Friday, October 31, 2014

 Happy Halloween!

Jamir with "El Luchador" and my happy pumpkin.
And one that Mom sent. I think the dalmatian costume Timothy is wearing was passed down to everyone.
1991

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Feliz Cumple Jamirito!

Jamir's birthday was on Saturday. He turned 26, so here are 26 things I love about him!

1. He supports me in whatever I want to do
2. He runs with me
3. He works hard to provide
4. He introduces me to new things and places
5. He helps me learn Spanish
6. He is always striving to be a better person
7. He loves helping and serving people
8. He loves the gospel
9. He washes the dishes when I feel too tired
10. He says he will get me a cat (when we get a house :) even though he hates them
11. He forces me to learn new technology
12. He is a good listener
13. He is the goofiest person when no one is around
14. He loves Batman and wants to save Gotham...I mean Mexico
15. He loves the young men and they love him
16. He loves the outdoors, rock climbing, anything extreme.
17. He encourages me to play more music, do more art and increase my talents
18. He values education and will get more
19. He loves to play with kids (and it is so cute)
20. He knows how to cheer me up when I feel down
21. He is always the optimistic one
22. He is calm when we have emergencies
23. He leads our family in scripture study and prayer
24. He makes awesome enchiladas and salsa
25. He is thrifty like me
26. He is my best friend!


Jamir's family came to visit. Unfortunately, the weather was horrible. The worst is has been so far and a lot of things we wanted to do we weren't able to, but we still were able to open presents, have cake and enjoy some family time.
The cake. It was fun to make.




Some birthday pizza

Jamir was so cute helping Oliver play Uno

Monday, October 20, 2014

Me Encanta Ver el Templo

Amy
I  have been thinking a lot about the blessings of the temple lately and felt I should share my testimony of them. It is the thing I feel most strongly about in the church. 
First, I am so happy to have the opportunity to be sealed to Jamir for eternity. I know it affects our marriage in a good way and makes us speak kinder, perform service, and think eternally.
 Second, I don't know how many times I have felt like Heavenly Father wasn't listening to me only to feel his spirit in the temple. He is always there, I just need to seek him. It is where I can build a stronger relationship with him. 
Third, and most importantly to me, I know that all the promised blessings in the temple will be fulfilled. I do not need to feel anxious. I don't need to feel worry because I know that all will be made right. All that is unfair, and wrong with the world will eventually go away and be made right. I know this because I have made covenants in the temple and God keeps his promises. 
It is the one place I can feel absolute peace. I can feel that all the worry of life melts away. I can sit with Jamir and think about eternity. I cannot take this lightly! I am so grateful to have this amazing knowledge and complete happiness. The temple is a precious and pure and a privilege to have on this earth. I know going to the temple strengthens me and changes how I think for better. I know these things to be true.

Jamir
The first time I can think of visiting the temple grounds was when I was just a little boy. My parents took all the family to the Mexico City Temple on a Sunday afternoon. We went to the visitors center and saw a animated movie of the scriptures. When I turned 12, I had the opportunity almost every month to go inside the temple with the youth of my church and do baptisms. Before going on my mission I got my endowment, (sacred covenants and promises with God), in the Hermosillo, Mexico temple. Keeping those covenants and promises have brought guidance, inspiration and happiness to my life. Amy and I got married in the Salt Lake City temple. This time we as a couple made covenants and promises with each other and with God and got married and sealed for all the eternity. 
Every time I go to the temple I am reminded of the covenants and promises I have made with God. It is an opportunity to evaluate my life and recommit myself to make changes for the better. Every time I go to the temple I forget about my problems and the trivialities of live and ponder of the things that are eternal and matter most. Every time I go to the temple I feel faith, hope, humility, peace, serenity and thankfulness. The temple helps me become a better person, husband and friend.

Amy
He pensado mucho en las bendiciones del templo últimamente y sentí compartir mi testimonio acerca de estas cosas. El templo es de lo que estoy mas segura en la iglesia.
Primeramente, estoy feliz por tener la oportunidad de estar casada por tiempo y eternidad con Jamir. Se que esto tiene un efecto positivo en nuestro matrimonio, nos hace hablar mas amablemente, servirnos el uno al otro y  pensar en lo eterno.
Segundo, no se cuantas veces he sentido que Dios no me ha escuchado para ir a descubrir su espíritu en el templo. El siempre esta allí, solo tengo que ir a buscarlo. En el templo es donde puedo formar una relación mas fuerte con El.
Tercero, y lo mas importante para mi, se que todas las promesas que se nos dan el templo se cumplirán. No tengo necesidad de tener ansias o preocupaciones por que se que todo va a estar bien. Todo lo que es injusto e incorrecto en el mundo eventualmente se arreglara. Lo se por que he hecho convenios con Dios en el templo y el cumple sus promesas. 
El templo es el único lugar en donde siento paz absoluta. Puedo sentir que mis preocupaciones se van. Puedo sentarme con Jamir y pensar en la eternidad. No puedo dejar de apreciar el templo! Estoy muy agradecida por tener este conocimiento y gran felicidad. El templo es un precioso y puro privilegio tener en este mundo. Ir al templo me fortalece, cambia mi forma de pensar para bien. 

Jamir
La primera vez que recuerdo ir al templo es de pequeño cuando mis padres llevaron  toda la familia al centro de visitantes en el templo de la ciudad de México. En esa ocacion vimos una película de dibujos animados de las escrituras. Cuando cumplí 12 años tuve la oportunidad de casi cada mes entrar al templo con mis amigos en la iglesia a hacer bautismos. 
Antes de ir a mi misión me tome la investidura, esto es hacer promesas y convenios con Dios, en templo de la ciudad de Hermosillo. El cumplir con esas promesas y convenios ha dado guía, inspiración y felicidad a mi vida. Amy y yo nos casamos en templo de Lago Salado en Utah, esta vez Amy yo, juntos nos hizimos promesas y convenios en uno con el otro y con Dios y nos casamos por tiempo y por toda la eternidad.
Cada vez que voy al templo me acuerdo de las promesas y convenios que he hecho con Dios, es una oportunidad para evaluar mi vida y re-comprometerme a hacer cambios en mi vida para el bien. Cada vez que voy al templo se me olvidan mis problemas y las trivialidades de la vida y medito en las cosas que son eternas y de mas importancia. Cada vez que voy al templo me siento lleno de fe, esperanza, humildad, paz, serenidad y agradecimiento. El templo me ayuda a ser una mejor persona, esposo y amigo.



Saturday, October 18, 2014

Learning from Abuelita

We woke up early after the wedding to fly back to Hermosillo for a day before heading back to Oregon. We were able to spend some time recording stories from Jamir's grandma like we did with Grandma B. I didn't understand everything, but what I did learn was how the church can really change someone's life. One of the questions was "What is the best time in your life and the worst," and she said the worst was before she joined the church and the best was after. She grew up in a town with grim prospects, with little education only to change her circumstances and influence her children for the better. She is truly a pioneer. She lives across from the temple and talked about how she loves serving in it and it is her light.

Goodbye pretty mountains of Monterrey.
Hermosillo Temple

Cooking with Abuelita

Fresh tortillas. Wish I could make them.

On the drive back. Sadly, it rained all day.
This was probably the best trip we have made together to Mexico. I think being able to communicate more in Spanish has helped a lot. We saw amazing things, spent time with family and its always good to have a change in perspective when visiting a new place.

Friday, October 17, 2014

La Boda

This was my first time attending a fancy Mexican wedding. It was fun for me to pretend I was at prom and get to go with my best friend :) We had to get ready really fast before heading over for some pictures. It was so fancy. They had servers to a three course meal, a live band, photo booth, fancy flowers, decorations...it was quite the event. We had fun dancing and being goofy with Jamir's family. We only stayed until 2 am, but the wedding was supposed to go to 4 complete with pozole and chilaquiles for breakfast.

Photo booth. Such a cute idea.

Sandy, the bride, with Sarahi 


The padres

Israel being goofy

They had these cute signs everywhere.

They gave out flip flops to not kill the feet while dancing. I lasted about 10 mins before I put mine on.

Fun night.

El Ultimo Dia

The last day of Monterrey we did all the things we ran out of time for on the first two days. We were really tired from staying up waiting for the mariachi, but headed out early so we could see the temple. It was beautiful, set against the backdrop of green mountains. It's crazy because it is right off the freeway, but once you get on the grounds, it is peaceful again. 
Jamir's old house was close so we visited the area. He told me stories of when he would walk down the street to the little tienda to get cookies and candy for a couple of pesos. He and Israel would work really hard so they could get some extra money and then they would gather all of their goodies and have a "noche de excesos." Its fun for me to imagine a little Jamir and his friend being so excited about their candy after working all day.

Later we met up with the padres. I didn't bring a fancy enough dress, so Papa Lopez was really generous and bought me one. We shopped around the malls by our motel and then ate some cabrito (goat) for lunch. It was really good! It tastes like lamb. We then finished with some museums we missed and headed back to the motel to get ready for the wedding.


Bird of Paradise. 



Made a friend at one of the houses.
Jamir's old house. It used to be pink.
The little store. We bought some cookies just for fun.
At the dress shop. We ran into another cousin randomly.
Poor cabritos.
The restaurant was really cool. We are red because of the neon light. 
Pretty chapel across from our motel.
History museum. The guy in the back making sure we don't touch :)
I wish it wasn't so blurry. We had to use a phone because we forgot the camera in the motel.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Obispado

The last attraction of the day was heading to the Obispado lookout. It was beautiful up there. You can see the whole city and it was the end of the day, so the sun was going down and made everything look a hazy yellow. 

Later we met the cousins again for carne asada. Jamir and Israel took me to the park where they would play, and reminisced telling stories of their boyhood. Each Christmas Jamir's family would head to Monterrey to spend it with the cousins. We stayed up at Tia Laura's house waiting for the mariachi. It is tradition that the groom brings a mariachi band to play outside the bride's house the night before the wedding (Jamir's cousin, Sandy, was getting married). It was midnight when they showed up and we listened to some music.

Tiny streets makes for limited driving space.


The saddle mountain better view. Can you see the shape of the saddle? Its the small crevice.


The lookout complete with carousel.




Las Grutas de Garcia

After wandering Santiago, we ventured more north to the Caves of Garcia. Traffic was horrible. Luckily, we had a GPS and were able to navigate. People park in traffic lanes, don't use blinkers, or obey lights. It is quite the experience, but Jamir is very good at driving in it all.

We made it to the caves and they were awesome! This side has more rocky mountains and cactus. We took a cable car up the side of the mountain. The caves themselves were huge! Way bigger than the ones in American Fork. They were discovered by a Catholic priest so a lot of the formations are very religious based. It was so interesting.

Up the cable car.



Check out the staircases. It was very tall.


Christmas tree formation. In Utah they wouldn't let you touch the walls. Here they drape lights over them.

Deepest part of the caves. We got a special tour. 










The mano (hand). Something about reaching to God.