Dear Family and Friends,
We open our thoughts this week feeling the blessings that we received for Mother's Day. Mother's Day in Ireland is officially in March, but of course we didn't celebrate it then, except to buy Grandma's card in March--which said "Happy Mum's Day". (We thought Grandma would especially enjoy this since they spent their first mission in England where we think Mom is also "Mum"). So without commercial hints, we didn't have much update on when American Mother's Day was. We thought it was more mid-month, but when the Elders and Sisters started getting excited to call home, we realized it was near. It is sweet how important that semi-annual phone call home is anticipated. We, on the other hand, are extra blessed as senior missionaries that we can call more often than that--in fact whenever we need to.
It was a joy to be able to talk to my Mother (Grandma) on Saturday. She is always full of enthusiasm for all that is happening--and we are grateful that she gets special treatment and honor, for she truly is a wonderful Mother. It would b tempting to be jealous for all those who got to give her a hug, but we are trying to avoid thinking too much of sweet family times. We did have great visits with some of our children and grandchildren and the Mother's Day montage from Chelise's family is continuing to decorate our little living room area. To "put the cherry on top" we had the very best weather day since we have been in Ireland. It was sunny, 70 degrees and felt a little bit tropical! I think Heaven knew that this Mother would love that!
Looking back on events of this past week, we feel we have been blessed in many ways. We are very grateful when we can be busy and are trying to use our time well. so rather than feeling tired, we feel happy. One day was especially blessed. We don't get to run every day, but this day we did start with our run, then we were the "moving van" for a YSA young man from Brazil. We took a little rest when we got home before we took off for an appointment in Mullingar, an hour's drive away. In Mullingar we did a missionary flat check, then met with the Self Reliance specialist for an hour arranging for their ward to get started on classes. (We were very excited that he is willing to make such a big effort to bring the program to his ward. We had the materials printed and ready for him, and will go out to do a Devotional (start-up program) this Sunday and make another trip when they start classes two days later,--- but he will be teaching two nights a weeks for 12 weeks for the two classes he has arranged to start! We are so impressed with his devotion.) After we returned to Dublin, we still had to grocery shop, do paperwork, bake cookies for the evening, meet a man who needs job support, teach our Job Class, take students home who couldn't get a bus, grocery shop again for a breakfast meeting the next morning---that we arranged later in the day. In all, it was a good, long day from 6:00 to 10:30 without much time to even eat, except in the car.
We open our thoughts this week feeling the blessings that we received for Mother's Day. Mother's Day in Ireland is officially in March, but of course we didn't celebrate it then, except to buy Grandma's card in March--which said "Happy Mum's Day". (We thought Grandma would especially enjoy this since they spent their first mission in England where we think Mom is also "Mum"). So without commercial hints, we didn't have much update on when American Mother's Day was. We thought it was more mid-month, but when the Elders and Sisters started getting excited to call home, we realized it was near. It is sweet how important that semi-annual phone call home is anticipated. We, on the other hand, are extra blessed as senior missionaries that we can call more often than that--in fact whenever we need to.
It was a joy to be able to talk to my Mother (Grandma) on Saturday. She is always full of enthusiasm for all that is happening--and we are grateful that she gets special treatment and honor, for she truly is a wonderful Mother. It would b tempting to be jealous for all those who got to give her a hug, but we are trying to avoid thinking too much of sweet family times. We did have great visits with some of our children and grandchildren and the Mother's Day montage from Chelise's family is continuing to decorate our little living room area. To "put the cherry on top" we had the very best weather day since we have been in Ireland. It was sunny, 70 degrees and felt a little bit tropical! I think Heaven knew that this Mother would love that!
Looking back on events of this past week, we feel we have been blessed in many ways. We are very grateful when we can be busy and are trying to use our time well. so rather than feeling tired, we feel happy. One day was especially blessed. We don't get to run every day, but this day we did start with our run, then we were the "moving van" for a YSA young man from Brazil. We took a little rest when we got home before we took off for an appointment in Mullingar, an hour's drive away. In Mullingar we did a missionary flat check, then met with the Self Reliance specialist for an hour arranging for their ward to get started on classes. (We were very excited that he is willing to make such a big effort to bring the program to his ward. We had the materials printed and ready for him, and will go out to do a Devotional (start-up program) this Sunday and make another trip when they start classes two days later,--- but he will be teaching two nights a weeks for 12 weeks for the two classes he has arranged to start! We are so impressed with his devotion.) After we returned to Dublin, we still had to grocery shop, do paperwork, bake cookies for the evening, meet a man who needs job support, teach our Job Class, take students home who couldn't get a bus, grocery shop again for a breakfast meeting the next morning---that we arranged later in the day. In all, it was a good, long day from 6:00 to 10:30 without much time to even eat, except in the car.
Of course not all days are as action packed, but most weeks we have something we have to do almost every night of the week. Monday, English Class, Tuesday YSA, Wednesday Job Class, Thursday Finance Class, Friday and Saturday nights are a mixture of YSA activities, workshops, conferences, etc. and Sundays we seem to be busy all of the time. We speak and present in wards almost every week and "Sunday nights we are teaching a Foundations Course and doing firesides. When we get in late we are tempted to sleep-in the next day, but that is never a good option since we are the "visitor's center" for the church property and people come calling quite early on most mornings. The day times are less predictable than evenings, but usually well filled with variety.
The English class we are presently teaching on Monday nights is really fun because the students are seriously smart and eager. We had 8 students here who are mostly Brazilians (and mostly investigators) with big plans for their future, so they are learning English to help their plans go forward. They are taking classes here, but love getting together for more help. Among other activities, we have been playing improvised Balderdash with them, and working on context clue sentences. We realize more and more that much of the world would feel so lucky to live in America, and to add having the gospel on top of that makes our grandchildren so lucky we hardly dare think of it. We are grateful that each of you grandchildren are not taking your blessings and opportunities for granted. We love hearing how many great things you are doing with your time. We are so proud of your parents for giving each of you such wonderful opportunities to develop your talents and to help you be smart in school. We feel strongly that you are definitely among the "elect" of heavenly Father's children ---and that these students are also among the elect and have been led here to find the gospel. The gathering of all the elect is a great work. It is missionary work, but it is also a work of becoming examples to the world of good, righteous and ambitious goals for life.
Not everyone we meet and work with though, are at the top of the ladder. Some are working so hard just to have a bed at night--and some don't always have that. We try to help them get better job finding skills, but it is an upward battle. What we do see that is consistent is a willingness to work and quite a lot of faith. We are thrilled with their deep belief that God will help them, that He already has helped them, and that coincidences are really blessings. We wish we could begin to share the stories of lives being blessed by the gospel--and by Self Reliance.
We are grateful for your prayers for us, and we imagine that you are mostly praying for our safety and health. We have been safe, and are healthy again, but we want to request that you also really pray for us to have the Spirit to help us in our work. Since we are quite busy as we represent the Self Reliance Program, we meet many people --both members of the Church and investigators. For investigators OR members we can either be a stepping stone or a stumbling block that affects their view of Self Reliance and more importantly the Gospel. Self Reliance is such an important new program, a tool to really help members to become strong, capable, and happy in their temporal and spiritual lives. Investigators are welcome to participate in Self Reliance classes and services, so we extra hope we can bring the Sprit in all that we do. The foundation for all the courses is faith based, and we feel the challenge to always make that clear and important. We feel that the "field is truly white, all ready to harvest," and that we must be so careful to not let pride, discouragement, or any personal weaknesses stand in the way of being able to share true principles. So please pray for us to be good representatives of the Lord's work.
This week ahead is very busy. Tomorrow we have all Ireland Zone Conference. Wednesday and Thursday we will be in Scotland for a Couples Conference. We are doing a SR workshop there with the Scotland SR couple. (we have been arranging for substitutes for classes here.) Then we will be home on Friday to prepare for a lot of involvement in District meetings in Limerick Saturday, and presentations in Galway, Mullingar, and Clondalkin Sunday--all of which are 1-2 hours apart. We are grateful to be able to present in all these events this week, but we hope we can be significantly blessed to make a difference.
One last thought: We were showing a video of people in Africa working together to dig wells. It was evident that there was great joy in the work being accomplished. It struck us that Dad, Grandpa, had said he wanted to be called to Africa to help dig wells, because he knew then that the work would make a difference. And now we are here in Ireland, digging a different kind of well. The wells we hope that are making a difference are the wells of personal resources being discovered. As people reach down inside themselves and discover their talents, potential, and find hope in the future, they are just as blessed as if they were wells of water. The results of finding personal resources can bless families and communities now and in the future. Just today we worked with an investigator, who is a very capable immigrant, but in some ways a refugee, from Zimbabwe to help him find new opportunities. The parallels of purpose are not so difficult to see, and we feel our circle of prayers for good people becoming wider and wider.
As our love for others spreads wider, our love for you and our Savior deepens. We love each of you so much! Again, we are thankful to have been in contact with you and feel your support and love. We hope you will continue to live the gospel with strength and faith and keep the family important.
Hugs and Kisses,
Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Lynne and Lanette
This is a glamour picture of us one morning running. Don't ask WHY we would want this photo--just to show you that the day was pretty and we are really here!
This bridge is part of our run and dates back to the 15th century. It is in a nice parkway along a river that is now running clean and healthy. For some years after industry came into the area it got polluted and all the wildlife and fish left. Now even Salmon are occasionally returning.
Along this river is a nice pond with several kinds of ducks and best of all beautiful swans. The Mother is on a small island sitting on the nest every time we come, and the father keeps a constant guard swimming around. It is so tranquil.
We don't see the heron often, but it is fun when we do. This day he was very intent on fishing behind the big rock and did not move even when we got closer. In places the banks are lined with big boulders.
The big leaf plant in the foreground looks like rhubarb but in fact it is rather poisonous. Mom felt the affects of pulling a leaf to see if it was rhubarb, on her hands for two days. They do however sell rhubarb in the store--so we bought some.
The big leaf plant in the foreground looks like rhubarb but in fact it is rather poisonous. Mom felt the affects of pulling a leaf to see if it was rhubarb, on her hands for two days. They do however sell rhubarb in the store--so we bought some.
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