So today is my birthday. I am 64. I had 2 1/2 days off at the first of the week because of a fever and body aches all over. I hate it when you are do sick you can't read a good book, or eat, or sew or anything but lay around and be really sick. My husband gave me a Priesthood blessing and I started improving immediately. That was my break for the week. Monday and Tuesday.
Good thing because we had our mission tour with Elder Hamula and wife and that increases the pace of everything. Their story left me shaking my head in wonder. Twenty years ago they were called as mission pres. in Wash. D.C. South. They took their children ages 8,6,4,2 with them. While there, Sister Hamula called her husband from the doctor to tell him their baby was coming with his own companion. Yes, she gave birth to twin boys while being the mission president's wife. I think our mission president's wife looks at her life with new perspective. For the first time we had our entire mission together--226 strong. I lost it as we sang Hope of Israel. On the last chorus, all of the young missionaries jumped to their feet on the word HOPE with their right fist raised in the air. These young warriors are the hope of Israel and they are serving valiantly. Elder Hamula lost it at the same point I did. We looked around and wondered "how could we be so lucky to be serving here, now, with these youth. They hug us, express their love for us, thank us for anything we do for them and say they want marriages just like ours.
We had dinner with the Hamulas one night....just the Senior missionaries. I cooked the meat, my roast beef tried and true High Council party recipe, and the rest I assigned to the other Senior missionaries. It cracks me up seeing how some people respond to a General Authority. Respect, yes, but don't idol worship and drool all over them. It was a pleasant evening and the Pres. commented on the wonderful meat several times so he got the left-overs.
The Hamulas did a fireside Friday night and you had to bring an investigator or recent convert to go. Since we don't do that kind of missionary work and since my companion would be driving the 12 passenger transfer van to shuttle people to and from limited parking, I got an evening to work on my missionary scrapbook. After shuttling people and dropping Elders off at various apartments, Elder Taggart got home at 11:50 PM. That is called breaking mission rules by assignment.
Our P-day was spent catching up!!! I was standing in the store yesterday and an older woman said, "Excuse me, do you work here?" Ah---the nametag. In the next store, "Wow! Is that who you work for?" (Jesus Christ, yes it is.)
Stake Conference last night and today. Our stake has 4 Spanish speaking wards and 6 English speaking wards so the talks are half and half. When I found myself drifting off, I just shifted my attention to the ASL corner. Glad Bruce was the Pres. of the Renton Washington Stake.....less complicated.
Now for being 64. Best thing I ever did was marry my best friend and then leave my comfort zone over and over and over. I passed a wood-paneled stationwagon and realized my children experienced more than their kids will. We had no DVD players to watch movies on so we sang in the car, told stories about family members, played games, and ate all the special treats they never got at home.
At 64 I got good news from the eye doctor.....I no longer need glasses, except to read. I can see distances better than I could 10 years ago. I got all the ideal gifts for a 64 year old missionary.....sweaters for another cold winter, sweater tights to keep my legs warm, more nylon stockings for meetings and work in the office, a necklace that says "I can do hard things" and chocolate bars and cards galore. Who could ask for more? I have been sung to by many missionaries today who wanted to make my day special. I have been sung to by grandkids and their parents.
One sister from Texas stopped our car last night and said, " I just want to thank the two of you for serving a mission here and now. I love you both and I am so grateful to serve with you." Oh how mutual that feeling is!!!
Lesson learned in Stake Conference: Warning!! Starving Rabbits. In survival it is a well known fact that if you go to cold climates and have plenty of rabbit meat to eat, you will eventually starve to death. Rabbit meat takes more nutrients and calories from the body that eats the meat than you gain by eating the rabbit meat. So long ago, explorers in cold climates had plenty of rabbit meat to eat yet literally starved to death eating it. What does that have to do with our mission or anything really? The world offers so many things to do every day, yet most of them do not have the ability to nourish our Spirits at all. We can partake of many activities that take up most of our time but at the end of the day, we are empty. May I suggest a habit I took up years ago? Don't let your head hit the pillow until you have read your scriptures and said your prayers. It only takes a few minutes a day yet it will nourish your Spirit and help your growth in becoming a Disciple of Christ. Make sure some of the nourishment you partake of each day fills the Spirit.
Have a wonderful week. We are hoping for a bit of a lull.....hah!
Love,
Sister Taggart
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