August 2014 – “It’s All Around Me!”
The frightened camper looked out with terror at each
of the campfire participants then calmly back at the Campfire Leader (who had
put him up to it in the first place) and lifting his sweatshirt so everyone
could see, he simply said, “It’s all around me, my belt!”
So ended the stunt and the audience laughed and went
on to the next sing-a-long song.
There have been times in this last couple of months
where I too have felt the reality that “it” is all around us too. In this case,
though “it” is not a belt. Sometimes “it” feels that close. The “it” of this,
non-stunt explanation, is the “it” of the spirit working with the people of
Africa, especially the youth and Young Single Adults. As we see them in their
Seminary and Institute classes, hear them at the podium in talks, testimony and
prayer, we feel that excitement and wonder of “it” being all around us.
“It” continues to amaze us just how the Lord is
preparing, calling and nurturing the future leaders of His church in this
great, but oh so challenged land. They need but a few years of maturing, experience
and deepening their understanding of the management of the Church and its
programs to become ready for what is obvious…
a great surge in the membership and influence of the
Saints of Africa.
We have just finished a series of “mine-field” initiative course adventure activities for the Institute students of the Soweto Stake. This time we couched the game as “Escape from Babylon.” This was appropriate following on the Institute Choir’s performance of “Israel, Israel, God is Calling” practiced and recorded under our direction for use in a World-wide CES Broadcast last month. (Song attached)
When anyone did touch so much as a shoelace, or
finger tip to the floor, the referees called “fault” and that person had to
immediately return to the starting point, “Babylon”.
We have done this exercise under various scenarios
for well over 30 years now in Wilderness Treks, Pioneer Treks, Youth Conference
events, indoors (Las Vegas Convention Center) and outdoors from the high Uintas
to football fields. It is always
fascinating and amazing to see the efforts and patterns of attempts that lead
to a common simple slow process that works.
It is always fascinating to watch the leadership and non-verbal communication
develop and operate.
It is interesting to see and feel the highs and lows that
is “all around them” as they progress and then fall and try again, each time
getting a little better at the balance and teamwork that is required to go the
distance.
They may meet with frustrating challengesin their personal
lives, church and school work and workplace. For each of those challenges that
truly will be “all around them,” the activity is a great preparation and
thought reminder.
They find out very quickly how vital "unity" is and how much more effective they are at completing the challenge when they rely on each other. Real leadership comes through more clearly when the more vocal can't vocalize.
Of course the goal is one mind, together, commitment and
perseverance.
The Iorn Rod is also an invaluable tool when it comes to mounting a "rescue" for someone who has fallen and needs to have a little "Martin's Cove" help to get back to the tail to Zion .
Now they can achieve anything, or at least they have teh "can do" attitude that comes from accomplishing what they all had thought, more than once was IMPOSSIBLE!
They discover that the very help they need, individually and collectively, is truly "All around them".
There is much more that is all around us these days.
Gratefully the winds and air that has been all around us is moving on and the
warmth of approaching spring and summer has chased away the “see your breath”
mornings and walking on frosted ground. Now we are seeing the flowering trees,
hearing more of the nesting bird songs and smelling the fragrant buds of
spring, reminding us that after the
challenge, comes the reward of hopeful and faithful waiting on the sure fact that
spring will come and the this too will pass of the cold and hard
days of winter, is now upon us.
Now each morning as we walk, we are greeted with the
sweet smell of Jasmine, wisteria and several fragrances that are “all around us.”
We are also greeted with the reminder that time waits for no-one and that ours
is marching on and the next several months that are all around us will soon be
all behind us. We hope to affect the
people and the Seminary and Institute process here, just a little for the
better, all though to be honest, the challenge is that we see very little
evidence of that --- yet.
This past week Elder Davie and I tried our
hands at making Sushi. It wouldn't have won any reward, but we did
learn how to get it all around us.
The finish product!
The enjoyment of good friends and good food. Any of our family and friends will know that that is our life and joy - at home and here.
We are amazed at teh size and price of bread here. It is tightly regulated, as is petro (gas). These huge loves were about $1.50. People here, especially the poor are weened on bread and it becomes literally the "bread of life" as that is about all they can afford.
So we continue to wait on and rely on the harvest of
the Lord’s watering and the spirit’s cultivating influences over the long term
and know that we are just one little rainstorm in a lifetime of the Master of
the Vineyard. There will be other laborers who will add their influence and
work when we are finished with our little hour.
I had the impression to visit my High School
graduating class web site today. So
interesting. I left that experience
clear that we are not who we were – none of us. There are 27 of our small
graduating class that have crossed the veil From Bill Gammell Connie Crane, Alan
Bartlett and Pierre Harding who were the first to go, to Jeanie Benally and Tim
Woodward the most recent. We came, we shared a little time together, we went
our separate ways and left memories, sweet and not so. Now one by one we
continue on – rather we return to where we started.
Interesting how I have developed such interest in
the lives of my classmates. Interesting how, now, to me, their lives,
experience and family matters. I am looking forward to seeing many of them at
the 50th in a few years. And yes, I know that some of them, us, may
not make it to that gathering. Yet, I am
clear that it will not be many years hence until we will all meet again with
clear memories of who we really were, became and are. So, for now I salute you
my classmates and friends of 1969.
Now to a little family and friend business regarding
our pending return to Utah.
NOTICE TO ALL
FAMILY AND FRIENDS
As we look forward to the distant return to the
mountain, we note some important dates for family and friends to consider. We
expect to return to Scofield about May 24-25. We are in the early planning
(Calendaring) of these events that may be important for you to note.
Cabin Work
Party Family and Friends (Yes this means you) Gathering – May 28-31
Cleaning and
staining the cabin – mixed with a little Dutchovening, ATVing and adventuring.
Lewis and Amy
Cloward Family Reunion (Doug, Paul and Amy and descendants) ---
June 26-27 at the Cabin. RVs, Trailers, tents welcome and plenty of floor
space
Doug and Judy
Cloward Family Reunion --- July 1-6 2015 – this may well be our last Reunion at the Cabin.
Judy’s Babbel
Sibling (and spouse) Reunion July 16-19 at our Cabin.
William and
Ella Jarvis Cousins Reunion --- July 24, 25 at the Cloward Cabin
We love you all and look forward to sharing the
essence of our African adventure with you more intimately upon our return.
Until then, it’s onward and forward in the battle and the service. Judy you are
up for comments and adds….
Judy and Maxine (sister Davie) at a street vendor lunch in Mafikeng
So…..my turn......let’s see, what can I add that will
lift and inspire you as well as my eternal Companion…whom I love so deeply. I
am so grateful to serve my first mission with him and I look forward to serving
more missions with him! I love to take the time to ponder and pray and weep and
yearn and resolve….which I’ve been doing while I’ve been proofing this blog. So
if it was just up to me, I’d end it here, but then y’all wouldn’t “hear” from
me…
I have been so blessed with tender mercies every
day. I like to acknowledge the Lord in all things and at all times and in all
places and find myself inwardly saying “thank you!” over and over again as I
acknowledge another answer to a heart-felt prayer, or plea or request.
Sometimes when I am alone, I verbalize my gratitude
as my tears water my mortal shroud, which in turn feeds my continual growth
through my first African missionary
experience (and yes, my first of more!).
So many tender mercies! If this mission helps me to
journal more and write down all that I consider to be tender mercies (as we
have been counseled to do by our Apostles and Prophets) this mission will be
worth every tear, laugh, smile and hug
(which I preface with “it’s okay to receive a Grandma hug” as I share my cheesy
grin :-D)
Last month I accidently dropped our car keys in the
trunk of our car as I closed it. Unfortunately, the mission office didn’t have
a spare key for our car. Elder C asked our neighbor if he and his boys could
come over and help us figure out a way to retrieve our keys so we could be
about our S&I (Seminary and Institute) business. What seemed to me to be 15
minutes later in the sweaty mid-day heat, as Elder C was trying the wire hanger
between the window and the door lock thingy, I went to offer a fervent silent
prayer and in less than a minute, Elder C was able to pop the door lock, which
allowed our neighbor’s youngest son to pull down the back seat handle and climb
over the boxes in the trunk to retrieve the dropped car keys! After all we can
do…and the Lord continues to hear and answer our prayers!
Twice this past month my cheap $1 earrings have come
apart. Sometimes I didn’t know I didn’t have all the part to one of the
earrings until I went to put them on! “Miraculously” I found the metal loop hook in the turtleneck part
of my turtleneck! A week later I noticed the same earring was missing the itsy
bitsy teensy weensy metal loop that attached the earring hook to the earring….I
found it on the floor by my chair by my table “desk.” So tiny and yet
completely known and not lost to the Savior and whomever was serving as my
guardian angel at that time. And yes, in both instances, I fervently prayed for
help and help came.
I guess my part of this blog is my testimony of
sincere prayer. When someone is sick, or something is lost, or we are driving
and I just happen to look up in the opposite direction of my husband and see an
accident waiting to happen to us and we are spared, again, and again….sounds
like the Atonement to me. We come to the Lord’s last supper each week to
partake of the Sacrament and renew our baptismal covenants as we review His
atonement for us…for me….for you. Our
Savior is concerned about the ONE. The lost sheep. The hungry, the out of work,
the hungry, the tired, the poor. We have this wonderful opportunity to make
afresh our covenants every week, wherein we covenant to remember the sacrifice
of our Savior (his Atonement—Gethsemane—where he bled from every pore) which
was shed for US, and take upon us His name, and keep his commandments, and
witness that we do always remember Him, that we may always have His spirit to
be with us. I look forward to taking the Sacrament every week and review my
renewal of these sacred covenants.
Every week we attend one or two sacrament meetings
so that we can meet and greet our Seminary and Institute students and teachers
and fellowship with them. To do this, we must travel long distances. On August
3rd, Fast Sunday, as we entered the N1 (like L.A. freeways) on our
way to church, we noticed that the 12-lane traffic (6 in each direction) was
diverted into one lane and at a standstill.
Apparently the police thought that
the Sabbath was a good day to check for expired car registrations. We sat in
our hot car and watched the clock as the minutes ticked on and on and on. As we
sat there, Elder C realized that he had forgotten to transfer his wallet from
his other missionary pants. I suggested that I could switch places with him and
he graciously declined my offer. 30 minutes later, we were the next car up.
“Miraculously” the red plastic cone was removed from our lane as we inched
forward and we were all free to go! We were the first car to go through and we
got to the chapel just as the sacrament prayers were being offered. The chapel
doors were closed to us. And the sacrament was not offered to those of us who
stood outside the “bridegroom’s” door. We had arrived too late.
I was devastated. However, we were able to sit with
the saints and enjoy the Sacrament meeting testimonies. We then headed over to
the stake center which has two wards meet there. Unfortunately, there were slow
downs again and we arrived at the chapel after the doors had been closed and we
once again, we stood outside the “bridegroom’s” doors and were not allowed in.
This had a profound effect on me. I was inwardly
weeping. I do want to be found unworthy to attend the Bridegroom’s feast! Not
EVER!! I want to renew my covenants with Him every week and recommit myself to
keeping His commandments so that I may always have His spirit to be with me!
The serendipity to this is that I have become more aware and I’m working harder
to be early or ready to leave when we have appointments to keep. And I am
finding that the prayers of my heart are being answered as I continue to try to
do a little better each day....When it’s too late…it’s truly too late. It’s
easier to repent along the way and improve each shining moment….
When we returned from the two meetings we attended,
we found that the N-1 was still blocked headed in the other direction! ONE HOUR
LATER, the lanes were opened and we arrived at the Davie’s flat an hour late
for the lovely dinner they had fixed for us…
Tender mercies are happening every day. I thank the
Lord all the time as I try to have a prayer in my heart. As I am typing this, I
am weeping, again…..Guess it’s moldy age—but then doesn’t cheese become better
with age? I guess that was cheesy…sorry.
