Chapter 9 "Surprise!"

The news of the week... Drum roll pleeeeze... I got to hold my 14th grandchild, Kyah, who was born after we arrived in Arkansas! Last weekend, Kendi and Ethan surprised me and drove up from Alabama to meet us at the end of our 5- day road trip so we could participate in her baby blessing the next day! Anyone who knows Rick knows what a big deal it was to keep a secret! He’s incapable of lying and good news just bubbles out of him, but I NEVER saw this coming especially outside a restaurant in Joplin Missouri! I’m sure I broke a city noise ordinance!

 It was baby heaven! They followed us home and we spent all of Monday with them before they left for home Tuesday morning. She has just started to smile and coo, which they say started when she saw me. Ahhh! 

 The morning they left started another marathon week of MLC, followed by our second TRANSFER by hosting and training 25 new missionaries and sending 5 missionaries home. This time, however, the airline didn’t loose a single missionary or their luggage! Epic win! Keeping them an extra day gave us more opportunity to train and acclimate them which they LOVED. 

And, I have finally realized how tricky it is to do both the training and the food fixin’ no matter how capable I am sooo I have finally recruited help going forward and will be enthusiastically supported by local church members! 

 Rick informed me the other day that we have reached our 1/12th mark already! Time is seriously zooming! What’s unique about the time were living in is that as countries are opening back up after Covid, we get notices a couple of times a week that we’re losing another missionary to return to their original assignment. It’s almost traumatic to just have someone you love POOF before your eyes and it often sets up a juggling match of remaining missionaries, areas, cars and apartments. You  suppose that’s the challenge and privilege of our day. In between the normal 6 weeks cycle, we have sent out 9 additional last-minute missionaries to their original countries which makes for a busy and rewarding time.  

Our mission is still seeing steady progress! For the 4th week in a row, we are seeing significant increases in people being found, being taught, those on date for baptisms and already in Sept. we have more on date for baptisms than any month in the previous year and half. It’s exciting to see the effect it has on everyone as they watch miracles unfold for those they teach. People who have been life- long disciples of Christ and faithful members of other Faiths are understanding the need to make covenants through Restored Priesthood power. It’s not people who have previously had nothing, or just need something new. They are thoughtful and deliberate and yearning for an understanding of who they are, why they’re here and where they’re going. I just can’t believe I get to be a part of this gathering. The “Administrative” aspects of our job are real, but they are fully out-weighed by the opportunities to “Minister” in very personally and heart felt ways! 

One thing, I suppose we never anticipated, was the number of opportunities we’d have to speak in Stake Conferences. We’ve spoken in 3 so far and will have 7 more before the end of the year. 5 with Visiting General Authorities. This past Sunday, I had prepared a 10-minute talk and while the lady before me was speaking, I had the distinct impression to talk about something entirely different. NOT a comfortable idea, but an undeniable feeling which I was debating all the way to the pulpit where I simply said, I felt someone needed to hear another message and I asked them to bear with me while I delivered it instead of the one I’d prepared... Not one idea or scripture was from my prepared talk, but Rick said it was the best he’d ever heard me give. WHA? I am still learning to trust and follow the promptings I receive even when they’re uncomfortable and frightening. It felt amazing once I started and afterwards, I sat back down and shook with silent tears. I knew I had delivered the message I was supposed to. Since then, several people have PM’d me and said they were sure the change was just for them. Everywhere I turn there are people who I can help. It makes all I’ve experienced feel worth it- if only to be able to meet people in their uncertain circumstances, understand them and offer an eternal perspective! Everyone needs the gift of Hope and nothing makes me happier! Don’t ever hesitate to share your heart!