Good times in the nursery! (Had another nursery
leader show up today – Anna, whose young son, Kardian, had been baptized recently
(DAY 56). I guess the nursery is the catch-all place for random,
non-traditional women – that would be me! Anyway, the more the merrier, I say!)
Wow! how do I rate?! During sacrament meeting
today I got to sit between TWO handsome guys - Thomas and Timmy - (DAY 77). Brother
Calsen, our high counselor, spoke concerning our duty and responsibility as
members of the church to build the kingdom of God. (Martin, another stake high
counselor, had dropped us off at church and gone off to be a similar speaker in
the Woodsetton Ward.) Between convivial Sister Ward, and her affable ‘chips off
the old block,’ I witnessed the free space in our pew grow smaller and smaller
as the meeting progressed. At one point there were all of seven lively children:
Leah – a true Koolaide mom! In the end Katya went home with Thomas for a visit
with the De Sous’, while Jacob (Lineker, son of Jared, member of the bishopric,
and Natasha, Primary teacher who, when we chatted today, told me about her interesting
work as a resource teacher in school for learning disabled children) returned
home with us to spend the afternoon with Oliver. (Just for the record, wanted to
mention that we have an intermediate hymn EVERY week – as long as there’s time.)
For tea (another way of saying dinner) we had the
privilege of beholding the faces of four beaming missionaries around our table
– Elders Eckelt, Goroughi, and Steel, and the new elder, Elder Gunderson from
Houston, who took Elder Morgan’s place, now off to Wales. After more ice cream
pie (Leah’s catch-all birthday treat, that she had to make for herself and
planned to last through three busy days), we were led by the elders in a
stimulating and thoughtful after-dinner discussion on the atonement, as well as
how we could become more involved in the work they are committed to doing.
Just before seven, Ann, the bishop’s wife came to
pick up Jacob to return him to church, where his dad would collect and return him
to home. Leah and I were also headed in that direction, as a stake Relief
Society fireside was planned for the evening. The theme centered around the
topic, Be Your Own Kind of Beauty, considering the gap between ‘who I am’ and ‘who
I can become.’ It addressed the issues of self-doubt and low self-esteem that women
especially suffer from – and often among women of faith as well. Following the opening song and prayer, we were treated to a special musical item. (I think if I lived here all the rest of my
days it would not be enough time to get used to a musical number being called a ‘musical item!’)
~ Katya being her 'own kind of beautiful' in pink and silver shoes ~
May I just add that my priesthood leaders have
awesome wives! The better halves of my bishop, bishopric counselors, stake
president and his counselors – all are incredible women, the majority of which
all live within our ward boundaries. (See what I’m saying about a tremendous
ward?!) I can say this with surety as I had the opportunity of spending a
moment or two with each one of them individually, at some point or other during
the time we spent at church today.
