Most days, the temperature ranges from the low 40s to low 50s.  And rain, lots of rain.  Not the slow and steady Seattle-type rain.  Here, we do it North-Atlantic style:  cloudbursts and gusty winds;  the rain comes down in sheets, then moderates, then comes again with a vengeance.  We've experienced several hail storms too - one day there was upwards of an inch of hail on the road! 

Wow, we absolutely loved the holiday season here in Portugal!  It was a filled with beauty, love and laughter.  So let's start with our Thanksgiving celebrations....

We recently were invited to attend an interfaith event in Porto, which included short prestations by leaders from these faith communities:  Jewish, Buddhist, Islam, Catholic, Bahai, Latter-day Saint, and HIndu.  

Our hometown of Barcelos  is famous for its rooster (aka Galo de Barcelos).  Here is a quick rundown of the legend that makes the "galo" famous throughout Portugal:

The Portuguese people clearly love festivals - there seems to always one going on nearby during the summer months!  In this blog, I'll do my best to give you a taste of these wonderful gatherings.  I'll also update you on some of of our activities, including introducing wonderful new friends.  Plus, I'll share something about Portugues hospitality and honesty.  Happy reading!

There is so much to report on - I have trouble keeping up with all the people and activities we are involved with.  But let's just jump right in!

We're just about to hit our three-month mark here in Portugal.  We love it here - and time is flying by!  In this post, we want to share some our daily life - the people we meet with, the places we go, 

The Festa das Cruzes (Festival of the Crosses) is an annual community event spanning five days here in Barcelos. It is held soon after Easter and combines religious and community elements.  

Our Delta flight arrived in Porto on Saturday, April 19.    We immediately felt loved and welcomed by our Mission Leaders - President and Sister Leal, both from Sao Paulo, Brazil (where I served my mission as a young man).  They are wonderful, powerful leaders!

Lot of trees in bloom, but I particularly love the flowering cherries - this one is a weeping variety.  They are spectacular! 

I continue to be amazed at how quickly we develop rich friendships and feelings of love for people here in Dayton.  With their permission, here is a quick introduction to several of them:

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that "friendship is one of the grand fundamental principles of Mormonism."  We're very thankful for our many friends, many of whom we have known for year.s.  Here in Eastern Washington,  we have been  surprised and delighted at how quickly we have made new friends!