Monday, January 12, 2015

         It was Sister Ocampo’s birthday and Sister Valle asked me to make a dessert for Family Home Evening.  I made brownies and used the last of our supplies to make the pumpkin sheet cake with the intent of sharing the leftovers with Lupe’s family and the Navas family.  Lupe’s husband left for Tijuana today for another six weeks of work on the temple.  They loved the cake at Christmas and I thought it would cheer her up.  The Navas’s are going to share their bread recipe with us, so I wanted to share something with them, too.

This was the first time I have made brownies since we have been here.  The richness of those two desserts made it really hard for me to eat much.  It didn’t take many tastes before I couldn’t bear to even lick the knife!  We just haven’t eaten sweets here and it has felt really good.  The people here don’t eat many sweets, so they can’t eat much of it either.  I also made corn muffins for the diabetic brother, and the whole plate was gone before the sweets!

During FHE the people in the expected excursion from Nicaragua arrived and have since settled with their families in to their rooms and are ready to rest for the night.  It will be busy tomorrow. 

At the end of our Home Evening we all shared in the job of taking down the lounge Christmas tree.  I noticed on my walk outside this morning that the Nativity has been taken down and all the poinsettias in the lower areas of the grounds are gone.  It makes me a little sad because they have been so beautiful!  The poinsettias around the temple are still blooming like crazy, however; and it would be so wonderful if they would leave them planted for a while longer.  –Not my call, thoughJ  I would be happy if they were still showing off their red glory clear until we leave!

Here is number twelve.  This one can be very difficult but is so important.

12. Forgive quickly

People who forgive others relieve themselves of heavy burdens that decrease happiness. Immediate forgiveness increases joy and strengthens relationships.

“Forgive everyone, everything, all the time, or at least strive to do so, thus allowing forgiveness into your own life,” Elder Jörg Klebingat said. “Don’t hold grudges, don’t be easily offended, forgive and forget quickly, and don’t ever think that you are exempt from this commandment. Spiritual confidence increases when you know that the Lord knows that you bear no ill feelings toward another soul.”

         Love you all.  Have a great week.  It is 68 degrees with intermittent clouds and the usual breeze.