Dear Grandchildren,
During the past two weeks we have spent nine days in Istanbul and only five here. Quite a change of scenery. This time we attended a conference on religious freedom and sustainable development. One of the organizers is a law professor at BYU and a good friend. The really big difference in our latest visit was how we got to and from our hotel. Yes, it makes a difference. This time to Istanbul, we were met at the exit from the airport by a chauffeured van -- a Mercedes, no less, with leather, bucket seats that faced one another. A young female college student met us as we walked out of the baggage claim area and called the van driver. He showed up five minutes later and off we went. When we left the conference, another similar van was waiting to drop us off at the airport. Grandma was really happy not to have to think of joining the crowded metro gang or trying to communicate with a taxi driver.
The conference focused a lot on how people in far flung places around the globe (yes, people came from very long distances, including from China and New Zealand and Canada) deal with human needs when developing economic strengths in societies and also deal with their religious faiths, whatever they may be. A lot was said about how governments and civic organizations and religious leaders can effectively work together to produce healthy and encouraging situations for the populations whom they serve. The one warning sounded at the conference concerned people and organizations who appear to be helping but are really advancing their own interests.
We had gone to see whether we could meet anyone from our city. I scoured the list of participants and their short bios and found no one from our general neighborhood. Most Turks were from either Istanbul or Ankara. One of my contributions was to give a Senator from Uruguay my card with the Bible Videos and Messiah websites listed on the back of the card. She is an attorney who works with the church law of the Catholic Church, so it is difficult to know whether she will actually call up a Bible Videos episode and watch it. But a person never knows what might happen when another person views something like that and the Spirit of the Lord touches that person's heart. Ever hopeful.
We went to the city of Denizli yesterday to meet with a couple of fellows who are refugees from Iran. One is a church member and the other has been investigating. The church member has not seen or heard from any family members back home in thirteen years because it could be dangerous for them. It was a touching moment to hold a sacrament meeting in a 10x10 foot apartment room where the church member has been living for the past almost three years. He holds the Melchizedek Priesthood and has had permission to hold his own sacrament service by himself. But it made a huge difference to him that three of us came to visit him (Grandma, my first counselor, and myself), a three-hour ride in a car. He has been trying to get to the US but has had to battle challenges in the bureaucratic world of the US government. A religious relief agency is now helping him and he has hope. I pray that he will finally make it.
The local YVs have held a couple of Skype sessions in our home with people who have expressed interest through a web page out there. And they have made some contacts on their own. They are making some progress, I think. We are happy to help in any way we can.
I love you and pray for each of you.
Grandpa Brown
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