July with Longhorns

 

visitors hanging out near our apartment, guess only really chill cattle come to parades, no one worried about us walking right through them.

Our Tuesday group got to go on a tour of the Cathedral of the Madelaine, thanks to the Susongs. It was very interesting and lovely to see. I was reminded when our Sunday school lesson today mentioned learning about other religions and what we have in common, how the baptismal "font" is near the entrance because it is the first step in a right relationship with God, and other things that sounded pretty close to our teachings.

It was originally done with white walls and the only decoration was the windows, then the next person in charge did all the color but almost got rid of the lovely narrative windows - thank goodness they ran out of money for that.

President and Sister Holmes replaced the Randalls a few weeks ago. They learned quickly that this mission is quite different than most, including having several times the usual number of missionaries (and a lot older!). They have been going from place to place meeting groups of missionaries and learning what we all do. Pres. Holmes might look familiar, he has been a seventy and was in the General YM presidency, as well as being a mission president before. 

Sunrise at the Trax station starting our trip to Lake Charles Louisiana. It was a long day of security lines, long layover in Dallas, and very welcome arrival to humid-land. Jenny arranged a Swamp Tour where we saw some alligators (wrong time of year for the really big ones to show) and many beautiful birds and other assorted flora and fauna. I can now tell the difference between cypress and tupelo trees and know that a bayou is where there is a deep channel moving water through the swamp.

The main purpose (besides visiting family) was to be there for Liam's baptism, our youngest grandson. 

The kids talked me into trying their Ninja Turtles video game - they spent hours all four playing together, apparently a rare thing. I am not nearly experienced enough in video gaming. At least they gave me Splinter so I could keep track of which one was me a bit more easily.

The new apartment building is just a much a construction zone as the Garden Apartments. But we are enjoying having the (very basic!) washer and dryer in the apartment and the central air (walked to church last week in 105 degrees, thankful we can cut through the conference center and the parking garage under the COB)

Lovely hallways

the elegant elevator

Front of bldg - West T        Apartments  :) (a few days later the front walk near the door was torn up and now we have to go around to the back)

One of the changes made by the new mission president was some reorganizing of the branches. There had apparently been some discussion previously about combining the two branches since they have met together ever since covid shrank the numbers. Also there is often confusion about the fact that we don't have normal organization since "branch president" is just a mission assignment with no keys. So now we have one branch, and instead of "Ensign Peak" and "City Creek" we have the  Mission Branch. Instead of Presidents we have Branch Leaders and Assistants. Our first Sunday with one Relief Society meant over 80 sisters! Hard for the teacher to keep an eye out for who has comments, and we have to have someone running around with a microphone. (The branches were divided by what zone people were in, which has to do with where they work. Ours is quite big since it has all the misc. people who help 62 different departments mostly in the COB). The counselors to the new MP include Elder Jackson who was in the area office in Hong Kong for some time. The Larsen's said good-by and told how their 4-month interviews with missionaries showed the principle of  "Becoming" - (growing in/through their service,) quoted Pes. Eyring "your call has eternal consequences" --The Lord will bless you but he can't practice for you! Spoke of how a zone lovingly helped a missionary who came in unable to really be a missionary but they all worked to encourage, teach, and help until she did a wonderful job. (Most zones are not fragmented like ours but are groups who work together in FamilySearch or Church History Museum, etc.)

In the conference center as people gather for the Tabernacle Choir annual Pioneer Day concert, the first live in two or three years - "Love Thy Neighbor"

We had the chance to walk right through the staging areas for the Days of 47 Parade (thus the longhorn cattle shown above), then sat near the starting point for a while and watched the beginning. Durk thought he saw someone who looked like his cousin, and it was - he was in the Mormon Battalion that started things off. Since we'd seen pretty much everything that would be in the parade we then went home to cool off. 

Craig Anderson, Durk's cousin on his mom's side

Durk checking out his next new car

Lined up for the signal to start, Lion House, administration building, JSMB and COB in the background (the truck eventually did leave)

The next day we went to the tabernacle for "a Symphonic Saga" about the Mormon Battalion. Their association has been traveling about for two years for the 175th anniversary and had events in every state the battalion went through. Some were marches joined by missionaries or others, some were seminars or other events. The Musical was accompanied by narration and slides of the places and of each of the people they quoted. Elder Christofferson spoke first - his brother is president or head of the association, and they named Durk's cousin's wife who works helping run or (supervise or something) the Mormon Battalion Historic Site and who spoke at all the events mentioned. Previously they were service missionaries going around collecting histories for the Church History Library.

We loved having two Monday holidays, for the 4th and the 24th (Pioneer Day) as we get to relax a bit and take our time doing the shopping, cleaning, washing, etc. so it feels like a bit of vacation. 

The next weekend I took off to Springville with my sisters to the Quilt Show, where there were two entries that made it in by my sister! So Carol, the younger, has a piece in the Church art competition exhibit, and the other, Chris, has two small quilts in the huge annual museum show! Our sister-in-law Margy joined us so it was really nice to get together.

riding the Frontrunner from Salt Lake to Provo

One of my favorite quilts in the Springville Art Museum show, started with a group challenge to use polka-dot fabric.

One of my sister Chris's quilts, a small art quilt, too bad you can't really see the button flowers in the photo, she used bleach to make the clouds-

Christ with the cantaloupe and blueberries in a blue bowl quilt, the colors wouldn't show up right in the photo but it's really a fun piece and was hung in a perfect niche.

 

I mentioned the New Mission Leaders Seminar and here are a few notes from the parts I got to watch that might apply to the rest of us in other situations (won't add many since they publish a lot of it now, see summaries in the Newsroom):

(168 couples from 27 countries)

Mission Leaders are helping raise up those who will be leaders in the church, help them become real disciples of the Lord, show them everything they need to be. Reminder that all meetings should be conducted as directed by the Spirit. We all have different gifts - don't covet others' gifts! Each is called because of their gifts which we should use to the fullest. (Don't try to be someone else)

D&C 39:13 and 31:7 - the Savior will establish BY your hands - "Establish = make firm, stable, etc. 

Need to know the love and majesty of the Savior as found in scriptures. Focus on the needs of those served, not selves = more prepared for future.

Jeremiah - I will bring them again, will send for many fishers and hunters - (there's a difference)

Paramount duty is to help each Missionary be converted unto the Lord.

Ether 12:42, Believe, Stay in the right way, Know and trust God

Actively join with the Lord in the work and will come to know Him. 

5 how-to's :

Preach My Gospel - the structure, order, skills to implement with inspiration

Obedience  - more powerful when understand doctrine and how to apply

Individuals - one on one is most effective  DC 84:106

Conversion - the responsibility of each to own it, take charge, feel it

Opposition - plan on it! don't shrink, exercise faith and grow (3 couples thrown in jail trying to get visas! no food or bed, taught and sang)

Prepare yourself well (handbook), keep your goals high, don't be afraid to challenge to look for miracles, correct quickly, Christ took time for unexpected and showed compassion (Luke 7). Christ has high expectations - because of love.

(Cape Verde temple dedication - had gone 2 years without rain except occasionally, 7 year drought, rained after dedicatory prayer)

You cannot lift your Mission by yourself but you can lift your leaders- they have assignments not promotions. Can delegate implementation after decisions have been made. Disciples were given responsibility to help and serve and it changed them- Give real responsibilities and accountability.

Mission culture - may need change (some things immediately some not)- should be a culture centered on Jesus Christ,  Culture of Christ.

Bednar - leave your previous experience and education on the shelf until needed, follow the Spirit, Gospel, handbook

Don't limit the "Doctrine of Christ" to 5 points, don't leave His name out of Atonement

Great missionaries of Book of Mormon tailored their message to different groups, like Paul.

Work patiently to help people access the power of God to be able to see how they can live what they believe instead of using doctrine as a club. Baptism is not to check off the box but to live in harmony with promises and access God's redeeming power.

(crocodile-infested river! had people in water with net, machetes, spear to protect during baptisms!)

Handbook is principle-based not rule-based, don't give the answer but refer to principle to build their capability for life.