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...