In July 2022, drought, heat, fires (physical, political, social), war, gun violence, inflation, and refugees throughout the world continue to mar and challenge our beautiful world. We pray for relief and resolution.

When I wake up to my happy sunflowers, I am also reminded of my good fortune, while others in Ukraine and elsewhere are faced with unbelievable suffering.

Humanitarian assistance for more than 4 million Syrians living in opposition-held areas appeared in jeopardy Friday, after Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have extended the mission for another year.

When I was teaching, the mother of a student of mine threatened to send her back to Syria if she didn't stop misbehaving. I'm glad the mom didn't carry out her threat!

May we can find peace within our hearts and with family and friends

I enjoyed hosting some of my young interpreter friends from the Missionary Training Center. They interpret lessons and talks from church leaders here and that are broadcast to other training centers and to individual missionaries throughout the world.

         The Provo hills and mountains are peaceful in the evening

              With the heat and lots of water my flowers grow fast

My roommate from my mission in Ecuador, Susy Molina, came to Provo for her grand-daughter Daniella's wedding reception. We hadn't seen each other for 7 years.

I was so happy to have a short visit with my dear friend Susan Johnson in Richmond (2 1/2 hours north of Provo). She is peaceful as she looks forward to the next phase of her life and her reunion with her husband Curtis who passed away a few years ago. On our mission, we spent much time together serving in the Santo Domingo Temple and exploring the beautiful Dominican Republic.

Cache County in northern Utah is beautiful I felt peace as I drove through this rural area

A few days ago we had a thunderstorm and rain that cleared the air and washed my windows!

My daughter Emily and Darcy, her new friend Natalie from Guatemala, and I took a nice walk when it cooled off a bit last evening. Natalie works for a non-profit organization that partners with Emily's husband's company.

Twice a year our temples are closed for two weeks for maintenance, so I attended the Provo City Center Temple (above) and the Mount Timpanogos Temple (below) to perform sacred ordinances for our ancestors.

It was a thrill to see our wonderful friend Marguerite Gong Hancock, Silicon Valley executive, vp of the Computer Museum, featured in the bi-monthly LDS Living magazine. She and her family have been champions in education, international technology, and in the church, and have espoused many humanitarian programs and activities that promote peace. If you would like to read the article, here is the link:

https://www.ldsliving.com/chinese-roots-to-silicon-valley-branches-how-this-executive-is-sharing-her-faith-and-shaping-the-future-of-tech/s/10829

(My daughter Emily de Schweinitz Taylor also has an article in this issue "Confronting Conflict,"promoting peaceful hearts and homes).

The pattern of confronting conflict was taught by our Savior.

This year our Sunday School course of study has been the Old Testament. If you live in or are visiting the Provo area, I highly recommend you visit the BYU art museum.  Until December 31, there is a wonderful exhibit of more than 125 of the 400 small watercolor paintings by James Jacques Tissot (1836-1902), published after his death as an illustrated Bible. This beautiful exhibit is entitled "Prophets, Priests and Queens." The artwork in this exhibition is on loan from the Jewish Museum in New York. Before dedicating himself to biblical illustrations Tissot had a successful career painting society images and portraits. Here is a small sample of OT pictures..

Bible stories help us understand despair, but also redemption 

                               Solomon dedicates the temple

        The saving angel restores Jerusalem after the Assyrian attack

                                                          Job and his 3 friends

     Carrying the Ark of the Covenant to safety across the Jordan River

Prophetess Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron, leads women in dance

The young Joseph's brothers are jealous and plotting against him.

After Joseph's rise to power in Egypt, brothers come for help during the famine and beg for mercy. Joseph forgives them and finally reveals himself to them.

Esau,whose birthright was given to Jacob, forgives and reconciles himself to Jacob

Jacob fell in love with Rachel, but her father tricked her, gave her first to her sister Leah after Jacob spent many years in the service of their father. The 2 sisters and their handmaids gave birth to the 12 tribes of Israel. Life is very often unfair, but I believe God knows what's best.

In addition the the Tissot exhibition, the museum currently has two other special exhibits, secular and religious: 

"European Splendors ) old masters, until 7/31/22 

"Of Souls and Sacraments"

The black dove implied perils facing purity and innocence (usually represented by a white dove) of a young woman in the world.

Holy Family (Mary, Joseph, Jesus with Elizabeth,John the Baptist)

     I love the new cubist art of Argentinian Jorge Cocco Santangelo. So simple compared to the very ornate Renaissance depiction of the Last Supper! I'm sure it wasn't quite like this!

And for Latter Day Saints, we commemorate July 24th, as the vanguard company's trek into the Salt Lake Valley 175 years ago paved the way for Brigham Young, Porter Rockwell, and Heber C. Kimball and the some 70,000 thousand pioneers who would settle in Utah and spread quickly to other areas. I am grateful for their legacy of hard work and faith in continuing the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for the 1000's of missionaries who go throughout the world today and for those who quietly closer to home gather (the lost tribes of) Israel. God loves all his children, wants to see them (all of us) safely home.

                                                   (a 1997 re-enactment)

 Happy July 4th!

The USA is far from perfect, but I am grateful for the freedoms and opportunities I have had and which are the right of all who come to this great country. Let us be the kind of citizens who open our hearts and hands to support and serve and who allow others the agency that God gives to all his children to follow their dreams, too!

July 3rd in the huge BYU Marriott Center, thousands enjoyed patriotic music by the American festival chorus and orchestra, and inspiring messages by several special speakers. Honored guest speaker was Apostle Dieter F. Uchtdorf, born in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, now a US citizen. He counseled us to promote peace through tolerance, unity, forgiveness, Christlike behavior, service and support of others, and to not lose hope and faith.

Among the 8 individuals receiving this year's Freedom Awards for humanitarian service impacting local and international communities, were my daughter-in-law's Brazilian uncle and aunt, Carlos and Vania Martins. With the help of other organizations and businesses and partners, they have been able to relocate some 20,000 Venezuelan refugees in Brazil, finding housing and employment to rebuild their lives.

A highly anticipated Provo July 4th event is the fabulous 30 seven story hot air balloon ascent. Unfortunately, for the first time in 38 years, wind prevented their ascent on the 3 scheduled early mornings.

We and thousands of others did enjoy the parade of horses, wagons, floats, bands, antique cars, military vehicles and veterans.

I was thrilled to see the missionaries, young (above) and senior (below) serving in the Provo mission.

My son Marc, wife Fernanda, and 3 of their kids stayed overnight to watch the parade. The youngest, with her cousin, was in the street hoping to catch candy thrown by paraders.

I just found out that this band wagon was owned by my friend Sue Allen's family in early 1900's!

After the parade our ward (congregation) had a little parade and lunch in our neighborhood. I watched fireworks later with my next door neighbors (the 3 kids in the center...not the littlest one) 

A highlight of my day was to run into (actually I had to run after him speeding down the road in his scooter/wheelchair) my heroic housemate/renter, Mark, in California 16 years ago. He has a rare muscular disease but has shown remarkable courage and optimism.

Along the parade route,the beautiful Provo City Temple sits peacefully in the busy center of Provo. I am grateful that we are allowed the freedom in the USA to worship or to not worship as we choose. Religious freedom must be protected for all people.

Just have to add these wonderful Taylor ladies: Amy Ringer, Colette Taylor, Megan Clawson and Nicole Ricks!

                                      **************

Sunday, July 3, 2022, I returned from a fun cruise on the huge Carnival Panorama from Long Beach, CA, to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. My son Marc and family and I drove from Provo to Long Beach, staying the night both ways in Saint George, Utah. It's a long drive, but except for very slow traffic on the way, it was mostly enjoyable.

Red rocks around Saint George in southern Utah are gorgeous

Covid restrictions (tests and vaccinations were strictly monitored in long lines before boarding, but once aboard, masks not required.

The Panorama had games, exercise equipment, water slides, pools

With grand kids Hannah, Evie, Nick, Simon

   Fernanda's parents, Gil and Sandra Lima, enjoyed the cruise with us first along Baja California and then down to Puerto Vallarta.

From Puerto Vallarta we took an excursion into the mountains past  farms of agave, from which tequila is made, to the small isolated town of San Sebastien del Oeste at the foot of the western Sierra Madre. It was originally a silver mining town of 20,000, but has dwindled to 600. Once home to the very wealthy, it is one of many ordinary small towns, which I find charming.

We thought we were buying ice cream but it was a strange fruit flavor  of shaved ice, recommended as typical by our guide Candelario.

Agave leaves used to make basketry. We looked, but didn't buy.

The old town of Puerto Vallarta is very colorful. Mosaic benches reminded me of Gaudi's in Barcelona, Spain. 

Los Muertos Beach is warm and beautiful.

   Puerto Vallarta 's lovely ornate Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe church

Lots of graffiti (street art). Buildings remind me of Ecuador and DR 

With our harnesses and gear we are ready to be driven into the bush!

Whew! We managed the 12 platforms of the zip line but it was HOT!

     Hot, hungry and thirsty, the typical Mexican lunch was amazing.

     Leaving Mazatlan and the heat for a cooler evening on the ship.

From our last stop in Cabo San Lucas, we took a small boat to enjoy  beach and snorkeling. Spectacular rock formations and clear water!

                                    pelicans and colorful fish

There were several caves used by pirates who had roamed the coasts

        Leaving Cabo for the 1 1/2 day sail back to Long Beach

The waiters entertained us each night with dances. "Showtime"!!!!

    We ate too much and too often, but it was free and delicious!!

I shared a room on the lowest deck with my two grand-daughters

We enjoyed the shows, comedy hours, and (for some,dancing)

My sister Irene, brother in law Mike and niece Lisa and son Cade met us at Huntington Beach. Ah, the beautiful California beaches again!

Then we made our long trip (about 10 hours if we hadn't stopped) back to Utah. The hills are still green, the fields golden, brown and green when cultivated. Easy in a car, but not in a wagon like the pioneers sent to settle here years ago.  

 And we were home in time for most of the July Fourth activities! I'm grateful to travel to new places, but grateful for home.