I had an assignment to speak in another congregation on Sunday, and while I didn’t feel especially nervous, I noticed my hands were shaking when I tried to take the bread and water for the sacrament. As I took and returned the small cup, the tray rattled with my efforts so much that it made some noise. I said, “I’m sorry,” to the young man holding the tray for me, to which he whispered, “It’s okay,” and the words immediately had more meaning than an 11- or 12-year-old could know. Isn’t that the whole meaning of the sacrament right there? We come, flawed and sorry, and sometimes broken, ill-composed, and making a mess, and it’s a time when the Lord can just say to us, “It’s okay.”
With those simple words, I knew that the rattling was okay, but also that I was okay with the Lord at that moment. He used a kind young boy to teach me that, and it felt so very sweet to hear it from a child.
I am grateful I got to see our Tim speak in sacrament meeting in Canada today via Zoom.
I finished reading Saints volume 2, and it had a LOT about opening the missions of the South Pacific in the mid-1800s. One takeaway is that the Lord had specific people in mind to introduce the gospel to the Pacific, and He even used them multiple times throughout their lives. I know the Lord loves all of his children and He has a plan for gathering them.
Timothy’s grandfathers served missions on isles of the sea, in Samoa and Puerto Rico.
I keep a list of scriptures about the promises to the isles of the sea, as I continue to pray that missionaries can return to areas that are currently closed.
“In an acceptable time I have heard thee O isles of the sea…and helped thee, and I will preserve thee, and give thee my servant for a covenant of the people.” (1 Nephi 21:8, Isaiah 49:8)
“Great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the isles of the sea.” (2 Nephi 10:21)
“I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea, and will bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth.” (2 Nephi 29:7)
Of course, Jacob considered the Americas an isle of the sea, so Canada counts, too. (2 Nephi 10:20)
I was sad to hear of the passing of Gail Halvorsen, the Candy Bomber. We attended the same ward in Arizona for a few years. Our children heard him speak about his experiences during the Berlin Airlift many times, and it was nice to see a hero among us. He was always so outgoing and happy. I was looking through some writing from my Arizona years today and found this little detail: one evening I was washing dishes at the church and Brother Halvorsen walked into the kitchen and started drying the silverware. You guys, the Candy Bomber, celebrity and hero, chose to help me with the dishes!
I will remember how Brother Halvorsen showed everyone that small acts of kindness really matter.
Did you see a lot of friends fall ill? I did. I also bought a lot more masks. I keep hoping each time I buy another box that *this* will be the last. In January, I went ahead and bought 3 boxes.
In contrast, if you are local, did you notice how sunny it was in January? Gorgeous!
We have been watching Masterpiece’s All Creatures Great and Small. I love Mrs. Hall and the sets. Now, THIS is a jewel box house. Every scene, I am hoping the actors will move around more so I can get a better look at the props and furniture.
I didn’t do a lot of organizing like many people in January, but I deep cleaned some rooms, and I got all the pine needles vacuumed from the carpet downstairs before we turned the calendar to February.
I read 7 books on cold evenings, every inch of me below the chin wrapped in blankets. No, I did not use my nose to advance pages on the Kindle to avoid exposing my fingers. But it’s worth considering.
A neighbor in our cul-de-sac just put their house on the market. It is a competitive housing market, so our street has been lined with cars. I learned the house behind us was sold to somebody who plans to turn it into an Airbnb. Boo! Still, I’m thrilled that there will be NO [mean] DOGS living there.
I have a new secretary, and she will be wonderful, as was my previous secretary.
Tim is serving in Maple Ridge, BC with two elders from Canada. One was assigned to Italy, and Tim of course was originally assigned to Guam, but they are “all in.” This is considered a temporary reassignment, and I am still not quite set in my mind that he is in Canada. I’m slow like that. I’m aware it doesn’t matter what I think, but it matters that he is smiling and happy, though. And he is.
In this assortment, you will find things that I would like to remember about this week. Wouldn’t it be sad to forget *that* sunset? Or that Mark came home excited about the progress he made on his woods project… And that I worked on a quilt and found a few happy surprises… Wouldn’t it be unfortunate to forget these happy little things?
I taught a singing lesson in Primary today. There were only 18 kids there, between the ages of 3 and 10, and I taught them the song, I Know My Father Lives. The lyrics are a simple group of statements about our Heavenly Father and the Spirit:
“I know my Father Lives, and loves me too, the Spirit whispers this to me and tells me it is true, and tells me it is true.”
I brought an empty picture frame and carried it around the room, holding it in front of each child’s face, and repeating, “You are a child of God and He loves you.” The children would sit up a little straighter as I brought the frame in front of their faces. The older boys shifted a little, feeling the power of the statements and some discomfort from the attention, and wishing to diffuse some of that feeling. Younger children were the most capable of bearing those words without a wobble. As I spoke and looked into each face, it was a sacred experience. When I walked back to the front of the room, several of the kids said, what about you? Aren’t you going to say it for yourself? So, I said it for myself, “I am a child of God and He loves me.” Ah, belonging! You can’t have it without some vulnerability.
Elder Cook wrote, “When we shine, we gather.” Sometimes it takes courage to shine, to carry around that frame, look someone in the eyes, and remind them they are a child of God and He loves them so much. “To gather” can bring to mind the idea of a hug, or any gesture that reminds people that they belong.
(I am adding the themes that our youth learn as teens. I love the doctrine that we are children of heavenly parents.)
This is my presidency, my Covid era, incredible stake Primary presidency. We have been masked, filmed, Zoomed and distanced for most of the time we have served. We have adapted again and again, visited Primary leaders on porches and phones, held meetings outdoors and distanced in chapels. We have facilitated baptisms one by one, keeping families safe. Tonight I decided to take a picture after our masked meeting so I can remember this time, and also how we look behind those masks.
We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. True gifts may be part of ourselves– giving of the heart and mind– and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store.
James E. Faust
I played In the Bleak Midwinter in church. This is a screenshot from the YouTube broadcast.
Here you can kind of see Daniel, whose accompaniment was vital and beautiful.
I have been touched by many gifts this Christmas. Paige made drawings of Daniel and Tim at age three to complete my little collection of drawings of our children. Daniel may not consider this as part of his already generous gift and precious letter to me, but his piano accompaniment of the piece I played in church was a beautiful gift. Tim hand wrote long letters to each of us and made sure I had a gift from him under the tree, even though he wasn’t with us this year. Mark gave me a CD of music that he doesn’t enjoy himself, and was my companion for so many errands for Christmas giving. His service and company was so important to me this year.
It isn’t always possible to do something meaningful, but I know when I give “of my heart and mind,” the Spirit of Christmas fills my soul.
Today Paige and Michael celebrate their anniversary. Their presence in our lives is a gift and blessing.
Today is preparation day for Tim, the day he will need to do his laundry, pick up a new suit and dry cleaning, and get his car back on the ground so we can drive it during his mission. He sold all his vehicles but this one. This one holds so much of his time and labor, I don’t blame him for not wanting to get rid of it.
I cleared away all the autumn stuff yesterday and Mark and I put up all of our Nativities and two trees. Tonight we decorate gingerbread houses to celebrate an early birthday for Tim.
We have tried to be quiet for MTC classes and I never know how long Tim will have for dinner, but I feel pretty good about our family’s role in helping Elder Ross on the first leg of his mission. We haven’t been super spiritual, we have just tried to be helpful and available. Routines have definitely been rocked during the past few weeks, and I am giving myself a measure of grace for not being a monument to family gospel study. With so many unknowns and a rotating schedule, we have scraped through with prayer and a few verses of scripture. We made a gratitude display with scriptures and things we are thankful for. When the kids were younger, we definitely did more than this. I think on this a lot, and haven’t arrived at a strong conclusion about why, or how we can fix things. One truth is that our teens don’t want to engage in conversation with the whole family. It is more of a one-on-one phenomenon when it happens. There is no magic solution to every problem once a home becomes a “missionary training center.” Another truth is that our home has been an MTC all their lives, whether we realize it or not. The piano practice, gospel study, togetherness, and learning to work and serve, it is all there.
I was inspired by someone who keeps a gratitude journal to do my own this year. Here is what I wrote last week.
Sun 14
People were kind to Tim, and watched his talk online and came to the meeting and showed support in many ways.
Tim is now a missionary.
A beautiful sunset, a sign from heaven.
The S.L. children’s sacrament meeting presentation, singing The Spirit of God.
A visit from P and B from Austin.
Mon 15
Cute missionary vibes coming from behind the door in Paige’s old room, our home missionary training center.
A nice, slow day to recover a bit.
We shared favorite scriptures for family night. Mark: John 16:33; Tim (Elder Ross): Mosiah 4:11-12; Richard: D&C 121:7-8; Mine: Isaiah 61:1-3
Tim filled the house with piano music in the evening.
I am thankful for my journal to write in and to go back and read.
Tues 16
The recipe for stew that was the perfect comfort food after hearing Tim would be temporarily reassigned to Vancouver, Canada. (Not sad, just shocked and overwhelmed at having to get winter stuff so quickly.)
I shopped for clothing in the middle of the night and found things that would arrive before Tim leaves on December 1.
A Mitford novel to comfort me.
Daniel offered his mission coat to Tim.
Wed 17
Morning sunshine after a sleepless night
K.G. and family are recovering well from Covid. I have been worried about them.
I had time and clarity to finalize my presentation for stake Primary training.
I listened in to a missionary training meeting about obedience. It was so inspiring! Tim’s goodness fills the room. He is pleasant and happy.
Thurs 18
RJ was spared in an accident on the freeway.
I feel so blessed to work with my presidency. A and S taught and led with inspiration and power at the training meeting.
Richard helped me shop at Costco and arranged to have the oil changed in the car.
EL helped set up the technology for our training.
C put together beautifully packaged refreshments.
President T. from the stake presidency supported us by attending. He says the best things. “If Jesus came to your ward, I think He’d go to the Primary first.”
Fri 19
I sat down to write thank you notes. It took hours. People have been so kind to me.
An ailment I have felt for about 3 weeks just went away today.
Sat 20
We had an easy, straightforward trip to the suit shop to get a suit for Tim.
Both K. and M. came to dinner.
JB and JC listened and showed empathy.
I am thankful for the time I spent cleaning my pretty kitchen. It felt good to make it sparkle.
Sun 21
I was given strength and confidence to present my talk in a couple of wards.
Kind words from some people after my talk.
We spent time choosing music for our annual Christmas video and slideshow. I am so thankful for Paige and Tim’s help!
