Fabulous and Full Week

We have had another amazing week. We have kept busy every day and have had some great experiences, not only in our zone, but with our own research and also with our wonderful missionaries here.

Let me begin with an amazing story we were told this week. This was shared in our prayer meeting in the British Zone but it involves a letter sent by a senior couple to missionaries in the Headquarters Zone. This experience teaches a number of important principles, among them obedience and trust in the Lord.

A senior couple determined they would send in their mission papers. The only request they made in their paperwork was they would like to be sent somewhere warm. Their call came and they were called to the Ukraine (actually, Ed and are not sure of the place, but......). They were not happy and decided not to accept the call.
A year later after discussions with their priesthood leadership they determined they should send in their papers again. Again they were called to the Ukraine. Again, they were not happy, but this time they decided they should go. They were on a Humanitarian Mission and one of their assignments was to serve at a penal colony. Soon after arriving at the prison, the sister was cleaning up after they had helped serve a meal and seeing that she was alone in the room she was talking out loud, grumbling about the situation saying things like, “I don’t know why we are here….”, “I can’t communicate with anyone because nobody speaks English....” etc.
Then from the other side of a wall she heard, “I speak English”. She was startled and they went to find out who was in the prison who spoke English. When they found this young man, it was their son. He had left home when he was 17 and they had not had any contact with him after that. He had traveled around the world and ended up being arrested because he had taken a picture of something that the local authorities did not want him taking a picture of. This couple completed their mission and are now working to free their son.

Is that not a cool story? There are little miracles just waiting to happen if we will live in such a way that we can recognize them. Father In Heaven wants so much to bless us. He is waiting to bless us, each day. I know this and I feel His tender mercies in my life.

Today on the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast, the MoTab (Mormon Tabernacle Choir) sang the hymn "Improve the Shining Moments". I have been thinking a lot about being grateful this past week. As I listened to the words to this song and the message, I was struck by how much happier we would all be if we would just "improve each shining moment" that comes our way. "Don't let them pass you by" because we never know what may come to us in those moments that we could miss because we let ourselves get in the way of the Spirit.

I also read this quip in the British Zone Newsletter:

Stop whatever you're doing and become grateful. This alone will create cheerful thoughts and “cheerful” chemicals running through your body. There's something about having an attitude of gratitude that is very powerful...Determine that you're going to keep cheerful thoughts in your mind about every situation. It's your choice how you choose to handle the situation because happiness is a choice. I choose to be happy right now in this moment.

Another great thing that happened this week was a sort of reunion with friends we had when we lived in Louisiana. It was so good to see people we haven't seen in 20+ years. We met for lunch at 1pm and almost had to order dinner because we just kept talking and talking (I think I have done that before with another good friend ^_^)
It is so wonderful to meet people from your past and to see that they are strong in the gospel and that they are happy.

I have also learned about many sad things this week. Friends who are struggling with sadness and diseases and tragedy in their lives. But I believe very strongly that in all things we have reason to be happy and grateful. No matter what we may be asked to endure in this life we can know that we are children of a kind and loving Father In Heaven who only wants for us to grow and learn and return to Him. He cannot make our lives easy, but He can and does send us peace. I am so grateful to know of Him and to know of the Savior and to know that I am loved by both. I hope you know that too.