#91 Walking in another's mocassins (By Grandma)

Dear Family,

It was so nice to see many you on FaceTime at Tanner’s homecoming.  We feel sad that we aren’t among you.  We are grateful Shoshauna could FT Tanner’s homecoming and that Heather could send us a photo.  What wonders of technology!  Now, if it just didn’t take us many, many, hours and sitting in a straight-jacket to visit, we’d come and see you all.  Please don’t grow any older until we return.

Note to self:  Let’s give others some slack when they don’t perform as we wish them to.  When I was young I learned “Never criticize another until you have walked in their moccasins”.  I didn’t think I’d ever walk in an Indian’s shoes but I understood the message.  Two examples follow

1.  People in warm climates may not have the same energy that we northerners do.  I had some errands and visits to make yesterday.  I was gone from the apartment for 4 hours.  I visited a young girl to teach her how to crochet an item, and on that outing I rode two buses, and three different metros.  I also had to go to a market, so I walked a great distance….. all in the heat and humidity.  When I returned home I was totally exhausted and couldn’t move for the rest of the day.  I told dad he was the cook and would have to go out and find some dinner.  He did.  I wondered how people in hot/warm climates ever accomplish anything if they didn’t have AC.  No wonder some cultures take siestas!

2.  We have to walk to church.  I sometimes feel put out because I have to carry two heavy bags along the way.  Well, they aren’t as heavy as dad’s computer bags, but they are heavy for my weak petit frame.  But after yesterday’s outing I realized that walking to church was the easy way to get to church.  We have members who have to take buses, metros and even ferries to get to church.  They have travelled significant distances before they walk into our church meeting place.   They get the kudos!!  My walk is actually rather peaceful… Takes about 15 minutes, and I pass many friendly cats.  Most dogs are dozing, so I don’t have to worry about them.  Dad leaves about an hour before I do, so he can have his meetings.

Fast and Testimony meeting was today.  It is 4:00 in the afternoon, so we are almost through fasting.  I assume most of you are still just getting on with your day.

We have been requested to include Turkey and the return of the elders in our fasts.  And of course we include lots of other things that are pressing on our minds.  Our tiny branch is always in our fasts and prayers.  Today I wondered if anyone would be there.  (I always expect the worse, so I’m surprised when things turn out better than I planned). 

I’d say that today was our best Sacrament Meeting so far.  Saying that, I know that it doesn’t mean we’ve arrived.  But it does mean that we have survived another Sunday without the Elders.

We had visitors from Switzerland (2) and Pleasant Grove (5) join us today.  The visitors included two Turks…. One a member and the other his sister (1).  The PG family’s father had taught the Turk in Switzerland many years ago.  Clear as mud?  Never mind.  Their travelling group was 8.  That more than doubled our numbers.  Dad had asked Elchin to be the SS teacher.  The YVs used to teach SS.  Elchin is from Azerbaijan and is the animator I’ve spoke about.  His best language is Russian.  But he translated his lesson into Turkish and gave a very good lesson.  His Turkish was translated by one of our YA’s.  A little later a Turk from Istanbul joined us.  In addition we had Iranians, Turks, and Germans on Skype. 

As you know, I always provide refreshments for Sunday, but not on Fast Sunday.  Luckily Fast Sunday was today or we would not have had enough treats. 

One of our fears has been technology.  The YVs always handled that part of our meetings.  So now your father has had to get everyone connected by Skype.  And some are connected through computers and some through phones.  The amazing thing, is that they all got connected.  The hardest part was getting dad’s laptop logged into the wifi, but I helped him with thatJ 

We also made a major trip southeast this week.  We visited a few saints in Denizli.  They are Iranians.  We stayed in a hotel, had a sacrament meeting in our room, then went to the roof for drinks, and back to their house for more refreshment.  Korkut our YA who is from Denizli and is home for the summer helped with the translations.  We had two investigators also.  We travelled by bus one direction and by train the other.  Since we are over 65 years of age, we get train fare for 50% off.  Bus fare is about double that.  I think I prefer the train, but it depends on schedules which one we take.

We bought some ant bait that seems to work pretty well.  Hopefully the ant population will decrease in our apartment soon.  The ants don’t seem to bother dad, but they crawl up my legs and bite me.  And I don’t know they are there until I feel the sting.  Nasty little critters!

We see that Joel is making progress on our bathroom.  We know that Raynelle is now another year older.  And that Daniel and Nashelle have already been married five years.  Jill seems to prefer the Pacific Ocean to Gilbert, Arizona.  The Cleggs did the trek.  Julianne sent me her journal of the Trek. I had no idea so much advance planning went into it.  I think Kara is almost on her way back to St George.  And soon the Lehi grandchildren will begin at a new high school!  And in the meantime, we are getting older, and older.  I'll miss my friend Chris who died this week.  And congratulations to the Pinegars who have been called to the presidency in the Provo Temple.  Their assignment begins in November.

Thank you all for being the wonderful family that you are.

I love you,

Mother