More Cookies and Concerns, But Also a Celebration!

 I got several things done this morning that have been on my list for some time.  It felt good.  I was awake at 4, and dozed for a couple of hours and then decided to get up with the rest of the mission.  I keep hoping that I can train myself to wake up early and then be good and tired when I retire to bed at night.  Sometimes that works.

Hence, I will be writing this blog mostly in the evening, with an occasional early morning post.

It has been a good day.  It started out with a note of appreciation from our zone leaders.  They are so cute!  Where do 20-year-olds learn to write thoughtful notes of appreciation?  They also love to bake goodies and deliver them to all the missionaries in the zone.  They have a live cooking demonstration on Facebook every week, where they tackle everything from American pancakes to home-cooked Kentucky Fried Chicken.  You would be surprised at how many people tune in.  They actually find a fair number of people who want to be taught the Gospel.

I made a batch of cookies again today, and we took off, delivering to 6 young people, all of whom seemed very grateful.  As usual, I stood outside visiting and catching up with each individual.  It helps so much for us to see how they are doing.  We all hope that come mid-March, we will be able to have small gatherings at our flat.

I spent the afternoon trying to film a spot for Instagram about RootsTech.  SK and I are such amateurs.  These young people create excellent short videos - most just a couple of minutes long.  Our young sister trainers requested that we do that, so we did our best.  I think we will probably try again tomorrow or Saturday.  It is funny to try to do something of that order.  We invariably end up laughing at each other.

After delivering all our cookies and filling our car up with petrol, we did something we haven't done before.  We drove through Burger King and each ordered a whopper.  Then we sat in the parking lot, with about 20 other people in their own cars and ate our hamburgers - which tasted so good....but we were so hungry.

In the evening, we were able to talk to Erin, who turned 45 today.  She is as beautiful as ever.  She had already done some celebrating with a friend, and was slated to go out with her husband and children later.  It was delightful to catch up with her.  There never seems quite enough time to ask everything we wanted to ask, so we'll have to call in a few days.  On days like today - nostalgic days - images flash through my mind like a slide show on lightning-fast speed.  Each picture lasting a milli-second. before being replaced by another and another.  

I see her momentarily at every age, growing up in my mind.  Face flushed with heat and exertion on a blistering Arizona day, freckles standing out, blond curly hair, long young legs.  As a toddler looking adoringly up at her brother "Deek," as a teen with a perm, wearing jeans and a plaid shirt.  As a lovely young woman heading out on a date.  A young bride, a college graduate, a new mother....and on it goes.  

It is such a privilege to be an intimate part of another person's life.  Such a blessing.  Michelango said as old age set in, "And I am still learning."  He was right.  Those were intense years with our children as they grew from infancy to adulthood.  As they learned to negotiate their way through this life, I was learning - just as much and as fast as I could.  Now they are grown, I think I may be wiser, alas - too late for them.  

Encouragingly enough, I am still learning.  I guess that is the best I can hope for.


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