What can I write about? I do want to communicate with all of you at least once a week. I love getting your various replies, or little blurbs about your lives. Most of the time I'm telling about things of days past. And the fact that I'm writing about them means that I have survived another week, as we all have.
Sometimes I read your father's emails before I begin my own. I did today. I'm still amazed that he can write with such clarity and depth. I usually just relay an event, but he can capture the poignancy of it... Notice the big word I just used. He really is gifted. I hope that you have all inherited that from your father.
He had a busy week and I only went on one of the bus trips. They are very tiring. Why should sitting on a bus be tiring? All you have to do is sit? But after a 13 hour day, I could barely gather myself together for church today. And your father had to gather himself ready for church and perform lots of functions, conducting, set-up, carrying computers, ordaining new priesthood holders, and not falling asleep while sitting in front of everyone. I only have to lead the music. Well, I had to make refreshments, package refreshments, choose the music, print copies, print names of songs and pages for a poster, carry my Bose, take the Turkish Hymn books, take my i-phone, load my tote bags, try to pronounce the Turkish words as we sing, look pleasant, and stand in front of everyone with my feet killing me. I walked to church with my Sunday shoes on. Not a good idea!
The baptisms yesterday were very special. We took two elders with us for the long trip on the bus ride. One of the elders had been teaching the couple in Farsi. Can you imagine going on a Turkish speaking mission and then teaching yourself Farsi? We have some very sharp elders here. I see that dad has written about the day. I think I’ll just copy him for my journal, if I only kept a journal.
Today I sent the following email to the parents of an elder who was recently transferred from our area:
I just wanted you to know I miss your son Elder Brady. He was transferred from our Branch last week.
I know that transfers are part of the program and we must "endure", but we do miss his presence.
He had a light in his eyes that attracted others to him and to the message he was teaching.
But most of all I miss his observation of the needs of others. My husband and I have carried every item needed for church services to our hotel every Sunday. It is a long walk for us, and much to carry. But we have done it, and have been grateful to not stumble along the way. When your son arrived he offered to take care of the Sacrament trays and supplies and to bring them each Sunday. That was a big help. One less thing we had to remember to take. He never missed a Sunday.
This week-end we had two baptisms in a distant city. We carried all the clothing for the baptisms and brought back to our apartment all of the wet clothing. Your son would have offered to help carry the heavy wet clothing. I noticed that all the elders pushed ahead of me when going through doors. Your son would have let me enter first, or at least noticed if I was nearby. He always offered to help when he was in our apartment and found a way to actually help out.
So we have been spoiled by having him in our branch. It is too bad we have to share him with the Ankara Branch now. Oh well, such is mission life as you know.
Our original return date was December 2016. We extended to March 2017 because there was no one out there to replace us. Our Branch is very young and the "volunteers" have been the mainstays. But we had five baptisms this month and several more on the horizon. So we hope that Izmir Branch will continue to thrive.
We've had 3 grandsons serving missions as we have been out. Our children have said they loved hearing from the Senior Couples who served with their sons. So we thought that you would like to know that we give your son an A+++++ rating for his service to our Branch and to us personally.
Thanks for raising a great son.
I assume that others could write the same about our grandsons who have served…. And future grandsons and granddaughters. It helps when they think about the elderly people they work alongside. We really appreciate any time anyone offers to lighten our physical load.
A set of elders is here right now giving skype lessons. Another set followed us home from church and asked if they could do some translations for a couple of minutes. We said okay. Two and a half hours later they left after I fed them some French toast. I didn’t have much around to feed them since we’d been gone so much.
We’ll fly to Istanbul this week for Zone Conference… and again in three weeks…. And again in about two months…when we leave. We’ve received our final departure notice… March 21. Dad is trying to pay for an upgrade so he can endure the miniscule legroom. He isn’t happy cramped in tiny seats.
Thank you all for your continued support and your prayers. I know that we have been lifted up. I do trip now and then. I know that one bad trip could be fatal for me. Each time I’ve stumbled I’ve been grateful to not land on my face. I only did that once. We could not serve here if we were not ambulatory. There are random obstacles on the sidewalks, many irregularities, and cars speed up if they see you in their path. I’m amazed now and then at a bicycle’s or motorcycle’s sudden appearance just behind me. I could have stepped to the right or left, right into the path. And we have flown safely more than 80 times. We have been healthy with only a minor cold or two. And I didn’t get rabies!
Be careful in the snow in Utah. Watch out for the sunshine in Arizona.
I love you all.
Mother
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