Walls and Bridges

          The Roseburg Stake had a blog which would refer members to stake conference.  It provided a list of speakers and the meeting agenda.  I remember the leaders referred to it in years’ past, but did not have any information for it this year.  I unfortunately did not write down the name of the speaker who gave a beautiful talk comparing physical walls and bridges to what wills us. 

          She started out her talk with a brief history of the Berlin wall which was built in 1961.  Citizens were informed that the wall was for their protection.  Whether we choose to call it protection or defense, for many the wall was a personal prison.  The wall did not come down until almost two decades later.  That is a long time to feel trapped and apart.  It isn’t healthy.

          The speaker then went on to talk about the bridge that was built between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan – a simple bridge really.  There didn’t seem anything special or sophisticated about the structure itself – and yet the bridge seemed to open many doors and provide opportunities that the bridge eventually became known as “Friendship Bridge” because it provided a way to transport things through.

          She compared this to the ministering program – how sometimes we may run into sisters who have placed walls in front of themselves and may not wish to share personal information about themselves – and that is okay.  Perhaps we can be the ones to build up the bridges that if they ever decide to move beyond the walls that they may choose to extend that bridge.  I realize I am not doing the talk justice with my notes.  I hope those that read may get the gist of the message.  Sometimes it is just the small actions that help build and support lasting friendships.

          For more information on the history of the physical wall and bridge see here, here and here or go research on your own.  I know it's just a small sample.  I wish I could have documented the entire talk - I just don'e write that quickly and my short term memory isn't great.

My Heart Was Not There

          I don't recall ever having attended a leadership meeting on a stake level, but it seemed as though I had been invited - although I don't know who had told me.  I asked Roland if we were going.  He said that he would but not the adult session as he says he never gets much out of it.  I on the other hand, have always preferred the adult stake meeting as I rarely have ever gotten anything out of the Sunday meeting - especially since we have moved to Oregon.

          I had volunteered to work a shift at the Annex, but wore my dress so that Roland and I could just leave as soon as I returned home.  I returned home before he did and guessed that he probably wouldn't want to return to Roseburg.  I was right.  I should have just called around to see who else was going and if I would be able to catch a ride.  Instead I finished my homework for the week.  Only one other time since starting my online schooling have I not turned all my work in by Friday afternoon - which in itself is rare as most of my work is finished by Thursday and would be this week as well if my instructor's lectures did not take place in the middle of the week.  I hate that!

          So I did not make it to the leadership meeting or adult meeting - though it was actually light enough that I could have driven myself - I just would not have been able to safely drive myself back - nor did I want to deal with driving the Saturn up there.  Earlier this year we purchased a car with more horse power as the Saturn has been under a huge amount of stress with climbing these Oregon hills. 

          I haven't been feeling well in the morning as it has been so dry.  The reason we moved to Oregon was for the moisture which seems to be null right now.  I see the fog each day, but I don't  feel any moisture.  The river beds and ponds look much the same as they did in summer.  November is halfway over!  The water should be soaring!

          Roland purchased a humidifier - something I didn't believe I would never need in Oregon.  What is the deal?

          Marva and Shelly attended our church last week and Roland mentioned to them that we would not be holding our regular services today. We had them invited to come with us to conference, but Marva said that she was not feeling well.  I'm almost glad that they didn't come with us as it was majorly uncomfortable.  I don't mean the topics, but the set up itself.  In years past, I have made the comparison to feeling like a sardine.  Perhaps it's my imagination, but each year feels tighter than the last.  This year it appeared that the chairs had been set up to serve 8,000 people.

                                    I retrieved the above picture from this site: https://www.callfamily.org/2016/04/ -                                                                                             imagine sitting on these for two hours.  Notice the distance from the chapel.

          This year the doors on the stage were closed, though I think all the chairs that are normally used there were still set up which made for less leg room and near lap sitting in generic folding chairs.  So in addition to my already dry throat, I was experiencing leg cramps and wounded body parts unable to breathe.  After Roland stood up, I asked him if he wanted to leave and as none of us were getting anything out of the meeting other than earshot of the same old, same old . . . we left and came home.

          I have been skimming through conference talks and articles trying to feel inspired.  Thus far I haven't been.  It's my own fault, I suppose.

Puffer Fish Nests and Minus in Ministry

           Evidently, there was an agenda created for the stake conference that had to be changed after the general conference announcements.  originally there had been a meeting created for the priesthood which had been changed to all auxiliary leaders.  Roland was required to attend that one, but I was not.  I said I had wished to go to the adult meeting as I generally get more from it than from the Sunday morning meeting.  We both did.  My favorite talk was the first one given after the introduction and new agenda - all on the same topic - which was ministry.

            The first speaker was given permission to show a visual similar to this:

 

             Though displayed on the overhead screen, I did not notice the fish that she tried to point out.  I can barely see it in the above photo.   She gave a brief history of their discovery and why they exist.  It is the nest of a puffer fish.  The male works long in creating what may attract the female to come lay eggs.  She has a view of his creation, but he does not see the beauty because he does not have the same perception.  He doesn't see what he is building.

            Many of us who minister may spend so much time serving or "building" that we do not always see the results of that which we are doing.  She had done some in-depth research and learned that the root word of "ministry" "minis" in Midevil Latin means "minus" or less; to lose oneself in ministry making our problems less or "minus" from ourselves to add to another.  It was a really great talk.  I wish that I had taken better notes or that I could have posted while fresh in my mind.

            Roland is still not feeling well.  It is no longer physical, but emotional as well.  It didn't feel right to abandon him after our return home, but to stay with him and keep him company;  I didn't take great notes all during conference and I no longer seem to retain things as well as I use to.  Perhaps I will be able to make more sense of my notes and add more posts on the subject.  But this will have to do for now.