wonderful witnesses........

A really good day here.............how I love this!!!!! We had "office meeting" this morning. I shared "Hope: the Misunderstood Sister". (Ensign, June 2009) I am so thankful for that article. I'm sure the author would be surprised if he knew what it has meant to me these six whole years! I'm surprised it has been so long! I mentioned at some point that I wanted Pres. Hanks to teach me how he did his files--he has them on his home computer and in "dropbox" so he can access them from wherever. I told him "when you have nothing else to do". Sooooo...........Sis. Hanks had to talk with Sis. Newman, and Pres. Hanks said, "let's do it now". (Really!?!?!?!???) They were supposed to be on their way to Tupelo for interviews!! I knew he had a really busy day planned, and I didn't want to add to his burden........but he's a big boy, right? So we sat down at my computer and he went through it. I'm so excited to get mine going. But I felt rather guilty at taking so much of his time. I can't imagine why anyone would want to be a mission president!!! What a heavy load!! They are pretty excited that this is their last year. I can't blame them. The rest of the day was uneventful.........I went with Roger to take a car out to Bessemer. I must remember to take my camera on one of those trips. It is such a pretty drive! I want to share it with you. When we got back it was time for lunch and then the referral center had scheduled a training on the new referral system.......well, he called about ten minutes after it was to have started and said they were having troubles with part of it and would I mind if we re-scheduled? What did he expect me to say to that!?!?????

I looked back through my post of last night and I couldn't believe that I didn't tell you about sacrament meeting yesterday! It was absolutely, totally wonderful!!! The Primary program. Sorry. Even though that is "enough" you have to put up with my account.......... We have three "regulars" in Primary......all sisters from another ward in the stake. Their parents have callings in Ensley. Last week, when we practiced for the program, the Primary president and her counselor brought their grandchildren to help with the program. Yesterday we had nine children--eight or nine. No one is expected to have their parts memorized because you never really know which part is going to be "yours" because you never know who is going to be there for sure. And the songs are not memorized (unless the regulars had them memorized, but they don't have to because we always have the words in front of them for the others who come now and then) And then, because there are so few children, they ask the missionaries to sit in back of them and sing "softly" so as not to upstage the children but to give them support and a little  more volume. I played the piano for the program until the last song, "A Child's Prayer". I'm really no good at improvising that to play the singing line with some accompaniment, so Sis. Randall and I switched places. I'm so glad it worked out that way!!! The children sang the first verse, "Heavenly Father, are you really there?......." The missionaries did not stand up, so from somewhere behind the children came the reassurance, "Pray, he is there; Speak, he is listening........" Oh. My. Goodness.!!!! Talk about the chills!!!! And then the third verse when they both sang together!!!! I don't know that an angel choir could sound better!! The visual of these sweet children asking the question and the steady reassurance from the missionaries, somewhere behind with the sound floating up, over the children.............there were more than a few tears! And it was powerful! Such a blessing to have witnessed it!

Our Relief Society lesson was chapter 20, like you.........Sis. Newman did a great job!! And we talked about visiting teaching. It hasn't been happening here for some time.........I think............no one says right out loud, but it's inferred. So now I have three sisters I'm to visit with Sis. Newman. It will be so fun!!! One of them is the wife in a family Roger is home teaching. Yesterday afternoon Roger wanted to go visit a brother and sister who had been to church but then she needed to go home. She has rheumatoid arthritis and is in a wheel chair everywhere but at home. On our way to visit them I wondered out loud if we should go see Turners? We had a good visit with Bro. Turner on the front porch. And his wife is going to Florida tomorrow to stay. He is moving down in two months! There goes one of "my" sisters!!!! And then we didn't get to see Bro. and Sister Robinson! Sounds kind of like the Lord had something to do with all that, huh? I do not doubt it.

Thanks again for hanging on here with me...........another long one, but I needed to record it. I am so blessed!!!!! In so many, many ways!!!! And I'm thinking of YOU!!!!