Roy is still going down at least once each week to take care of grandma and grandpa. They have been moved into a care center in Spanish Fork. They seem pretty happily settled there, though of course, they don't think it's permanent. We had cause to worry a little more about grandpa when we heard he forgot the password to his computer. We're pretty sure he uses it almost everyday.
When I finally felt well enough, I spent some time in the sewing room getting my quilt to this point:
The highlight of my week was church today. I had to miss last week and I always feel a void when I can't be there. I was able to attend Sunday school which is kind of rare. Even though Suzanne Richards and I share the primary pianist calling and technically should get to Sunday School every other week, it never seems to work out like that. The lesson was on the tree of life and the teacher shared a dream she had when her oldest child (now 14) was about 18 months old. She was feeling down because her husband traveled the world for work, having lots of missionary opportunities, etc. and she felt a little stuck in her role as mommy. In her dream, she saw a huge building. People were dressed in business attire coming in and out of the building. Everyone was so busy doing important things. She was going from room to room trying to figure out what important thing she should be doing, when she heard a cry. The cry became more insistent, so she quit looking for what she'd been looking for and went in search for the child. She finally opened a door to a bathroom, and there on the floor was her baby, crying for his mother. She picked him up to comfort him, and realized that this was a job no one else would do. No one else even cared. She was the only one who could do this job. She said that this was a very meaningful dream for her and the only dream she has ever written down. I thought this was worth sharing because of all of you who are in the role of raising young children need a pat on the back for all you do. You need to realize that you are doing the most important thing you could possibly be doing right now in your lives--especially you moms.
After playing for primary I was able to go to the last 15 minutes of Relief Society--also a rare treat. The lesson was on "The Peace of the Spirit." Janeal Mcomie shared an experience that she'd had this week. She said she was shopping at Walmart and because of what she was looking for, she'd ended up having to pass a lot of departments she wasn't planning on shopping in. As she passed the jewelry counter she stopped to look and see if there was any clearance of interest. She asked the clerk if she could try on a bracelet that was in the case. The clerk acted put out to have to get it out for her, but she did it and Janeal tried it on. After she tried it on, she said, "it's pretty, but I'm not going to buy it today." The store clerk (an older woman), let out a verbal sigh that let Janeal know she wasn't pleased. Janeal said that her initial reaction was "I can't believe how rude this woman in being." The spirit, however, helped her to act otherwise. She took hold of the woman's hand and said, "Are you all right?" The woman immediately burst into tears and said that no, she wasn't. She had pneumonia for the 2nd time this year and was having a really hard time fighting it. Janeal shared with her some things she knew about healing and what she'd done for similar illnesses. She then left and finished her shopping, picking up the items the woman would need to treat herself. After she'd paid for everything, she had the clerk call the woman to the front. She gave her the items and the woman again burst into tears. I'm sharing this story because I really wondered if I could be so in tune to the spirit that I could squash my displeasure at being treated rudely in that situation.
What was really wonderful in church today was the peace that I felt just being there--sitting in the meetings, listening to the lessons and to the things being shared,and hearing the primary songs being sung. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to feel the spirit so often.
Back to the Sunday School lesson just for a moment. We spent some time discussing holding on to the iron rod. The teacher compared Lehi's dream to Alma's sermon on planting the seed of faith. She discussed each type of soil and how it applied to those working their way toward the tree of life. She told us to each look at ourselves (not all the other people we want to categorize) and to see where we are on that path. What type of soil are we planted in. She suggested that the soils can and do change. Are we hanging on to the iron rod by our fingernails because we are being pulled in every direction? are we tempted to let go? Or are we holding fast and pressing steadily forward as we should? Let us press forward throughout the coming weeks and months and make sure that we have a firm testimony that cannot be shaken by those in the great and spacious building. Remember that this takes constant commitment to study and prayer.
We finished up our Sabbath having a nice visit with Nick, Sara and Ori. At the last minute Toby (Nick's friend) had come for dinner with his wife and kids, too, but they left around 7:30 to get their kids home to bed as they are on Eastern Standard Time. We missed everyone else--Adrienne and AJ are in Sun Valley skiing; Dan and Jieun had friends to their home for dinner; and everyone else is just a little too far away.
Lastly, only Jieun sent me pictures of kids this week. I think this is at the Treehouse in Ogden.
She and Dan also sent some throwback pictures that were fun:
And Dan sent a couple of Jieun just to be fair.
Thank you for sacrificing your health to watch after our kids while we were gone, Mom. Great letter.
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