by a good supply of water off the volcano, Popocatepetl, Popo for short.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The water runs down in ditches, kind of like in Arizona or Utah.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Now they have LARGE, beautiful nurseries.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">It is so fun to get outside of the city and see the country. So nice to have visitors.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Well, Holy Week is a big event in Mexico. Last week on Easter they asked me to talk in Church about the value of a temple recommend. When I arrived they said, oh say something about Easter if you can.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">My brother David and wife Marie are visiting here and were in Church so I had the idea to tell the members that David and Marie had served in Russia where at Easter they have a common greeting. When they met someone there they may say, "Christ is risen." And the normal response is something like. "In truth, He is risen." So I did that with the congregation in Spanish and that is the way I finished my talk also.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"Jesucristo ha resucitado" (Christ has Risen) and the congregation responded, "Es verdad, ha resucitado." (In truth, He has risen."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">So I guess that is my spiritual thought </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Christ has risen!</span><br />
In truth, He has risen!<br />
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Dad, Elder Grandpa Gilbert and Mom, Sister Grandma and Michelle<br />
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Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-32610755812992229602016-02-23T18:34:00.000-06:002016-02-23T18:34:30.393-06:00Traditions and enjoying MexicoDear Family and Friends,<br />
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Traditionally in Mexico Christmas gifts were not given on Dec. 25th by Santa Claus but on Jan 6th, the day of the Kings. Traditionally this is when the wise men arrived in Bethlehem and brought gifts to the baby Jesus. I think more and more now in Mexico things are moving to a Dec 25th tradition.<br />
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One of the traditions in Mexico is to eat a special bread on the day of the kings. This is called Rosca de Reyes. It looks like this. They say the round shape represents the kings searching for Jesus.<br />
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They say the figs, cherries, dried fruit, etc on the bread represent the jewels of the wise men.<br />
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The secretaries brought some into work on the 6th, all the stores sold it, and the senior missionaries had it here in the hotel.<br />
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Pretty tasty. <br />
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Inside of the bread is usually a little plastic doll. Being inside it represents the protecting of Mary and Joseph of baby Jesus, and they fled to Egypt for protection from King Herod. (Sometimes there is more than one little doll).<br />
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Michelle got a doll this year, so we had to provide Tamales on Feb 2nd. That is the tradition. Here in Mexico they are wrapped in corn husks. They are made with corn meal and usually have meat and chile (hot peppers) inside. Sometimes they are sweet and made with pineapple or strawberries. They are steamed in large pots to cook them and served hot. <br />
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Traditionally you drink a hot a drink call Atole when you eat tamales. We had quite a spread at family home evening to celebrate - fruit, etc. Fun.</div>
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I don't know if I mentioned this tradition. In the office there was this nativity scene set out.<br />
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Then we noticed that baby Jesus was missing. Someone stole the baby. BUT then on Christmas day the baby was back in the manager scene. The tradition is that he arrives on Christmas eve!<br />
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In December the other executive secretary, Elder Montoya and his wife, left and so we and the new couple are trying pick up everything thing. One of the big things is the area plan. I am so inspired by the vision statement of the plan.<br />
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<i>Over the past 135 years the Church in Mexico has grown in strength and maturity, thanks to the faith and sacrifice of members from both in and outside the country. Ancient and modern prophets have prophesied of the essential role that the saints in Mexico will play in bringing the gospel to all nations. To achieve this, we will need greater faith, sacrifice and commitment. Now is the time to take our place in the establishment of the Kingdom upon the earth.</i><br />
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So part of my responsibility was to send the 2016 version of the plan to all the temple, mission, and stake presidents and the Area Seventy. Well, I didn't send out the most recent copy. I had to do an update. That was to about 300 people, kind of embarrasing. And then we had a transmission to all those leaders and who ever they wanted to invite. This was the scene as we were getting ready.<br />
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I met a stake president the other day, and he said, "Oh, Elder Sandberg, the man with all the letters."<br />
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I have really enjoyed the weather; cool evenings and warm sunny days. One day we could even see from the office building the two famous volcanoes, with snow no-less.<br />
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And it gets down into the 30's, not freezing but there has been frost on the casino roof outside of our window. (Yes, our hotel is next to a casino.)<br />
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Sometimes it is cool in the office. This is our only heat, But it is enough.<br />
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And when the sky is clear, we get great views--like this sunrise.<br />
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So this is winter here, mid February, and yet on the way to the office what what do I see?<br />
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VERY, VERY rarely do we see green grass anywhere at this time of year.<br />
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During the day, and even in the evening as it gets dark, we can see this tennis court out our office window on top of one of the big buildings!<br />
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I was surprised to see this on the side of a milk carton we bought.<br />
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You could register and win tickets to the US Superbowl. I went to a dentist to get a cavity filled. He lived in LOVELAND, COLORADO, as an exchange student! Anyway, his son flew up to Denver to watch the final play off game there! I am afraid the US has a huge influence on Mexico. Supposedly one Mexican President said years ago. "Poor Mexico, so close to the US and so far from God."<br />
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On fast Sundays all the senior missionaries get together for a meal after our church meetings. Our numbers are growing.<br />
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Every mission president BEGS for senior couples.<br />
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For Valentine's Day I got the best car from Uber - Uber Black and we dressed up.<br />
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We went to a nice restaurant and talked about 50 years ago when we were dating. And roses.<br />
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A big deal here was the visit of the pope for 5 days. Big crowds. This is outside the Basilica where they have the cloak that the young man Juan Diego wore when the Virgin Mary, the Virgin Guadalupe, appeared to him and put her image inside the cloak. <br />
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Huge crowds along the roads. This is what the cloak looks like.<br />
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This is the most Catholic visited site in the world and the internet says the 3rd most visited religious site in the world. The pope went inside and sat in front of it and just meditated for about about 15 minutes. Some of the Cardinals on the outside of the window got tired and sat down. This is him as we saw on TV, meditating.<br />
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The same weekend an apostle and one of the 7 presidents came to do an area review of the Church. The apostle said our area president should accept the invitation to attend a reception with the pope instead of traveling with him. There were like 500 people at the reception in the presidential palace and maybe 10 or 20 non Catholic leaders. The Vatican is technically a country. Here is the symbol of the 2 countries on the invitation.<br />
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I thought it was pretty neat. The president of Mexico hosted the event.<br />
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We had the chance to go to the Anthropology Museum yesterday. Just a couple of interesting things our Mormon guide showed us. An early Spanish priest asked some local native Indians to draw up a picture of how their ancestors got here. This is what they drew.<br />
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They said their ancestors came across in boats like caves; they said they were tight like a dish. This is their picture of their ancestors coming out of their boats. Then our guide read to us from Ether 2: 17.<br />
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17 And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish.<br />
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Then our guide said, maybe it is just a "coincidence."<br />
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This part was called the smiling displays, everyone seemed happy. The guide says the women has on an apron and some kind of head covering. He said notice how she is holding her hands.<br />
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He said there are MANY stone boxes found in Mexico and Central America, like this one. Some were VERY large. <br />
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I can see this being a box like the one that Joseph Smith opened.<br />
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Then he showed us a gold plate they had found. He says it is not pure gold but an alloy that the ancients made that looks like gold but was much lighter, like easier for Joseph Smith to carry. <br />
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Then he quoted from the testimony of the 8 witnesses: "which have the appearance of gold." We call them the gold plates but the 8 witnesses did not say they were of gold.<br />
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It is fun when we have visitors from SLC and they speak to an employee devotional in the area offices and they like to shake our hands.<br />
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Now for some type of Spiritual thought. This is what I used for my spiritual thought in the meeting of the Area Presidency.</div>
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My thoughts are from this scripture. Alma 37:6-7.</div>
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<i>6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.</i></div>
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<i> 7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.</i></div>
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<i>I emphasize these last words: “and by <b>very small </b>means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.” Note VERY SMALL. Two experiences to share.</i></div>
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First:</div>
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One of the visiting authorities told us this experience. His wife always cut his hair, but when she died he needed a barber. He looked up the cheapest haircut, $6. He went there and sat down a chair and got his hair cut. He got the card of the barber and made appointments for return cuts. One day when they were alone in the shop, the barber said he wanted the authority to know he used to be a member. He had been excommunicated for child abuse. He said he was discouraged and had given up, but he had decided to go see his bishop. As time went on the barber was re-baptized. After about 6 years the barber died and the authority was on assignment and could not attend the funeral, but later he went to see the family who thanked him for going to get his haircut by their father. It had helped him get re-baptized and helped the family in getting back together. The authority said, “This shows someone up there loves you.”</div>
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Here in the hotel where the senior missionaries live we met a man from Monterrey living in the hotel for a time while he works in Mexico City. Some missionaries exercise with him in the mornings and Michelle invited him to attend Church. He wanted to go in English so we were getting ready to walk up with him at 8:30 in the morning. As we were getting ready, I thought maybe we will decide to go to the meetings 9-12 in English and maybe we will stay for the Spanish meeting starting a 1:00. As I was going to the door, I thought maybe I should take something to eat, so I turned around, and put a granola bar in my pocket. Our friend attended sacrament meeting, sang the hymns, and partook of the sacrament. After the meeting he was invited to stay for Sunday School. He said he would like to stay but he not eaten any breakfast, his stomach hurt, he wanted to know if there was somewhere he could buy something to eat. (There are no stores close to the chapel). So I took out my granola bar and said “As I was leaving this morning I felt inspired to put a granola bar in my pocket.” I took it out, he ate it, had some water and stayed for SS where he made some comments and agreed to let the missionaries teach him this evening. Who knows where it will lead?</div>
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VERY SMALL THINGS – choosing a barber, following a prompting to put a granola bar in the pocket. But the scriptures says “by <b>very small </b>means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.”</div>
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My thought; we better always be ready to respond to promptings, even for very small things, or so they seem.</div>
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Hope you enjoy the post. We always like to hear from you.</div>
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Elder and Sister Sandberg</div>
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-89146308680575741792016-01-13T19:42:00.000-06:002016-01-13T19:42:28.835-06:00Too Busy Too Post?Dear Family and Friends,<br />
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I guess when we are too busy to share our experiences with our family and friends on the blog we are too busy! The Montoyas, the former senior executive secretaries, left the 19 of December. That was about 6 weeks early. They have been called to be President of the Mexico Chihuahua Mission so they needed to get home to prepare for July. That has left us quite busy.<br />
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Never the less, we have found time to enjoy the mission.<br />
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The 9 to 11 couples serving in the are office are assigned to the Mexico City West Mission. The mission president and his wife were kind enough to invite us all to the mission home for Thanksgiving Dinner. Very nice. Here is a video of the set up.<br />
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Then came Christmas. Michelle and I were invited to participate in the program for turning on the lights at the temple. I sang in a group and she played chimes with a mallet. We have a video of that later.</div>
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Poinsettias are used everywhere here. This is a picture at the temple grounds.</div>
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There was a good group at the lighting.<br />
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The lights were beautiful. Many people drive by slowly.<br />
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Like I said, Poinsettias are everywhere. This tree in a store is made of them<br />
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The missionaries here exchange Christmas gifts; we made and gave these brownies in a jar. We also gave potato chip bag clips, since they are hard to find here.<br />
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The Monday before Christmas Michelle and I had our own Christmas with some small gifts, Swedish rice, we sang some Christmas carols, and since we had no grandchildren to act it out, we watched a church video on the nativity.<br />
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We enjoy being here with the other senior missionaries. The Pratts, with their two children visiting, came caroling. Check out how good they are.<br />
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Then for Christmas two of Michelle's brothers and their wives came.<br />
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Left to right - Michelle, brother John and wife Sandra from the Mormon Colonies, Sharon and Robert Hatch from Los Mochis Mexico. (Robert lives in the same city where the drug lord - El Chapo was recently captured).<br />
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We went to the temple with John and Sandra and really enjoyed that. Then Robert and Sharon came and we went down to Acapulco on the Pacific Coast. On the way down we went up to the mountains to see the Monarch Butterflies. We rode horse and went up to 11,000 feet. Hard to breath there.<br />
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It was a little cool, but we stopped on the way for carnitas. Yummy!<br />
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Robert's wife Sharon is great at planning travel. She got us rooms in a hotel called Las Brisas for a really good price over Christmas. I guess they weren't too busy, because the price for our rooms would double for New Years. The hotel is on a hill side.<br />
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Each room is one part of a duplex. To get around you call these jeeps to take you up or down.<br />
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Each room had its own small swimming pool.<br />
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Every morning they brought us hot chocolate and sweet bread which we could eat on the deck.<br />
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And how is this for a view?<br />
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This is the view from the restaurant.<br />
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And yes we swam - senior mission rules ARE different!<br />
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This is to show you how clear the water was.<br />
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And the beach.<br />
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We went into town to eat and saw these lighted, horse drawn carriages for tourists. We did not ride.<br />
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And yes we did go see the cliff divers. Pretty impressive.!<br />
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Christmas was a great break for us. I was spending lots of time picking up things as the Montoya's left. Several days I started at 7:00 am and didn't get home until 8:30 pm. <br />
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We did enjoy our time together, but then after Christmas we had to go back to work. The offices were closed on Dc 31st, but we had to go in and catch up. We were the ONLY ones working on the 11th floor.<br />
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And we noticed that someone had put the baby Jesus in the Nativity at work. Here they have a tradition of not putting the baby in until Christmas, when he is born.<br />
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Now for something a little spiritual. First here is a video of Michelle playing the chimes and me singing at a devotional for all the employees.<br />
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This is a picture of a self-reliance class. All the sisters were taught to take a plastic bottle and put some money in it each day. (Kind of like our children and baby food jar.)<br />
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Recently I was approached by someone who said his father-in-law had been healed from cancer - a tumor by his backbone - by a blessing of one of the apostles 24 years ago. They wanted to know if I could send an update to the apostle telling him the member had been healed, without the expected surgery and has walked well ever since and goes to the gym each day.<br />
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I took the letter, translated it to English, and set the letter in Spanish and English and the picture and emailed them to SLC.</div>
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In a few days I got a message, from a senior apostle, saying he remembered well the occasion and to please give his love to the member and keep some love for me!</div>
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Finally this thought. Someone recently said they had figured life out. They said, "Remember when we used to sit on Dad's lap and pretend to drive! That is like God, we are sitting on his lap and He is letting us think we are driving, but really He is behind us all the time."</div>
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Love our family and friends and miss you. Only 4 1/2 months left!</div>
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We always love to hear a response from you all.</div>
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Elder Gilbert and Sister Michelle</div>
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-70814854553395253972015-11-21T09:59:00.002-06:002015-11-21T09:59:30.482-06:00Work - Coyoacan - MonterreyDear Family,<br />
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The big news on the mission is the pending change in Exec. Secretaries. The Montoya's, who have been here longer than we have and have been so good to us, have been called to be mission president, and we are working to let them go home 6 weeks early to get ready for their mission in July 2016. They will be Spanish speaking, but they don't know which mission yet. We have relied on them so much; now we are going to have to step up. Their replacement couple will be here next Monday, so things are going to really change.<br />
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We continue to have new challenges arrive in our office all the time. A new challenge is that the US used to take 3-4 months to issue a visa for a Mexican missionary to go to the US. For some reason, it is now taking twice that long. The missionary department doesn't want them to just sit around, so they are assigning them to do temporary missions here in Mexico. We currently are making available to the missionary department 7 "slots" in 6 missions close to Mexico City. But now we are looking for more "slots". These temporary missionaries, waiting for their visas are a challenge for the mission presidents. They come on short notice, can leave anytime, if they need to learn English they have to go to the MTC in Provo, and some of the temporary missionaries go to the mission with no MTC experience. Bless those good mission presidents who take them and train them.<br />
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Many of the things we deal with in the area office we can't tell you, so we tell you about our outings.<br />
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Some of the senior missionaries recently went to Coyoacán, an area of Mexico City visited by many tourists and locals. We went on Oct 31st, Halloween or Day of the Dead in Mexico. In Mexico they celebrate the Day of the Dead by such things as going to the cemetery, taking the dead relatives' favorite food, and eating there by the grave and singing the dead's favorite songs, etc. A skeleton is not scaring but funny. I will show some pictures. It was interesting to learn about some of the different ways they celebrate here.<br />
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The stores sell lots of things for the Day of the Dead like these candles.<br />
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And a special bread - the secretaries at work even brought it into the Area Presidency meeting. It tastes pretty good, light and white, with sugar. It comes in this size, two hands, or VERY LARGE.<br />
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We went to the artist park where we had been before, called San Angel. This is the first thing we saw.<br />
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They decorate lots of things with yellow flowers. Notice the smiling skull on the wall.<br />
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They decorate the churches as well, including the altar. We found it very interesting to see all of this.<br />
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But maybe the most interesting thing I saw was this in a church; notice the skeleton in the middle,<br />
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or this, in the cathedral. The man was lighting candles.<br />
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In the stores the attendants were often dressed up.<br />
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They often look like "Catrina". She is a character of the Day of the Dead. It is part of the tradition to laugh at death. She is often dressed as a rich and elegant lady, but a reminder that death comes to all equally.<br />
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We saw couples there walking around willing to have you take pictures with them. No money asked.<br />
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They had a nice church there. We went in. Here is Michelle giving something to a man in need. That is part of her make up, very willing to give to others. Good lady.<br />
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This is a lady waiting to have her child baptized. I didn't see the father. When the Spanish came to America they did some really bad things, but they brought Christianity and Christ here, and it is deeply rooted.<br />
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The priests came out and talked to her for awhile. They promise to raise the child in the Catholic Church, some take it very seriously.<br />
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They he, the priest, walked into the church to the altar, and he sang as he went, a beautiful voice.<br />
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We went to Monterrey Mexico last weekend. The Area Presidency wants to try some large women's gatherings, women's conferences, in Mexico and the first one was there. The Presidency wanted to be there for the opening Sunday evening and the closing on Monday evening but did not attend during the day Monday so we had our weekly Area Presidency meeting there on Monday. The Exec. Secretaries went and we paid for our wives tickets and they attended the conference.<br />
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Monterrey is about a 1 1/2 hour flight north of Mexico City. It is a large city, a major center of commerce and technology. We stayed in the hotel next to a GREAT BIG convention center. It is located next to a large steel mill that operated from about 1900 to 1960, I think by a German company, who gave the whole mill area to the city if they would use it for the benefit of the city. The city made it into a wonderful park with a river walk.<br />
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They have kept the old ovens and buildings. It reminded me of Geneva Steel in Orem, Utah.<br />
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This is part of the river walk. Notice the large bucket pouring out water, like the old steel buckets did.<br />
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The weather was cloudy with drizzle most of the time we were there. They say the city is surrounded by large impressive mountains, but we did not get to see them, only a little bit, on the last day.<br />
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The first thing we did was attend the Monterrey Temple. There was a beautiful chapel right there on the grounds.<br />
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The temple experience was very good. My impression was the temple workers were younger than in Mexico City.<br />
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Sunday morning we took a cab to the Central Ward meetings, the oldest ward in Monterrey which I think was formed in the 1940's. The state of Mexico there, Nuevo Leon, has a new governor. They call him El Bronco - or the bronco - he is an independent, not part of any of the political parties. He refuses to live in the official residence, a high rent home of a former politician, but lives in this apartment building and walks to work.<br />
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Some people say he will run for president.<br />
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The chapel is an older one, one long building with dividing curtains.<br />
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It was their ward conference so the stake president, Daniel Taylor, son of Dan Taylor from the Colonies, was there presiding. It was fun to visit with him. The stake president is acting bishop because there are no good candidates to be bishop right now.<br />
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Now to the women's conference. This was their logo.<br />
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It says Fill our Homes with Truth and Light - Women's Conference.<br />
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Like I said it was a HUGH convention center with several events going on at the same time including a sex therapist meeting and a Comic Con, a convention where people dress up like comic book or movie characters. We walked around a little in the comic con area.<br />
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Took a few pictures.<br />
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It was Sunday, Michelle said she didn't even want to be there. Some pretty immodest things.<br />
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We did check out the conference room which was on the top floor. They had expected 3000 sisters but in the end put up 4000 chairs. I think they used at least 3500 of them.<br />
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Michelle writing now: This was a momentous and unprecedented occasion--the largest gathering of LDS women outside of the USA.<br />
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It was a beautiful sight, seeing hundreds of sisters pouring into the huge convention room--women of all ages and stages of life. One thing they all had in common, the light of the gospel in their eyes.<br />
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Our visitors from Salt Lake City were Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President, and Sister Denise Lindberg (originally from Cuba and Puerto Rico) of the Young Women General Board.<br />
What inspiring talks they gave Sunday night and closing remarks Monday afternoon!!<br />
(I will write more about that in a separate letter. If you don't get it and want it, let us know.)<br />
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Here is Sister Burton with three young women ushers who wanted their picture taken with her. <br />
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Sunday night was a general meeting and Monday morning were excellent classes taught to 6 groups of over 500 each. The huge room was divided into 6 rooms by folding curtains and the presenters rotated. Then we had a long break for lunch. Most stakes provided lunch for their sisters, but there was also a buffet for those who wanted to purchase food. After lunch we were all back together again and a great song and dance program was presented; it was quite professionally done with the backdrops changing to match the theme of the dances and songs. Note the famous saddle mountain, landmark of Monterrey in the background.<br />
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Following the program was a panel discussion answering questions that had previously been asked by assorted sisters. And following that were very touching and inspiring comments by leaders and visitors. The day ended with the large choir of over 100 sisters and congregation joining in singing the theme song for the conference, written for the conference. There weren't many dry eyes as we all stood and sang together. <br />
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The chorus is, "Llenemos nuestro hogar de luz y de verdad; la mano del Señor nos guiará."</div>
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"Let us fill our homes with light and truth; the hand of the Lord will guide us." (repeated twice)</div>
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I was very impressed by the whole conference; every detail was so well planned, prepared and presented. It was amazing! But even before the first session began, I was inspired. When we entered the building at 4:30 Sunday afternoon before the 6:00 opening we saw sisters entering the building on the ground level and being confused by the sight of many people dressed in all kinds of costumes for comic con. It was a bit overwhelming, even a little frightening. But stationed in strategic places were priesthood brethren showing the way to go. It was easy to recognize them by their suits, white shirts, ties and calm dignity. They kindly pointed to the stairs and escalators that would take us to the next level. It seemed symbolic. Even on the second level there was an interesting mix of crowds--those going to comic con and those going to the women's conference. The difference was that now most of the sisters seemed to know where they were going. The crowds divided as those in costume headed towards the noisy music on that floor and those in Sunday dress pressed on up to the third floor. Again symbolic! On that level, even though the congregation was probably larger, there was a spirit of calm, peace, love and joy. There were smiling ushers all along the way welcoming and directing the sisters to their seats--much like in the temple. I felt that not only was I experiencing a momentous occasion, but a sacred one. So grateful I could attend!</div>
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This is Gilbert - So that is the spiritual thought - rise up to the upper level. Leave the dress and cares and confusion of the world.. Follow our leaders. Not the first level, don't stop in the second, rise up to the 3rd. Up, up, to the best, the highest.</div>
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Elder and Sister Sandberg</div>
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-48054518303723109412015-10-29T18:05:00.000-06:002015-10-29T18:05:50.379-06:00Cancun - Mission Presidents' SeminaryCancun - Mission Presidents' Seminar<br />
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Dear family and friends,<br />
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I am tired tonight but I want to work on this post. We were gone all last week to the mission presidents' seminar so we have been working hard to catch up on work missed. Yesterday I went to the office at 7:15 am and didn't come home until 8:30 pm. We did go to Subway for lunch and Michelle brought me a sandwich and a apple for the evening meal. (And we had an hour FHE at the office.) I think I am a little old to work these long hours, but really I enjoy it most of the time.<br />
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We have been kind of sad, since our son Richard and wife Deanne and their family left. Just a few items to remind us of their visit.</div>
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And some drawings.</div>
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Every day we walk by a well. I read that something like 73% of Mexico City's water comes from wells. Recently we noticed they were pulling all the pipes up out of the well we walk by.<br />
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The people in the Mexican Colonies know about pulling wells. Lots of pipe in that well.<br />
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Every year all over the word there are held Mission Presidents' Seminars for all the mission presidents serving. This is a couple days of training and some time for them to relax. A big project for us was getting ready. We are not in the picture but all the mission presidents (34), MTC president and their wives and area presidency and wives are in the picture.</div>
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The days before the seminar Elder Montoya, the other executive secretary, was asked to go to Tijuana to translate for Elder Holland who was visiting there, and Sister Montoya was out of town also, so Michelle and I made all the final arrangements, which included handouts and name tents for everyone.<br />
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A name tent, in case you didn't know, is a triangle shaped paper with a person's name on it to show where he sits. I am 71 years old; how can it be that I have never heard that name before!!! Oh well, many new things on a mission.</div>
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Elder Brent H. Nielson and his wife came from SLC to train. He is the executive director of the missionary department and served his mission in Finland. So one of the things Michelle did was to help translate to English for him, his wife, and some of the wives of the mission presidents.</div>
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I will include some the training in a spiritual thought at the end.</div>
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The meeting was in Cancun. This is the view from out hotel room.</div>
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Yes, we did get into the ocean, really too rough to be fun.<br />
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Nice hotel, big hot tub.<br />
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After a full day of training, we had a day of recreation. Many of the leaders played volleyball in the pool. For the mission presidents from inland, like the state of Chihuahua, it was really special to be at the beach.<br />
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At dinner one of the mission presidents and his wife did a dance for our entertainment.<br />
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Then we went on two big buses to see some local ruins called Tulum. </div>
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Our guide was a member of the Church, recently released as stake president. He said this is what the building originally looked like, they think.</div>
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He said some interesting things. There are in the large buildings some slots which only on certain days at sunrise the sun shines fully through the slot. The sun shinning completely through on one slot happens only on June 21st, the longest day and on another Dec 21st the shortest day.</div>
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Then he said there is one slot where it happens only on April 6th, which he thought had to do with the birth of Christ.</div>
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I really related to one thing he said. These buildings are 100's of years old. Maybe they were used for good purposes sometimes and not so good other times. He said for example, the Kirkland Temple was used for sacred purposed once, but not now. The Nauvoo Temple was sacred, then not sacred, then rebuilt.</div>
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I wanted one picture of us together.</div>
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Then we went to a large amusement park called Xcaret! While we ate we watched a presentation about the history of Mexico. It was entertaining and good for the mission presidents and wives not from Mexico to learn a little more about the history of Mexico. Large arena.</div>
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They had nets come up from the side of the stage and plastic walls will hoops where they played the game of trying to knock the ball through the hoops on the wall. It is an ancient indigenous game.</div>
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You can see the hoop on the right side. They would knock the ball back and forth, hitting it only with their hips. When the ball was on the floor they would run and then slide into the ball with their hip. After quite a few tries they got the ball through the hoop!<br />
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Then they had a game with a fire ball to try to get it into each others fire pit with hockey-like sticks.<br />
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It reminded us of when our boys would soak a tennis ball in gas and light it on fire and hit it back and forth.<br />
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They showed how the Spanish arrived. First they showed the Aztec's worshiping their idols.<br />
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Then the Spanish arrived.<br />
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And the Spanish making the local Indians carry a cross.<br />
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And they put the cross on top of the Indians' idols.<br />
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I took real interest in how they showed how the main saint the Virgin of Guadalupe came about. In this story a humble man in the country, named Juan Diego, had a vision when the Virgin Mary appeared to him and told him to build a church. He went to the priest who didn't believe him.<br />
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He returned to talk to the Virgin and she did a miracle for him He took his shawl to the priest and when he open it, there was a large bouquet of roses. They showed all this.<br />
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Then the show moved to dances and music from different parts of the country.<br />
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In part of the state of Veracruz they have this tradition that around a large pole they wind ropes. Then on top of the pole some men sit and then with their feet tied to the rope they swing around and around unwinding the ropes until the reach the ground.<br />
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They swing around and around, upside down, for a long time.<br />
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I liked the dance of the old men.<br />
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Then they switched to songs and things from the North part of Mexico. I think I had to hold Michelle in her seat.<br />
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They ended with everyone on stage with streamers and everything. A great show!<br />
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The next day after our morning seminar, we flew back to Mexico City.<br />
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Here is a question for you, which is further North, Mexico City or Cancun Mexico?<br />
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The visitor was Elder Brent H. Nielson. We were surprised to find out his middle name is Hatch, related to Michelle way back. Michelle helped translate for them during a stake conference. The conference was in the Ermita Stake. The chapel there is one of the very first in Mexico.<br />
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Michelle's father and her mother attended church in this chapel when he was a medical student in Mexico City, And Michelle's sister Patricia was blessed in the chapel!<br />
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Lots of people know the Hatches.<br />
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Michelle even played the old piano inside the chapel.<br />
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And to my great surprise, Sister Nielson asked if they could have a picture with us.<br />
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Their son served as a missionary in St. Petersburg Russia when my brother David was mission president there. They wanted the picture to send to their son. The Nielsons spoke at length about what a great mission president David was. FINALLY A SANDBERG CONNECTION IN MEXICO.<br />
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We love to see the local members in the meetings. Aren't these kinds cute!<br />
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Well, I will try for some kind of spiritual thought. This is a story told by Sister Nielson, the wife of Elder Brent H. Nielson, who visited here with him. She called it the parable of the peaches.<br />
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They lived in Idaho for a number of years and found that it was an ideal place for growing peaches, so she bought 3 peach tress and planted them. After a few years they got beautiful peaches, sweet and delicious.<br />
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She had 3 grandsons ages 2, 4 and 6. When they arrived they would run to the peach trees. The 2 year old would stop and pick up the fallen peaches and try to eat them. Many would be rotten and were basically not good and could make your stomach hurt.<br />
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The 6 year old would climb to the top of the tree and get the peaches that got the most sun and would taste the best.<br />
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The 4 year old would be afraid to climb. We would halt back and forth between picking up the fruit on the ground, picking some fruit on the bottom of the tree, and climbing to the top.<br />
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The 6 year old would say, come on up here to the best fruit. Be he would hesitate.<br />
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Now the message of the parable of the fruit tree is like life. We can pick up the OK but often bad and sometimes really bad things in life at the bottom, or we can get some better things a little bit up in the tree, or we can go to the top.<br />
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So my challenge is, reach for the top where the best things are. God is saying, come on up here where the fruits of life are the very best.<br />
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I say to us all, don't be afraid, don't hesitate back and forth between bad, OK and really good. And DON'T get old and stop reaching.<br />
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(By the end of the summer the 4 year old learned to climb to the top).<br />
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Love and miss the family and friends. Hope the videos work. We enjoy hearing comments back from you.<br />
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Elder Dad/Grandpa/Gilbert and Michelle<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-3378512218173112412015-10-07T07:32:00.002-05:002015-10-07T07:32:35.929-05:00Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flightTitle: Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight<br />
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Dear Family and Friends,<br />
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I will explain that title a little later on in the post.<br />
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Sept. 16 is independence day of Mexico from Spain. The night before, the 15th is a big ceremony. I watched a rerun on TV. The revolution got started when a priest Hidalgo rang his church bell and invited all his congregation to start the revolution with him.<br />
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So on the 15th the president of Mexico rings a bell in the main square, called the Zocolo.<br />
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Then follows the "grito" or shout. He says "Viva los heroes de la revolution." Hurrah to the heros of the revolution. The zocolo is full of people who shout Viva. He names some of the heroes and everyone shouts Viva. Finally he shouts "Viva Mexico" 3 times and every shouts Viva. They do this in many cities in Mexico.<br />
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Then the following day they had a HUGH military parade through the main square. 1000's and 1000's of troops. Many women in the military.<br />
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We enjoyed a visit from our son Jonathan who teachers at BYU and was here to make arrangements for an exchange program for students from BYU. He and his companion went to Church with us and we had a couple of meals with him. Yes, senior missionaries can have family visit.</div>
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I remember when Jonathan was a little boy and we had to go sit with him in Primary class to help keep him quite. He has done really well.<br />
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Then we had planned for weeks for the arrival of our son Richard, wife Deanne, and 6 young children. <br />
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We went to Church and then to the house of my nephew Matt Sandberg for dinner and a birthday celebration of one of our grandchildren, Emilyn.<br />
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She loved it. Couldn't help but think of my daughters.<br />
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We took a tour of the city on a "hop on hop off" bus. Fun.<br />
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Lots of things to see. The statue of independence.<br />
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Unfortunately it was the coolest and most cloudy week we have had.<br />
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We went to the top of the Latin American tower. Tall building. You can see the temple from there and the mountains in the distance. It is a big city.<br />
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You could see the Zocalo, the main square where the president leads the "grito".<br />
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And the Palace of Fine Arts where the Ballet Folklórico performs with all the traditional dancing.<br />
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The Alameda Park, Palacio de Bellas Artes and lovely buildings.<br />
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And look straight down, look for the men with straw hats on. They are protesters.<br />
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They are also standing in between the lanes. They are protesting that 43 students in a bus going to protest a speech of one of the state leaders about a year ago just disappeared and the government hasn't been able to find out why. They were joined by the teachers on the day Richard arrived and blocked one of the main streets making traffic bad and we arrived about 1 hour late to get Richard.<br />
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We of course went to the original Sanborn's restaurant were Michelle's father worked when he was a medical student.<br />
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We ate there with all the children. They were so good.<br />
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Oh, the times were ate out with our young family! <br />
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And we went to the National Cathedral.<br />
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Interestingly, after we were there one of the grandchildren said, "I didn't like it in there. It doesn't feel good." I feel the same way.<br />
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This picture is taken from the open top bus we rode. There are many beautiful streets in Mexico City.<br />
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Of course, back to the pyramids. Very impressive.<br />
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They had a tent up in front of one of the smaller pyramids.<br />
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I asked a man who was sifting and washing sand and looked like he was in charge what they were doing. He said they had discovered an original tunnel running under the pyramid. The tunnel was 15 meters - 50 feet - below the surface and they were slowing digging the tunnel out and shifting and washing all the dirt taken out to look for relics of any kind.<br />
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The older grandchildren and grandma climbed to the top. I "agreed" to wait below with my pregnant daughter-in-law.<br />
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Afterwards we went to a restaurant. I liked the sign on the restroom doors.<br />
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Lovely colors in the restaurant.<br />
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We rented a van and driver to take us around.<br />
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It was about 1 1/2 hours there and back and some of the children we a little tired.<br />
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On Wednesday we went to the the Chapultepec Castle where Maximillan and Carlata lived when he was Emperor of Mexico, installed by France. <br />
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But this was the closet we could get. It was closed. The president was giving a speech there and there were military police everywhere.<br />
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We did go to the zoo which the children loved.<br />
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I was surprised to find Rafika of the movie Lion King there.<br />
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Notice the broom they use here outside, made of twigs or balm leaves. They work really well for sweeping large areas.<br />
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And of course we had to go to the National Ballet. I have put pictures on a previous blog, I know, but I love the place. This is of the glass curtain painted with the volcanoes Popo and Ixta on it.<br />
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This guy must have spun the rope for 15 minutes with a girl inside; he did change hands once in a while.<br />
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Such pretty outfits. In this one they tie a bow with their feet.<br />
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And they really move!<br />
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They even came out into the aisle and danced right in front of us. Notice how tall they are. They have a height requirement. They are all nearly the same height.<br />
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They have several changes of outfits.<br />
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Love that show.<br />
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Then on Thursday we went to Xochimilco, where they float in boats. My nephew's wife and their 4 children went with us.<br />
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We noticed 6 boats all floating together. It was some kind of Social Security outing with older folks. They had Mariachi bands on board and were dancing and singing.<br />
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We paid to have a boat with a mariachi group come along side and play for us. (Also a marimba group)</div>
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Note the oar that one of the local boats uses.</div>
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We took our own lunch and ate on our boat.</div>
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Good time. Then on Friday we went to the temple visitors center.</div>
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They have a wonderful visitor center with a place for children. They would really have liked to stay longer.</div>
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Then it was off to the airport. The children helping with the bags.</div>
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I think everyone really enjoyed Mexico. Some of the grandchildren were a little taken back that some places you have to pay to use a toilette, Buy hey, I paid 4 pesos and got some toilet paper to bring home!</div>
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Now, to the title and somewhat of a spiritual thought.</div>
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I was truly sad when our family left.</div>
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Thinking about our son's visit and his 6 children traveling around, pulling their luggage, I thought of this quote someone used in general conference.</div>
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Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight</div>
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make me a child again, just for tonight.</div>
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But then I thought I miss my young children, now all grown up and I thought: </div>
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Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight,</div>
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make <b>them children</b> again, just for tonight.</div>
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I wished I could have all my children, young again, traveling together.</div>
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Why would I like to go back, caused I missed somethings then. Too anxious, too worried, not enjoying the moment.</div>
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So my thought, enjoy fully wherever you are. It will pass. You can't go back. In school, children at home, working, or grandparent. It will not last forever. Don't miss out. Be fully present. Make the most of every moment.</div>
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Elder Grandpa, Dad, etc.</div>
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Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-1741579902050328462015-08-24T20:58:00.000-05:002015-08-24T20:58:22.300-05:00Routine and not so routine<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
Dear Family and Friends,</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">As we approach the half-way point of our mission, we have pretty much settled into a routine. But we have enough not-so-routine experiences to keep things exciting. </span><br />
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On normal weekdays, Gilbert goes to the area offices at and I at. We both try to exercise before we go, either on the treadmills in the exercise room of our small (rather Spartan) hotel or on the stationary bike we purchased and set up in our bedroom. On Mondays we go together to attend the weekly devotional for the office employees. We enjoy associating with the other people who serve and work in the area offices.</div>
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Area office on a day when the sky was really blue. Often the sky is grey from clouds or smog.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">At</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">, we come home for lunch, and a short siesta if we can. If not, we are back at the office about</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">and work until</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1082850935" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">:00</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">. Or sometimes until after</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1082850936" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">6:00</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">. </span></div>
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Some who work in one office break their routine by having a colorful sock competition every few weeks. Wild!</div>
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Probably the most dangerous thing we do here is cross the streets, (one main and two small side streets) between our hotel and the office building. Sometimes there is little traffic and we can cross easily; other times there is bumper to bumper traffic and again we can cross easily. The challenge is when the traffic is moderate and the cars come fast with motorcycles speeding around them. It keeps us alert.</div>
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We are amused by the small street with two-way traffic and cars parked, sometimes double-parked, on the sidewalks, especially right by the no parking sign. So where do we walk? In the street of course, dodging the cars.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Most evenings we come home, maybe do more work or email or make phone calls after dinner. Or not so routine, we just relax. On Mondays we go back to the office building for Family Home Evening with the other couple missionaries. We take turns giving the lesson and providing refreshments. Sometimes we have an activity such as when some young people came and gave us a lesson in Mexican folk dance. Not a regular routine, but lots of fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">A not-so-routine evening for us happened this week when we went with one of the young Elder missionaries to teach a discussion to the Francks, a couple we met at the English ward. He is from England and she from Mexico City. We invited them to come to the Spanish ward with us once and they seemed to like it. Because of rush-hour traffic, it took us an hour and a half to get to their apartment. We walked to Palmas to catch a taxi, rode to the Metro station in Polanco, took the Metro subway to Camarones, and then walked quite a distance to their house. But it was worth it; we had a great visit! We don't have a picture of them yet, but do have a picture of the sister missionaries in our ward when they ate with us recently. One is from Canada, one from Mexico and one from the US. Both the Elders and Sisters in our ward are in three-somes right now. Good young people! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">One thing that is becoming a little more routine, or at least more comfortable for me, is leading the music time in Primary. Here is a picture of the group one day when we had some visitors from the USA.</span></div>
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Here is a video Gilbert took of me leading Primary music.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">We have a recent convert sister in our ward who attends church faithfully. However, she has some emotional challenges. Recently she has been heart-broken because she thought a good single brother who befriended her was going to marry her. </span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">She and I have become friends, and we sometimes sit by her. Today she</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> was sobbing during sacrament meeting, bless her heart. We all try to comfort her. But last week she was happy.</span></div>
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A few weeks ago she told me she needed a blanket for her doll. She said it was life-like and life-size, so I bought her a baby blanket and Sister Stevens and I took it to her. Last week she brought her baby to church to show us. </div>
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Something that made Gilbert happy was when Elder Lester Johnson brought about 20 boxes of peaches from the Colonies in Chihuahua to the last area council meeting giving a box to every leader and area seventy present. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">We have loved eating peaches the last two weeks and have frozen some for later. Yesterday I made Gilbert a peach pie for our 49th wedding anniversary. Yummy!</span></div>
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He gave me roses, chocolates, and made nice cards and signs to put up around our apartment. </div>
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That was not unusual; he has usually remembered and celebrated special occasions. I appreciate him for that.</div>
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But the way we spent our anniversary day was out-of-the routine. My friend Gloria Perez-Torres invited us to her home in San Angel, in the southern part of the city. She lives in a lovely home in a very picturesque, colonial neighborhood near the famous San Angel Inn restaurant. Even though she and I went all the way from 1st grade through senior year together in Colonia Juarez, we had not seen each other in 51 years until a few months ago. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">She was so gracious and hospitable, showing us interesting things in the neighborhood where she lives. We walked around the park and into some museums. In the park there were many artists with their pictures for sale.</span></div>
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This is inside the patio of an old colonial home that is now a museum.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Note the huge beautiful wall decor and fountain in the concert hall of the home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">After several hours walking around, we went back to Gloria's home for a delicious 5-course dinner. She invited a recently widowed 3-star army general to have dinner with us. He is an old friend of the family and was very pleasant to visit with--also bilingual. We</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> invite them to attend the open house of the temple with us this week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Afterwards we went out to eat at P. F. Chang's. Very appropriately, sweet and sour was one of the 9 dishes we shared family style. It only took us 35 minutes to get home. </span><img alt="😊" class="CToWUd" goomoji="1f60a" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/1f60a" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 0px 0.2ex; max-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Definitely not routine! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">A Spiritual Thought:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">So at times like <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_170583011" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span> afternoon when we had our little accident and were stuck in noisy traffic for over 3 hours, I wonder if it is worth it to keep going. Maybe we should just turn around and go home. Why do we so often have to experience the sour before the sweet? Why the interruption in our routine? Why the need for opposition? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">That is one of the questions our investigator friends asked during our visit with them last week--why opposition? We tried to explain that when we understand God's plan for us, it puts mortal life and opposition in eternal perspective. This life is a school to help us reach our divine potential, to become like our Heavenly Father. It is not meant to be a paradise where we just play and remain as innocent children. (Of course there is a place for innocence and play, but it is not our eternal destiny.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">We learn and do the best we can, knowing we will make mistakes and have trials. That is why we need a Savior. But sometimes when I decide to do something good, something I felt inspired to do, and then I receive opposition, I doubt my original decision. (Like accepting to be the music director in Primary.) But if we keep trying and don't give up, things usually work out OK. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I like this quote </span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">from Elder Holland </span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">that our daughter Karen shared with us in a letter this week. "With any major decision there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don’t give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you." </span></span><br />
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I testify that life can unfold beautifully when we stay the course and go forward in confidence. I am glad we pressed on to the temple.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Michelle, Mom, Grandma, Sister Sandberg</div>
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Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-76346867585269149842015-07-29T19:18:00.001-05:002015-07-30T06:40:03.421-05:00Birthday - Ballet - CuernavacaDear Family and Friends,<br />
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It all started with my birthday.<br />
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Michelle made my favorite birthday cake - spice cake with camel frosting, as well as several favorite meals.<br />
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I was feeling old at 71, until Michelle translated a missionary recommendation for a couple here in Mexico who wants to serve a mission - he is 85!!<br />
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It was so nice to have all my children and many grandchildren contact us here in Mexico to wish me a happy birthday.<br />
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Michelle asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, I said I wanted to go to the National Folklore Ballet with Mexican Traditional Dances. It is presented close to down town in the Palace of Fine Arts; to see the building is in itself quite an experience.<br />
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Done in marble with balconies and everything inside.<br />
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In the ballet, they do lots of traditional dances - really well done.<br />
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In one dance, a couple ties a bow with their feet.</div>
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They have one dance about the Mexican Revolution; the revolution is highly valued in Mexico.<br />
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One of the dances is a dancer acting like a deer, He moves like a deer and then at the end he dies having been shot by an Indian arrow. Notice the changing backgrounds from one dance to the next.<br />
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So pretty! I love the men's and the women's costumes.<br />
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They had some really good mariachis.<br />
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I was especially impressed when they had some harp solos. I think they must have 20 fingers on their hands to play so many notes so fast. I hope you can see this video.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dylJwkE_WvHD_IR32M4uMbmtDc00CI1RF_IVjD7gJM-jrgoumWFmRydLsjM12P7RaOjStZD0kdY00KpFZHeSA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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We went with my nephew Matt and his wife Jessica and son Kai. It was a great birthday present.</div>
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Then Michelle arranged for us to go to a city close by called Cuernavaca. Known for it's nice climate, it is called the city of "eternal spring. Many rich people have weekend homes there. It is about 4800 feet compared to 7800 feet here, so was warmer there. It takes only a couple of hours to get there.</div>
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We went with the Area Doctor who went to see the mission president. While there we visited the Palace of Hernan Cortez, the oldest government building in Mexico. The conqueror Cortez was made ruler over a part of Mexico as a reward for his conquests and he had this home/palace made.</div>
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Not much of a home, if you ask me. One thing I found interesting, was inside they had some displays saying when the Spanish came to America there was lots of debate about whether it was right and moral to conquer the Indians. Finally it was settled with it is "OK" to conquer to make them Christians. (Really wanted gold.) This is a baptismal "font" used for water to sprinkle new converts.</div>
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One of the things the building is famous for is some murals by Rivera Diego. There are 2, very large. One shows history of the conquest of Mexico and the other history of the early days of Cuernavaca. </div>
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As is traditional, the mural goes on and on for many feet. In upper middle of this part you see the slaves building Cortez's house or palace.</div>
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In this part they showed when the sugar cane business was big in the area.</div>
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The murals were done in 1919-1920. I understand and the US Ambassador donated them to Mexico.</div>
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One of the reasons we wanted to go to Cuernavaca was so we could eat at Las Mañanitas, a restaurant with beautiful gardens. Michelle ate there when she was a teenager here in Mexico with her family, and she wanted to go again.</div>
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There were nice gardens. It was so peaceful and calm and the air was clear.</div>
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And Peacocks as Michelle remembered.</div>
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Very nice, but we did have one disappointment. Michelle decided to try a new meal. The waiter said it was one of the specialties of the house, taken from the leg of beef, and was called Ossobucca. ?</div>
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So this is what came.</div>
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WOW - that is a bone sticking out of the top with a red chile draped over it. It did not look good and Michelle said it didn't tasted good either. Maybe if she could have eaten with eyes closed? Oh well.</div>
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So, this week all of the Area Presidency come back to the office after their month of time with their families. And boy are they going to be busy in August and September! Two of the apostles are scheduled to visit and of course there is the open house and re-dedication of the Mexico City Temple as well as the Cultural Pageant.</div>
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We have not been able to review recommends for new bishops for a month so I am trying to get ready. Here I am with 45 recommendations and we are expecting 15 more next week.</div>
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Now for something of a spiritual thought:</div>
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First I enjoyed helping a couple get sealed in one of the temples. They got married legally first as couples must here in Mexico and then went to the temple, but the temple people said it had been 6 days since their civil sealing and the handbook said if they didn't come in 3 days they would have to wait a year to be sealed. We checked the handbook and all it says is in a country where a civil marriage is required first, the couple must come to the temple as soon as is practical or they must wait a year to be sealed. I ended up calling the temple department in SLC - there is no 3 day rule. They have discussed the word practical with the first presidency and they have decided practical is the right word. So in the end the temple department called the temple president and got things taken care of. It was nice to help the couple out. In the end it is the individual members that really count.</div>
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Oh, and I observed a meeting for 3/4 of an hour with the top leaders of the Church in Mexico trying to meet the guidelines for the Church and get a place for a small group, not even a branch, of members to have their meetings. </div>
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Finally, you may have heard that a missionary serving from Mexico in Costa Rica died in his sleep. We spent some time helping the family fly to Costa Rica to get the body; it would go quicker to get the body back if they were there. Our fellow executive secretary went to the airport to meet them when they came back to Mexico. One of the Area Presidency met with the family before they left, and one of the Area President attended the funeral and brought back this report.</div>
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When the missionary left, at the airport the mother shouted to the departing son, three times, "Hurrah for Israel, Hurrah for Israel, Hurrah for Israel!" This is like Brigham Young and his family when the apostles left for English in the early days.</div>
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At the funeral, they had the local missionaries come and sing and he said everyone gave great talks.</div>
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Here is a picture that was on the chapel doors when people come in.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S_bu6yWqbEM/VbgRATqk7SI/AAAAAAAAJYg/feenrPqm7RM/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B%252800000003%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S_bu6yWqbEM/VbgRATqk7SI/AAAAAAAAJYg/feenrPqm7RM/s640/FullSizeRender%2B%252800000003%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The flags are from Mexico and Costa Rica.</div>
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The sign says, "Mission Completed and a Grand Hurrah for Israel."</div>
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The 24th of July is not a big deal here, but the history of the Church and the faith and dedication of many of the Saints here in Mexico are very much as strong and as alive here as they were among the saints on July 24th 1847.</div>
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Elder and Sister Sandberg</div>
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<span id="goog_914248199"></span><span id="goog_914248200"></span><br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-77876247052268969862015-07-12T19:07:00.003-05:002015-07-12T19:07:27.401-05:00Good memories - Veracruz - Supreme Court spiritual thoughtDear Family and Friends,<br />
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We often receive comments about how hot it must be in Mexico City. Wrong! Here is a recent weather forecast. It is typical now in the rainy season to have rain every afternoon. Note the highs at 70 and the lows in the 50's. We have been here 7 months and have yet to see 90 degrees. Very pleasant weather in Mexico City! Occasionally we have to use air conditioning or heating.<br />
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Last year Michelle organized a reunion in the Mormon Colonies for her graduating class from the Academy - class of 1964. Some of the graduates live in Mexico City and did not attend so yesterday 5 of them got together here.<br />
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I just loved watching Michelle chatter away in Spanish about the early days with these former students, especially as they looked at some old class pictures.<br />
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I must say I learned some things I never knew about the Academy, what the students did, and some things about the teachers.<br />
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For you familiar with the Mormon Colonies, can you recognize some of the students. In the picture below, the one on the left attended all 12 years of school with Michelle. It is Gloria Perez-Torres.<br />
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I did think about what a friend of mine said once, "I went to a class reunion and all of these old people showed up!"<br />
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Good memories!<br />
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Another good memory: We heard from the district president in Belize where we served a mission that they were having a devotional by a visiting authority and he gave us the link to watch it.<br />
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So we connected to the link and they were setting up for the meeting, so Michelle called the district president on Skype on her computer and they could talk to us via the link on my computer. Here is Michelle on Skype to Belize.<br />
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Here is the district president talking back to us via my computer and the broadcast link.<br />
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They carried the camera and phone around and we could talk to members there before the meeting. So wonderful to see and talk to them! WOW don't we engineers do amazing things?<br />
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Good memories!<br />
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The senior missionaries were approved to take a temple trip to Oaxaca Mexico but there was a recent election here, and there have been many protests where they block the roads, and have had to close the airport there, and sometimes even the temple. The protesters block the roads and they are lead mainly by the teachers' unions in reaction to a major new law which takes away many of the excessive privileges, some actually illegal, they have collected over the years.<br />
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So we drove 6 hours to Veracruz on the Atlantic coast instead, leaving Thursday a.m. July 2nd.<br />
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We attended 2 sessions which were completely full requiring extra chairs. I really enjoyed it. I think I kind of took the temple for granted in Utah; going to the temple was so easy. Michelle and I have many good memories about our time serving in Guatemala. It hardly seems real now, all that has happened. I guess we just take the experiences as they come.<br />
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Good memories, though.<br />
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When we left on Saturday morning we saw 5 buses at the temple - they would be very busy that day with their only one room in which to start sessions.<br />
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After going to the temple Thursday afternoon, we all (18 senior missionaries) went to a well-know seafood restaurant to eat. It was fun and the food was good.<br />
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It sits right on the beach and we enjoyed the view.<br />
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The man on the right with his phone is the area doctor. Where ever he goes, he might get a phone call about a sick missionary.<br />
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The beach right there is not much, but it was nice to be close to the ocean with my dear wife.<br />
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The next morning we went to our second session and then went to the waterfront to look around.<br />
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Big ship there. We think the one in the back is an oil tanker. There is lots of off shore oil produced in the area.<br />
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We decided to go to an aquarium there, see some of the local fish.<br />
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These fish below have a flat part on their heads that they use to latch on to larger fish which they said was beneficial to the larger fish because it cleans it's skin.<br />
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And they had more than fish. See the Macaws which sat on my hands.<br />
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(Not really, on my hands)<br />
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On the waterfront they had some interesting art, like these large heads on their sides or upside down.<br />
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The brother who drove our car loves Dairy Queen and knows where they are, so we stopped by one.<br />
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Later we made a special effort to get Michelle a shrimp cocktail, which she loves.<br />
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On the way down we stopped to see and eat in Xalapa and on the way back we stopped in Puebla, a large and nice city, 4th largest in Mexico with about 1.5 million population. They are famous for their Talavera, a kind of pottery. So we had to do some shopping in several of the many shops.<br />
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Michelle bought one that said, "Bienvenida a la casa de los abuelos." ( Welcome to the House of the Grandparents.)<br />
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Personally I kind of liked this one.<br />
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It says, "In this house lives an adorable woman and a grouchy (or messy) man."<br />
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In Mexico it is common to say welcome to our humble home; please feel like it is your house. Or we might say, make yourself at home in our humble house.<br />
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This one says, Welcome to this humble house, which is not humble and is not yours!"<br />
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Disney characters were for sale everywhere.<br />
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We had heard about a special meal there which is available for only a couple of months when this special large Chile is available. The dish is Chile Enogado: the Chile is stuffed with meats and fruits with a special sauce poured over it. It is garnished with parsley leaves and pomegranate seeds. <br />
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(It may be special, but I didn't like it).<br />
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Meanwhile back at the office, we are catching up on some things since July is a month of home leave for the general authorities. In July, only one of the presidency comes into the office. They still do email and talk a lot on the phone. <br />
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August will be very busy. We have an orientation meeting with the 8 new mission presidents, an area council with the 19 Area Seventies, and the open house of the soon to be re-dedicated Mexico City Temple with several VIP days. We will also have a week-long visit from another apostle. In September we will have the cultural event and actual temple re-dedication, which we expect will include a visit by a member of the first presidency and several other general authorities and wives.<br />
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All of these things take MUCH planning and preparation by the people in the area office. We help put together the agenda and travel plans for the area presidency for all these visits. <br />
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However, they still find time for fun. One department has a crazy sock day once a month.<br />
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Well, enough already, now for somewhat of a special thought.<br />
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The Supreme Count of the US has voted 5 to 4 to make gay marriage legal all over the US. I have thought a lot about that. What does that mean for me, my family, the Church, and my country? And what does it mean for other countries who tend to look to the US. Should I move somewhere?<br />
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As I was concerned about that, I took note of the following when reading the July Church magazine <i>Liahona. in </i>a article by Apostle Cook taken from a talk called <u>Reaping the Rewards of Righteousness </u>given at the BYU Women's conference in 2014. Elder Cook talks about an experience he and his wife had in San Fransico with some of the same concerns years ago, an area which has been a leader in the area of gay activity.<br />
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"My wife, Mary, and I had these concerns as we were beginning to raise our children in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA, in the late 1960s. The Latter-day Saint population was relatively small. But while the vast majority of people were wonderful, the Bay Area had become a magnet for drug usage and all manner of promiscuous and sinful conduct.</div>
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"The change in society was significant enough that a concerned stake president asked the leadership of the Church if he should encourage Church members to remain in the Bay Area. Elder Harold B. Lee (1899–1973), then a senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was assigned to address the issue. He explained that the Lord had not inspired the construction of a temple in our area only to have the members leave. His counsel to us was simple but profound:</div>
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1. Create Zion in our hearts and homes.</div>
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2. Be a light to those among whom we live.</div>
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3. Focus on the ordinances of the temple and the principles taught there.</div>
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We cherished Elder Lee’s counsel and tried to follow it in our family."</div>
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So this is my response to the court decision. </div>
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We say to ourselves, our families, and others.</div>
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- We follow God's plan for families and happiness.</div>
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- Some people use tobacco and alcohol, but we don't.</div>
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- Some people watch pornography, but we don't</div>
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- Some people live together unmarried, but we don't.</div>
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- Some people marry people of the same gender, but we don't.</div>
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We strive to:</div>
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1. Create Zion in our hearts and homes.<br />
2. Be a light to those among whom we live.<br />
3. Focus on the ordinances of the temple and the principles taught there.<br />
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As President Hinckley use to say, "Things will work out."<br />
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We love you and miss you.<br />
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Elder and Sister Sandberg<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-84451031867343417912015-06-27T13:14:00.000-05:002015-06-27T13:15:09.635-05:00Short Trip Home - Yes Senior Missionaries can go home for a visitDear Family and Friends,<br />
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In a May 2011 letter the First Presidency said concerning senior missionaries, "Couples may, at there own expense, take a short leave of absence from their mission (normally no longer than seven to ten days) to return home for a critical family event.<br />
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We were pleased that the Area President allowed us to go to Minnesota for a family reunion. Here is our picture with 6 children and their spouses, 23 of 24 grandchildren, and on the cell phone you can see a picture of our grandson Jaron currently serving a mission in Tahiti.<br />
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I hope this blog will encourage other potential senior missionaries to serve; yes, you can go home during a senior mission. It is a lot different that serving a mission at 18 or 19 years of age.<br />
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We went to the St. Paul temple to do baptisms with some of our grandchildren. Very special!<br />
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We held our reunion north of St. Paul at Grandview Lodge on Gull Lake. Yes there were lots of water activities.<br />
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And our children where the worst at pushing others off.<br />
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There was all kinds of water fun for young and old.<br />
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And a bonfire and Smore's; Grandma was feeling sick and chilled but did not want to miss the fun.<br />
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And a family dance. Those of you who know our son Jonathan, he and his children do the family dance. It is always a lot of crazy fun.<br />
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We love to see the younger children dancing with their cousins.<br />
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But one of the highlights was the baptism of our grandson Benjamin, the son of our daughter Karen and son-in-law, Chris Woodson. We got permission to do the baptism in the lake.<br />
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The grandchildren sang at the baptism and confirmation with one granddaughter playing the guitar.<br />
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We grandparents love these events.<br />
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When my mother, Mildred Sandberg, died years ago, she left some money to each of our children. Our children each put some money in a reunion fund and we matched it which is invested in mutual funds. We have a reunion every 2 years and the interest on those funds pays most of the cost.<br />
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While we were in Minnesota, the husband of my sister Charlotte died in Utah and the Area Presidency agreed we could go to the funeral. We were so glad that we could attend.<br />
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Then it was time to leave with the tradition of pushing the car of those leaving.<br />
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I do want to share a spiritual thought with those of you who have endured to the end of this post.<br />
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This thought is taken from an article in the Liahona called "Pathway to Palmyra." It is taken from a talk originally given to the missionaries in the Provo MTC by Mathew S. Holland who is president of the Univeristy of Utah Valley.<br />
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First he goes through all the challenges the Smith family had before the first vision: losing a store, many crop failures, Joseph's surgery on his leg, and other things that I did not know. He even talked about a volanco going off in Indonesia that caused one of the crop failures. He talks about how Lucy Mack was robbed while traveling during many of their moves.<br />
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Then he makes the point that all in all is was part of Joseph's preparation for his mission and part of getting him to Palmyra where he needed to be.<br />
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He concludes with these words of encouragement to the missionaries, and to us, that we remember that God is directing our lives.<br />
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"Remember this as perhaps the first lesson of Joseph’s life and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. In spite of failure, mishap, and bitter opposition—and in many cases precisely because of those things—Joseph Smith got exactly where he needed to be to fulfill his mission. So, if now or on some future day, you look around and see that other perhaps less-devoted acquaintances are succeeding in their jobs when you just lost yours; if major illness puts you on your back just at the moment critical tasks of service seem to come calling; if a call to a prominent position goes to someone else; if a missionary companion seems to learn the language faster; if well-meaning efforts still somehow lead to disaster with a fellow ward member, a neighbor, or an investigator; if news from home brings word of financial setback or mortal tragedy you can do nothing about; or if, day after day, you simply feel like a bland and beaten background player in a gospel drama that really seems made for the happiness of others, just know this: many such things were the lot of Joseph Smith himself at the very moment he was being led to the stage of the single most transcendent thing to happen on this earth since the events of Golgotha and the Garden Tomb nearly 2,000 years earlier.<br />
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“But,” you may say, “my life and earthly destiny will never be like that of the Prophet Joseph.”<br />
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"That probably is true. But it is also true that your lives do matter to God, and your eternal potential and that of every soul you will meet is no less grand and significant than that of the Prophet Joseph himself. Thus, just like our beloved Joseph, you must never give up, give in, or give out when life in general, or missionary work in particular, gets utterly painful, confusing, or dull. Rather, as Paul teaches, you must see that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28; emphasis added).<br />
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"Just as He did with young Joseph Smith, God is shaping and directing you every single day to ends more glorious than you can know!"<br />
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Elder and Sister Sandberg<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-7817244169352395822015-05-22T16:21:00.000-05:002015-05-22T16:21:32.970-05:00WOW good things happening - Sandbergs in MexicoDear Family and friends,<br />
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We are just about to finish up with a 10 day area review visit to Mexico by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder Craig C. Christensen one of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy. <br />
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It is a wonderful experience, but generates lots of activity here in the area office. I will talk about that visit more in a later post.<br />
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First a little funny experience. In the meeting of the presidency they were talking about a building which was in a place called Lo Mas Verde (The most green). I kept wondering where this most green place was. Finally asked the other executive secretary, and he said they are talking about Lomas Verdes (Green hills). I thought it was kind of funny.<br />
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One of the senior missionaries works in a mission office and taught the priesthood lesson at Church on flooding the world with the Book of Mormon. He says he orders about 500 Books of Mormon a month so if you take that times the 34 missions in Mexico times 12 months that makes 200,000 copies of the Book of Mormon a month going out from the missions a year. That does not count what the members do on their own.<br />
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Recently I was able to watch a talk by an emeritus Seventy reflecting on what he had learned. One of the things he mentioned was how important unity is. He said, "Sometimes you may be prematurely right." Meaning you may see something in your ward or in the Church that needs to be improved, but it may not be in your area of responsibility. But with a little patience, it will be taken care of by the Lord, and we should not get ahead of our leaders.<br />
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I also heard another talk by a leader who had been told in his patriarchal blessing when he was a young man that he would see the return of the lost 10 Tribes of Israel. He said he was recently in Russia and was in a meeting of about 70 members in a remote part of Russia. When asked how many had received their patriarchal blessings about 35 raised their hands. In that group of 35, in their blessings stating their linage, all the tribes of Israel were mentioned. Interesting times.<br />
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I love it when all the different committees, youth, church education, temple, missionaries, etc. come to report to the area presidency. The welfare committee recently reported their efforts to help people here in Mexico have a better income. One of the senior couples goes out and helps people in the remote area to get animals and gardens of their own. They don't give money but help with seeds and plants and often help the members get help from government programs they didn't know about. I enjoyed some of the pictures they showed.<br />
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Happy to have some chickens of their own.<br />
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And turkeys<br />
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They say rabbits are good to eat and that they multiply quickly.<br />
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They are helping the members, and non-members, get seeds and learn how to have gardens.<br />
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This effort follows the principle of our welfare system; we should help people help themselves. This helps preserve self-esteem. To just give things to those who are capable, encourages dependence which does not lift them. Of course for those unable to do things, that is different.<br />
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I enjoyed the report from the Self-Reliance Committee. Self-Reliance is an initiative by the 1st Presidency for areas outside of the US and Canada to help the members be better off economically. It is new but is getting going in Mexico.<br />
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Each stake is to have a self-reliance center, kind of like a family history center. In fact in most places they share the same room and use the same computers. The self-reliance centers form interest groups. They have manuals, videos, etc. to help them. Here is how the groups are growing.<br />
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The self reliance centers are also job placement centers as well as training centers. Here is a slide about people using the self-reliance centers.<br />
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So in 2015, 223 people have come in looking for jobs, 367 asking about additional education which can include Perpetual Education Fund, and 1004 want to start there own businesses. I may have mentioned before how amazing these numbers are. I think if these classes were offered in the US where I have lived, the number wanting to start their own bushiness would be the smallest group! Difference in culture I think.<br />
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The First Presidency has asked that we give priority to five groups in the Self-reliance Centers. Here is a report so far.<br />
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We also get reports on buildings, There is a big effort to have good meeting places for members but at lower costs. This is called the Meeting House Priorities program. For example we are looking more at renting buildings for chapels rather than buying land - very expensive in parts of Mexico - and fixing them up. The cost is less.<br />
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Here is an example of a building that the Church signed a 10 year lease on.<br />
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These are some pictures of the inside.<br />
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After the remodel.<br />
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And the inside.<br />
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All of this supports the Area Plan put together by the Area Presidency with these statements.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #1b2021; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Introduction</span></b><span style="color: #1b2021; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Over
the past 135 years the Church in Mexico has grown in strength and maturity,
thanks to the faith and sacrifice of members from both in and outside the
country. Ancient and modern prophets have prophesied of the essential
role that the saints in Mexico will play in bringing the gospel to all
nations. To achieve this, we will need greater faith, sacrifice and
commitment. Now is the time to take our place in the establishment of the
Kingdom upon the earth.</span><span style="color: #1b2021; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1b2021; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Vision</span></b><span style="color: #1b2021; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">We
will hasten the Work of Salvation by increasing our faith in Jesus
Christ. We will make the sacrifices needed to become temporally and
spiritually self-reliant, to provide for our own needs and to support the
growth of the Kingdom throughout the earth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">People are very excited about Mexico being more self-reliance, meeting our own needs, and helping the Church in other parts of the world. The programs of welfare and self-reliance, and managing the cost of buildings will help all that to come about.</span><br />
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">One of the committees that reports is the youth committee. This time they talked about the Especially for Youth (or sometimes called Strength of Youth) events they have. It reminded me when we helped organize and put on the first EFY for the youth in Belize.</span><br />
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">This is when each group chooses a name and makes a flag and a cheer and they are judge for best.</span><br />
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">I can remember the talent night we had in Belize. This is in Mexico with a native dance.</span><br />
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Oh yes, and the favorite food night; there is always a Pizza night.</span><br />
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And finally this is Samuel with Elder Smith, one of the senior missionaries whose calling is hep organize these youth events.</div>
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Samuel told Elder Smith of an experience he had. Elder Smith wrote it up in Spanish and I translated it to English.</div>
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Here it is, maybe we should call him Samuel the Lamanite.</div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD">Testimony
and Experience of: </span>Samuel Silva Cruz from Juchitan, Mexico</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Samuel was sitting in a classroom at school during free time
before the next class began. There were in the classroom a few students and a
teacher preparing materials for the class following.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Samuel was reading the Book of Mormon and during this time
the students around him began mocking him saying gross things about reading the book
during his free time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The teacher realized what was happening and asked why they
were saying these words to Samuel. When she realized that he was reading the
Book of Mormon, she also said that he could not read the book in class.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Samuel replied that they were now in their free time not in
a class and there was no reason that he could not read the book. He stopped speaking and without saying more
he continued reading the book. After a few minutes the students began to tease and bother him again, but he said nothing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When the students finished speaking, Samuel stood up and
said something like this, "I let you speak and now it is my turn.” He said
that the Book of Mormon is the most important book he had read in all his life.
He said he had a strong testimony of the book and it changed his life. He
testified that Jesus Christ spoke of his visit to the Americas, and here was a
book that everyone should read. "<o:p></o:p></div>
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After that he sat down and there was not one more word said
during the leisure time, and a little later the teacher and students left until
the hour of his class.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We say, "Very good Samuel.
You did very well, you were a very good example in your school showing
much patience and love for your fellow men."<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD">April
2015 - </span>The
Guardian Mexico</div>
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Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-47015468955923548982015-05-03T20:08:00.001-05:002015-05-03T20:08:06.182-05:00Meetings and Meetings - Sandbergs in Mexico - May 3, 2015Dear Family and Friends,<br />
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It is hard to believe that it is now May. We have been on our mission for 5 months!<br />
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Today we will write about meetings. <br />
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Every three months we have an Area Council meeting with the the Area Presidency and the 19 Area Seventies. This is like a stake presidency and a high council meeting.<br />
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EVERY, I mean EVERY, participate has his computer or large tablet. The two executive secretaries propose the agenda, arrange for songs and prayers, and over 3 months collect any agenda item the presidency mentions during the 3 months. We sit up front and drive the projector for all the slides or videos presented. The next meeting I will be in charge of the agenda and driving the computer - a new experience for me.<br />
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We always meet in the same Marriott Courtyard Airport so the travelers from all over Mexico can fly in and walk right to the hotel for the meeting. This time they took a picture of the group. Some of those who read our blog will know some of the people in the picture. I have divided the large picture into 2 parts.<br />
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Lower left is our area president - Elder Benjamin De Hojos, to his right his 2nd counselor Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela R. and to the right Miguel Tenorio the Director to Temporal affairs, and brother to Nelson's former mission president.<br />
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Below, lower right is 1st counselor Elder Paul B. Pieper who knows my brother David well. David replaced him as mission president in St. Petersburg Russia. To his left is Hugo Montoya, newly called General Authority and brother to the other executive secretary, Jose Montoya.<br />
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One more to the right is Lester Johnson from the Mormon Colonies and upper right is Stan Martino, church employee from the US and area lawyer.<br />
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Readers of our blog - do you know any others?<br />
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We also had a mission presidents' seminar with the 34 mission presidents, their wives, the area presidency, and some others from the area offices. We stayed over night in the same Airport Marriott but the meetings were in the Aragón mult-stake center next to the temple. Michelle came and attended all the meetings and did some translating from Spanish to English for the wives who do not speak Spanish. There was plenty of good food.<br />
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Same routine, the executives secretaries up front. Just as the meeting started the screen of the other executive secretary died. We were really scrambling. During the meeting one of the area presidency said, please put up on the screen the song - <i>The Family is of God</i> - in Spanish. "We want to sing it".<br />
We had no warning so I found it on my computer, put it on a thumb drive, and we were able to put it up and everyone sang it.<br />
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One of the reasons I really wanted to serve a mission in Mexico is for Michelle. I knew she would LOVE it. And as I sat and watched Michelle talk to everyone and laugh and smile it was just what I hoped. We met MANY people who knew Michelle, her family, and especially Dr. Hatch.<br />
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Here are some of the people we met. President and Sister Gary Wesley Wagner. We know both of their parents. He is the son of Kenyon and Leona Wagner from the Colonies. Kenyon was a director of the Academia Juarez when Michelle was in school there and then was the first director of the Benemérito church school here in Mexico City when Michelle's family lived here in the 60's. His wife Lori is the daughter of Mitt and Valoy Smith who were president and matron of the Guatemala Temple when we were called there to serve as a counselor and assistant to them. Good people!<br />
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Below are two sisters who are both wives of current mission presidents. Their maiden name is Lyons. They were born in Idaho but have lived in Mexico, in the state of Guanajuato, most of their lives and are married to local men. What a surprise it was to learn that they knew my brother Robert and Sharon! In fact, they used to babysit their children when they lived in Celaya and Robert was the seminary teacher of one of them. They hugged us as if we were family. It was a lot of fun to watch them enjoy being together; one is serving in Culiacán and the other in Yucatán, across the country from each other. <br />
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This is President and Sister Ramos of the Torreón Mission. We wanted a picture of them because some of our friends from Utah, the Southards, have a daughter serving in their mission. They say she is an excellent missionary. She is good friends with some of our grandchildren. <br />
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We attended our first stake conference in our own stake here. We drove about 20 minutes to get there. The meeting was broadcast to 2 other chapels. One of the speakers gave a good talk about how the gospel spreads.<br />
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His children have started junior high where many jokes are told about Pepe, a kind of dumb cartoon character. The joke goes - one day the teacher told the students the next day would be an important test. Pepe forgot to study. The next day the teacher said to Pepe, today is the important test. What is the first letter of the alphabet. Pepe, unprepared, yelled Aaaa, and jumped out of the window. The teacher looked out the window as Pepe fell and said, "Pepe you get a 10 on the test."<br />
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Anyway, the speaker had people hold up little paper people on a stick representing Pepe who joined the church, and then his wife, and their children, and in-laws, and some friends that joined the church, and the children and grandchildren of all, and then some ancestors for whom they did temple work. Everyone on the stand was standing up holding several little paper people. It reminded me of my parents joining the Church and how many people that brought into the Church. I took a picture.<br />
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That Sunday afternoon we were were invited to dinner by some relatives of Michelle. The husband works for Chrysler in Mexico and they live on the 17th story of one of the many tall apartment buildings here.<br />
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They have great views out both sides of their apartment.<br />
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Here is Michelle holding their precious little daughter Chloe. Michelle misses our grandchildren.<br />
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This is Kimberly and Lauren (daughters of Michelle's cousin Rodney Bluth) and a daughter of some friends. Kimberly just graduated from BYU. Lauren is married to Eric Otto and Chloe is theirs. <br />
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Eric specializes in making chocolates. How about this huge bar of chocolate?<br />
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Eric made some delicious truffles, plus we dipped fruit, crackers and pretzels in the chocolate. Yum!<br />
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Our hosts, Eric and Lauren, in their home. They will be moving back to Michigan this summer. <br />
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It is fun to do things with the other missionary couples. Eating out is a frequent activity.<br />
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I wanted to do something nice for Michelle for Mother's day and start early. She said going shopping and not rushing would be great. She needed some things. So we went to one of the nicest malls; we had not shopped there before.<br />
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Those familiar with Mexico will recognize Liverpool as one of the top of the line stores.<br />
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Inside it goes ON and ON with 4 different levels!</div>
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And what did I see for sale in this top of the line store? Converse tennis shoes just like we wore to play basketball 55 years ago!<br />
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In the mall, they have an ice skating rink. <br />
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Yes it was pricey, but hey we are actually spending less here than at home. And besides it will be for Mother's day. She is a GREAT mother and grandmother. One of the best, don't you think?</div>
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Generally we are having a good time. But we have had some challenging times. When Michelle gets 30 new missionary recommendations on a Monday and many have to go through extra medical steps or go through the legal department, it is a challenge. She often feels overwhelmed.<br />
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My big challenge still is speaking Spanish. The other day at one of the meetings while sitting at the table eating, I tried to participate in the conversation and one of the area presidency could not understand what I was saying and had to ask someone else. I have noticed that the presidency has started talking to me in English? <br />
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The other day I was reading in 2 Corinthians 4 and took note of these verses.<br />
8 - We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair.<br />
9 - Persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed.<br />
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and then<br />
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17 - For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.<br />
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Things are looking up. Michelle has pressed her request and with the approval of the area presidency another senior missionary sister will come into our office and help her a couple hours each day. The new sister will start by checking the missionary recommendation forms and printing off a couple of the pages of each. Some days that can take most of a morning.<br />
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I just remember I have many more months here and God has sent me here and will help me in all areas.<br />
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Well, I guess that is the spiritual thought. Sometimes we need to say: "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair."<br />
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Oh, one thing more. Today I was fasting to do better at Spanish, and as I prayed mid-day I had the impression, "Why do you get up and study!" So I got out the manual from my Spanish class and studied when to use the article el "the" in Spanish. <br />
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Maybe there is an important spiritual thought there as well.<br />
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Elder and Sister Sandberg<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-72485662840669238362015-04-20T09:27:00.000-05:002015-04-20T09:27:26.900-05:00Day to day mission work in Mexico - Elder and Sister SandbergDear Family and Friends,<br />
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It is hard to believe that we are approaching 5 months on our mission. In mid June we have permission to go to a family reunion in Minnesota . When we return we will be near 7 months!<br />
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We try to exercise every day. There are 2 tread mills here at the hotel, but they are often busy. So we went out and bought an exercise bike. We wanted a good one, big enough for me. It is QUIET.<br />
I have set a goal to lose 10 pounds before the reunion. (Any family members want to join me in a goal?)<br />
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We also try to read scriptures everyday, together and individually. By reading when I exercise I have read the Pearl of Great Price, from Genesis to Exodus, and Joshua to Job in the Old Testament and the New Testament now in Romans. We read the Book of Mormon together. Can't do this calling without physical and spiritual strength. I pray that my intellect will be clear and active; I'm not as sharp as I used to be, or I thought I was. I think I know why General Authorities Seventies are released at age 70.<br />
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So many interesting things happen on a day to day bases. Monday mornings we start the day with a devotional at 7:30 for the employees in the area office. There is a song, prayer, and spiritual message. I love the picture out of the window of the room where we meet. Some mornings it is very clear.<br />
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This coming week it is the Area Presidency's turn to do the devotional, and I am doing the agenda. Michelle will play the piano, and I will pray and our Area President will give the message.<br />
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They asked Michelle to get some birthday cakes for those with birthdays. We had 2 birthdays last week. This is for Sister Montoya in red, the executive secretary that works with us. The sister on the left if Daisy. She is the secretary of the Area President and is excellent in both English and Spanish.<br />
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Sometimes on our busy days we don't even have time to go home to eat although we can get there in 5 minutes. Sometimes Michelle brings us a sandwich from home or buys something close by and we eat in the office. Here we are eating in the conference room. Note the computers. We spend most of our days on the computer.<br />
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A long time ago in this area there was a small community far from Mexico City called Tecamachalco. Now the city has grown up all around this little pueblo which still exists. We enjoy walking up to it. This past week we did. I took a picture of the small Catholic Church they have in the main square.<br />
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They have a large mural there, Murals and paintings are a big deal in the Latin Culture. They also have a large cross there they used for Easter.<br />
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They usually put a black cloth on the cross on Good Friday and a white one on East Morning. Good Friday is a big deal, many businesses closed and schools closed for 2 weeks.<br />
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In the Pueblo this man rides a bike up and down streets or parks in the center; then he turns it around and pedals to sharpen knives. You can see the knife in his hand and the grindstone that he spins.<br />
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We buy drinking water. 5 gallons cost $30 Pesos about $2.10 US.<br />
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It is hard to lift 5 gallons so instead of a water dispenser where you tip it upside down we use a hand pump.<br />
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There are quite a few rich people in this area and many have dogs in their apartments. So some people's jobs are to walk the dogs. It is amazing how many dogs 1 handler tries to walk! And sometimes the dogs are very large.<br />
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In our apartment we have a table with a large glass center. The other day it developed a crack along the edge and then a couple of days later it broke. We told the hotel people and immediately they came up and replaced the glass. It must happen often because the repair man had the handles to take the old part away and they had a spare part which he brought to replace it.</div>
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Michelle continues with here 2 Spanish / English classes every week. She teaches the wives of the senior missionaries and some of the employees in the Church Office building on Thursday and on Wednesday night she teaches in the chapel.<br />
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Some of the senior missionaries help. There is lots of interest in the ward in learning English. Her class members age from about 12 to 60. People really like what she is doing.<br />
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Michelle loves the flowers. The bugambillia come in all colors. <br />
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This purple bugambillia is climbing up a jacaranda tree. <br />
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The jacaranda trees are in bloom all over the city. Their delicate lilac blossoms are beautiful!<br />
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And we love the bread stores.<br />
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One of my favorite things is the chance to watch via the internet the weekly meeting of the Seventy from Salt Lake City. The meeting is under the direction of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy and which ever of the Seventy are in Salt Lake City come. It is recorded and the Seventy away from Salt Lake City can watch it.<br />
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They do everything from having the Presiding Bishopric talk about buildings and temporal affairs to the history the Church in Japan to the life of Paul.<br />
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The last meeting I observed what was a spiritual thought to me. One of the brethren told about being called to be a stake president in Mesa for one of the oldest stakes. After he was called to be stake president he and his wife we sent into the High Council room to think about counselors. When they got in the High Council room he noticed the pictures on the wall of all the previous stake presidents going back to the very early days of the church. As he looked at those great men he felt inadequate and said to his wife, "I don't think I can do this." She just said to him that he better go back and talk to the general authority that had called him, which he did. He said to the general authority, "I don't think I can do this." The Seventy then told us he expected the general authority to say something like you can because you will have counselors and bishops. But instead the General Authority just paused and said nothing. Then the authority said ,"Well I suppose you can't." And paused again while the newly called stake president truly expected the authority to choose someone else. But then the authority said, "But the Lord can do it. You just pray and work hard and you will be OK."<br />
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Then the Seventy speaking to us expressed the spiritual thought. "I suppose there is one thing worse than a person who thinks he can't do the call he has received, and that may be the person who thinks he can" (by himself).<br />
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Elder and Sister Sandberg.<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-58094411821809097902015-04-07T20:14:00.001-05:002015-04-07T20:15:12.027-05:00Xochimilco Mexico - Apr. 5, 2015Dear Family and Friends,<br />
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First happy Easter to all. We were able to watch all the sessions of General Conference. It was a wonderful experience. Somehow being here in Mexico, away from Utah, makes General Conference seem even more important.<br />
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Things here in Mexico really slowed down for Easter or for Holy Week (Semana Santa) as they call it. The Church office buildings were closed on Thursday and Friday.<br />
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The area presidency returns tomorrow from General Conference. So things will pick up a lot.<br />
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In last Monday morning's devoyional they made mention that we have a new general authority from Mexico, Hugo Montoya. They said what a blessing and wonderful thing it is for Mexico. The new GA is the younger brother of the other executive secretary Jose Luis Montoya. That will be interesting if the younger brother gets assigned here as a member of the area presidency!<br />
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Anyway, during the slow week I agreed to get a rental van and driver, and another missionary arranged an excursion for us. All 14 of us loaded into a van in the morning.<br />
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It was a little tight, but OK because traffic was very light. I should say very light until we got to the exit to Acapulco. It was JAMMED with people leaving the city for the beaches. Some say it was taking 3 hours to get out of the city when usually an hour would do it, And on they way back from our excursion, THE EXIT WAS STILL all blocked up.<br />
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For our excursion we went to the Xochimilco (Zo chi mil co ). When the Spaniards arrived Mexico City was build on a lake with several islands. There were canals and boats.<br />
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Xochimilco is kind of like that. It has canals and boats and it is also famous for it's flowers. Lots of tourist go there. (xochitl means flower and milco means place--so place of the flowers)<br />
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So when we arrived early, there were ALL of these boats.<br />
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And the boats went ON and ON. <br />
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We arrived early to try to beat the crowds, so it was a little hard to get to our boat.<br />
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The boats were all basically the same inside--a long table with chairs.<br />
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(OK you folks that know Mexico. are you getting a little lonesome for Mexico?)<br />
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The way you get around in it is that someone pushes your boat with a long pole. The water is about 10 feet deep.<br />
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It is pretty hard work. I even picked up a pole once when we stopped.<br />
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It was not very crowed at first, but in the afternoon there were quite a few boats and sometimes they did bump into each other.<br />
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Some of the local families brought large ice chests on board. Some even had grills. We brought just a few snacks.<br />
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But as you move along all of these vendors come up beside to sell their goods. If you seem interested their man poles them along side you. This man is selling roasted ears of corn.<br />
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This man is selling blankets and table clothes. Michelle bought a table cloth.<br />
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Even some kind of candied apples were for sale.<br />
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And entertainment is offered all while you move along. We paid for some marimba songs.<br />
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There were several different mariachi groups playing traditional music.<br />
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I will attach a video; see if it works. It may too large. They were singing La Bamba. The Bamba is a dance and it says things like I am not a sailor, but I will be if you want. To do the Bamba you need style. Get up and dance. I am a captain. Then the 2 men stood at opposite ends of our boat and kind of made up words. Like I want to be your brother-in-law so you will need to give me your sister! They weren't exactly on tune, but had great time.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwez_ARZlLhMDBAuEA06qj75pqSbdZM45Crs4xqEWy7psdWsKZRgx4B54LrT8DMGeSm1OF0C9V9cXXTxzKlSg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Xochimilco is famous for it's flowers. Years ago they decorated the boats with flowers, but now they just have the fronts of the boats painted with flowers. However, we did stop at some nurseries on the shore.</div>
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They had MANY MANY beautiful flowers.</div>
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And they also sold dolls.</div>
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As we went on up the canal we saw interesting flowers on the shore.</div>
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And some beautiful homes on the shores line.</div>
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And a little further on, some not so nice homes.</div>
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The little boy called to us and wanted us to buy some drinks and food from his family store.</div>
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When we got off the boats there were many shops. I sat down in one that had a orange tarp over it; and tried on a hat. (The tarp made everything orange)</div>
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So then we left and all went to lunch together. </div>
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It was a great trip. It would be a great place to take any visitors. (Want to come?)</div>
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Now for a something of a spiritual thought.</div>
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The Liahona is the world-wide magazine of the Church. It includes the Ensign, New Era, and Friend, all in one magazine. Here in Mexico it is in Spanish and the middle few pages are Mexico specific. One of the Area Seventy wrote the main article this month. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">This is the author Ernesto Toris; he works here in the area offices. He is the employee in charge of welfare for Mexico. Each month he gives the presidency a report about welfare projects, fast offering used, etc.</span></div>
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After I read the article I talked to him before the Monday morning devotional began to learn more about him.</div>
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As the article says at the beginning, when he was young man some members arranged for the missionaries to teach his family. His father said they did not want to know any more, but Elder Toris continued to be interested. He read church material but he had to keep it hidden.</div>
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Finally he insisted he wanted to be baptized; the father said no but Elder Toris said "It is my decision." When he returned his father forbade him to talk about the Church to his siblings and gave him anti-Mormon materials to read.</div>
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Then he decided he needed to know all he could about the Church, so he attended Seminary and Institute and priesthood meeting and especially sacrament meeting. He said of the meetings.</div>
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"las cuales fueron fuentes de agua viva para mi." (The meetings were fountains of living water for me, a new convert.)</div>
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Finally he decided to go on a mission and his father said that was the final straw. He was no longer going to be his father and he could no longer be his son!</div>
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But Elder Toris decided to go anyway. But then his father softened a little and actually took him to the MTC.</div>
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I asked him if any of his family joined the church; he said no. And now he is an Area Authority!</div>
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So a couple of thoughts. Who knows what will happen with a convert, even a young single man or woman? The parable of the sower and good soil comes to mind.</div>
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Would I be that dedicated to a "new religion" from a "foreign country"? I guess it just shows the power of the true gospel.</div>
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We get to see examples of devotion and dedication often. It strengths the testimony.</div>
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Elder and Sister Sandberg</div>
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Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-91213384704683786552015-03-29T20:32:00.001-06:002015-03-29T20:32:29.142-06:00The adventure continues in Mexico, March 29, 2015<br />
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Dear Family and Friends,<br />
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As our grandson serving his mission in Tahiti says, the days go by like weeks, but the weeks go by like days. Things are flying by, we are coming up on 4 months here.<br />
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The sad news this week is a change in the use of church cars from the Area Office car pool. We used to be able to check them out for personal use, but no more. So it is more walking or public transport. O well, we can take a taxi to a SupeRama market 3 miles away for 30 pesos which is about $2 US!<br />
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Michelle is teaching some of the sister missionaries Spanish classes here. Her class approach is to get Spanish and English speakers together and have them work as companions to learn the other language. Well, they asked her to start a class on Wednesday night for the local sisters in our ward who want to learn English. Then some men started to come and today in Church they announced everyone who wants to learn English can come to her class! It is really growing!<br />
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She gave a great talk in church today about helping family and others come closer to Christ. She prepared and prepared and fasted and it was great. As a visitor said, “She knocked it out of the park”. The visitor was a Cluff who had spent the summers in the Mormon Colonies when he was young and could name Michelle’s brothers and sisters and said he knew Dr. Hatch very well. On a regular basis we meet people with a Colony connect.<br />
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My wife does her class and her talk and everything so well. I just hope when she enters into the Celestial Kingdom that God will let her turn around, extend her hand, and bring me in!<br />
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I said in an earlier post that part of my job is to help control the time that the various committees take when they come in to make their monthly presentations. Here for interest is a picture of the balls I use. I put up the green when they start, and then yellow, and red. It continues to work really well. The presentations used to always go over. Now many end early.<br />
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When the general authorities get back from general conference we will have what is called an Area Council where in the area presidency will train the 19 Area Seventies. (Some will change but I can’t tell you who until it is announced). We will go and stay overnight with them and we take a box with us that has manual, paper, etc. and a satellite phone. This is in case of a major disaster and we lose electricity, phone and cell phone service, then the leaders in Salt Lake and Mexico could still communicate. Part of our job is to charge the phone battery. So just to learn I took it up on the roof and made a phone call.<br />
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I am impressed how often the Area Presidency communicates with the leaders in SLC. Almost everyday on the phone. And then we have video conferences often.<br />
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I told you a taxis is not expensive. I try to get flowers for our apartment and Michelle often. About $3.50 for a dozen red roses. Pretty nice.<br />
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It is fun to have the local missionaries over. In this picture on the left is Elder Goodrich who is from the same area where our son Jonathan, wife Sharon, and family live.<br />
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Don't the missionaries look great! I mean the two on the side!!!<br />
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The normal eating schedule here is a very light breakfast. Then about 9 a larger breakfast or brunch. They bring various things into the area office and many of the workers go there and eat. Then about 2 is the main meal of the day. Then they eat something light in the evening.<br />
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So the Elder ate the main meal with us at 2:00. We have had the sisters over also. The Elders eat a LOT more. It is always so inspiring to be with the young missionaries.<br />
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Check out these men working on some overhead wires. Earlier several of them just held the ladder while he climbed up.<br />
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Then once he was up there they just left the ladder leaning on the wires.<br />
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We really love hearing from home. So much is going on in the lives of our children and grandchildren that it is hard to keep up.<br />
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Our grandson Spencer Sandberg lives in Lindon, Utah, and recently participated in a “spirit” day at school. At the end they would choose one young man as “Mr. Viking”. He attends Pleasant Grove High School and their mascot is a Viking.<br />
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They had to make a poster, do a dance taught by the drill team, dress in a spirit outfit and answer questions, and then end in formal dress. Here are some pictures. (Excuse me while I brag a little)<br />
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At the end the announcement was made – and the winner of Mr. Viking who will soon be taking his talents to Russia – Spencer Sandberg. He will leave this summer for his mission in Russia.<br />
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So I hope the following will be a bit of a spiritual thought.<br />
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There are MANY blessing and opportunities in our callings. We see and hear amazing things. <br />
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Every week in Salt Lake City they have a 70’s meeting. This is conducted by the 7 presidents and all the Seventies in SLC are invited to attend. It is recorded and the Seventies outside of SLC can watch it later. We usually watch it during AP meeting. WOW! The presentations are great.<br />
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This last week there was a presentation about the Church growth in Japan and how when the mission opened in about 1900 with Heber J. Grant they had very little success and the mission was finally closed. Very interesting. Then the full Presiding Bishopic talk about the world wide emphasis on spiritual and temporal self-reliance and how there are now 1000’s of self-reliance centers in the world, outside of the US and Canada. The goal is to have a self-reliance center in every stake where people can get training on how to find a job, how to get a loan to go to school, or how to start your own business. Many people here in Mexico have their own small businesses.<br />
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What has inspired me in the last couple of meetings is they have talked about self-reliance and helping others.<br />
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One of the Seventy who we knew in Guatemala is now in Salt Lake City and they asked him to tell about being willing to help others. He said when he was a child someone came to his father and asked for money to help with his problem. His father said, "I have no money to help, but here, take my dining room table and sell it to help solve your problem." The now Seventy said they sat on their couch and ate their meals on their laps for several months.<br />
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He also told of a man in the ward who made money by spreading refried beans on bread and selling it. If that man was not able to sell all his bread with beans on it, his father would buy it all at the end of the day. He, the Seventy, said he remembers eating bread with cheese every day for a month.<br />
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We knew the now Seventy and father when we were in Guatemala. That made it extra special for me. But it did make me really think – what am I willing to do to help others????<br />
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And finally they showed a video about the life of Elder Sitati, a Seventy from Kenya. He was emphasizing the importance of working to be self-reliant and the importance of education. As he talked about his life they had people in the video acting it out.<br />
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He said when he was 10 he felt a desire to make something of his life. He had never left his village in the rural part of Kenya but he borrowed his father’s bike and road hours to another village where he had heard there was a good school. The video showed a young man – 10 – riding an old blue bike.<br />
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When he arrived at the school he went in to talk to the director. He stool straight like a soldier. The video showed an older white man with a mustache. He said he had never spoken to white man before but the white man had kindly eyes which helped him to say that he wanted to attend his school. All the director said was, "We will see."<br />
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He was accepted to the school and Elder Sitati said he thought he should try to be a good student, and he became the best in his class, and that allowed him to get into a good high school and go to a national university.<br />
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While at the university he met his wife and also the missionaries and joined the Church.<br />
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He wanted to encourage everyone to take action, take control of his own life, and make a difference.<br />
Now he is a general authority.<br />
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WOW, I was inspired. Of course not all of us will do what he did. But each of us can see something that will make our lives and the lives of others better.<br />
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So my message is, let’s get going, let’s make our lives and the lives of others better. We can do it.<br />
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Love you,<br />
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Elder Sandberg - Dad - Grandpa<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-84100809129883294912015-03-20T21:16:00.002-06:002015-03-20T21:16:34.749-06:00To Guadalajara and Back<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dear Family and Friends,</span><br />
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Our trip to Guadalajara to attend the temple was eventful. We left Thursday morning and returned Saturday night, and then Monday was a holiday so we didn't go to the office until late afternoon. But the missionary recommendations keep rolling in. Now we are playing catch-up after missing 3 days of work.</div>
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The drive to Guadalajara was pleasant and the weather lovely. We drove by a large lake.</div>
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And took several pictures of it and the nearby fields. Pretty scenery.</div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">These yellow arches were some of the first landmarks we saw in the city. </span></div>
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We had to hurry to get to the temple in time for a 5:00 p.m. session and didn't get a picture until after dark.</div>
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I was delighted to see that the temple president was Gilberto Cerda, one of 5 brothers who served as missionaries when my father was president of the Mexican Mission. It was great to see him and his wife!</div>
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Of course everywhere we go I have to take pictures of flowers. </div>
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We saw some beautiful ones in city parks and even along the highway.</div>
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Friday morning we went to a famous market place near Guatemala - Tlaquepaque. Street scene.</div>
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And a picture of some of the plentiful restaurants surrounding a beautiful patio.</div>
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And some of the shops.</div>
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Guadalajara and the state of Jalisco are famous for their mariachis. Fun statue!</div>
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Also known for their typical colorful costumes. This was a 3-D mural on a wall of one of the restaurants.</div>
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We didn't see any mariachis that day, but we did see and listen to some marimbas.</div>
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This store has a clever way of entertaining children while their mothers shopped for beauty supplies inside.</div>
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One of the things we enjoyed was sitting in the shade in the central plaza.</div>
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We were entertained by watching some guys trimming the trees with machetes.</div>
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And this woman was sweeping up the trimmings with a palm frond broom. I am fascinated by how many people sweep the sidewalks or yards with palm leaves. They are long and cover a lot of ground.</div>
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Most parks have the trees trimmed in shapes: circles, squares, and sometimes even like animals.</div>
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This park in Leon, Guanajuato, where we were Friday afternoon had trees trimmed like gumdrops or Dots.</div>
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Also there were many vendors around. I was impressed by this colorful mountain of balloons and balls.</div>
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Look at the size of these pieces of bread! I think the panadería/bread store must supply giants.</div>
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We left Leon about 3:30 p.m. and were supposed to be in the city of Guanajuato where we were to spend Friday night in less than an hour. Well, it took us over 4 hours to get there! Near the town of Silao a gas tanker truck had tipped over and blocked traffic going both ways. We laughed at this sign above the road as we inched our way along at 1 mile/hour. It says "This road is not for high velocity." We were very tired when we finally arrived after 9:00 p.m.</div>
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Our hotel in Guanajuato, Real de Minas, was lovely and picturesque. </div>
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I must have taken a dozen pictures there. </div>
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We spent a comfortable night and had a delicious breakfast buffet there and also at our hotel in Guadalajara. There is always an abundance of a variety of fresh fruit along with cereals, eggs, sweet breads, and an assortment of Mexican food. </div>
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The hotel was full of arches and flowers.</div>
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Plus nooks where where you can sit and admire the beautiful architecture and decor.</div>
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It began to rain during the night and rained all day so we didn't get to enjoy the unique city as much as we would have liked.</div>
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Since the town is built on hills, it is hard to build roads, so there is a maize of underground streets/tunnels to get around the city.</div>
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Another thing the city is famous for is its mummies. After a person has been buried for 5 years, if the family does not continue to pay rent for a grave-sight, the remains are removed to a large common grave. However, it was discovered that many of the remains did not disintegrate but were dehydrated or mummified. </div>
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They had not been embalmed but were still preserved by the chemicals in the soil. Now they have over 100 mummies in a museum near the cemetery. Not my favorite stop on the tour of the town.</div>
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Much more interesting to me was a tour of an old abandoned mine.</div>
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Between 1768 and 1804 about 2/3 of the silver produced in the world came out of the mines there. Note the vein of minerals in the ceiling of this mine. </div>
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There was also gold found in the mines, but mainly silver. Some mines are still in operation.</div>
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Some in our party were anxious to get home before late at night, so we had a nice noon meal at a restaurant on the town square and left. Note the trees here all trimmed to form a hedge. Guanajuato is definitely a city I would like to visit again. </div>
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In spite of some traffic weather problems, we had a good trip. Best of all for me was being in the temple. I miss not being about to attend 3-4 times a month as I did in Utah. Only being able to go once every 3 months makes it more special. I especially enjoyed doing some initiatory ordinances in Spanish after our session. It is the first time I have been able to do it in 8 years, since Guatemala. We are excited that the Mexico City Temple will be open again in September. The open house will go from August 14th to September 5th, and the dedication will be September 13th. I hope some of our family and friends will be able to attend.</div>
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Love to all of you until next time,</div>
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Michelle / Mom/ Hna. Sandberg </div>
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NEWS FLASH: We experience our first earthquake since being here this afternoon. Gilbert and I were in the office alone about closing time and I felt my chair shake a bit. I looked towards the window and saw the vertical blinds swaying and told Gilbert I thought we were having a small earthquake. Then over the loud speaker the announcement was made that we should go to our safety stations near the elevators. We are on the 11th floor. When we got there, many others from our floor had already gathered. We chatted for awhile and then returned to our offices. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890547264804436587noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-54697857732049298962015-03-11T19:03:00.000-06:002015-03-11T19:03:05.910-06:00Less pictures and more day to day of the mission - March 11, 2015Dear Family and Friends,<br />
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This week I would like to write more about our day to day experience as missionaries - less pictures about things we do out of the office. This coming weekend we are going to the Guadalajara Temple and stopping on the way back in Guanajuato so will be lots of good pictures next week.<br />
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It was exciting this week to have a visit from our nephew, Matt Sandberg, he is the son of my brother David.<br />
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Matt and his family have lived in Guatamala City where he works in the US embassy. He and his wife Jessica and 4 children will be transferred to Mexico City about July of this year. It will be fun to have some family here.<br />
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While Matt was here I was thinking of my father, who left Sweden speaking only Swedish and knowing only the Swedish culture, and now he has a son and grandson married to women with a Latin culture living in Mexico City speaking Spanish. It is kind of nice to think of how the gospel is going to all the world. This past week they made a new stake in Jalapa, Mexico. Of Xalapa as it is often spelled. Now there are 3 stakes. Elder Valenzuela started his mission as a youth in Jalapa and there was one branch then!<br />
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A couple of good news items. The USA changed to daylight savings time today, but Mexico doesn't change until April. That means we are now on the same time as Utah and maybe I can stay up and watch the BYU basketball team plan in the WCC tournament!!<br />
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Also the public affairs person in the area office said the movie, Meet the Mormons, in Spanish was the 12th movie in attendance last week, ahead of some Disney movies! We expect even more attendance this weekend. Our local ward rented a whole theater for all the young and leaders and friends to go.<br />
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Once a month we have committee reports. These committee come in and meet with the area presidency to give them an update. I continue to be amazed at the items we cover. Part of my job is to put us green, and then yellow, and then a red ball to show them how much time they have left. Here are some examples of some of the things we hear about.<br />
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The legal committee talks about land we thought the Church bought on which we are ready to building a chapel. But now there is some concern about the title. We have a couple of lawyers in the area office but mostly they contract with local lawyers to do the work. One time one of our lawyers wanted to brief the AP on an abuse case, and said to us executive secretaries, "Don't go away mad, just go away." So we don't hear everything, but I hear all I want to in this area. The public affairs committee updated on the movie Meet the Mormons as I told you earlier. They also talk about news coverage, good and bad.<br />
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The missionary committee reports on the senior missionaries about 200 coming and going in Mexico and about 2500 young missionaries from Mexico in the MTC or in the field. They had done a survey of the cost for couple missionaries, it is costing more than we think. The presidency decides what to tell potential couples from Mexico the cost they should expect.<br />
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The records department shows the records and attendance and full tithe payers etc. for all of Mexico. They have really good, up to date records. The area presidency recently sent thousands of membership records back to the wards they came from and asked for help in locating these members. We get a report on how many membership records have been moved to a new ward and how many have come back to the unknown file.<br />
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We watch all this and keep track of action items to be followed up on.<br />
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The audit committee reports on the hundreds of audit committee that audit the records of wards, stakes and missions. They tell us they train all new stake presidents and they tell us which stakes are late in the audit reports. Some times the AP decides to call some leaders. These people are amazingly competent with a good spirit.<br />
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(If you have heard enough, you can stop but I will try to have a spiritual thought at the end).<br />
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We also had a report on the self-reliance committee. Over the last couple of years they been putting in place self-reliance committees in the stakes and districts. 90% of the stakes and districts have them - they are employment centers, PEF resources, and training. They helped 1000's of people find better jobs, start their of business, or start an education program.<br />
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The welfare committee reports on how many people have been helped with fast offering. The biggest needs are food and medical help. We talk about a young woman who needs a kidney transplant and help from the Church. We see the report on fast offering. The members are paying more fast offering. In a year or so we might not need fast offering funds from outside the country!<br />
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The temple committee reports on the number of ordinances done in the temple. More and more names are coming locally. We may not need names from outside the country soon. The temple in the Colonies often has the best numbers.<br />
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Finally the youth committee reports on the 8 or 9 FSY (formerly EFY) campouts of up to 10 stakes that we will have this year. We hear about young single adult activities and conferences. And finally their are 100,000's youth in seminary and institute and the number is growing.<br />
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Really, after all these committee reports I just sit there amazed. So many people doing so many good things.<br />
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My big assignment last week was to help with the slides (in English) for a presentation the area presidency will make to the 1st Presidency, 12, and 7 presidents by video conference about the work in Mexico. We had a rehearsal with some brethren from SLC. They did not like our slides which I made. Oh well, they used to say at Hewlett Packard where I worked, "Don't get married to your slides, they will change." So we are working on that this week.<br />
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Just to show you it is not just fun times here. Tuesday I went to the office at 7:15 am, had a break for lunch at noon, and worked until 7:15 am preparing recommendation for new leaders for the area presidency to review. On my cell phone I listened to the BYU basketball game as I walked home. (On my computer I watched they lose).<br />
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Wednesday I went to the office at 6:45 and came home at 5:30. I get tired.<br />
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Also this week I gave the spiritual thought in presidency meeting. We are now doing the thought and signing a hymn in English to help the presidency improve their English.<br />
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I choose Mark 4 as my theme where Jesus teaches.<br />
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<i>24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.</i><br />
<i> 25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.</i><br />
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As I read that I saw what the Joseph Smith translation says:<br />
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<i>JST and unto you that <b>continue to receive</b>, shall more be given.</i><br />
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I took note of the phrase, continue to receive. I thought of some who had received, some how stopped receiving and lost even that which they had received earlier.<br />
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Sydney Rigdon was an early convert, brought many people to the Church, dedicated the land of Zion. experienced the vision recorded in the 76 section with Joseph Smith and was in the first presidency But somehow he did not continue to receive, was excommunicated, started several churches that failed and lost what he had received before.<br />
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I thought of Joseph Smith who received and continued to receive until the end of his days in Nauvoo.<br />
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I thought of my mother, a good Baptist girl, college educated who married my father, a Swede with a strong accent who probably only went to the 6th grade because she received a testimony for herself. About 15 years latter when my father died she did not stop receiving, did not go inactive, did not go back to the Baptist Church with her family.<br />
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She continued to receive and to serve and went on 2 senior missions, one for herself and one for her deceased husband she said. She continued to receive until the end of her days. She was always humble and interested in learning more.<br />
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So how do we receive. I think the fist thing is humility, admit that after all, maybe after many years, we still don't know and understand everything. We continue to receive though inspiration, revelation, meetings, counsel, reproof, scriptures, reading, and conferences,<br />
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We continue to receive as we ask, are willing to receive, write it down (Elder Scott says) , act, and the ask if there is more.<br />
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So let us continue to receive, until the end of our days, least we lose what we once had.<br />
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It has taken me a while to get this out, but here it is. (Michelle has not reviewed it for errors).<br />
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I am getting busier and busier, but I enjoy it. I understand nearly everything in Spanish. Even some jokes. Today in the meeting someone told this joke in Spanish. "Two men were sitting and eating in a restaurant and one said, 'All lawyers are jerks' . The man at the next table said. 'Don't make that comparison!!' The first man said, 'Oh, I am sorry, are you a lawyer?' The man at the next table said. 'No, I am a jerk'".<br />
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Elder Sandberg - Dad - Granddad<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-19235719381147175542015-03-01T20:49:00.000-06:002015-03-01T20:49:04.638-06:00<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Teotihuacán and Temples</div>
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Dear Family and Friends,</div>
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On Saturday February 21st Gilbert and I went with about 12 other couple missionaries to Teotihuacán a large and famous archaeological sight about 30 miles northeast of Mexico City. (pyramids of Moon and Sun in background)</div>
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We had a great guide, a member of the Church one who knew the archaeology facts, plus made interesting similarities to our temples. </div>
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Most people refer to the sight as pyramids, but he said that is the<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> wrong term for the large structures in Latin-American ruins. The correct term is temple. They do not come to a point as do the pyramids in Egypt which were used as tombs. These are flat on top and form the foundations for sacred buildings that have long since been destroyed. Only the large mountain-like structures remain. The were built with rock and filled with dirt. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The outside of the structures were stuccoed and painted--often red.. All we see now, except for in a few protected spots where you can still see </span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">the plaster, are the rock walls. People would climb/ascend to the top to be closer to God, to worship and commune with Him there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The guide </span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">said that Teotihuacán means in Nahuatl, "Place where men become Gods." I looked up the name on Google and found the following possible translations: "Place of the Gods, Place where Gods were born, Place of those who have the road of the Gods." Our guide said people would come from great distances to learn how to become like God. It was like a journey or walking along a path that led from mortality to Godhood. He said people would dress in white. They walked along the road progressing in learning. Even today certain native groups come to the area dressed in white or dress in white in their local areas for religious reasons. The end point of the journey of path of progression was the top of the pyramid of the Sun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">More information from Google. Teotihuacán was the largest city in Pre-Columbian America perhaps with a population of 200,00. It covered about 32 square miles. There were even high-rise or multi-storied dwellings. Of course not all of it has been all uncovered and restored--only the large religious complex. I don't know how many acres it covers. It is estimated that it was built in the 1st century AD and was the new religious center and was used for its original purpose until about 250 AD. During that time the city was the center of Meso-America with an influential culture. It was a multi-ethnic culture probably made up of Nahua, Otomi and Totonac groups. By about 500 AD it had been sacked by the Toltecs and the religious buildings destroyed. They and other groups that conquered used the area for their ceremonies and cultural events that were different from the original purpose. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">This is a model of the religious complex. </span> </div>
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Our guide took us along the path that the original founders followed. The first complex was a large congregating and instructing area. There are 12 structures surrounding three sides of a large square with 3 larger structures on the east side and one main one in the center. From the center, one can speak in a loud voice and be heard all over the huge square. We were told that the walls of the square were covered by instructional murals. </div>
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At the east of this complex is the temple of Quetzalcuatl, the feathered serpent which represented the God of heaven and earth. (Moses put a serpent on a pole-symbolic of Christ.) </div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In many Central and South American countries there are different words that translate into feathered serpent, but all of them refer to a great God. </span></div>
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It is interesting that as you progress along the path of learning, you cross over a river where they did ritual washing. There are several streams in the area and used to be many springs of water, but with deforestation, overuse, etc. most have gone dry. Today it is an arid place, but apparently it was originally wooded. </div>
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We passed through some ruins that were used for certain ceremonies. At the end of the journey or road one ends up at the pyramids/temples of the Sun, the Moon and Stars. Of course, the ultimate goal was to reach the highest level of the largest pyramid/temple of the Sun. It is said to be the 3rd largest pyramid in the world. </div>
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Only a few of our group chose to climb it because it is a tough climb up all those stairs--especially at 7,500 feet about sea level. I have climbed it a couple of times before but wanted to do it again, and am grateful I can still do it at my age. It was an exciting and even a spiritual experience for me to be there. (At the top)</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">By the time the Spaniards came on the scene, most of the original truth had been changed or lost and some human sacrifices were being committed. However, the native people valued human life more than most of the Spaniards did. At one large temple sight, in Cholula, over 4,000 natives (men, women and children) were massacred by the conquering Spaniards, and a Catholic cathedral was built on top of the temple hill. Some people believe that the Spaniards told of all the native human sacrifices to cover their own bloodbaths. </span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Regardless of the situation of the native people when the Spaniards arrived, there is much evidence to prove they were once a very advanced civilization with knowledge of the heavens, agriculture, architecture, astronomy, construction, medicines, pottery, textiles, etc. There is a beautiful museum there that shows some of these achievements.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">This mural on the museum wall depicts some of the history. Other parts of the mural resemble Egypian figures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">There is so much in the history that coincides with the Book of Mormon. I believe that Christ did visit many peoples of the Americas after his resurrection and that for a few centuries the different groups were united in peace and prosperity as they lived principles that He taught them. Won't it be great when some day we understand how all this fits together? I look forward to that day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">It was also exciting to see a couple of the Colonies in Chihuahua--Eddie and Irene Jones from Dublán. Gilbert taught him in high school the year we lived in Colonia Juarez.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yiWS1z_xMAs/VPPOn-kbYfI/AAAAAAAAAlI/EjAH4i1EIJg/s1600/20150221_102510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yiWS1z_xMAs/VPPOn-kbYfI/AAAAAAAAAlI/EjAH4i1EIJg/s1600/20150221_102510.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">After our tour of Teotihuacán, we all went to eat at a nice restaurant where we enjoyed an abundant buffet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Please don't think that all we do is eat and sight-see. We worked very hard the past two weeks, putting in long hours and processing more papers than ever. But our office work is much the same day after day. It is the weekends that differ. But we enjoy our assignments and feel we a making a small contribution in this great work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Saludos a todos / Greetings to all,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Michelle / Sister Sandberg </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890547264804436587noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-28063911396680258612015-02-22T13:51:00.001-06:002015-02-22T13:51:57.502-06:00A harder and better mission - Feb 22, 2015 - Elder Sandberg<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">A harder and better mission – Feb 22, 2016 – Elder Sandberg</span><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Dear Family and Friends,<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the last 7-10 days our mission has gotten harder, yes
harder, but also better.<o:p></o:p></div>
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First harder, some humbling.
Part of my calling is to prepare and present to the area presidency all
the back-ground information necessary for them to approve, or not,
recommendations from the stake presidents for new bishops, stake presidency
counselors, or patriarchs. If the AP
approves, they are sent to Church Headquarters in Salt Lake City for final
approval.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Getting harder: I got
a great idea about how to improve the process so that more recommendations
would be improve. I carefully wrote up a
“great” change in our process and presented it.
It was not approved. I felt down. Then I was driving the lead car of senior
missionaries on a FIVE MINUTE TRIP to a restaurant and I took a wrong turn, GOT
LOST and the missionaries behind were saying in their car, he’s going the wrong
way – ON A FIVE MINUTES TRIP. We have
been working hard to have the Church movie "Meet The Mormons" released in Mexico
and part of my job was to send a letter to all the stake and mission presidents
about the film. There were letters from
the area presidency to be attached, one letter to the mission presidents and
one to the mission presidents. So I sent
my letters off, with THE WRONG ATTACHMENT to the mission presidents. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Not so good. I was
feeling pretty low and then I thought about my father. He had about 100 cattle and one time he made
a mistake and about 40 of them, I believe, died.
Elder Lean Otten who was a missionary in South Dakota described what
happened.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“One night the
cattle ate some flax screenings and it bloated them and killed them. He lost, in terms of today, tens of thousands
of dollars. Do you know how he
responded?<o:p></o:p></div>
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“’I yusta thinka the Lord is
humblen me. I yusta thinka the
Lord is humblen me. I need
humblen’. Everything was around the
Lord; it was the gospel for him, a way of life.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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So I say the same thing.
I just think I could use a little humbling from the Lord.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Also this week Michelle received 32 new missionary
recommends on Monday. That is the most
she has received in 1 day. She needs to
translate them to English, make sure all is correct, get them reviewed by the
doctor, by the member’s records department, and the legal department when
necessary and then call the stake presidents if things are not right. It has been a busy week for both of us, but Michelle is getting faster at doing her job and was able to process 55 recommendations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As I said, we have been working hard to get the movie <i>Meet
The Mormons </i>here in Mexico. We have had
special meetings and letters sent, contracts with Cinemex, etc. We had a premier showing for VIPS and guests
scheduled for Thursday, and on Monday we found out the theater we had selected
because it had the most seats did not have parking, was not in a nice part of
town, and was not nice enough to invite press and special guests. That was about the low point.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In our presidency meeting on Tuesday one of the area
presidency gave the spiritual thought.
He quoted in Mathew 14 when the disciples are in the boat at night and
Jesus comes to them on the water. The
scriptures say in verse 24, “<span style="color: #333333;">But the ship was now
in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.</span>” The presenter said the winds feel contrary to
us now. The scriptures goes on to say
when Peter was on the water, “<span style="color: #333333;">But when he saw the
wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord,
save me.” So the presenter said we need
to press forward and not look at the waves and trust Jesus. The scripture says; “And immediately Jesus
stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little
faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Then
the presenter said "if we have faith and pray and work Jesus will put forth his
hand and save us as he did Peter."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">And then it was like Jesus put
forth his hand to help on the Meet the Mormons project. We were able to find a better theater
location for the premier. And much to my
surprise David Archuleta, famous young Mormon singer, who was invited only the
week before agreed to come to the premier.
He would be here along with Carolina Muñuz from Costa Rica, who was the
kick boxer in the movie, and the director of the movie from SLC. David Archuleta
sings one of the songs in the movie.
Suddenly things really picked up.
We sent letters to all the leaders, and I had to call some of them to
make sure they knew of the change, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">The press conference was in the afternoon. We did not attend but the reports were good. There will be some press comments available later in this post.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">Then the day of the premier arrived. It was in a nice theater in a beautiful mall on Reforma.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">David Archuleta, the kick boxer lady, and the movie director were there signing autographs and having their pictures taken.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">There were lots of people there, some reporters, and many youth.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">Michelle got in line with all the other "young" girls and they signed her poster.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">It was a nice large screen. They had a little introduction before the movie with Elder Pieper and the 3 guests. They also gave free popcorn and drinks to everyone!</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sogxJtYkBig/VOnLFviQuzI/AAAAAAAAIao/OdfP6MsC9HM/s1600/20150219_192234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sogxJtYkBig/VOnLFviQuzI/AAAAAAAAIao/OdfP6MsC9HM/s1600/20150219_192234.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">Then the guests came and sat in the row right behind us! After the movie I turned around and shook hands with David Archuleta. (Tell the teenage girls that!)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;">The public relations department in SLC was helping us track the press coverage after the premier. This is a letter from them.</span><br />
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<i>International Team,</i></div>
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<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>The news articles that I have read today, following last night’s
movie premiere in Mexico City, are not only favorable…they are substantive!
These are quotes from senators, secretaries of education, television
program hosts, catholic secretaries of culture, and the government coordinator
of religious affairs. Here are some worth reading (if you speak Spanish):<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.siete24.mx/rompen-mitos-sobre-mormones-40428">http://www.siete24.mx/rompen-mitos-sobre-mormones-40428</a>/<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://razon.com.mx/spip.php?article248838">http://razon.com.mx/spip.php?article248838</a><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.eluniverso.com/deportes/2014/12/30/nota/4386766/angela-tenorio-designada-mejor">http://www.eluniverso.com/deportes/2014/12/30/nota/4386766/angela-tenorio-designada-mejor</a><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://entretenimiento.terra.com.mx/cultura/cuenta-conozca-a-los-mormones-seis-historias-de-vida,b6604d41464ab410VgnCLD200000b1bf46d0RCRD.html">http://entretenimiento.terra.com.mx/cultura/cuenta-conozca-a-los-mormones-seis-historias-de-vida,b6604d41464ab410VgnCLD200000b1bf46d0RCRD.html</a><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.oem.com.mx/laprensa/notas/n3712312.htm">http://www.oem.com.mx/laprensa/notas/n3712312.htm</a><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://huellas.mx/espectaculos/2015/02/19/conozca-los-mormones-cinta-que-une-e-identifica-las-personas">http://huellas.mx/espectaculos/2015/02/19/conozca-los-mormones-cinta-que-une-e-identifica-las-personas</a>/<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.notimex.com.mx/acciones/verNota.php?clv=248239">http://www.notimex.com.mx/acciones/verNota.php?clv=248239</a><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I have not yet found any critical reviews. You?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Cheers,<o:p></o:p></i><br />
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Friday night was a devotional mainly for some of the youth in the area. It was in the multi-stake center by the temple. They filled the cultural all with chairs towards the stage.<br />
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Then they turned all the benches in the chapel around and people sat even in the choir seats. I guess there was over 1000 people there, many youth. When all the seats were filled, people stood.<br />
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We really like the devotional. They had some youth ask questions. One asked David about his choice to go on a mission. He talked about all the advice he got. You should go, some said, and others said your music career will suffer if you do. Others said that being successful in your career will help the church more than going on a mission.<br />
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He said finally he went into his room and praye and then received the strongest spiritual impression he ever had to go a mission. And that thought, go on a mission, just kept coming until he went. Great for the youth to hear that.<br />
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They asked him about family history, He said he knew nothing about it until a friend showed him indexing and then while riding in his bus, on tour with his music, he has started indexing. And now he has done the temple ordinances for some of his ancestors.<br />
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The sister talked about balancing being a mother, work, children, and her husband being bishop in Costa Rica.<br />
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But one of the highlights for me is when David sang during the devotional. He sang the first verse in English and the rest in Spanish. The place went completely quiet, 1000 people! He started:<br />
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<i> If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do?</i><br />
<i> Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?</i><br />
<i> Would I follow His example? Would I live more righteously,</i><br />
<i> If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?</i><br />
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I will attach a video, I think I know how, the picture isn't great but I think you can hear his voice.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwRhjQfM3pEdm7hjZgMCIOlJFJue2CCBHmB4-JEz06R7RTDvOJdEcEV_PQXHNF-vIG2ag6-DCQ4ALJ2d7BkJQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Does the video work?</div>
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The singing was a highlight for me, a true spiritual experience.</div>
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For a closing song David sang<i> Glorious</i>, the song he sang for the movie, <i>Meet the Mormons o Conozca a los Mormones. </i>I have some pretty good videos of that, let me know if you want to see them and I will send them by email.</div>
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Then the guests walked down the aisles to greet a few people on the way out</div>
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Lots of excitement and interest.</div>
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So for me this was the hardest time here. I was feeling down and prayed God would help me and lift me up spiritually. I was discouraged and worried about the premier and devotional for the movie. We prayed for help with the presidency. I felt like it says in the scriptures - the winds were contrary, it was dark, and I felt alone.</div>
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And then, and then, I really felt God put out His hand and brought the movie showing to success and safety, and He reached out and gave me a spiritual experience that lifted my thoughts, raised my vision, increased my faith in Him, and blessed me.</div>
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So that is my spiritual thought, when the winds are contrary, and it is dark, and the storm is all around, and you feel alone, reach out, don't doubt, God will extend His hand in His way and in His time.</div>
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Love you.</div>
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Elder Sandberg</div>
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Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-64369329023382420472015-02-15T21:47:00.001-06:002015-02-15T21:47:06.211-06:00Sunday 15, 20015 - Valentine's - Things we LIKE and LOVE - by Michelle<br />
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Dear Family and Friends,<br />
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HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY yesterday! Please receive our belated expressions of love. Near the top of our list of things we like and love are you--our family and friends.<br />
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Valentine's Day has become a big deal in Latin America--much more than I remember it as a child. They refer to it as "Dia del amor, dia de la amistad, o día del cariño." (Day of love, day of friendship, or day of affection.) Here is a display in one of the local Wal-Mart stores that I liked.<br />
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Gilbert and I had our own little Valentine exchange at home. We also made some goodies to give away. I made a banana cream pie for Gilbert, his favorite. The cake we shared with others in the apartment/hotel complex, and the pretzel/kisses goodies are to take to work to share.<br />
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Gilbert game me the roses. They are one of the things I love about living here--affordable fresh flowers. We can get a dozen beautiful roses for less than $10 sometimes around $5.<br />
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Gilbert also told me he would take me to a nice restaurant I have been wanting to eat at, Loma Linda. Fifty years ago when I lived here as a teenager I wanted to eat there but Dad said it was too expensive to take all 7 of us kids to, but we think he and Mother probably went there sometime without us. :)<br />
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Anyway, after 50 years I finally got to see inside as well as outside. We would drive by it as we came and went from the mission home, which was only a couple of blocks away.<br />
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Dad was right; it is too expensive to take kids to; he would have called it a "swanky" restaurant. Note the napkin Gilbert is wearing; it has a button hole in one corner so you and button it to your shirt. F<br />
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And the food was delicious! They specialize in Angus Beef al carbón (grilled). Gilbert and I were going to go alone, but I told someone about it and before we knew it our twosome grew to 16, eight couples. They all enjoyed it. Maybe we will go alone sometime. :)<br />
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Something I like about being in Mexico City is remembering the good times we had here as a family when our parents were mission leaders. Gilbert and I took a ride down memory lane last weekend. We had access to a church car and he is gaining confidence driving around our neighborhood, not clear across the city yet. Anyway, we drove by the old mission home where we lived. Loved it!<br />
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Also we drove down Paseo de la Reforma all the way to the statues of Diana and the Angel de Independencia--such familiar sights to me. As kids we would ride the buses or take taxis around the city to see friends, movies, etc. There was no Metro/subway then. It was fun and safe and I liked it. <br />
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On the way to and from, we drove through the Chapultepec Park area. It was Sunday afternoon and many families were walking along the beautiful walkways surrounded by trees and poinsettias still in bloom, I'm sure some were enjoying the zoo, the lake, the museums and the castle there, but others were just sitting on the grass relaxing or having a picnic. Such a pretty and favorite part of the city!<br />
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I like Mexico City. As I said, one of my favorite things here are the flowers. There are many little flower shacks on street corners and even street vendors walking out into the middle of the streets at stop lights selling dozens of roses. <br />
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And since it was Valentine's Day, the stores were all selling flowers this weekend. The flower business is a big one in Mexico and Central America; they export. Gilbert read that over 50,000 are directly involved in the flower business in Mexico with another 50,000 indirectly involved.<br />
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Another thing we like about Mexico are the panaderías / bread stores. We have a couple within walking distance of our hotel and every big grocery story has a panadería in it. It is hard to pass up the sight and smell buying something. Sample of some breads we had in our house one day.<br />
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And of course we love the fresh and affordable produce! This is some of what I bought last Saturday when we were grocery shopping. We can buy guayabas, mangos, melons, papayas, etc. year around.<br />
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But the thing I like most about being in Mexico right now is seeing the growth of the Church. I am so grateful for the gospel and the joy it brings into my life and the lives of other members. It is exciting to process the missionary recommendations that come in every day. I am learning to review and translate them more easily and quickly. Instead of dreading a day when I have 20 or so to process, I rejoice. And I feel sad when only 5 or less arrive. We need more missionaries.<br />
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INTERESTING STATISTICS:</div>
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7,662 missionaries in Mexico</div>
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4,093 missionaries from Mexico </div>
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3,022 from Mexico in Mexico</div>
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1,071 from Mexico in other countries</div>
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About 2/3 males and 1/3 females</div>
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I love seeing the pictures of the young missionary candidates when they arrive with their applications. Following are some of the ones that came in last week--such beautiful, handsome and happy young people! You can see the light of the gospel in their eyes and faces.</div>
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Many of them are spiritually and temporally self-reliant already. Others will become so when they return from their missions because they will receive training in the stake Self-Reliance centers where they will get career and educational counseling, where they can apply for PEF loans, learn to budget, apply for jobs, etc. Just imagine what wonderful parents they will make! As we strengthen the families we strengthen the nation and the world.</div>
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On the missionary recommendation form there is a place where the candidate can share his/her comments. Some of them are very touching, like this one. (Which I translated.)</div>
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"I will be the first full time missionary from my family and it is my privilege to do so. I have a strong desire to serve a mission. My great joy is to have the gospel in my life and to live it. That is what I want to offer to other people, so that they will know that this is the only true Church of Jesus Christ and that it has been restored again to the earth and will not be taken away again, and that Christ is there with his arms open to receive them. I want them to know that Heavenly Father loves us all as his spirit children. I look forward to the day and am grateful to our Father for letting me serve in his work, to wear a name badge and represent the Church. I want to do this for Christ, for my family and because of the priesthood which I hold."</div>
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I feel that way; it is my joy to serve a mission. Even though I am not involved in sharing the gospel directly, I am helping make it possible for others to do it. I like doing it. </div>
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Love to all of you,</div>
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Michelle / Mom / Grandma / Sister Sandberg </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890547264804436587noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-16855894502697672092015-02-08T21:10:00.001-06:002015-02-08T21:10:50.693-06:00Mexican Papers and Butterflies - Feb 7, 2015 - by GilbertMexican Papers and Butterflies - Feb 7, 2015 - by Gilbert<br />
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Family and Friends,<br />
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This week I got a car from the area office for the first time - driving here is even more frightening than in Guatemala City. We used the car to get some Mexican papers.<br />
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Here when they take pictures they say you can't smile. So I got these cards. Maybe I didn't have to look sad!<br />
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First is my Mexican driver's license. Then my INAPAM card. It shows that I am over 60 and lets me ride on the Metro free and get big discounts at museums and archaeological sites.<br />
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Lower left is my permanent residency card and then my national ID number. Many people say people from Mexico marry a US citizen only to get their green cards in the US. Because Michelle is a Mexican Citizen I got my permanent Mexican residency. I've been trying to tell a joke here saying the only reason I married Michelle was to get my Mexican papers. Some people laugh, but most don't seem to get it. They just stare at me! Humor in another language is one of the hardest things.<br />
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To get my "old person card" we had to go to a senior center. They had this interesting statue there. The eagle is part of the official flag, but not this eagle.<br />
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When we went in there they were having a large exercise class stretching with large rubber bands etc. They were all old people -- "much older than we are". :)<br />
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Every Monday we have a home evening with the missionary couples. We have a lawyer, doctor, dentist and Intel IT guy in our group. Last week the lawyer did a lesson on the history of Mexico because it was a holiday - Constitution Day. They had a panel of 5 of our group born in Mexico. Michelle was on the panel. The head of security for the area came with is guitar and he and his wife sang.<br />
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The panel answered questions about the history, or I should say tried to agree, on the history of Mexico. <br />
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I have attached a short video of the group singing. I don't know if you can do that in a blog post, but if it works notice the smile on Michelle's face! (Some one let me know if it works)<br />
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Here is the head of security and his wife in their traditional dress. It was nice of him to come.<br />
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This is a package which our daughter Kristin sent to us on Jan 3rd.<br />
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It arrived Feb 6. A month and 3 days, BUT IT GOT HERE. (I needed a debt card which was sent UPS Express overnight and it got in 3 days - the day they said it would arrive).<br />
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We live in an interesting building. It is a triangle. They build the buildings on the lot size they have. This is a Google Earth picture. Ours is the white triangle building.<br />
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So this is what the inside of our building looks like. Interesting, huh? But we are very comfortable here.<br />
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As I said we had a car checked out from the area car pool and we along with 10 other missionaries in 3 cars went to a national reserve about 3 hours west of Mexico City. We had to get permission from the area presidency to go. See the name of the Church on the car.<br />
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This national reserve is for Monarch Butterflies who migrate on the East side of the Rockies, some all the way from Canada.<br />
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First we drove on 6 lane toll road, then 2 lane, then through small towns on narrow streets, then a dirt road, high up in the mountains. THEN WE GOT ON HORSES.<br />
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Yes, horses. They had mainly teenagers lead the horse up and down the hill. We really had no control other than stay on. The ride was about 30 minutes up and 20 minutes down.<br />
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They said these butterflies come here for the winter, The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation all live about 2-6 weeks. Then the 4th generation is born, larger and stronger. They live about 6 months and they are the ones who go north in the summer. They travel 1000's of miles, often they catch the wind currents. The same thing happens while they are in the north. Then the 4th generation there lives longer and are stronger and make the trip back here for the winter - TO THE SAME PLACE THEIR 6th GRANDPARENTS KNEW! I think that is 6 or is it 8 generations.<br />
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The difference in appearance between a male and female is 2 black dots on the male and larger veins on the female.<br />
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They had a rope so we couldn't get too close to the clusters, but there are MILLIONS of them. Those aren't leaves, they're butterflies! <br />
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Be bought a postcard that shows how thick the clusters get some times.<br />
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Riding the horses was hard on some people. This man, not a missionary, was in pain at the end of the ride.<br />
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Then we had a group picture of the 12 of us.<br />
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We ate at a small local restaurant.<br />
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Some did not like the simple meal, but no one has gotten sick yet. The green is from a cactus leaf (nopal). It didn't taste too bad.<br />
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Then some "mariarchis" came to sing.<br />
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It was a father and 2 sons. The little boy is 8 years old. He kept good rhythm and changed chords. I asked why he didn't sing and the father said because he had not practiced with them. The 8 year old wanted a dollar bill so he could see one, but none of us had one with us.<br />
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It was a fun and memorable day.<br />
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The mission work is going better and better. I know my Spanish has improved. I can talk pretty well on the phone with stake presidents. Michelle can translate missionary recommendations more and more a day.<br />
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A spiritual experience has been to watch a man and his family who have joined the church here. They attended the church for 5 weeks and were confirmed in sacrament meeting. Then he and his son were sustained to have the AP. In priesthood meeting they invited the priest who is an assistant to the bishop to ordain the father after instructing him. Then they had the father ordain the son after instructing the father. Today the father and son passed the sacrament and the father was sustained as 2nd counselor in the YM. It is exciting to see their progress. The light of the gospel is in their eyes.<br />
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Love you and miss you.<br />
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Dad - Granddad - Elder Sandberg<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5141544298202813505.post-53427597892993888982015-01-25T19:32:00.001-06:002015-01-25T19:32:14.620-06:00MTC and Mexico Residency - Jan 25, 2015 - GilbertDear Family and Friend,<br />
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Really we are doing well. I can understand most things in Spanish. Two weeks ago I fasted and prayed for help with Spanish. The answer I received was do not let casual conversations in Spanish slide by. Make the effort to engage, understand even when they switch subjects quickly, and make some comments. I have been doing more of that. I am doing better on the phone as long as we talk about one subject. (They say learning a language keeps the mind young - I hope so).<br />
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We got to go the Mexico City MTC/CCM (Centro de Capacitación Misional) this week. The area doctor had to go; he has a car, and he and his wife invited us to go with them.<br />
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The area around the MTC is a little rough, actually rougher than in the picture.<br />
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But inside the campus is BEAUTIFUL. It is the former Church school, Benemérito de las Américas.<br />
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Michelle said when she was here when her dad was mission president this site was out in the country; now there are houses all around. It reminds me in some ways of the MTC in Provo. The buildings are named for great missionaries in the church.<br />
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This is the administrative office building.<br />
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They have this impressive 2 story painting inside the administration building.<br />
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The words above the painting include power, light, intelligence. At the top of the painting is the "Tree of Life" stone found in Southern Mexico. Some people think it shows Nephi and his dream of the tree of life. The man in the picture is the brother of one of Michelle's high school classmates, Eloy Ruvalcaba. This man is a counselor in the presidency of the MTC. His name is Boanerges.<br />
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They told us there are about 500 missionaries there now, but they expect up to 1200 later in the summer. In the past almost all the missionaries here were not going to serve in Mexico, but in the US or in some other country. Now they are sending missionaries here from the US that will learn Spanish here and stay and serve in Mexico.<br />
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There are in the area office 5 people who work with visas for missionaries. They work on visas of missionaries coming to Mexico and those leaving Mexico to other countries.<br />
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This week this good brother drove Michelle and me to the immigration office to work on my visa.<br />
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First we stopped at a photo shop for my pictures and then went to the immigration office where other missionaries, from all over, were waiting for their visas.<br />
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I went inside with the employees of the area office walking me through. The government workers were faster and more friendly than I think I have ever seen in any country. They took my pictures, finger prints of all 10 fingers, and I signed a bunch of forms. I was in and out in about 10 minutes.<br />
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Some of the missionaries said they were from the Mexico City North Mission and that a senior missionary from the Colonies was leading their group. <br />
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I went inside and said hello to EDDIE JONES whom I taught and coached in basketball the one year I lived in the colonies. Really nice to see him.<br />
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Since Michelle is a Mexican Citizen and I am here as her spouse, I will get permanent residence in Mexico. I told the missionaries outside that the only reason I married Michelle was to get my Mexican papers. They got a good laugh at that. (The usual story is someone from here marries a US citizen to get US papers.)<br />
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The brother who works with visas told us of some of the challenges. For example, recently Peru said they would not allow any youth from there to come to Mexico because it is too dangerous. Now any youth that comes here as a missionary has to have a special interview to make sure they are mature enough to come and withstand the dangers. :)<br />
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For awhile, I think it was Venezuela, wouldn't accept any missionaries from Mexico.<br />
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But the biggest challenge seems to be Brazil. They have to show that the missionaries are qualified to be ministers. They MUST have graduated from seminary and have a certificate of graduation. On the application they also have to show their church experience, what callings they have had, etc. Very interesting conversation.<br />
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On Saturday we had our local missionary sisters over to eat with us.<br />
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Sister LeSueur is from Draper and Sister Bravo from Guatemala. Very impressive. Isn't it a miracle that these two sisters from other countries and cultures are getting along so well and helping the people in Mexico.<br />
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To get to church we walk about 1/2 mile. It is ALL up hill. This is looking up the hill part way up.<br />
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This is looking down hill from the same spot.<br />
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On the way we walk across this bridge. I took this picture on the way home today.<br />
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The bridge crosses this barranca/ canyon.<br />
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I haven't decided what to call the hike to church. Climbing Mount Zion, Ensign Peak 2, ??<br />
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At church today 5 new members were confirmed in sacrament meeting including a family of 5, 4 where confirmed - the 3rd child was too young. They looked so great, the males all in suits. The sister was so moved; you could hear her crying during the confirmation. Great converts.<br />
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For a closing spiritual thought I want to tell you about a talk given by Elder Montoya. He is my fellow executive secretary; I am so impressed by him. He was talking about the temple.<br />
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He said he had visited a prison once. It was dark, in both light and feeling. People did not want to be there. They were always uncomfortable and not relaxed. They wanted to be out. Then he said, suppose you had a relative there and you had the papers to release him from prison, from prison where maybe he had been for years.. All you had to do was show up with the papers. How soon would you go? What excuses would be good enough not to make time to go?<br />
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Then he said we have been taught our relatives who have not been baptized are in spirit prison and if we have the information about them, all we have to do is show up with the papers at the temple, do their ordinances and they can be released. They can be where it is light and free and beautiful.<br />
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I thought it was a great talk - nice analogy.<br />
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We are getting more comfortable with our callings. It will be fun.<br />
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We love and miss our family and friends,<br />
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Dad - Granddad - Gilbert - Elder Sandberg<br />
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<br />Gilbert and Michelle Sandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08813023432154291934noreply@blogger.com1