Visit to family in Araraquara

This man in the middle is Jalal Samaha. I arrived in Araraquara as a brand new senior companion just in time to participate in the confirmation of Jalal and Maria as new members of the Church. They had two small girls of about one and a half and three years old. We are standing in front of a chapel built on the plot where the old home stood that we used as a meeting house in 1962-63.

This is Jalal and Maria's grandson, Leandro Gritte. He is about 15 years old and is the 2nd son of Erika Samaha Gritte. He gets up at 6:30 am each mornng, showers, gets dressed, has breakfast and catches a city bus. He makes one transfer to get to his high school. After his high school classes are over, he gets on another bus and goes to a trade school where he is learning about electronics. He has dinner somewhere along the way and then goes to seminary in the evening. He usually arrives home between 8:00 and 8:30 pm. He tries to get in a few hours of home work before going to bed.

This view is looking from the street, Voluntários da Patria, at the chapel through the main gate. Jalal uses a cane after suffering a very serious motor cycle accident several years ago. After 47 years of faithful membership in the Church the whole family are still going strong. One of Jalal's sons-in law is the bishop of this ward.

On the left stands Jerry as I take her picture from the beautiful park that I remember so well as a young, struggling senior companion. The park or "Praça" takes up an entire city block and has dozens of old trees that where huge when I worked here as a missionary nearly 50 years ago.

This veiw looks at the park accross the street from where the picture above was taken. I remember looking accross the street from this very spot seeing this street as a veritable river during a particullay heavy thunderstorm. The cobblestones were covered with swift moving water that was threatening to flood the park and our chapel, but the rain stopped almost as fast as it had started and the water was soon drained off from the street.

There was room for only a few cars to be parked in the back of the church.

Most of the members' cars were parked on the streets surrounding the chapel.

As we were about to leave the chapel after the meeting two diligent members welcomed me and asked me if we were going to work in their ward. They expressed their disappointment when I told them we were only visiting.

This is the kitchen of the Gritte family who had graciouly invited us to a big dinner in their home after church. Sister Gritte and her daughter are busy getting things ready as her second son comes in to see if he can get a sample of one or two of the dishes. I don't think he was successful.

Jalal and Maria on the right, Jerry standing next to Bishop Gritte, and Jalal's brother in the blue shirt. He has had the lessons many times but is not a member...yet. The two girls in the front are cousins.
The Samahas and the Christophersons

Sunday night we had a late dinner back in Maria's home. She comes from an Italian home. Her grandmother and mother taught her to cook Italian dishes. After marrying Jalal she learn to cook Lebonese cusine. Over the years of their marriage they have blended their favorite dishes from the two different cultures into an interesting mix.

They were so gracious and kind to us that we were almost overcome with joy. How wonderful it was to spend time in the city and with the people where my testimony grew and where I learned how to be a missionary. By comparison, the missionaries that are training in the MTCs of the world today are much better prepared to be powerful and effective missionaires than I was.

visitors from the U.S.A.

We were treated by a visit from Mike and Christine (Vernon's nephew). Christine served a mission in Brazil four babies ago.

Mike was hoping to go to a Soccer game but this was the best we could do. There was not a single professional game scheduled for the week that they were here. We enjoyed watching these young and old men play in our favorite park.

Christine on the rocks. It was a perfect day. Actually it was a perfect week the President told us to take extra p-days especially because we did not receive any American missionaries the week they came. Actually we have gone three weeks now without receiving any missionaries . . . visa problems. The first American missionaries we anticipate getting will not be until first week in December. Our numbers are really low. In two weeks we will be down to 12 American missionaries.

October and November is when alot of my favorite flowers start to bloom.

I love these blue flowers. We have a lot of them around the MTC, but these were in the park.

I can't resist a picture of the ducks

I believe Brazil has been good for our health.

another birthday in Brazil

We went back to the Dutch town of Holambra for the Floral Festival (Expoflora). It was just like a state fair. Grandpa/Vernon always liked to go to the Utah State Fair on his birthday.

These cars were all in mint condition. There isn't much that Grandpa/Vernon enjoys more than cars.

Outside of the big display area where the cars were, we saw these big beautiful planters. An older gentelman asked us if we would like him to take our picture together. So many of the people here are exceptionally friendly and anxious to help you, however they can.

There were hundreds of little booths selling their wares. One of the most amazing things that we observed was that no one was smoking.

People from Holland settled this area and so you see the dutch influence in the archetecture throughout the town.

There were children dressed in traditional dutch costumes and wooden shoes performing throughout the festival.

Bands were playing and marching along the sidewalks. These dutch dancers were on stilts.

There was a huge warehouse just filled with table after table of plants and flowers that you could buy.

There were orchards of every size and shape.

Bright brilliant colors filled the whole warehouse.

Plants like these, that we would normally only be able to grow indoors, thrive everywhere in and outdoors in Brazil.

All the walkways throughout the festival were decorated with these beautiful gardens.

When we left Sao Paulo the skies were cloudy and threatening rain. But the closer we got to Holambra the clearer the skies were and the day turned out to be perfect.

Some of these plants are just breath-takingly beautiful.

Some of these plants were huge.

I think I miss our grandchildren the most and so I could not resist capturing this terrific play area. Many of the displays were open for you to experience rather than just look at.

This jungle gym was set up by a company that was marketing their outdoor living designs.

We walked through a large building that had hundreds of floral designs for special occations from Weddings to Haloween.

We almost left before going into this building and were so trilled that we found it.

Each display was different and so fun and visually exciting. I have found that Brazilians love to celebrate and decorate.

This was one of my favorites. I love all the different patterns , the colors and especially the lighting.

It was almost overwelming there were so many displays one after another.

The festival was more than just an exposure to the Flemish culture. You see and feel the influence of India and Africa that has mixed together to create the vibrant culture that I have come to love here in Brazil.

This display was a surprize. All of a suddened you felt like you had stepped into the American South West. I hear that cactus are actually becoming a indangered species and have become very popular throughout the world.

These simple little nooks were some of the most dramatic floral displays.

Besides the indoor displays there were outside living displays; many of which you could walk right into.

This one was especially inviting.

I wanted to remember how they set up the hammock in this display.
In Brasil you see tile used everywhere, indoors and outdoors.

We were invited to sit right down in this display and have our picture taken with the Halls. (He's the MTC physician)

The ground is covered, in this display, with tiny white stones and the picture on the wall is actually alive. Many little plants inbedded in moss are held inplace behind a wire mesh.

Just like the artist who will sketch your portrait at the Utah State Fair, this fellow was trying to get someone to let him sketch them. (For a price of course)

Many of the Ameican missionaries that work at the Brazilian Church Headquaters in São Paulo (A Associação) came to this Expo on Saturday and said that it was extremely crowded. We went the day before (Friday) and didn't find it too crowded at all.

There were several hundred young people in Dutch costumes everywhere you looked.

This was one of the most enjoyable outings we have taken. We just keep finding things to do and places to go that are so pleasant and enjoyable. "Um forte abraço a todos" A big Brazilian hug to all of you.