Helping with the dishes

Today Saki accepted a calling as deacon adviser and assistant scout master and I accepted a calling as a primary helper!





As you can see here Mere is interested in everything and likes to climb onto things regardless of the chance of falling. . .

If ye do it unto the least of these...

One thing Saki and I share is a desire and joy in helping people. We are always happy when we can be of help to family, friends or strangers! I am a bit shy as far as reaching out to people, and I'm sad I'm not much of a phone person like Saki is, but I am always so happy when I find out there is something I can do for someone. I love people so much and since I was young I've had a soft spot for those who suffer which is why I chose social work as a major. I loved working and doing my internship at Utah State Mental Hospital and getting to know so many extraordinary people there. . .

I was always interested in serving a humanitarian mission and I am so grateful for a church that teaches of our obligation to bless the lives of all of our brothers and sisters. A lot of people have no idea how much the church does in other countries and in our own country. It is so important to live what we believe and to act on a personal level to someone we meet on the street as well as on a grand scale!

• The Church provides relief & development projects for humanitarian purposes in countries all over the world without regard to the nationality or religion of the recipients.
• Humanitarian service may include emergency response to natural disasters, such as an earthquake or a tsunami, or man-made disasters, such as the effects of war and famine. It may also be part of a longer-term effort to meet serious and more entrenched human needs, such as the need to alleviate disease.
• Within hours of a disaster, the Church works with local government officials to determine what supplies and food are needed. Materials are then immediately sent to the area.
• After urgent needs are met, the Church looks for additional ways to help with the long-term needs of the community. The Church’s approach is to help people become self-reliant by teaching skills and providing resources for a self-sustained life.
• Donations, principally from Church members but also from people around the world, are used to make relief projects possible.100% of donations given to the Church’s humanitarian services are used for relief efforts. The Church absorbs its own overhead costs.If you've worked in the field of social services you will recognize how AMAZING and unusual this is for the best of organizations!
  
• The church sponsors five ongoing global projects to help people become more self-reliant; including neonatal resuscitation training, clean water projects, wheelchair distribution, vision treatment and measles vaccinations.

Saki enjoys watching news in fiji (and sometimes the US, smile...) online and we've enjoyed looking at this website where the above info is taken from http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/

Mere says thank you to Monique and Tai and Talei for her cute outfit and purple hippo!



for Robert--the chocolate chip that wished it was a snail.......

Swinging in Sweden (we wish)

Here's Mere with her Dalahast (dala horse) onsie from her three Swedish cousins :) From what I gather the dala hores was first a child's toy and has grown into the symbol of Sweden--any of my family have more details?


self feeding is great for mom, but it can get messy



This month Saki and I have taken Mere to swing in the park a handful of times, she likes it, but gets a funny look if she goes too high. I think she isn't quite sure what to think and I look forward to her running all over the park. I finally got around to decorating Mere's room a bit, it's her room slash the guest room, slash my sewing room and storage room-I'm not a big pink fan, but that's what we had on hand...

Testimony

For Family Home Evening Saki and I had a lesson from Ballard's talk about sharing the gospel using the internet; we decided we would like to do a better job on our blog with sharing our beliefs and joy in the gospel and that we would start by sharing a bit of our testimonies:

Eliz

I would like to let all my family and friends know how grateful I am to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that this is the church that Jesus Christ restored to the earth through Joseph Smith and the same gospel that has been around since before Adam and Eve. It is the same church He organized during His earthly ministry with apostles and prophets. I know we are each children of Heavenly Parents and that the principles we are taught in church are true principles that bring joy and peace when they are followed. 

I have a particular testimony that the Lord hears and answers all of our prayers. We knew we were supposed to live in Vernal, and looking back we see how we were able to be blessed and to bless the lives of others there. We felt the same answer of peace about our move to Calipatria, CA. Being able to pray and receive answers is such a strength when one has a decision that will be of lasting importance!

     I am so grateful that families can be together throughout eternity rather than this life only by being sealed in the temple for all time and all eternity and living righteously. Saki and I are so grateful we were able to be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity and that this sealing extends to all of our children. It is so wonderful to be part of a church who through the revelation to a prophet gives guidance to us and our children applying specifically to the challenges of our day.

     I also have a testimony of the importance of marriage between a man and a woman and each family member's role as it states in "The Proclamation on the Family" Here in California we are working with other churches to emphasize the importance of voting yes on Proposition 8. 

     To close I would like to express my love towards my parents who taught me so much and my brothers who I admire, and my sister in law who I have enjoyed getting to know. I am appreciative of the friendship of many who bring joy to Saki and my life by sharing our joys and sorrows and I hope you all know that you frequent our prayers. 

Saki

Dear family and friends as you have seen, Liz and I felt the importance of sharing our thoughts and feelings of our belief with this medium.  Whereupon, we encouraged  you that you do likewise.  What a great opportunity for us to communicate in such a way and learn about our weekly activities as well as some highlights of the family.  We are grateful for your love and support to us, we can't ask for more.  To hear about your success and strengths has given us hope to move forward, and overcome our own challenges.  We are happy that you all enjoying life to its capacity.  I am reminded of what the Savior said, "If ye are not one ye are not mine".  May we feel the love of our elder brother Jesus Christ and follow his examples, this gospel is true and brings eternal happiness to families.  For those of you not of our faith we thank you for your friendship and hope only to share with you the things that bring us joy.  Till then, God Speed!!

Robert and Camille

My brother Robert and his wife Camille came by this weekend-Robert has one more week of internship and they are going back to Washington for him to finish school-they're spending one week in Utah with Camille's family. We are going to miss them!!! Camille is expecting twins and we are so thrilled!!! So any one with advice/experience is welcome to comment :) 

We enjoyed our labor day weekend, as Saki's work has been slow they had no jobs and he stayed home with me and Meresiana cleaning and relaxing.