What it means to be "bien educado"

In my precious life, I used to teach at Reid School. I taught Spanish for many years and Pre-school too. What this teacher said is true. 

 

(Written by a 1^st grader teacher to all parents) 

 

“When I look around my classroom I couldn’t tell who crawled first, who walked before one or spoke in sentences by 15 months. I can’t tell you if their parents breastfed or bottle fed. No clue if they still wear pull-ups at night, because I’m sure many do! 

 

I don’t know if their mom ever left them to cry it out for a few minutes or if they strapped them to their bodies 24/7. You know what I can tell when I look at my kids? 

 

I can tell which family value kindness and manners in their homes. I can tell when a child feels loved and secure at home (and at school which sadly isn’t always everyone’s’ school experience!) I know who has pizza and movie Friday nights and which mom or dad reads in different voices for bedtimes. 

 

I see how kids handle scary situations like thunderstorms. I can see who has a solid routine at home and who has chores and responsibilities. I can hear how you speak to your children by how they speak to others. 

 

When I took at my little friends I don’t see their milestones, I see who they are: their heart, their actions their inner voice, their struggles and triumphs, and I see you; and all the love you pour into them. 

 

We are always supposed to talk about testing and benchmarks and data during parent teacher conferences and I had a mom last time look at me and say “I don’t worry about all the reading and math, she will get there. I want to know…how is she, ans a person? Is she kind? Does she include others?” 

 

That took my breath away and is something that will always stick with me!!!

 

I second everything this teacher said because the term in Spanish “bien educado” refers to more than knowing writing, reading, math and science, it’s more about who you are as a person. 

 

Con amor,

Vero

Stay on the Boat and hold on!

It has been a long time, a little over six weeks, since we wrote our weekly letter but we were busy and you can probably imagine what an adventure that was! 

 

We learned in July we couldn’t get out of Buenos Aires but we found a way. There was no way we could have missed a baptism, a blessing, a sealing a wedding and family reunion. I am grateful we managed to get back through Uruguay which was a tender mercy since we got to visit Daniel’s mom and family. We had not been able to travel to Uruguay since December of 2019. We are grateful that our prayers were answered and finally made it back healthy, safe and sound.

 

Amazing to think that Summer is over and students are finding their way back to school. I love seeing all the pictures of the kids ready for an awesome academic year. Looking at your posts puts a smile on our faces. 

 

Last week we had a Mission Leaders seminar at the Iguazu Falls. I had always heard of how amazing this place was, but never imagined seeing all that much water in one place. It’s one of the new seven wonders of Nature. The falls make up the largest waterfall in the world. Daniel took some footage of the massive water coming down with so much force and I was a little worried getting too close to the falls while we were in the boat. I remember holding on to my bench and Daniel very tight. It reminded me of the talk by Elder Ballard. “Stay on the Boat and Hold On!” Given in General Conference on October 2014. When I got home, I looked up the talk and brought tears to my eyes when I read it.  

 

Daniel also reminded me that there is another talk by Elder Nelson “Endure and be Lifted Up” Given on April 1997 that we are going to discuss it tonight for FHE. Please review those talks and discuss it with your family if you find the time. 

Con amor,

Vero

Returning where I belong

Today marks the first-time Daniel and I returned to Church after almost 18 months in isolation due to COVID and this is a day to celebrate! 

 

My feelings were expressed by what brother Flynn said:

 

“Why I love going to Church

 

Okay... this is just me. I like going to Church. 

Some say, these days, that they don’t need to go. They can find God in the Mountains or the Deserts or the Forests. True. He’s there. There’s the saying “Sitting in Church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.” I get that. 

 

I don’t go to Church to validate my status as a Christian. And I already have a car. 

I go because I feel Peace there. Warmth. Love. I see Friends and Neighbors. Strangers. All there at Church. Worshipping, in their own ways, the God who made Us. And His Son. As we say in our Faith... I partake of the Sacrament. The Bread. The Water. The Reminders.... 

of Christ. His Atonement. His Love. His Gospel. His Church. 

 

Something happens when people gather together. There’s an Energy, a Passion, that’s palpable in gatherings. Be it Family. A Concert. An AA Meeting. A Stadium full of Football Fans. Or... a Sacrament Meeting. 

And when I sit in Church... I sense that energy. I Feel. I Learn. I am Uplifted. I Grow. 

 

So I suppose, in a way, my going to Church is selfish. I love it. Do I go for others? Not really. I guess I don’t go FOR others... rather I go TO others. And they come to me. And together we Worship. It’s a great feeling. 

 

I can’t get that kind of growth on my own. I’m not Strong enough. Or Good enough. I need their Energy. Their Faith. Their Commitment to the Greater Good. To God. And Christ. 

 

Am I weak because I need others to help me through my mortal sojourn? Yes. I am. I think that’s part of the Plan. The “Love Thy Neighbor...” part. 

I think Mountains and Deserts and Forests are great. Love them all. And they, in their own sphere, have certainly contributed to my life in meaningful ways. 

But on any given Sunday... I choose Church. 

 

Love to all... Michael”

 

I could not agree more! He took the words out of my mouth. As much as I love nature and have to say, going to see the Iguazu falls has to be a must do on anyone’s bucket list because of its majestic beauty where you feel God’s incredible power, I prefer the love and the energy you can only get when you gather with friends who think like you.  I don’t understand people who don’t miss it the way I do because to me it's like not drinking water or not eating or sleeping. Going to Church is that basic and that needed. I absolutely, positively love going to Church!

 

Con amor,

Vero

You are now cleared to takeoff

Finally, after waiting like what it felt forever, we got to leave Buenos Aires to attend the Mission Leader’s seminar in Iguazu Falls. We should have left a week ago but if it wasn’t that we were forced to sit in our apartment as if we were infected with the virus. WE ARE BOTH VACCINATED don’t you understand? But they don’t care. All the government cares are getting elected and winning votes. They care less about doing things the smart way. What this government is doing is ludicrous! Not only we tested negative when we boarded the plane but several times before that as well. We have taken more PCR tests than I can even count. What a waste of resources! 

 

We found out that the system couldn’t read my number because it was not a DNI number and that is why I wasn’t getting my results. The robot could not read the information so we had to ask a human and finally my results came in. Since we didn’t have that information right before we needed to board the plane, I took another PCR quick test. Thank goodness it only took 20 minutes and off we went. There was no way Daniel could not attend this event in person. It would be like planning a party, have all the guests arrive to the event but have the host not show up to his own party. That is exactly what it feels like for Daniel. 

 

We did everything we supposed to even when we knew it was the stupidest thing but not complying with the decree could mean fines and even jail. In the end, we got to our hotel and we could finally enjoy our time with the best people this world has ever seen. I learned so much in the seminar and saw the most beautiful water fall my eyes has seen. It was like a dream. It is great to learn from one another. All I can say is that those missionaries are so lucky, the mission Presidents and their wives are amazing humans and great example to each one of us. 

 

Con amor,

Vero

Feeling Cursed!

This morning Daniel and I went to take our PCR tests and waited all day to get the results. Daniel got his but I did not. It turns out that they sent my test to a different lab and they have not gotten around to give me the results yet which means that the flight we have scheduled for tomorrow morning to Iguazu falls won’t happen and if I don’t receive the test in the morning I would not be able to fly in the afternoon either so the trip will need to get cancelled all because the government has never been able to do things efficiently , I heard of a woman that after four days, she was still waiting for the results. 

 

I have been feeling down lately because I feel I have entered a period in my life that no matter what I do, nothing seems to be going well. I never got my identification card after two years as a resident of Argentina and that is unheard of. You need the DNI for everything. I am not allowed to travel without it which means that I can’t go help Bianca and Joseph who contracted coronavirus; I guess I could leave but I would not be able to come back. Another thing that is annoying is that I need a notary from the U.S. Embassy but because of COVID they are not doing that service which means that I can’t close on refinancing our loan.  

 

I feel without energy and totally drained. I even have a headache. Days and weeks like this only remind me that so many things are out of our control and we just need to figure out how to make the best of the situation. Maybe I should try feeling grateful like the woman in the following story: 

 

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "Hm...mm..," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YAY!" she exclaimed. "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything. Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly. Be Grateful!

 

Con amor,

Vero

Having a parent to talk to is priceless

All over social media parents are posting photos of their kids starting a new school year. How I remember those good old days when I had my girls under one roof. Now they have families of their own and miss them way too much. Why can’t we all live in the same City? 

School days when I was a teen is a distant past but one thing I knew is that I could always talk to my mom and even today she is my therapist and that was not the case with most of my peers.  Perhaps the reason teens isolate themselves when they're overwhelmed instead of coming to us with their problems, is because when they're toddlers we isolate them when they're overwhelmed instead of helping them with their problems. 

When our kids are small and trying to manage emotions - they can't express what they are feeling. They throw tantrums, they throw things, they have meltdowns, they scream and they whine. This is their way of communicating with us. They need help to organize, process and express their feelings in a healthy way. And society tells us we should punish them for this. Send them to their room, put them in timeout, spank them. 

We teach them and train them not to show their emotions. Don't whine. Don't complain. Your feelings are wrong. Be quiet. Eventually they stop expressing their emotions to us because we told them over and over again we didn't want to hear it. For so long they needed to deal with it alone. Alone in their room, their chair, their corner. 

And then they turn into teenagers and we expect them to feel safe talking to us. We expect them to know that NOW it's okay. They are subconsciously wired to think the opposite because this is what they grew up learning. 

Give your child permission to feel. Let them know their feelings are valid and that you care, no matter how small. Make sure they know that they are heard. 

Pretty soon meltdowns over crayons will turn into breakups, heartbreak, and drama. You want your child to know that you will always hear them, no matter how small. You are their safe space.

Con amor,

Vero

Sunday Sermon on the Word of Wisdom

These marvelous young people in this choir are typical of the young people that we meet all over the Church. How we love them. How grateful we are for you, our youth. Nothing is more precious than our children, our youth. And it is to you, our youth, that I speak. Several years ago, in Africa I learned how dangerously invisible crocodiles can be. I then warned our youth about unseen spiritual crocodiles lying in wait to destroy them.

Those invisible dangers have greatly increased in number, and now there are many kinds of them.

Some of them are like land mines hidden about in a field you must cross on your way to maturity. Neighborhoods and schools, which once were safe, are no longer secure. Fortunately, you have within you a spiritual power much like a mine detector. If you learn how it works, it will warn you of the presence of unseen crocodiles and mines, and you can avoid trouble.

Three years after the organization of the Church, a revelation came which described our day in these prophetic words: “Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation” (D&C 89:4).

The Word of Wisdom put restrictions on members of the Church. To this day those regulations apply to every member and to everyone who seeks to join the Church. They are so compelling that no one is to be baptized into the Church without first agreeing to live by them. No one will be called to teach or to lead unless they accept them. When you want to go to the temple, you will be asked if you keep the Word of Wisdom. If you do not, you cannot go to the house of the Lord until you are fully worthy.

We know that young people generally don’t like restrictions. Believe it or not, we were young once and we remember.

A resistance to anything that limits one’s conduct has almost taken over society. Our whole social order could self-destruct over the obsession with freedom disconnected from responsibility, where choice is imagined to be somehow independent of consequences.

Young people, you must understand that there is something of colossal importance to justify the restrictions imposed by the Word of Wisdom!

While the revelation came first as a “greeting; not by commandment or constraint” (D&C 89:2), when members of the Church had had time to be taught the import of the revelation, succeeding Presidents of the Church declared it to be a commandment. And it was accepted by the Church as such.

The Word of Wisdom was “given for a principle with promise” (D&C 89:3). That word principle in the revelation is a very important one. A principle is an enduring truth, a law, a rule you can adopt to guide you in making decisions. Generally, principles are not spelled out in detail. That leaves you free to find your way with an enduring truth, a principle, as your anchor.

Members write in asking if this thing or that is against the Word of Wisdom. It’s well known that tea, coffee, liquor, and tobacco are against it. It has not been spelled out in more detail. Rather, we teach the principle together with the promised blessings. There are many habit-forming, addictive things that one can drink or chew or inhale or inject which injure both body and spirit which are not mentioned in the revelation.

Everything harmful is not specifically listed; arsenic, for instance—certainly bad, but not habit-forming! He who must be commanded in all things, the Lord said, “is a slothful and not a wise servant” (D&C 58:26).

In some cultures, native drinks are claimed to be harmless because they are not specifically mentioned in the revelation. Yet they draw members, particularly men, away from their families to parties which certainly offend the principle. Promises made in the revelation will be denied to the careless or the reckless.

Obedience to counsel will keep you on the safe side of life.

The story is told of a king who was choosing between two drivers for his coach. He ordered each of them to drive his coach down a steep, winding road cut into a high cliff.

The first driver came down slowly, hugging the wall of the cliff. The second driver demonstrated great talent and ability. He raced down the mountain, with the coach so close at times that half the wheel was off the edge of the cliff.

The king was very thoughtful, then wisely chose the first man to drive his coach. It is best to stay on the safe side of things.

The Word of Wisdom is “adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints” (D&C 89:3). It is buttressed by other scriptures. They teach that the good things of the earth “are made for the benefit and the use of man, … Yea,” the Lord said, “for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul, … to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion” (D&C 59:18–20).

Young people, learn to use moderation and common sense in matters of health and nutrition, and particularly in medication. Avoid being extreme or fanatical or becoming a faddist.

For example, the Word of Wisdom counsels us to eat meat sparingly (see D&C 89:12). Lest someone become extreme, we are told in another revelation that “whoso forbiddeth to [eat meat] is not ordained of God” (D&C 49:18).¹

Another scripture counsels, “Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; … cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated” (D&C 88:124).

Honor the principle of the Word of Wisdom and you will receive the promised blessings. “All saints,” the revelation promises, “who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments,” are promised that they “shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones” and “shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint” (D&C 89:18, 20).

The Word of Wisdom does not promise you perfect health, but it teaches how to keep the body you were born with in the best condition and your mind alert to delicate spiritual promptings.

I remember a blessing I received when I was serving in the military. It included counsel that’s good for every young person: “You have been given a body of such physical proportions and fitness as to enable your spirit to function through it. … You should cherish this as a great heritage. Guard [it] and protect it. Take nothing into it that shall harm the organs thereof because it is sacred. It is the instrument of your mind and [the] foundation of your character.” That counsel had great influence on me.

The promise of health for living the standard of the revelation is not limited to members of the Church. Tell your nonmember friends about the Word of Wisdom and urge them to live it.

And then there is a greater blessing promised in the Word of Wisdom. Those who obey it are promised that they “shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures” (D&C 89:19). This is the personal revelation through which you can detect invisible crocodiles or hidden mines or other dangers.

When you were confirmed a member of the Church, you had conferred upon you the gift of the Holy Ghost. “Know ye not,” Paul wrote, “that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you … ?” (1 Cor. 6:19).

And the Lord said, “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).

There’s a final promise in the revelation. Speaking again of those who keep and do and obey these commandments, the Lord said, “I … give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them” (D&C 89:21). That is a remarkable promise.

To understand it, we must turn to the time of Moses. The Israelites had been enslaved for 400 years. Moses came as their deliverer. He called forth plagues upon Egypt. The Pharaoh agreed each time to free the Israelites, but each time he reneged on his promise. Finally, “the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go. … All the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die” (Ex. 11:1, 5).

Moses told the Israelites to “take … a lamb … without blemish, a male of the first year. … Neither shall ye break a bone thereof” (Ex. 12:3, 5, 46; see also John 19:33).

They were to prepare the lamb as a feast and “take of the blood, and strike it on the … door post of the houses. … For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land … : and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you. … And this day … ye shall keep … by an ordinance for ever” (Ex. 12:7, 12–14). “When your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this … ? … ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover” (Ex. 12:26–27).

Surely, young people, you see the prophetic symbolism in the Passover. Christ was “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36), the firstborn, male, without blemish. He was slain without breaking his bones, even though the soldiers were sent to do it.

But it is not from mortal death that we shall be spared in such a passover if we walk in obedience to these commandments, for each of us in time shall die. But there is spiritual death which you need not suffer. If you are obedient, that spiritual death will pass over you, for “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us,” the revelation teaches (1 Cor. 5:7).

While the Word of Wisdom requires strict obedience, in return it promises health, great treasures of knowledge, and that redemption bought for us by the Lamb of God, who was slain that we might be redeemed.

The law of sacrifice was fulfilled with the Crucifixion. The Lord instituted the sacrament in its place. That is the ordinance we shall keep forever! Young people, attend your meetings and partake of the sacrament.

Surely the Word of Wisdom was given so that you may keep the delicate, sensitive, spiritual part of your nature on proper alert. Learn to “listen” to your feelings. You will be guided and warned and taught and blessed.

Even though young life is always filled with uncertainties, young people, do not fear the future!

Your young dreams can be realized. All of your worthy, natural physical and emotional desires can be satisfied. You can find a companion to whom you can offer a body free from addiction, from depressants, from stimulants, and a mind sensitive to spiritual guidance and impressions.

You can be sealed together for time and for all eternity in a marriage covenant and express that love freely, which has as its consummate purpose the begetting of life, of children, of family, of happiness.

If you are one who’s been wandering off course, now is the time to return. You can, you know. Young people, go forward with faith. You’ll be led by the Spirit as was Nephi, “not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do” (1 Ne. 4:6).

Keep the Word of Wisdom. Seek worthy companions. Attend church faithfully. Never fail daily to seek for help through prayer. And I promise you that the way will be easier and you shall have a composure of mind and a confident attitude toward life and the future. You shall be warned of dangers and shall be guided through the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

I bear witness that this revelation is a powerful protection to all members of the Church, particularly to you, the youth of the Church, as you face a life full of so many troubles and danger and uncertainties. But young members of the Church, have faith. The Lord will be with you; you will be guided. I bear witness of him and of his sacrifice and of his Atonement and of his love for you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Boyd K. Packer, April 1996

I still had my own self

For the first time ever, I feel depressed after coming back from a trip and don’t know why. I guess the expectations were not met. The trip was not a vacation by any means! Daniel was at work every single day. Considering that we had a place to stay we still managed to spend over $16,000 dollars in less than two months and that is only what one credit card says. Depression does not run in my family so this is a little weird and I am trying to figure out what is wrong with me?  I told my husband how sad I feel for a child who has had a change of heart, my daughter and son in law and loves ones who are sick (I am tired of this horrible pandemic) family members not doing so hot economically, the poor people of Haiti and the situation in Afghanistan. All that has got me down. Lucky for me, today I came across this message, “I still had my own self.” 

 

“If we know who and what we are, we can lose virtually everything and still feel whole, unbroken, and empowered.

 

In my experience, to ‘still have our own selves’ means understanding the nature of the power we wield over our own lives. It means entirely accepting the limits of our power while also pursuing and embracing the full scope of our power. 

 

Our power is NOT that we can make everything go the way we want it to. Rather, our power lies in our ability, no matter what happens to us, to ensure a positive outcome. We can make sure our experiences ultimately edify us and bring us growth.

 

To ‘still have our own selves’ is to make sure our experiences do not happen in vain. At the very least — or maybe the very most — we can learn from our experiences. And, having assigned an accurate, useful, and empowering meaning to the experiences of the past, we can carry our newfound wisdom forward to create a meaningful future of personal growth. 

 

To ‘still have our own selves’ means understanding that WE get to assign meaning to our own experiences. I personally think it’s fruitless to ask God, “Why?” That is the question that WE get to answer. We get to work WITH — not against — our experiences to unfold new gifts and power in our lives. We get to interpret, with patience and wonder, the meaning of the things that happen to us. We get to decide how we end up telling the stories of our lives, and what wisdom we bring to our stories. As we make the most of every experience, we get to make sure our stories don’t shackle us in victimhood, but set us free to live our best lives. And the stories we tell can offer others the wisdom to do the same … if we see ourselves, not as helpless victims, but as agents with power to act and become, regardless of our circumstances.

 

If we know that we ‘still have our own selves,’ we necessarily have hope. We don’t talk about hope as much as we talk about faith and charity, but there’s a reason we are commanded to have hope. With hope, we can thrive even in the most adverse circumstances. With hope, we can extract all the available value from the moment...because we know the pain will eventually pass, but the lessons and their resulting growth will be ours forever. 

 

With hope, we see more broadly. Our perspective exceeds the ‘here and now.’ We embrace a bigger picture and it becomes part of who we are.

 

With hope, we feel more profoundly. We aren’t afraid to experience what’s before us because we know that we are ok and that we will continue to be ok. 

 

By seeing and feeling more, we grow more...and personal growth is a fundamental purpose of life. 

With hope, we can have confidence in the ongoing promise that ‘all things work together for good to them that love God’ (Romans 8:28). ALL things. There are no exceptions. 

 

With hope, we recognize that our weaknesses create the very circumstances we need to experience in order to overcome those weaknesses. Hope also prompts us to reject shame and embrace these opportunities to grow.

 

With hope, we know that anything that happens to us — and anything we bring upon ourselves — can only make us stronger...because even if other things are taken from us, we can’t be robbed of our capacity to learn something useful from our lives as we strive to become more than we are. Thus, hope and ‘having our own selves’ allow us to turn loss into gain. Truly, no outside force can diminish us if we know that we still have our own selves.” Martha Jane Cannary, a.k.a. Calamity Jane

 

Now that’s profound.

 

Con amor,

Vero

Happy Birthday Bee

Today is Bianca’s birthday, a.k.a. Bee. I day she will probably remember since she is in isolation dealing with the infamous Coronavirus and that is the worst! How I wish I could be closer to help out in some way but there were darker days and somehow those days are gone just like the illness she is experiencing will be a thing of the past. Oh my, be careful of what you pray for, you might get it! Here is what she wrote a few years ago.

 

The song I sing as an infertile woman 

 

 “Soon after I wrote the song, “At the Heart of It,” I played it to a room of people I hardly knew, and when I finished the song, this young lady said, “Someone get that girl a puppy.”

 

I was a little embarrassed by her comment because this song for me was totally heartfelt and came after one of the darkest periods of my life. I didn’t mean for it to be depressing or to elicit pity from the listener, but it was a song that I felt I had to write and share, even if it exposed some of the shadows behind the recent loss I had experienced.

 

Up to this point in my life, I had dealt with some disappointments and difficulties that were relatively typical. I experienced betrayal and heartache in some relationships, and then loss and disappointment when my parents got a divorce when I was in college. These experiences were refining, and despite the difficulties that came along with them, they were soul stretching and helped me to develop a relationship with God that felt personal and real to me.

However, I didn’t realize that somewhere along the way, I started to see God somewhat like the way a child sees Santa Claus. (ie. If I do all the right things, then I’ll be on the “nice” list, and I’ll get all the things I want!) I had grown up reading the Bible and the Book of Mormon and there seemed, even in scripture, to be promises given of prosperity to those who kept the commandments. So this solidified my belief in this concept even more.

 

Then, I started to notice that despite my attempt at having faith, and living an obedient life, I wasn’t getting all the things I wanted. My husband and I were wanting to have children, and it wasn’t happening. This was such a good thing that we were asking for and desiring. I couldn’t understand why this would be withheld from us, and unlike the other trials I had experienced in my life, this particular challenge felt even more personal between me and God. I discovered that even the best doctors, yoga classes, organic foods, acupuncture and taking a relaxing vacation were not going to guarantee that we would be able to have a baby. It seemed so out of our hands, and truly only in God’s.

 

After a few years of trying to get pregnant, and having some false starts, we discovered that I have several things working against me for getting and staying pregnant (PCOS with a chromosomal balanced translocation). As a result, my husband and I decided to go ahead and do IVF with PGD (genetic testing), so that our chances and odds for actually having a baby would increase significantly. I was so hopeful. All the stars seemed to be aligning from health insurance coverage, to an amazing doctor, and I felt certain that this was going to be it!

 

When I got the call that we were pregnant, I sobbed on my bed with tears of joy and immediately got on my knees to offer a prayer of gratitude. Joseph was so excited that we were pregnant, that he managed to tell our entire church congregation the Sunday after we found out (bless his heart). The stakes were high. Family, friends, and even people I hardly knew were pulling for us; and on top of that, we had been yearning for this for years and had invested so much time and financial means in order to get to this point.

 

A few weeks later, I woke up in the middle of the night (on the morning of Mother’s Day ironically) with cramping and hemorrhaging and I knew something was seriously wrong. I didn’t want to wake Joseph up because I knew that there was nothing that he could really do about it, so I just decided to lay in bed. The moon was bright, and I stared out my window praying to God for comfort and peace, which I did feel wash over me that night, and I was finally able to fall back asleep.

 

The next day was the worst Mother’s Day that I can remember. We went in to the doctor’s office once the clinic was open and sadly our doctor wasn’t able to find a heartbeat. The doctor said that we could come again in a few days to see if anything had changed because perhaps it was just too early to detect a heartbeat. So we went back a few more times with complete hope for a miracle heartbeat, but each time we were disappointed to find there wasn’t one.

 

I was devastated. The loss was almost more than I could bare. It’s hard to believe looking back now, but I felt so broken physically, emotionally as well as spiritually that thoughts of my own death were near. It wasn’t just the loss of a baby, but the roller coaster of emotions that came with having hopes crushed, and the loss of time and money spent in doing these fertility treatments, as well as the loss of my trust in and understanding of God. The picture that I had had in my mind of Him no longer matched the picture that I was seeing of Him now.

 

For some time, I was angry and hurt. I closed my heart to God in defense, and shut down as I tried to sort through the mess. We were living in New York at the time, and I remember that it rained for days. The sun didn’t come out for an entire week, which was great because it seemed to match my mood perfectly. At a certain point, I remember deciding that I was finally ready to pray again. I got on my knees in my living room when no one was home and I sobbed as I prayed aloud. I don’t remember what I said, to be completely honest, but I remember that after that prayer, I stood up and went into our kitchen and this beautiful and bright ray of sunshine came right through our kitchen window and the whole room lit up as if it were on fire. I stood by the window, and closed my eyes and felt warmth that was both physical and spiritual, and that was just the beginning of a renewed understanding of God’s love for me.

 

I knew and believed in a God who loved me, and because I was struggling during that time to feel of His love for me in ways that I could understand, I decided to take the advice of Henry B. Eyring and write a response to this question in a daily journal: “How have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch me or my family today?” President Eyring then said this about his experience with doing this:

 

“As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.”

 

Miraculously, my experience of doing this daily practice of acknowledging God’s hand helped me to see light in every day despite the darkness that I thought would consume me. Looking back, I can see even more clearly now that I was truly being carried during that time of my life. Every day, I saw and felt tender mercies that I knew couldn’t have been orchestrated by anyone else besides a God that knew me and loved me perfectly.

 

Often, I find that God’s miracles and love have been made known to me in ways that I hadn’t previously expected. Through loss and disappointments, I have seen God’s love in ways that have surpassed circumstances. It hasn’t been an exact equation such as A+B=C, and His love hasn’t been like that of Santa Claus, either. I think I developed a more adult like relationship with the Lord when I learned that, YES, we do prosper when we keep the commandments! However, I think the Lord has taught me that often my definition of prosperity is not the same as His. Larry Barkdull mentioned this in his article entitled “Miracles Reveal the Character of God,” when he said,

 

“Our definition of deliverance is seldom God’s definition. We can dictate neither timelines nor terms. Nevertheless, we can be absolutely confident that our every prayer is heard and counts, and that somewhere in the process of working through, a divine encounter will happen.”

 

There was also a blog post called “The One Thing Christians Should Stop Saying,” that came out in the Huffington Post a few years ago that has solidified some of these concepts for me as well. Whether it be called prosperity, deliverance, or blessings…these words might have a different meaning to the Lord than they do to us. In that Huffington Post article, the writer declares:

 

“Nowhere in scripture are we promised worldly ease in return for our pledge of faith. In fact, the most devout saints from the Bible usually died penniless, receiving a one-way ticket to prison or death by torture…If we’re looking for the definition of blessing, Jesus spells it out clearly (Matthew 5: 1-12).”

 

In those verses, we read “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven”…blessed are those who mourn, are meek, who hunger and are pure. Christ doesn’t say, “Blessed are those who have a big house, or who have a well paying job, or who live comfortably and have all the things they want…” and for me, that has been such a great reminder. 

 

Looking back now, I feel so much gratitude for the experiences that have allowed me to learn and stretch beyond what I thought was even possible. I really feel like the price payed to come to know God a little better was absolutely worth it. After all, “it takes a little rain for flowers to grow,” and for that I will be forever grateful.”

 

I am grateful for a daughter who keeps on teaching her mother to trust God. Thankful for this beautiful daughter of mine. Happy Birthday, to our beautiful Bee! 

 

Con amor,

mom

Who is Vienna Jacques?

In my scripture reading today, I learned about a special elect lady. Vienna Jaques. 

She was born on June 10^th 1787.

 

After she met the Missionaries in Boston, she traveled to Kirkland, Ohio in 1831

She stayed there for six weeks until she was baptized. Upon returning to Boston, Vienna helped bring several members of her family into the Church. 

 

She then settled -up her business, and went back to Kirtland to unite her interests forever with the Church.

 

In 1833, After her conversion, she willingly consecrated her entire savings to assist saints who were in more need than she was. Her savings was a reporter $1,400 hundred dollars. Today that would be the equivalent of $40,000 dollars. 

 

She then traveled to Missouri to receive her inheritance in Zion, however soon after she arrived she suffered persecution with the Saints.  

 

Vienna Jacques left her job as a nurse in Boston and join the Church when she was forty-three years old. She continued to follow and sacrifice with the Saints until she died in Salt Lake City at the age of ninety-six. Her obituary included the following tribute: 

 

She was true to her covenants and esteemed he restoration of the Gospel as priceless treasure. 

 

Vienna Jacques is a tremendous example of the core principle of the law of consecration, namely sacrifice. Someday I would love to meet her. 

 

Con amor,

Vero

Our home-leave has finally ended

I never thought I would be so anxious to get home from a trip because I usually want it to last as long as I can manage to stay away but I am glad we made it back. We left on July 3 and came back August 18th, because of delays and cancellations. 

This last trip had its ups and downs. Life is like that. We go through headaches and happy exuberant moments. Here is a recap:

My first flight inside a private plane

American flags everywhere due to the 4th of July Holiday

Going to Tuscanos, a Brazilian Restaurant and no one is wearing masks

Feeling sad and heart broken

Attending a Real Salt Lake soccer game with the Canadian team and we won!

Went to Deseret Book to buy Becketts scriptures 

Woke up in Eagle, Idaho 

I was a witness at Beckett's baptism

Attended church in Eagle where the youth told of their experiences with Treck

Spoke with tia Dina about her situation

Celebrating Birthday #31 for Spencer M.

Change travel plans to Mexico

Getting together with Ann and Gregg 

Gave Danielito his birthday gift 

Had pupusas with Antivilos 

Daniel and I went to spend the day at Hernans who is remodeling his living room 

Rockewell's beautiful baby blessing

Drove all day to Nebraska

checked into the Hotel and went to a museum 

Trampoline Day with the Krones

Drove back to Utah for over 1000 miles 

Sealing day for Isaac and Lyric to Bianca and Joseph 

Daniel buying things for the ones with new homes "Christmas in July"

Visiting Vale's ward, spending time with Vale

Looking for blinds in all the wrong places

Looking at homes for Bianca 

Watching the kiddos in Centerville

Out trip to Argentina got moved for later

Daniel got food poisoning eating pizza 

Talked to the Marcheschis and surprised them with a check refund 

In Park City getting drapes ordered 

Ordering an appraisal to get refinancing for our home 

Went to Asian Star with Andres and Rosy

Attended Bountiful ward, blessed Vale's home

Spent time with Mandy at the Red Butte Garden

Got my hair colored

woke up to the news that our trip got cancelled 

Went to get manis peddies 

Met with Merkley to board the plane, met with the Dames in Phoenix bound to Mexico

That awkward moment when you are more excited about a gift for your nephew than him. 

Getting together with family after six years was fun! 

Wedding day was beautiful and memorable at all levels!

Finding out our flight got cancelled again!

No rental cars available 

Rushing to the airport, getting food, looking for a lost bag, eating Chinese more delays in Phoenix 

Getting to Salt Lake late at night but lucky for us, David Avalos was waiting for us with a car

Finished Isaacs baby book

Took the girls to the movies and had a sleep over

Went swimming and to the Church History Museum 

Had dinner with Hernan's family and tasted the best rolls ever!

Took the PCR test at the Church offfice and met with Steve Peterson 

At the airport waiting for the PCR tests results that never came but luckily, David helped us

Traveled to Santiago Chile and to Montevideo

Bianca called to tell me that Joseph contracted COVID-19 and are having to isolate 

Went to surprise Abuela Nela 

Went to Miguel Angel's to have empanadas and to give him some gifts as usual 

Learned that the rules have change and I could not get on board the Buquebus 

Got the problem resolved but two hours too late 

Visited Nela again

Visited Miguel Angel again

Finally back to Buenos Aires 

Con amor,

Vero