Tonight was our last Eternal Marriage Class. I wanted to summarize all we had learned over these past 13 weeks. I found this really wonderful talk given by President Spencer W. Kimball to the young adults (I think) in Sweden? Norway? It contains a summary of all the most important things these Fijian YSAs need to remember. I had them read different pages underlining the advise given them by President Kimball and then those that read a specific page told the rest of them what to underline. We talked about things as we went.
I ended the lesson with the 12 promises made by Vaughn J. Featherstone to those who are regular temple attenders. The promises are so profound.
I ended with a strong testimony. I started with "I want you to know what I believe."
I worry for our YSAs. They have many especially bad customs to withstand, parents who mean well, but are doing well by them, and the same trials that every YSA across the world face. They must be very, very strong to face all of this and stay strong in the gospel.
Monday, December 2, 2013
November 26
Scott taught his last lesson in Family History tonight. About a month ago I told him that I was starting to get really stressed and therefore, would love it if he would teach all of the Family History lessons. He has done a magnificent job of it.
Tonight's lesson was on writing personal histories. He had me talk a little about the family stories booklet I put together years ago for my siblings, and then gave copies to our children and grandchildren. I emphasized passing along family values through the stories they write about their ancestors.
Scott helped them see how important it is for them to start now writing their histories. In fact, he had them start writing the most important thing that happened to them when they were young. It is really a new concept for Fijians. I do not know anyone here who keeps a journal.
I am so proud of Scott. The Family History Class has baptized over 100 members of their families. We will have about 110 members in the Paradise Ward by the time we go home. That is an amazing number for young adults who have never done genealogy before.
Had a Thanksgiving pie party tonight with the seniors hosted by Elder and Sister Wells. I took my famous Mud Pie and because the recipe makes two pies, Sister Jackson did not have to make one. we had all kinds of pie. I was so good. I only had a very small piece of passion fruit cheese cake. We serve with the most delightful people.
Tonight's lesson was on writing personal histories. He had me talk a little about the family stories booklet I put together years ago for my siblings, and then gave copies to our children and grandchildren. I emphasized passing along family values through the stories they write about their ancestors.
Scott helped them see how important it is for them to start now writing their histories. In fact, he had them start writing the most important thing that happened to them when they were young. It is really a new concept for Fijians. I do not know anyone here who keeps a journal.
I am so proud of Scott. The Family History Class has baptized over 100 members of their families. We will have about 110 members in the Paradise Ward by the time we go home. That is an amazing number for young adults who have never done genealogy before.
Had a Thanksgiving pie party tonight with the seniors hosted by Elder and Sister Wells. I took my famous Mud Pie and because the recipe makes two pies, Sister Jackson did not have to make one. we had all kinds of pie. I was so good. I only had a very small piece of passion fruit cheese cake. We serve with the most delightful people.
November 24
Today we had the best speakers ever in sacrament meeting. The theme was 'being an example of the believers.' Each talk was so profound that we forgot to take notes. Each was so different. The one we remember the best was Brother Fukiyama's talk. He told us about his two friends Matt and Joe who were members of the church but who were not the same kind of example to those around them. It was such a non threatening way to teach. By the time Brother Fukiyama was finished I am sure everyone in the congregation had identified themselves in several of his examples.
We have been working really hard to make my dog bite scar look better. I am not sure it is working, but Scott thinks it looks vastly better. Every morning after I shower I put vitamin E oil on the scar rubbing it in so it does not get on my skirts. Every night I put coconut oil on it and Scott rubs and rubs the scar trying to break down the tissues, so nicer looking ones can emerge.
I really am just grateful to have my leg, and so I try really hard not to care that the scar is so ugly. However, I have decided that deep down, I am hoping that all this rubbing with oil will fix the ugliness.
We have been working really hard to make my dog bite scar look better. I am not sure it is working, but Scott thinks it looks vastly better. Every morning after I shower I put vitamin E oil on the scar rubbing it in so it does not get on my skirts. Every night I put coconut oil on it and Scott rubs and rubs the scar trying to break down the tissues, so nicer looking ones can emerge.
I really am just grateful to have my leg, and so I try really hard not to care that the scar is so ugly. However, I have decided that deep down, I am hoping that all this rubbing with oil will fix the ugliness.
November 23
OK I am getting really worried. Tonight only five of the council showed up and the dance in next weekend. Breath. Breath! Breath!!!!
November 20
I have been rereading notes I have made for lessons I have been given. One of them seems so pertinent.
"Faith is our reward for belief and hope. You can believe and not have faith."
James E. Talmage
As our mission is coming to a close, I have been looking back to see if we have done the very best job we could do. Because I tend to be critical of myself, I have found myself feeling guilty. Then I read this quote from Elder Talmage which helped.
I believe we have done the best we could with the knowledge we had at the time. I hope we have done our best in each situation that we have encountered. And in the end I have faith that the Lord would have inspired us to do differently if that had been His will. And since faith is a gift from God given through the Spirit, I have been asking for increased faith that our work here is completed.
"Faith is our reward for belief and hope. You can believe and not have faith."
James E. Talmage
As our mission is coming to a close, I have been looking back to see if we have done the very best job we could do. Because I tend to be critical of myself, I have found myself feeling guilty. Then I read this quote from Elder Talmage which helped.
I believe we have done the best we could with the knowledge we had at the time. I hope we have done our best in each situation that we have encountered. And in the end I have faith that the Lord would have inspired us to do differently if that had been His will. And since faith is a gift from God given through the Spirit, I have been asking for increased faith that our work here is completed.
November 18
The Service Center changed the devotional from Tuesday at 10 to Monday at 2 o'clock. We are so thankful for the Wellses who keep us informed, because the Service Center never does.
It was changed to farewell the Salomones. Principal Salomone has been transfered to Kiribus; he will function there as the vice principal. He is also our stake patriarch and his wife has just been released as a counselor in either the stake primary or the stake relief society.
At the first of Sister Salomone's testimony I had a coughing fit, so I left the room. I have been trained not to interrupt meetings by walking out and walking in. I remember sitting in Sacrament Meeting as a child needing to go to the bathroom and knowing that I could not, because it would disrupt the meeting. It is the way I have trained our children.
After I got a drink and the coughing had ended, I was waiting outside the door to the room where the devotional was being held, when Maggie, one of the ERCs secretaries, walked up. She asked me what I was doing and I explained that I was waiting for Sister Salomone to finish her testimony. She looked at me really funny and then said, "Don't you want to hear her testimony?" I replied, "I do not want to disrupt everyone else." She again looked at me and then quietly opened the door and went in.
I was so stunned by this experience. She is right I thought and yet I did not/could not go into that room and disturb everyone else.
As I stood there waiting, it came to me that I was being a Martha--very carefully taking care of worldly things. I was doing the 'right thing', but missing the important thing. At that moment I so wanted to be a Mary. How does one become a Mary when one has lived an entire lifetime being a Martha?
Scott told me later that Sister Salomone's testimony had been so spiritual! More salt in the wound.
Tonight we had FHE with the senior couples. Elder and Sister Jackson were in charge. They held it at the Institute. Dinner was lovely. We had a slide show after. Each couple was to show one or two pictures that represented them. The idea was to get to know each other better.
I never do this. Never! I entered eight--yes, that's right, 8--photos. My only excuse is that they were all of the YSAs and the things they have done over the past 18 months. I am so proud of them. I just had to brag.
It was changed to farewell the Salomones. Principal Salomone has been transfered to Kiribus; he will function there as the vice principal. He is also our stake patriarch and his wife has just been released as a counselor in either the stake primary or the stake relief society.
At the first of Sister Salomone's testimony I had a coughing fit, so I left the room. I have been trained not to interrupt meetings by walking out and walking in. I remember sitting in Sacrament Meeting as a child needing to go to the bathroom and knowing that I could not, because it would disrupt the meeting. It is the way I have trained our children.
After I got a drink and the coughing had ended, I was waiting outside the door to the room where the devotional was being held, when Maggie, one of the ERCs secretaries, walked up. She asked me what I was doing and I explained that I was waiting for Sister Salomone to finish her testimony. She looked at me really funny and then said, "Don't you want to hear her testimony?" I replied, "I do not want to disrupt everyone else." She again looked at me and then quietly opened the door and went in.
I was so stunned by this experience. She is right I thought and yet I did not/could not go into that room and disturb everyone else.
As I stood there waiting, it came to me that I was being a Martha--very carefully taking care of worldly things. I was doing the 'right thing', but missing the important thing. At that moment I so wanted to be a Mary. How does one become a Mary when one has lived an entire lifetime being a Martha?
Scott told me later that Sister Salomone's testimony had been so spiritual! More salt in the wound.
Tonight we had FHE with the senior couples. Elder and Sister Jackson were in charge. They held it at the Institute. Dinner was lovely. We had a slide show after. Each couple was to show one or two pictures that represented them. The idea was to get to know each other better.
I never do this. Never! I entered eight--yes, that's right, 8--photos. My only excuse is that they were all of the YSAs and the things they have done over the past 18 months. I am so proud of them. I just had to brag.
November 17
I just could not get up this morning. It was one of those days when I needed a whole day to myself. Because we do not have a council representative for the Raiwaqa building, we needed to get the new handouts there. Scott graciously said that he would take them so I would have longer, quieter morning. Even then, I was not ready on time for church.
I have learned many things about myself on this mission. One thing I have learned is that I work so hard all week that I am often so tired on Sunday that church seems too hard. Because it is a day of rest, the little devil on my left shoulder tells me that I should stay home and rest. I do not, but some Sundays it is a real struggle.
I think this started when I went to work. I worked hard five days of the week in my job and being a mother at home. Saturdays were catch up days for getting done what did not get done during the week. They were always emotional, busy, and hard days which left no day to prepare for Sunday.
I have decided that when we get home I am going to make Saturday a day of Sabbath preparation both physically and mentally. I am going to labor really hard for five days and spend Saturday doing what I need to do to be prepared for spiritual learning and spiritual service. I want to be excited to go to church every Sunday Morning.
I have learned many things about myself on this mission. One thing I have learned is that I work so hard all week that I am often so tired on Sunday that church seems too hard. Because it is a day of rest, the little devil on my left shoulder tells me that I should stay home and rest. I do not, but some Sundays it is a real struggle.
I think this started when I went to work. I worked hard five days of the week in my job and being a mother at home. Saturdays were catch up days for getting done what did not get done during the week. They were always emotional, busy, and hard days which left no day to prepare for Sunday.
I have decided that when we get home I am going to make Saturday a day of Sabbath preparation both physically and mentally. I am going to labor really hard for five days and spend Saturday doing what I need to do to be prepared for spiritual learning and spiritual service. I want to be excited to go to church every Sunday Morning.
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