Sunday, June 5, 2016

The days and weeks go on!!!!!!

Pres. Gardner held a MLC at the Stake Center for all the mission leaders.  And once again I was there to help prepare the lunch for them.  That morning I received a message that they were all wearing red, white and blue  ----- here we are:  Sharp, looking group of leaders huh!

 Sister Murphy, Cope and
Sister Youngberg, Cope and Yancey

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Below is a picture of some of our young women who went to Youth Conference in Nauvoo -- PlueMeh didn't want to go .......but she is so happy now that she did -- she is the one on the black sweater.  I took her shopping for her cute outfit.


I was invited to a CCPA Leadership Meeting that was held today at the Stake Center, but I wasn't called until 8:00am last night.  I play the organ in Sacrament meeting and was assigned to teach Young Women's today.  So I was able to get a substitute for the organ and went to the meeting. But I was only able to attend 35 minutes of it.  Elder Matthew L. Carpenter of the Seventy was there as well as all the stake leaders from Sioux City, Sioux Falls, Kearney, Council Buff, Papillion and Omaha.  It was sooooo fun to meet some of the people that that I have spoken on the phone with.  I was invited to speak to this committed about JUSTSERVE and how the mission is involved. I was sadly dissappointed when I wasn't able to stay that long.  Pres. Bartlett represented me and our mission.
The theme scripture for this meeting was:  1 Nephi 4:6
"AND I WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT, NOT KNOWING BEFOREHAND THE THINGS WHICH I SHOULD DO"

When I received my mission call, I asked the LORD to teach me a about love while I was here.
So he started with the MTC and put me there with 50 amazing senior couples --I was the only single sister missionary -- and I was to take the week -- to watch and observe them, to listen and learn -- it was a tear filled week for me as I saw so much love and compassion.  The I came to Omaha and was assigned to the Fontenelle Ward and was assigned right in the heart of the Karen refugees.  I love them and see their struggles, but I get opportunities to serve them and wish that I would take the time to do more service to them.  Then I was assigned to be in charge of JustServe in our mission and I get to assign out service opportunities to the missionaries and I get to meet leaders and business people out in the community and I am seeing the love and respect between interfaith service -- I love this opportunity -- it is the CHERRY ON TOP !!!!! and I love it.  It is joyous, it is fulfilling, it is happy, it is healing and I look forward to more and more blessings and healing from this great opportunity to serve in our mission.  I want to heal my wounded heart, I want to step outside myself and serve others -- I want to do better and want to make a commitment to try harder to be out more when I am not in the mission office.  I want to serve with all my heart.  Most of all -- I am learning love -- love for myself, love for my weaknesses, love for each learning experience and love for my growth ---- !

I taught the Young Women today -- our lesson was on "WHAT IS THE PRIESTHOOD? " And through the month of June we will learn more about the priesthood.  I want to record some of our thoughts and some of the things I shared with the girls.  First of all we learned the the priesthood is:  THE ETERNAL POWER AND AUTHORITY OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.  Through the priesthood, God created and governs the heavens and earth.  Through this power He redeems and exalts his children.  He gives worthy priesthood leaders authority to administer ordinances of salvation  Al of Heavenly Father's children can qualify to receive these ordinances and access the power and blessings of the priesthood.  
I shared with the girls my testimony of the priesthood -- how I had a valiant father who held on to his priesthood with the highest respect and honored it with all his heart.  My father was a 100% Home Teacher -- and just weeks before he died, he asked some brethren in his ward to help him go visit his families -- even as sick as he was.  I love for his example of the priesthood and his testimony of it.  I shared with them how I held my little family together without the priesthood in my home -- although I didn't have it in my home after Dale became inactive until KC was ordained a deacon -- this was about a five year period.  But through my faith, my temple attendance, home teachers, bishoprics, scout and young men leaders -- the priesthood was always close and I knew that it was instilled in the spirit of our home.  I shared some personal stories about those days of faith and obedience.
Then I shared a story which always touches my heart when I think about women who don't have the priesthood in their home for any reason.  This story always kept me on track and this lady is my hero, my friend in the gospel, she is a woman of faith and a honored pioneer and someone who has taught me so much through the accounts of her life.  Her name is Mary Fielding Smith -- the widow to Hyrum Smith.  There is so much to tell about her, but I just want to share this one part of her life -- this story that I shared today in class.


This is taken from an article entitled: Mary Fielding Smith - Mother in Israel.  Mary and her family moved from Nauvoo to Winter Quarters and then on to Salt Lake.  The trek to Salt Lake tested and refined her faith.  (There are so many stories about her mighty faith).  One day one of her best oxen became very sick, lay down, and was near death.  If the ox died she could not have continued on the journey to the valley.  Mary got a bottle of consecrated oil and asked two brethren to administer to the sick ox.  After the blessing, the ox got up and was soon ready to pull the wagon again  Two more times other oxen became ill, and twice more Mary asked the brethren to bless them  Each time they were healed instantly.    

To me this sweet lady was pure, faithful, courageous,  trusted in God and she was an example to the women of the church, that we can still hold fast to the blessings of the priesthood and be a part of its promises.  I know this to be true with my own stories as a single mom for so many years with small and growing children.


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