Learning From a Master

I've been visiting the hospital almost every day over the break. There is an old lady (83!) in our ward who fell and broke her ankle. I figured over winter break I have nothing but time, so I volunteered to visit her on quite a few days. I've known her for a number of years. I have always enjoyed visiting with her because we have a lot in common. She loves to read and she was an elementary school teacher. She's always super smiley and has positive things to say. Today when I visited she got talking to the husband of a lady in her room. It was amazing to watch her work her magic on him. She engaged him in conversation and was super interested in learning about him. She would ask him questions and compliment him and smile and ask him more questions. It was something to watch! It really made me think about how I engage people in conversation. Her conversation was really positive and kind. That's the kind of person I want to be.

Putting Stories Together

The internet sure brings missionaries closer to home. I love that I can read more about the stories Jill tells us in her letters.  She wrote about meeting Sharon Eubank - a RS leader I really admire. I recently have been watching and re-watching a TED talk of hers while I'm on the treadmill:

Another visitor's center missionary wrote this:

This week, on Thursday, we met Sister Sharon Eubank...It was awesome! She is the head of LDS charities, and she is the first counselor for the Relief Society in our church. She just came to the Visitor's Centre because she heard we taught about the temple in a new different way with our model wheels. We found out a few weeks ago that we are part of a pilot programme using new vocabulary and missionary training to teach about the temple, what we do inside of it, and why this is so important for our lives.

 She came right after our Thursday morning meeting and she only had a few minutes so we sang as sisters in Zione, we shook her hand, and then we all took a picture in front of the Christus statue in the garden. She does everything that I want to do Sunday, so I asked her what her major in college was. She said it was English and she was in English as a Second Language teacher before she got her job with LDS charities! We had to leave right after that but it was the coolest thing that has happened so far outside of missionary lessons. It really was an answer to really random prayers.

Day 104 Single Adults

No picture today. Taking one would have seemed kind of weird.

I went to a meeting with the single adult committee for the region. They ask for the Relief Society's support and I guess our stake is the host stake for the region. Sounds like a big meeting...but it wasn't. It was just me and another guy. It was interesting to learn about the single adult organization. They serve everyone who is single from age 45 to ???. They don't get a lot of people coming out, all for various reasons.

It's a weird spot for me to be in because when I've had an assignment to organize activities for people my goal is to always try to get a lot of people to come out. They don't seem to worry about that - which I understand.

This is going to be interesting to be involved with!

Day 83 Friendship

What do I love about spring break today? Long drawn out coffee shop conversations with good friends! There is nothing like a steamed milk with hazel nut syrup and a good conversation!

Today I met my good friends, Lana and Lucy, at a Second Cup and we had our bi-annual catch up session. I am so grateful for these two. We have been friends since university. We have each had different struggles, but have remained friends for 20+ years. Each of us have very different lives. We have changed a lot since university. Our friendship has remained strong. We have celebrated happy events through the years and helped each other through tragedies. Marriage, divorce, death, babies, struggles in our careers and fitness.....those have been some of our topics over he years. We don't see each other a lot, but I know that whatever I come to them with, they will love me and support me.  They are simply fantastic people.

It seems right that after visiting with them I should have the chance to deliver some of the final products from our RS Anniversity party. We made sewing kits, as requested, for the Women's Emergency Shelter. 

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When I came home I made a darn good dinner. Sure was white though! LOL

Balsamic chicken, cauliflower, potatoes and coleslaw. It tasted delicious!

Day 80 I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go

After a few experiences where I didn't listen to the whisperings of the spirit recently, my new focus is to do a better of job of listening to and following promptings.

When I didn't listen:

1. The day our car was stolen, I had noticed my wallet in the car as I went into the house. The thought that went through my head was about my SIL who had her window smashed and window stolen. I thought, "It would be a sad day if that happened to me too." I then left my wallet and went into the house. That night our car was stolen. It has been a real pain in the neck having to replace everything in that wallet! If only I had listened!

2. Recently, as my son was going into the church for activity night, I thought I should tell him to leave his ipod in the car. My thought was he shouldn't be listening to it during the activity. He should be paying attention to the activity....but I also decided I didn't want to be a motherly nag....so I didn't say it. That night someone stole his ipod at the activity...really disappointing for him and sad for me because I should have listened!

It's always interesting when you realize you should have listened and didn't. I'm ready to have experiences where I DO listen and have good experiences :)

All week, I've been feeling like I should go to 6th ward this Sunday. One of the benefits of a stake calling is having a good excuse to go to different wards. I felt kind of weird about it...why should I go to 6th ward. I figured though I had had the thought enough times that I should listen.

I did go. It was a nice Sunday. I felt very comfortable there. I arrived just as the meeting was starting so I decided to slip into the back, even though the chairs there are very hard. I looked over and saw this tiny Phillipino woman and knew that I knew her. She is about 4' tall. Her feet hardly touch the floor when she's sitting on the church chairs.

Turns out she is "Bing"! She is a good friend of Allen's family from the Phillipines, where his dad served his mission. When she came to Canada she lived with them. She must have hugged me 25 times when I told her who I was.

Day 38 Blessed Sabbath

I didn't take this picture, but it reflects my day.

I love Sundays.

Today I was released from my ward RS presidency calling. I'll miss planning those  RS activities!

Day 27 Meetings Meetings Meetings

I still have my ward calling. Last night I had a meeting with the RS activity committee. Tonight I had a stake meeting to go to. Tomorrow there is a ward RS presidency meeting (I have to miss that one because instead I'm going to be doing parent/teacher interviews all evening). Then Saturday we're having a stake RS presidency meeting. That's a lot of RS for one week!!

I was really tossed about the meeting tonight. It is book club tonight. I really love going to book club. I didn't commit myself until today. In the end, I gave up going to book club and did my duty. It was a spirit filled meeting, so it was a good choice in the end.

I thought about taking a picture of the crowd at my meeting tonight when I played the piano. Seemed like not a good idea.  This is all I got.

On the way, I consoled myself about missing book club by stopping at Chapters and picking up the books for the next two months. Nothing warms my heart like a new book or two!

Day 25 Stake Relief Society

A few weeks ago we got a call from President Maher from our new stake. At his request, we went and visited with him. He asked me to serve in the stake Relief Society presidency. It seems like a strange calling for me, I have never served in a stake calling, and I have this perception of people who have stake callings that they are wise and serious and unattached. That isn't me!! I am willing to try new things though....so now I am the second counsellor in the stake Relief Society presidency. My blessing when I was set apart was beautiful and I'm clinging to those blessings. The nice thing is that every time I've gone to a stake meeting it has been very purposeful and I have felt really good about everything. I have that good warm feeling inside!

Confession: I didn't take this picture today. It is from our ward's RS anniv party last year. I forgot to take a picture today, so this will have to do!