After 3 days of hard work, we got to enjoy a night together with all 29 of the volunteer families building during these 3 days. It was only then, that I found out that the FHF Board Members would be starting this experience over again the next morning at 6:30 am with close to 30 other families. That means another 4 houses would be built in Puerto Penasco and another 2 given to deserving family's who need a home. I love how it is an ongoing process of service and giving, filling hearts and homes with love and charity.

Today the interior and exterior walls went from 8 cinder blocks high to 12-14  blocks high.  We worked around the window areas,  placed rebar along the top row of bricks and poured buckets and buckets and buckets of concrete down the blocks to fill them in and tie it all together securely. exterior of the home and  Progress was slower as we need to work from scaffolding or create our own scaffolding from extra cinder blocks and boards fro around the site.  It's really starting to look like a house.

 After working on the house today, we were all able to have dinner with a local family here in Puerto Penasco.  We were lucky enough to share the evening with Amilcar Morales and his familia.  We decided to purchase 'American cuisine' for our dinner together, so we brought Little Caesar's pizza, bread sticks, a variety of chips, and sodas.  While some family's sat on dirt floors in cardboard or plywood structures, Amilcar and his family live in a home with walls, electricity, and running water.

As a teenager, Amilcar and his brother were homeless and each lived in their own cardboard box.   He continually expressed his gratitude to God for his well being and the fact that they each had a box to live in.  Though he is now has full time employment and is able to provide a home and food for his familia, his humble spirit is still the same.  He is grateful for all things and recognizes the hand of God in his life everyday.  Families Helping Families hired Amilcar several years ago to help complete the interior of the houses volunteers built.  He is now the head contractor for all of their projects in Mexico.

Amilcar has a wonderful wife, Maria, a 19 year old daughter Lorena, an 8 year old son Jared, and a 9 month old bebe.  His wife's brother and cousins also live with them, but no one in their home speaks Ingles.  In our familia, Robert, Jenna, Aubrey, & Lindsay can all speak and understand 'un poco' Espanol, but it amazing how when you are immersed in it, it just seems to come.  I don't know how to explain it other than that the Lord blesses us with an ability to communicate.  It is definitely a tender mercy.

One of the things Robert and Amilcar were able to share with all of us was their conversion stories - how they were introduced and decided to be baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  This was not at all a topic we thought would emerge in our little dinner together.  I thought we might stick to things like our favorite colors and what we like to do - and hope we could translate it accurately, but being able to communicate much better than we anticipated allowed us to discuss many other topics pertaining to our lives.  Amilcar said he had always believed in God  Two years ago, a FHF leader gave him a Book of Mormon in Spanish and he began to read it.  He believed it to be true, and he and his family were baptized two years ago, with their son Jared being baptized just last month when he turned 8.  Their oldest daughter Lorena is now preparing to serve a mission.  It is so wonderful to see the light and joy the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to individuals and family's.

We had such a fun might with their family and eventually went to the car to get our selfie stick to take some pictures together.  They had such a fun time using it and taking pictures that we left it with them.  A small token of our appreciation for the love and friendship they shared with us.  We are so grateful for the chance we have to built a home for a family here in Mexico, but also for the wonderful people we are able to work with and relationships were are able to form.  Gracias Morales Familia!!!!

Ready to build!  This morning we attended our first safety meeting with all 29 family's participating in this year's Families Helping Families house building projects in Puerto Penasco, Mexico.  We placed in groups of 7-8 families and given our house location.  The family's in our group come from AZ, UT, & CO.  Atleast 3 families on our site, and probably 10 family's overall live with 20 miles of our home in South Jordan and we have found that we have several common friends.

Once on site, we received some basic instructions on how to lay block and the layout of our house from our 'house captain' Steve Barney.  He assigned 4 men to be 'corner captains' ....and off we went.  This video shows the amazing progress that happened as we mudded up cinder blocks with mortar and began to build.  By the time we left the house site on this first day, the 4 outer walls, as well as the middle interior walls , were 8 blocks high.  Even we were surprised how much 'we as a group' accomplished in those 7 hours together.

 That afternoon we prepared turkey's and ham's to share with those of the San Rafael community.  A generous donor also provided 1,000 tamales and large pots of rice y frijoles.

A large tent was set up to accommodate about 500 people, but the crowd exceeded that number and filled additional tables outside the tent.  After a fun program filled with skits, songs, and topped off by a visit from Santa, it was time to EAT.  We served up tamales and beans from the kitchen....

                 then added turkey, ham, and rolls in the covered pavillion.....
                                          and deliver full plates of food to each person individually.
  Served and Received with a Smile.  What a wonderful way to feel and share the love of our Savior, whose birth and life we celebrate in this special day.   #LightTheWorld

This is my niece Rachael.  She is my sister Barb's 2nd daughter and 2nd daughter to get married this year.  We loved being able to be a part of Katie & Logan's Wedding in May and now to be a part of Rachael and Jacob's just before Christmas.  It was a beautiful day in so many ways.  Congrats Jacob & Rachael!

2 cows, 2 pigs, 2 goats, 2 dogs, and lots of chickens

It is always such a treat to watch this girl dance.  Papa and Grandma Miller traveled from Los Angeles this week, to see her perform in both her SoJo Dance Company performance as well as tonight's ballet performance.  So glad they could be here for a few days and visit with us. I think they are amazed each and every time they visit, how much these girls are growing. maturing, and blossoming.  It is one of our greatest joys as parents to see them become women and young women who are so hard working, kind hearted, and share their light and love with others.
A big thanks to Papa and Grandma for topping off this special night with ginormous ice cream treats from Leatherby's.  We sure love and appreciate you!

Emily's Ballet Recital. We love to watch Emi dance.  A few nights ago it was Hip Hop, tonight it's Ballet.  She is a beautiful dancers in so many ways.

SoJo Dance Company has been such a good experience for Emi.  She loves being able to dance with her friends from school and has been blessed with an amazing teacher.  Thank you Joelle.  Here's a little Hip Hop to enjoy.