The Hand of the Lord

Transfers are one week from tomorrow, our second largest transfer in the history of the mission.  We were hoping that Glen wouldn't have to rent as many apartments as he did the last time we got this many missionaries (we were hoping that they could live with members here)  but that didn't work out, so Glen has been frantically searching for places for the missionaries to live.  What a search it is!  As of yesterday, (our p-day, but we worked about 10 hours trying to get apartments secured, furnished, and supplied) he only has one more apartment to secure!  The Lord has really blessed him to have apartments work out, and it has definitely been a labor for him.  

We talked about it early in the week and in our small way, we tried to compare ourselves to Nephi who was asked to build a ship.  We prayed that we would be given faith like Nephi had because we weren't building a ship, but we were helping to build a mission and we needed help!  Besides securing the apartments, we would have to furnish them, and since Christmas, very few usable furnishings were coming in to DI.  We were praying constantly that the Lord would guide us to a person or a place that could furnish us with chests, desks, tables, and couches. Glen had already worked out a deal with RC Willey for mattresses and bed frames that was a huge blessing.  Yesterday I felt that I should check on a hotel furniture liquidator and see if I could get anything.  What a blessing!  It looks as though we will be able to get the 50 or so chests from them at a very reasonable price, so we left there feeling grateful to see the hand of the Lord opening up ways for us to accomplish what we needed to.  Pray for us as we search for couches, tables, and desks!

While Glen was doing apartment securing yesterday, I went to Wal-Mart with a huge list of the supplies that we would need--vacuums (12), all kinds of cleaners, shower curtains and rods, toilet plungers, bowl brushes,  mops,  etc. etc.  My cart was completely overflowing and I hadn't gotten the vacuums yet.  I asked an employee if he had a big flatbed cart so I could get the vacuums, and he and another employee not only got the cart for me, but they put the vacuums on it and pushed it to the checkout counter and helped me put all the things on the counter, bag it, and push the carts out to the car.  Okay, just imagine--my one cart brimming over with bags and big squeegie-type mops sticking out all over, and a flat bed cart with 12 vacuum (in boxes)--how would it all fit in my car?  I said to the employees, "I'll just make two trips!"  And they cheerily said, "Oh, watch us--we'll get it all in there!"  And I watched in astonishment as they did--all of it!  The driver's seat had to be pushed way up as well as the passenger seat (which also was stuffed to the brim), but they made it! I can't believe I didn't get a picture of it, it was so amazing.  (I didn't get one because I was freezing to death, it was so cold!)  It was such a tender mercy, and I really felt the hand of the Lord helping me.  Glen couldn't believe all the things that were packed into the car when I got back to the mission office!

Another example of the hand of the Lord:  On Tuesday during our office devotional, a man rushed into the office with a long tan coat in his arms.  He handed it to me and said, "I just felt inspired that I should bring this over here this morning."  I thanked him sincerely, and he was gone before I could even ask his name. I knew that the missionaries wouldn't be able to use it because they have to wear dark coats, so I wondered what we were going to do with it.  On Thursday afternoon at about 4:00, a man came in who was looking for help from the transient bishop, and from his appearance, he really needed help.  He was shaking from the cold and told me that he had been to DI and found a coat and was wondering if the transient bishop could help him buy it.  I was devastated to tell him that the transient bishop's office had closed at 3:00--but then I remembered the tan coat in the back.  I went in the back to get it and brought it out to him and his face lit up like a little child seeing Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.  He put it on and it was a perfect fit, (it was fur lined and very warm) and he said, "This is the best thing that's happened to me.  God bless you, Sister!"  He left, rejoicing, and all of us in the office were rejoicing too, and marveling and what we had just been a part of.

On Wednesday, a package came in the mail at the office addressed to ME!  I couldn't believe it!  I opened it and it was this package of M&M's with peanuts--my favorite thing--with this sweet message on the front from Elder Parker and Elder Herlin!  Is that the nicest thing ever?  It made my day.

Then the next day a package came addressed to Glen and I and it was from Lindsey and Brandon!!  Oh, did that make our day!  It was chuck full of fun things that were so thoughtful.  It's amazing how a package can cheer a missionary up so much.  Thank you Lindsey and Brandon!

It came with this note from Lindsey describing the things that were in the package.  How we loved it!  That evening I was able to go with Sis. Carr and Sister Dewey to teach two families.  I just love going with them.  The first family that we went to have two sons, ages 11 and 12.  They reported to us that they had only missed one day of reading the scriptures during the past week and they loved it.  The next family Sister Carr challenged the 12 year old son to be baptized in February and he said he would try to be ready.  The messages these sisters shared with these families was awesome and the Spirit was so strong.  Missionaries are just so awesome!

We went to dinner with Jay and Valerie Chapman for Jay's birthday at an Italian restaurant.  So fun and so yummy!  What wonderful people they are.

It was our 39th wedding anniversary on Jan. 11th and Glen got me these beautiful roses!  We went to dinner and then saw the movie "Lincoln."  It was amazing!  What a fun anniversary.  It's so hard to believe that we've been married for 39 years and here we are on a mission!  It's so great to be his companion.  We really love that part of our mission.  What a great way to end our busy busy busy week.