I was awakened Saturday morning by David saying, "What time is it?" He then put his head back down on the pillow and snored. I looked at my watch. 5:42 am-- Three minutes before the alarm goes off and we have to quickly get ready to leave our flat by 6:50 . So I thought, I'll just lay here for three more minutes. When I next looked at my watch it was 5:48-- Three minutes after the alarm was supposed to go off! I rubbed David's arm and said...time to get up. The alarm went off an hour later. He had set it for 6:45 instead of 5:45. I consider that a "tender mercy".
On Friday night we had a sister who missed the session. Her husband had made it....but she didn't. Understandably...some (most) people are disappointed and frustrated if that happens. I was so impressed by her. She just smiled and said, I will wait for him. We told her about other ordinances being done that she could participate in while she waited. I was able to administer in some of those with her. Sometimes, as I look these sisters in the eyes and speak the words of the ordinances I am overcome by the feeling of love that I sense Heavenly Father has for them. That happened this night with this sister. Afterward, I thanked her for coming and commented on her peaceful response to missing the session and the sweet spirit I felt during the ordinance. I invited her to wait for her husband in the celestial room.
Somebody on Oprah once said something like...Be responsible for the spirit you bring into the room. When I have experiences like this I think, "What spirit do I bring into the room?" Especially when things don't go like you want them to...how do you respond? Given such a sweet example by this sister, and feeling how the spirit was able to attend because of it, it makes me want to do better. To be more aware and choose softness, gentleness, peace.
We had a large group from Mozambique last week. (Portuguese speaking). 8 own endowments on the sister's side. Then sealing of 7 families. 22 children. They were supposed to come on Tuesday but their transportation was delayed and they didn't come until Thursday...the same day we have missionaries from the Missionary Training Center come...which added 5 more own endowments. We were busy! Our goal is to help everything run smoothly and peacefully. And things always work out. Friday was also busy with baptisms and confirmations for the Mozambique group's family members who have passed on; more endowments and sealings of families. It's a wonderful feeling when the temple is humming, buzzing with activity. As we were leaving Pres. Van Heerden said...It's a happy tired. And that is what we feel. A happy tired.
Today we have twice the number of people coming as last week. No missionaries...but many families and to make it even more fun we will be speaking Portuguese, French, Malagasy, English and I'm sure a few I don't even know the names of. It honestly takes all weekend to recuperate and not ache and feel exhausted. Then we start all over again! We really are on a mission and we work very hard. When we first got here I resisted the hard work. "Don't they know we're old? Retired?" I worried about our health. David's heart, my auto-immune. And somewhere along the way my prayers changed from...I don't know if I can do this...to, "If this is what is required, please let me do my best. My heartfelt desire is to be able to say to Heavenly Father I gave my all. To hear Him say in return, "Well done."
We sang "A Poor Wayfaring Many of Grief" in our prayer meeting last week. This is the 3rd verse:
I spied him where a fountain burst clear from the rock; his strength was gone.
The heedless water mocked his thirst; He heard it, saw it hurrying on.
I ran and raised the suffer'r up; Thrice from the stream he drained my cup,
Dipped and returned it running o'er; I drank and never thirsted more.
As in this hymn...it is our desire to be of service to the Savior by serving others. To be like Him. To be gentle, kind. To bring good into the world. We run and raise the sufferer up and give relief. But as we do so we are blessed even more by Him. He dips the cup and returns it to us and we are blessed in ways we could not imagine...I drank and never thirsted more.
We found out this week that our release date will be July 29 instead of November 14. The temple is closing for 2 months in August and September. As there would have only been 6 weeks left after the temple reopens we counseled with President Bricknell and have been given an early release date. All of a sudden we are more than half way through our mission!
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