One day, as I sat with Sis. Parker in a very quiet cultural hall, she pulled out her journal, wrote just a few lines, then closed the notebook, and began to work on something else...OK, so it's much easier to face your journal each day when you know it won't take too long, rather than wait til you think you're going to have a moment at home, and that moment doesn't come for a week or two...then it's too overwhelming, so you put it off some more. It's been fun to keep my journal with me and share a few thoughts each day, before I allow myself to move on to handwork, etc.
Our schedules always seem so full, and sometimes we don't get to the temple more than once every 7 to 10 days. The winter schedule in general has made it even harder, and the temple is open 2-6 tues. thru fri. But I learned from my dear friend Sis. Taylor that you can fit in a few initiatory very day, on your way home (the temple allows us to come in our site clothing...pretty awesome huh!) Here we are only three minutes from this beautiful temple, and sometimes the days, then weeks fly by and we've done no more than gaze on it's beauty as we drive by. I promise you all we will do better!
One week this past month, we had a group from a Southern Baptist Bible school, and some Evangelical members wandering about our little hamlet. When I arrived at the Brigham Young Home that morning to serve with my dear friend Sis. Young (no relation to Brigham, but a descendant of Heber C. Kimball), she said she had been praying for an opportunity to visit with some of them (lesson #1, pray for the opportunity to testify). No one came all that day, until about 15 min before we were to close. An Evangelical couple that I had visited with the day before came in, and Sis. Young jumped up to serve. As I listened to her bear her sweet, sincere testimony, not just once, but a couple of different times, with tears in her eyes, the visitors had tears in their eyes. The spirit had spoken through her, because she was prepared (lesson #2, learn of these wonderful saints, their stories, their conversions, their service, and the gospel principles that motivated them). After the people had left, as we sat visiting over the experience, she suddenly jumped up, and said "oh! excuse me, I've got to go and thank Heavenly Father for helping me" (lesson #3, return and report...and give thanks) She slipped into the other room for a few moments.
Well, these experiences happen most every day, and on top of that, I learn how to create beautiful handmade items, etc....you know how much I love to do that. I'll probably share more stories like this another time.
I just can't explain in words how I feel about all of these wonderful missionaries...definitely the salt of the earth. It's interesting how those I thought wouldn't really relate or want to necessarily associate with me or us, end up being so dear to our hearts. How amazing it is to fill the temple session to overflowing, with 60 or more people that you've come to love. We love going off to Rendezvous every other night, because we love being with everyone. It was easier to be away from loved ones at Thanksgiving because we could be with loved ones here (though no one can take the place our family holds in our hearts).
This morning we had another farewell breakfast...man, these events are emotionally exhausting! We also presented the quilt we made for Pres. and Sis. Ludwig (they go home in January). P-day!! We're off to Quincy with our friends the McKnights.
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