Letter from Blake

Dear grandma,

I need to ask you some questions for scouts.

What was life like when you were growing up?

What did you like to play when you were a child?

How did you do in school?  Did you like school?

Hope your mission is going good.  I miss you!

Love,

Blake

My Dearest Blake

I am so glad that you are involved in Scouts.  It teaches so many good things. Now for the answers to your questions:

When I grew up there were absolutely no electronics.  Our television was screen was about the size of an iPad, though the cabinet was the size of a large dresser, and it was in Black and White.  Walt Disneys "Wonderful World of Color was the first TV show that used color and it was very exciting.  Our telephone had a rotary dial (you put y our finger in the hole of the number you wanted and pushed it around in a circle - then the next number.  Also we had a "party line" which meant that my brother and I could listen in on other people's conversations though we did not know who the people were.  One of my favorite activities as a child was roller skating.  Not at a rink with shoe skates, but on the sidewalks around the block my house was on.  The skates had a "key" which fit into a rod that tightened the clamps that held the skates on to your shoes.  The skates had four wheels.  I skated around the blocks near my house for hours, only coming home for meals.  I knew every crack and raised concrete sidewalk on my block and how to avoid the ones that would make me fall.  Also there was an alley behind our garage.  An alley is a kind of road that goes between the backs of the houses on the block.  That is where the garbage truck came to pick up our garbage.  Anyway there was a small plot of dirt there where my brother and I used to dig and makes roads and tunnels with some of the neighbor kids.  Sometimes we would play kick ball in the street.  The manhole cover was home plate, a tree was first base another manhole cover was second and a fire hydrant was third.  We used a rubber ball and the pitcher rolled it to home plate and you kicked it as hard as you could then ran.

I liked school but it was very hard for me because I was so shy.  I still am shy but I know that being shy keeps you from doing things that you want to do so I try to be brave.  Being shy also makes you a target for bully's.  Bullying isn't a new thing it was around when I was a kid too.  I was a pretty good student.  I remember having a lot of trouble with multiplication tables and fractions but got through them finally.  I always did better with creative things like art and writing stories.  Some of my stories were good enough that some of the kids accused me of copying them from a book.  I never did!  Because of my parents many problems I spent a lot of time alone and was a lonely child.  I had a couple of good friends that lived nearby but children at that time did not spend as much time with friends as they do now. I am very grateful that my children have turned out to be such good parents.  My grandchildren are very lucky to have such good parents.  All different but all good.  Well, that should more than answer your questions - always remember I love you. Gramma Kathee

Our Area

Beautiful Cobblestones

 I took some pictures of the cobblestones for you.  These are all layed by hand.  The worker has a small pick with a flat end on one end and he cuts each stone to fit the pattern or space.  These are not all old.  many of them have been re done while we have been here.  This craft is not lost.  All over Portugal the sidewalks and plazas and walkways have beautiful designs .  All the side walks in Loule have designs in them except for the narrow 1ft to 18 inch sidewalks.  Mellonee asked my why they don´t have weeds growing in them and I wondered that too but I found out they regularly spray them and have seen a few places on the outskirts of town where there have been a few weeds.  Anyway I thought you would enjoy these photos.  

Miguel

We have had some wonderful spiritual experiences during our time here.  Let me tell you about Miguel. He is a member but had a relationship with a young woman, Suzette, who became pregnant. he was drinking quite heavily at the time and she refused to marry him and left to Lisbon to have her baby.  She listened to the missionary lessons and became a member of the church.  She wanted Yara, her daughter, to have a relationship with her father so she came back to Loule and got a job here.  Miguel took the *cure* before she returned at a local hospital.  Which is basically getting dried out and having some counselling.  He became active again and after a bit received his full priesthood blessings again.  he thought that they would get married  but Suzette wasn´t convinced of his committment to not drinking and refused.  They had some trouble  others got involved and Miguel began drinking again.  At the beginning We visited him in his apartment and talked to him and helped him make the decision to get dry.  We visited him again this time and he was more committed but it was very hard.  He was shaky and craving alcohol.  He had a rough time.  We got him back to the hospital and they dryed him out again.  This time he went to the library and found a copy of the Book of Mormon.  He told us it was his rock.  He had never read the whole thing before.  He spent all his free time reading this book and grew to love it.  It gave him peace and strength to overcome a great trial. We have been meeting with him often and giving him gospel lessons and helping him any way we can.  He is currently out of work but we are hoping that soon he will have work again.  When he gets the alcohol totally under control he will stop smoking.  The branch President has offered him a calling as soon as he gets this under control.  People here so desire to have a calling. Everyone does not have one.  We are so lucky to have met Miguel and if he were the only reason we came here it was so worth it. Have a blessed week and be thankful for your blessings.  Please continue to pray for my cousin Sues daughter Susann.  She has had some setbacks and is still in danger.  Thanks MOM

Bryson and Kelsey

So, we were fortunate enough to have Bryson and his girlfriend Kelsey come to stay with us this week and we took a little time off to tour with them. We drove over to Seville and rode a horse drawn carriage through the city to get an overview of all the magnificent architecture and beautiful gardens.  Seville used to be the capitol of Spain so it had much grandeur.  While we were at the castle which is now a overnment building Bryson took the opportunity to propose to Kelsey on a beautiful porcelan covered bridge with the palace in the back ground.  He had given us a heads up so we got lots and lots of pictures.  We have always had a wonderful connection to Bryson and are so grateful that he let us be a part of this exciting moment.  Oh and by the way she said yes!  She is a darling girl and we feel like we have known and loved her forever.  I know Mellonee and Daren are excited to have her as a Bonus daughter as well. While they were here we went to Faro for General Conference and they got to meet lots of the missionaries and also some of the members.  Bryson looked across the room and recognized one of the Sister Missionaries from home.  He had even been in her home as her sisters home teacher. For me General Conference is always a strengthening event.  There was one talk that spoke to me personally and I will be working onthat for the next six months until we have another conference.  Just so you know, I love the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It makes my life beautiful here (not always easy) and it will lead to most wonderful things in the future.  Bending our will to the Lords is hard because only he can see the future.  But after he gave us so much it is the best thing we can do to show our love for him.  I love you all Sister Roberts