Week 27 from Mexico

28 February 20
¡Hola! ¿Que tal? Hello! How's it going? Or How are things?

This week started out with a good-bye party for the Shaklee's. We are so sad to see them go.  We have so enjoyed their friendship.  We also celebrated Lynn's birthday, which was on Tuesday.  They sang Happy Birthday to him with both the traditional US song and with the traditional Mexican song Las Mañanitas.  Then, Lynn sang his traditional birthday song for them. (Happy Birthday, huh. Happy Birthday, huh. There is sadness in the air, people dying everywhere, but Happy Birthday, huh). A bit morbid but they thought it was funny and it wouldn't be Lynn's birthday without it.  This is a version that comes from when Lynn was teaching school. At the last school he taught at one of the other 3rd grade teachers also had a birthday on the same day and every year she would have her class go across the hall and sing the song to Lynn and his class.  After we got home from the party and I got on the computer we had a message from our son, Jarom and his family, on our SKYPE phone with the grandkids singing the song for him.  It was so cute. We really loved it.  I'm going to attach the two recordings so you can hear it. I'm also going to attach a recording of the “Las Mañanitas” song so you can hear what the Mexicans sing for birthday.  I'll put the words at the end of the letter.

On Thursday, the night before the Shaklee's were leaving, they brought Ricardo and Maricarmen Villalonga, their landlords, for a visit at the temple.  They aren't members bu they could go into the foyer and waiting area and see a little of the temple.  The Halls were on shift so they talked to them about the temple and why we have temples. I was able to also visit with them for a few minutes.  They are such wonderful people and we've enjoyed getting to know them through the Shaklee's and the Spencer's. She's the one who taught, or at least tried to teach us, how to make tamales and he cooks the best steaks in the world.

Friday night was another through-the-night temple visit by one of the stakes. They had a good group of youth to do baptisms besides the adults to do several endowment sessions and to do inititories.  They have three stakes scheduled for next month. These all night visits are becoming quite popular and well attended.  President Hall said that we had over 15,000 ordinances performed on Saturday, including the Friday all-night sessions.

Well, I guess that's it for now.  This next week we will be preparing for our trip to Utah for our daughters wedding on March 12th.  We will be leaving here very early Monday morning, March 8th. It will be so good to see all the family and friends.

Hasta luego.

Love, Elder & Hermana Nelson (aka Lynn & JaAnna, Dad & Mom, Grandpa & Grandma)

Las Mañanitas    The Birthday Song

Estas son las mañanitas,  que cantaba el rey David.
Hoy por ser día de tu santo, te las cantamos a ti.
[This is the morning song that King David sang
Because today is your saint's day we're singing it for you]

Despierta, mi bien*, despierta; mira que ya amaneció.
Ya los pajaritos cantan; la luna ya se metió.
[Wake up, my dear*, wake up, look it is already dawn
The birds are already singing and the moon has set]

Que linda est las mañana en que vengo a saludarte;
venimos todos con gusto y plazer a felicitarte.
[How lovely is the morning in which I come to greet you
We all came with joy and pleasure to congratulate you]

El dia en que tu naciste Nacieron todas las flores
En la fila del bautizmo cantaron los Ruiceores
[The day you were born all the flowers were born
On the baptismal font the nightingales sang]

Ya viene amaneciendo Ya la luz del día nos dio
Levántate de mañana mira que ya amaneció
[The morning is coming now, the sun is giving us its light
Get up in the morning, look it is already dawn]

Si yo pudiera bajarte las estrellas y un lucero
para poder demostrarte lo mucho que yo te quiero
[Yes, I will bring down the stars and light
for to show how much that I love you.]

Con jazmines y flores Este dia quiero acordar
Hoy por ser dia de tu santo Te venimos a cantar.
[With jasmine and flowers this day I want to remember
Today being your Saint’s day, We came to sing to you.

* Often replaced with the name of the person who is being celebrated