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Inspirational Thought
11 years ago
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
from south of the border
26 June 2008
Dear Family and Friends,
We are writing tonight from the beautiful but very warm (95 to 100 degrees each day) city of Monterrey located in Northern Mexico about 150 miles for Laredo, Texas. This is a beautiful industrial city that supplied a large amount of steel to the United States during World War II. The city is surrounded by majestic mountains that are spectacular in view. We took a picture or two from the freeway and we will post them on the bog.
We flew to Monterrey last Thursday and had two very productive meetings with the couples in the two missions here in Monterrey. One of our meetings involved some training for the two couples that have been called to work with Young Single Adults. We were impressed with the great abilities of these couples and their organizational skills. They are all enthused with the chance to serve young people in one way or another. We also met several young women who will be helping with the Young Convention next month. They are on top of their game and we feel so comfortable with their plans and all of the logistics necessary to make the plans work. 250 to 300 people at Sun Valley are no comparison to the logistical problems with housing and taking care of 1,500 teenagers for three days. An exciting program with lots of activities and fun things to do is the answer and we see that happening in each of our visits.
Yesterday we rented a car and drove to the city of Torreon for two meetings we had scheduled there. Torreon is a four hour drive west and north of Monterrey. The drive was spectacular as we crossed very dry desert, drove into a mountain valley where we experience rain both coming and going in the same place and finally arrived in Torreon located in a fertile agricultural area but also a very dry area at this time of year. We saw a lot of well cultivate melon and watermelon fields with plenty of large corn operations along with alfalfa hay and lots of cattle and goats. We were told this arid part of the country does have a good deep well water supply allowing for what we perceived to be an expansive area of intensive agriculture production. All the modern farm equipment we see at home was being used in these production areas.
When we travel we stay at a hotel chain called “Fiesta Inn.” Every one of these hotels has met our expectations and we have been treated very well. They also operate the larger upscale hotels called Fiesta American and have another new business travel chain called “One Hotels.” If anyone is planning travel at all in Mexico, this is a good chain to work with. The prices are very reasonable ($75.00 to $95.00) per night which includes at least one continental breakfast. We say one breakfast because sometimes we get two, sometimes only one…we never know.
Following our visits in Torreon where we attended church and Dad was asked to speak for 10 minutes about two minutes before the meeting began, we returned by car to Monterrey. Tomorrow morning early we will be traveling to Chihuahua by airplane and then we will drive to the Mormon Colonies located north of Chihuahua. These two historical colonies populated by many members of the Church have been in existence since the days of early migration west. Many great leaders in the church have their roots in Colonia Juarez and Colonia Dublan. The Church operates a high school in Colonia Juarez and most of the church members are involved with growing fruits and vegetable as well as cattle operations.
We are looking forward to our visit there with the Dalene’s who are managing the Excellence in Leadership for Youth program. As well, we are excited to be able to visit with John and Ellen Robinson. John was dad’s missionary companion many years ago and Ellen was one of mom’s roommates at BYU. The Robinsons have lived their entire married life in the colonies where John was born and raised. John has been a mission president in Mexico City and is the serving as the President of the Colonia Juarez Temple. We have not see these good friends for many years and look forward to the visit with them as well with the Dalene’s.
Following our work in Chihuahua we will visit the cities of Tijuana, Hermosillo, and Culiacan along the west coast of Mexico. We head back to Mexico City on Thursday; spend Friday getting the washing and ironing done and then we drive to Tampico for meetings on Saturday and Sunday. By the time we get back to the city we hope to have visited all twenty one of our missions prior to the beginning of the first conference in early July.
We want all to know how much we enjoy working with and training these wonderful people. They are so anxious to do the right thing for the right reason. They are dedicated servants of Heavenly Father and we feel so blessed to be able to help were we can to lift them and help them have success experience working with young people.
We send you all our love and very best wishes. Have a great week and we will continue to keep you posted regarding our adventures.
Mom and Dad
Grandma and Grandpa
Dave and Elaine
Elder and Sister Smith
Dear Family and Friends,
We are writing tonight from the beautiful but very warm (95 to 100 degrees each day) city of Monterrey located in Northern Mexico about 150 miles for Laredo, Texas. This is a beautiful industrial city that supplied a large amount of steel to the United States during World War II. The city is surrounded by majestic mountains that are spectacular in view. We took a picture or two from the freeway and we will post them on the bog.
We flew to Monterrey last Thursday and had two very productive meetings with the couples in the two missions here in Monterrey. One of our meetings involved some training for the two couples that have been called to work with Young Single Adults. We were impressed with the great abilities of these couples and their organizational skills. They are all enthused with the chance to serve young people in one way or another. We also met several young women who will be helping with the Young Convention next month. They are on top of their game and we feel so comfortable with their plans and all of the logistics necessary to make the plans work. 250 to 300 people at Sun Valley are no comparison to the logistical problems with housing and taking care of 1,500 teenagers for three days. An exciting program with lots of activities and fun things to do is the answer and we see that happening in each of our visits.
Yesterday we rented a car and drove to the city of Torreon for two meetings we had scheduled there. Torreon is a four hour drive west and north of Monterrey. The drive was spectacular as we crossed very dry desert, drove into a mountain valley where we experience rain both coming and going in the same place and finally arrived in Torreon located in a fertile agricultural area but also a very dry area at this time of year. We saw a lot of well cultivate melon and watermelon fields with plenty of large corn operations along with alfalfa hay and lots of cattle and goats. We were told this arid part of the country does have a good deep well water supply allowing for what we perceived to be an expansive area of intensive agriculture production. All the modern farm equipment we see at home was being used in these production areas.
When we travel we stay at a hotel chain called “Fiesta Inn.” Every one of these hotels has met our expectations and we have been treated very well. They also operate the larger upscale hotels called Fiesta American and have another new business travel chain called “One Hotels.” If anyone is planning travel at all in Mexico, this is a good chain to work with. The prices are very reasonable ($75.00 to $95.00) per night which includes at least one continental breakfast. We say one breakfast because sometimes we get two, sometimes only one…we never know.
Following our visits in Torreon where we attended church and Dad was asked to speak for 10 minutes about two minutes before the meeting began, we returned by car to Monterrey. Tomorrow morning early we will be traveling to Chihuahua by airplane and then we will drive to the Mormon Colonies located north of Chihuahua. These two historical colonies populated by many members of the Church have been in existence since the days of early migration west. Many great leaders in the church have their roots in Colonia Juarez and Colonia Dublan. The Church operates a high school in Colonia Juarez and most of the church members are involved with growing fruits and vegetable as well as cattle operations.
We are looking forward to our visit there with the Dalene’s who are managing the Excellence in Leadership for Youth program. As well, we are excited to be able to visit with John and Ellen Robinson. John was dad’s missionary companion many years ago and Ellen was one of mom’s roommates at BYU. The Robinsons have lived their entire married life in the colonies where John was born and raised. John has been a mission president in Mexico City and is the serving as the President of the Colonia Juarez Temple. We have not see these good friends for many years and look forward to the visit with them as well with the Dalene’s.
Following our work in Chihuahua we will visit the cities of Tijuana, Hermosillo, and Culiacan along the west coast of Mexico. We head back to Mexico City on Thursday; spend Friday getting the washing and ironing done and then we drive to Tampico for meetings on Saturday and Sunday. By the time we get back to the city we hope to have visited all twenty one of our missions prior to the beginning of the first conference in early July.
We want all to know how much we enjoy working with and training these wonderful people. They are so anxious to do the right thing for the right reason. They are dedicated servants of Heavenly Father and we feel so blessed to be able to help were we can to lift them and help them have success experience working with young people.
We send you all our love and very best wishes. Have a great week and we will continue to keep you posted regarding our adventures.
Mom and Dad
Grandma and Grandpa
Dave and Elaine
Elder and Sister Smith
the lastest from Loas
June 28, 2009
Dear Ones,
Another week! The end of another month! It’s hard to believe how fast time is flying by….
This week has been a busy one. In brief: We checked several times on visa progress; still nothing finalized because, after all, our visas don’t expire until Tuesday! We made the final payment to AAR for the wheelchair portion of the project with the National Rehabilitation Center. While we were there, we also visited COPE. It was the first time Elder and Sister Fountaine had been there; it’s always such a touching experience--still, even for us. We met with Dr. Ornella, the neonatalogist in country with WHO. She made us dizzy with statistics, strategies, programs, and problems with mother and child health in Laos. Dr. Ornella is intelligent, impressive, and influential in coordinating much of what goes on in the Ministry of Health in her field. It was enjoyable to experience her passion for her work. We met briefly with the director of the English Language Resource Center, Mr. Khamphan, where the Fountaine’s will be teaching. He seems like a kind, easy-going man, and readily agreed to have classes begin there on July 13--already 30 have signed up to take English classes. We finalized our 1st term program with a very nice graduation ceremony on Friday, followed by lunch at Chanthanom’s family resort. We love these students--many will not return to study with us again--it’s possible we may never see them again--we told them they will always be in our hearts, and they will! Our next term will also begin July 13. Mixed with the above were registering Elder and Sister Fountaine at the U.S. Embassy, trying to get their internet service up and running, a 4th of July picnic meeting, haircuts, a visit to the National Museum, and getting all the Church records updated and prepared for the 3rd quarter. The most frustrating event of the week for Elder Riser was the Church financial report on his own for the first time--took about a day and a half!!! The most satisfying event was completing the preparation of President Khamphee’s family history for temple ordinances. Today there were four visitors from the United States in our Branch meetings, all fluent in Lao; they are here on business. One boy, who was baptized on June 14th, became our only deacon. The second boy will, hopefully, be ordained next week. That’s it--our week in Laos.
Lessons learned and relearned:
People matter. Relationships are important. We are all related--children of the same perfect and perfectly loving Father.
Losing your cool only adds heat to the situation. It doesn’t help anything. Most things can be worked out or worked through given enough time and/or effort.
Love is the most effective element of change. Love is a choice. We choose to give love--we choose to feel love given to us--in direct proportion to our personal purity.
C.S. Lewis said, “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.” (If this is true, every day is a new day, a fresh start in faith and relying on God for all of us.)
Computers are aggravating and amazing. How did we ever live without them?
It is essential to be firm and fixed and focused so we will not be distracted from what is most important.
We are blessed beyond measure. Dozens of things every day remind us of this--but we just received two Liahonas after not getting a new one for 2 months. We relearned what a blessing it is to have the inspiration and “lift” we receive from them and look forward to reading every word. One Liahona is the Conference edition, talks from April General Conference. We are so blessed to have revelation and guidance for our day, for our lives, for our unique situations and challenges in life to read and reread over and over again.
Thank you for your love and support through prayers and letters and the way you are living your lives. We love you!
Dad and Mom
Grandpa and Grandma
Elder and Sister Riser
Dear Ones,
Another week! The end of another month! It’s hard to believe how fast time is flying by….
This week has been a busy one. In brief: We checked several times on visa progress; still nothing finalized because, after all, our visas don’t expire until Tuesday! We made the final payment to AAR for the wheelchair portion of the project with the National Rehabilitation Center. While we were there, we also visited COPE. It was the first time Elder and Sister Fountaine had been there; it’s always such a touching experience--still, even for us. We met with Dr. Ornella, the neonatalogist in country with WHO. She made us dizzy with statistics, strategies, programs, and problems with mother and child health in Laos. Dr. Ornella is intelligent, impressive, and influential in coordinating much of what goes on in the Ministry of Health in her field. It was enjoyable to experience her passion for her work. We met briefly with the director of the English Language Resource Center, Mr. Khamphan, where the Fountaine’s will be teaching. He seems like a kind, easy-going man, and readily agreed to have classes begin there on July 13--already 30 have signed up to take English classes. We finalized our 1st term program with a very nice graduation ceremony on Friday, followed by lunch at Chanthanom’s family resort. We love these students--many will not return to study with us again--it’s possible we may never see them again--we told them they will always be in our hearts, and they will! Our next term will also begin July 13. Mixed with the above were registering Elder and Sister Fountaine at the U.S. Embassy, trying to get their internet service up and running, a 4th of July picnic meeting, haircuts, a visit to the National Museum, and getting all the Church records updated and prepared for the 3rd quarter. The most frustrating event of the week for Elder Riser was the Church financial report on his own for the first time--took about a day and a half!!! The most satisfying event was completing the preparation of President Khamphee’s family history for temple ordinances. Today there were four visitors from the United States in our Branch meetings, all fluent in Lao; they are here on business. One boy, who was baptized on June 14th, became our only deacon. The second boy will, hopefully, be ordained next week. That’s it--our week in Laos.
Lessons learned and relearned:
People matter. Relationships are important. We are all related--children of the same perfect and perfectly loving Father.
Losing your cool only adds heat to the situation. It doesn’t help anything. Most things can be worked out or worked through given enough time and/or effort.
Love is the most effective element of change. Love is a choice. We choose to give love--we choose to feel love given to us--in direct proportion to our personal purity.
C.S. Lewis said, “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.” (If this is true, every day is a new day, a fresh start in faith and relying on God for all of us.)
Computers are aggravating and amazing. How did we ever live without them?
It is essential to be firm and fixed and focused so we will not be distracted from what is most important.
We are blessed beyond measure. Dozens of things every day remind us of this--but we just received two Liahonas after not getting a new one for 2 months. We relearned what a blessing it is to have the inspiration and “lift” we receive from them and look forward to reading every word. One Liahona is the Conference edition, talks from April General Conference. We are so blessed to have revelation and guidance for our day, for our lives, for our unique situations and challenges in life to read and reread over and over again.
Thank you for your love and support through prayers and letters and the way you are living your lives. We love you!
Dad and Mom
Grandpa and Grandma
Elder and Sister Riser
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Burton describes Brigham Young
Dad and maybe Mom are the only people reading this blog who know much about this guy. Richard francis Burton is one of my favorite exlorers. I don't know why more people don't know about him. I've written a little about him meeting Brigham Young before but this is his full account from his book "City of the saints" Here is a little Bit about Burton followed by his description of Brigham Young.
He committed assassinations and other nasty crimes, calming himself with cannabis and opium and coining the term “extrasensory perception” to describe his new sensibilities.Burton proceeded to Arabia and stole into the holy city of Mecca. He went to Europe. He married. In 1857, he set off to find the source of the Nile. He came close, but battles with the African peoples he encountered and a growing rivalry with a fellow explorer botched the mission. He interviewed Brigham Young in Utah. He returned to Africa, paddling his way up and down the Congo and Niger rivers, mapping the inland waterways. He accepted a posting to Brazil and there fell into chronic drunkenness. He moved to Damascus. Finally, in 1890, he died, in Trieste.Through all this, Burton found the time to write a staggering quantity of books—51 of them in all, most of them in several volumes. Fluent in 29 languages, he translated many more books that are now regarded as classics of world literature, including The Arabian Nights and the Kama Sutra. For his troubles, he was awarded another epithet, that of pornographer in an outraged but receptive Victorian England. Immediately after his death, his wife burned his “dirty” manuscripts—and there were mountains of them. It is the one act for which she is now remembered.Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton’s fame as explorer, soldier and man of letters will endure for as long as there are stories to tell and listeners to hear them. In a time of failed empire, endless intrigue and clashing civilizations, his life seems oddly timely—and well worth learning more about.
The conversation, which lasted about an hour, ended by the Prophet asking me the line of my last African exploration, and whether it was the same country traversed by Dr. Livingstone. I replied that it was about ten degrees north of the Zambezi. Mr. A. Carrington rose to point out the place upon a map which hung against the wall, and placed his finger too near the equator, when Mr. Brigham Young said, " A little lower down." There are many educated men in England who could not have corrected the mistake as well: witness the "London Eeview,"in which the gentleman who " does the geography" not having the fear of a certain society in Whitehall Place before his eyes confounds, in all the pomp of criticism upon the said exploration, lakes which are not less than 200 miles apart. When 'conversation began to flag, we rose up, shook hands, as is the custom here, all round, and took leave. The first impres- ; sion left upon my mind by this short seance, and it was subse- } quently confirmed, was, that tJjeJProphet is no common man, and that he has none of the weakness and vanity which characterize the common uncommon man. A desultory conversation can not ' be expected to draw out a master spirit, but a truly distinguished character exercises most often an instinctive some would call it a mesmeric effect upon those who come in contact with it ; and as we hate or despise at first sight, and love or like at first sight, so Nature teaches us at first sight what to respect. It is observable that, although every Gentile writer has represented Mr. Joseph Smith as a heartless impostor, few have ventured to apply the term to Mr. Brigham Young. I also remarked an instance of the veneration shown by his followers, whose affection for him is equaled only by the confidence with which they intrust to him their dearest interests in this world and in the next. After my visit many congratulated me, as would the followers of the Tien Wong, or heavenly King, upon having at last seen what they consider " a per se the most remarkable man in the world.
He committed assassinations and other nasty crimes, calming himself with cannabis and opium and coining the term “extrasensory perception” to describe his new sensibilities.Burton proceeded to Arabia and stole into the holy city of Mecca. He went to Europe. He married. In 1857, he set off to find the source of the Nile. He came close, but battles with the African peoples he encountered and a growing rivalry with a fellow explorer botched the mission. He interviewed Brigham Young in Utah. He returned to Africa, paddling his way up and down the Congo and Niger rivers, mapping the inland waterways. He accepted a posting to Brazil and there fell into chronic drunkenness. He moved to Damascus. Finally, in 1890, he died, in Trieste.Through all this, Burton found the time to write a staggering quantity of books—51 of them in all, most of them in several volumes. Fluent in 29 languages, he translated many more books that are now regarded as classics of world literature, including The Arabian Nights and the Kama Sutra. For his troubles, he was awarded another epithet, that of pornographer in an outraged but receptive Victorian England. Immediately after his death, his wife burned his “dirty” manuscripts—and there were mountains of them. It is the one act for which she is now remembered.Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton’s fame as explorer, soldier and man of letters will endure for as long as there are stories to tell and listeners to hear them. In a time of failed empire, endless intrigue and clashing civilizations, his life seems oddly timely—and well worth learning more about.
The conversation, which lasted about an hour, ended by the Prophet asking me the line of my last African exploration, and whether it was the same country traversed by Dr. Livingstone. I replied that it was about ten degrees north of the Zambezi. Mr. A. Carrington rose to point out the place upon a map which hung against the wall, and placed his finger too near the equator, when Mr. Brigham Young said, " A little lower down." There are many educated men in England who could not have corrected the mistake as well: witness the "London Eeview,"in which the gentleman who " does the geography" not having the fear of a certain society in Whitehall Place before his eyes confounds, in all the pomp of criticism upon the said exploration, lakes which are not less than 200 miles apart. When 'conversation began to flag, we rose up, shook hands, as is the custom here, all round, and took leave. The first impres- ; sion left upon my mind by this short seance, and it was subse- } quently confirmed, was, that tJjeJProphet is no common man, and that he has none of the weakness and vanity which characterize the common uncommon man. A desultory conversation can not ' be expected to draw out a master spirit, but a truly distinguished character exercises most often an instinctive some would call it a mesmeric effect upon those who come in contact with it ; and as we hate or despise at first sight, and love or like at first sight, so Nature teaches us at first sight what to respect. It is observable that, although every Gentile writer has represented Mr. Joseph Smith as a heartless impostor, few have ventured to apply the term to Mr. Brigham Young. I also remarked an instance of the veneration shown by his followers, whose affection for him is equaled only by the confidence with which they intrust to him their dearest interests in this world and in the next. After my visit many congratulated me, as would the followers of the Tien Wong, or heavenly King, upon having at last seen what they consider " a per se the most remarkable man in the world.
Poppies
The field across from our house is just full of oriental poppies. I think they're just gorgeous and love the contrast of the orange and green. They were one of my favorite flowers I grew at the ranch. I just couldn't stand it any longer this year and went and dug me a few up!!! They have a really long tap root so it was a little tricky replanting them. Two died :( but the other 2 are still green so I hope they make it. I don't think I'll get any blooms off them this year but hopefully next.
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