Family Snippets

2011 has been a year adorned with marvelous experiences for our family. The wedding of our sons Miguel to Lisa and João to Summer  in the Salt Lake Temple have been the highlight for all of us, we are grateful these wonderful daughters that have entered into our family.  We are grateful for their parents and family and the love and support they give to their children and now our children also. Just last week we were in Southern Europe for a short visit to my parents that are serving a mission in the Madrid Temple and to spend sometime with some of our family in Portugal. It is wonderful to see the how the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Chris t are making a difference in our lives. There is much to be grateful for! We wish all a Merry Christmas.

When "Christmas Markets" open in Germany, we know that Christmas is really next door, they begin with the first "Advent" a traditional celebration in Germany that marks the beginning of the build-up to the celebration of the birth of Christ . These four weeks leading to Christmas are a joyful time in German society. Christmas Markets as far as I know began in the city of Dresden in 1434 and today are part of the celebration of this special season, and when I visit one I always look for the nativity scene which normally is a central feature in the market, it reminds us the true meaning of the celebration. Today I took a couple pictures when we walked through including this one of "Nutcrackers" 

The other day I took the time to walk by a lake, it was a glorious day, the air was fresh and clean, the water was calm, the trees were serene, the light was bright and clear, it felt like a spring day to me, yet it was the winter season.  I took my jacket for a while and enjoyed the scenery and the mild sunshine and as I was walking I thought to myself that in the course of life, at times we go through difficult moments, but even then, when we stay close to the principles we know to be true, and remain faithful to them, we will see in our lives spring days during our winter seasons! As I reviewed the teachings of last General Conference I thought of the the following counsel as I reflected upon this matter: "If we, like President Monson, exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life" - Elder Carl B. Cook.   "It is essential that we are able to face - with courage - whatever challenges come our...

Our daughter Ana just got her first job. Last time I spoke with her, was after several hours of work, she was tired but happy.  In day to day language we refer to work as the effort exercised to achieve or complete a certain task and I can see at least two important values of work which I would like to briefly consider here today. Do you remember your first pay check?, your first salary? or the first income earned with your project?. Ohh...there is satisfaction in that reward, this is a lesson worth being reminded of; that there is value in earning through honest and hard work the rewards of our efforts, this is important because it means in practical terms, we can earn to provide for our needs and needs of our families.  I am aware that many want to find a job and can not always find it in today's economic climate and for this reason I would like to touch basis on another value of work that goes well beyond the financial rewards of a pa...