I Didn’t Wish to Jinx it

                I have been quite lame about posting to my blog this summer.  The weather wipes me out.  Either I am so hot that I can’t think or I’m being sent to a coma by the a/c or fans . . . . or winds.  I have been feeling blessed with the lack of smoke that we have seen this month – although the last two days have brought a haze that I can barely see.  Richard and Jaime can smell it but I cannot.  I’ve had the windows open and just thought it was overcast.

               I’ve been checking the fire map and have not noticed any fires along I5.  Richard says this is blowing from the east of us and is the worst fire in all of Oregon history.  All the fires have been given names – usually after the area it is burning.  This one is called the Durkee Fire – just west of Boise, Idaho (here).  Oh, my heck! 

               We did have a fire in the neighborhood quite recently.  I missed my window of opportunity for taking pictures.  I did that on purpose hoping that it could be maintained and I we wouldn’t have to evacuate.  I heard the fire trucks and new it was close – but not so close that those who live in the adjoining neighborhood wouldn’t be able to get through on our street and would have to park their cars at the base of the hill.  I had never seen so many cars parked or people outside in the neighborhood since we moved in 2016.  But then again we didn’t have most of those neighbors before 2020.  Weird.

               I did not see the fire.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen the flames from any fire – only smoke.  White smoke at that – the water sprays were the same white color and the fire was out. I don’t know what happened but am very grateful that it was out shortly after the trucks arrived.  Perhaps I’ll create a follow up post if I should hear about what may have happened.

Growth and Shrinkage

           The last ward we attended in Utah was called Granger 14^th.  Boundaries were exceptionally weird, but we did have enough activity that there were two adult Sunday Schools. I don’t recall anyone having multiple callings.  It was a good ward.

          We had only been here for a couple of years when we returned to Utah for my late daughter-in-law’s funeral.  We had been invited to stay for a linger longer at the Granger 14^th.  A lot of people had moved out of the ward in that two years time.  A LOT.  I asked someone if a lot of members were on vacation.  Looking around she claimed that most of the ward was in attendance.  The ward had shrunk.

          When Jaime and I had gone back for a visit last year we were told that the Granger 14^th had dissolved. That's too bad.  Understandable, but still sad.

          The other day I received a phone call from my sister updating me on the boundary changes that had taken place within their stake (first area where Richard and I had moved to).  She, for one, was grateful for the change as there has always been an overwhelming amount of members who were not active and so did not have callings.

          Our current ward has had a lot of inactivity as well.  I have never lived in a ward where I couldn’t walk from one end to the other.  I don’t know how many miles the ward boundary covers.  I know there are some who if they visited others would take over an hour just to arrive at one another’s houses. 

          We have had six or seven convert baptisms just this year.  Most are still active.  There is one who is slipping and two that have received the discussions but have not committed to baptism – rather have listened to those who are against having them baptized.

          There is growth – such as having only six wards in our stake after we moved in.  We now currently have seven. There is also shrinkage. 

Lift Where You Stand

 

According to my Cryptogram puzzles Pope Francis said “God Never gives someone a gift they are not capable of receiving . . .” referring to the gift of Christmas, but I took it to another level and posted the following to the RS page:

“God never gives us gifts that we are not capable of receiving. He never gives us a calling that we are unable to fulfill. If we are willing and ask in faith for His loving guidance we can perform as an instrument in His hands. We can go from an unpopped kernal to desirable popcorn that we were meant to be.”

The last part of the quote comes from Ben Wilcox “Come Follow Me” lesson for next week (here)

          I know that there are people who struggle with their callings as they feel inadequate in the position due to their lack of knowledge or being able to relate to those they serve or those they serve with.  I do not foresee that in my current position or presidency, but I know when I was initially called back in 2018 there were some challenges that were in attendance.  I’ve served with three different presidents now and think we are at our best this year.

          Some presidents have delegated with no problem, others don’t seem to know the meaning of the word.  Sometimes the calling we are given is to serve those have trouble with delegating or handing the reigns to someone else.  Sometimes for those we serve.  Often for ourselves. 

          My mom accepted all callings she was asked to fulfill – often with a lack of enthusiasm or self confidence.  She had taught in primary, nursery, cub scouts and Relief Society and was diligent in her calling and always prayed for guidance.

          One year when my brother was about eight or nine she had been called to teach his class.  She had one rebellious youth who challenged her as he needed discipline and she seemed to focus on that aspect of her calling.  She made an appointment to see the bishop to ask if she could be released.  And then something amazing happened . . .

          Now this is in the day of landlines and long distant calls – costly at that.  She received a call one day (before her appointment with the bishop) and it was another student from her class.  She had gone out of town to attend the funeral of a family member and had been having a hard time with her emotions but then remembered something my mom had taught her in primary.  She was still out of town when called my mom (long distant) to thank her for teaching her about the Holy Ghost.  It was a confirmation to my mom that she needed to stay put in the primary class and not focus so much on the poor behavior of one student when there were several others who were learning.

          My mom often compared herself to others saying that she didn’t have the talent to lead music as well as Bro. Smith and felt mortified if ever he walked by while she was leading music.  Or teaching.  She didn’t have the same theological understanding of the scriptures as our neighbor Peggy for instance.  I would get upset with my mom and lovingly scold her because she was called to lead the music perhaps for her own growth – and I doubt that Bro. Smith ever thought, “I could do this better.  What was Heavenly Father thinking allowing her to lead music?”

          We all have our own talents and abilities.  We can’t all reach every single person in the same manner that someone else might.  I, for example, prefer the simplistic teaching as opposed to the theological scholars who speak in four syllable words and I have no idea what they’re talking about.  My brain is not that complex.  Nor was my mom’s.

          One day she was teaching her lesson and scolding herself for not knowing the lesson inside out, forwards and backwards and with her eyes closed.  At the end of her lesson a member who had not been to church for several years came up to her and thanked her for her simple lesson.  It had been easy to understand.

          “See,” I told my mom.  I don’t recall my exact words but I reminded her that we all have talents – some aren’t as polished as others, but that’s okay.  We are all here to learn and grow together.  Some might need a nudge to get going.  We all have potential.

        The title of my blog post?  I got that from a talk I read this morning.  Elder Uchtdorf's talk to the general priesthood October 2008 here

Another Death

           Our Saturn was such a good car and I hated to see it in non-driving, special (and expensive) repair state – especially after all the money we sunk into it.  Brand new tires.  Our cars have a way of getting “killed” right after the tire investment.  So unfair.

          Our Saturn was a very good car.  Outlived its 22 years I think.  We put many  miles on that car going from Utah to Arizona and back.  Climbing hills of Nevada and Oregon.  Roseburg and back.  Medford and back.  Many miles. Over 100,000. 

          In my mind I can hear “taps” being played.  My eye sheds a tear for our beloved car.  I’m sorry that you’re gone now. 

My mom is the Saturn's original owner.  Today is her birthday. Happy Birthday, mom.  Miss you.  Look forward to reuniting with both you and dad when the time is right.

Another June Passing

            One of my uncle’s funeral is tomorrow.  He passed away on the 12^th. It is in Utah, thus I won’t be attending.  I feel bad that I am unable to attend as I look back on the year that we had moved to Oregon.

          I had another uncle pass away on the 6^th of June.  He had been battling cancer off and on and finally decided to throw in the towel. My cousin had wanted to have one last Christmas in July party.  She told everybody it was because Richard and I would be moving to Oregon – and who knew when we’d return.  But it was really for her dad – who had passed the week before the scheduled event. 

From what I remember more than half the family would be out of town due to other commitments.  And yet the day of his funeral all of the family returned even though so many had said they’d be out of town that day.  Every family member was represented as I recall.

It didn’t appear that any of my dad’s children would be there tomorrow.  But I do have one brother who made arrangements to catch an earlier flight in order to be there.  For that I am grateful. 

Hacked

           Someone hacked the facebook account of a friend of mine.  The person than changed her profile to the name of another.  The account that was hacked belonged to a married sister.  The change made was that of a male with profile pic and location created.  That is far as I got.  I didn’t know him but the friend section said that we had two friends in common.  Before taking the opportunity to inquire of each of them I got the word that the account had been hacked.

In the RS page a guy’s name was coming up on things that she had posted or commented on or liked.  I deleted a lot of it but some of the likes still remain – I don’t know how to change them.  Meanwhile I have blocked him and sent the word out for my friends NOT to accept any friend requests.  I had tried to report the incident to facebook but couldn’t seem to get passed a certain step. 

Why do people do that?  Why go in and mess with someone else’s account?  What is the purpose? 

I do NOT open messages if I don’t know the person – or sometimes when I do and they are messaging me out of the blue.  I hate to be suspicious – but I have reason to be.  Facebook is a form of communication that can reach multiple people.  It’s a tool.  Hopefully a useful tool.  But there’s always a price.  My good faith has turned into judgment and suspicion.

The other day I was in another group page in which an individual made the claim that he loved being in the church and would soon be baptized.  I congratulated him and he came back with a request for me to send him a friend request.  That did not set right with me.  I really didn’t want to be second guessing what I believed was wonderful news into doubt. 

His post has since been removed – which seems to confirm my suspicions.  Why?  Is it a tool of Satan?  I don’t even know how to feel.  Angry? Sad for those individuals who are trying to sabotage and target others?  What is their purpose behind that method of madness?  Why are there some who feel the need to tear others down instead of building up?  Tell us who you really are.

Miracles Have Not Ceased

             Our Relief Society lesson last week was taken from Shayne Bowen’s talk on miracles, angels and priesthood (here).  The same talk was used for one of the talks given during sacrament meeting. An inactive member made the comment that she was meant to be there that day as the message was given twice.  It was a good lesson and I reflected on miracles past and present.  Miracles happen every day. Some are obviously more powerful than others.

            When Jaime was still a baby Richard and I had been called as ward missionaries.  Primary baptisms were done at a stake level, but if for some reason only one ward had youth being baptized when the head position was out of town, the ward missionaries were asked to fill the font.  The font took roughly two hours to fill.

            One Saturday I had forgotten my assignment of filling the font – which normally I did as Richard always seemed to be working.  I don’t even know who called to ask if I had the keys to the stake center.  When I arrived there were about forty or so people waiting outside and I was crying.  The font filled quicker than it had ever done – I’m sure due to the prayers of those who had stood around waiting.  That was a miracle.

            About six months before my mom passed I had taken the car into a transmission place.  I paid for a diagnosis test and learned that fix the damage would be roughly 6,000 dollars.  We did not have that much income or credit.  Fixing the car wasn’t going to happen – and yet I needed something to drive. I prayed over that car more times than I care to admit – before driving Jaime to school, before driving out to see my mom . . . you get the gist. It was the car I drove as Richard used the Saturn.

            Four days after my mom’s funeral I took the Saturn as it was behind.  I knew that Richard had an appointment to take my oldest son to inquire about another car.  I was visiting with my sister-in-law when I received a phone call about the other car – the one I had prayed over each time I left the house or wherever I was at.  The car was dead.  No big surprise to my ears.  I left my brother’s house and returned home.

            The following day my eldest son pushed the car to the transmission place around the corner.  Now, in Utah (in my experience with most dealers in Salt Lake) once you have paid the fee the history of the car is wiped out from the files of the dealer (mechanic, whatever) but in this case the guy not only remembered me but was able to look the diagnostic up.  He asked me how long it had been since I had replaced the fuel pump.  I didn’t even know what he was talking about.  I told him that I hadn’t replaced anything or did any kind of work since the diagnosis six months earlier.

His jaw seemed to drop to the counter as he unbelievably asked, “How have you been driving around all this time?”

“Prayer”

Recently Richard and I went and saw “Unsung Hero”.  It is a remarkable story full of miracles. The filming also consisted of just as many miracles as explained here. So awe inspiring.  All of it.               

         Miracles take place each time I drive or walk out the door and don’t fall as I cross my yard.  Plant life is a miracle.  Cooled down weather is a miracle.  Thoughts shared on facebook that I may read at just the right time.  A loaf of baked bread. 

I am grateful for all the miracles large and small. 

I Hope the Lifeguards get/got a Raise

         The workout and pool activity here in Myrtle Creek has always been more than reasonable. When they raised their prices this year it did not seem like such a big deal.  In fact, the attendance has increased within the class.  We have never had as much as 8 people show up the first week (or sometimes even the entire first month) let alone 11.  Of course most of us are getting the pass deal – which really is a deal. 

          A few years before the pandemic there was a fundraiser created to help build added features to the South Umpqua Memorial Pool.  The fundraiser (here) took place in both 2018 and 2019.  I don’t know what happened to the money that was raised or what improvements were made.  I don’t see that anything tangible was added. 

          Initially we were told that the money would be going towards a splash pad – but that never happened.  An electric pool cover would be more beneficial I think.  I didn’t think about it so much until this morning when I saw all the hard work that goes into taking off the giant tarp and probably more work putting it up as we have had the challenge of the wind the last few days.

          The pool is normally uncovered by the time I get there, but I watched in both admiration and unbelief as I watched two female life guards moving and handling the sandbags and then pulling off the tarp.  I watched as the instructor joined them in removing the cover that has been keeping the pool warm this year.

          In years’ past once the pool gets uncovered it remained uncovered until the end of the season – but this year I was told they decided to save on energy and heating expenses.  I wish they would have thought about that the last two years as the pool had always felt cold.  But it really has kept it warm – at least for the morning.  But the wind does seem to cool it down rather quickly.

          It has also been more clean though not totally free of bugs and debris – there’s definitely not as much.  I remember lifeguards scooping out unwanted guests with a giant net.  They haven’t had to do that this year.  And I know the year has just started.

          I would like to see the lifeguards spend less time setting up and taking down equipment and focus on what their purpose is for being there.  Thus far I have not seen any that have had cause to jump in and save someone.  Aside from the class they seem to be babysitters as far as reminding patrons of pool rules.  Walk, don’t run.  Don’t perform unwanted acts. Common sense stuff.  They also teach swim lessons.

          In years past the pool seemed to have a good amount of lifeguards.  I’ve been told that this year they only have six.  That’s not good.  I don’t know how many are used at one time.  Two are needed for the morning class.  I don’t know how many for open swimming.  I would think all of them.  Probably have to limit the amount of people that are let in. I usually only do morning class.  And Jaime prefers the uncrowded river  as opposed to the crowded pool. 

          I had heard that is why the pool was built in the first place – to keep the youth out of the river.  I was only a year old when it was built and living in Utah.  I had no incline of its existence until we moved here in 2015.  I am grateful it is here.  I am grateful to the community who support it.

Home at Last

 Jaime's last week in Ashland

Final Thursday and we will

pick her up on Friday.

I am certain that I am more

excited than she is.

She would like to stay in

Ashland

Opposite of a Bear

 Bears hibernate during the winter 

                            when it's cold

I hibernate during the summer

                            though it actually isn't summer yet

I am preparing ahead of time

Group Texts

 

          The opportunity of blowing up my phone

and wearing down my battery

I get it. 

I get the group text thing. 

Why it’s done. 

It’s convenient for the sender –

instead of sending out 10 plus texts

that say the same thing:

                                        Emma’s Blessing

                                        Service Activity

                                        Pool Information

and so forth.

 

For the most part I don’t even

recognize the other 12 numbers

that are coming up. 

Sometimes I don’t even know

the other people that the numbers belong to.

It’s just annoying to have ALL replies

                              come to me when I know

they are not meant for me

but the

initial sender. 

Meanwhile my battery dies down. 

Use my email

or messenger 

 

PLEASE.

Reminiscing Baptisms and the Spirit

             We had another convert baptism in our ward today.  Two of his cousins were baptized over a year ago.  Their mom is a member but does not attend as English is not her native language and so she does not always understand what is being said.  All of her children are bilingual.

          The member who gave the first talk felt prompted to bear his testimony in Spanish.  The Spirit was louder than his words (for me) and tugged at my heart strings (which evidently are wired directly to my tear ducts) and I was touched.  I think the family was as well.

          I thought about many primary baptisms I’ve attended in the last ward I was in – all of which I have mentioned in various posts.  The bishop’s son made a paper airplane out of the program which reminded me of the most irreverent baptism I’ve ever attended.  I was also reminded of two baptisms I had attended when the Spanish ward was in charge of the program – Jaime’s being one of them.

          Translators were provided for the speakers who presented their messages in one language or the other.  With the first baptism it was the same brother that had translated from English to Spanish with the first talk and then from Spanish to English for the second. 

          I had noticed that the English speaker would say only one or two sentences and would allow the brother to translate those one or two sentences to the end of the talk.  The Spanish speaker seemed to start out her talk the same way but then continued speaking without stopping – which I did not understand until the translator stood at the microphone and said something to the affect that one of the gifts of the Holy Ghost is to bring things to your remembrance. I don’t remember if she was through with her talk at that point.  I think that she was and the translator had told us that the speaker had concluded her talk providing him with the opportunity of showing us how gift that worked. I thought it was very powerful.

          When Jaime was baptized each of the speakers brought their own translator.  The sister who translated for the Spanish speaker didn’t seem to have a large English vocabulary as far as translating all of it accurately.  Those that were in the crowd that had a knowledge of a second language (for example my brother who served in Belgium who knows French) could make out more words than those who spoke only English – but the Spirit was felt as the initial speaker poured her heart into it. 

         I don’t think I felt the Spirit quite as much then as I did today.  I remember watching Jaime who understood it all.  I was so proud of her for knowing what was being said.  I still am proud of her today.  She truly is my sunshine.