12/18/2017 - Section 69

December 18, 2017

Section 69 (Just catching up)

Journal,

It’s nice to be back to my D&C study. Back in September 2017, when we were still in Bend, things were quite hectic with visiting Dylan and the kids in Olympia and Seattle, in doing more mission preparation, and in getting packed up and moved out of our cottage in Bend and into the Krueger’s basement in Highland, Utah. Once here in Utah, we immediately started visiting all the rest of the kids for our ‘farewell tour’ that had started with Dylan in Washington State. We loved being with Sarah and family in Burbank, Jody and family in Honduras, Todd and family in Pittsburgh, and Cal and family in Summit NJ. We left our cars behind: the TT with Dylan and the Highlander with Cal, we flew back to the Kruegers and had maybe 10 days to get all Philippine Mission preparations completed and be ready to go into the MTC on Sunday, December 3^rd. Then on Wednesday, Nov 29^th in the late afternoon -- only 3 days before our Sunday MTC arrival, Bob called the missionary travel office asking about how much weight would the airlines allow for our carry-on’s. After a 5+ minute discussion on that topic, Brother Love said, “Oh, by the way, your visas didn’t come through.” WHAT???? It seems that the Philippines had decided to change the way they processed visas and that meant that we, along with over a hundred younger missionaries were on an indefinite hold.

As sad as we were to not be able to carry on as planned, I was very happy to be able to rest up a bit. The moving, the mission preparations, and the travel had really worn me down. So the week we would have been in the MTC, was amazingly relaxing and restorative. The following week, we went ahead and attended our 4 day Missionary Medical Training in SLC. I just wrote about that in my weekly (at least I try to make them weekly) family letter:

Hey you guys!

It didn't even take one day for me to stop being stressed about our week of medical training in Salt Lake City along with two other mission nurses like me, and three area medical doctors who will be over multiple missions. (I woke up this morning at 3 AM--in anticipation of the alarm that was set for 5:30--making mental lists of all the things I was worried about fouling up.)   Now, after our first day of training, I am assured that we will have more to do than I had yet figured out. But I believe that I've only just begun to realize the support team that will surround us. Our job is to be the first tier of medical care. We are to provide 'educated mom care' to the missionaries with health problems, as well as to their companions--who are affected in a different way. We are to help them live healthier -- and there are so many things that truly will change their lives by giving them knowledge that --if put into practice--will end up keeping them safe from so many potential problems. We are to keep heath records for them and bring the doctor in when he/she is needed. But best of all, we are to love them. We can do that! That was our favorite thing to do in our mission to Japan. Only this time we have access to the entire mission--not just the missionaries in our zones.  So--as of today--I'm still looking forward to a demanding calling, but feeling quite a bit better about being able to handle it appropriately, and am only feeling occasional flutters in my stomach instead of that constant churning! 

Even the letters Medical Mission committee sends are uplifting. Listen to this one:  "We have worked diligently over the years to provide you with excellent support tools to serve the missionary’s and your needs.  These include an electronic medical record (E-med, E-med log); consultants who can be readily available to you; resources for transport; excellent guidelines and screening procedures; and documents which are electronically and regularly updated.  We encourage you to use them regularly and become experts in their application.  By doing so, it will help provide a world-wide standard of care that will keep the missions healthy and strong." And then that letter included beautiful scripture reminders: "I will tell you in your mind and in your heart by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now behold, this is the spirit of revelation." D&C 8:2,3    and  "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face, I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." D&C 84:88"

Then there was this in another email:  "In your setting apart you were given the blessings of a missionary and part of that is to have an even greater portion of the gift of discernment.  As you draw from your professional training and experience, include a careful listening to the Spirit and utilize the power of prayer in your service.  You may encounter problems for which you do not have an immediate answer.  Seek counsel through your consultant staff in the Missionary Department Health Service and combine that with the promptings of the Holy Ghost." I know there are great blessings in being a missionary--we felt it during our time in Japan. I'm glad to be reminded of that --for that does much to sooth my anxieties.  

Then, when we got back home (the Krueger's basement) Thursday night, and I wrote an email to the nurse here in Utah who will be my contact in the event I have questions whose answers I can't find in the Philippines, asking her questions about some specific reporting procedures. She got back to me immediately with full answers to my questions and then wrote: "I absolutely promise you that you will do just fine and things will come into your mind (the Holy Ghost will take care of you) that you will wonder how you ever knew what to do.  I was immediately surprised at the things I knew to do but soon grew accustomed to being led by the spirit to do what was needed.  It is so exciting!!!"

All these 'tidbits' from so many sorces echo the feelings that Sister Turner (Philippines Manilla Mission Nurse who just left Manilla last Wednesday returning to the states) has expressed in her emails. To me, she seems like the epitome of an older, slightly crusty, nurse who really does know almost everything and the right way to put it all into practice. And yet, at the end of her nursing commentary she'll include things like this: "I know this sounds overwhelming but I want you to know the You and the Holy Ghost can do it together. Do not hesitate to ask for all the strength and intelligence and understanding you have been promised as you do this work. I pray as I drive, as I walk and as I talk and miracles happen....PS This work is addicting you will have the time of your life. You will laugh. You will cry. You will find true Joy. I am hoping this old body can do another mission in the future. Time will tell."  We love this mission...and we haven't even left!!!

Whew! After a non-stop week, instead of feeling tired--we feel energized! And yes I could go on with more examples-- because every day brings new things to light for us. But let me use the last of this letter to tell you of the non-mission things that are going on in our lives--

We actually have enjoyed the extra days that our visa delay has given us--although we might not feel the same way if the delays go on for months! But we've now had some down time, and rest is so rejuvenating! And we're enjoying living underneath the Kruegers. It gives us good friends literally a whoo-hoo away! And we so enjoy sharing our days and thoughts with each other.

And in the midst of all this, Dad and I have been doing some serious house hunting. Serial Moving is not quite what we imagined it to be. Every move requires prep time before and settling in after, and those big segments of time have taken up more of our free time than we ever anticipated. The Utah Valley housing market is booming (which seems reasonable as we always seem to sell low and buy high) and we are out there searching for a house we'll truly enjoy living in. We've found one that we keep going back to, but we're spending this coming week upping our search endeavors trying to be sure we've seen everything that is available out there. Fortunately, we are finding we enjoy most of our searching days.

We'll be sure to keep you updated! Just remember that I love you more than ALL the houses in Utah County!

Lynne/Mom

Well, that about sums it up, and it’s time to get breakfast going now, so I’ll begin again tomorrow morning. I’m so VERY happy to be back to my scripture study! I’ve been studying Elder Bednar’s Act in Doctrine since we got the ‘no visa’ word, and have really enjoyed his manner of teaching. I felt that I was being personally taught by an apostle every morning. I’m sure I will read that book again. But right now, I will shift my morning efforts to being taught by the Lord’s scriptures—that too is wonderful teaching with much appreciated moments of enlightenment.