Missionary Work is Rewarding
Some miracles are taking place with my Grandma's caregiver, Jennifer. She is an amazing person - she's about 38 years old, is a single and very devoted mom, is very curious and very thoughtful and sincere. We were so lucky to find her to begin with, since it is rare to find a caregiver out here without a criminal past. I took a liking to her on the first day (mid-September) and have often thought to myself that I would love to have her as my personal friend. *She certainly has become that over the past few months.*
On occasion, she has asked a religious question of me, to where it leads to many additional questions about the Gospel. She has a very intelligent and curious mind, which is being passed on to her children as she takes them to the library multiple afternoons a week after school. In a nutshell, her questions have led me to explain the origins of the Book of Mormon, the Plan of Salvation, Joseph Smith and the First Vision, what missionaries do throughout the world, what resurrection is and why a body is needed, why we believe in the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon and why specifically the King James Version of the Bible, the purposes of the temple and how to qualify to enter, how to protect our children from the influences of pornography, why we are interested in family history, and no - we do not practice polygamy anymore even though it was instituted for a period of time as per God's commandment at that time.
Sometimes when Grandma is still sleeping first thing in the morning, I find Jennifer reading my mom's framed copy of "The Living Christ", hanging on the wall near the front door. We talked about that, as well as "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" hanging nearby. She really thought highly of the Family Proclamation, expressing that it is just so needed in today's world. She said it should be hung everywhere - in schools, public buildings, everywhere!
This week, she asked me for a copy of the Book of Mormon as well as a Bible. My mom had an extra copy of the Book of Mormon, but we did not have an extra Bible. I called the sister missionaries and they were perfectly willing to deliver a Bible. But as it turned out, we didn't need to.
Jennifer used to manage a storage facility and remembered how years ago she had sorted through an abandoned unit and all of its contents left behind. She saw a Bible and felt compelled to keep it, even though it just went into a box with some other items and ended up in her own storage unit for the past few years. Monday of this week, she picked her children up from school and took them out to her storage unit to find that Bible. They spent a couple of hours looking through box after box before finding it. She related to me the next time she came (Wednesday) that not only was it a "King James Version" (something we had discussed previously - our belief that the Bible is also the word of God as far as it is translated correctly and we believe this version to be the most correct one) - but that it also said, "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" on the outside cover. She was in shock, but happily so!!
She said to me more than once, "This was meant to be."
I am just in awe of this WHOLE JOURNEY to get me to this exact place and time in the universe. How Bob Hoffenbacker came to talk to Scott about doing a Tour of Duty back in April, all the steps it took between then and now, including packing up our house, figuring out who would stay in it, how long I would come out to CA to be with my family and help them out, praying with my mother to find a caregiver for Grandma Doris because nothing was falling into place, finding Jennifer about 2 days later, learning that she used to go to my Grandma Lillian's daycare when she was young (a very cool connection), and not to mention Jennifer's journey of discovery that has led her to this exact moment in time as well. Un.Believable. Heavenly Father is so in the details of our lives. So precisely in those details. Lovingly in those details.
I am excited to see what comes of this for Jennifer and her family. She is just so wonderful and I am honored to be entrusted with her questions and the things she ponders and wants to know more about.
This is what I wrote in the copy of the Book of Mormon for her this week:
After listening to a conference talk by Ruben V. Alliaud that morning, entitled "Found through the power of the Book of Mormon", I decided to add one more scripture. 2 Nephi 25:26 is one that he mentioned. She wanted to read that one right there with me, and it sparked questions about how to teach her children about Jesus Christ. She asked if there was a children's version of the Book of Mormon and New Testament, since they had begun reading in the Bible already and some of the language was difficult to understand.
So Thursday, when my mom and I went down to the Oakland Temple, we stopped off at the Distribution Center first so that I could pick up a few things. I got her the Easy Reader for both the Book of Mormon and the Bible, along with some other items I thought would be interesting and/or useful at some point. She was very grateful for those Easy Readers when I gave them to her on Friday morning.
She is going at her own pace, and I feel like it's important that I just let her take the lead when we talk about the gospel. As she asks a question, I try to answer it simply. And as it leads to more questions, I try to just keep up and just open my mouth. I know the Holy Ghost is helping me answer and recall what is needed. I'm confident that she will be meeting with the missionaries soon, since I won't be here much longer and I want to be sure that she has a consistent resource to rely on. We have talked about the missionaries and she is open to meeting them after she has done some reading and studying first on her own. I feel so honored that she trusts me with her questions and innermost thoughts. I feel like I was meant to be here and that we were destined to meet and to become friends.
In other news . . . From Scott -
And just a few other things that I did this week . . .
With my Dad, I painted some window trim pieces and spackled putty in all the nail holes on the front of the house. Fun fun fun!!
And Friday I made Chicken Pot Pie from scratch. Because why not? My husband and boys really love it when I make this. I'm just sorry they weren't there to enjoy it with me.
And yesterday as I was driving home from church, I passed a schoolyard when something REALLY stood out in the grass. I hit the brakes and flipped a U-turn so that I could take a picture.
A GIANT HERON. Just chillin. In Ukiah. In November. In a school yard. By himself.
Here is a short video of him too, if you are interested.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jV92uNnrE41kamxJ6
And that's about the size of my week. Anytime there are any extra minutes in a day I've been working hard on the playmat with roads and buildings for my nephews. I'm getting close . . . I'll include finished photos by my next post for sure.
Have a wonderful week! Sa-lam’ a-lay’kem
On occasion, she has asked a religious question of me, to where it leads to many additional questions about the Gospel. She has a very intelligent and curious mind, which is being passed on to her children as she takes them to the library multiple afternoons a week after school. In a nutshell, her questions have led me to explain the origins of the Book of Mormon, the Plan of Salvation, Joseph Smith and the First Vision, what missionaries do throughout the world, what resurrection is and why a body is needed, why we believe in the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon and why specifically the King James Version of the Bible, the purposes of the temple and how to qualify to enter, how to protect our children from the influences of pornography, why we are interested in family history, and no - we do not practice polygamy anymore even though it was instituted for a period of time as per God's commandment at that time.
Sometimes when Grandma is still sleeping first thing in the morning, I find Jennifer reading my mom's framed copy of "The Living Christ", hanging on the wall near the front door. We talked about that, as well as "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" hanging nearby. She really thought highly of the Family Proclamation, expressing that it is just so needed in today's world. She said it should be hung everywhere - in schools, public buildings, everywhere!
This week, she asked me for a copy of the Book of Mormon as well as a Bible. My mom had an extra copy of the Book of Mormon, but we did not have an extra Bible. I called the sister missionaries and they were perfectly willing to deliver a Bible. But as it turned out, we didn't need to.
Jennifer used to manage a storage facility and remembered how years ago she had sorted through an abandoned unit and all of its contents left behind. She saw a Bible and felt compelled to keep it, even though it just went into a box with some other items and ended up in her own storage unit for the past few years. Monday of this week, she picked her children up from school and took them out to her storage unit to find that Bible. They spent a couple of hours looking through box after box before finding it. She related to me the next time she came (Wednesday) that not only was it a "King James Version" (something we had discussed previously - our belief that the Bible is also the word of God as far as it is translated correctly and we believe this version to be the most correct one) - but that it also said, "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" on the outside cover. She was in shock, but happily so!!
She said to me more than once, "This was meant to be."
I am just in awe of this WHOLE JOURNEY to get me to this exact place and time in the universe. How Bob Hoffenbacker came to talk to Scott about doing a Tour of Duty back in April, all the steps it took between then and now, including packing up our house, figuring out who would stay in it, how long I would come out to CA to be with my family and help them out, praying with my mother to find a caregiver for Grandma Doris because nothing was falling into place, finding Jennifer about 2 days later, learning that she used to go to my Grandma Lillian's daycare when she was young (a very cool connection), and not to mention Jennifer's journey of discovery that has led her to this exact moment in time as well. Un.Believable. Heavenly Father is so in the details of our lives. So precisely in those details. Lovingly in those details.
I am excited to see what comes of this for Jennifer and her family. She is just so wonderful and I am honored to be entrusted with her questions and the things she ponders and wants to know more about.
This is what I wrote in the copy of the Book of Mormon for her this week:
After listening to a conference talk by Ruben V. Alliaud that morning, entitled "Found through the power of the Book of Mormon", I decided to add one more scripture. 2 Nephi 25:26 is one that he mentioned. She wanted to read that one right there with me, and it sparked questions about how to teach her children about Jesus Christ. She asked if there was a children's version of the Book of Mormon and New Testament, since they had begun reading in the Bible already and some of the language was difficult to understand.
So Thursday, when my mom and I went down to the Oakland Temple, we stopped off at the Distribution Center first so that I could pick up a few things. I got her the Easy Reader for both the Book of Mormon and the Bible, along with some other items I thought would be interesting and/or useful at some point. She was very grateful for those Easy Readers when I gave them to her on Friday morning.
She is going at her own pace, and I feel like it's important that I just let her take the lead when we talk about the gospel. As she asks a question, I try to answer it simply. And as it leads to more questions, I try to just keep up and just open my mouth. I know the Holy Ghost is helping me answer and recall what is needed. I'm confident that she will be meeting with the missionaries soon, since I won't be here much longer and I want to be sure that she has a consistent resource to rely on. We have talked about the missionaries and she is open to meeting them after she has done some reading and studying first on her own. I feel so honored that she trusts me with her questions and innermost thoughts. I feel like I was meant to be here and that we were destined to meet and to become friends.
In other news . . . From Scott -
"Without going into too much detail, I would like to tell you of a fun experience this week. I am serving in the middle east. I am currently in a beautiful city and I am loving this experience. This week we had to go to the customs and immigration office in the airport. We had to register ourselves with biometrics; in exchange, we received a border control number that allows us certain privileges, the most important is the ability to purchase internet access. I think I agree with this arrangement and that all countries should do the same.
"After the airport, we drove into the city to eat at a local restaurant. What a fun day, except for the driving which is quite chaotic. Imagine a four lane road, but stuff it with traffic six cars wide. There is no such thing as “stay in your lane”. Just muscle in where you can.
"During all of the rigmarole of the day I was able to practice my new Arabic phrases. Here are some of my favorites:
God Willing: En shala
Regular Thank you: shu-cran very much: ja-zee-len
Special Thank you: Bay’ith ala wadj-hek
You are welcome: Ahf’won
Welcome back to us: hom’du lilal al Sal-ah’-mah
Peace of God upon you: Sa-lam’ a-lay’kem
*Good Morning: Sa-Bakh’ El-kHair’
How are you: Kayf hal’ik
How is your health: Kayf Sah’tic
How is your Family: Kayf Ah-el-tic
Thanks to God: hum du lay la
It has been nice to meet you: for-sah sah-ee'dah
Thank you for meeting with me: shu-cran Lila Cah-ic
I have 1 daughter and 2 sons: En-de bint wel-a-den’
Long Life; God Bless You; Esht
My name is Ken: is’mee Ken
Father of Jacob: Abu Jacob Yakub
What is your name: Mah ees’mook
This is Delicious: Hada Le-theeth
"The locals are pleased when we try to speak in their language."
Here are a few more photos of him - and sometimes I can even get my phone to cooperate and take a screenshot during our conversations!!
And just a few other things that I did this week . . .
With my Dad, I painted some window trim pieces and spackled putty in all the nail holes on the front of the house. Fun fun fun!!
And Friday I made Chicken Pot Pie from scratch. Because why not? My husband and boys really love it when I make this. I'm just sorry they weren't there to enjoy it with me.
And yesterday as I was driving home from church, I passed a schoolyard when something REALLY stood out in the grass. I hit the brakes and flipped a U-turn so that I could take a picture.
A GIANT HERON. Just chillin. In Ukiah. In November. In a school yard. By himself.
Here is a short video of him too, if you are interested.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jV92uNnrE41kamxJ6
And that's about the size of my week. Anytime there are any extra minutes in a day I've been working hard on the playmat with roads and buildings for my nephews. I'm getting close . . . I'll include finished photos by my next post for sure.
Have a wonderful week! Sa-lam’ a-lay’kem
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