A Time For Change

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Friday when we were at Zone Conference, we had the opportunity to sit down and visit with the Stake RS President, Sister Ramon, and Sister Michela, the newly called Relief Society President of White Plains 2nd Ward.  The previous week Sister Ramon had called and told us that she would like us to move back up to White Plains 2nd Ward beginning in February.  Sister Michela would like some help with visiting teaching in her ward.  This would also help me to work closer to home after Sister Boone leaves so I won't have to drive as long by myself like Sister Boone did.  Sister Ramon said she feels guilty about that every time she thinks about Sister Boone being by herself for such a long time.  Before going back to White Plains 2nd Ward, we decided to go ahead and attend the Lexington Park Sunday meetings on February 2nd and start back in White Plains 2nd Ward today, the 9th.  We had a good drive to Lexington Park and enjoyed meeting with the good sisters in this ward one last time.  Today, we actually attended White Plains 1st Ward and visited with the lovely sisters that we have not seen since October.  One thing we can be sure of is change.  Nothing stays the same.  When we went to church today, there was a remembrance book on the foyer table from the funeral of 88-year-old Elsie Palmer, one of the sisters we had the privilege of serving while we were in 2nd Ward.  On a happier note, we saw a less active sister, her husband, daughter, and daughter-in-law in church.  They are still struggling greatly with finances.  She is still looking for a job, and now her son and his wife and kids have moved in with her.  Sometimes the Lord brings us to our knees in despair so that we will be in the position to pray and seek His will for us.

To go back a week, last Sunday evening as I was preparing to set up my computer for a video chat with my children, I received a phone call from Heidi.  I thought she had a question about our video chat.  I asked her how she was doing.  She said, "not so well."  That surprised me.  I asked what was going on and then I could sense her tears.  She told me that she thought she might be miscarrying again.  Bryce was going to take her to the hospital, but it was going to be tricky to do that and have the two boys, so I told her not to worry, I am sure Sister Boone would understand if I took a day or two to help out.  If Heidi had to have this disruption of their plans, it couldn't have come at a better time.  Monday is our P-Day, and Tuesday we had plans to tour the White House.  I could easily miss those two days.  We had not yet made any appointments for Wednesday, and I knew that Sister Boone wanted to attend the temple as much as possible this last week of her mission, so that would give her the chance to go again.  I said I could throw some things in a bag and leave right away.  Heidi told me that Bryce would take the boys with him and drive her to the hospital and then go back home, and I could sit with them while he returned to be with her.  This worked very well.  I arrived only minutes before he brought the boys back, we put them to bed, and he returned to the hospital.  Although it was a heartbreaking experience for all of us, I feel that the Lord's timing was perfect as far as giving me the opportunity to serve her family and be there for her even for only a few days.

Just a little trivia--pictures of bushes in Heidi's front yard after another ice storm while I was there.

Meeting with President Cooke

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Tuesday afternoon, I received a phone call from President Cooke's office assistant, Sister Connell.  She said that President Cooke would like Sister Divine and I to join him and Sister Cooke and Sisters Beckes and Boone for lunch on Thursday, February 6th.   I called Sister Boone and let her know that I would plan on coming home sometime Wednesday evening so she would know I was planning on going with her to Potomac Thursday.

At the end of our meeting with Sister Ramon at Zone Conference, she said that she was going to talk to President Cooke about my being alone when Sister Boone leaves.  She thought since Sister Divine will be alone also (having her companion going home the same day as Sister Boone), maybe we could be together for a while.  I don't know if she really did talk to him or not, but when we were invited to lunch also, I suspected that there might be more changes in store.

Sister Boone, Sister Cooke, President Cooke, Sister Beckes and me and Sister Divine

We drove to Potomac Thursday morning and arrived at 11:15.  We went to a very nice little Italian restaurant called Gregorio's Trattoria.  As I suspected, during the course of the meal Elder Cooke talked to us a bit about the women auxiliary specialists in the Washington D.C. North Mission, of whom there would only be two by next week.  There is another sister coming in March who would have originally been replacing Sister Boone, as Sister Beckes was called to be here until August but is going home early because of health problems.  Last week Pres. Cooke told me that he had not yet heard about additional sisters coming.  At lunch today, he told us that he has requested to have six more women auxiliary specialists assigned to this mission so that there will be four companionships; so Sister Moraga who is coming March 17, and me, plus six others.  Sister Divine is going home soon.  He said that he has now heard of two that will come July 2nd, but he couldn't remember their names.

Sister Boone, Sister and President Cooke, and Sister Beckes

Sister Boone holding her Challenge Coin that Pres. Cooke presented to her.

After lunch, President Cooke presented Sister Boone and Sister Beckes their challenge coins that will serve to remind them of their commitment of serving a mission.  He told us that the military units often have challenge coins that they carry with them at all times.  They are a symbol of unity, identity, and brotherhood. If they are asked to show their coins and they don't have them with them, then they have to buy a drink for the other person.

As of Tuesday, Sister Divine will be alone in Silver Spring and I will be alone down in Waldorf.  However, President Cooke stated that he wants Sister Divine and I to be together until more sisters come.  He does not want us to live alone.  He did not make an executive decision but rather told us to discuss our options and agree where we would like to stay until more single sisters arrive. He discussed things with Elder Neibaur briefly during lunch and told us to talk to him later.  Sister Boone and I decided to just call on the phone, but Sister Beckes and Sister Divine went to the mission office following our lunch.  She hasn't told me yet what they talked about.

I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about the pros and cons of living in both areas.  One of the tricky parts of a new companionship with either Sister Divine or me having to move is impacted even more by a "threesome" arrangement for a couple of weeks in March.  Sister Divine will be leaving to go home on April 2nd.  Sister Moraga arrives March 17--a two-week overlap.  President Cooke wants us to try and arrange things so that all three of us can live together for those two weeks before Sister Divine goes home.  That sounds pretty easy, right?  That is three grown women who have moved their entire house with them (almost) trying to live in space that is comfortable for two but with not much extra space.  She asked if it would be easier if she just left early.  President Cooke didn't want her to do that.  

This whole moving thing has caused me to lose a little bit of sleep.  I slept fitfully Thursday night but was up Friday morning and ready by 9:15 to attend the temple one more time with Sister Boone.  We had a safe trip and a good visit during the drive.  Friday night I slept even less.  I woke at about 3:00 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep.  It is a good thing that I didn't have to go anywhere Saturday except out to Walmart to get a mouse trap.  I have seen signs of a mouse under the stove and want to see if I can eliminate it before it becomes a problem.  There is no sense worrying about the change that is coming.  This is the Lord's work, and everything will work out just fine.

Contemplation

I was talking to Andrew yesterday afternoon and briefly mentioned a thought that went through my mind as I was reading.  Talking to him made me think about it a little more.  In a way it has to do with making decisions.  I will preface my thoughts with a comment about my scripture study of this past week.  I was reading about Solomon in 1 Kings. He received a great blessing from the Lord and that was to be wise and have an understanding heart.  He was a very wise leader, until he let three temptations get the better of him—pride, misuse of wealth, and lust for the world's esteem.  The Old Testament Student Manual stressed that "because Solomon forgot his blessing, he lost it". 

At the end of the chapter in the student manual, it suggested that I review my Patriarchal Blessing and write down some observations.  On a piece of paper make three columns.  The heading for the first column is Who Am I? (Statements about me, my potential, my destiny, my relationship with God).  The second column is for Promises (Those things the Lord promises on condition of your faithfulness).  The last column is entitled Admonitions (Counsel, warnings, and reminders to you).  It is interesting how these fit together to give inspired direction for us. 

Here is one example of an attribute (followed by my comments on the subject), with the promise and counsel associated with it.

The Attribute:  Intelligence and having an understanding of true intelligence.

My thoughts--I have often pondered to know what this meant.  I know that D&C 93:6 says "The glory of God is intelligence, or light and truth."  When I was reading a book by Gerald N. Lund, there was a statement that reminded me of this quote.  It said "intelligence is the ability to make choices that determine outcomes."  This is very similar to the definition found in Webster's Dictionary:  "The ability to learn or understand from experiences or to respond successfully to new experiences."  Intelligence is more than having knowledge, it is the proper use of that knowledge.

The Promise:  Apply knowledge properly to do good and blessings shall follow that cannot be numbered, but Heavenly Father can number them.  Through application of knowledge to do good you shall cause much happiness among the children of men.

The Admonition:  Trust in Heavenly Father, be faithful, and blessings will follow your obedience, faithfulness, and diligence.   Tread the path of truth and light by faith and diligent obedience.

I love how all of the scriptures work together (even our own personal scriptures—Patriarchal Blessing), and they all point to Christ and Heavenly Father and guide us back to them.  Through the power of the Holy Ghost I can testify that this is true.