We left early friday morning and drove to the Beach. President and Sister Woodward are on the left and Doctor and Sister Linford are on the right.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Sleepless in Brazil
Many nights we can't sleep. So I get up and write. I have been keeping a paper and pen journal that I refer to it as my small plates; in it I am recording my study and reflection on the scriptures. Usually about midnight I am tired enough to sleep.
Sometime the sleeplessness is due to taking our medication late at night. I have to take my thyroid pill in the morning before I eat and then wait at least four hours to take any vitamins or minerals. I usually get busy and involved with the missionaries and forget to take them until around 8:00 at night when I shut down the help desk. Vernon/grandpa sometimes forgets to take his pills before his meals so he takes them at night and he has the same problem.
Sometimes the sleeplessness on Sunday and Tuesday night is caused by the spiritual impact of the day’s activities and our minds and hearts are just too full to sleep.
Sometimes the sleeplessness on Monday nights can be contributed to the missionaries that are leaving. There is a tradition here for missionaries to gather in the court yard just outside our window to sing, take pictures, and say their last good-byes, before going out into their various missions throughout Brazil. The missionaries start about 9:30 p.m. and are suppose to end at 10:00 p.m. but usually things do not quiet down until about 11:00 p.m.. Lights are supposed to be out at 10:30. When Vernon/grandpa and the President attend the send-off the missionaries usually end on time.
Sometimes the sleeplessness on Wednesday and Thursday is due to getting new missionaries that are tired, but wired, and forget that quiet time starts at 10:00 p.m.. Vernon/grandpa and the President have had to go and knock on some doors, turn out their light and lovingly remind them it is time to lay quietly in their beds, even if they can’t sleep.
Usually we are not sleepless together.
Fortunately for us we have two other rooms where we can go if we can’t sleep. Fortunately we can take a nap in the afternoon on Sunday, especially now that I don’t have to practice leading the music for the choir. Taking a nap in the afternoon, however, at our age is also a cause of sleeplessness at night.
Fortunately we have our preparation day on Saturday and can sleep in a bit. The missionaries, however, start their classes at 7:30 A.M. with a song and their classrooms are just across the courtyard from our room. Often I think of this struggle with sleeplessness as preparation for the next life when we won’t need to sleep to stay healthy and alive.
Sometime the sleeplessness is due to taking our medication late at night. I have to take my thyroid pill in the morning before I eat and then wait at least four hours to take any vitamins or minerals. I usually get busy and involved with the missionaries and forget to take them until around 8:00 at night when I shut down the help desk. Vernon/grandpa sometimes forgets to take his pills before his meals so he takes them at night and he has the same problem.
Sometimes the sleeplessness on Sunday and Tuesday night is caused by the spiritual impact of the day’s activities and our minds and hearts are just too full to sleep.
Sometimes the sleeplessness on Monday nights can be contributed to the missionaries that are leaving. There is a tradition here for missionaries to gather in the court yard just outside our window to sing, take pictures, and say their last good-byes, before going out into their various missions throughout Brazil. The missionaries start about 9:30 p.m. and are suppose to end at 10:00 p.m. but usually things do not quiet down until about 11:00 p.m.. Lights are supposed to be out at 10:30. When Vernon/grandpa and the President attend the send-off the missionaries usually end on time.
Sometimes the sleeplessness on Wednesday and Thursday is due to getting new missionaries that are tired, but wired, and forget that quiet time starts at 10:00 p.m.. Vernon/grandpa and the President have had to go and knock on some doors, turn out their light and lovingly remind them it is time to lay quietly in their beds, even if they can’t sleep.
Usually we are not sleepless together.
Fortunately for us we have two other rooms where we can go if we can’t sleep. Fortunately we can take a nap in the afternoon on Sunday, especially now that I don’t have to practice leading the music for the choir. Taking a nap in the afternoon, however, at our age is also a cause of sleeplessness at night.
Fortunately we have our preparation day on Saturday and can sleep in a bit. The missionaries, however, start their classes at 7:30 A.M. with a song and their classrooms are just across the courtyard from our room. Often I think of this struggle with sleeplessness as preparation for the next life when we won’t need to sleep to stay healthy and alive.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
magnifying my calling
We were able to participate (via technology) in the dedication of the Brazil Curitiba temple dedication and celebration. The people in Brazil are very exuberant in their celebrations and this was an occasion for the people to celebrate. They put on a major production Saturday night for the Prophet; dancing, singing, and dramatizing the coming of the first German family that were members of the church to Curitiba Brazil. The wife wrote a letter to the prophet, Heber J. Grant, requesting Missionaries be sent to this city. James E. Faust and Grant Bangater (Vernon’s mission president and emeritus member of the first counsel of seventy) were sent to Curitiba. There were thousands of people in the stadium that night waving their arms, dancing, and singing "We are the Fruits of your labors"
This morning at 9:00 was the dedication. Participating with hundreds of missionaries was also quite thrilling. The first counselor in the CTM (Portuguese for MTC) Presidency was the interpreter for the Prophet. To night we will have a fireside and the missionary choir will sing "O My Father". It should be quite lovely because we had a new missionary arrive on Thursday that has played the violin in the Church Orchestra for the last two years and was given permission to bring his violin. He will play with the choir.
I must say I am much more relaxed now about my calling in regards to the music. I am in charge of all the Sunday and Tuesday evening meetings and any other special large group meetings that are held at the CTM. I showed the Lord I was willing to do what ever I was asked and found that I could magnify my calling by seeking out the talents of the young missionaries.
I felt impressed to have the young missionaries with musical ability lead the choir. I make all the arrangements; pick the numbers, the conductor, the pianist; I print out the music and take care of all the details. My strength has always been in project management, attention to detail and delegation. So far I have had the missionaries conduct twice. They have been wonderful. In fact the Mission President and his wife think it is a great idea to give the missionaries this opportunity.
This morning at 9:00 was the dedication. Participating with hundreds of missionaries was also quite thrilling. The first counselor in the CTM (Portuguese for MTC) Presidency was the interpreter for the Prophet. To night we will have a fireside and the missionary choir will sing "O My Father". It should be quite lovely because we had a new missionary arrive on Thursday that has played the violin in the Church Orchestra for the last two years and was given permission to bring his violin. He will play with the choir.
I must say I am much more relaxed now about my calling in regards to the music. I am in charge of all the Sunday and Tuesday evening meetings and any other special large group meetings that are held at the CTM. I showed the Lord I was willing to do what ever I was asked and found that I could magnify my calling by seeking out the talents of the young missionaries.
I felt impressed to have the young missionaries with musical ability lead the choir. I make all the arrangements; pick the numbers, the conductor, the pianist; I print out the music and take care of all the details. My strength has always been in project management, attention to detail and delegation. So far I have had the missionaries conduct twice. They have been wonderful. In fact the Mission President and his wife think it is a great idea to give the missionaries this opportunity.
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