There is such a variety of things we experience --- a lot of good things and of course there are disappointments in every week of serving a mission, so looking back we try to see if there is a common thread or theme for the week, but instead it would be more like a patchwork quilt--maybe even a sunshine and shadow quilt, which is one of my favorites. When light and dark colors contrast it is quite striking ---and in real life, when great things happen against the background of worries or challenges, it makes the good things shine all the more brightly. This description may be a little stretched, but the patchwork of everyday certainly is not. As we look back on any one day, and especially on a whole week, we can hardly believe how busy and how much variety goes into serving a mission.
Once again we have been in Northern Ireland and the far south with the Self Reliance work within only a few days, so it is no wonder that Dad gets pretty tired with the difficult driving. But we have had some good experiences with the events that took us to the "edges". Our trip to Belfast area (north) was combined with flat checks again--which is never easy. We don't know whether it can get easier once we know where to find the apartments (probably so) but it gets frustrating to have the Sat. Nav. (satellite navigator) not be able to take an address, so we make compromises with what might be close, check again later and frequently call the Elders or Sisters only to have them say something like, "we wondered if you would have trouble finding us because...."
But more importantly our trip to Belfast was a blessing because of the good lunch meeting we had with the SR stake specialists, the Bowens. It is not hard for most people to see the benefits of SR, but getting commitments to move things forward are not so easy. We were happy to spend time with them again, and having them share some great insights how being self reliant has given them the blessing and joy of being able to give financial support to others was so refreshing to think about. We think that it will help us with teaching the Young Adults in the upcoming conference and was even more valuable than our intentions for the meeting. We had a similar blessing in a meeting with a ward specialist who is so anxious to get things set and going for his ward after we spoke there a week ago. His influence is really going to be a blessing to his ward because he has such a personal testimony of the principles. He told us about his experience with getting through law school and then through the almost harder period of interning to become a barrister. He knew he was supposed to continue to pursue his career goals, though they were out of money -----and many people tried to talk him out of it, but including the Lord in his goal was what really brought the miracles.
On Saturday we went to the far south of Ireland to the tiny branch in Tralee. Tralee is a fairly good sized city and is booming with tourist business especially since Star Wars was filmed nearby. But the branch is so small. Once again some of the Saints have moved to areas where the church is stronger, especially after the depression of 2008, and some have become discouraged and are not so committed, but the Branch President and his wife and family are such faithful and great people. The President has only been a member for 5 years, but he is so dedicated. We couldn't get there and back in one day so we planned to stay overnight, but they insisted we stay with them. They have four young children, who like our own grandchildren wanted to put on a skit--which turned out to be more musical with them playing their Irish flutes and doing the Irish dancing for us. It was delightful and we regretted that we were having too much fun to go find the camera.The kids were so loving and fun.
Their house is very nice and very unique. When they were first married they both worked so they lived on one salary in a trailer home, and built their home without a mortgage with the other income--for five years. It actually took them 7 to finish it, but they did it totally themselves and it is great. It has modern amenities with clever design and is quite far out of town. With all their resourcefulness though they really have to be careful with money because their two youngest have such severe eczema. The youngest is going to have surgery in Dublin at the end of March. Her eczema seems it could not be worse than the extreme condition on her face, but the worst is her esophagus. She has to be on a feeding tube because eating is so painful she chooses not to eat much. But she was darling with us. After the kids went to bed we stayed up and talked for a long time about whether SR could help their branch or not. President Knight and his wife really would like to start their own businesses--which is one type of class so we hope they can get things settled enough with their medical concerns to be able to do it and help others in the branch at the same time.
Another highlight of the week was a baptism on Saturday of a young man from Brazil that we have been working with a lot. He is very skilled in IT, but came to Ireland to learn English. We have been involved in a lot of his missionary lessons, but he is also in one of our job-search classes and we have been helping him especially to find work here. On Tuesday we took him out to an innovation complex and to an industrial park to check out the possibilities for employment, so it was wonderful to see him get baptized. He is such a nice person and baptism made him so happy. If he doesn't find work soon, he may go back to Brazil, so we were happy he did not wait. His biggest problem is, on a student visa he can only work part time.
Nick is another young man we have been working with, both with work and missionary lessons. He is having a much harder time because as he has met some hard trials, he gets set back on his smoking. It seemed that he was losing ground for a while, but we feel he will gather his determination and start progressing with faith again. And Morris, from Botswana keeps us totally guessing! Just when we think his response to the lesson was good and he truly wants the gospel, then we think we have lost him---because he doesn't answer messages. Then out of nowhere he shows up at the baptism with a smile and good news about getting a new job and how being at church always brings good things to him. Then not at church again! It is not easy to care about these people so much and to not know how things are going to turn out for them.
And for the last quilt piece, we have been quite busy with YSA. Last night we had a fireside rebroadcast of the Face to Face time with Elder Holland, Sister Stevens, and Elder Halstrom. It was a wonderful broadcast for YSA. Sometimes we wish we could work full time with YSA , and sometimes we are glad we are not because sometimes they are like the wind in Ireland---unpredictable. But just like spring is coming, things are getting gradually smoother. Institute is usually well attended, while other events are not quite as well, but how can you complain when the most important part is great? New leaders are called so the old ones can just take care of the summer conference in Dublin, and there is a good hope in the wind to do some overall planning. There are some really great young adults who sincerely want to rebuild the program by helping find and reactivate those who got "lost". and we are presently looking forward to a St. Patrick's Day party with Irish Celtic dancing and Irish food--probably just a potato bar. In ten days we all go to Belfast for an all UK convention, so we are trying to tie that down with applications in too.
Well, that is about it for the patchwork week. There is a lot of excitement for St. Patrick's Day coming this week--equivalent to 4th of July--when they will have a big parade and light the city green. We may or may not join in the fun, depending on whether or not it works out to be a good day to continue fellowship with Carlos and Priscila. and what else the day could be used for, but we hear the tourists are coming in!
We wish you all good Luck O' the Irish for your own St. Patrick's Day fun.
Hugs and PINCHES!!
Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad, Elder and Sister Pettit
War memorial, Phoenix Park, Dublin. Pretty big.
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