13 November 2011

We were supposed to have a Missionary Correlation Meeting first thing, but our branch mission leader is one who stays up late working the electronic games on his computer, or his smart phone, so he is often late getting out of bed in the mornings.

Speaking of that, I am having trouble sleeping in the mornings because the sun comes up around 5:00 (no mountains in the ocean), so all the birds start early on their jobs, and make a lot of noise!  Truly, a parrot on our eaves woke me this morning!  Not with squawking, just pecking around.

Nevertheless, today has been a fine Sabbath. We had a visit from President Pemberton of the Southern River Stake, of which Albany Branch is a part. Sure enough, he asked Elder Ashby to serve as 2nd Counselor to President Victor Holder, with Kieren Bailey as 1st Counselor. When he extended the call, I wasn’t there because whoever had made the appointment hadn’t told me that he wanted to talk to me too. After visiting with Ray, he asked if I would support him, and Ray told him that he was certain I would. Then he asked if I had a health problem, and Ray said, yes, that I had been suffering with my back. President Pemberton asked if he thought I would like him to give me a Priesthood blessing. So, we both had inspiring blessings today from a powerfully faithful leader in the church down here. We felt the love of the Lord through his words, which seem too sacred to share on a public website. But we are so thankful to be here.

President Pemberton gave a very motivating talk to the members in which he told them that he had a vision of this branch becoming a ward because of their working closely with the four missionaries who are here, and that he had even seen who would be called as the first Bishop! He said he wants them to pray night and morning for the missionaries by name, and to work with us, and to give us names, and to get the numbers up to 150 so that we can build the other half of the chapel! (We had 58 to church today.) It puts a lot of responsibility on us, but he blessed us that we could do it!

With the Elders, we are planning a missionary Christmas fireside for the 4th of December. I wish I had some of my sheet music and some of my Christmas DVDs of the MoTab Choir. It’s so strange to be preparing for Christmas with nary a thought of gifts and wrapping, and anything worldly.

We have had several visits this week with these wonderful members, who always give us hugs and kisses, and gifts, and food. I feel so much love for them and from them, I don’t know how we will be able to leave them when the time comes. We were out on a little country lane today with the wonderful Holders. Ray had to go with him to give a blessing, so I stayed and had a nice chat with this wonderful faithful sister whose hair is falling out from chemotherapy. She has had cancer before, but when she got it this time, she said that the Lord took away her anxiety about it. She’s as calm as a summer’s eve when she talks about it. She and her husband have 6 children also (we traded photos and stories), and only 3 of hers have stayed in the church, but they all love each other, and I feel that after a life of service such as hers, and her husband’s, the Lord will surely bless them that the rest of their children will be softened and come back. She had a dream about the one who has never been baptized coming into the church as a result of one of his sisters loving him so much.

President and Sister Holder

Also this week, Elder Ashby was called (through the mission president) as 2nd counselor in the branch presidency of Bridgetown Branch, which is not part of the Southern River Stake, but is part of the Perth Australia Mission. (Did I already tell this?) So we will be going to Bridgetown on the 24th of this month, which is 3 hours’ drive away. We will stay in some pre-scheduled accommodations for 4 nights, and will try to do as much as we can during that time to help the members there.

We had a wonderful time on Friday teaching the great apostasy and the restoration. Sister Jonsson seems very accepting so far. Two other investigators were gone this week so we’re looking forward to their return. We are very happy doing this!

So ta ta (goodbye) and gudanya (all the best to you),

Sister Ashby