There and Back Again: Week 63: A Tale of Two Strokes

Pictures are random events from this week. Not necessarily connected to the text.

About two and a half weeks ago one my my sweet friends on this mission had a stroke.

She was an FM missionary in the painting group. She was a hard worker, fun and kind.

A few days later our dear site missionary Elder L. had a stroke. I was there when it started. He was slurring badly and couldn't come up with simple words.

Luckily the hospital is five minutes from the Jail. I told his wife to take take him. He protested saying he'd be fine in a minute! That night we were called to come to the hospital and for Elder Cullen to give him a blessing of healing. Elder L was in the hospital for five days.

Last Tuesday, Elder Cullen and I were in a reader's theater version of Pizzaro. It was written in 1799!. I was so impressed with the story and amazed to see how people have always been people.

The struggle between good and evil, politics and perception have not changed.

The next morning we found out that Sister N, the painter, had passed away. I wept off on throughout the day. Elder L. was released from the hospital and recovering at home that same night! A day of tears and cheers.

At these times I ponder on God's ways. We all prayed equally earnestly for both missionaries. Why does one pass and another stay?

I came to the conclusion that it's like asking why some graduate from school early, on time, or later. Everyone is on their own schedule and when it's their actual time to go, then they go.

Its not a bad thing to "graduate" from Earth School (through death) but it is a great loss to those still slugging it out behind. See you on the other side Sister N.

Hey Elder L great to have you back, can I borrow a pencil? LOL

We just spent a few hours at the Native American Eagle Days Festival today and Elder and Sister L were there too looking beautiful and healthy!



We love you all.

Remember we can do all things in Christ who sustains us.

There and Back Again: Week 62: When you got pain...Someone's Gonna Help You

When My Oldest Grandson was three years old he made up a song that he would sing to himself and others. It's sort of become a family song. The words are simple, "When you got paaaaiiiinnnn, someone's gonna help you. When you got paaaaiiiinnnn, someone's gonna help you. When you got paaaaiiiinnnn, someone's gonna help you..When you got paaaaiiiinnnn, someone's gonna help you" The tune is simple and sweet and I felt it really showed the greatness of his little soul.

When I am in physical or emotional/mental pain I think of this song and sing it. LOL It helps. We have 17 weeks left of our mission and I've been reflecting on what we've learned and accomplished. Elder Cullen and I have been talking about giving it our full best to the very end.

We DON'T want to get "trunky"/"retirement syndrome".

I was pondering on all the times when I was tired or in pain and Heavenly Father and Jesus sent me friends who just appeared and said, "Can I help?".

Or when I was feeling my efforts didn't matter, someone would call or text out of the blue and cheer and comfort me.

Or I'd be wondering WHAT am I supposed to be doing next?...or what will become of me in this world of increasing darkness?...

and then I would see a butterfly, a gorgeous flower or tree, glorious sunrise/sunset,

or a bald eagle (no joke) flying by with such power and it just made me feel so happy that it brought me peace. God is truly at the helm. He can make all this cool stuff and if I listen he can direct my path.

So this week, ponder your pain and look for how Heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are influencing people in your life. When someone calls out of the blue give them your time maybe that WASN'T a coincidence. When you have an opportunity to donate time or resources do it. (go to JustServe.org for local needs!) When someone says, "Can I help" LET THEM. It will bless you both.

There and back again: Week 61: Happy New Year

Happy New YEAR!!! What a great way to start the new year than to be at Ben and Courtnie's house AGAIN! This time Ephraim and Autumn and her family were there as well. The High Lights were...

WE WORKED HARD

WE PLAYED HARD

WE ATE DELICIOUS FOOD AND We Shared our talents, laughed, and prayed together. My New Years Goal is to try to loose weight AGAIN...every time I do this I gain another 10lbs...ugh I'm scared. Please pray my body will become fat burning. I already eat clean (except on holidays...moderation in all things), raw food, lots of plants, little bit of clean meat, LOW sugar, healthy fats, exercise...blah blah blah. My medical dietician (a first for me) is amazed at how I eat and am still so chubby LOL. She has suggested a couple things I'm going to integrate. By small and simple acts great things are brought about...so hard to trust this right now.

I've really taken this to the Lord and felt inspired to start meeting with the dietician. So let's put this scripture to the TEST. Proverbs Chapter 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 ¶ Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

There and Back Again: Week 60: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

The Greatest Gift you can give to Jesus Christ is the one thing He refuses to take from you...your will. I have been trying to focus on this more on my mission.

I hope it will carry forth into the rest of my life, decreasing contention, increasing sacrifice, choosing to be healthier so I can serve Him better, managing my time better so I have more time to reach out to His children and love them and serve them.

Elder Cullen and I were asked to create fun games for everyone to play after Christmas Dinner. It started with a Christmas Kahoot that everyone played on their phones. THEN....We had different stations all over the recreation hall. puzzle tables, team building tables, dice games tables, card and board game tables,

WE had so many people thank us for our efforts to make it fun for everyone.

people stayed from 2pm to 6:30pm! It was really a fun. To make it the best, Ephraim came to spend the week with us. He helped us sweep, scrape, rake, and scrub Carthage. We made candy, delicious food, and wrote music together. WAIT until you hear the song he wrote!!! I'll take a video of him performing it and then put it in the next newsletter.

I hope you all found people to love and serve during the holidays and that you are looking forward to the NEW Year!! We love you.

There and Back Again: Week 59: OUR 32nd Anniversary!

THIS week was so fun. We had an activity night where everyone who performed anything at the Christmas Walk did a "re-do" for the mission so we could ALL see each other's efforts.

Then we watched Scrooge with Albert Finey...the BEST. Then we Caroled for the Town of Carthage Event for FOUR hours.

Elder Cullen and I only did two of the 4 hours because it was our 32nd wedding anniversary and we wanted to go to dinner.

He ALWAYS gets a Mochahete and I always get the chicken soup. BOTH last us 2 or three meals!

Then we put on a christmas show for the homeless/people in need Christmas dinner in Fort Madison.

And today I taught a Candy Chemistry Class for the local homeschoolers. I showed them a video on chemical conversion that I made a while back.

We made homemade peppermint patties, cherry cordials, and toffee.

ALSO this week as I helped the Blue Belles Clean on Wednesday I had the honor of deep cleaning a bathroom. My favorite.

The shower curtain rod was rusted. It was still strong and secure...just oxidizing. If left alone it would eventually dissolve away and break and be useless for the purpose it was created.

I went at it with a green scrub pad and barkeepers friend (which is not good for shiny chrome by the way) and it came clean as new. It reminded me. When we tarnish ourselves with sin or find that our lack of daily soul scrubbing (repentance) is causing rusty build up in our lives...we have a FRIEND in JESUS! All it takes is for you to ask Him for help. Have a GREAT WEEK! Can't wait for Christmas next week. Ephraim is coming to spend it with us! HUZZAH!

There and Back Again: Week 58 Sacrifices and Snow!

Let it SNOW, Let it SNOW, Let it SNOW!!! We've had more snow since Thanksgiving than all of last WINTER. Last night we had our Nauvoo Christmas Walk. We were SO blessed that there was a break in the snow, the temperature rose to about 32-34 which BELIEVE me felt warmish! LOL The Christmas Walk entailed performances by local choirs and pianists (I had a solo), A Live Nativity

The Live Nativity started with a Roman guard introducing you to the tax collector, Matthew. He testified of the Savior then gave each family a little linen bag. Then our guide took us to meet shepards who explained what they were doing and testified of Christ and gave a little tin crook for our bags, then we moved to the "field" where the Angels sang

and several other stations where we collected items and people from the Bible testified of Christ. Then there was Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus. It ended with the wise men telling their story and testifying of Christ. That was very cool. Then there were other buildings where you could go in and listen to Christmas stories or play parlor games.

There were horse drawn wagon rides, the wagons were totally decorated beautifully and people caroled on the wagons. little performances were going on in the historic cultural hall and free hot cocoa and cookies...just the BEST night ever. SOOO fun. On our way out of Nauvoo we stopped by our mail box and found several Christmas Cards and several little gifts from fellow missionaries.

This morning it started snowing again and as of 1:19 our time it has dropped about 8 inches of snow. We've been plowing, blowing, and shoveling since 7am. Just to keep it manageable...I slipped while managing the blower, it lurched forward and my feet went out from underme. I flipped over on my stomach and army crawled as fast as I could away from the spinning blades. LOL I wish I had gotten that on video.

I got a phone call from missionaries in Nauvoo that a family was leaving there to come to Carthage and would I please give them a tour. INDEED! It is an honor to take a break from work to give tours. The spirit is always so wonderful.

about 45 min later I got a knock at my door. SURPRISE it was a DIFFERENT family who just happened to pull in and asked if they could please have a tour! There was a mom and dad and five sons. We went into the visitor's center and waited for the other family to arrive.

15 min later a mom and her two daughters arrived. We did the tour together. I was impressed by the amazing faith and love these parents had for their children, that they would weather the weather and allow their children these spiritual experiences and gain knowledge. Both families just HAPPENED to be from Montana, so this weather was no big deal to them...BUT their efforts were noted by me and appreciated. It made me think about sacrifice and how it works. Being a California girl...taking my family out in this weather would be a huge sacrifice...verging on crazy. But to them it was a little tough, but no big deal. As we experience life and trials let us remember that mole hills for some are MOUNTAINS to others and vis versa. We can't really judge because we don't know back stories, nevertheless...with all your stress, trials, strengths, or sense of adventure come and learn more about Christ and his servants and get stronger!