3/4/2018 Graphics, Packets and Tender Mercies

    Our YSA organized an EFYSA one-day event, inviting other stakes throughout Florida.  They asked us to help with the service project.  My specific assignment was to purchase the items they needed to put together packets for the veterans who are hospitalized.  To make a long story short (just think if this is short, what is long?) I made an attempt using my very lacking computer and artistic skills to come up with a cover sheet ... but it didn't look all that great 

Decided I better send it to Krishelle for help and thirty minutes later, we had this back.  Printed on red, it looked great!! The first of a line-up of tender mercies to have this project ready

       They expected 100 participants, so between Amazon and Dollar Tree we put together an order, but had to wait for an OK on the budget.  We are used to Amazon's fast shipping and went there for pens, pencils, packets, ribbon, etc., but for the most important part of the packets, Dollar Tree was considerably less on Journals, Crosswords, Sudoku and Word Hunt so we ordered from there.  We had eight days when the budget was okayed, which seems like plenty of time.  Wrong!!  When I went to place the order, we found out that to get it by the time we needed it, the charge would be $208.00 and although they were nice, no amount of explaining or pleading could change it.
    It is interesting what kind of answers we expect to our prayers and I think I expected a quick, easy answer.  Although I had thoroughly searched the internet for the prices, I went back again expecting heaven to miraculously guide me to another site.  It wasn't long before I discovered nothing had changed.  Dollar Tree was still the least expensive and the only one that fit in our budget.  So the answer to the prayer wasn't simple on-line ordering but involved much more work.  One of the young ladies (Katrina, a faithful convert of almost a year) from the institute went with me and we went to all four Dollar Tree stores in Gainesville.  Mike and I went to the one in Orlando when we went to the temple, and one in Ocala which is on the way back from the temple. 

We finally rounded up one hundred of everything we needed, breathed a sigh of relief (and said several prayers of thanks)   But as participant registrations continued to come in, we found we were going to have to have at least forty more so it was back to the stores.  Thanks to another string of tender mercies .. we finally finished Friday.
    Saturday morning when we went back to the Institute to print the cover sheets and the lists, Mike decided just to run down to check the mail, although we didn't think we would be getting anything for the activity, forgetting that I ordered cards, pens and pencils through Amazon.   Mike fit everything he needed to help with in between preparing for his classes and then got everything organized on the tables as I counted and recounted to be sure we had enough.  It was a good activity and just one more evidence of our Heavenly Father's help in little things that make big things better.

The youth assembled 150 packets, the Elders were there to check them and package them.  It has been a few weeks of  more than a few extra blessings. 

 We do love and appreciate these missionaries .. Elders Kautai, Krupp, Ivie and Jheng.

My study has been in Mosiah - 28:6-7 says - And king Mosiah went and inquired of the Lord if he should let his sons go up among the Lamanites to preach the word.  And the Lord said unto Mosiah:  Let them go up, for many shall believe on their words and they shall have eternal life; and I will deliver thy sons out of the hands of the Lamanites.

     The commentary says this - There is an important lesson to be learned in the phrase "I will deliver thy sons out of the hands of the Lamanites."  Often, when people are in the service of God, on His errand, they feel that they should be protected and blessed such that all will go well all of the time.  As we study the missions of these men, we will see that they sacrificed much and some of them suffered much in order to fulfill this mission.  Yet the Lord did bring them back to Mosiah when their missions were completed, as he promised he would. 

        Being called of God and serving Him does not mean that there won't be trials, tribulations, disappointments, suffering, etc., along with the joys and satisfactions that go along with such work.  But it does mean that He is there to help us and give comfort as we travel that path.  

        One of our missionary friends said of their daughter and her family after a particularly difficult experience.  "Their hearts are broken, but their testimonies are rock solid."   It seems that scripture reading, prayer, obedience, service, loving one another, bearing one another's burdens -- those are among the things that build the pillars to make our testimonies rock solid.   

       Grateful for all of you and your love and support.