Paper Post from Mom January 21, 2015

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Dear Riley,

By the time you get this we will have emailed back and forth perhaps even more than once.  So the purpose of this paper letter is not to acquaint you with the happenings back home.  A while back I decided to try to write a mid-week epistle.  By the time you read this letter, I estimate you’ll have been in Thailand two weeks, depending on where you are placed and how long the forwarding takes from the mission office.  The thoughts I’ve had today were first recorded in a letter to WM June 24, 2012.

I'm no globe-trotter, but I have seen places I never imagined to desire to visit. The first time I left the country, Dave and I visited Switzerland. They had four official languages. Relief washed over me like a comfortable shower when I came back to the States and heard only English over the PA. I think my brain was trying to order all the other things it had been hearing. It's fascinating to me that instead of coming home to familiarity, you'll become familiar with your new world. What a miracle.

I just wanted to wish you well in your training. I've been thinking about things that are new. We just remodeled our bathrooms - so all three work all the way again! So after every shower we squeegee down the walls and we wipe down the fixtures. I'm old enough to have had new things grow old. It would be such a blessing if you could tuck this "new" feeling in your pocket like a little puffy pom-pom and pull it out later when you need it.

So here's your scripture and conclusion: 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. I guess we can all be as new as the day we became converted. Another miracle.

Love, Leadelle

I recognize that cultural changes cause us to become quite observant.  Different doesn’t have to be good or bad.  It can just be different.  Don’t think I’m converting to moral relativism; it holds no attraction for me.  But I have come to understand that we meet the same needs in different ways.  We eat our meals with silverware, our Indian friends use their hands and Saerome prefers chopsticks.  None is right or wrong, just different.  Enjoy learning how your new friends do things.  And be grateful for their gracious patience as you invariably fumble a few social proprieties along the way.

We’re so excited for you and all that is new in your world right now.

We love you,

Mom