From the first time we decided to go on a mission, there has been many lessons of patience and waiting, putting it all in Father's hands. Finally, this afternoon our stake president will place his hands on our head and set us apart as missionaries. It has been a very long wait, but today, we will start to realize this dream.
I have been the one who has posted each day up till now, and so Bonnie needs to have her chance to express her feelings now:
We just came from a wonderful Sacrament Meeting and the blessing of our grandson Andrew Marlin Sharp. As I looked around at all those little ones, held some in my arms and some on my lap, the tears flowed and I wondered, "How does a grandmother leave her 20 grandchildren who are so dear to her?" It's hard enough to leave our wonderful children and their equally wonderful spouses, but the grandkids? And I remembered the recent words of Elder Holland..."The little munchkins will still be there when you get home."...or something to that effect. As we become a missionary family, this experience will hopefully cement in their hearts that spirit of missionary work, sacrifice and love of the Gospel. So I can go and yes, I'll shed more tears but they will be tears of joy!
Also, we sang "The Lord is my Light." The line "my weakness, in mercy, he covers with power," brought more tears as I reflected on my beginning Spanish language skills. These are very weak to be sure, but again, I'm counting on that covering power of my Savior to make up the difference as I grow and learn this new tongue. I believe in the gift of tongues. It will be manifest surely in coming months!
So, in a few hours we will go and get our setting apart. All will be there, at least all our family. Then we will be missionaries.
We enter tomorrow morning at 8:30. Then who knows what. But this blog will be done. This has been the PREPARATION blog, that which dealt in all the long hours, days, and even months of preparation. Tomorrow we will be missionaries. Our other blog which starts when we can figure things out how to post and such will be: elderandsisterpartridgeinthedr.blogspot.com
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
** DAY 2 -- With Limited Hours Left, We Better Be Almost Done, NO?
We spent the whole day in our world, in our room where we have been living for the last two years with my son. (No, he wasn't in the same room, but it was his house.) It felt like we created a three room home in one room, and had to work to clean it all out, organize, continue with our trips to the DI and the storage unit. We now have all our remaining "stuff" in one room. Now to organize it, see how small we can get each thing so as not to take up too much space, and see how to conserve on weight. We are limited by space and weight.
Of course not as we enter the MTC but as we fly away in a few weeks. We have have to be down to 50 pounds per luggage piece, Bonnie gets two and I get two. Two hundred pounds to take everything we will need for our mission. We are told that in the MTC we will receive material that weighs about 12 pounds that has to be taken. Thus now we have 88 pounds.
Besides that we get one carry on each, and I don't believe they weigh them, but there is a size restriction on them. Besides that, there may be an allowance for a "man purse" and a woman can carry a purse. I plan on carrying a large man purse containing about thirty pounds. It may be bigger than me. Might have to fill it full of chocolate, peanut butter, and things like that.
We have created a new blog that will start as we enter the MTC which will follow this "preparation" blog. In this new blog, we will report our mission, which starts Monday. I don't know the frequency we will record there, but we shall find out.
There is much planned these last two days before we go. Today and tomorrow will be filled with family things. We will be blessing our 20th grand child. We have ten boys and ten girls now, thanks to Sam and Tessa adopting the foster child they received almost two years ago. He is a joy and Bon and I love him dearly. He has become a part of us already.
My mind is still filled with this cluttered room I sit it, and the plans of all the things we have to do today, thus no time to dream of our upcoming 18 months. But that will come.
Most seniors get three to five months to prepare. We have done it in only two months, most days being totally filled with trips, purchases, cleaning, Deseret Industries, purchasing-returning-repurchasing-returning again and again. I am still worried about my two crazy feet and if the shoes we finally settled on. The challenge of making one of them (the feet, not the shoes, but that didn't work either.) smaller never did work. Oh well, another miracles is needed for that also.
Miracles have continued to come, and I hope we have recognized them all, or most of them, and offered gratitude for them. So often we ignore them, and don't see those tender mercies from Father.
Of course not as we enter the MTC but as we fly away in a few weeks. We have have to be down to 50 pounds per luggage piece, Bonnie gets two and I get two. Two hundred pounds to take everything we will need for our mission. We are told that in the MTC we will receive material that weighs about 12 pounds that has to be taken. Thus now we have 88 pounds.
Besides that we get one carry on each, and I don't believe they weigh them, but there is a size restriction on them. Besides that, there may be an allowance for a "man purse" and a woman can carry a purse. I plan on carrying a large man purse containing about thirty pounds. It may be bigger than me. Might have to fill it full of chocolate, peanut butter, and things like that.
We have created a new blog that will start as we enter the MTC which will follow this "preparation" blog. In this new blog, we will report our mission, which starts Monday. I don't know the frequency we will record there, but we shall find out.
There is much planned these last two days before we go. Today and tomorrow will be filled with family things. We will be blessing our 20th grand child. We have ten boys and ten girls now, thanks to Sam and Tessa adopting the foster child they received almost two years ago. He is a joy and Bon and I love him dearly. He has become a part of us already.
My mind is still filled with this cluttered room I sit it, and the plans of all the things we have to do today, thus no time to dream of our upcoming 18 months. But that will come.
Most seniors get three to five months to prepare. We have done it in only two months, most days being totally filled with trips, purchases, cleaning, Deseret Industries, purchasing-returning-repurchasing-returning again and again. I am still worried about my two crazy feet and if the shoes we finally settled on. The challenge of making one of them (the feet, not the shoes, but that didn't work either.) smaller never did work. Oh well, another miracles is needed for that also.
Miracles have continued to come, and I hope we have recognized them all, or most of them, and offered gratitude for them. So often we ignore them, and don't see those tender mercies from Father.
Friday, August 31, 2012
*** DAY 3 -- Busier and Busier Days, THREE
I continue to do those things needed. I know they will all get done and we will report for duty on Monday, but Bonnie keeps worrying that it won't all get done.
I helped my daughter and son load their van yesterday and threw out my back. It is sore, but life must go on. We have to decide on many things still. We have a few more trips to the storage unit and the DI. We also have to start packing. Nice huh. We will be packing for the MTC mostly. Since we will be coming home between weeks in the MTC, we only have to pack this time for a few days, then for eighteen months later.
My old boss called yesterday and wants some of the space in our storage unit. Since he is paying for the cost, we must go and rearrange the spacing, the packing of the unit to give him what he needs. Thus a new obstacle to overcome. Another "ITEM" to get in the way of our thinking of the coming joy and happiness when we are serving as missionaries. I guess the real joy and anticipation of serving will start when we enter the MTC next Monday. Then these things will mostly be done, or better be.
As I look at my lists, they are getting many things crossed off, but still have many not crossed of. Mostly, doing things that need to be done, like thank you notes, deciding whether to give away or store for two years, etc. And of course there are still things to purchase, like a potato peeler, for there are none down there. They also don't have life savers. I know, these things don't seem to be important, but really, talking with those who have been down there, these things come in handy, thus they are added to the list.
Every where I look, there are things that have to be done. I don't consider all the millions of things that have been done, I just look at what lies in front of us. I guess that is as it should be.
A mission still feels like it is a far away dream, since so many other things are demanding our attention. But in a few days, we will have to leave them all behind and start putting our attention where Father wants it. Finally!
I helped my daughter and son load their van yesterday and threw out my back. It is sore, but life must go on. We have to decide on many things still. We have a few more trips to the storage unit and the DI. We also have to start packing. Nice huh. We will be packing for the MTC mostly. Since we will be coming home between weeks in the MTC, we only have to pack this time for a few days, then for eighteen months later.
My old boss called yesterday and wants some of the space in our storage unit. Since he is paying for the cost, we must go and rearrange the spacing, the packing of the unit to give him what he needs. Thus a new obstacle to overcome. Another "ITEM" to get in the way of our thinking of the coming joy and happiness when we are serving as missionaries. I guess the real joy and anticipation of serving will start when we enter the MTC next Monday. Then these things will mostly be done, or better be.
As I look at my lists, they are getting many things crossed off, but still have many not crossed of. Mostly, doing things that need to be done, like thank you notes, deciding whether to give away or store for two years, etc. And of course there are still things to purchase, like a potato peeler, for there are none down there. They also don't have life savers. I know, these things don't seem to be important, but really, talking with those who have been down there, these things come in handy, thus they are added to the list.
Every where I look, there are things that have to be done. I don't consider all the millions of things that have been done, I just look at what lies in front of us. I guess that is as it should be.
A mission still feels like it is a far away dream, since so many other things are demanding our attention. But in a few days, we will have to leave them all behind and start putting our attention where Father wants it. Finally!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
** DAY 4 -- Three Dreams
Last night I had a dream. I was in front of many youth of the Dominican Republic and I was having a grand time teaching the gospel. I felt the Spirit dictating to me what I needed to say, do, and preach. I was thoroughly enjoying the time in front of those young kids sharing the gospel.
I woke up and felt such comfort and joy. I can't wait to be teaching again. I love to teach, for all it really is, is being in front of hungry saints who want to hear the good word, eat it up, and are changed. They feel the Holy Spirit bearing witness of the truth and are filled. I am only the tool to present it to them, what needs to be said, and they listen and then incorporate it into their lives. What joy!
I was laying awake for the next hour or so anticipating that glorious experience coming again in my life. I am excited.
Then I went back to sleep and dreamed of three young kids. They were in trouble. One was incarcerated, while the other two were on probation for their actions. I felt the challenge I had been given striving to reclaim those two, bearing witness to them and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then I woke up again.
I tried to figure out what that dream meant, if anything. Guess I will have to wait and see.
Then I dropped off to sleep again and dreamed another dream. This one, I was in a room and "heard" my two parents in a neighboring room speaking to each other. I woke up and thought I still heard them. I would have sworn that I heard voices, so I climbed out of bed and went to the door of our universe (our room) to see if I could hear them better. Of course, there was dead/sleeping silence. Once again I wondered if there was a meaning to that dream.
Mom and Dad served on four missions across the world. Perhaps that was just telling me that they are in a neighboring room, talking about our upcoming mission. I don't know.
But the night was filled with dreams that could mean something in the upcoming months? Because of those dreams, I did not sleep too much last night. Busy day today continuing to finalize things and help my daughter and son get ready to move in the next day or two. But all will get done, somehow.
I woke up and felt such comfort and joy. I can't wait to be teaching again. I love to teach, for all it really is, is being in front of hungry saints who want to hear the good word, eat it up, and are changed. They feel the Holy Spirit bearing witness of the truth and are filled. I am only the tool to present it to them, what needs to be said, and they listen and then incorporate it into their lives. What joy!
I was laying awake for the next hour or so anticipating that glorious experience coming again in my life. I am excited.
Then I went back to sleep and dreamed of three young kids. They were in trouble. One was incarcerated, while the other two were on probation for their actions. I felt the challenge I had been given striving to reclaim those two, bearing witness to them and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then I woke up again.
I tried to figure out what that dream meant, if anything. Guess I will have to wait and see.
Then I dropped off to sleep again and dreamed another dream. This one, I was in a room and "heard" my two parents in a neighboring room speaking to each other. I woke up and thought I still heard them. I would have sworn that I heard voices, so I climbed out of bed and went to the door of our universe (our room) to see if I could hear them better. Of course, there was dead/sleeping silence. Once again I wondered if there was a meaning to that dream.
Mom and Dad served on four missions across the world. Perhaps that was just telling me that they are in a neighboring room, talking about our upcoming mission. I don't know.
But the night was filled with dreams that could mean something in the upcoming months? Because of those dreams, I did not sleep too much last night. Busy day today continuing to finalize things and help my daughter and son get ready to move in the next day or two. But all will get done, somehow.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
** DAY 5 -- Tiny Speed Bump almost Gone
In five days we will enter the MTC where the world comes to "prepare" for their mission. We will be one of many. These are dedicated young and OLD people who want to give their time to helping the Lord build His kingdom. As I re-read that, I can't help but get emotional. Five short days, and we will be off. So many things get in the way of thinking about our mission that it is difficult to feel the joy, the excitement, and the desire to shout from the roof tops.
If you look at our "world" right now, it is full of things, boxes, clothing-dirty and not. Each one of these things has to be put in it's place. That is the challenge. Every night it is a challenge to even see our bed, for we use it as a table, a holding place, a location for all clothing, the place to put everything. It always takes a few hours/minutes to even find the bed, let alone get in it.
The doctor yesterday said that I have a very upset stomach that is reacting to Ibuprofen, or my life saver. I have taken between 800 and 1600 MG of the stuff for over five years, and now it decides to rebel against it. The doctor said not to use it any more, or I would get a full blown ulcer, which would limit my activities in the DR. So I have stopped using that crutch to get along each day. Without the ability to mask, or minimize the pain of that ruptured disk, it slows me down a bunch, but with some activities, or alternate stuff, I may be able to run and not be weary, etc. This small speed bump will be overcome and I shall do as I have been called.
One of my sons gave me a blessing the other day, I guess it was Sunday. Father will honor that blessing and I shall be totally healthy and ready to run by Sunday. Another miracle happening in my life, taking place right before we leave. There have been many, too many to count.
I often wonder how many more trips to our "Home Sweet Storage Unit" we will make. We will need to find a truck to get it all out there, but with only a few more trips, I believe it will suffice. Bonnie feels good about our stuff being stored out there. That is good, then we can leave all those antiques, those value things that are nothing more than "STUFF," and those valuables, like my fishing pole, my chess set, my unicorn, etc.
It is sure interesting that really, nothing matters. Just the life we live, the testimony we have, the service we give, and the way we help build the Kingdom. Everything else is so worthless in His eyes. We will be working with the valuable, the things that really count for the next 18 months.
If you look at our "world" right now, it is full of things, boxes, clothing-dirty and not. Each one of these things has to be put in it's place. That is the challenge. Every night it is a challenge to even see our bed, for we use it as a table, a holding place, a location for all clothing, the place to put everything. It always takes a few hours/minutes to even find the bed, let alone get in it.
The doctor yesterday said that I have a very upset stomach that is reacting to Ibuprofen, or my life saver. I have taken between 800 and 1600 MG of the stuff for over five years, and now it decides to rebel against it. The doctor said not to use it any more, or I would get a full blown ulcer, which would limit my activities in the DR. So I have stopped using that crutch to get along each day. Without the ability to mask, or minimize the pain of that ruptured disk, it slows me down a bunch, but with some activities, or alternate stuff, I may be able to run and not be weary, etc. This small speed bump will be overcome and I shall do as I have been called.
One of my sons gave me a blessing the other day, I guess it was Sunday. Father will honor that blessing and I shall be totally healthy and ready to run by Sunday. Another miracle happening in my life, taking place right before we leave. There have been many, too many to count.
I often wonder how many more trips to our "Home Sweet Storage Unit" we will make. We will need to find a truck to get it all out there, but with only a few more trips, I believe it will suffice. Bonnie feels good about our stuff being stored out there. That is good, then we can leave all those antiques, those value things that are nothing more than "STUFF," and those valuables, like my fishing pole, my chess set, my unicorn, etc.
It is sure interesting that really, nothing matters. Just the life we live, the testimony we have, the service we give, and the way we help build the Kingdom. Everything else is so worthless in His eyes. We will be working with the valuable, the things that really count for the next 18 months.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
** DAY 6 -- Singing with Thousands of Other Missionaries
So much to do, so little time. Today we go and see what the doc is going to tell me what I have to do to have that health I need to give all I have. Will report on that tomorrow.
Trying to figure out the next few weeks. We go in the MTC next Monday. We will lodge there at the MTC as a Senior Couple until Friday, then go home to where we have been living for the last two years. We enter the MTC again the following Monday as CES Missionaries until Wednesday, then home again. Then Thursday we go to SLC, the headquarters as PEF missionaries. We stay there one day, then we go home again.
Then on September 17th, early in the morning, we fly away. So though we will be missionaries starting in six days, we will not be in the DR until September 17th. The next two weeks will be mostly preparation. We will have done all we can do to prepare our personal things and then we get taught, instructed, motivated, etc, and then we go.
So many people have been so kind, wishing us well, asking if there is anything they can do for us, wanting to help in getting ready, etc. But so much of it has to be done by us. There are still things to purchase. There are things to move to the storage unit. There are things to box up. There are things to deliver to kids. There are appreciation notes to give out. There is things to study. And so on.
Never did I ever think that getting ready to go on a mission was so time consuming. And as my bishop bore witness many times, never did I realize that Satan would do so much to get us down, try to get us to lose sight of the dream, cause rifts between loved ones, urge us to lose faith in "things," and put obstacles in our way.
All I have to do is remember the commitment I made 42 years ago when I returned from the mission field that I would return with my eternal companion, then the vision and dream returns and I can't wait. All I have to do is sing in my mind "Called to Serve" and I start weeping. All I have to do is remember the glorious experience to be with thousands of dedicated missionaries in the MTC singing together with enthusiasm any song, with gusto, testimony, and love of our Father in Heaven. I can't wait.
Trying to figure out the next few weeks. We go in the MTC next Monday. We will lodge there at the MTC as a Senior Couple until Friday, then go home to where we have been living for the last two years. We enter the MTC again the following Monday as CES Missionaries until Wednesday, then home again. Then Thursday we go to SLC, the headquarters as PEF missionaries. We stay there one day, then we go home again.
Then on September 17th, early in the morning, we fly away. So though we will be missionaries starting in six days, we will not be in the DR until September 17th. The next two weeks will be mostly preparation. We will have done all we can do to prepare our personal things and then we get taught, instructed, motivated, etc, and then we go.
So many people have been so kind, wishing us well, asking if there is anything they can do for us, wanting to help in getting ready, etc. But so much of it has to be done by us. There are still things to purchase. There are things to move to the storage unit. There are things to box up. There are things to deliver to kids. There are appreciation notes to give out. There is things to study. And so on.
Never did I ever think that getting ready to go on a mission was so time consuming. And as my bishop bore witness many times, never did I realize that Satan would do so much to get us down, try to get us to lose sight of the dream, cause rifts between loved ones, urge us to lose faith in "things," and put obstacles in our way.
All I have to do is remember the commitment I made 42 years ago when I returned from the mission field that I would return with my eternal companion, then the vision and dream returns and I can't wait. All I have to do is sing in my mind "Called to Serve" and I start weeping. All I have to do is remember the glorious experience to be with thousands of dedicated missionaries in the MTC singing together with enthusiasm any song, with gusto, testimony, and love of our Father in Heaven. I can't wait.
Monday, August 27, 2012
** DAY 7 -- New Blog Starting on one Week
This morning I found myself in the doctors office to have a scope of my innards. It was to determine if I had an ulcer or not and then determine what needs to be done before we go so I can serve with all my strength, even more than I have now.
Now I am resting from the gunk that they put in my body to have me sleep while they watched movies in my stomach. Nice huh?
The farewell was wonderful yesterday, but our dear bishop had scheduled a very full meeting. Thus, when I stood to be the concluding speaking, I stood when we usually would be having the closing prayer. I spoke for about five minutes, but I did take the time to bear my testimony of the truth, the truth I will be sharing in the Dominican Republic. Bonnie spoke and bore her witness in Spanish. She did a great job, and one said that she would be putting me to shame with her knowledge of the Spanish language. I would not doubt it.
We sang as a rest hymn, "Called to Serve" with the choir and youth. Of course, I could not sing, I was too touched realizing that we would be doing that very thing for the next 18 months. I believe I sang about three of the words, the rest were lost in my throat too much.
We saw some very dear friends from many different phases of our life. It was a joy to see to many support us and wish us well in the next months of our mission. With that accomplished, now we have one final week to get it all done before we enter the MTC. Busy, busy times. One of my daughters is moving this week into a new home. Thus we are trying to find time to finish our preparation as well as help her and her four kids. Life is never easy, but very busy.
Tomorrow we shall meet with the doctor to see what can be done with the results of the procedure today. I am wishing for another miracle. We shall see.
Seven days and we shall have that black name tag on our chest, signifying the realization of this dream we have been searching for, for a long time.
We will start a new blog at that time, being: ElderandSisterPartridgeintheDR.blogspot.com. We shall try to report our mission to those who want to know about it there.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)