In memory of Elder Dean Davies

Last Wednesday, we got word of Elder Dean Davies passing, five days shy of turning 70. He was also in the Presiding Bishopric for several years who attended several D.T.A. cluster meetings where we became better acquainted. One very memorable meeting was held in Hawaii. He met with us and offered to give us a blessing which we accepted, of course. I was dealing with some trials and he told me: “Veronica, I feel prompted to tell you that your prayers will be answered” I have never forgotten those words.

 

As we watched his funeral services attended by the First Presidency and many General Authorities, I couldn’t help to think how lucky we were to call him our friend and mentor. One daughter commented on a question she asked: “Dad, how is it that you are calm even when people tell you things that are hard to hear.” He responded, “I found that many situations, even things that seem very terrible, are often resolved over time, or they simply aren’t that important after a year or two goes by.” He had a gift of patience.

 

Bishop Davies was special to us because he had served in Uruguay as a young missionary and Presided over the San Juan, Puerto Rico mission. He was responsible for finding the land where the temple of El Salvador was built. He gave an amazing devotional at BYU on November 3, 2015 (God will Use you, God Will Bless You) telling of the miracles he saw as he went about purchasing land for temples. 

 

Bishop Davies was the one who came to the Philippines to announced Daniel as the new Director for Temporal Affairs and came back four years later when our time there was up. He spoke so well about Daniel and shared the copy of his talk with us. We had a special dinner at our home. It was just him and us. He wanted it to be private. As you can imagine, it was wonderful to have so many things in common. He truly was a disciple of the Lord who influenced the lives of all with whom he came in contact including us and for him and his example of a hero who endured to the end, I am grateful. 

 

Con amor,

Vero and Daniel 

"She is Here"

September 3, 1015 is a day I will never forget. At around 1:30 pm (MST) Ruby May was born prematurely in a Boise Idaho Hospital.  She was ten weeks early! This happened while I was asleep in Manila. Anything of significance in the West always happens while you are sleeping in the East. I woke up the next morning to find a text that read "She is here" 

I got on the computer immediately to look for flights from Manila to Idaho. It was tough since we were just moving into our new home in Manila and all of the sudden, I needed to turn around and go away not knowing exactly what to expect To get to Idaho, I had to first get out of Manila ether by Hong Kong or Tokyo from there I needed to travel to either Dallas,  Los Angeles or Seattle and from there to Boise. That would literally take two days. After what it seemed forever I met my newest grand baby. I was not allowed to hold her. She was in an incubator with so many wires all wrapped around her tiny body. 

We prayed, and prayed that she would survive, grow and get stronger so that eventually she would be ready to be sent home. Bianca would sing to her, and hold her small hand through a small opening. We all were praying as a family. I realize that day how important the care and love for family is in our lives. We need each other and that is why we grow up in families. Nothing can ever compare to a love a mother has for a child and vice versa. This situation tested our faith. We didn't know the outcome. She could have easily not make it but we were hoping for the best and today this beautiful child turned six! She is a six year old miracle and for that, I am so grateful! 

Con amor,

Vero

 

In Cordoba

Yesterday we heard of an appointment to take my fingerprints to get my DNI in Cordoba which is about a seven hour drive so we left around 4:00 pm to arrived right around midnight. We were exhausted but worth the trip. I got a temporary visa for the next six months. At the police station Daniel forgot his backpack which contained his laptop, dap, phones all our documents including our passports etc. It was tense to think that we lost such important things but it was the police station after all where he had left his backpack and was found. What a tender mercy!  

Today I want to say thank you to the people that helped us. Marcelo Paz even drove our car for us.  “There are two little words in the English dictionary that perhaps means more than all others. They are ‘thank you’. The more often a person says thank you, the happier he will be.” President Gordon B. Hinckley 

It turns out that because I am married to a Permanent Resident, I qualified to get a permanent visa which means that my visa will never expire. Yay! When I finally get my DNI it will be forever. I could live here all my life if I wanted to but most people are wanting to get out of Argentina. The inflation is ridiculously high and there are no guarantees that it will get better. 

For now, my goal is to enjoy my home and the time we are here because sooner or later we will go. 

Con amor,

Vero

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