Work at Haigler Creek

Well, the work is moving forward and this week we are one step closer to building our retreat in the mountains. We don't have the septic tank in yet but they layout is done, the plans are in and we are awaiting the ok and permit to be issued. Also this week, a surveyor came out to put in a "benchmark" to make sure we build 16.6 feet above the creek and he determined that our property was at that level. That was great news because at first he said we needed to build up 6 feet. After a few more calculations and Dale's talking to him he said it was ok at ground level. We are planning to be up 3 feet anyway. We are now awaiting the plans to be reviewed by the county and the permits to be issued.

We are working really hard to clear all of the old dead wood and trees and each we burn for three or so days without stopping. Wow, it is looking nice and we are so pleased that it is so pretty up there. It is very rewarding even if our backs are sore and my fingers are stiff and swollen. We'll heal.

Enjoy the pictures.

Dale and Jana

QUICK UPDATE

Hi all,

It's been a while and there have been many changes in my life. July 19, 2009 was the biggest as that was my wedding day to Oscar Dale Porter. We were married in the Mesa Temple. We honeymooned to China and have been going ever since. We spent 6 weeks in Provo, then another 6 weeks in the mountains at Haigler Creek and then 4 weeks on a road trip that took us to Plano Texas, then Augusta Georgia, on to DC, then Philadelphia, then Chicago, and lastly home via Utah. All of this to vist a few of our 17 children and 54 (with 2 on the way) grand children. Wow!! It was delightful, educational, fun and we were really able to get to know one another. Altogether we put an additional 7000 miles on the car, but it was wonderful to see many parts of the US that I had not seen before.

Our plans had been to be snowbirds and spend the winters in Mesa, but it seems we keep going to the cold places and sending time in the mountains. Last week-end was back to Chicago for a blessing and baptism of Rebecca and Adam Driggs. Fortunately for us their cold spell of subzero weather warmed up to the 30's and it wasn't quite so bad.

Our plans for the next few months are to work on building a cabin at Haigler Creek, a quick trip to Texas for Sarah's baptism, a road rip to Calif. for children visits, and then on April 7th we are off to England to work in the Preston Temple for 6 months.

Life is great!! Retirement is fun and family is marvelous. We do enjoy it all. I am posting a few of the wedding pictures and one of the falls we discovered at Haigler Creek this past fall. That huge piece of driftwood looks great in our front yard but it was not easy Dale to carry it up the canyon and out of the cliffs to the truck!

Love to all out there.

Jana Porter

I'm home Now

Now that i am home and I have not even bothered to put anything on my blog, it has forgotten me and I can't seem to get here except through the link on someone my kids' blog sites. so this is the test to see if it is still really there and I can really put something on it! If so there will be more to come.

Beira Pictures November 25, 2007

Care For Life, Manga and downtown Beira

Beira Trip, November 2007

Wow! We really had a fun time in Beira. The chapel was gorgeous, the weather was lovely and we loved the slower-paced city with much less traffic. The famous coke bottles were something of an oddity.

We had some great dinning experiences--great food and good company, and yes we did do some work too. I taught two members several piano lessons and was able to help them learn to play and read with their left hand. It wasn't as hard as they thought. We set up the district's little distribution/family history center and got the computer set up for the FH.

We spent some time touring Mbatwe, one of Care For Life's community projects that has been very successful and then visited a local wood carver who lives in manga and arranged for some purchases the next day. Walking down the middle of the village to Vasco's house and taking pictures of all the cute kids on the way was really fun. We were able to see all six branches in Beira district. Inhumizua was lovely but it was too dark to get a picture. It is all outdoors, even the chapel. The fence is going up around the property in Manga which will have a new chapel just like the Beira chapel by next year. It's exciting!!

Mozambique Piano Recital

back row: Elder Dow, Kabe, Lourena, e Celso. front row: Sister Allred, Alice, Bina, Mércia, Suny, Lizi, Joaquina, Herménio, e Francisco.














Suny, Sister Allred, Joaquina, Lizi, Lourena, Francisco, e Kabe
Sister Allred, Lourena, Joaquina, e Alice

October 20, 2007 Recital Day

What I really love about my mission is teaching members to play the piano! I have always loved teaching music and this is such a joy to see and hear them learn to play the hymns and to then play for their sacrament meetings and the baptisms. On Saturday the 20th, Elder Dow, who also teaches some members in the Magoanine branch, and I held a recital for our students so that they could play for each other. Some are just beginning and others are playing the simplified hymns with two hands, but all are working hard and practicing to learn the skills needed to succeed. Some were unable to attend because of work, school or other obligations but we had a great time and all those who participated earned a certificate of acheivement and participation. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Maputo English class

September 24, 2007

Tomorrow is a huge holiday in mozambique! It's like their Independence Day. All of the stores were very crowded as people stocked up on food for their celebrations. There wasn't much left at Shoprite. Sister Wick and I had the delightful task of taking the Elders to their homes in T3 and Magoanine. It took us 3 hours to accomplish this because of the horrific traffic and because the Elders were about 45 minutes late. It's the last time for that! Anyway, the huge rain clouds that looked so threatening have not materialized and we merely got a few sprinkles.

I am posting a picture that we just got from Elder Bowler, who is the Elder in it and who helps teach the English class. This is a picture of Sister Wick's surprise birthday party. These are all of our friends from the Maputo English class. Under Elder Bowler's arms is my student Emanual who loves to play the piano. Behind me is Lara who is in the primary presidency.

Sister Wick is holding a picture that was drawn by Sarita, Lara's daughter who is kneeling and next to Lara. Nilsa, who came here 13 years ago from Brazil, is on my right. The picture is a very cool pastel of a Mozambican map and has many fun African designs drawn into the map. Elder Bowler and I loved it so much that two weeks later she brought one that she had made for each of us. We have a lot of fun in the class and love these people alot.