"Welcome to Holland"

As I mentioned last month I have been called to teach Primary.  I love our Sharing Times most of all.  We are learning about following the prophets - Noah, Jonah, Adam among others.  A few weeks ago the children (see picture) were acting the parts of the prophets as we sang and learned.  French is the native tongue of our primary president.  It is fun to watch her trying to tell the stories and teach in English (she has been heard to say: "I can't think of my words").  But on this particular Sunday she had no problem as she said:  "YOU PROPHETS - BE NICE!"  Kids always know how to have fun, don't they?   The week we learned about Easter, a courageous primary counselor had the children divide into groups with teachers and act out the last week of Jesus' life.  Fellow missionaries and friends the Rysers are narrating.    The small boy with the sword and shield is in my class.  His name is Noah.  He is lying on the ground following the earthquakes that came following Jesus' death.  His native language is French.  He goes to a German pre-school.  He will only speak French in our class unless he gets angry and then... his words are all in German.  My first Sunday in class he kept pointing at me and saying "du nicht" which means "not you".  Apparently he was afraid his familiar French speaking teacher would leave if I was there!  Didn't happen... we teach these three little ones together.      My calling continues to be a busy one.  Sometimes it feels more like a job than a calling and that's when I begin to think about what I will do "after" I get done for the day or where I will go "on my days off" ... that is until I get three calls on a Friday night from mission presidents asking me to contact troubled missionaries as soon as possible.  I remember that I am not "working" a job but "serving the Lord" and that can be 24/7 if needed.  And then I am blessed to hear the stories of these remarkable young men and women who are 18, 19, 20 years old... who have put THEIR lives on hold to serve 24/7 at their own expense to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   Let me tell you about a few (no names of course):   A young sister who is an artist - - (with her permission I share a couple of pictures) - - she was earning money as an artist at the age of 16 but put her plans on hold to serve a mission.  Check out these murals she painted in a pediatrician's office:     ​ ​An Elder from South Africa who in spite of opposition from his family joined the church 2 years ago at the age of 23.    During the next year he prepared himself to serve a mission without the support of his family.  Now 1 year into his mission his father is sending him weekly e-mails telling him, for the first time ever, that he is proud of his courage and what he is doing even though "I don't understand or believe what you are teaching."   A Sister who is experiencing some depression.  She expressed frustration that her outlet at home was playing the piano and singing (I can relate to that having had a daughter who did the same).   Imagine her surprise and joy when she walked into her new apartment and saw a keyboard in the living room.  I have never known another missionary apartment to have one!  She laughed and cried as she shared this story with me.    Every once in awhile a missionary needs to return home early to get appropriate mental health care.  There are usually tears - theirs and mine - when this has to happen.  But following one such incident the very next week I received this tender e-mail from a missionary who had gone home:   Hi Sister Purdy, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your kind words and insight, and give you just a quick update since I've been home.   First, thank you for sacrificing your time and money to serve this mission. I know you will do a lot of good in the Europe area, and I'm grateful for all you did for me in the short time we talked. Now for my update: My mom whisked me off to her Psych Nurse Practitioner on thursday, and I'm being weaned off the Zoloft, and am getting weaned onto a new drug called Brintellix. From her explanation, Zoloft only targets 1 seratonin carrier, and this drug targets all 7, or something along those lines. So, I'm hopeful that this can level me out. Being home definitely helps. Thanks again for everything, and best of luck on your mission!   The Lord watches over His children... no doubt about it.   I did work on my goal of going somewhere outside of Frankfurt each month (since I'm here in Europe it is a shame not to see some these countries I never imagined visiting).  In April - The Netherlands (Holland and Kuekenhof) - Haarlem - Corrie Ten Boom Home - Luxembourg - Trier, Germany.  Awesome and so grateful to Rysers and Mathesons for allowing me to be the 5th wheel on this journey.  Here are just a couple of pictures.  Many, many more on Facebook: ​  Backing into the Hiding Place    The Hiding Place in the Ten Boom Home in Haarlem The Netherlands      Entry to the Hiding Place        Luxembourg       I can't close without commenting on the talks at General Conference - awesome.  A favorite of mine was "The Music of the Gospel" by Elder Wilford W. Andersen.  And last week at our zone conference Elder Dyches (who is in the Europe Area Presidency) said that when the Area presidencies were taught by the Twelve and other General authorities - it was all about keeping the Sabbath Day holy and how we have to make that a priority in our lives.  Elder Nelson talked about not being distracted during Sacrament Meeting; Elder Ballard about using Ward Councils to plan Sacrament Meetings so the voices of the sisters will be enhanced; and a reminder to read Elder Eyring's talk regarding Fast Offerings.      I got to go to Holland!  Those of you who know me very well (and some who don't) might remember an essay I first read around the time Roger died and it had such an impact on my that I have shared it often...  Sometimes (much of the time) life isn't what we planned, hoped and dreamed for, or feels really, really unfair.  This essay helped me see that although life may not be turning out as I thought it would that doesn't always mean it is bad, maybe just different.       http://www.our-kids.org/Archives/Holland.html

 

I Hope You Have A Brilliant Day

I am blessed every day to have my life touched by  young missionaries who have chosen to set aside their private lives to serve the Lord for 18 months - 2 years.  This is Sister Sorenson.  She and her companion were serving in the Frankfurt 2nd Ward and I had them over for dinner one evening.   I am not counseling this  sweet missionary.  Actually, she and her companion are helping me adjust to missionary life here in Frankfurt!  Greatly appreciated, believe me.


A few lessons learned from other missionaries.

A week ago I got a text from a 21 year old woman who is dealing with some really difficult things.  She was updating me about her circumstances and then at the end of her text added:

I HOPE YOU HAVE A BRILLIANT DAY!

"The Becky Channel" 

A different missionary said that one of her goals as a full-time missionary is to change channels:  her first name is Becky.  She said it was time to switch from the "Becky Channel" to something else.  And, in spite of challenges, she is doing it!

Cheesy?  I don't think so!

An Elder from Brazil was having some difficulties with depression.  Our conversation turned to the reasons he chose  to serve in the first place.  He told me that his desire to serve was accompanied by a miracle.  So I asked him to write it out and e-mail it to me.  With his permission I share it in this blog.

"So in Brazil you are required to register for the army when you turn 18 and if you are chosen you have to serve for a year.  I really did not want to serve so me and my family started taking with everyone we could to see if I could find some way of being released so I could go on my mission as soon as possible.  We went through various different phases and still no luck everyone that said that could help us couldn't actually do anything.  We were fasting and praying so that I could be released but as I was passed from step to step in the registration it became very clear that I would serve that year.  I began to ask God for His will to be done and if it was His will for me to serve the army then so be it, but I asked Him to then assist me to be a good soldier.  I was incorporated into the army barracks on a Monday and there they told us everyone who was there was going to serve for the year.  So I gave it my all for that week!  But then as we were sitting down, waiting to get our soldier name (the ones we would be presented as in the incorporation assembly), it came to my name and they skipped me.  I was bewildered at why that was and after a few minutes my sergeant walked by and whispered "It looks like you are not serving this year."  I was dumbfounded.  I didn't know how to react.  Five others and I out of about 500 young men were chose to be let out of serve that year, and get this, for no reason whatsoever.  And out of the 5, I was the only one that my captain came up to and asked me if I was certain I did not want to serve.  I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father gave me that choice.  I did enjoy the army but needed to join God's Army! -P Cheesy I know."

 

Last Tuesday four of the missionaries in Frankfurt 2nd Ward asked me to go with them to visit an elderly woman from our ward.  She is quite ill and being cared for by her adult sons.  When we got there a senior missionary couple was there having been asked by the Bishop to give her the sacrament.  We had a short Sacrament Meeting.  Then these four young missionaries stood by her bed and sang for her - familiar hymns in German.  One of the sisters said, "I can sing a song that I sang while I was at the Missionary Training Center."  She then began to sing "Consider the Lilies" unaccompanied in a beautiful angelic voice. 

AHHHH!  ANOTHER BRILLIANT DAY!

 

Here is a YouTube video of the song.  I wish that I had taped it that night!  Beautiful...

"I Hope My Words Get Wings and Fly To Your Heart"

The title of my post today comes from a Sacrament Meeting talk from last week - it was given by a member of the stake presidency.  As he spoke, it was clear that English was not his native language.  He was easily understood but at times his sentence structure was a little confusing.  Which made his words "I Hope My Words Get Wings and Fly To your Heart" meaningful but also touching.  His words did fly to my heart - actually, every talk and lesson included words with wings that flew directly to my heart.  And I wrote them down . . . and now I want to share them and hope they will fly to your hearts, too.  I paraphrase and I do not have the names of those who spoke (still not that familiar with the members' names).

• The fourth article of faith states that one of the ordinances of the gospel is "laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost" and when hands are laid on our heads and by the power of the Melchizidek Priesthood (the authority to act for God) we are told "Receive the Holy Ghost" it is not a passive pronouncement but a directive.
• Quoting Joseph B Wirthlin who referred to Brigham Young's words: I fear that some members of the Lord's Church "live far beneath our privileges" with regard to the gift of the Holy Ghost.
• One speaker told of his small son, Timmie, who was learning to play hide 'n seek.  Every time they said to hide, Timmie went to the same place:  between the refrigerator and a cupboard.  He was always found by the one who was "It".  He the referred to a talk by Elder Bednar:  Consider the question posed by Heavenly Father to Adam in the Garden of Eden:  "Where art thou?"  The Father knew where Adam was hiding..."  the speaker asked: do we foolishly hide from God over and over in the same way (like Timmie) - in darkness, behind a habit, a character trait, doubt, sin, as if God will not find us there?  God knows our favorite hiding places.  At the end of the day when we give God our coordinates (an accounting for how we have lived our lives) will we foolishly think that He doesn't already know?
• Our Sunday School lesson on the same Sunday was about miracles.  So was the beautiful song shared by a young woman that I am sharing here - sung by Jenny Frogley - "His Hands."

http://youtu.be/_FySuVkiit0



"His Hands"

 



A Stake of Smiling Faces

 

Today was the Frankfurt 2nd Ward Conference.  Since I attend an international ward, the services are in English but people come from many different countries.  Our Bishop was released today after serving for almost six years.  He and his wife are from Spain.  The newly sustained Bishop and his wife are from Italy.  They all spoke during the service and although their accents were very different, the words were the same I have heard and treasured throughout much of my life.  The released bishop said that he served with the help of the Lord:  Sometimes He carried me, sometimes He stopped me, and sometimes He let me make my mistakes.  He paraphrased something that we have heard Elder Holland say:  We may not be perfect but we are all that God has.  Then the newly sustained bishop spoke and talked about finding refuge and solace in the temple.  While there several times over the past week he said he did not receive any miraculous visitations but was inspired to say to the members of our ward:  "The Lord wants you in the Celestial Room because He sees us as Celestial beings."  He closed his talk with the words from a hymn:  "Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy"

 

(I've included the a beautiful version here)

Then our the Stake President spoke.  He reminded us that our goal this year is to be "A Stake of Smiling Faces Where We Want to Welcome Everyone."  Wow!  Clearly, I am made for this stake.  My gifts and talents are somewhat limited but I clearly have a smiling face. 

 

Then in our Relief Society lesson we talked about JOY - Jesus, Others, You.  A familiar topic that I love, of course.  We started by naming the many things that bring smiles to our faces.  She shared some words from a talk given by Elder Uchtdorf in October of 2008 entitled "Happiness, Your Heritage."

 

Ahhhh... I listened to this talk last week in attempt to help a young sister missionary who was having a hard time finding anything happy in her life at the present time.  I shared some ideas from the talk with her and then e-mailed her the link so that on her Preparation Day she can watch it for herself.  I watched it again before church and was smiling when I walked into Sacrament meeting.

This marvelous picture was taken by Adam Noe - these are his children.
He shared it on Facebook one day and I "borrowed" it.
It is the exact visual message I want to share in this Mission Miracles Blog today.
 

I can just think of such instances as coincidences - a comforting series of things to be sure.  However, I choose to call them tender mercies/mission miracles. 

Proof that the young Elders and Sisters whom I serve are important to God - He doesn't forget them.

Proof that if I am willing to listen to the promptings of the service, at times I might be the instrument God uses to remind them that He loves them and doesn't forget them... which reminds me that He loves me and doesn't forget me.

Coincidence that I of smiling faces fame who insisted we dance to "Happy" at Girls' Camp and who started married life as my husband's Pollyanna because of my smile and my desire to bring happiness to others....

would now be living in "A Stake of Smiling Faces"? 

Coincidence... I think not!

  

 Here is the talk by Elder Uchtdorf.  I hope you take a few minutes and watch it.  And listen closely to his words because he shares a quote by J. M. Barrie who was the author of Peter Pan.  I'm sharing it too!

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others

cannot keep it from themselves.

 

 



I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

I am 64 years old.  I have never been outside of the United States.  I am now in Frankfurt Germany.  I don't know what people are saying.  I can't read any of the labels.  I am in a temporary apartment attempting to keep things clean until the residents return at which time I am told I will be in another temporary apartment.  I have only German television.  I cannot access wireless in this apartment so have to plug in my computer to get the internet.  I could continue to drone on and on and on . . . but I will just scream - - -

"WHERE ARE MY BUBBLES?"

As I was packing I decided it was really foolish to bring bubbles with me because clearly they are available everywhere.  Or I can make them out of soap and water, right?  

Sure, but I clearly forgot that even if I find the soap - 

where is the wand for breathing - ooops! I mean blowing?

Needless to say I have had some challenging moments - hours - days - since I left Lexington, Kentucky on December 6th (only 20 days ago!).   This past week I spent some time with the missionaries (Elder & Sister Peery) I will be replacing.    Ahhhhh....  the clearly sensed my anxiety (after all they are psychologists and one is in addition a clinical social worker!) and they began telling me positive stories about some of the young missionaries they have served.   This one is my favorite:

A young sister missionary was feeling pretty discouraged.  Sister Peery asked her to think of some things that made her smile.  Among other ideas the missionary said she liked to blow bubbles.  So they came up with a plan:   why not just blow bubbles?  Hmmmm.....  Simple, right?

So the young sister bought bubbles.  They made her happy.  So she and her companion decided to share the joy.  They got lots of bubbles and on a sidewalk in town put up a whiteboard and printed in big letters:

"...MEN (AND WOMEN) ARE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE JOY."  2 NEPHI 2:25  WE CAN TELL YOU HOW!

And people stopped - not just to blow bubbles but to ask questions about finding joy.  Children and adults of all ages stopped - and there were bubbles and there was talking and there was laughter and there was joy!

This may not sound like much of a miracle to you, but it was a miracle to me.  Not necessarily the bubble experience of the young sister missionaries - but certainly that one of the first stories I heard when I got to Germany was a story about blowing bubbles!

Remember this You Tube video I shared  last year?  Here it is again - - - you have to listen to the music while you watch everyone finding joy - peace - comfort - laughter while blowing bubbles!

http://thelevityinstitute.com/2012/01/bubbles-of-joy-the-levity-projects-new-micro-movement/

Miracles, Miracles

Ahhhhh - the miracles!  the miracles!  Some might not consider them miracles because most of these experiences are not huge but I see them as miracles:  tender reminders that my Heavenly Father knows me and loves me and will watch over me and my loved ones while I am in His service.

As the day to leave on my mission neared, I was experiencing the highest of highs and lowest of lows when it came to my emotions.  My thoughts raced:

I need the right clothing.  I have to get shots?  Germany - really? Mental health - really? . . . anxiety began kicking in!  Not enough time to do it all:  need a new birth certificate?  Passport? I need to clean the house and sort and move and sell and toss and go to goodwill how many times?  I don't have the right Luggage?  How much is my monthly rent going to be - are you sure?  Oh no, where will I get the money?  I still need shoes - and scarves - and money for Utah - and what about Bridgette Rae?  No one will love her like I do! . . . and on and on and on - - - STOP!
The final straw was the day the money didn't come on the day it was expected: my social security check came three days late in November.  I cried and prayed questioning if God really wanted me to do this why were these things happening.

And the miracles began:

*I went to lunch with a friend who insisted on treating me to lunch as well as my vaccinations!  How could I say no to an offer like that?  

*We went back to her home where she was busy sorting through boxes of clothes that had been left with her.  Her job was find a home for these clothes.  I found skirts, scarves, tops many that had never been worn before. 

*My daughter-in-law recently lost lots of weight and gave me some of her cardigans - they matched the skirts!  A couple of the skirts need hemming.  

*Temple trips with my visiting teachers and another dear friend.

*My sisters Pat, Sally, Kathy  continued to offer support in the form of phone calls, money, loving words on facebook... a commitment to help however possible!   I met my sister Sally in Louisville and we talked for an entire day.

*Sweet cards from people - $20, $10, $100, and so forth.  Every dollar given was equally important and equally appreciated.  

*What a surprise - I met a friend from Illinois in Louisville to go to the Temple before I left and when she got out of her car she carried her Bernina sewing machine to hem my skirts.  

*We stayed overnight and went to church in Louisville.  I was surprised to see friends who had moved away visiting their son's family in the same church that day.  After church, they asked to speak with me.  They said they wanted to serve a mission but due to aging parents were unable to do so at this time.  They had been praying about how to best serve and had been inspired to help someone else serve.  They then offered to help me pay for this mission - the amount far more than I expected but definitely what I need to meet my obligations while serving.

*An open house (church friends) was wonderful.  On the way home I noticed an envelope in my purse.  It was a little bulky and the note on it said not to open until December 1st.  When I opened it the amount of money that fell out took my breath away because it was what I needed to pay for my Utah and travel expenses (the part not covered by the church) and enough extra to buy a few things I wanted to buy but had planned to do without.

*And so many more miracles that I haven't mentioned...

And in the midst of all the miracles there were the wonderful experiences with friends:  open houses, wonderful lunches, a luncheon (think chatterbox girls), a family Sunday . . . An on the last Saturday, a new home for Bridgette Rae as she was adopted by my granddaughter and her family.

And I stopped... really stopped... and remembered the words on this picture posted by a friend on her blog:  JUST Breathe - and I did!


I just breathed and as I did so I inhaled all of the Love offered and in my prayers I exhaled only gratitude to God for placing remarkable friends and family members in my life who listened to His promptings.  And my needs were met by Him through them.




President Spencer W. Kimball who was Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wrote the following words in December 1974:  "I have learned that it is by serving that we learn how to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves. In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus, that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves."

Cleaning the church = a miracle

In a weekly letter, Elder Will Hjorth (serving in the Guatamala Guatamala City East Mission) shared the following experience:

We have this family who finally passed the line from "you and your church" to "us and our church".

You want to know what did the trick?

Cleaning the church.

Let me explain.  This family has been going through a really tough time.  They are both without work and they have two small boys.  They've gone to sleep a few times without knowing if they were going to have something to eat the next day.

So since they haven't had anything better to do, I asked them if they would help us clean the church and then we could all eat spaghetti together.  So we invited our recent converts.  (They are so freaking amazing)  We cleaned the chapel and we ate and everything was all fine and dandy.

Later that night Mario told us:  "This situation has been very hard for me.  I've never gone so long without a job.  Sometimes I just sit down and I'm mad, sad, stressed and hungry.  But today, I was in church cleaning bat poop off the walls, and I was happy.  And I was happy all day.  This must come from God."

Two months ago this man probably wouldn't even have set a foot in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  But God is Amazing, and there was Mario, washing poop off of the the walls of the true church of God and SMILING.

I believe in Miracles.

Are you ready and willing for a miracle?  

Am I?

Elder Hjorth - I believe in miracles, too.  Thanks for reminding me!