The Waterwheelers: Area Review

This week we had visitors from Salt Lake for a Brazil Area Review. The visitors were Elder Holland (Council of the 12 Apostles), Elder Maynes (Presidency of the 70s), and Bishop Waddell (Presiding bishopric). Last Sunday evening we had three simultaneous firesides by the three visitors, each being webcast from a different chapel to various other chapels in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. We have been testing and working with Salt Lake to prepare for the webcasts, since no one in the church has attempted anything of this magnitude. In general the webcasts went well, however the meeting with Elder Holland had a lot of video difficulties. The ICS departments in Brazil and Salt Lake have been working all week to evaluate the problem - Internet overload.

This was a big effort with the FM group, ICS, and technology specialists working together.

FM group preparing for the webcast

ICS, STS, and CTS in a small technology closet

We had front row seats for the fireside with Elder and Sister Holland. Sister and President Costa (Area President) also spoke. It was an inspiring meeting.

Thursday morning Bishop Waddell spoke to church employees. We were also invited. One of the messages that stood out was that we should not be at ease in zion, but we can be at peace in zion. He also emphasized the need of opposition in all things, which forces us to council together and improve. I guess the opposition we had with the webcast will force us to solve problems with the Internet.

On Saturday we went to a special traveling art exhibit of postimpressionist paintings from the galleries in Paris. It was called "O Triunfo da Cor" or the triumph of color.

Technology has taken over the bus stops, even for musicians

Grand buildings of downtown São Paulo

It pays to look up now and then

The art exhibit in the Banco do Brasil building

We were not allowed to take pictures of the paintings so I found a couple on the Internet.

Gauguin in the South Pacific

Van Gogh - Diane's favorite

We were allowed to take pictures in the main lobbies, but not in the galleries.

Educational station showing how color is formed

The lobby of the Bank of Brazil

After our visit to the art exhibit we decided to visit two museums of Brazilian art - The Modern Art Museum (MAM) and the Contemporary Art Museum (MAC). Both were in or by Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo. We had visited the MAM before and we were not really impressed. Although they had a few more exhibits we were still not impressed.

Sculpture outside the MAM

It was good we remembered our umbrellas because it really rained. We crossed the busy highway on an overpass to the MAC. It was much better. There were 7 floors, but some of the exhibits were being renovated.