8-26-13 Pinch Yourself--it's Real!

Monday, August 19^th, we traveled north to the Bosques de Zambrano,  a forest resort,

  

where temple coordinators, missionaries, and presidency were each invited to share a story and our feelings about working in the temple. 

 

 

Val’s testimony was beautiful.  He introduced us, told of our family, how we met in Single Adults and how he hoped for something like this for singles in Central America.  Then bore his testimony of temple work and the gospel, and whose work it is—the Savior’s. 

I told how I became acquainted with the idea of going on a temple mission.  Val would print out internet pages detailing choices of missions and read them nightly before sleeping.  I was not entirely open to the idea, being involved with the care of a parent in need, and parents in law.  Then within weeks, my father and Val’s father died. 

Val opened his papers to begin filling them out the day his father passed away.  Simple faith!  My faith took longer in coming.

Sunday, the morning before our forest outing,  I helped in Primary and was reminded of a principle outlined in May's Salt Lake training—the Church’s goal is to have no temple missionaries—the aim is to have countries, stakes and wards step to the plate to fill every temple position.

In Primary, Irina Soto, a college-student Primary teacher, invited me to assist with her HLJ or CTR class.  She had been gone for a few weeks, as had I, but here she was, ready to go.  With a helper and no children running through halls, the lesson took place.  As we learned about the brother of Jared praying over the 16 stones, building barges, and traveling to the Promised Land, I watched her.  She brought the contents of her closet, and Irina has a bigger closet.  Jared’s brother was decked out in an intricate brown table cloth.  One of the Jaredite women wore a beaded head dress.  

This is really Maria, playing with the camera a few years ago, but it illustrates the point

After they made their barges they got to pack up canned food, cookies and spaghetti.  Then they traveled over the wake of waves singing, “Faith is knowing the sun will rise, the start of each new day…Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayer each time I pray.  Faith is like a little seed, when planted it will grow.  Faith is a feeling within my heart, when I do right, I know!” I was the solicited accompaniment, validated in every way being there, as I observed an impressionable, capable teacher taking simple ideas I had offered our first time teaching together, "adding upon" them in grand style.    Irina had the bull by the horns, and measurably improving and refining outside suggestions.

Watching Irina manage and shepherd handfuls of energetic children, brought a surge of love for my sister Carma, a Pied-Piper

 

childhood expert—“Whenever it is possible to involve a child, in movement, in imagination, in creativity, in song—do it!”

Like Primary, it looks like in a missionary visit to Honduras; we stand as a stop gap.  We hope to stand cheerfully, accurately, and firmly where our roots are temporarily planted.  The situation may ensue, as with our friend Irina, where strong Central American Saints, baton in hand, reach to the top shelf, happily handing out overoles (baptismal overalls), organizing sacos (suitcoats) vestidos (dresses) towels for damas y varones (the young women and young men.) It also may happen that the youth are trained to turn clothing right side out and zipped before sending them through the laundry chute.  Perhaps on a Saturday afternoon, all the shifts will be covered!  In the meantime, we get the blessing of walking through this wakened dream.

from Oquirrh Mt temple
similar to ours

As our week began, I was sent multiple times to help in the sealing room.  Noticing the intricately woven white cloth that covers the altar, I thought about my grandparents inviting me when I was in my junior high years to accompany them on a road trip through Spearfish, South Dakota, where we viewed the Black Hills Passion Play.  I remember less of South Dakota than I do of being nestled between grandparents or in the back seat of their roomy car, listening to scriptures on tape and watching Grandma Gee, hands busy with handwork. 

 

During one of the training meetings of our temple time at Bountiful, one of the assistant matrons, Sister Phippen, asked us if we had noticed any of the new art work that had been secured for the temple recently.  

Being new, I had not.  One of the points she brought up, was that in Sealing Room Number One, there was an woven cloth that when she had seen it, she cried. 

I thought about the hand work that has come out of my hands, in effort to echo Grandma Gee, and believe that much of it would be worth crying over! 

But as I knelt next to something intricately stitched, I could envision one long white thread linked over and over connecting smaller and larger patterns, each pattern essential to create the grand whole—bound together in marvelous artisan craft.   Like a happy life.  Like the links of a family.  

Then I looked up to wink at Val.  I cannot remember a time when I have seen what radiated from his face being more content, more at peace, more fulfilled and happy. 

I remember looking at the night sky as a teenager, wishing on a star, “Star Light, Star Bright, first star I see tonight, wish I may, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight”… My constant friend Shelly wanted to know, “What do you wish for?”

“Someone tall, blonde, and handsome,” was my reply!

Well, here I am, and I got what I wanted.    

Looking up to see him standing tall, with such a pleasant look on his face, I thought of music from my adolescence.  During family summer migrations from the east coast to visit grandparents “Out West,” I remember stopping in Indiana to visit friends of my parents in the early 1970’s. It was there that I remember first listening to the Carpenters.  

Mom and Dad liked them and teen and younger aged kids enjoyed them too.  No quarrel over whether music was mod enough or suave (soft) enough to match the listeners.  Everyone sang along when a song from these sibling singers sounded from the sound system of our family car.

One of my favorites is called “Happy.”  A few of the lyrics remind me of our favorite family game:  Rook. 

"You can deal me in this time around
Even though the odds are high we'll play them down

You may be a chance I need to take
And the hand I'm holdin' says it's no mistake"

Introduce Chad and Sara

We have adopted them to remind us of our children
and teach them the fine arts of "Ladies win!"

Part of our "happy" has come in working together at an inviting place:

Please forgive me if I seem to be walking
Through a waking dream
Laughter never came so easily
There's a freedom here that's new to me

Happy is the way I'm feelin'
And I know it comes from being with you

All at once my life is changin'
And I know     [why!]

Our stake president encouraged us to make this mission a defining moment in our marriage.  It is possible.  Sometimes, I think both Val and I concur with the “wakened dream” part.

Have you have pinched yourself to determine if you are awake?  Val and I, after three months, continue to do this.  We both sometime wonder if it is real that we are here.  And I pinch myself for other reasons.  If it has been a short night, and it is my job to help with a session, sometimes more than an hour and a half, when it is comfortable and easy to drift off, the "hand pinch" trick is useful.  I also learned at the dentist’s, that if there is going to be something less than comfortable, if you pinch a finger or a hand, the pain is predictable.  You know it is coming, how deep and how long.  It can pique attention and the difficult can become bearable. 

Speaking of dreams-- years ago, when Grandpa Starkey was recovering from a multiple bypass operation, we visited him, thinking it would be our last time with him.  Val awakened telling me of a dream in the night, of buying his father a computer.  Does your father type?  No.  Does your mother type?  No.  They went out that day and bought a computer, with which Grandpa hunted and pecked for twelve years, discovering ancestors, cousins and relatives he had no idea belonged to him.  And now we are helping to connect families of Uncle Bob’s brother with similar momentum.

Dr. Seuss says to "follow your hunches"  

 (and let’s work to discern the good ones!)  

Saturday, a “hunch” while escorting five children to and from their scheduled sealing, I remembered Amber’s baptism, driving to Seattle from Richland and running out of gas.  It was during Val’s walk to the gas station that I thought of the book I had for Amber to write in, to share her memories and thoughts about this special day. 

So now, the children with me,  just sealed, had had an experience that they would not relive, until their own marriages—should they remember these wonderful moments, and return.  I ran to my room and located a pile of notebooks, coupled with pens, and dashed back to the guardaria before it was time for the youth to leave.  Andrea and Jhon, ages 12 and 15, graciously accepted my gift, promised to write, and left.  

The younger two, Erick and Heaven, ages eight and four, 

 

nodded at their sleeping sister Alma and looked longingly at the treasured little books.  Would you like to write down what you felt today?  Yes, they both nodded.  Erick went to town with his pencil and filled the first page of his libretita.  Heaven couldn’t write yet.  “What did you feel, Heaven?  What do you want to remember about today? “

“I felt clean.  I felt pretty.  I felt like a princess.  The temple was clean.  It was pretty, and very sacred.  I want my family to be together forever!”  

I did not know that a four year old would know the word “sacred.”  And I was surprised to read Erick’s writings, talking about a “dia dichoso,” a word I remember from memorizing words in Hymn #2, the part about a happy day!

                          

My heart was gladdened.  And a little child shall lead them.  And I wanted to save in my heart all of the things that these children chose to have in their books. 

Milestones for the week:  Jake returned from his Air Force meeting to scoop Amber off to Atlanta. 

 

Maria and Grandma watched the children while  

Kristen and Amber soaked in Education Week.      Kristen and Zach gave amazing discourses in church (that they have notes for—ask them—it will make you want to improve your life every day!)

Zach is my reminder of “dia dichoso” (a red-haired trait Brother James tells me is a trait of Ephraim tribe cousins!) 

 And Zach helped give us a red-haired 

Savanna, 

who will join her brother, parents, and Auntie Maria, on a road trip to meet Great Grandma in Washington this week to celebrate the wedding of Michael and Karly in Seattle.

Riley has started school in Arizona, and his Seattle cousins are waiting on baited breath. 

Thomas and Eleanor have gone camping with Daddy, Mommy and (1 month old) Evelyn! 

   

Brent has just about finished painting the Roberts' Renton house, while Brianne, between helping, and working, herds the roost, encouraging siblings and children's cousins.  

 

Good news! Brent got accepted into Boeing’s college work-study program. 

Speaking of work and study, Jannette is helping to consult Dad with good eating practices; and Spencer will soon start preschool with Zoey. 

Lanae and Patrick get kudos for being fun parents--bringing their children to parks, libraries, music program and fun outings, including a few with Auntie Maria.

 

  

Maria, writing countless missionary friends in parts beyond, is readying to return to BYU for Provo adventures. 

One night this past week, Maria was absent from dinner over the weekend at our Kaysville home, meeting friends for baptisms at the Bountiful temple, her place at the table was empty.  “Where is Auntie Maria, Mommy?”  asked William.

  

"Maria is at the temple."
“Oh!  With Grandma Lolly!”  
Well, not exactly the same temple.
  

But a two year old is remembering someone who loves him and can talk about where she is.  "Happy is the way I’m feeling" about that! 

Blessings to you, as you follow your hunches, as you pinch a hand to endure challenges or stay awake, to be assured that the dreams you are walking are real.  We love you!

Hermana Laurene and Elder Val