Dear Grandchildren,
The week began with a lot of traveling. Monday, Grandma and I rode the early bus to Bodrum. Besides me setting apart the two sisters who live there for callings in the Relief Society, we went to the old castle which holds an "underwater museum." The underwater part refers to shipwrecks that have been recovered nearby from the bottom of the sea. I was surprised to see all of the pottery pieces still in excellent condition, including huge amphora jars. When pottery is recovered from archaeology digs on the surface of the dry ground, the pottery is often beaten into small fragments called sherds or shards. The next day I went off to Denizli to handle some fast offering matters. After we leave, the YVs will go there and give lessons when they pay visits.
This Sunday was my release date. I saw my last day as a branch president. But in our branch conference, I was also sustained as the second counselor in the mission presidency even though my time here is now very short. How short? Don’t ask. But it is just over a week. I began my day by meeting with the MP and my first counselor and the branch’s priesthood leader. During the meeting, the MP announced to the first counselor and the priesthood leader that they would be in charge of church meetings until the new couple arrive at the end of April. Sort of an acting branch presidency. During our Sacrament Meeting, the MP announced the same thing after he had released me and my counselors. Naturally, as soon as our two-hour block of meetings ended, the two brothers came right to the front of the room to talk to me and to learn what is what when it comes to our meetings. I invited a YV to help in translation with my Turkish- and Russian-speaking counselor. The YV assured the two of them that he and his companion had the assignment to bring the sacrament things for the meetings. And so forth. The two brothers seemed to be satisfied about what they needed to do as they go forward. I shall be back next Sunday, of course, to help out as needed.
It was also our branch conference. In a branch conference, the branch president always speaks. Even though I had been released only moments earlier, I gave a talk that I had put together earlier this morning. I was assisted by one of our Turkish sisters who has been accepted for graduate work at BYU next fall. I talked about the tiny beginnings in our first meetings and our gradual growth. The first meeting in the hotel room consisted of three persons — Grandma, a young investigator, and myself. That seed has grown to the point that today, for our Sacrament and other meetings, we had twenty-three persons in the room. I also mentioned that, in November 2015, Elder Holland had counseled that we must "start right and stay right" in our branches so that, when the Lord comes again, he will recognize our church units as his own. His words gave further guidance to Grandma and me about how to approach our assignment.
I love and esteem the people in our branch. They have been wonderful. No. I didn’t cry. But I saw one of our young women almost in tears as the MP spoke about our service in the branch. I was touched because she was touched. She has been one of the bricks in our small group, coming virtually every week and helping with translation tasks. She will be missed when she goes off to school in August.
As I noted above, we were 23 in the hotel room, with 13 joining by Skype. Those figures make a total of 36, the second highest total in our brief history with the branch. Of these numbers, six were investigators. I am amazed at the sheer faithfulness of the people who join us from afar through electronic means. Seeing their images on the laptop screen warms my heart. A lot. I shall miss them terribly.
We are sitting in our apartment listening to a pair of our YVs connect with and teach some Farsi speakers. The skills that these two young men possess are really remarkable. It is tough enough to learn Turkish. To add another language to their set of tools is going beyond what any mortal YV should be expected to master. I am in complete awe at what they do. I suspect that they would teach more people if the MP would permit it. He wants to keep the teaching pool at a reasonable size and not move the Farsi speakers, all refugees, at a high speed toward baptism. One of the big needs is to teach post-baptism lessons to a growing number of these people. Of course, they all have hopes that they will someday end up in North America. But current US policy stands against them. I was told earlier this week by the sister of a woman who was scheduled to go to the US in May or June with her husband that all has been stopped. I feel sad for her and for those who know her and live with the same hope of relocating.
I love you and pray for all of you.
Grandpa Brown
No comments:
Post a Comment