Moses

While in the MTC (missionary training center) we were able to go to the new teaching building just to go see the murals on the walls.  There are 12 of them and I plan to share each one.  The first one we were able to sit and ponder over was Moses.  Each has a description along with it.  

There is no way my camera, or anyone else's for that matter, can capture these amazing pictures so you'll have to imagine how magnificent they are.

 As I sat in front of Moses looking out over the vast world that God created I thought how small and insignificant I really am.  God has this marvelous plan and he trusts me, little 'ol me, to share this with his children.

Ether 12:27 comes to mind.

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

When I look at this mural I can see how small and weak I am but God will use me in whatever way he sees fit to bring about His eternal purposes.  I can become a stronger person and bear a witness of our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ in a more powerful way than before.

So my questions are:

How do you feel when you look at this mural?

Proportionately, why do you think that Moses appears to be so small in the mural?

How do you think Moses felt after viewing God's revelation to him?

After pondering over this beautiful mural, I felt God's love for me in an overwhelming way.

An Answer

For years we have wondered if we should or should not have Tom receive the Melchizedek priesthood.  I think it would be wonderful yet I've always been leary of whether or not we should.  That priesthood power is nothing to take lightly.  Could Tom understand the responsibility that accompanies it?  Should he enter the temple and make further covenants that he really doesn't understand?  Or would he?  Who am I to make that determination?

Today we had the opportunity to teach Elder and Sister Oram.  Interestingly, they picked the subject of faith to teach us.  We finished teaching them the lesson we prepared and they began their lesson.  In a strange turn of events, the subject of Tom came up.  I expressed my feelings about whether or not Tom should enter the sacred walls of the temple to do more than baptisms.  

As we talked, Elder Oram suggested that we sit down with the temple president and have him talk to Tom and follow his suggestion.  I told them about a sister that I used to serve with who has some mental limitations.  Her mother told me how Mandy has blossomed since working in the temple.  

I feel it was an answer to a question I have pondered for years.  My new question is, "Am I holding Tom back by not allowing him access to greater blessings?"  Is my faith insufficient that I am not allowing him opportunities that might make a huge difference in his life both mentally and spiritually?  Perhaps I need to repent and let my son grow in a way that only God knows he can grow.

In 18 months we will sit down with President Wilson and ask these questions.

MTC

Day one in the MTC was wonderful.  We spent most of the day with all the other missionaries that reported on June 3rd.  There were about 140 of us.  That’s a big group considering the week before was only a group of 30.

We knew there was a couple here that Pat knows.  Garth Parker was the FM manager in Iowa City.  He retired a few years back. When we went to our first meeting and when we went to sit down our things were right next to the Parkers.  At lunch we saw Elder and Sister Reed who served in the Marshfield Ward only a year ago.  We also served in the temple with them.  Then we ran into Jack and Leslie Louthain from Sturgeon Bay.  What a small world.

This morning we stood in front of the world map and took the traditional picture.

 Yesterday we were also given a couple to whom we would be their “Others”.  We are their others.  Our charge is to get to know them and prepare a 15 minute lesson to help them strengthen their conversion.  Our others are Richard and Sharon Oram.  We already love this couple dearly.  They live locally so we don’t usually see them after our day’s lessons are finished.
Tonight we had a devotional given by Elder and Sister Gerrit Gong.  It was wonderful.  Better yet, Elder and Sister Oram sat with us.  They are truly some amazing people!

We were split into districts yesterday and it came as no surprise to me that Elder Pleshek was called to be the district leader of District A.  We are blessed with the Allreds, the Stewart’s and Carmens.  Our instructors are Sister Freeze and Farnsworth.  This experience has been tremendous so far.  I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Two Special People

Here we are in Salt Lake City spending time with Andrew and Cierra.  We had a good day together shopping, eating, touring and making a special visit to Howard and Marjorie Sharp.  

When Pat was a young missionary, the Sharps were the couple who were serving as the Mission President couple in California San Bernardino.  Pat loved them immensely and upon returning from his mission thought he would never see them again.  

We reconnected with them at a mission reunion in 2000 when they returned from a mission to Russia. 

The. We reconnected again as he served as the president of the Palmyra temple when our family visited that area in 2006.

Since that time we have visited them on an annual basis as we came to Utah for General Conference. "They’ve met all of our children except Clare and her family.  Pat has said often how they molded and shaped him as his spiritual parents while on his mission.  

We haven’t seen them in two years and President has had some major health issues.  Still they both have such clear minds at 93 and 94 years old.  They have been married 72 years!

Looking at this once vibrant man with a witty sense of humor, he is frail. He didn’t get up to greet us but stayed in his chair for the duration of our visit.

As we were preparing to leave, Pat knelt in front of him and spoke tender words of love.  He in turn voiced that they most likely wouldn’t see one another again.  Tears for both of us.  

I am honored to have had the privilege to get to know them.  They are beautiful, amazing people whom I have come to love immensely..

Until we meet again...

Elder & Sister

On Sunday, May 26th, we met with our stake president, President Jacob Lonsdale to be set apart as full-time missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  

Clare, Sammi, Brock and Lydia attended and Erin, Andrew & Cierra joined us via FaceTime.

We were given some pretty great blessings.  Pat was told that he needed to be patient as he would teach a lot of things to others.  I would have the desires of my heart realized.  We should council together.  I can't recall the others things at this very moment but it was all good.

We will be flying to Salt Lake City on June 1st.  We'll spend the day with Andrew and Cierra.  Erin will join us on Sunday.  Then we'll go to Provo Sunday night and stay with Bill and Hawley Barrett.  On Monday morning about 10:30 we report to the Missionary Training Center for 5 days of Preach My Gospel training.

Exciting times ahead!

Releases

Pat and I have served as the Area Temple and Family History Consultants for the past two and a half years.  It's been a calling we weren't sure what we were supposed to do...at first.  There is no handbook for this calling.  Elder Scott is our area Seventy and he extended the call to us on December 4, 2016.  I was very unsure of how things would go.

Fast forward a few months and we began getting our legs under us.  We did our best to get our stake presidencies and high councilors trained and have them get a stake Lead in place.  By the way, the stake lead is no longer a calling.  

When we felt we could no longer move forward, we decided to go out and speak in the units.  We were quite effective at that.  We enjoyed going out and speaking in the units around the stakes.  We were as far north as Houghton, as far west as Prairie du Chien, over to Sturgeon Bay and as far south as Racine and Monroe.  We put on a lot of miles!

Elder Scott was in the area on May 10th and requested that we meet for him to extend our official release.  We invited him over for breakfast and visited about our efforts.  It was a little sad to leave this calling because we both loved it so much.  But there are things waiting in the wings in only a few weeks.

 We went to St. Paul on May 17th and 18th for our usual monthly temple trip.  I wasn't too sure about working in the temple when Pat submitted our names just prior to his release.  I didn't know if I would like it.  Again I was so wrong.  I loved it!  

As we finished our shift on Saturday afternoon, President and Sister Payne met with us in his office to extend our release.  This release was so much harder and bittersweet. We have worked with so many wonderful people over the course of our time in the temple.  I will miss them but will also miss being able to be the conduit through which sisters receive their ordinances.  I've felt the Spirit so many times.  I've had experiences where I know that God is pleased with my efforts.  I distinctly recall the first time I worked an endowment session.  As I was helping sisters, I felt that I was the Savior's hands.  It was so incredible.  I held back the tears as I was so touched.

While visiting with President,I was really thankful that he never actually said the words, "You're released."  I know I would have cried.  It was all I could do to hold them back as it was.  I look forward to the day when we can return again to be ordinance workers.  

Times and seasons in life are wonderful!

Her Name is Kim

In mid-February my brother Pat came over to tell me the world was coming to an end.  Rosy, who had been working at the Wood Fiber for 31 years had found a new job.  She gave us two weeks notice.  I immediately sent out feelers to find someone to hire.  I took over the job at the end of February and worked March and into April. I continually looked for someone who needs a job.  Still I had no one. 

I was beginning to stress about it.  I had Clare coming to the mill each Monday to learn to do the paperwork.  I figured someone needs to know how to do it in case whomever the new hire is, would need to be gone on a Monday due to vacation or would quit.  I was waking up at night and spending hours awake trying to figure it out.  I prayed over and over that I would find someone.  Each time I thought I had someone, it turned out to be a dead end. 

One day in Mid-April I was talking to Chad about the need to find someone and asked him if he knew anyone needing a job.  He said his sister-in-law was looking for a new job.  She called me the next day and we set up a time the following Monday morning for her to come in and see what the job was.  She seemed interested but had an interview with the Stockbridge tribe for a job opening there. She was supposed to know on Friday if she got that job.  Then it was changed to Friday and then it was sometime the next week.

I woke up early one Monday morning and went to the livingroom and got down on my knees and poured out my heart to my Heavenly Father.  I told him how I needed someone this week to hire so I could train them.  I felt really good and settled when I went back to bed.

That day at work I didn't stress about the fact that I didn't have a replacement for Rosy.  The next day was the same.  Just at the end of the day, Kim called me and asked if I still was looking to hire someone.  I told her, "Absolutely!"  She told me she could start the next week.  I felt so good about the fact that I had someone.  No only someone, but the person that God picked out. 

As I was recalling my experience to Pat, he sat in the chair and tears flowed from his eyes.  I, once again, was assured that my Heavenly Father cares about me and what happens to my company.  I've seen miracle after miracle at this company and this was just the latest one.