Full Friday

 My baby brother is sixty three today.....sixty three! How did that happen?

Our day started out early as we fixed lunch for our district council. We got it all ready, got ourselves and our young sisters to the church at 9:30 and participated in the council. I am so impressed with these young people! Elder Reynoldson, the only Brit in the group of eight had organized the meeting.

We did all the usual things, until time for the training. Last week, you may remember we met with Reverend Teal. It was a stellar meeting, one that I (and I am sure all the young missionaries) will long remember. The Reverend gave the training. This week, it was the two young sister missionaries, both of whom have been out for about three months, SK and me. Elder Reynoldson assigned each of us to speak about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

I started with "What is the Atonement of Jesus Christ?" SK went next with "How Can I Use the Enabling Power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ?" Sister Bloxham spoke about how to develop a desire to share with others the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Sister Jones talked about how we can help our friends receive help through Jesus Christ's Atoning Sacrifice. Both used scriptures from Isaiah 1 and also Isaiah 61. They are powerful scriptures.

We sat at tables in a horseshoe shape where we each could see everyone else and speak as though we were just visiting. We asked questions and others answered. By the time Sister Jones sang the closing hymn, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives," in her beautiful soprano voice, I think everyone was deeply moved with the spirit of the meeting. SK was sniffing back the tears, and I was as well.

The comments they made, and the spontaneous testimonies they bore were beautiful. I keep thinking I couldn't love these young people any more than I do, and then new ones come to replace them, and we fall in love again. Our lives just keep getting richer and richer with dear people that we love.

After getting back to the flat, SK changed into casual clothes and went to play tennis with all of them. I worked on dinner. I walked a half mile to deliver dinner to Madeline and Adam - two of our sweet young adults - and newlyweds in the throes of examination week(s) at Oxford. They seemed to genuinely appreciate it.


Angie came over and we sat around dinner for at least a couple of hours laughing and talking. She is fascinating to talk with; she knows so much about everything. She will speak in stake conference a week from Sunday, along with Dave and Deb. It should be a great conference. 

After our long dinner, we played SkullKing, and she won both rounds!!!! She loves the game, and we do too. We laughed so much, I am afraid that the neighbors might have been annoyed, but no one has complained.

I received three phone messages during the evening. The first was from Madeline's mother. In the kindest note, she thanked me for looking after her daughter and son-in-law. She expressed how difficult it is to be far from her now when there is so much pressure to complete school, find work, find housing etc, and she was grateful that someone is looking out for her.

I did very little, but am so grateful that it meant something special to a young woman and her mother.

The second note was from a woman in my Pathway class. She said, that she and her daughter will be baptized this next Thursday, and that "...this short time in these lessons has shown me how true the church is." 

I can't even begin to express what a privilege it is to have been a small participant in something very special for this sister. The others in the class make it very special and are all rallying around her in joy as they express their excitement for her to enter the waters of baptism. We will watch on Zoom.

And I heard from my sweet friend Valerie. I called and we had a marvelous visit that didn't last nearly long enough. She continues to be an inspiration to me with her faith and trust in the Lord.

And now we must go to bed.

Good night my Dears!

Comments

Erin said…
It sounds like a wonderfully fulfulling day!
May 30, 2021 at 12:53 PM
Lia said…
You do so much good in one single day that it makes me wonder what on earth I'm doing with my life!
May 31, 2021 at 5:01 PM
melissa said…
Wow! Your cup must be full!!
June 7, 2021 at 4:54 PM
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