A Whole Lot of Thinking Going On

I've had a lot of thinking to do this week.  There has been a lot happening and that seems to get the processes rolling in my head.  Sometimes Ken wishes they would stop! lol

We got to Skype all the kids on Father's Day.  It was great and we are again reminded how great our little family is.  Seems like they spend a whole lot of time working on helping other people and they truly amaze me.  Every single one of them had done something this week to help someone else.  There were big things and little things, major things and simple things but I can't help but be grateful for children who keep others in mind in spite of what is going on in their own lives.

Heather told me of a friend who has brain cancer and then he appeared on the screen.  He was his happy, usual self in spite of losing his hair and getting ready for a totally unrelated surgery on his hand the next day.  He absolutely amazes me with his positive attitude in spite of many huge trials in his life.  I don't think I know of anyone with so many friends.  They support him because he supports them.  Isn't that the way it should be?

Oh how I wish that was the case that I could see more often.  Right now I see lots of "I will take care of myself and I am not going out of my way for anyone else!"  It gets pretty daunting to see that everywhere you go.   Sometimes I really long to get back to my little home where more people are involved in helping each other rather than looking out only for themselves.  There seems to be so much selfishness in my world right now.

Ken just finished giving a blessing to a woman we don't even know.  She is close to death from cancer.  Her husband is an elder in the church but hasn't been active for years.  He had no idea how to give a blessing.  There didn't seem to be much comfort  in that room even though it was obvious that people thought she was a wonderful woman and were trying in their own ways to help.  I contrasted this to my family who would be totally supporting one another in whatever situation.  It was a painful contrast, a totally unknown person trying to provide comfort to a family who had little comfort or understanding of what was happening.

Fortunately, we get to work with a few super people who think in other terms.  We just baptized a little grandma, nana Dawn, who is totally engaged in helping her family get better.  Her granddaughter lives with her and started the whole process and they both seem to want to do what is right for themselves and their family, immediate and extended.  They have big hearts and big aspirations much like some of the others we have met here.  Seems like it is always a few that are holding the line and they have to work hard and be tough to do it!

I am so grateful I came on this mission.  It has been hard and frustrating and incomprehensible at times.  It has been amazing, awe inspiring and wonderful at others.  I have made many friends in the same sense as the Lord had friends and I have gained brothers and sisters in understanding of the gospel.  I have learned about Kiwis in all their varieties and I have seen beautiful things at every turn.
Though I have missed my family as never before, I have gained a new appreciation for them and I hope they have learned something about life and grandpa and grandma from the sacrifices we have all made.

I will never be sorry that I came.  I will be sorry to leave my relationships here.  I will never again be so happy to go home until that time that I go HOME for the last time.  Until then, I hope God grants me the ability to take everything from every day and make it work.