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.

Influence

 

My boys had a friend named Mike who would occasionally attend church with us.  He enjoyed being there.  It brought a sense of peace that was nowhere near his home life.  I don’t know what all evils existed but there was a point in time where Mike and his sister were sent to St. George (city in Southern Utah not to be confused with the European country)  to live with relatives.  I don’t know if it was ordered by the state or what exactly happened but they were gone for a couple of years.

While living in St. George Mike discovered a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and decided to attend there – I don’t know how often, but the results were quite positive.  When he moved back to Salt Lake he reunited with my boys and returned to our church for a while.  I remember one particular fast Sunday when he and each of my boys shared their testimonies.  It surprised me that Mike had been the instigator of getting them all up there.  I was touched by what he shared.

Mike was one of my facebook friends when we had moved from Kearns to West Valley. To the best of my knowledge Mike never did get baptized.  Unfortunately he stopped going to Church and picked up some of his dad’s bad habits.  His facebook posts became dark and disheartening.  After a while I lost track of him.  I hope that he returned to what once gave him stability. 

I hadn’t thought of Mike in years. But today I was reminded of the Mike had shared shortly after his visit to St. George.  It was a very uplifting testimony meeting today.

Now That’s What I Call a Celebration

           Beth Rankin passed away on September 14 of this year.  Her husband had made arrangements for a Memorial celebration which took place this last Saturday (Oct 25^th).  She is quite loved and respected by many.  Beth grew up in the Jewish faith and remained true to her Jewish legacy by never converting over to Christianity – at least by baptism.  Beth and Graham attended a Christian faithed church.  Her services were conducted at the Cooperative Ministries in McMinnville – where they had attended for the last twelve years from what I understand. Though she had been devout about attending services  She was quite adamant that everyone knew that she was Jewish.

          The services were beautiful full of tributes, memories and pleasure.  Beth has had a positive impact on just about everybody she meets.  I have mentioned Beth in at least ten posts – and unlike all the aliases I’ve given to most of my “characters” I have always referred to Beth and Graham by their actual names.  

Richard knows her from high school band.  I met her in August of 2013 after she and Richard reconnected through facebook.  She and Graham had been driving through Salt Lake City on their way to Oregon.  We all had lunch together at the Firehouse subs near Richard’s place of work and the hospital where my mom was a patient. We came out to Oregon for a visit and look for housing during Jaime’s spring break in 2015.  We moved to Oregon just a few months later. 

Beth lived in McMinnville and we’re in Myrtle Creek – about 180 miles apart. She had driven the three miles to help us settle in which Richard and I greatly appreciated. We didn’t often visit with one another in person but we had gone to McMinnville three times and she visited us three times. The last event we had planned was for a Passover that never took place as the year we had scheduled was 2020.  I’m sure the reader can guess how that turned out.

On three tables was a display of Beth’s handy work in the form of whatever she sewed, hand-crafted or organizations she was a part of.  There were signs that directed patrons to “take something that reminds you of Beth”.  Richard spotted a tote bag which reminded him on one she had made for Jaime when she was 11 years old – one which she picked out the fabric.  I remember Beth had posted it on facebook and gave credit to Jaime for coming up with the design.  Here is the bag she made for Jaime

 

and the bag that we retrieved from the memorial.  

 

Friends wore bright colors to celebrate.  Graham had given us the clarinet he had played when he was in high school.  At the service he played a recorder.  At the end of the service the congregation was asked to join the choir with this song.

 

It really was a fun celebration which I think honored Beth really well.  And a slide show with pictures of Beth and those she loved.  It was really beautiful.

Back on Track . . . perhaps . . .

 

          In addition to all the “Come Follow Me” videos that I watch each week, I also refer to the “Come Follow Me” page on facebook – not that I have ever read entirely through every post or comment made.  My brain is simple and not complex in understanding things like Isaiah or The Temple Pattern. But there have been gems worth digging for. 

          In the beginning many contributors would post links to their videos – which became a bit tiresome and seemed to distract for the purposes of the page.  There was a vote and contributors would be allowed to post their videos on Mondays . .  or something.  I actually lost sight.  Book of Mormon last year seemed to be monitored better than Doctrine and Covenants of this year.  Maybe not so much that way at the start of the year as . . . was it during the summer?

          A month ago one contributor posted: “What happened to this page? There are, like, five people posting 90% of the content, and the content is mainly reels.”

          It made me laugh as I had thought the very same thing.  I think there were seven comments made before an admin posted “Thank you for bringing problematic posts and comments to our attention”

Doesn’t appear that anything was done though with the death of President Nelson and conference the following week, it did seem understandable that there would be posts made not related to the Doctrine and Covenants or current study assignment..  Still a lot of shares not related to the topic at hand.  I get it.  It doesn’t upset me, but it did make me wonder if the page was even looked at by its creators – or if all the comments just seemed so out of control and the creators just stepped back and weren’t involved anymore.  I still wonder. 

Today the page appears to be back to normal.  Either way there are still gems to be had.  It’s just a matter of digging.