May 10, 2015

Little flowers in profusion. Are they in the daisy family?

Happy American Mother’s Day to all the mothers in our lives.  Thank you!  Hope your day was memorable.

This week was another one to stay-at-home with desk work – mostly.   The last projects that were approved are on hold for the couple coming after us.  So, we are finishing up the ones we have been working on, closing out the paper work and accounting details; hence, not many photo ops.

Of course, when we are here we attend teaching programs with the elders and this week we went to several with each set of elders.  

Saturday we left after lunch to Budapest to attend stake conference.  Stan attendied the Saturday afternoon priesthood leadership meeting and said they mentioned that 2/3 of the priesthood brethren in Hungary are less active!   That really validates the thought that this country, like in the early days of the Church, is going through its own growing and refining process.   The strong saints will become stronger and that kind of a foundation is greatly needed for the future growth.

One focus of the evening session was on social media – flooding the world with worthwhile and uplifting messages.   The Europe Area goal is to double the activity level, and there was a very enlightening discussion and demonstration of all the possible Church events to which we could invite others.   Yes, we know all these events, but the enlightening part was when it was actually shown on a calendar – baptisms, blessings, ordinations, talks, RS activities, YW and YM activities, YSA, FHE, (non) farewell and homecoming talks, camps, father-son events, etc.   The calendar was quite full of possibilities.   Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. D&C 84:20)

Sunday morning we were visiting with elders and I looked over and did a double take, thinking a woman looked familiar.  She was!  It was Cami Buhman.  She and her husband, Jeff, lived in the Pleasant View 6^th Ward in her parents’ (Kirk and Carol Waldron) home while they were serving a mission.  The Buhmans and friends were on a trip to Prague, Budapest and Vienna.  It truly is a small world!  How fun to see someone from home and reconnect.

We were reminded Sunday about the importance of family history.  Any work done in the temple is time well spent, but receiving ordinances vicariously for one of your own ancestors will make the time in the temple more sacred, and even greater blessings will be received.  (Elder Richard G. Scott)  We are committed to go home and get involved in family history!

President Smith (mission president) spoke and shared a couple of missionary miracles:  1) two elders had been knocking on doors unsuccessfully for an hour.  They stopped, evaluated what they were doing, prayed, and as they said “Amen,” someone tapped one on the shoulder and asked if they were Mormon missionaries.  “Can you teach me,” he asked.  “I met with the missionaries in another country and since coming here, I haven’t found them.”   2)  A man was very down and discouraged.  He decided to pray and ask God to help him.  He finished and picked up the Bible and it opened to Revelations 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. . .”  Just then there was a knock at the door.  He opened it and saw two young men.  Without saying anything he invited them in.  Surprised at the reception they asked him who he thought they were.  He said, “I was praying to God asking for help and I think you have been sent by Him to help me.”   They were blessed to teach and baptize this man.

President Southwick used the analogy of Simba in Lion King.  Simba, who was the son of the king, was led away by his evil and jealous uncle and taught ‘Akuna Matata’ – no worries.   Just enjoy life; eat, drink and be merry (see 2 Nephi 28:7-8).   Simba finally came to himself, learned that it was his uncle who had killed his father, had a mighty change of heart and then he fought for all that he had before and for his right to be the king.   We are all children of a King! Now we want to watch Lion King again.

Did you know that smiling releases more endorphins to your brain than 2,000 chocolate bars?  We also learned that at stake conference!  This is a happy stake; we have many blessings.  Show it by smiling.

We returned home Sunday afternoon arriving only minutes before the elders came to have their time to Skype their families for Mother’s Day.   Of course, they all had enjoyable visits and we got to say a quick hello to their families.   We then had dinner – as close to Café Rio as possible here. 

Then President Balint came over to discuss the details of the upcoming YSA activity next weekend.  And we learned that the branch, being filled with mortal human beings, has had a bit of drama the last couple of weeks.   We just hope and pray that this young, 26-year-old president does not get overwhelmed with these issues as he tries to counsel, direct and continue in his own full-time work and study as a student. 

Oh, how imperfect we as human beings are.  Hopefully, as we err and stray from the path we grab hold of the iron rod and pull right back on because wickedness never was happiness and  happiness comes only when we are on the strait and narrow way being obedient and daily adding to our testimonies line upon line, precept upon precept.