29 February 2012

I don’t seem to have the words to describe the really good experience we have just had in Perth.  We had an amazing conference with Elder Hamula, our Area President, who taught us some concepts about the Gospel which are hard to describe.  There was not a sound in the room, and the Spirit was testifying to all of us about what he taught.  I think we all felt a great desire to ask forgiveness of Heavenly Father because we began to understand the importance of repentance as part of the atonement.  Nobody seemed to have anything to say after the meeting.  It was very special.  Then later, we senior couples met with him in a separate meeting.

I had an especially hard time with my drugs yesterday, and couldn’t seem to stay awake, even while I was talking!  And I couldn’t seem to focus—kept having double vision.  The other couples were laughing at me.  And no wonder!  When I went to take my evening meds last night, I realized that I had mistakenly taken all of them  in the morning, including the extra Carbitrol!  I’m so embarrassed to think that Elder and Sister Hamula and Smibert, as well as our assistants to the president saw me in that condition, and that I tried to talk to them!  It was disastrous! 

Monday evening we followed our GPS to the home of Paul and Lynn Felt, a former schoolmate and friend of Elder Ashby’s in Provo.  After coming to Perth on his mission, he came back and married here.  The marriage later failed, but he married Lynn, also an Aussie, 27 years ago, and they made their home here.  At some point, he was a stake presidents in Perth.  They were very good to us, and again we had wonderful accomodations.  I stayed with Lynn for the evening, and we watched a cute movie, Ladies in Lavender, or something like that, while our husbands went off to teach Institute.  It was a nice break for me.

We visited with our kids this morning before we left Perth, and actually cut it short because we had an appointment to give a lesson in Albany to Jill and Carol.  But Jill didn’t come, and after all these months, left us with only a note expressing her desire not to be taught any more.  She said again that she didn’t want to be pushed, and that she was going to go back to her church.  I felt like crying, but I didn’t.  It seemed so final, and we have come to love her so much.  How can she just stop like that!?  We can’t feel too badly about doing the program that the church has set for us.  Part of the third lesson teaches about the importance of baptism.  Carol said that we asked her to read a Bk. of M. scripture about baptism which made her uncomfortable, and then when Megan told her that she was ready, even though she didn’t think she was, I guess it was too much pressure for her.  I hope she keeps reading her Book of Mormon.  It will show her that it’s part of the plan.  I can’t help but be disappointed.

Elder Ashby’s lesson for Institute went well tonight.  He had a record number in attendance.