How are things over there? I hope you’ve found some good ways to develop the work in San Sai. We've been praying! It must certainly be a challenge to open a new area, I’m sure. But I have every confidence that God will inspire and use a willing heart with the most appropriate course even in the very minute. I have that confidence because I don’t think I’ve once had a calling that I thought, “Oh yeah, I totally got this!” Instead I’m usually seeking, in great humility (and sometimes even a bit of fear and trembling), for the ways my set of gifts and talents can be utilized, trusting that God can take my offering and make it worthy. And He always has.
We enjoyed your fun pictures last week, especially me because I know what a pain it is to send two at a time over and over again! Seeing Ding Doi as Mary made me go back and read her entire story as told in your letters. I was so touched as you told about testifying of Joseph Smith and the restoration and the Spirit coming to testify. It’s just amazing to me that Joseph Smith would have the courage as a young man living in rural New York at a time when horse was the fastest transportation, to record the words of Moroni that this message would go to all the world. And there you are in Thailand!
I’ve also been thinking today about the very magnificent benefit a small rudder makes to a great ship. Sometimes we see the greatness of the work or the task, but the miracle is in the small and soft ways God speaks to us to little us to direct larger things. I never tire of recognizing that I have been an instrument in His hands.
This week was the end of the term and oh my goodness all the missing assignments and make-ups and everything made for some terrible anxiety and brutish behavior on the home front. I think I have to make an intervention. Of course you would suspect Parker first here, and he played his role very convincingly, but Elise and Aleah too were taxing. I managed my own school and I really don’t want to manage theirs! But I also don’t want to repeat this mayhem.
I had book group this week, always nice. We read Amazed by Grace by Sheri Dew. It made me think more specifically about the power of the atonement. I think there is evidence that the power it yields in our lives is directly proportionate to the degree we will rely upon it. But it holds infinite power for each of us. I have experienced this power in my own life very specifically and am humbled by it.
We just got back from Grandma’s and the monthly family birthday party. We had chili and cornbread and I took both. It was delicious. But funny thing, H sent out the request for pot luck items and I didn’t read very thoroughly but instantly volunteered for chili because I like mine... Then today I read through her email and she specifically asked me to bring dessert. Ooops. Haha.
Dad and I put a shelf unit in the craft room closet yesterday to stack the bins on. Oh, what a relief to finally get easy access to the stuff we put in the garage when we started remodeling the basement in 2009. The large bins I had downstairs of fabric couldn’t fit on the shelves so I took all the fabric out and stacked it up on the shelves in categories: lace, velvet, silk, knits… it was so fun dreaming with all that potential.
Dad and I also went to see the end of the Mockingjay series Friday night. We tried to go here at the University Mall theaters, but were too late to get good seats. So we went up to Thanksgiving Point and the best thing happened -- we were early and they sold gelato. So we treated ourselves. I had strawberry cheesecake and chocolate dipped strawberry and they were oh, so good.
Well, I guess that’s pretty much been us. I’m tired and my contacts are bugging me.
I love you so much! Keep up the good work.
Love,
Mom
Piles of potential...
The closet:
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