There is Hope Smiling Brightly Before Us

 In the last few days, we've become aware of several new YSAs that have moved in and no one knew about.  We are so excited about that.  We will have a lovely large new group, plus some of our very best from the past.  They will be a great group.  They are from all over the world,  Tonight we met Esmerelda from Spain.  She is beautiful and petite and looks like a porcelain doll - with a mask!

We put out the call to come to the church for the first session of General Conference.  We were given permission to meet in the primary room - no food - and watch the session.  We had the four young missionaries and 7 YSAs.  That isn't bad considering it is Saturday, and some of the newest ones are still isolating.  

It is not the same as in the past.  It is hard to be very social when a mask is covering over half your face and when you are standing 6 feet from other people.  It will be fascinating to read what the history books say about this year, but it is strange indeed.

We watched from 5 to 7 p.m. with them, came home and ate dinner, then watched here in our flat from 9 to 11.  The second session was as wonderful as the first.  But it ended with Elder Uchtdorf, who, I believe, gave the talk everyone wanted to hear from the general authorities at this time.  It was full of hope and reassurance, even though he actually stated at one point, that it is possible things can get worse.  

We'll watch again tomorrow - the Women's session which airs tonight in Utah at 6 p.m.  We'll watch a replay sometime in the morning, and then watch at 5 and 9 again.  I am looking forward to it, but like a spoiled child, am already lamenting that it will be over tomorrow evening, and we will have to wait another 6 months for the strength, encouragement and reassurance that always come with these conferences.

Perhaps on the bright side, by the time April Conference rolls around, maybe we will be gathering together without masks!  The news today is that Oxford has one of the leading developers of vaccinations, and England may have all of its adult population vaccinated within 6 months.  

Two outstanding reasons to look ahead 6 months to April with anticipation and hope.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Master Teacher

In the 1st Ward today, an 11-year-old boy gave a talk that was one of he best sacrament meeting talks I have ever heard.  He got up to speak and his head just barely cleared the podium.  He is small and has a shock of dark hair topping a cute slightly freckled face. It will be several years yet before his voice deepens.  He had his written talk, and he read most of it, but he was familiar enough with it that he looked up often and it seemed as if he was speaking from his heart. He began with a quote from Nephi in 2 Nephi 25:29, where Nephi prophesies about the future and then tells us how to worship the Savior. How? this boy asked us. He went on to answer his own question.  Nephi says "with all our might."  The boy then asked how that is done. He cited the story of the converts in the Congo who threw all of their idols into a massive waterfall where they were unrecoverable.  The boy said that when we worship the Savior with all our might, that mea...
Read more

Going Home

  Fifteen missionaries are returning to their homes this week.  For this Saturday night zoom conference broadcast, each bore their testimony from their flats with their companions by their sides.  SK and I teared up many times as we listened to humble, sweet and strong testimonies.  It is easy to see the difference as they get close to their release date.  It they have been faithful, there is a maturity and a sweetness that is unexplainable. Here is a smattering of what was said: There is no growth in the comfort zone.  I am about to go home to my comfort zone...but it struck me that my old comfort zone is no longer comfortable for me.  I want to be in a growth zone. The early apostles did not succeed, but they knew we would. One elder quoted Dave's poem "If."  "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same...Hold on...even through the hardest times."  "How can I accomplish these things?  Jesus Chr...
Read more

Shark!

Image
We left our flat way too early for my taste this morning, heading out to go south to Farnborough.  Forty-eight miles, supposedly an hour and twenty minute drive.  We got into some heavy stop and go traffic and it was closer to 2 hours before we got there. We inspected the two young sisters' flat, which was beautifully clean and organized.  They are cute sisters.  They had been in London yesterday for zone conference and excitedly shared all they had heard and been taught.  They had their notes out and were very cute to repeat some great messages from President Checketts.  I hardly ever talk to him when he isn't dealing with numerous issues in the mission and in the middle of at least one or two crises, and planning the next gathering....all at the same time.  It must be that he and Deb are in a constant state of stress.  But he has cleared the half-way mark.  I wonder if he knows how highly he is esteemed by these young missionaries, who ...
Read more