The Way It Works

Bonjour a tous,

Brent and I just finished a HUGE missionary week ... our last major assignment here.  We will have three missionaries arriving in January just before we board the jumbo jet for home, but other than that, it is now just our daily-business-as-usual for the next four weeks. Nothing too out of the ordinary as far as being demanding; nothing too stressful; do we really believe - or want - that?

Elder Dale Renlund, our Area President, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, toured the Madagascar Mission.  Because Mauritius is part of that mission and currently has only two Elders and a Senior Couple, they were all flown here to be a part his time with us.  On Tuesday afternoon, we picked the Mauritius couple up at the airport, brought them to our apartment for a light dinner, took them to their hotel, and then went to the church for two hours to set up for the next day with the Zone Leader and his companions. We then picked up President and Sister Renlund and the Adams at 10:40 PM that night.  The next morning found us up bright and early, putting together the final touches for the 9:00 AM Zone Conference:  handouts, electronic equipment, people needing transportation to the church, lunch for 28 which had to be taken from our fridge to the church fridge.  Group photo...inside or outside?...chance of rain; is everything ready for the special musical number?   Incredibly tight schedule needing to be navigated smoothly.  We have sterling missionaries here who constantly amaze us with their ideas, their willingness to do anything and everything, and their talents.  Yes, it all went well on our end thanks to many hands, young brains, and the constant, gentle guidance of the Holy Ghost.  There were so many times early in the week, when we thought, "We don't know how we are going to manage all of this. I'm not sure that much food is even doable in my kitchen; how will we handle this in that time frame?"  But thoughts would come of how to accomplish what needed to be done; thoughts that we knew WEREN'T ours because we would have never have done it that way; thoughts that made the undoable, totally doable.  That is the "Way It Works" in the mission field; the ONLY way it could work.

The "other end", the end the Renlunds and the Adams were responsible for, was a spiritually rich and memorable day for all of us.  With the opening prayer came the strong assurance of the Lord's love for those valiant missionaries and when President Reunlund stood before the group to welcome them there, he said, (condensed) "I have three things I want to tell you."  He looked at all of them, and in a voice which wrapped his arms around each of them, personally and individually, he slowly and softly stated, "Merci, merci pour toute choses que vous avez donne. ("Thank you, thank you for all things you have given").  That simple and heartfelt "Thank you" expressed with such love meant the world to young elders and sisters who fight an uphill battle here.  He meant it; they felt it; it validated their efforts.  He then went on to tell them that they all needed, if they hadn't already, to obtain their own personal revelation that their mission call here was inspired, issued by an apostle of the Lord, that personal revelation being their base as they daily serve.  Another affirmation.  Lastly, he assured them that President Adams was their inspired leader, who loves them, serves them, and leads them in all things.  Appreciate him; follow him; love him.  A final affirmation, and this was just his welcome to the conference.  We wish we could share the entire day with you; the teaching was inspired, covering topics that were needed specifically on La Reunion, topics that would not only lift them, but also give them something to think about - and apply - as they approached lessons, difficulties with investigators, and personal challenges.  Not a head nodded; every eye was riveted on the person teaching all morning.  It was not a meeting that required a bathroom break; no one wanted to stop listening, including me, and I knew that lunch was to be served promptly at 1:00, following the closing prayer.  I kept thinking, "I don't want to leave at 12:30 to warm the sweet pork for the sandwiches!"  A thought came.  I went to the kitchen during the special musical number, tried something I had never done before, returned to the meeting, slipped out only briefly once to make sure it was working, and voila! after the prayer I hurried down to the kitchen.  Everything was done to perfection and I put it on the table along with the salads and other sides and WE ATE.  That is the "way it works", and I know that it will never work like that again at home.

After clean-up, we drove the mauritius missionaries to the airport and returned to our apartment where the Adams and Renlunds would arrive for dinner at 5:00.  That is one of the perks associated with all of the work...a quiet dinner and conversation that filled our hearts with gratitude for the opportunity.  I wish I had the capacity to express what we witnessed and what we felt, from both Elder and Sister Renlund, but it will have to remain a blessing experienced in the spirit and in the heart.  After that, off to an island fireside for all of the members.  Again...amazing.  Elder Renlund is responsible for 13 missions in an area 3 times the size of the United States.  Think of all the traveling, all the problems to be solved, all the needs to be met, yet, you would have thought that these missionaries on our remote little island were the ONLY missionaries he was responsible for.  Thank you, our new friends, for showing us "The Way it Works."

Lowlight and Highlight of the Week:
Lowlight:  On Monday, before everyone arrived, Brent and I were hurrying to an evening appointment.  Brent had told the family we were visiting that we would bring pizza, something we NEVER do, but later, realized that Brent had truly been inspired by his offer.  I went in to pick up the pizza, put it in the back of our Yaris, and hurried to get in the car.  In my rush I put my head forward BEFORE I got the door totally opened and WHACK, the top corner of the door and my head collided!  I was momentarily stunned, got in the car, felt my forehead over my right eye, and a HUGE goose-egg had already popped out.  "Oh, no, I'm going to have an ugly bruise and possibly a black eye for the meetings!"  We immediately applied some ice with a "car-made" ice pack.   Highlight:  Wednesday and Thursday came and went...nothing.  Could I really have been so lucky?  NO.  I got up Friday morning...Whoa...a first-class shiner, that continued to grow and darken both Saturday and Sunday.  No matter; I'm counting my highlight blessing of no black eye on Wednesday!

PHOTO GALLERY:

Here we are, with the sun in our eyes.  The other direction was too dark, but at least it didn't rain as forecast.  How we love all of these people!

When I got to the church, I found I had a helper...Mr. Gecko.  We carefully deposited him out in the grass.

Our dear friends and mentors, Les Adams.

Lunch is served, they loved it, and there was enough and to spare.

Fun after clean-up.

After dinner photo with President and Sister Renlund... an intellectual and spiritual power couple!

Now part of our family, President and Sister Adams

Waiting at the church the next morning while the men were in interviews, before going to the airport

There is always a good laugh before heading for home.

Brent shared some Winston Churchill quotes with me today; one reminded me of these wonderful young people here and also of our friends and family at home:
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear."

Miracles happen when we move forward in faith, when we act in spite of our fears, when we take that step into the unknown because we know it is the right step...that is....The Way It Works.

Our love to all of you who are the great blessings of our lives,

A bientot!

The Castaways