Washington Matters TMM
This weekend was Washington’s Birthday celebration in Laredo. Not Presidents’ Day, but George Washington’s holiday. Here that meant we had a 4-day weekend, carnivals and fireworks, parades, picnics, and carne asada in the air!
Last night we had a knock on our door and opened it to see two elders from our building. One of them was here to tell us “good-bye” and wish us well. We knew he was probably going to McAllen because of a health issue, but it turns out that he actually will have to go home for at least six months because he has been having seizures. It was sad because he is a new missionary, just learning Spanish, and teaching some good people. He has prepared all his life for this time, and now he finds himself back on a plane to go home to New York. We pray for him to recover and serve in whatever way the Lord has in store for him.
Last Friday we were able to go to San Antonio to the temple. Every time we go, the temple is packed. We feel blessed to have the freedom to travel out of our mission area to attend the temple at least once a month. Senior missionaries have many opportunities that younger elders and sisters who are proselytizing do not have. Because we have our own car, and our responsibilities are with CES, we can fill our missionary calling to teach and have time for other enriching experiences as well. We are planning to go to the Houston temple over spring break.
We try to be available and helpful to the young missionaries because we are the only senior couple in Laredo. This means we may be transporting investigators to church (Flanataxi), supporting elders at the hospital after a sprain, broken bone, or dehydration as the result of too much fun on p-day, or feeding them when a meal appointment falls through. We spend six to eight hours a day preparing lessons. I make a presentation and a journal study page for each early-morning seminary class—my ESL endorsement at work! (English as a Second Language) We love every minute of it!
Every weekend we attend baptisms. Laredo is really being blessed. It seems like most of the new members are young adults. Two of the young men we brought to church on Sunday are being baptized this Saturday. The work of the Lord goes forth despite the trials of the people who struggle along in life. We loved hearing Jorge bless the sacrament on Sunday and watching Susan sustained to a calling. We love hearing the testimonies of our seminary kids and YSA. We love having converts tell their conversion stories in institute. We are truly grateful for this teaching experience and opportunity to participate in the Lord’s work!
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Forgiveness Matters TMM
TMM Matters of Forgiveness 2.19.19
It is time to read THE HIDING PLACE again! I just bought it on Kindle and Audible. We are watching the movie on Prime Video right now. Why all this? Our seminary lesson this morning was on Doctrine & Covenants 98, the persecution of the Saints in Missouri (and Ohio) and the Lord’s revelation in the Law of Retaliation, the Law of War, and the Law of Forgiveness. One of the stories was of Corrie ten Boom—none of our students had ever heard of her! Reference for the story from our lesson: [Corrie ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord (1974), 54–55.]” (Keith B. McMullin, “Our Path of Duty,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 13). What a great lesson for humanity! In today’s world of chaos and hate, D&C 98 teaches us how we should react when others are unkind, full of hatred, or determined on persecution. Every day in the scripture blocks and lessons we teach we find that we are learning (or reviewing) the very things we need to survive the trials of the world and stay on the covenant path!
We also love studying the New Testament and the Come, Follow Me course. We are grateful for the extra resources we use, including the Bible videos and the YouTube instruction “Don’t Miss This!” by Dave Butler and Emily Freeman. If you are interested, you can google it or go to emilybellefreeman.com to find the link and the study guide. Interesting! We just had a copy made of the New Testament with wide margins so that we can add notes, quotes, and doodles as we learn more about following the covenant path set by the Savior. We are truly guided by a prophet of God.
Sunday I substituted on the organ in 1st Ward and then played for Primary. It was good to be with the children and be reminded of the blessing of gospel music in teaching the doctrines and principles of the Church. I can hear still in my head the sweet voices singing “He Sent His Son.”
Yesterday in seminary we asked the students (including one who had not attended since the beginning of the school year) WHY they get up and come so early in the morning. The numbers are few, but those who are there are strong in spirit and devotion. Some of their answers: “It just makes me happy,” “It brings joy into every part of my life,” “I’m preparing for my mission,” “It’s the way my parents taught me,” etc. Pablo came back because his bishop told him he needed to be in seminary if he wanted to turn in mission papers. He says he wants a new slate. I keep thinking that if they can get up and get to early-morning seminary to learn the gospel, they can certainly stand the rigors of missionary work. If they do not take that responsibility seriously, how will they serve the Lord full time and then teach and lead in the service of God for a lifetime? Families make such a huge difference! As fewer and fewer people of faith stand up for what is right in the world, the more our responsibility grows.
The church continues to grow in Laredo. On Saturday another mother and her children were baptized. New members are learning to serve in the wards and branches here. Young adults step up to fill callings and organize activities. Those who have deep roots in the gospel strengthen and teach. It is marvelous to see the work go forward, steadfast in Christ.
Watching THE HIDING PLACE is a reminder to remember the past. Corrie ten Boom said, “Every experience God gives us . . .is the perfect preparation for the future only He can see.” That is true of every test he gives us. It was true in the Book of Mormon. It was true for the early Saints in the midst of persecution. It is true for us today in every circumstance.
It is time to read THE HIDING PLACE again! I just bought it on Kindle and Audible. We are watching the movie on Prime Video right now. Why all this? Our seminary lesson this morning was on Doctrine & Covenants 98, the persecution of the Saints in Missouri (and Ohio) and the Lord’s revelation in the Law of Retaliation, the Law of War, and the Law of Forgiveness. One of the stories was of Corrie ten Boom—none of our students had ever heard of her! Reference for the story from our lesson: [Corrie ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord (1974), 54–55.]” (Keith B. McMullin, “Our Path of Duty,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 13). What a great lesson for humanity! In today’s world of chaos and hate, D&C 98 teaches us how we should react when others are unkind, full of hatred, or determined on persecution. Every day in the scripture blocks and lessons we teach we find that we are learning (or reviewing) the very things we need to survive the trials of the world and stay on the covenant path!
We also love studying the New Testament and the Come, Follow Me course. We are grateful for the extra resources we use, including the Bible videos and the YouTube instruction “Don’t Miss This!” by Dave Butler and Emily Freeman. If you are interested, you can google it or go to emilybellefreeman.com to find the link and the study guide. Interesting! We just had a copy made of the New Testament with wide margins so that we can add notes, quotes, and doodles as we learn more about following the covenant path set by the Savior. We are truly guided by a prophet of God.
Sunday I substituted on the organ in 1st Ward and then played for Primary. It was good to be with the children and be reminded of the blessing of gospel music in teaching the doctrines and principles of the Church. I can hear still in my head the sweet voices singing “He Sent His Son.”
Yesterday in seminary we asked the students (including one who had not attended since the beginning of the school year) WHY they get up and come so early in the morning. The numbers are few, but those who are there are strong in spirit and devotion. Some of their answers: “It just makes me happy,” “It brings joy into every part of my life,” “I’m preparing for my mission,” “It’s the way my parents taught me,” etc. Pablo came back because his bishop told him he needed to be in seminary if he wanted to turn in mission papers. He says he wants a new slate. I keep thinking that if they can get up and get to early-morning seminary to learn the gospel, they can certainly stand the rigors of missionary work. If they do not take that responsibility seriously, how will they serve the Lord full time and then teach and lead in the service of God for a lifetime? Families make such a huge difference! As fewer and fewer people of faith stand up for what is right in the world, the more our responsibility grows.
The church continues to grow in Laredo. On Saturday another mother and her children were baptized. New members are learning to serve in the wards and branches here. Young adults step up to fill callings and organize activities. Those who have deep roots in the gospel strengthen and teach. It is marvelous to see the work go forward, steadfast in Christ.
Watching THE HIDING PLACE is a reminder to remember the past. Corrie ten Boom said, “Every experience God gives us . . .is the perfect preparation for the future only He can see.” That is true of every test he gives us. It was true in the Book of Mormon. It was true for the early Saints in the midst of persecution. It is true for us today in every circumstance.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Matters off Heart and Home TMM
TMM Matters of Home and Heart
I am considering Jim’s birthday video as last week’s post, but I want to go back to fast Sunday and share a little story about Jackie. Jackie was sustained as assistant ward chorister that Sunday in 1st Ward. It brought tears to Jim’s eyes because we love Jackie, a young adult who has Down Syndrome. We have shared stories about her before—watching her lead the singing with heart and power, eyes toward heaven and arms outstretched. That day Jackie bore her testimony, and that is really something as she often uses sign language and might be considered non-verbal. Like Cameron used to do, she read her testimony. Even though we couldn’t understand many of her words, we did understand their spirit. As she came back into the congregation, she stopped at our row and threw her arms around me. So sweet! Our hearts were connected through the spirit. It was a special moment for us, though it made us miss Cameron. We were sure he was bearing testimony at our home ward as he does every month.
Jackie has a fabulous mother (and father) who also bore her testimony that Sunday. She told how thankful she is that Heavenly Father sent her this beautiful, smart, sweet girl. Mom served a mission as a young adult, speaks two languages, and became a mother later in life. We come to know so many inspiring people here!
It is interesting to see how the Lord sends some very special people to Laredo at this time to strengthen the saints and inspire us all. This last Sunday a young couple spoke in the 4th Ward and told the story of how they came to move to Laredo. They recently moved from Washington, D.C., with a new job assignment as an attorney for the U.S. government. At the same time they were devastated by her mother’s diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s and a 20-week miscarriage. (The road is never easy, right?!) When they got here, they found themselves in an expensive move with no paycheck because of the government shutdown. Their talks were absolutely great reminders of Elder Holland’s counsel to “Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever.” One reason these talks had such an impact was that they were the second couple to speak in the same circumstance! Another couple also came for his job as a government attorney. They also had faced difficult trials, arriving here at the same time as the government shutdown. These two faithful couples assured us that they were strengthened through the hard times. I am sure that they (along with couples who were brought here to work different jobs, play basketball for TAMIU, start a pediatric dental practice, work for border patrol, etc.) were brought here for reasons they might not even recognize yet. It is our testimony also that WE are here because the Lord sent us here to Laredo for His specific reasons.
Saturday we were blessed to be at the baptism of a young family the Sisters had been teaching. It was so exciting to see Jodie and three of her children covenant in the waters of baptism. Her husband should soon follow. I couldn’t figure out why her 9-year-old daughter was crying and grumpy, but Mom later explained that Nicole was upset that the baptism jumpsuit was so ugly! She was much happier to be confirmed on Sunday in a sequined, sparkly sea-green dress. Girls! You gotta love ‘em.
We love our calling to teach! The real work is the hours of preparation every day, but the payoff is grand! Our seminary students are such a blessing! They work hard to learn and love the gospel. Everyday the young men leave us with a smile and a handshake, and the girls embrace us with that hug and cheek kiss that belong to the culture of this warm, loving people. (They don’t hug Jim—it’s a handshake for him.) We love them all so much! Each week we leave Institute with full hearts, professing what marvelous young adults bless the Laredo Stake. Our beloved Ingrid is the new YSA president. Elias is a new Elders’ Quorum president in his ward. All of the others have callings, even the newly-baptized. They are leaders and teachers in the Church, and we love them for their faith and service. This is God’s true church. His gospel is the good news the world craves. We are here to help build the kingdom and gather Israel. If this is the time for you, volunteer to be part of this great work! Senior missionaries are needed everywhere. Come and be blessed!
I am considering Jim’s birthday video as last week’s post, but I want to go back to fast Sunday and share a little story about Jackie. Jackie was sustained as assistant ward chorister that Sunday in 1st Ward. It brought tears to Jim’s eyes because we love Jackie, a young adult who has Down Syndrome. We have shared stories about her before—watching her lead the singing with heart and power, eyes toward heaven and arms outstretched. That day Jackie bore her testimony, and that is really something as she often uses sign language and might be considered non-verbal. Like Cameron used to do, she read her testimony. Even though we couldn’t understand many of her words, we did understand their spirit. As she came back into the congregation, she stopped at our row and threw her arms around me. So sweet! Our hearts were connected through the spirit. It was a special moment for us, though it made us miss Cameron. We were sure he was bearing testimony at our home ward as he does every month.
Jackie has a fabulous mother (and father) who also bore her testimony that Sunday. She told how thankful she is that Heavenly Father sent her this beautiful, smart, sweet girl. Mom served a mission as a young adult, speaks two languages, and became a mother later in life. We come to know so many inspiring people here!
It is interesting to see how the Lord sends some very special people to Laredo at this time to strengthen the saints and inspire us all. This last Sunday a young couple spoke in the 4th Ward and told the story of how they came to move to Laredo. They recently moved from Washington, D.C., with a new job assignment as an attorney for the U.S. government. At the same time they were devastated by her mother’s diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s and a 20-week miscarriage. (The road is never easy, right?!) When they got here, they found themselves in an expensive move with no paycheck because of the government shutdown. Their talks were absolutely great reminders of Elder Holland’s counsel to “Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever.” One reason these talks had such an impact was that they were the second couple to speak in the same circumstance! Another couple also came for his job as a government attorney. They also had faced difficult trials, arriving here at the same time as the government shutdown. These two faithful couples assured us that they were strengthened through the hard times. I am sure that they (along with couples who were brought here to work different jobs, play basketball for TAMIU, start a pediatric dental practice, work for border patrol, etc.) were brought here for reasons they might not even recognize yet. It is our testimony also that WE are here because the Lord sent us here to Laredo for His specific reasons.
Saturday we were blessed to be at the baptism of a young family the Sisters had been teaching. It was so exciting to see Jodie and three of her children covenant in the waters of baptism. Her husband should soon follow. I couldn’t figure out why her 9-year-old daughter was crying and grumpy, but Mom later explained that Nicole was upset that the baptism jumpsuit was so ugly! She was much happier to be confirmed on Sunday in a sequined, sparkly sea-green dress. Girls! You gotta love ‘em.
We love our calling to teach! The real work is the hours of preparation every day, but the payoff is grand! Our seminary students are such a blessing! They work hard to learn and love the gospel. Everyday the young men leave us with a smile and a handshake, and the girls embrace us with that hug and cheek kiss that belong to the culture of this warm, loving people. (They don’t hug Jim—it’s a handshake for him.) We love them all so much! Each week we leave Institute with full hearts, professing what marvelous young adults bless the Laredo Stake. Our beloved Ingrid is the new YSA president. Elias is a new Elders’ Quorum president in his ward. All of the others have callings, even the newly-baptized. They are leaders and teachers in the Church, and we love them for their faith and service. This is God’s true church. His gospel is the good news the world craves. We are here to help build the kingdom and gather Israel. If this is the time for you, volunteer to be part of this great work! Senior missionaries are needed everywhere. Come and be blessed!
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