Monday, March 9, 2020

I'll Be Seeing You


copy of email to my granddaugher serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

I thought I had read all the Anne of Green Gables series, but then I discovered “Further Chronicles of Avonlea”  which I am reading by listening to now when doing my chores.  Not about Anne at all, really, but again a number of stories about various residents of Avonlea. Anne does show up in one or two as a background character, and is mentioned in others, but does not figure at all in some.  Nonetheless, they are charming and lovely stories. 

Speaking of lovely and charming stories, I donated platelets this week and watched the Downton Abbey movie again.  Enjoyed it even more than the first time (in the theater!), I think.  Going to add it to my library.  : )

Working on emergency preparedness.  In February, our RS emphasized health and sanitation.  I bought a Luggable Loo (5 gallon bucket with a seat) and a pop up privacy pod.   Then, loving my family and wanting them to have the comfort of being prepared, I thought, “Yowza! What a great birthday present.”  So, David received a Luggable Loo and Teresa will get a pop up pod.  The pattern will repeat with my other kids.  Won’t they all be thrilled and excited. 

Speaking of emergency.  With the Covid 19 scare and talk about quarantines, I hear that it is getting hard to find toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning wipes, bottled water, some medicines and foods, etc.  So far I haven’t seen it except a sign at Winco limiting the number of items of that kind of thing that you can buy at a time.  But they have them in stock.  Of course, good LDS who have already followed prophetic counsel are feeling comfortable.  I am kind of mixed there.  I have a lot of canned food and we could eat for weeks, but it would be weird and unbalanced.   And I don’t have much paper and cleaning supplies stocked. 

My canned food storage is pretty old and needs to be rotated out, too.  We have started eating it down.  I planned to wait to restock until after the kitchen is done and things settle a little.  Although the family room needs major work.  One wall has rot and water damage. Some of the acoustical ceiling tiles are damaged, some loose.  Also part of the ceiling has water damage.  So much to do!  So, I want to reduce the amount of stuff we have.  But maybe eating down our food storage might not be a good idea. 

Debi invited us all to get together for a spring picnic - partly so Molly could personally deliver our Girl Scout Cookies without them having to drive all over the place and try to connect with everyone.  Last year, we complained because our cookies were not delivered by our Girl Scout.  Naturally Saturday  was the first time it rained in long over a month, so the “picnic” moved to Debi’s house.  We all enjoyed hanging out together.  And ate too much not the most healthy food.

I am actually not a fan of Girl Scouts.  I think they support Planned Parenthood.  And when we briefly dipped our toes in GS with Miriam and Ruth, I felt like they had many good things for girls, but did not really respect “traditional” women’s roles or women in the home.  But Molly is in GS.
And being a diabetic, I don’t actually need cookies, especially over priced ones.  But I got 2 boxes and have not yet decided whether I am sharing.  LOL 

It is time to plan for my 2021 Disney Alaska cruise.  Not easy!  Who is going? Your mom and Mary Jane.  Maybe Sami.  I am really hoping that you can come! But 5 people in a room is too much.   David and Teresa are thinking about it.  Which would be great.  We could have a mother/ daughter cabin and I could share with DT.  Teresa really wants to go.  Of course, she is pushing it as an anniversary trip even though we are planning for September and they were married in May (if I remember right).  Wouldn’t it be romantic to have your mother / mother-in-law with you?  But David keeps saying, It is really expensive.  Which it is.  My friends who have cruised are encouraging me.  I want to go before I am too old and can’t. 

And of course we are planning for going to your homecoming.  So excited!  Although a little sad to think of your mission coming to an end.  I know that it is hard for many missionaries to leave.  Relish the time you have!  Great things await you - on your mission still and when you transfer home. 

In RS, we had a great and sadly, much needed, discussion of Sister Aburto’s talk “Through Cloud and Sunshine, Lord, Abide with Me”.  One of our sisters just tragically lost the 2nd of her 3 (adult) children.  Sisters shared their experiences with “dark clouds”. Testimonies of the Lord’s love and healing power were shared and nourished.  We learned of some things that help us face the challenges of mental and emotional afflictions and how to help others.  It was a powerful meeting. 

I sometimes wonder why we are so much more blessed than people through most of history with  the abundance and ease of access to scripture and counsel from the Lord’s chosen leaders.  But then I think that while we live in physically easier and more comfortable circumstances, we live in spiritually dangerous and challenging times.  It seems to me that for much of history, one had to almost go out and seek for many sins and temptations that now intrude in our homes, insidiously sneak in to most aspects of our lives.  We NEED every bit of strength and counsel we can get. 

Blessings on you and the rest of the Lord’s army as you bring light to his children. 


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