A Season of Savoring

Nos cheres famille et amies,

I am sitting at the computer, needing to put on paper the thoughts circling around in my mind, the sentiments filling my heart, and the love I feel reaching across the oceans between us.  Tonight, this seems like a daunting task.  But the feelings are strong and the need great, so off we go....

A few weeks ago, one of our missionaries was really struggling.  Some of the reasons were apparent, others were his alone to deal with.  Brent made a trip down the island to lovingly, but frankly, counsel with him, wondering after if it had made much of a difference.  Two days later, we went to District Meeting, prepared with some thoughts to share that we hoped might help.  As we walked into the room, it was obvious from his face that the problems were still there; I felt my stomach turn.  There was much to discuss that morning with the business part of the meeting lasting longer than usual.  I knew that Brent had something important to present, and I began to wonder if I should wait until next week to give my thoughts.  I had decided that when the Zone Leader asked me if I needed any time that I would just tell him "Not this week", but when he asked, I immediately said, "Yes," and walked to the front of the room.  What?  I wasn't going to do this.  What I shared, and testified of, was something that someone I love and respect gave to us when we began our work here.  It was:
            You are here for a REASON.
                    Things WILL BE hard sometimes.
                              The choice of how to respond is YOURS.
                                       Your choices DO matter.
                                                Regular people can, and do, work MIRACLES in the Lord's service.
                                                        You are NEVER alone.
                                                                  It is ALL worth it.
And then I closed with a statement someone else I love and respect has repeated for years:
                                                         NO EXCUSES; NO REGRETS!

It was now Brent's turn.  (This is a very abbreviated version.)  He began with  a thought posed by UCLA's Coach John Wooden:   Each day you have $86,400.00 deposited in your bank account and every evening it is emptied; what you don't spend, you lose and never gain back. The next day the same thing is repeated. If this were true, what would you do with that money every day?  You would spend it, of course.  You have such a bank account; it is called time.  Every day credits you with 86,400 seconds.  A balance is not carried over to the next day, and you are not allowed overdrafts. Each day the bank, named time, opens a new account with you.  Each night it burns the records of the day.  If you failed to use the day's deposit, the loss is yours.  Each day you are going to spend your time wisely or waste it.  What are YOU going to do?

This, of course, doesn't apply just to missionary work; it applies to all of us... everyday. It reminded us of the adage:  Life doesn't get better by chance; it gets better by change.  To see someone understand that truth, apply it to themselves, and become someone stronger and better because of it has been an affirming experience.  He is happy; he is learning to be a leader; he is giving it his best, and no one can ask for more than that.

Highlight of the week:  Did you know that 4,000 whales come to our part of the Indian Ocean every year to calve before they return to Antarctica? We knew that there had been whale sightings this time of year toward the southern end of the island, but one Sunday afternoon while I was cooking dinner, Brent was looking at the ocean from our sliding glass doors, and he saw something.  Could it be?  It was, and then he saw a FULL BREACH!  "Joan, Joan, come here!" We then watched some blows and some tails coming up ...right from our front room.  It was amazing!

Lowlight of the week:  Brent and I got up at first light and went to the marche to shop for our weekly fruits and vegetables.  As always, a great sensory experience.  This time of year, going into summer, it is HUGE, with several unique seasonal items available. The colors are stunning! There were also cartons of fresh eggs available, wrapped with a string.  I thought, "Great, I need eggs anyway; now I won't have to go to the market."  So I bought some.  When I got home and opened the carton, there were feathers stuck all over the eggs.   I guess they were REALLY fresh, but do we dare eat them??????

PHOTO GALLERY:

Mother and daughters saying goodbye to "their" missionaries at the airport.

Brent signed recommends for this family preparing to be sealed in the Johannesburg temple.  A special night with beloved friends.

Baptism in St Marie.

In case you haven't heard, the dress standards for elders have a new addition:  tan and gray slacks.  The elder from Tahiti, on the right, arrived with several pair, so our Zone Leader, on the left, just had to try them out for a day.  Brent wishes he had some!

Getting ready to begin a training breakfast.  I scrambled 25 eggs, fried up a huge pan of potatoes, served sliced ham with piles of toast, and every bite disappeared.  Not even a crumb left for the cockroaches.

Everyone was waiting to devour the eggs, while the Zone Leader took "just one more call."  So conscientious.  You can see where we did our whale watching!

The new companionship ready to head down the coastal highway and begin their day.

The La Reunion zone, which recently doubled in size.

Elder Heap checking the cars after zone meeting.  "Would you really take out the best looking girl in town in a car that looks like THIS inside?"

We are fully aware that all of this will soon be only a memory...we tell ourselves daily to  enjoy totally each and every experience.

Don't just look...SEE!
Don't just hear...LISTEN!
Don't just experience...UNDERSTAND!
Don't just live...SAVOR!

With all of our love and best wishes for you;  A bientot,

The Castaways