Happy birthday to Uncle Dan (61) tomorrow and to Ella Sadler on
the 13th (6)
Dear Family,
First off, I sent you the wrong zip code. We are at 81507 (not 503).
Sorry.
Our first full week in Colorado has affirmed our faith that the
Lord guides and directs the work. The senior couple we’ve replaced, the Halls,
left in October. For two months our mission president prayed that no crisis
would occur on the Western Slope, and it didn’t. But once we arrived we’ve been
called on to help several missionaries. We’ve taken one disobedient elder to
the airport, arranged for an ill sister to return to her family, and driven a
feverish greenie—just arrived on Friday—to emergency care. We’re learning we
need to keep our phones on at night and a pencil/paper by our beds so we can
take notes on emergency phone calls.
We’re still discovering how far the Gospel net reaches. On the
drive to the airport we learned that the elder going home is from Texas and
that Ray set him apart for his mission. So President Holt in Grand Junction
called President Holt in Friendswood and invited him to visit the returning
missionary and extend Heavenly Father’s love to him. An unexpected excuse to
have a nice chat with the Texas cousins on New Year’s Day.
Tuesday we accompanied some stake building specialists on their
inspection of 8 missionary apartments, which was illuminating. Most of the
apartments are nice, especially those for the sisters, but there was one in a
sketchy area that I didn’t feel good about. The mission housing specialist will
probably close it when a number of missionaries depart in February. Thursday we
attended a District Meeting and were impressed by the preparation and maturity
of the missionaries and their desire to work hard. Most of them are on
bikes—even in winter!—but are cheerful and positive and work hard. Friday was
our first transfer meeting. The “Transfer Train” starts in Denver at 6:45 am,
stops in Rifle to drop off and pick up missionaries, arrives in Grand Junction
at noon, drops off and picks up, returns to Rifle, and ends back in Denver. The
APs drive the van and luggage trailer so it is a long day for them. We kept one
sister with us; after all the elders and sisters departed we brought her to our
house, fed her lunch, and waited for her family. She had hidden an eating
disorder for seven years but the mission field revealed she needed treatment. A
sad situation but she seemed positive and her family was loving and supportive.
When her family arrived from Nevada President Holt gave her a blessing, which
was a sweet and tender experience. That night we fed the sister missionaries
again, which is fun for us. I’m learning I need to keep supplies on hand for quick
meals to feed a crowd at a moment’s notice. Saturday we took some elders to
lunch and went to another baptism for a 9-year-old whose father joined last
fall. She was so excited and happy she bounced and her father just
beamed.
This morning's early call was about a sick elder, so we spent
almost four hours with him at the community care and pharmacy. President Holt
tried not to alarm the elder's mother too much when he had to call (the
insurance card wasn’t working) but she still admits to a heart-dropping moment
when she heard her son was sick just three days after arriving in the mission
field, and quarantined for at least 24 hours. Hopefully no more emergency calls
tonight!
The Sunday before we entered the MTC, in Amy’s ward, a departing
missionary spoke. Part of her message was that her Visiting Teacher brought her
a message that helped her face her anxiety and depression so she was able to
recognize the prompting that she should go on a mission. I love that! The
direction of her life was changed by a diligent VT. In telling her story about
dealing with depression she said she would fall asleep saying her prayers
because she didn’t want to be alone. Once you know you are never alone
you can do all things. This missionary also said, “My dad believed in me when I
couldn’t. My parents are my true strength.” Her counsel for other youth,
preparing to serve, was: “Be who you are called to be. Not who you think you
are supposed to be.” This coming year, as parents and youth review the new
interview questions, her counsel, to be honest and forthcoming, is counsel that
will help the missionary department find the best opportunity for all those
desiring to serve. Hiding emotional and physical issues, because the youth or their
parents think it will limit their options, only results in sorrow and heartache
when they can’t handle the physical and emotional rigor and pressure of some
locations and assignments.
We are coming to love the people in Colorado. Some of the wards have
strong, committed members, others struggle with permanency. All filled with
good people who live the Gospel in their own way. I love the cowboy boots and
handlebar mustaches, and the Primary girls in pink boots with rhinestones.
We’ve met an Elder’s Quorum President who hasn’t cut his hair while his little
brother was on his mission--two years of growth makes quite a bun. An elder in
white shirt and tie and ear expanders said the closing prayer at a baptism. All
warm, generous people who love the Gospel.
Busy back-to-school week for the family. Grandpa Jim and Grandma
Lucy spent early New Year's Day at the emergency room. Grandpa had a blood
vessel burst and his eardrum rupture. Dan took him to the ENT on Tuesday and he
is recovering well. Laney starts at BYU-I tomorrow and Haleigh returns for her
final semester to complete her MBA (and battling a terrible cold at the same
time). Addi has a soccer tournament in Las Vegas next weekend. Will sent a
sweet text asking about our mission. So happy to hear Stacy is moved into her
new house and getting settled! Joe is excited for his baptism next week on his
birthday, the 15th, and we are thrilled we’ll be able to attend. Our
mission president said, “Of course you should go to your grandson’s baptism.”
We were saddened to hear of President Monson’s
passing this week. He will be missed. I love belonging to a church where
succession is orderly and we sustain all the apostles as prophets and seers.
This is a sweet thought from President Monson, from a 1998 talk called “Look to
God and Live”: “When the pathway of
life takes a cruel turn, there is the temptation to ask the question “Why me?”
. . .A t times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end, no dawn to
break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts,
the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. . .
.We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. To all who so despair, may I offer the
assurance . . .Whenever we are inclined to feel burdened down with the blows of
life, let us remember that others have passed the same way, have endured, and
then have overcome.”
Enjoy a wonderful week! Keep the missionaries
in your prayers—they need all you can send their way. Sure do love ya,
Karen/MOM
