We Used to Have More People

 

The church congregation seems to look smaller – not near the attendance we had when we first moved in.  Some people have moved on either by U-Haul  or death.  Sometimes both.

When we first started out our journey in Oregon, there was a Book of Mormon class offered on Tuesday nights.  Relief Society activities were also on Tuesdays.  Sometimes it would frustrate me to have both scheduled on the same night. 

The missionaries serving in this area would teach the Book of Mormon class.  The class was well attended – or so I believed.  Over the course of the years they changed “The Book of Mormon” into “Come Follow Me” – the missionaries were no longer required to teach as the subject of the Old Testament, for instance, was not their forte and may have taken extra time away from what they really needed to be doing.  And so members would take turns teaching –

I think we did well in the beginning – under the ward missionary leader.  We met on Thursday afternoons as I recall.  We had a pretty good turn out – but after the mission leader moved to another state, the class seemed to taper down until finally it was cancelled due to the lack of interest or commitment.  The last one to teach the class has also moved to another state.

I miss that extra class.

The Moving Tree

 I believe Bonnie likes when the 

Christmas tree skirt appears

She decides that it will make a fine bed.

It wouldn't be such a problem except

whenever she moves herself

she moves the Christmas tree as well.

Some of our ornaments are breakable!

Unexpected Growth

 Often times

during the summer

the flowers seemed

either withered or

non existing.  I

didn't blame them.

It was hot!

But now there are

a few brave flowers

that have grown in the 

35-45 degree cold.

Go figure.

Feeling the Spirit

           Last week I had been asked to prepare for the Relief Society lesson in case our instructor did not show.  There was a high probability that I would teach – which was fine.  In the summer of 2018 I had asked to be released from my position with teaching primary and had hoped to be called as an instructor in RS – not a part of the presidency.

          I enjoy teaching for the most part.  I have also enjoyed most of David Bednar’s conference talks – though this last one from October didn’t seem to resonate as strongly as some of the others.  Melodie had given me four days notice and I played the talk each day.  I printed the talk – marked what I believed should be emphasized.  Prayed a lot but never felt adequately prepared as I have been with other lessons.  I had hoped the Spirit would lead me.

          I fortunately had a good amount of participation – particularly from Carli who had implied that I was doing an amazing job.  I didn’t feel like it was amazing.  Okay perhaps but certainly not amazing. 

          We each feel the Spirit in a different way.  For some He is more powerful to others.  Perhaps I was teaching by the Spirit – though I wasn’t feeling it.  I remember saying something about the desire I had for the Spirit to work with me and put words in my mouth that I wasn’t even aware I was saying.  I remember a few times when I had felt the Spirit that strongly when hearing blessings said by God through various individuals.  I made the comment that I knew it was God as the one giving the blessing did not talk that way  - he was kind of a goof.

          Yesterday a sister came up behind me as I was making my way to the parking lot to make certain Richard was waiting for me still as Jaime was already gone.  Tori asked me what weeks I teach and I said that I had just been filling in and don’t normally teach the lessons.  She seemed disappointed and asked me to be certain to contact her the next time I give a lesson as she had felt the Spirit very strongly and felt a recharge in her system that she had been yearning for a while. 

          As I made my way to the car I started crying.  Touched to tears.  How grateful I am to have learned that the Spirit had indeed been a part of my lesson even though I hadn’t felt Him nearly as strongly as Tori had – or perhaps more.  I didn’t feel drained like those that I know spoke by the Spirit had felt – so I don’t know if He had taken over my mouth at all.  Maybe. 

          I had 25 minutes left on my lesson when I had glanced at the clock.  I thought only 10 minutes had passed before looked at again.  Class was over.  I was stunned.  So perhaps some miracle had taken place that I was unaware.  Feeling Grateful that Tori had felt Him and shared her experience with me.  I told her I’d be willing to converse with her anytime.

Safari Adventures

 

My aunt and paternal grandmother had made arrangements to take my cousin and me on a California adventure.  I believe were about eight and nine at the time we went on our week-long vacation. 

We stayed at a hotel in Las Vegas and saw Andy Williams perform.  And then we went to California.  Our plans included Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, a Wildlife Safari and touring the Queen Mary.  My brother and another cousin did a similar trip the following year.  Only Grandma and Aunt Kristie deleted the safari and Queen Mary (as neither had been impressive in the year prior) and took the boys to Universal.  I think they got the better deal.

My husband, daughter and I moved to Oregon in July of 2015.  My brother came to spend a week with us in September.  He is the one who looked up activities that we could do together while he was here.  One of those adventures included the Wildlife Safari in Winston Oregon (here). 

He said he had always wanted to do a safari adventure and that particular day and time has definitely been the best day that I have spent at Wildlife Safari.  There was so much activity among the animals and Steven drove slowly through the different areas that Wildlife Safari has to offer.

I’ve been to the Safari several times over the past ten years and the time I went with Steven was definitely my favorite.  A far cry from the one my cousin and I had visited in California over fifty years ago.  It was a hot day as I recall and the animals definitely were not active. 

 

Great Memories.

Hopscotch Tournaments

 This morning I woke up with a 

memory from elementary school.  

I don't know what made me think of it after 

all these years.  

Our school had two main playgrounds. 

 I believe there were eight hopscotch outlines on 

the playground going south and 

six on the playground going east.  

Students would sign up to play against one another.  

The winner of each set of players would go on 

to compete with another winner.  T

hose winners would compete and down 

the line until only one was left.  

No Ideas of What Sparked That

 

Last night I dreamed of a modern day Robin Hood.  I don’t recall all of those that he helped except one.  A young mother was living in an abandoned building with her three young kids.  Robin Hood had used said building as a hang out in his daily routine.  He wasn’t expecting to see children.  He wasn’t prepared for their innocence or inviting him into conversation.  He stole a pillow from the only bed in the room and left a different way.  When he encountered the young mother he dropped the pillow and ran away.

The next day he carried two grocery bags to the outside of the room that contained the bed.  He knocked on the door and hid behind a pillar to watch the mother retrieve the two bags full of peanut butter, bread, jam and at least one butter knife, some napkins and small paper plates.

Later he brought two garbage bags filled with bedding and clothes.  Again he stood by and watched. He had never been a criminal but had been mischievous – and perhaps was being mischievous in a much different way.  He liked it.  He started doing good for others.  I don’t remember any details.  I thought it odd that I had dreamed it.  And perhaps just as odd that I'm sharing it.