*Today at church we had our Fast and Testimony Meeting, as we are having Stake Conference next week. I was almost giddy with being able to be with my family at church, and also for the rest of the day at home! I even substituted on the piano in Primary, so I got to see my Primary kids during that time. (My 3-year old kept sitting up high to see me over the piano and wave.)
*It was a great meeting. I was thinking about sharing how even though my testimony is self-sufficient, I am really grateful that we are able to meet together with our ward friends and share our faith together. Then about half the ward stood up (ha!) to bear their testimonies, so I didn't get a chance, but there were about four people who basically gave that same message. Also, one of my favorite sisters who always has great analogies, told of going to the Provo City Center Temple Open House, and how the building was refined through fire to become perfect (with lots of hard work) inside and out. It was good before, but now it is sacred--and we can have the same happen for us.
*The closing hymn was "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again," which is common enough that I have it pretty much memorized. I was just singing along, and then this part of the chorus struck me during the last verse--"'til we meet at Jesus' feet." I pictured kneeling at Jesus's feet, reuniting with my family and friends, and it brought me a lot of joy. I'm thankful for an eternal perspective.
It was a delight!
Monday, February 29, 2016
February 2016, Week 3
*Today we had our last two ward conferences. The first one, in the Spanish ward, started out with their bishop being released. There were lots of emotions for the adults, but it is a good, strong ward, and they will move forward with their new bishop faithfully. The children didn't mind at all, and were ready for Primary! They just got a new president two weeks ago, and I was able to briefly meet her last week, but she was out of town this week, so her only counselor, who had been out of town last week, was running things. She has been in Texas for only one year, coming from Venezuela, but has been a member all her life. She had a lot of questions for us, and I think my secretary (who is from Mexico) and I were able to answer them pretty well (as far as I could tell from our translated conversation). She did a great job leading--and she was very thankful that I were teaching the Sharing Time lesson!
*The second ward conference overlapped with the first one, so I drove to the other building after the first ward was done to be there for the Sharing Time. My counselor, who had been there the whole meeting, told me an older man had driven himself and his wife to church and then had a heart attack in the parking lot just after pulling into the parking stall. He was taken away in an ambulance, but they announced at the end of Sacrament Meeting that he had just passed away. So again, there were lots of emotions for the adults, and again, the kids weren't really affected and were ready for Primary, so again, their primary president was grateful that my counselor was teaching the lesson. (I love this particular primary president. She is smart and faithful and committed to following the Spirit to find solutions to problems. Actually, I really like all the presidents. I must tell you about them all sometime.) Later, I was able to be part of a conversation with a man who had accompanied the wife of the man who passed away to the hospital. He said that the wife told him that for the previous two weeks her husband had been getting all papers in order, and letting her know what numbers to call and what to do if something happened to him. She asked him why he was doing all of that, and he said he just didn't want her to have to worry. Also, after about an hour after his passing, a chaplain came to visit her to offer comfort. The man said that within five minutes, she had given the chaplain a pass-along card. Then, her daughter arrived, and before the chaplain left, the daughter had also given him a pass-along card. What missionary minded people they must be! I couldn't help reflecting on this experience, and how, though a tragedy, it could have been so much worse if he had had the heart attack just five minutes before, while still driving to church. Also, his wife was supported by her ward family from the moment it happened. The Lord is in the details of our lives, if we let Him be.
It was a delight.
*The second ward conference overlapped with the first one, so I drove to the other building after the first ward was done to be there for the Sharing Time. My counselor, who had been there the whole meeting, told me an older man had driven himself and his wife to church and then had a heart attack in the parking lot just after pulling into the parking stall. He was taken away in an ambulance, but they announced at the end of Sacrament Meeting that he had just passed away. So again, there were lots of emotions for the adults, and again, the kids weren't really affected and were ready for Primary, so again, their primary president was grateful that my counselor was teaching the lesson. (I love this particular primary president. She is smart and faithful and committed to following the Spirit to find solutions to problems. Actually, I really like all the presidents. I must tell you about them all sometime.) Later, I was able to be part of a conversation with a man who had accompanied the wife of the man who passed away to the hospital. He said that the wife told him that for the previous two weeks her husband had been getting all papers in order, and letting her know what numbers to call and what to do if something happened to him. She asked him why he was doing all of that, and he said he just didn't want her to have to worry. Also, after about an hour after his passing, a chaplain came to visit her to offer comfort. The man said that within five minutes, she had given the chaplain a pass-along card. Then, her daughter arrived, and before the chaplain left, the daughter had also given him a pass-along card. What missionary minded people they must be! I couldn't help reflecting on this experience, and how, though a tragedy, it could have been so much worse if he had had the heart attack just five minutes before, while still driving to church. Also, his wife was supported by her ward family from the moment it happened. The Lord is in the details of our lives, if we let Him be.
It was a delight.
February 2016, Week 2
*Today at church I attended two ward conferences, and they went well. I am trying to follow my own advice to make the sacrament the most holy part of my day. Some days are more successful than others. I think I could have prepared for this day a bit more by going to bed earlier the night before. They called a new bishop in this ward, and he happened to go to the Wood Badge training that I attended in the fall. He's very adventurous, and told some interesting stories, but my eyes--they were a-droopin'. My Saturday bed time is something I think I will take more seriously.
*Today after church I met with my Stake President. I was able to tell him how grateful I am for my counselors. I trust them to represent our presidency well when I am at other meetings. Then he told me that he trusts me, and sees the work I'm doing. That's nice to hear sometimes.
It was a delight!
*Today after church I met with my Stake President. I was able to tell him how grateful I am for my counselors. I trust them to represent our presidency well when I am at other meetings. Then he told me that he trusts me, and sees the work I'm doing. That's nice to hear sometimes.
It was a delight!
Sunday, February 7, 2016
February 2016, Week 1
*Today at church I thoroughly enjoyed watching our music leader conduct the music. She is a slight lady in her 80's who recently broke her back and went through rehab, and is back leading us again. She obviously loves the hymns that she is leading, and cares for each word and phrase, and is thinking about how to lead them with conviction. She later bore her testimony in our meeting, and said she had to bear it or we might not know she had one, but I need to tell her that we can all easily see her testimony shine through as she conducts the music.
*We sang "All Creatures of our God and King" for our closing hymn. I really like that one, and tried to focus on the words. We don't have a culture of "praising" in our church, as many other Christian churches do in their prayers and songs and vocabulary of worship, and I usually don't mind because I'm not used to it, but with hymns like this, I enjoy the chance to praise God in song and allelujahs.
*Our Relief Society lesson was about Visiting Teaching. We have lots of people who don't know each other because of the ward realignment, and I think they wanted to give us a boost to get out there and befriend each other. It worked--I'm recommitted and ready--even to go meet the inactive sister I was just assigned.
It was a delight!
*We sang "All Creatures of our God and King" for our closing hymn. I really like that one, and tried to focus on the words. We don't have a culture of "praising" in our church, as many other Christian churches do in their prayers and songs and vocabulary of worship, and I usually don't mind because I'm not used to it, but with hymns like this, I enjoy the chance to praise God in song and allelujahs.
*Our Relief Society lesson was about Visiting Teaching. We have lots of people who don't know each other because of the ward realignment, and I think they wanted to give us a boost to get out there and befriend each other. It worked--I'm recommitted and ready--even to go meet the inactive sister I was just assigned.
It was a delight!
January 2016, Week 5
*Today at church we had a bit of a marathon--four wards had their ward conferences. The first ward was my own, so I actually got to see my family during Sacrament Meeting, though I had to sit on the stand. I attended one Ward Council, two Sacrament Meetings, and taught four Sharing Times (for two wards), and my counselors went to/taught the others through the day. It was exhausting, but then I remember the Stake Presidency, who were there long before and long after I was. It gives me a renewed appreciation for their willingness to serve our stake.
*A couple things I'm trying to focus on as I teach the Sharing Time to the children (forgive me if I'm repeating myself, because I do repeat myself as I teach this over and over!) is 1) making the Sacrament the most holy part of this holy day, and 2) trying to remember WHY we keep the Sabbath Day holy. If we can remember that all things we choose to do on the Sabbath have the potential to bring us closer to our Savior, it makes choosing our activities easier. The most delightful outcome that we can have for the day is to be closer to Jesus Christ--so what do we need to do to get there?
It was a delight!
*A couple things I'm trying to focus on as I teach the Sharing Time to the children (forgive me if I'm repeating myself, because I do repeat myself as I teach this over and over!) is 1) making the Sacrament the most holy part of this holy day, and 2) trying to remember WHY we keep the Sabbath Day holy. If we can remember that all things we choose to do on the Sabbath have the potential to bring us closer to our Savior, it makes choosing our activities easier. The most delightful outcome that we can have for the day is to be closer to Jesus Christ--so what do we need to do to get there?
It was a delight!
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