Treasure Valley

Saturday night; December 15th - half of December is over...hard to believe!

It was so fun having Mary here even though it was a short visit.  Poor dear had to get up and go to the office with us Monday, prepared for the airport.  She was able to help with a few things but mostly had to sit around being bored, which made me sad, but because of transfers being Monday there were a lot of things that had to be done.  We wanted to leave about 11 for the airport so there would be lots of time for lunch, but as it turned out it was 11:30 so we were restricted somewhat.  We did manage lunch at the airport (seafood chowder for Mary and me, some kind of a sandwich for Dad) then Mary went through security and was on her way.  She had checked a box indicating she would give up her ticket for $120, so there was a slim chance she might not get on the plane, but we headed back to the office with the agreement that she would call us if she got bumped. (That would have been nice!)  However, instead she called to say she was on the plane. Had to call her later to make sure she made it; she “forgot” that call!  We were glad to know she was back safe and sound and grateful Michael was there to pick her up.

Tuesday was the day for our missionary departures; in the office we were working on a lot of things, but a big part of that was in trying to make sure we had correct locations for all the missionaries following transfers, and the phones and cars all located correctly.  That actually ends up being a 3 day process, believe it or not.  In the meantime mail is all being held and the pile of packages behind my desk had grown to about 4 feet tall. (Not good.) 

At 4 pm I had another appointment with the Hangar orthotics person.  He suggested possibly changing over to a lightweight AFO which did not enthuse me at all.  He thought I might like that it would be covered by insurance which will not be true for the WalkAide.  We continued to work with the WalkAide; he made up a piece to add to the cuff which provided more pressure on the point on my leg which “works.”  As we were leaving, a good time later, I questioned why it hurt even when it was not “zapping” me; I don’t remember the answer but I decided to continue wearing it - which I did while we went out to get a dinner and then home, at which point i took it off and discovered that there was not only a red circle where the electric pad had been, but that there were two points on the space where it had broken through the skin, leaving kind of an open scab.  I did not wear the device Wednesday and Thursday to allow the skin to heal; I worked on adjusting it my own way and wore it all day Friday on the lowest setting I could make it and felt like I did OK.  Today (Saturday) I decided to try it again as we left home this morning for our “bell practice” - actually a sort of “dress rehearsal” for the Sunday evening performance.  I ended up having to turn it off, it was hurting again big time.  Tried once more later in the afternoon - again had to turn it off.  When we got home and I took it off, my skin was again broken through.  So it looks like we need to do something at my visit this next Tuesday; hopefully he won’t just give up on me.  We will see.

Wednesday was lots of work up to noon, then we gathered up all the necessary stuff and headed up to the mission home to put out the lunch and greet the new arrivals.  That has to be the Lord’s way of blessing us for all the hard work in the office; it is hard to describe the Spirit that fills the home and that attends the missionaries on these afternoons.  I really can’t do it; all I can say is that it re-charges my energy level and makes me want to do the best I can to serve these wonderful young elders. Ooops - and  sisters:)!  

As the President was speaking with them just shortly before they were to head out the door to their assigned locations, I noted two things I wanted to mention.  First was the charge to “expect miracles!”  Listening to some of the trainers express how that has worked so far during their mission brought tears to my eyes.  Then, the next day, as Dad shared his experience of Wednesday evening taking a group northward and his conversations with the two sister missionaries closest to him, he told of how the one sister missionary identified two miracles that happened that evening as she received two separate phone calls, setting up two appointments in their new area - an area neither of these sisters had yet seen or met any people in. After the first call, her statement was, “That’s a miracle!”  Soon followed by the second call and the same statement.  Part of the miracle thing is to recognize the miracles when they come (small or large) - and to give thanks for them; this sister was certainly doing that. I'm thinking I need to better in this regard.

The second thing was the President’s emphasis on the “morning schedule” - the routine each missionary is asked to follow each morning (arise, pray, eat breakfast, prepare for the day, personal study, companion study...)  Actually exercise is a part of that too I think.  Anyway, he stressed how valuable that morning schedule is/was in establishing a pattern for success - success in the mission and in one’s life in the future.  His wife also bore her testimony of that as did a number of the trainers.  We are trying hard to adapt that schedule to our time allowances (hence my awakening hour of 5 am).  However the missionaries are given 3 1/2 hours to do that stuff...getting up at 5 gives me 2 1/2 hours so I seem to always fall short.  Perhaps by the end of our mission we will have it worked out; I sure hope so.  Theoretically we should be able to add that other hour at the end of the day...but we come home so tired that we don’t do that very well.

Thursday and Friday were more of the same...except I stayed until 6:30 p.m. on Thursday evening determined to get the mountain of mail finished and taken to the post office.  When I thought I had it all done and turned my chair around I was disheartened to find another whole tub that had been sitting behind my chair that I had not seen.  Could not do any more, so determined to start on that Friday morning.  However, other things interfered and I didn’t get started on it until after 11; I did get most all of it done before the postal carrier arrived - but of course she brought more.  So I stayed again until 6:30 to get that all ready to forward.  At this point I don’t even remember if there is more to do or if I  finished...I was pretty tired.  We came home and did very little besides dinner and go to bed early.

Today (Saturday) we had to be the the Stake Center at 10 for the real dress rehearsal for the Stake musical.  That took about an hour and a half; we do seem to be doing better but could use some prayers in our behalf.  We are doing a rather extraordinary arrangement of  Silent Night - utilizing German and English, solos and the choir, orchestral instruments and the chimes.  I think it will be very beautiful - and hopefully the chimes will add to the beauty rather than diminish it.  I am really glad Dad signed us up for it; it has been a great learning experience and is fun to work with other members on a project.  I’m not sure Dad would sign us up again knowing what he knows now - but we will see:).  Tomorrow we have to be 45 minutes early to church to practice; we are doing a modified version of it as a special musical number for sacrament meeting.  Then we have to be at the stake center at 6:15 to get all into place for the program which starts at 7.  Hope we have some energy left for Monday morning:).

Sunday evening...Gosh - love my kids and their spouses and the grandkids and miss you all.  Jim and Jeanie sound like they are doing fairly well; Chris and Christine have had some challenges but are standing up to them; Sara I know has been really sick and am hoping she is doing better now, but haven’t heard; Emily has been playing tricks like taking a hamster for a white elephant gift exchange...and ending up with it back at home; Steve, I found out, has been very sick for over two weeks, so hopefully will see a doctor Monday; Charlotte I think is doing well...can’t remember when I last talked to her; haven’t talked to Mary since she got back to Utah, but I’m thinking all is well there.  I will close, get ready to leave for our Stake Musical Performance and hopefully have some time to do a few more things at home afterward.