We had the best weekend with a family trip to the Recife temple. It is a 3 hour trip from where we live and we packed up and went to stay at the temple lodging on Friday night. Just entering the gates I felt such a safe peaceful feeling. Maile was so excited and it was so beautiful all lit up with the manger scene. The rooms reminded me so much of the Brazilian MTC! It was so nice to spend the whole day there Saturday and I admired the members that come spend a weekend and do back to back sessions all day long. I'm so grateful for the blessings the temple brings and to be remembered of how real and special the Gospel is. On the way home Maile sang, "I love to see the temple" mixed in Portuguese and English and I smiled and thought of how happy I am that she can already feel that the temple is a special place.
I couldn't but help to think the sacrifice members make to journey far to the temple and how I've always had the convenience in Salt Lake to go to many different ones within 30 minutes of me. I remember Lee's parents telling me of when the only temple in Brazil was in Sao Paulo and they packed up their 6 little kids in the car and made the 3 day journey. Wow.
We are so blessed!
Let me just say that the journey is quite an experience in itself! A small two lane road with pot holes and lots of big trucks passing so close to us. Let's just say I'm glad Lee is such a good driver and patient with all my shrieks and shrills. :)
I have to admit I loved the scenery- it reminded me of my mission so much. All the little houses on top of each other and little towns like this.
What I didn't catch on camera: The little fruit stands on the side of the road, and bus stops made out of bamboo and dried palm tree leaves. The horses bathing in a lake, all the animals grazing in the fields, sugarcane burning in fields so they can make alcohol, little colored houses up in the hills that make me wonder who lives there! I wish we could've slowed down for each thing- it is so picturesque here!
Of course I had to take a picture and remember how weird the graveyards are here! All above ground, covered with saint statues and on top of each other.
Como eu sou grata que podemos ser uma familia eterna!