24 March 2012

What a wonderful birthday I had!  Dawn and her children sent a packet of well wishes which arrived on the very morning!  How did you do that?  Elder A. said he wanted to take me out for breakfast, but as he drove, I realized he was going toward a member’s home.  So he stopped in front of Chris and Dave Paisley’s home, and said, “There you go; have a good time!”  I didn’t want to go in, but when I got in, I was relieved to see only the two of them, and I thought we were going to have a quiet breakfast together.  Then people started arriving, and it turned into a regular party with candles and everything!  A couple of the men were there too, so I called my companion back to have breakfast and cake.  So very sweet of the members.  How I love them. 

In the evening we had an activity planned with the Young Adults.  Two activities, really.  The girls in one place, and the boys in another—OURS!  E.A. had to pick up a couple of the men, and drop me off at the women’s party, so off we went to our different places!  I had a facial and a hand massage  (I passed on the foot care), and he had a movie and dinner with the guys, plus big bowls of ice cream and toppings after.  He said it was really successful with one guy attending who was new, and who appreciated it very much.  One of the guys did the cooking in our kitchen, and I furnished the lamb I had cooked the day before for their wraps.

All of the girls attended, plus some inactive ones; and I had a chance to get to know them better.  It was successful too, until about 2/3 of the way through, when a couple of the girls, insensitive to the others, started a lot of really loud laughter, which made it impossible to hear anyone else.  But on the whole, it was great; they even gave me flowers and a signed card at the end.  I had been hesitant to go because they are all so much younger than I, but I did have a nice time.

E. Ashby and I have been talking about goals lately, especially with the idea that we may be moving to B.T. later, so we have been thinking about which contacts we are serious about, and which we think are not ready now, as much as we love them.  So we are trying to concentrate our efforts more specifically on the ones who are more ready. 

Also, I have been praying for more specific things.  This morning during my prayer, I realized that the Lord has been answering those prayers over and over.  People all around me have been giving me the answers, but I have been deaf to their words!  How weary must God be with me sometimes when I look beyond the mark and see not, or hearing, I hear not!  I expect the answer to be in big bold letters, or something!  All the time, it’s right before me if I will just see.

In our work, we have been asking for someone who is ready, as well as help with the two families we have already found.  Yesterday we met for the first time with a wonderful man who came to us on his own at the church and asked for information about emergency preparedness a couple of weeks ago!  It was so unusual for him to come there on his own, and so unusual for him to ask about THAT, we knew he was special.  But yesterday when we met with him, we realized how prepared he is for the Gospel!  We talked about families, and about him and his wife, as well as emergency preparedness, of course.  He’s so golden and eager to learn things, that if he doesn’t join the church, I think it will be our fault!  We’re almost afraid to say anything to the members, for fear he will disappear!  But we are so excited about him!  His name is Brian Nelson.  We feel that the Lord really led him to us!  Truly!  Please pray for him and his wife, Brenda!  Especially our own Brian and Brenda, please pray for them.  He said he will be gone for a couple of weeks, but we will call then.  He goes out to the outback to work on electric systems.