When another week rolls by and we are realizing it is time to share our experiences, we find ourselves checking the calendar and reflecting on all that has happened. If we say that the weeks seem long, it is not that we are so bored or having a hard time ("time flies when you are having fun")--- but it seems like we have so many things that happen each day, that we are quite surprised when we look back on where the week began. This has been a week of a lot of variety and so we apologize ahead if it sounds like bits and pieces:
As you know, our main responsibility is Self Reliance, and we feel we have had such a good variety of events for this work. On Wednesday we held our second week's session for the young adult classes. Dad is working with the "My Job Search" and Mom is working with the "Education for Better Work"group. We wish we could say that everyone came --and fully prepared, but since not, we at least feel that we are moving forward and getting some pretty good results. It is hard to describe the challenges that the people face. There are so many uncertainties and challenges for them to even make commitments for 12 weeks; distances to travel for example, are significant, either fairly expensive bus fares, or long (30 min) walks, or even longer(1 hour) car drives. We hope we can keep it holding together and bring some blessings to the lives of those who have started.
On Thursday night we also held the "Devotional", or starting meeting, in Dublin, for the Finance class we have been given permission to pilot both in Dublin and Belfast. (Belfast is not ready yet--but we still have hope.) We were planning on the Stake Specialist managing that meeting, but she called a few hours ahead and was unable to come because of a serious migraine, so we dropped everything and put together what ended up being a good meeting. Once again, the numbers were smaller than we had hoped because we had been advertising a lot through the wards, but since we are rarely here we don't know how strongly it was presented. However, the area manager was happy with the numbers and we felt the quality of people there was wonderful. So we launched that ---and sent out more reminders for "last call" invitations to come this week.
Mid week we have also been working on preparing materials for business contact efforts, and continue to work with young adults on job resumes. So many young people, especially immigrants are needing help with their CVs (resumes) and ideas on getting work. We are trying to be sensitive to personal needs. Our extreme effort was again for our investigator friend, Morris. He had been so discouraged on Monday in the middle of the night, then we got another text from him at 3 a.m. that he needed help getting from one job. (1/2 hour drive each way) to another job interview (1/2 hour drive each way in a different direction ) because the busses wouldn't make it in time. Poor Dad!! By the time we did all the driving it was a full 3 hours and a big chunk of sleep time. But we "had" to do it since Morris was trying so hard to get more/better work.
On Sunday, we presented in a more near-by ward for Self Reliance and got such a great response from their Specialist and ward leadership. We will be meeting with them again this week, and are happy to see them wanting to get going even on their own. The Stake is calendared to start a block of classes soon and we are trying to get a strong message out, but they are anxious to get moving on their own. This is the best news and best way to do it,----in the wards.
On Saturday, we had planned to go up to the coast of Ireland for "flat checks" and take our newly baptized friend Carlos and Priscilla with us--but the weather was not that great for sight-seeing at The Giants Causeway,--- and Dad needed to be careful to not get a full blown cold, (10-12 hour round trip) so we stayed closer to home and ended up going with our YSA Rep, to the proposed YSA July All Ireland Convention site in a National Park just an hour away. The place is called Glendalough and it was really beautiful. (We will take any visitors there for sure.) It has some pretty cool 900-1200 AD buildings and cemetery, a pretty lake and forest, and youth hostel that sleeps about 125 people. We have reserved to rent it exclusively. Best part of all it has a tall ancient tower with folklore that if a maiden runs around it 3 times counterclockwise, she will be married in 6 months! We think it will be great advertisement for attendance. The girls will want to run it, and the guys will want to know who wants to run it!!
On Sunday, we had some worrisome hours over our investigator friend, Nick. He has been doing so well, working hard and long hours to get some money ahead, and to get his government work permits. He has still been working on his tobacco addiction and making a little more progress, but not quite there. He is not sure if his testimony is completely solid, but he has come a long ways. We told him we would fast for him on Sunday, and encouraged him to not work, but come to Church (he has the work option). While we were driving out to our meetings to present in combined Rel. Society /Priesthood a ways away, we got a call from the Elders that Nick was in trouble. They said he was so upset they weren't sure what had happened but that $350 had been stolen. We were sad because just the night before we had talked about the risk he was in that roommates might steal his money because they gamble and are down on rent. He said he might bring us his money to keep. They asked us to call him and see if we could settle him down--- because just to look at him you can tell he knows the meaning of retaliation. (He is the one with missing teeth and lots of scars.) When we called, we had to talk like crazy to get him to promise to not go break in the windows of the guys car, ---OR beat him up! We helped him see it was just money and he was not hurt, so just let it go. He didn't go to church --no surprise!--but in the afternoon we called to see if he was ok and asked him to come to the fireside for investigators and new members. He was not happy, but finally consented to come. Then we got the story. On his happy way to Church, he was stopped by a stranger who asked for him to help with rent money. He told him no, but then the guy said he was desperate and would sell him his expensive new ipad. It was a good deal, and he thought he could at least sell it, or he was doing well enough to maybe buy it for himself. When he was getting out his money, the guy switched the bag for one with a block of wood in it. Of course he sped off before Nick realized the scam! At the fireside, he was quite sullen, but as testimonies of valiant new members were shared, it touched his heart in just the right way. Each one had overcome Word of Wisdom problems and succeeded and were so happy to be members now. They were awesome examples of the transformation of living the gospel.
Even for us, it was hard to believe they had been members for so short a time. It is wonderful to be in the mission field and see the strength of so many who are converts. They are bright, wonderful, outgoing people who have taken advantage of the Atonement and repented and changed their lives. One man about 50 was so great. He introduced himself to us before the meeting began and we had no idea he could have been a recent convert. We though he was there to support someone from his ward. When he told his story of coming (being led from) South Africa, it was hard to believe. He told how he was an alcoholic, a drug user, an extremely corrupt policeman who broke all the laws and got away with it because he was an officer etc. etc. When he came to Ireland he decided to change his life, and he was so happy to find the church. Now he is just a bus driver, but he loves making people happy, and he is one of the happiest people we have met.
A young couple searched out the Church because they had changed their loves from all many vices, to keeping the Word of Wisdom and being morally clean, and thought it was good to check out a church that taught all those things. They said they finally had to go into the Church on Sunday because they were afraid people would think they were "stalking" the Church because they came so many times without going in. When they went in, everyone thought they were members. They said is this your first time here?--meaning the ward, not realizing it was their first time in any church! It was so cute! They are so excited they can be married for eternity.
And the third guy was just as fun with his effort to learn the gospel for himself in Ireland--because his girlfriend was checking it out in Slovakia, and he didn't want to just go along with the idea. He, like the others was so neat and clean and happy and have such mature testimonies. He and his now, fiancé are both baptized and will be married soon.
Lots of details there, but the great part was Nick said he saw himself in each of those people and by the end of the meeting he was so happy he was laughing and wanting to take pictures with us. There were about 6 other investigators there (one other one we have been working with on jobs and is in one of our classes) and everyone was so friendly and happy at the end. It is tremendous how the Spirit can change lives--even in an hour or so. We read an Ensign article (March) called "The Light" by Elder Lawrence, that seems to describes this phenomenon of change. He says: "When it comes time for each of us to be resurrected, how will the Lord determine whether we receive a telestial body, a terrestrial body, or a celestial body? The answer is easier than you may think. If we have accumulated enough celestial light in our bodies, we will be resurrected with celestial bodies. If we have only accumulated enough light for telestial or terrestrial bodies, that is the glory we will receive in the resurrection." The glow of Saints by following the light of truth is as real as the light around the angel Moroni. We just need to keep adding the perfect light to ourselves all through our lives. We are trying to do all we can to help others see the source of Light we can all access in our lives. The work is pretty constant, but we have an incredible variety of ways we get to serve and we hope to get to be better missionaries as we get more practice.
We send our love to each of you. We love getting your letters of updates and encouragement. We constantly pray for all of you and appreciate your prayers for us.
Hugs and Kisses,
Elder and Sister Pettit, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma
A rare sight: an Irish sunrise when the sky is clear enough to see. This was taken early in the morning as we were waiting for our investigator to come so we could take him to work.
Two investigators at the New Member Fireside on Sunday night. On the left is Venicius Pastore from Brazil, who is so ready to be baptized, and the one in the middle is our good fried Nicolae Cercea from Romania, about whom we have written so much. After the picture, Nicolae said to Elder Pettit: "You and I are the most handsome ones here." Elder Pettit replied: "You are #1, and I am #2." He laughed for the first time on a very hard day.
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