Because we live upstairs from Bruce's cousin, our relationship is stronger than just missionary couples living by one another. We have common ancestors and since the Barlow's come from Cache Valley where our parents grew up we have a shared love for that beautiful valley. A couple of weeks ago Anna asked if I might be willing to help with a luncheon she had volunteered to create for the leaders in the mission. Of course the reply was yes. So we did our homework on how best to satisfy the appetites of 50+ young missionaries spending approximately $3 per person. If you have some good ideas, we'd love to know as we may be doing this more than once. Perhaps we were too successful or maybe it was just that we are willing but Sr. Schmitt offered to let us do it again. Suffice to say, this past Friday, we served, with the help of our good husbands (the schleppers) a lunch of pulled pork sandwiches and potato salad with brownies topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce for dessert. It only took 20 pounds of potatoes and 2 large pork roasts to feed that bunch. We were glad to do it and they seemed to enjoy it. Besides, I got to spend Thursday afternoon in my little kitchen (pictured above) cooking and cutting up all the ingredients. A great exercise in space management and wonderful exercise for the arms!
The best part of serving lunch was meeting another relative. Pay attention. My father's youngest brother, Phill Goodsell has a grandson serving in our mission as a Zone Leader. When he heard we were from Huntington Beach (he'd been prompted by grandparents) he asked if by any slim chance I might be a Goodsell. That caught me by surprise. Goodsell is not a common name. But when I replied in the affirmative he told me how we are related. He's a good looking (of course, his grandpa my uncle Phill, is the most handsome 80+ year old you'll meet) tall, well spoken elder serving as a leader in our zone. There is no picture. Despite thinking about it, we never managed to take one. Hopefully that will happen for the next post.
In fact, this post will have no more pictures. We tried but they aren't worth posting. But here's what's been happening this past week:
We taught a Family Home Evening on Tuesday to one of our single sisters and her 3 busy little boys. She lives in a small one bedroom apartment and we sat on the futon/bed in the "living room" to learn about how we are all children of God. By the end of the lesson after my singing "I Am a Child of God" 3 times, they joined in along with Bruce. The oldest was quite attentive. But he is just 7 so why should we ask for the others to pay much attention.
We attended a Family Home Evening for all the senior couples in the mission held at the Mormon Battalion Visitors Center. While there we met the couple who directs the Visitors Center. He grew up in the D.C. area and his mother was a talented musician who directed Relief Society choirs in which my mother sang, including the one that sang at the World's Fair in New York City in 1965. Wherever you go in the church, there is always someone with whom you have a connection. But the connection runs deeper than just knowing someone who knows someone. We have that common bond of gospel knowledge and testimony. It ties like nothing else.
Thursday the senior couples who live in our RV park were all invited to dinner cooked by the "night manager". He and his wife have become good friends with the missionary couples who come and go. One of them, who lived here, was back for a visit - an occasion to get together. Ben is a great cook - he does a lot of it on his outdoor grill and we enjoyed a delicious meal. He and his wife adopted their two granddaughters and have raised them here for the last 8 years. The oldest is in college, the other on her way there when she graduates high school this spring. Perhaps during these many opportunities to associate with Ben and Sue they will desire to know more about why we all come and serve as we do. Our job is to continue that relationship when our downstairs neighbors, the Lawson's return to Utah in April. We're the new people in the park.
Thursday morning was our time to teach our Egyptian friend who seemed to more readily accept the idea that God is a personage who can talk, walk, see, hear and communicate with us. Bruce compiled pages of scriptures backing up that concept, all from Genesis and Exodus. Muslims accept the first 5 books of the Bible as inspired scripture. We followed up with a simple "Plan of Salvation" about which he seemed intrigued. We return tomorrow with more - a deeper look at our pre-mortal experiences and the role of Jesus in our lives.
Thursday evening we had a delicious meal at the home of the ward Executive Secretary and his wife - Mediterranean, Middle Eastern cuisine . Interesting conversation and food. We had to leave quickly to meet the missionaries for a first discussion. It is the first time we have observed them in action with an adult non-member. They worked seamlessly together, teaching her the need for a restoration, the reason for the Book of Mormon and asking her to read it and discover for herself its truth. We were impressed.
Thursday was a great day, especially because I made potato salad in the middle of all that!
Friday was our luncheon and finally an opportunity to clean this little apartment that even with just two of us needed some sprucing up. The highlight of the day came about 5:00 when we met with a man who, working as a nurse in fairly new employment, cannot get Sunday's off. He met us at the door enthusiastically, so glad to see us, with his scriptures on the table ready to have a gospel discussion. Our meeting was mostly a get-acquainted with him (and his roommates, some of whom are very friendly, with one claiming he wanted in on the next visit). We are returning this afternoon for the first of our Sunday afternoon "if you can't come to church, we'll bring the church to you" visits.
Saturday: the day to find people home, or so we thought. With a list of eleven "heads of household" in hand and our handy Google Map app on the I-phone we went seeking. No one home. Not one! But we discovered that most are in homes or at least rentals in nice neighborhoods where we could knock on a door without a security gate. We shall return. But in lieu of a visit we have prepared our introductory letter to mail to each home. If we can't bring the gospel to them in person we will do it by the written word.
Sunday: The best day of the week. We went to church and sat by our Egyptian friend and his wife. We enjoyed good meetings and lessons and a wonderful discussion of part of D&C 93 and 88 and Abraham 3 with our newly found enthusiastic friend. We'll end our day with ward choir practice. One of the speakers today used Elder Hallstrom's conference talk about the gospel and the church, their differences and how they work together for our salvation and joy. We need to learn, understand and live the gospel and we need the church structure to help us in that quest. They go hand in hand. Therefore, we've taken our testimonies and moved 60 miles south to share with those who are struggling to learn, understand and live the gospel and teach them use the structure of the church to do so.
The gospel is true. Take advantage of that knowledge.
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