Churchy Things I Love!

We had a chance to go to the temple here in Brazil. 

Here's how it would go in Utah.

Leave house 10:30
Arrive at Temple 10:35
Be through at the temple by at least 1:00 pm
Get home 1:05 pm

Here's how it goes in Brazil.

Leave at 10:30.
Arrived at 12:00.  ("I love to see the temple. I'm going there today!" One of my songs from my child hood came immediately to mind, but with more power than I have ever felt before.  I love the temple.  And I miss it so much.  I was so excited to get the first glimpse of the temple from the freeway.  I was more excited than I was for Disneyland, and I love Disneyland.)

Entertained kids until 2:40 (when Jamison was done. 

The kids enjoyed watching other kids slide down grassy hills in cardboard boxes. 

We did some shopping at the church store.  I just wanted to buy everything I saw there!  Pictures, scriptures, scripture bags, books, CDs, everything!)


I got to go at 3:15 session, the last for the day on Saturday.

Met Jamison again at 5:25, (He entertained the kids at the biggest mall in South America, because he heard it had legendary play areas.  It did not.  Just a huge noisy food court).

 I saw them right after Felix just peed in the car seat.  He stripped him down in the bathroom and cleaned him off, and put a plastic bag over his wet seat. 

Then we got a little food at the temple cafeteria (the last hamburger) and we are on our way back home.
Home at 7:25 pm.

8 hours vs 2.5 hours. Big difference. But it being harder made it mean so much more.

It is like the first 5k (3 miles) was not as satisfying as the Half Marathon. The 5K is great.  It is an accomplishment (especially actually finding time to go running amidst the whirlwind of life.) But the Half Marathon (13 miles) was the culmination of all the planning and training and hours and dedication!  The things that you work hardest for are the greatest reward.

So we did it.  But on the way home we thought, maybe it is worth the $40 to pay a babysitter for the day to do it in just 6 hours (without trying to entertain children for 4-5 hours)

Also in Church News (our family's church news that is).

I gave a talk today.  A bonafide, in sacrament meeting, in front of 100+ people, 2 pages of words, ALL IN PORTUGUESE T_A_L_K!

The toughest 3 minutes of my recent memory.

I have been writing and practicing and practicing this talk for 3 weeks. It was weird reading word for word what I wrote. I haven't read a talk since before my mission 16 years ago. I usually just get a few points and expound freely on them.  But I was glued to that paper today!

I just prayed that people would understand and they would feel the spirit of the words. The prayer was answered. Many people came up and said they understood. They also felt the Spirit. It was a really good experience for me because it was so hard. But there is no growth without challenge. After me the bishop got up and said it takes a lot of courage to get up and do what I just did.  And he was right!